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Chaosium Digest Volume 33 Number 02
Chaosium Digest Volume 33, Number 2
Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2001
Number: 3 of 3
ZOMBIE REMORTIFICATION (pt. 3)
by Mervyn Boyd - jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk
New Spell
Empower Stone of Nyambe
A stone, or rock or other suitable natural occurring substance the size of a
clenched fist should be used as the receptacle. Empowering the stone
requires a 30 minute African tribal ritual, 1 point of POW expended, three
broad bands engraved round its circumference then total immersion (for eight
hours) in the blood sacrifice of a creature of at least size 4. 1d3 sanity
loss also occurs. Once this has been done the receptacle is ready to hold
magic points.
A Voodoo totem of some kind
This ornately carved spear-like weapon measures 26 inches in length and is
made of bamboo topped with an iron spike. The shaft of the weapon is bound
with intertwining strips of leather and human flesh. Two shrunken human
heads are tied with ligaments and sinew just below the iron barb and hand
loose. Seeing this causes 0/1d3 sanity loss on a failed roll. Unless a
mythos roll is impaled the exact identification of this totem will be
unknown. This is a Fetch Stick - a magical weapon that can damage and kill
extraplanar creatures. The spear has a base chance of 15% and does 1d6+1
damage.
The Other Rooms
The other rooms are mostly empty except for the odd box containing odds and
ends and memorabilia. Nothing that'll interest the players.
The Cellar
The basement is full of junk mostly. Searching around the players come
across, standing partially obscured in the corner of the cellar, a magicians
"Vanishing Lady" cabinet. Next to that is also a magicians trunk sporting
the legend "Rumbaldo The Clown" in flaking gaudy colours. The chest is
locked but can be easily broken open. Inside is all you would associate with
a magician or clown: Top hat and tails, wand, oversized novelty shoes, coat
with several secret pockets, red nose, green wig and clown makeup and a
broken ventriloquist dummy. The chest also contains a few vials and bottles
of powder. There are also a few bronze bowls with engravings. Inside one of
the bowls an observant character (who makes a SPOT HIDDEN -20 roll) notices
a thin brown flaky crust. (If the Investigators have this analyzed they will
find out that it is blood - human blood. Type A. A match for Rita.)
CHEMISTRY or PHARMACY analysis of the bottled chemicals find that they are
nothing more than stage props that change the colour of flames and other
flash powders. The vanishing lady cabinet is decorated with assorted
"magical" glyphs. Closely examining the interior of the cabinet the
investigators require a successful MYTHOS roll (which the keeper should
roll) to sense that one of the glyphs is magical. Another successful MYTHOS
roll identifies the glyph as being part of a gate spell. This gate is
specifically tuned to one person - Bedford. It only works on a given command
word or gesture which is known only to him, so the investigators cannot pass
through the gate should they already happen to know the spell.
Visiting The Mine
Once the players have discovered the existence of the mine by either the
deeds, or by being told of it by Michaelson or another local they may well
want to come out and have a closer look. Michaelson or Cockcroft can bring
them out here to show them where it is. Both men can also take the players
to the site where Rita's body was unearthed, though there is nothing there
to interest the players.
While walking through the woods, a successful NATURAL HISTORY or LISTEN roll
reveals a total absence of large animal life forms (rabbits, foxes, birds,
etc). Those who succeed a TRACK roll find that the only noticeable tracks
are large hoof prints. Succeeding the track roll by half allows diligent
characters to see there are only one set of prints walking side by side - as
if made by a biped, rather than the normal tracks a horse makes.
The hoof prints belong to a Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath, although they
could have been made by a horse (for those who fail their Natural History
roll.). Anyone who has encountered a Dark Young before may recognize its
tracks. The tracks never form a traceable path and where they disappear into
the undergrowth an observant character sees that the vegetation there is
crushed and withered and several trees have been partially toppled as though
pushed with immense strength. The Dark Young hides during the day, virtually
undetectable. At night it stalks out from its lair and slays what livestock
it can find, leaving behind only charred, perforated corpses - one or two of
which the Investigators may find during their walk. A failed Sanity roll
(with a loss of zero sanity) results in the character grimacing at the
dried out husk of the corpse.
As they continue through the woods, the characters, on a successful POWx5
roll, become aware of the smell of rotting vegetation wafting on the breeze.
(This is the smell of the Dark Young). Eventually the investigators emerge
in to the woodland clearing and mineshaft. The smell of rotting plants hangs
strongly in the air here, although no rotting vegetation can be found close
by. The hoof tracks the characters may have seen before are in great
abundance here and can be readily seen without a track roll and appear to be
concentrated around a solitary tree (see below). To the side of the mine
entry shaft, there stands a single, partially collapsed wooden hut. (Nothing
to find inside except a few rusty old tools.) Those who try to determine
whether the place has been visited recently, or is being used, should roll a
TRACK or SPOT HIDDEN skill check. A successful roll confirms that several
people have been here recently, although how recently is unknown. As to
proving whether the mine is still in use is indeterminate. To find that out
the characters need to proceed into its depths.
The solitary tree seems to be covered in some kind of bristly fungus that
grows all over its trunk. Its branches are withered and twisted. Green goo
oozes from 'open sores'. The smell here is astounding and the Investigators
need to cover their noses while they breath. The smell now reminds the
Investigators of corpses sweltering in a midsummer's heat. (BOTANY rolls
determine this to be an unknown type of tree and indeed disease.) If the
investigators come within 40 feet of the mine the Dark Young moves into
attack flailing its limbs wildly. (After Rita discovered the mine and
wandered in, Bedford summoned the Dark Young to protect the mine from
further unwanted trespassers.)
Should the Dark Young be slain, it begins to melt into a glutinous, mulchy
goo at an alarming rate. Its already horrific odor becoming much, much
worse. Within 45 minutes, there'll be nothing left of it save for a squelchy
blackened damp patch of bare earth, where no plant will grow for decades to
come.
The Dark Young Of Shub-Niggurath
STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX MOVE HITS
38 17 42 14 18 16 8 30
WEAPON ATTK % DAMAGE Armour: All firearms do minimum damage. Hand to
Tentacle 80 4d6+STR drain* Hand weapons do normal damage.
Trample 40 2d6+4d6 SAN: 1d3/1d20
* Within the Dark Young's numerous ropy tentacles it has four main ones with
which it can attack. All four can attack independently. Should a victim
become ensnared, he is held close so that he is bitten by the open sores.
These "mouths" drain 1d3 points of STR & CON per round - permanently.
Providing the unfortunate victim is still alive, he is rendered incapable of
any action other than trying to free himself from its vile clutches.
The Tin Mine
A rich seem of tin runs through Uffington and is worth quite a fortune. The
mine was originally owned by Bedford's father but a spate of accidents
maimed and killed several miners twenty-odd years ago. The remaining
workforce then refused to go back down which forced the mine's closure.
Rumour has it that the mine is haunted because of that.
The only way in to the mine is by the elevator which, surprisingly, still
works. When the elevator reaches the bottom of the shaft the characters
emerge into a dimly lit corridor. Echoing around them they hear the sound of
steel on stone. Mining. Further up ahead, they see the mine is brightly lit
and the light casts shadows upon the walls which dance and writhe (no sanity
loss). About 20 feet into the mine shaft the characters discover several
boxes which contain kerosene lamps, roughly 17 gallons of oil and assorted
tools. Moving deeper into the mine the investigators soon come across a
ghastly scene. About 20-25 figures, men and women, all with sickening sallow
sunken features and dirty torn clothing. Some break ore with pickaxes,
others load trolleys and when full, cart it off down a tunnel to another
elevator. The ore-laden trolleys are then sent up to a barn where other
zombie workers unload it on to vehicles that transport it away for
processing. Once empty the trolleys are returned for another load. These
zombies are watched by two human overseers.
A sanity roll is required with a combined loss of 1d4/1d8 if the players
realize that all the workers are - or should be dead and buried. If
Cockcroft or Michaelson is here he will stand stunned and speechless at the
sight, obviously traumatized as seeing many people they once knew -
especially if one happens to be Michaelson's son. Overseeing the zombie
workforce is one of Bedford's goons. He uses a whip to spur on anyone who
seem to be slacking off, and is now using it with great enthusiasm on a
luckless fallen zombie. If he is interrupted, and seeing that he is
outnumbered, he orders the zombies to attack the intruders while he make
good his escape to inform his friends. It would be madness to fight the
zombies, their numbers will eventually overwhelm the few investigators and
kill them. Any character equipped with an Elder Sign will soon be amazed to
discover that these zombies are not affected by it. Even those carrying and
using Bad-Corpse Dust will find that it has no effect. As previously
mentioned, these zombies are live humans, so firearms do normal damage
against them.
The Zombies
STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX MOVE HITS
9 12 13 5 1 8 6 13
WEAPON ATTK % DAMAGE The zombies either attempt to take a swipe at a
Scratch/Nail/Grapple 30 1d3 character with a tool, or claw for damage, or
try to
Bite 70 1d6 grapple. Once grappled and held, the zombie attempts
Applicable Tool 25 1d6+1 to bite the character.
Grave Digging
Once faced with the problem, medical type characters may wish to dig up a
corpse or two in order to perform a post mortem. Cockcroft, says he's
thought about that also, but decided to against it, as he's positive as to
how the people would react if they found out. That's why he contacted the
player in the first place. After discovering what is going on in the mine
the investigators may well want to dig graves up - just to be sure. In
either case this is what happens. The graves of everybody who has died from
the Fever list will be empty, with the exception of Stewart Galloway - the
most recently dead, and that of Rita - the girl Bedford killed. If the
players decide to dig up graves without anyone's consent they will require a
LISTEN roll (at some point) to hear Sergeant Michaelson and Constable
Tanner - who both carry shotguns - arrive. The local minister, Thadeus
Greene, can be seen lurking in the background. Michaelson intervenes just as
the Investigators are about to open a coffin lid; he orders them to stop and
threatens them with arrest for the crimes of grave robbing and possibly even
body snatching (unless everyone is on friendly terms). Ignoring him and
throwing open the coffin the Investigators may, or may not be surprised to
find that it is empty, Michaelson, Tanner and the minister sure will be and
will want to know what's going on. Depending on how the players handle this
situation, the outcome will govern how Michaelson, and the rest of the town
will react to the continued presence of the players.
Further Events
Should the investigators remain in Uffington overnight, or for several days,
the keeper could throw these and other events in (or ignore them
completely) at any time to give added drama, surprise and mystery to an
otherwise slow moving scenario:
· Thadeus Greene (the local minister) is attacked in the night and is found
bleeding and unconscious in the graveyard the morning after by the
Investigators or by someone else. Upon questioning, he says that he was
disturbed last night around three in the morning with noises coming from the
cemetery. Investigating what it was he was jumped from behind, but before he
lost consciousness he managed to see two men wearing robes and masks making
off towards the bridge. If the Investigators search the cemetery further
they find the partially dug grave of Stewart Galloway, a lantern and some
digging tools. Curious Investigators may want to take a look in the coffin,
just to appease their suspicions. Opening it they find the body of Stewart.
(The two men were attempting to retrieve the body and take it to the mine
for awakening). Anybody wishing to track Rev. Greene's assailants need to
succeed a TRACK roll. The tracks can be followed for 50 yards or so before
the trail is completely lost as they cross the cobblestone bridge. It
doesn't matter if the track roll was impaled, the trail is lost regardless.
The
men may return the next night to complete their task, but they will be wary
and will look for sentries on guard before proceeding.
· 1d3 zombies (or more) manage to escape from the mine and somehow find
their way back into town at whatever time is convenient for the keeper. The
Investigators are alerted to the hysterical screams of a woman in her late
40s early 50s. By the time the Investigators arrive on the scene a small
crowd has gathered and bicker amongst themselves. Somebody tries to calm the
woman down. A successful PSYCHOANALYSIS roll does this just enough for her
to say that she found her dead husband (Jeffrey Chambers - died Nov 2, 1919)
in the kitchen making something to eat. Entering her house and looking
around is easily done. Down stairs is clear of zombies. But, upstairs and
having looked in a room or two Jeffrey lurches suddenly from another doorway
in an attempt to grapple and bite a luckless investigator. The attack is
unexpected so a sanity roll is required with a loss of 1/1d3. (The other
zombies who escaped - if any - can appear in this scene or elsewhere
according to the keeper's discretion). If the characters capture, rather
than kill Jeffrey, they see that he will stare around his surroundings
blankly. No intelligible conversation can be had save for guttural growls.
Resolving The Zombie Plague
Investigators may take the direct approach by loading shotguns and going on
a hunt, or they may try and obtain dynamite to blow the mine up. Unless they
habitually carry dynamite they will find that there is absolutely no
dynamite to be found in town. Another way of destroying them is to destroy
the clay effigies, either by burning or smashing them. Whatever happens to
an effigy will occur to one of the zombies. Throw an effigy on a fire, a
zombie will burst into flames after a few rounds of smoking. Pull the head
off an effigy will result in a broken neck. Smash an effigy to pieces sees
all the bones in the zombie breaking as it falls to the ground in a saggy
heap. If dynamite is used in the mine there will be a chance of a cave in
with a chance equal to the greatest damage rolled. If the Investigators
obtained the papyrus pages from Bedford's home and take the time to
translate it they may release the zombies from their current state by
casting the reverse of the zombification process. There is no time limit to
do this, if the players want to come back a week next Tuesday to free the
enslaved humans let them. If the characters discuss things with Thadeus he
may offer to help since he can speak a little French. He's been a missionary
you know. Given enough time, Thadeus translates enough of the papyrus pages
(despite his shortcomings in understanding French-Creole) so that the
de-zombiefication process can be attempted. Returning the zombies to their
natural human form results in sanity gain, however killing the zombies then
learning of the reversal process will certainly cause sanity loss.
The End and its Reward
Whether the characters ingratiate themselves with the local community and
expose Bedford's evil scheme, or whether they are chased from town by a
horde of angry villagers brandishing flaming brands and pitchforks a few
things play on their minds: Who is Squire Bedford? Where is he? What's he
involved with? What is this Sable Order of the Cloven Bough? What is the
Book of Sakkuth? This gives the keeper boundless opportunities in generating
further scenarios.
Killing Nakumba +1d4 points
Reverting a zombie to normal +1/5 point per zombie
Killing a zombie then learning, or knowing, that they can be reverted -1
point per zombie killed
Killing a zombie without knowledge of reversion process +1d3 points per 5
Player Handout 1.
Uffington on the Marsh
Cornwall
10 March 1920
Dear ,
Please forgive me for contacting you out of the blue like this. I know we
haven't seen each other for almost ten years, but for some time now our
village has been beset by a number of mysterious and fatal maladies. People
have been dying off suffering from bouts of lassitude and then generally
wasting away. I cannot find any cause that can be attributed to what the
locals have begun to call "The Fever". I am at a loss and desperately need
your experience and advice. Please come quickly to Uffington on the Marsh
and shed some light on this miserable state of affairs. I shall reimburse
you of your traveling expenses.
Your Friend ,
Dr. Timothy Cockcroft.
Player Handout 2
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your interest in The Book of Sakkuth. Here are the details you
wish to know, as per your request:
The actual author of the treatise is purported to be an unknown maddened
Benedictine Monk who took his own life in the 4th century by jumping from
the monastery's bell tower - though rumor has it that he was pushed or
thrown to his demise. Shortly after his death it was assured that his
blasphemous work was destroyed, but evidently his work survived in one form
or another, because today 1916 years later there appears to be several
printed editions in circulation, though, by now, the original manuscript
must've crumbled into dust.
This particular book is a hard-bound leather tome with a flat black cover,
which has a tarnished brass clasp to lock its pages in place. The book
comprises 368 pages of illuminated hand-written (17th Century Late Modern
English) text with no illustrations of any sort, though, it does have
evidence of a color drawing on the very first page, but it has been torn out
leaving only the very edge of the picture and part of a diction beginning;
"O friend and companion of the void,.."
According to the book, the magi of ancient Rome believed Sakkuth to come to
Earth once every thousand years or so to possess a human body. He then
spread dissension wherever he traveled while seeking out the Ajar-Alazwat -
an artifact that fell from the sky in the Hyperborian age. The object
apparently served as the focus for many dark cults in that time and in the
years that followed, and has reportedly traveled as far and wide from
Greece, to Russia to Atlantis and R'lyeh and both ice continents. If real,
the artifact's current whereabouts is speculated to be no less diverse.
Sakkuth is believed to be responsible for the Dark Ages which followed the
destruction of Atlantis and Hyperborea. With the aid of the Ajar-Alazwat he
would try to summon his masters, Yog-Sothoth and Shub-Niggurath to Earth -
and to a lesser extent Hastur, where they would mate and give birth to the
spawn that would gain dominion over the world. There is mention that Sakkuth
is similar in many ways to a being called Nyarlathotep, but this may also
just be another name for the King in Yellow (whoever that is). The book is
filled with doggerel such as this, as well as containing several prayers and
hymns, the book also contains instructions for certain rituals, convocations
and summonings.
By your request I also include information on one such spell that you were
keen on knowing about. The spell purportedly summons forth a creature not
previously described in other books of occult lore. It is described as being
an "Hunter of Shub-Niggurath". This entity appears to belong to a powerful
servitor race. The hunters are called into service from their home world for
one purpose only - to hunt. When summoned and given the description of a
victim, the hunter tracks down the target and will not stop until either it
or the target is dead. The hunter has a special sense which allows it to
home in on a person when provided with something the person has recently
touched.
From descriptions, the hunter is humanoid in appearance resembling an
emaciated corpse. Its rough leathery hide taught against its skeletal
structure. The being is completely devoid of hair and is dark brown in
colour and is often filthy. Large bat like wings protrude from its back and
it stands on large powerful legs that resemble that of a Satyr. When
measured it stands roughly 8 feet tall. Its hands are human-like and
terminate in a lethal array of long iron-like talons. Despite its scrawny
appearance the hunter is very muscular and agile. The hunters' point of
origin is as yet unknown. They could be from an entirely different
dimension, or they could be the spawn from a nearby planet in our own solar
system. The hunter does not speak though it is capable of a crude
communication, through a rough form of empathy, which transmits the hunter's
intentions and emotions to nearby beings. Apparently, hunters are unable to
control this ability; thus, they project their mental conditions, such as
they are, constantly.
I hope this letter has been of some help to you and I look forward to
hearing from you soon. Again, I thank you for your inquiry and I am pleased
to inform you that I am willing to sell you the book for £15,000.
Yours Faithfully,
Ray McGoldrick
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