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Chaosium Digest Volume 35 Number 06
Chaosium Digest Volume 35, Number 06
Date: Saturday, January 12, 2002
Number: 1 of 2
Contents
* A Demon in Silk (STORMBRINGER)
by Jorge Palinhos
* Seizure (CTHULHU)
By Matt "MonsterFashion" Sanborn
Editor's Note:
This issue contains the last two submissions that qualified for the 4th
Quarter 2001 contest as they were submitted before January 1, 2002. Jorge
Palinhos gives us a good, basic Stormbringer/Elric! adventure complete with
some ASCII maps that might require full screen viewing to be useable. Then
Matt Sanborn presents a '60s era Call of Cthulhu adventure outline that
provides some good ideas, though you'll have to provide your own stats for
NPCs and the big nasty.
The deadline for this quarter's contest is March 31, so get those
submissions for Call of Cthulhu and/or Stormbringer (BRP or D20 versions)
written if you're interested in a chance to win $40 of Chaosium product. As
always, even though they don't qualify for the Chaosium Contest, I still
accept submissions for Nephilim, Pendragon, Glorantha, Delta Green, Cthulhu
Live, Pokethulhu and about anything else that's related to the
aforementioned games. Check out past issues at
http://pages.prodigy.net/gobackstage in the Chaosium Digest Archive for
examples of what's been submitted and accepted in the past.
Enjoy!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
* TENTACLES NEWS POST
Volume 3, Number 1, December 2001
~~ S l u r p F o l k s ! ~~
Welcome to the December Tentacles News Post, featuring all the latest
Tentacles news and views. Feel free to forward this newsletter to friends,
allies and sworn enemies. If you do not want to receive this newsletter or
have a new email address please send a notification to:
fabian@tentacles-convention.de
~T e n t a c l e s 2 0 0 2~
Tentacles 2002 is on the horizon, huzzah!
~Tentacles 2002~
Hero Wars, Elric! and Cthulhu Game Fest
17th-20th May 2002
Castle Stahleck, Germany
Thanks to Judy Routt and Paul Holt the Tentacles Website is up and running.
Check it out: http://www.Tentacles-Convention.de/
~R e g i s t r a t i o n~
You need to register in order to attend Tentacles. You can do this online.
http://www.Tentacles-Convention.de/regis.htm
We have redone the registration form so that you do not need an email
program to send the form. It should work for everyone, hopefully.
Registration starts 1st January 2002 and closes 31st March. Make sure you
sign up early this time and tell your friends!
~C o s t s~
The price for 4 days and 3 nights of Tentacles at Castle Stahleck with
breakfast and dinner is 85 EU. (The website still shows 95 EU. This is
wrong. Do not get confused by it. Sorry.)
Because of changes in the booking arrangement we will no longer be able to
accept payment at the door. You can pay with your credit card.
~D o u s a f a v o u r~
Some of you have multiple email addresses on our mailout list. Please let us
know which of them can be removed. If you get a new email address please
notify us.
~N e w E m a i l~
Make sure you send mail to:
fabian@tentacles-convention.de
Happy New Year!
Yours
Fabian
--
~Tentacles Convention~
http://www.Tentacles-Convention.de
fabian@tentacles-convention.de
~Tentacles 2002~
Hero Wars, Elric! and Cthulhu Game Fest
17th-20th May 2002
Castle Stahleck, Germany
--------------------
A Demon in Silk (Stormbringer)
by Jorge Palinhos
I wrote down this adventure to try out the Elric game I had bought some
months earlier. It was conceived as a stand-alone adventure for one or two
sessions only,
but I left a few strings to let you start a campaign with it. I used it with
two players who, like myself, seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. I suppose it is
perfectly playable with Stormbringer.
This adventure is aimed at 2-3 starting adventurers with good fighting and
sneaking skills and willing to embrace the cause of chaos.
Note: I am not familiar with Moorcock's writings or with other
Stormbringer's supplements besides Elric's rulebook. Therefore it may
contradict them (mainly in the case of the temple). If you prefer Moorcock's
or Chaosium's version you may use them without much effort and the rest of
the adventure will still be perfectly serviceable.
The adventure starts out in Menii, capital of the Isle of Purple Towns. The
characters are roaming the renowned Menii market half dizzied by the
millions of colours, smells and sounds that cover the place with a cloud of
wonder.
Right at the centre of the market is the pyramid-shaped Temple to Goldar, a
god of Law.
The characters are so astonished at what they see and hear that they are
taken by surprised and violently pushed to the ground.
One armoured man shouts at the PC for standing in his way. If the PCs react
with arrogance or assertiveness, he and his companions will draw their
weapons and attack the PCs. If the PC is humble and apologizes, the man and
his companion(s) will insult the PC until they can start a fight. Either way
these ruffians are obviously looking for a good fight.
(Don't make it too obvious that these guys are looking for an excuse to
attack them. Let the players think that it is just a minor inconsequential
brawl and not the start of the adventure.)
The ruffians (one to each player) will fight until death or unconsciousness.
Around the fight a huge crowd will form supporting one or other side,
betting or just looking mildly interested. Someone will call the guards but
they will only arrive a few rounds after the fight is over.
The PCs should be able to defeat their adversaries easily, but they should
get away from the scene as soon as possible before the guards arrive. Let
them know that fighting with arms on the street is illegal and they may be
arrested and convicted for violence or even murder.
Later in the day, while the PCs are relaxing in their home or inn, a dwarf
will come looking for them. His name is Elnio and he explains that his
master, Azkenat, was impressed by the prowess they displayed in the market
and wishes to hire them for a service that will be rewarded handsomely.
If the PCs are interested in the service, Elnio will take them to a
luxurious inn called The Shining Fire.
The quarters where Azkenat is staying are rather luxurious indeed. He rented
three different rooms, an antechamber, a living room and a bedroom. The PCs
will be left waiting in the first room covered with rich carpets depicting
all kinds of sea motifs.
Presently the PCs will be taken to another room, even more luxuriously
decorated than the previous one, where a huge man is lying in a mattress.
His face is pale and smooth, with the small dark eyes hiding under the soft
flesh.
He will greet the PCs softly and offer them some sort of candy
(Scent/Taste - it is made of honey and cinnamon and it is delicious) that he
keeps on swallowing throughout the meeting.
After some polite small talk in which he explains that he is a merchant and
needs someone hardy and daring to do him a little favour, he will start
talking about his departed wife, Quanda, whom he loved dearly. Apparently
she died in a shipwreck that took all their possessions. He was the only
survivor of the shipwreck and has since mourned his lost wife. He would like
to have some sort of personal item to remind him of her, but unfortunately
all their possessions disappeared with the shipwreck, leaving him only with
the clothes he was wearing at the time and some investments that allowed him
to rebuild his fortune.
Then he will say thoughtfully that there is only one object in existence he
knows of that belonged to his wife. A small silver bracelet that she offered
to the temple of Goldar, in Menii, shortly before the shipwreck.
He explains that he has tried everything to convince the priests of Goldar
to
return him the bracelet but they refuse everything he offers in exchange,
stating that according to the law of Goldar, what has been giving cannot be
given back.
So, he explains, he needs someone to accept the dangerous mission of
entering the pyramid and retrieve the bracelet for him. A job for which he
will pay handsomely.
If the PCs refuse outright, he will give them 100 bronzes for their silence
and dismiss them. They will not be further contacted and the adventure is
over.
If they accept, he offers them 5000 bronzes each for the job, but is willing
to go has higher as 10000 bronzes (it truly is a dangerous mission).
If the PCs ask how he knew about them, he will say that he saw them fight at
the market and was impressed with their physical prowess.
He will describe the bracelet quite precisely and will give 1000 bronzes
each in advance.
When the terms are set Azkenat will dismiss them politely and will focus all
his attention on the sweets.
Entering the Pyramid
(This is the temple I used in the adventure. If you have access to a
different description in a supplement or novel by every means use it. The
core of the adventure remains unchanged.)
It is no easy task entering the pyramid. It is well built, with good
defenses and is always full of people by day and a few dozens of guards,
priests and servants live there by night.
Here follows a complete description of the pyramid:
The pyramid isn't a exact pyramid. It resembles a Egyptian pyramid with a
few differences.
First at the bottom the walls recede abruptly, creating some sort of shelter
where the richer merchants make their stands. This recess makes the pyramid
seem more like a geometrical mushroom then a proper pyramid. Likewise the
top is larger then the rest of the pyramid, looking like a mushroom over
another mushroom, allowing air and sunshine to enter inside the pyramid. Of
course this opening is protected with iron bars.
Here is a rough sketch of the pyramid (seen from the side)
A
AAA
AAAAA
AAAAAAA
AAAAA
AAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAADAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAASSSAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAASSSSSAAAAAAAA
AAAAASSSSSAAAAAA
A - Pyramid walls
S - Stairs
D - Door
And here is a rough plan of the first floor of the pyramid:
________________________________________________________________________
| | | | |
| | | | |
| R K | G | SG |
| _________|______ ________|____ ___|________ ___________________|
| | | |
| __________________________ __________________ | |
| | |o o| MH |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
|_____| | | |____________|
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| G SF G |
| | | | | |
|_____| | | |____________|
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| SR | | | L |
| | | | |____________|
| | |o_______________________ __________________o| | |
| | | US |
| |____________ _____________| |____________ _______|____________|
| | SD | | D |
|_____|___________________________| |__________________________________|
R- Refectory
K - Kitchen
G - Guards
MH - Meeting Hall
o - column
S - Servants Dormitory
SF - Sacred Fire
SG - Stored Goods
US - Upstairs
L - Latrines
D- Dormitory
SR - Study Room
Inside the temple is a perfect square. The center (which has a large
entrance to the outside) is perfectly square, with several columns, and the
sacred fire of Goldar (of green color) at the center. Over the main floor
there are four platforms at each corner of the temple, leaving a large open
space on the middle, right over the sacred flame. On one platform are the
quarters of the Great Priest, The other has a small study room for the
priest. In the third is the treasure room (protected by a Membrane of Law
that admits everyone inside but only lets out the followers of Law). The
fourth platform has the stairs to the lower floor (connecting to the inner
quarters of the priests).
Another peculiar feature of the temple is that the priests quarters are
located around the temple. A long and winding corridor surrounds the temple
and gives access to the several parts of the temple. These quarters have no
exit to the outside for added protection (everyone who whishes to enter the
quarters has to cross the main temple, usually full of people) and because
every thing offered or brought to the temple (including the food for the
priests) must be presented and approved by the Great Priest and Goldar
themselves.
In the temple live the Great Priest, 7 priests, 15 servants and 15 guards.
During the day the priests are in the main temple or at the study room, or
even outside the temple. At night they sleep at their dormitory.
The servants are either at the kitchen or cleaning up several part of the
temple. They sleep at their dormitory at night.
The guards make 3 shifts, two during the day and one at night. There are
always two guards on the main temple and one guard in front of each of the 3
doors between the temple and the quarters, inside the compartment marked G.
The Guards also sleep at that same compartment.
The Great Priest Wilnaurt is almost always on the upper floor only
descending to address specific matters or eat (no one is allowed above).
This is the normal daily schedule of the temple.
Before Sunrise - Food (meat, fish and vegetable) is brought by several
merchants and carried inside to be prepared by the servants for the day
meals.
Sunrise - Render of the guard. The temple opens it's doors. Merchants enter
and celebrate a ritual, under Wilnaurt's supervision, to ask for a
profitable day.
Morning - The temple remains open. Outside the temple the market goes on.
Midday - Another celebration is conducted where the merchants donate gifts
to show their thankfulness for the day's profits.
Midday - The temple closes two hours for the temple to be cleaned and the
priests have lunch and a little rest. Render of the guard.
Afternoon - The temple reopens all afternoon until dusk to receive devotees.
Dusk - The temple closes its doors. The priests have dinner and go to sleep.
The guard is rendered.
It is much to the PCs' fiat how will they handle the subject. There are
several possibilities. They can climb the pyramid at night to enter the
small holes on the top, abduct one of the priests and take his place, seduce
one of the serving girls to let them in, poison the food or the drinks. Let
the players come up with a clever plan.
Once inside they have to run around very cautiously while looking everywhere
for the bracelet. They have at the utmost until the next morning before
being found by the priests/guards/visitors of the temple. Therefore they
have to be swift, thorough and silent, evading guards/priests/servants or
killing them quietly.
The bracelet is firmly attached to Wilnaurt's arm. In fact it is so well
attached that the only way to remove it is chopping off the arm.
After the deed is done and the characters escape the temple unscathed they
may go to the Inn where Azkenat is staying. At arrival they will notice that
Azkenat seems to be departing, since all things are being removed from the
rooms and a wagon is outside waiting. He will be most pleased and will want
to reward the players with a special delicacy, lamb's eyes cooked with
special herbs. He will insist they eat this delicacy and will be furious if
someone refuses. He will notice if someone is just pretending to eat (unless
the PCs succeeds at Acting) and insist they eat it. The eyes taste really
good, fresh, sweet and spicy, making a plop when the PCs crunch it. Anyone
who asks and succeeds a Scent/Taste roll will notice that some of the herbs
are suspicious and perhaps magical. Also if anyone asks to examine carefully
the eyes and succeeds in a Search roll will notice that one of the eyes is
blue and somehow familiar.
If the PCs eat the lamb's eyes and don't complain. Azkenat will thank them
and pay more than the agreed price, giving them an amicable farewell.
Obviously the eyes are cursed and wherever the PCs, who ate the eyes go,
they will always be followed by the undead thugs they have fought at the
market. The undead thugs will try everything to have the players killed,
even fighting them if need be. These undead thugs are unkillable and even if
"killed" or mutilated again they will always return to haunt and harass the
players. They never lose track of the PCs because it is their eyes they have
in their stomachs.
If the PCs refuse to eat the eyes or act aggressively toward Azkenat he will
say "Very well, then be paid and be gone," and clap hands.
Immediately the thugs the PCs fought at the market appear again. They are
basically the same, except their eyes have been gouged out and they are a
bit more skillful with the sword.
They attack the PCs and fight to the bitter end while Azkenat passes
discreetly to the other room.
If one of the players asks, he may roll a Search on the eyes left on the
plate. If he succeeds he notices that the eyes roll over themselves always
watching the character the thug is fighting with. Smashing these eyes
renders the thugs blind.
If they pursue Azkenat to the next room they will watch him talking to a
Melnibonéan standing on the window! As soon as the PCs enter the room the
Melnibonéan jumps out of the window and Azkenat turns around to protect the
escape of his sire.
Azkenat is a passing demon and that will become obvious when a tentacle
spews forth from his stomach to attack the adventurers.
Azkenat will fight to the end, attacking twice per turn with the scimitar
and the tentacle and will try to protect himself parrying and using Hell's
Armor (he tries to replenish his magic points by draining the adventurers).
Aftermath: After this adventure the Characters will have several questions
pending. Who was the Melnibonéan? Why did he want the bracelet for?
If they parted in good terms with Azkenat they will be followed by the
undead thugs. This is a major harassment and if a adventurer succeeds in an
Idea roll he might associate these blind undead with the eyes Azkenat served
them. What is the purpose of this? What is the bracelet for?
Otherwise if the characters succeeded their mission, the Great Priest of
Goldar is dead or injured and the adventurers better get out of the island
immediately if they do not want to be caught, painfully tortured and
executed.
Backstory: The Melnibónean is Mordric, a powerful wizard of Chaos. He was
tricked by Wilnaurt of years ago, and he imagined this scheme to have is
revenge on Wilnaurt. Using Azkenat and Elnio as mediators he hired the thugs
to do the service. To test them he ordered them to attack some adventurers
in the market and escape successfully. The thugs chose to attack the PCs.
Impressed by the PCs prowess, Azkenat called the adventurers and retrieved
the bodies of the thugs. The bracelet is just an excuse, but still a minor
artifact of Law, and Wilnaurt will not be amused by losing it (not to
mention having a arm chopped off).
Mordric wants to know if the adventurers will make good servants of chaos,
so the undead thugs will be used as a test to the adventurers' resilience
and cunning. If the characters somehow manage to get rid of the undead thugs
(not an easy thing to do since the only way, apart of finding a wizard
powerful enough to dispel the curse, is to cut the body of the thugs and eat
it) he might contact them again later for more missions.
NPCs
Thugs at the market: Rake, Dexley, Naken
Dex 12
Broadsword - 50% (d8+1+d4)
Shield - 40% Hp 22 (d4+d4)
Armor - d8+1
HP - 15
Blind Thugs at the Inn
Dex 10
Broadsword - 75% (d8+1+d4)
Armor - d8+1
Azkenat
Dex - 8
S - 10
Siz - 18
Con - 9
Pow - 18
App - 10
Int - 11
HP - 13
2 Scimitars - 110% - d8+1+d4 hp - 19
Demonic Powers:
Tentacle - 60% - d8
Hell's Armor
Drain Soul
Regenerate
Azkenat can make at least two attacks per round (one with the scimitar and
one with the tentacle)
Temple:
Servant
Chair - 45% - d6
Guards
Dex - 12
Sword 85% - d8+1+d4
Shield 50% - d4+d4 - HP 22
Armor - d8+1
HP - 13
Insight 35%
Search 30%
Priests
Dex 10
Dagger - 40% - d4+2
HP - 11
Insight - 45%
Wilnaurt, Great Priest of Goldar
S- 7
Siz - 12
D - 10
C- 16
P - 17
I - 15
HP - 11
Spells - Field of Law
Membrane of Law
Invocation of Goldar - 51%
Mace - 90% - d6+2
Insight 150%
Fast Talk 110%
Bargain 95%
Scent/Taste 70%
Evaluate 90%
----------------------
Continued
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