TEXT: The Iron Crown
  
  Ultima Forsan
  by Mauro Longo & Giuseppe Rotondo
  Credits
  A GG Studio production
  Producer: Gionata Dal Farra
  Layout and Graphic Design: Matteo Ceresa, Luca Basile
  Editing: John Marron
  Interior Art: historical art by Hans Holbein.
  All historical images included herein are in the public domain.
  www.ggstudio.eu
  This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from 
  Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com.
   Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of 
  Pinnacle Entertainment Group. 
  Used with permission.
   Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, 
  or suitability for purpose of this product.
  ©2015 GGStudio, Ultima Forsan and all related marks and logos are
  trademarks of GGSTudio.
   All Rights Reserved.
  Produced under license by Studio 2 Publishing, Inc. The Studio 2 logo is a 
  trademark of Studio 2 Publishing, Inc.
  The Iron Crown
  
  2
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  n Ultima Forsan short campaign in three Episodes for 
  three to six Novice or Seasoned characters.
  The Heroes are recruited to find an 
  ancient relic of great political and 
  symbolic value: The Iron Crown. This 
  ancient crown is said to contain one of 
  the nails of Christ’s Cross. Due to its 
  history, it also represents the ideal of a 
  unified kingdom of Italy. If the characters 
  have already played the free adventure 
  The Confessional of the Black Penitents, this 
  campaign could be played as a sequel, and 
  the Podestà of Modena happily entrusts 
  them with the task.
  You can download some pre-generated 
  character or create your own.
  Introduction for 
  the Players
  In the fourth century AD, the Emperor 
  Constantine I ordered that the entire area 
  of Golgotha be unearthed and a basilica 
  erected there. According to tradition, 
  during the excavations, the “true” cross of 
  Christ was found. Constantine's mother, 
  Helena, brought the nails from the cross 
  to Rome, and ordered that one of them be 
  embedded into her son's helmet, to protect 
  him in battle. After the fall of the Western 
  Roman Empire, the Helm of Constantine 
  was brought to Constantinople, and later 
  passed into the hands of Theodoric the 
  Great, king of Italy, who made a Crown 
  out of it.
  The presence of the nail of the 
  Crucifixion and the history of the Helm of 
  Constantine, the first Christian emperor, 
  make the Iron Crown an object of very 
  strong symbolic value, linked to the divine 
  and to continuity with the Roman Empire. 
  That is why the Crown was used by the 
  Lombard kings, and then by Charlemagne 
  and his descendants, for the coronation of 
  the King of Italy.
  After many vicissitudes, just before 
  the Dies Iraes, the Crown was stolen 
  by Bertrand du Pouget, Cardinal of the 
  Cathedral of Monza, and sent to Pope 
  John XXII in Avignon, where it has 
  remained for two centuries.
  A few weeks ago a thief belonging to the 
  Guild of the Guiscards, Jeno de Jambelen, 
  stole the Crown from Avignon and has 
  vanished, perhaps headed toward Italy.
  Your mission is to find Jeno and bring 
  the Crown to Francesco Guicciardini, the 
  Podestà of Modena.
  
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  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Background for the 
  Game Master
  The Crown is and remains a relic of 
  powerful symbolic value, and many aspire 
  to own it. The Pope King Constantine II 
  is eager to have it back in Avignon, but in 
  Italy there are many who understand that 
  his determination is not dictated solely 
  by devotion. Possession of the Crown 
  allows Constantine II to further justify 
  his ambitions to extend the imperial 
  dominion over the Italian peninsula. This 
  is a project that he has long cultivated and 
  which he is determined to carry on in the 
  coming years. The very name he chose 
  when he ascended to the papal throne, 
  "Constantine", was chosen precisely for 
  this reason. Now, the entire mosaic has 
  lost its most important piece ...
  For this reason, the Pope King has sent 
  the Bishop Captain Stéphane of Navarre 
  to retrieve the artifact. He is one of 
  Constantine II’s most trusted servants, 
  and has alredy started a terrible manhunt.
  At the same time, the news of the theft 
  has spread from Avignon and has reached 
  many Italian lords and Teutonic princes, 
  some of whom have sent emissaries in 
  search of the thief as well.
  Francesco Guicciardini, lord of Modena 
  and promoter of the League of Canossa, 
  is among those who have come to know 
  of the crime and he is not about to let 
  Constantine II get his hands on the crown 
  again. He intends to keep the relic for 
  himself and, after concluding the Macabre 
  War in the north, to crown himself or one 
  of his trusted allies as the new King of 
  Italy. For this reason, he sends the Heroes 
  to find the crown.
  But there is more to the Podesta’s schemes 
  than meets the eye. It was Francesco 
  Guicciardini himself who ordered and 
  planned the theft. He sent Jeno de Jambelen 
  to Avignon with the means and information 
  necessary to accomplish the task. But 
  Guicciardini does not want to become famous 
  as “the one who stole the Crown." He would 
  rather be famous as “the one who recovered 
  it from the thieves." For this reason, he gave 
  Jeno clear instructions on how to proceed 
  after the theft, so that he could send some 
  impartial witnesses (the Heroes) to intercept 
  him and recover the artifact. Even if the 
  Heroes should fail, Guicciardini's fallback 
  plan would remain viable. Jeno will take the 
  Crown to Venice to sell it to an intermediary 
  who will deliver it to Modena.
  How to Involve the 
  Heroes
  The PCs can become involved in the 
  mission in various ways. You can use one of 
  these hooks for the whole group, or combine 
  them according to their inclinations and 
  background stories. 
   
  ✴ If the Heroes played the free adventure 
  The Confessional of the Black Penitents, the 
  job is already done. Guicciardini calls them 
  straight away. 
   
  ✴ If they completed the campaign Once upon 
  a time in Lucca, Guicciardini may request the 
  help of the Heroes of Lucca, and the players' 
  characters are those who answer the call. 
   
  ✴ Alternatively, 
  the 
  Heroes 
  can 
  be 
  among the representatives, delegates and 
  ambassadors of the Fiefs that are part of 
  the League of Canossa, and therefore,  for 
  all practical purposes, already be “at the 
  Podesta’s service”. In this case, keep in 
  mind that the League involves only some 
  
  4
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  of the Italian cities and Feifs, but more 
  exotic characters may still be present as 
  ambassadors of foreign powers.
   
  ✴ A fourth alternative can be through the 
  contacts of Pico della Mirandola, traveler, 
  scholar and head of the Corporation 
  of Artificers of Modena. He leads this 
  organization with great passion for science, 
  cabal and alchemy. This incredible character 
  has contacts in all the New Kingdoms, and 
  often inventors, witches and alchemists 
  converge on the libraries of the Corporation.
   
  ✴ Another possibility is that the Heroes 
  are recruited by the Guiscards. The Guild 
  has been heavily under fire because the 
  thief was one of their members (renegade 
  or not), so the Guild Masters hire a small 
  band of adventurers (the Heroes) to help 
  Guicciardini and prove their goodwill. 
   
  ✴ Finally, some of the Heroes might also be 
  convicts (thieves, crooks, heretics, assassins, 
  political prisoners) who are offered a 
  mission that they can not refuse. Besides 
  the large reward offered, their loyalty might 
  be ensured by relatives who are held captive.
  Imperial Knights, Inquisitors and Teutonic 
  Knights and other characters connected 
  directly to the authorities of the Holy Roman 
  Empire of France or the Teutonic Principalities 
  (or even other kingdoms) are a special case. 
  Guiccardini would not normally contact them 
  (unless they can be blackmailed, as above). If 
  the characters fall into one of these types, the 
  only way to involve them from the beginning 
  is to get them to act in disguise. Evidently, 
  they found something strange about the 
  whole incident and hurry, in disguise, to help 
  Guicciardini, but in reality acting for their own 
  purposes. This situation may lead to further 
  conflict between the characters, of course.
  Campaign Overview 
  Episode 1: Inglorious Guiscards
  Guicciardini assembles the Heroes and 
  sends them to Milan, on the trail of the thief 
  who stole the Crown.
  Episode 2: The Tragical History of Romero 
  and Ghoulet
  The Heroes are involved in a story of love, 
  death, poison and family feuds.
  Episode 3: The Name of the Rot
  The Heroes catch up to the thief in the 
  Abbey of Praglia, but Jeno is not going to let 
  them win easily.
  D
  ue to its location and extraordinary political and commercial importance, Milan 
  attracts a large number of adventurers, rogues, scoundrels, mercenaries and bounty 
  hunters, eagerly seeking employmeny with one of the city's gangs or political factions , or 
  one of the many bankers, merchants and businessmen of the region.
  One of the most distinctive presences in town is that of the Guiscards. Adventurers, grifters 
  and witches, to be part of this Guild, an individual must be skilled and experienced in 
  tricks, scams and gimmicks of many kinds. The Guild itself is a direct extension of those in 
  northern Europe, where their order is very prevelant. The Guiscards have many constraints 
  and obligations to their Guild, but once they have established their loyalty, members often 
  work alone or in small groups, and can follow  their own interests, quests, expeditions and 
  explorations.
  The Guiscards
  
  5
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Episode 1: 
  Inglorious 
  Guiscards
  Scene 1 
  The Great Crown 
  Robbery
  In 
  Modena, 
  Francesco 
  Guicciardini 
  summons the Heroes to his private 
  residence.
  The Podestà explains in detail what has 
  happened (except for the fact that he was 
  the mastermind behind the theft) and tells 
  them that he wants to be the man who gives 
  the Crown back to the Pope King.
  After 
  a 
  night 
  of 
  discussions 
  and 
  negotiations on remuneration, equipment 
  and necessary resources, he sends the 
  Heroes north with sufficient horses (riding 
  horses, see the Savage Worlds Bestiary). 
  Guicciardini is promises a reward of up to 
  30,000 florins, but of course he starts with a 
  much lower offer, for example 2,000 florins 
  each.
  The first destination of the Heroes is 
  Milan. Jeno was one of the Guiscards of that 
  city and left from there when he set out for 
  Avignon, so it seems logical that he might 
  return there to sell the stolen goods to the 
  highest bidder.
  Right now there is a column of soldiers 
  and well protected supplies traveling 
  between Modena and Mantua. The city of 
  Mantua was destroyed by the Dead years 
  ago, but its fortresses have recently been 
  re-occupied by soldiers of the League, 
  as an outpost of the Macabre War. The 
  heroes can travel there with a contingent of 
  soldiers of the League of Canossa. They have 
  universal passes and letters of introduction 
  for the head of operations in Mantua, 
  the Constable of Bourbon, for the lord of 
  Cremona and for the head of the Guild of 
  Guiscards in Milan. Of course, the route 
  chosen is the one that allows for maximum 
  privacy and Guicciardini emphasizes that 
  the Heroes understand the importance 
  of confidentiality while on their mission. 
  There may be many others interested in the 
  thief and the Crown.
  Scene 2 
  Toward Mantua
  Along the way, you can introduce the 
  Heroes to some of the armies marching to 
  Mantua and characterize them according 
  to the interests of the players. The arrogant 
  pikemen of Parma, the Gray Bands of 
  Florence, 
  the 
  mechanized 
  armies 
  of 
  Bologna, and mercenary and knightly 
  orders of all kinds.
  
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  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  The journey is free from surprises until 
  they reach the river Po. On the river, however, 
  areche encounter the first signs of the presence 
  of the Dead, in the form of some transport 
  barges assaulted by Drowned Ones, which the 
  Heroes see driven back down into the dark 
  waters without too much trouble.
  Once on the north bank of the Po, the 
  destination is only a few miles away. The 
  journey of the troops continues in the mud 
  and mist, with continuous delays and detours 
  around lakes, ponds and swampy areas.
  Make sure that the Heroes experience the 
  worst discomforts: food supplies damaged by 
  flies and sudden rain, carts of mechanical 
  machinery bogged down in the mud, camps 
  of bored and hot-tempered soldiers...
  If the heroes want to reach Mantua and 
  then Milan sooner, they must leave behind 
  the League platoons and travel on their own 
  for the final stretch.
  This, however, exposes them to several 
  additional drawbacks. If they choose this 
  option, at least one battle against Morgens 
  hidden in puddles or against a Pack of Husks 
  that appear out of the fog should occur.
  Morgens (one for each two heroes): See 
  Bestiary appendix.
  Husks (one for each hero, plus one): See 
  the Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary.
  The Fight: Muddy and silty soil halves all 
  movement, while pools and shallow waters 
  allow Morgens to swim. In any case, since 
  the Dead emerge from the water or the mist, 
  only characters succeeding in a Notice roll 
  get an Action Card during the first round of 
  the combat.
  Further Complications: If you wish to 
  extend the journey, draw cards to determine 
  encounters and random events in the forest, 
  using the Table of Journeys and Encounters in 
  the Ultima Forsan: Setting Book.
  Just when the heroes come within sight of 
  Mantua, they find themselves in the midst 
  of a battle. A slow and faltering Horde of 
  the Dead is swarming toward the city from 
  the north.
  The defenders were ready and waiting for 
  the Dead, but a sudden rain starts pounding 
  furiously at the last moment, and the use 
  of horses and war machines becomes 
  impossible.
  If the Heroes want to act like... heroes, and 
  help the defenders against the Horde, do not 
  play the scene as a mass battle, but put the 
  group in the middle of one of the following 
  situations:
   
  ✴ a Rescue
   
  ✴ Securing a position
   
  ✴ a Charge
  For example, the Heroes could get into 
  melee while some horses are trudging 
  through the mud without their own knights, 
  a huge Armillary Armor was just "emptied" 
  of its pilot by the Dead and left “with the 
  engine running”, or a defensive wall  is going 
  to fall under the weight of a crowd of Husks.
  Then, arriving in the middle of the battle, 
  the characters may reactivate the war device, 
  start a charge with the horses or restore the 
  defenses of the trench, vanquishing some 
  small Packs of the Dead.
  Husk (three for each hero): See the Ultima 
  Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary.
  Allies: Up to five warriors of the League 
  may take part in  the battle, under the 
  command of the Heroes. See the soldier in 
  the Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary.
  After this scene, and a few hours of fighting 
  later, the armies of the League win the 
  
  7
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  battle, albeit with heavy losses, and all of 
  the characters can rest in makeshift shelters 
  set up in the ruins of Mantua, among the 
  encampments of the League forces.
  Abandoned Armillary Armor:
  Attributes: Agility d4**, Smarts*, Spirit*, 
  Strength d12, Vigor d12.
  Skills: Climbing d4**, Fighting d10**, 
  Throwing d6**
  Pace: 4; Parry: 2+Weird Science/2 of the 
  pilot; Toughness: 14 (2)
  Special Abilities:
   
  ✴ Armor +2: Overlayed in hard metal plates.
   ✴ Construct: +2 to recover from Shaken; 
  ignores wounds penalties; immune to 
  poison and disease; no extra damage from 
  called shots.
   
  ✴ Experimental Contraption: If the pilot 
  gets 1 in a Trait roll (regardless of the Wild 
  Die), the Contraption suffers a Wound (see 
  Vehicle, below). In case of a critical failure, 
  the Contraption is damaged beyond repair 
  and cannot be used again until repaired 
  through a Weird Science roll. Repairing 
  it requires 3d6 hours, but this time can be 
  halved with a raise on the roll.
   
  ✴ Melee weapons: Str+d8
   
  ✴ Size 
  +4: 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  10 
  foot 
  tall 
  anthropomorphous war machine, and it can 
  accommodate a man inside its torso.
   
  ✴ Piloted 
  Automaton: 
  Since 
  the 
  automaton is not a living creature, the Traits 
  marked with an asterisk (*) use the Traits of 
  whoever is piloting it. In the case of those 
  Traits marked with two asterisks (**), the 
  driver will have too use the lowest value 
  die between the automaton’s Trait and their 
  own Weird Science die.
   
  ✴ Vehicle: As a vehicle, the Armillar Armor 
  has three wounds; when wounded, it makes 
  a roll on the vehicle damage table.
  Scene 3: 
  Behind Enemy Lines
  Once back on track, the Heroes must 
  leave Mantua and head to the border of the 
  Duchy of Milan. The next Fief along the way 
  is Cremona, after a trip of forty miles in the 
  midst of a Wilderness infested with foes.
  During this leg of the journey, play up the 
  gloomy, misty landscape of the swampy, 
  forested plains. Try to set the scene for a 
  creepy encounter, for example with Ladislao 
  Jasen (see below). But above all, if the 
  group has obtained from the Constable of 
  Bourbon or Guicciardini any oversized 
  equipment (armored mounts, mechanical 
  marvels, flying machines and the like), feel 
  free to have the horrible weather or terrain 
  cause the loss of it, so that the Heroes return 
  to the road as common adventurers.
     Ladislao Jasen, Malandante: Ladislao is 
  one of the “Malandanti” “the Evil Walkers”, 
  a coven of Tainted Necromancers spread 
  throughout that abandoned region. He 
  wanders between the Wilderness and the 
  Cities of Sorrow in search of corpses on 
  which to experiment.
  See Necromancer, Expert from the Ultima 
  Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary and add the 
  Lame Hindrance. Ladislao has the following 
  Powers: Boost/Lower Trait, Disguise, Fear 
  and Sleep, as a Witch.
  He is accompanied by a Chimera of his 
  creation, called Vuk, which he takes on a 
  leash (a long rope) and that in fact behaves 
  like a ferocious watchdog.
  
  8
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  
  9
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
     Vuk, Chimera: A Possessed with 
  Extended and Multiple limbs (Reach 1, +1 
  Attack, +2 to its Pace) and Bone Plates 
  (shrunken skulls sewn on it, +2 Armor). It 
  causes Fear.
  Scene 4 
  The Gothic Babylon
  With more than 100,000 inhabitants, 
  Milan is the most populous city in Europe 
  and also one of the strangest. Once in 
  Milan, the heroes should be very impressed 
  with the sense of wonder and danger that 
  this metropolis conveys. Its immense 
  fortifications, which can be seen from 
  miles away, make the whole city resemble 
  a colossal cathedral structured on different 
  levels... and the threats of its underworld 
  may be something they have never seen 
  before.
  If the heroes seek information on the thief 
  at the Guild of the Guiscards, the Guild 
  Master reveals that Jeno de Jambelen, also 
  known as "the Magician", used to spend 
  time in the deepest of the underground 
  levels of the city, and was often seen together 
  with the Du Bois, a dangerous family of 
  gypsies who run the betting on illegal fights 
  in the slums. But the Du Bois are so tough 
  that even the Guiscards haven't been able to 
  obtain any information from them, and a 
  couple of Guild members have ended their 
  days devoured by fighting dogs.
  To proceed with their mission, the Heroes 
  must make their way into the underworld of 
  Milan (in one way or another) and thus gain 
  the trust of the Du Bois to discover a part of 
  the truth about Jeno.
  Let the characters come up with a good 
  way to contact the Du Bois and gain their 
  trust. If needed, though, the Guild Master 
  may give some suggestions: the Du Bois 
  always look for wrestlers for their matches 
  and the Octagon Tournament will soon be 
  held in the city; the White Hand, a Tainted 
  mob, or the Slick, another gang in the 
  underground, are eager to help someone 
  annoy the gypsies and might prove useful 
  allies; they could also go to talk with the De 
  la Garenne, another powerful gypsy family, 
  which always have reason to thwart the 
  more violent and ferocious Du Bois.
  Du Bois, White Hand, Slick and De la 
  Garenne: See Rogue and Rogue, Veteran 
  from the Ultima Forsan: Setting Book 
  Bestiary
  Eventually, Barbazan Du Bois, the stubby 
  and ferocious head of the family in Milan, 
  reveals that Jeno fled from France with 
  the aid of the La Fleur, another gypsy clan 
  that knows all the secret ways and paths of 
  Northern Italy. All he knows is that Jeno 
  avoided Milan and that the La Fleur left him 
  a few days ago in Verona.
  It 's time to leave for Verona!
  
  10
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Episode 2: The 
  tragical history 
  of Romero and 
  Ghoulet 
  Scene 1: 
  Enter New Players
  After leaving Milan, the Heroes can decide 
  the route they wish to follow to reach 
  Verona. A portion of the trip will take place 
  within the Duchy of Milan and for this 
  reason the Heroes may believe that they 
  have nothing to fear.
  However, the opposite is true. It's time 
  to put into play more pawns. A troop of 
  Knights of Saint Galgano sent ahead by the 
  Bishop Captain Stéphane of Navarre, a band 
  of bounty hunters, and a Teutonic Inquisitor 
  accompanied by his Landsknechts.
  They are all in search of the thief, and in 
  pursuit of those who seem to possess more 
  information: the Heroes!
  Choose the encounter that best suits your 
  group.
  Knights of Saint Galgano (one for each 
  hero, minus one): Use the Knight in the 
  Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary. All 
  have an Augmented Arm (Armor +3 to 
  the right arm, +1 to Strength rolls and 
  melee damage). If there are other ordered 
  knights in the players’ group, they invoke 
  honor and the common oath to request all 
  information held by the group. With other 
  types of characters they will certainly be less 
  friendly.
  Bounty Hunters (one for each hero, plus 
  one): Use the Bandit in the Ultima Forsan: 
  Setting Book Bestiary. They are not so clever. 
  Their plan is simply to catch the Heroes and 
  extort any information they have that will 
  help them to get their hands on the crown, 
  which must be worth a fortune!
   Hans Keller 
  Teutonic Inquisitor
  Hans is as bad as a Teutonic Inquisitor 
  can be: thin, severe, lacking any sort of 
  human compassion or benevolence, always 
  dressed in black and disquieting even to his 
  own followers. Hans aims to get his hands 
  on the Crown, to take it to the Teutonic 
  Principalities and to his superiors of the 
  Sacra Vehme, the organization he belongs 
  to.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, 
  Strength d4, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d4, Knowledge (Plague) d6, 
  Intimidation d8, Investigation d6, Notice 
  d6, Streetwise d6
  Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (1); 
  Toughness: 6 (1)
  Hindrances: Ugly, Lame
  Edges: Teutonic Inquisitor
  Gear: Flintlock pistol (range 5/10/20; 
  damage 2d6+1; 2 actions to reload), 
  10 shots, Rapier (Str+d4, Parry +1), 
  torture tools.
  Landsknechts (one for each hero): Keller’s 
  trusted henchmen are Soldiers (see the 
  Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary), but 
  without shield and with bastard swords 
  (Str+d8; Parry -1; +1 damage if used with 
  two hands).
  
  11
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Scene 2: 
  The Ball
  Two Households, Both Alike in 
  Dignity, in Fair Verona, where We 
  Lay Our Scene, from Ancient Grudge 
  Break to New Mutiny, where Civil 
  Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean
  Once in Verona, the Heroes witness a 
  brawl in the streets. The fighters are the 
  servants and junior members of the two 
  most important families of the city, the 
  Counts d'Erlette, Tainted, and the De Lorca, 
  Untainted, who have been feuding for many 
  years. The situation is tense in the city 
  and the Heroes could become embroiled 
  in quarrels, which are experiencing a 
  resurgence because of the recent love affair 
  between Ghoulet d'Erlette and Romero de 
  Lorca, scions of the two families. In the 
  city, the only La Fleur present is Mercutio, 
  a friend of Romero's, who promises to help 
  the Heroes if they help him.
  Romero has obtained from Friar Lorenzo, a 
  Tainted monk from Venice, a deadly poison 
  called Vartanush that could cause the boy 
  to fall in Agony and then turn him almost 
  certainly into a Tainted. Romero wants to 
  take this lethal substance to become like 
  Ghoulet and stay forever beside her, but 
  someone has to tell Ghoulet before she 
  decides to kill herself because of her lover's 
  death!
  The Ball at the d'Erlette Palace may be 
  the perfect time to approach the young 
  Ghoulet, but the celebration actually serves 
  to announce the engagement of Ghoulet 
  to a rich scion of the Iustiniani family. 
  Furthermore Ramiro de Lorca, Romero’s 
  father, is known for being the leader of a 
  gang of hothead fighters.
  A
  ccording to rumors, the monks of the Abbey of San Lazzaro in Venice secretly grow 
  in their gardens a lethal species of black rose, created by the contamination of a dog 
  rose bush with the Atrament that soaks the ground of that corner of the island. The thorns 
  of these roses can transmit the Plague (which does not matter to the monks, since they 
  are all Tainted), but their greatest peculiarity is the fact that from the petals, if properly 
  treated, the monks get a black and sweetish marmalade called Vartanush. If ingested by a 
  man about to die due to the Plague, the Vartanush causes a particular effect on his Agony, 
  relieving his pain and increasing his chances of becoming a Tainted, instead of dying. In 
  game terms, the Vartanush allows Morituri to turn into Tainted even if they draw an ace 
  or face card (not only with the Joker) when they draw cards to try to avoid the First Death 
  due to the Plague.
  The Vartanush has no effect on Tainted (does not increase their chances of getting the 
  Beyond the Threshold Edge), and in any case the monks do not sell or otherwise allow its 
  use outside the Abbey, only using it for the needy who knock on their door. It is said that, 
  if it is given to a healthy Untainted, the Vartanush could make him a Tainted with absolute 
  certainty. This use, however, is strictly forbidden by the Abbot and considered abominable, 
  so it is not clear if it really works.
  The Vartanush
  
  12
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Will our heroes succeed in preventing the 
  tragedy, helping the two lovers escape the 
  city and getting information about Jeno 
  from Mercutio, before he gets into trouble 
  and tragedy?
  Sneak into the Ball: The Heroes can try 
  to use Francesco Guicciardini’s passes 
  to be admitted to the Ball, an action that 
  will require a successful Persuasion roll. 
  Alternatively, they can leverage their status 
  (if they are knights, nobles or the like) to try 
  Persuasion rolls to gain entry. They can also, of 
  course, simply pretend to be someone they are 
  not, perhaps at the suggestion of Mercutio. In 
  this case the Persuasion rolls have a -2 penalty. 
  As another option, they may try to sneak into 
  the Ball from a secondary entrance and reach 
  Ghoulet with Stealth rolls.
  Once reached, Ghoulet is very pleased to 
  follow the Heroes and rejoin Romero, who 
  lays in Agony in the family crypt. At this 
  point it's time to test the effectiveness of the 
  weird poison. Draw one card for Romero. 
  On a face card, ace or Joker, he becomes 
  Tainted. On any other card, he opens his 
  eyes again as a hungering, Wild Card Husk!
  If Romero does not wake up as Tainted, his 
  father Ramiro, who was watching the scene, 
  curses Ghoulet, the d’Erlettes and especially 
  the Heroes, who have caused the death of 
  his son with their machinations. Only their 
  death can make amends!
  If Romero awakens as a Tainted, his father 
  Ramiro, who was watching the scene, blesses 
  the young lovers and lets them run away... 
  Unfortunately,  Count Paris Iustiniani, 
  Ghoulet’s betrothed, along with his minions 
  arrives just at that moment and he is not 
  going to give up his future bride that easily...
    Ramiro de Lorca: Use the Rogue, Veteran 
  in the Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary.
  Ramiro’s Henchmen (one for each hero): 
  Use the Rogue in the Ultima Forsan: Setting 
  Book Bestiary.
     Count Paris Iustiniani: Use the Rogue, 
  Veteran in the Ultima Forsan: Setting Book 
  Bestiary. He also has a rapier (Str+d4, Parry 
  +1).
  Paris’ Henchmen (one for each hero): Use 
  the Soldier in the Ultima Forsan: Setting 
  Book Bestiary, but without the shield.
  Mercutio: Mercutio does not fight with 
  Ramiro, but he will surely be attacked 
  by Paris. Use the Rogue in the Ultima 
  Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary, but he is only 
  equipped with a Rapier  (Str+d4, Parry +1).
  If the Heroes manage to survive this tragic 
  adventure, Mercutio reveals what he knows 
  (with his dying breath, if necessary, in the event 
  that Paris or his henchmen manage to kill 
  him.) Jeno left Verona four days ago heading 
  to Montagnana, an outpost to the east, on the 
  way to Old Venice and the Adriatic Sea.
  Episode 3: 
  The name of the rot
  Scene 1 
  The Trap
  Armed with the knowledge of the next 
  stage of the thief’s flight, the heroes can try to 
  reach him in Montagnana.
  Jeno is some days ahead, but on his trail 
  (and the Heroes’) there are bounty hunters, 
  mercenaries, special envoys and the notorious 
  Bishop Captain Stéphane of Navarre.
  Knowing he has too many hounds at his 
  heels, Jeno has hatched a couple of tricks 
  to distract his pursuers and throw them 
  off his trail.
  
  13
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  First, Jeno has paid the lord of Montagnana, 
  a merciless rogue at the head of an outpost 
  populated only by outcasts, adventurers, 
  necromancers and monster hunters, to slay 
  anyone asking about him.
  The loyalty of the "Podestà" of Montagnana 
  is dubious at best, but the villain will send 
  his minions at least once to try to cut the 
  throats of those seeking Jeno.
  As soon as the Heroes begin asking 
  questions about Jeno around Montagnana, 
  they will be attacked in an alley by a group 
  of scoundrels, who call them "strangers who 
  must depart from Montagnana, or die in it."
  Montagnana Cutthroats (one for each 
  hero, plus one): Use the Rogue in the 
  Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary. They 
  have short swords (Str+d6). The cutthroats 
  spring a real ambush. The Heroes are 
  Surprised in the first round and receive 
  an Action Card only if they succeed in a 
  Notice roll, while their enemies are already 
  in Pause.
  If asked, the cutthroats confess that they 
  have been sent by the "Podestà", who, in 
  turn, if cornered, quickly reveals all he 
  knows. "The Magician" left the city three 
  days ago, headed to the Praglia Abbey. 
  The Abbey is about two days northeast of 
  Montagnana, and is one of the few other 
  settlements in the Wilderness between 
  Verona and Old Venice.
  If the cuthroats cannot be questioned, the 
  Heroes can also find out that the one who 
  ordered the attack is the "Podestà" with a 
  successful Streetwise roll, or they can find 
  out where Jeno has fled directly, but only if 
  they succeed in a Streetwise roll (-6).
  Scene 2: 
  Penitenziagite!
  The Abbey is a fortified monastery, not 
  closely connected to the Church of France, 
  but inhabited by a mendicant order of 
  cenobitic monks who have decided to live 
  amidst the abandoned lands of the Venetian 
  hinterland, studying and compiling the 
  texts of the past.
  It is here that the real trap of the thief is 
  about to spring on the pursuers.
  Upon arriving at the Abbey, Jeno gifted to 
  the monks, as a sign of respect, a copy of 
  the second book of the Poetics of Aristotle. 
  It was only the first book he had found in 
  a City of Sorrow, but the monks were very 
  happy for the gift and quickly started to 
  browse, study and copy it.
  
  14
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Jeno’s plan is worthy of the worst Infector. 
  He has infused the pages of the book 
  with Atrament, and the monks reading it 
  are falling into Agony one after another. 
  When the Heroes arrive at the monastery, 
  Jeno is still there and pretending to be one 
  of the monks, Remigius of Varagine. It 
  is “Remigius” himself who welcomes the 
  Heroes, while causing the First Death to 
  the monks and their awakening as Dead, 
  who lash out against the heroes one after 
  the other, announced by clamor and 
  shouts in the otherwise quiet monastery.
  Venancius: See Husk in the Ultima 
  Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary. He fell 
  inside a barrel of pork blood, and is now 
  creepy and slippery. He causes Fear, and 
  Agility tricks, Grapple and similar effects 
  suffer a -2 penalty against him.
  Berengarius the Librarian: See Fury in 
  the Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary.
  Venerable Jorge: See Possessed in the 
  Ultima Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary. 
  Luckily, he was and still is Blind: -6 to all 
  attack rolls. For this reason, he tries to 
  Grapple his enemies. If he succeeds, he 
  inflicts damage without the -6 modifier.
  Note: Feel free to play the Dead monks as 
  Wild Cards, if you want each fight to be 
  more of a challenge, or to prepare a room 
  in the library filled with a dozen husks.
  In the meantime, the Bishop Captain 
  sent by the Pope King, and his last 
  Knights, finally arrive at the Abbey and 
  start to search for the thief, in a kind 
  of competition/collaboration with the 
  heroes.
   Bishop Captain Stéphane of Navarre: 
  See the Bestiary appendix.
  Knights of Saint Galgano (3): Use the 
  Knight in the Ultima Forsan: Setting 
  Book Bestiary. They have an Augmented 
  Arm (Armor +3 to the right arm, +1 to 
  Strength rolls and melee damage).
  While the monks raise one after the other, 
  Jeno enjoys the company of the Heroes 
  who are looking for him. "Remigius" 
  argues that Jeno must still be hiding in 
  the monastery, because his horse is still in 
  the stables, and says that the stranger was 
  looking for something in the labyrinthine 
  library of the Abbey.
  As soon as the heroes start searching 
  for secret passages between the shelves, 
  Jeno/Remigius 
  locks 
  them 
  inside, 
  together with the gigantic Salvatore, a not 
  particularly bright monk, who speaks an 
  incomprehensible language and becomes 
  a Possessed shortly after they are trapped 
  inside. Before his Second Death takes 
  place, Salvatore shows the Heroes the book, 
  muttering incoherently and pronounces 
  the name “Jeno”. The Heroes can discover 
  the secret of the contaminated book with 
  a Knowledge (Plague) roll (-2) or a Notice 
  roll (-4). In any case, having shown them 
  the book, Salvatore begins to drool and 
  goes pale, until he dies and wakes up as 
  a Possessed.
   Salvatore: See Possessed in the Ultima 
  Forsan: Setting Book Bestiary, but add 
  Strength d10 and Vigor d10, so he also has 
  Toughness 10. The pain of the Agony and 
  his naive nature make him flee, and in his 
  crazed flight (you can play it as a standard 
  Chase) he knocks over candles and lamps, 
  which ignite the books and cause a huge fire.
  
  15
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Scene 3: 
  Further developments
  In one way or another, Jeno should be 
  confronted and defeated here, unless you 
  want to stretch the campaign out a little 
  more and have Jeno escape (maybe up to 
  Old Venice, where the thief was ordered 
  to sell the Iron Crown to Hilaire Von 
  Aschenbach, a famous smuggler and relic 
  trafficker) If the heroes fail miserably to 
  recognize and capture their enemy, Jeno wil 
  flee in this manner.
  If captured and questioned, he only reveals 
  that he had dealt with a "man with a golden 
  eye", who was said to be working for Hilaire 
  Von Aschenbach, the famous receiver of Old 
  Venice. After giving him many instructions 
  on how to carry out the theft, the man 
  ordered him to take the stolen goods to 
  Venice where he would receive his pay from 
  Hilaire.
  If the Heroes were wounded by the Dead 
  in the last battle, remember that the Crown 
  holds a Relic of great power, which produces 
  1d4 doses of Manna, in the form of a whitish 
  mold growing on the inside of the artifact.
  Epilogue
  If the Heroes proceed  to Venice to 
  interrogate the leader of Lazzaretti, they 
  don't achieve much. Hilaire does not intend 
  to talk about her business with anyone. 
  Even if the Heroes manage to penetrate her 
  floating palace, defeating her pirates and her 
  right arm, the gigantic Othello, Hilaire will 
  simply confess that "the man with a Golden 
  Eye" also tricked her. He is the client and 
  certainly not one of her servants. It was up 
  to him to show up after the operation and 
  Hilaire has not the slightest idea where to 
  find him.
  All that remains is to go back to Modena, 
  with the Iron Crown for Guicciardini 
  (hopefully).
  But beware ... If still alive, the Bishop 
  Captain of Navarre will certainly not 
  go along with the Heroes’ plan. Even if 
  defeated, he would move heaven and earth 
  to ensure that the Crown returns to France, 
  and tries to raise moral doubts in the heads 
  of the Heroes. After all, the Crown really 
  belongs to the Pope King!
  If the Heroes finally manage to get back 
  to Modena with the Relic, Guicciardini 
  sincerely thanks them and rewards them 
  even more handsomely than what was 
  agreed upon, especially if everything has 
  been done as he wished.
  The astute politician eventually dismisses 
  the heroes and reassures them that the 
  Crown has finally returned to the proper 
  hands. Then, as our heroes are escorted 
  from his apartments by the guards, he gives 
  the Crown to one of his attendants, who will 
  examine and validate its authenticity.
  In place of his right eye, the man has a 
  mechanical eyepiece made of solid gold, 
  with jeweler's lenses...
  
  16
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
  Bestiary
  Fury, Morgen
  Also called Anguanas, Melusines and 
  many other names, these monsters of the 
  swamps are fortunately very rare. They 
  are, in fact, Furies that have adapted to 
  lakes, abandoned wells and marshes. For 
  some reason, their flesh is not decayed 
  despite the unhealthy environment and so 
  they are more insidious than a common 
  Drowned One.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (D), Spirit 
  d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
  Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d8, Notice d4, 
  Swimming d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
  Special Abilities:
   
  ✴ Aquatic: Swimming Pace 4.
   
  ✴ Claws/Bite: Str+d6.
   
  ✴ Dead: These creatures have all the Special 
  Abilities of the Dead.
   
  ✴ Improved Frenzy: Morgens may make 
  two Fighting attacks with no penalty.
   Jeno de Jambelen,
  “The Magician”, “Remigius”
  Jeno de Jambelen is a scoundrel, well-
  known in the Milieu of Milan, and one 
  of the most skilled thieves in Italy. A 
  thief, acrobat, witch, and guiscard, he is 
  a resourceful man, with contacts among 
  the criminals of Piedmont and Marseille. 
  Jeno was chosen by Guicciardini especially 
  for his reliability. They say that once Jeno 
  accepts a commission, he always carries it 
  out, whatever the cost.
  In any case, Jeno has no plans to fight to 
  the death. He would rather use his powers, 
  acrobatic skills and stealth to leave the 
  Heroes behind. If cornered, he prefers to 
  give up the Crown and save his life.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, 
  Strength d6, Vigor d8
  Skills: Climb d8, Fighting d8, Knowledge 
  (Plague) d4, Lockpicking d8, Notice d6, 
  Persuasion d8, Riding d4, Shooting d6, 
  Stealth d8, Streetwise d6, Survival d4, 
  Witchcraft d6
  Charisma: -; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Greedy (Minor), Code of 
  Honor
  Edges: 
  Acrobat, 
  Arcane 
  Background 
  (Withcraft), Luck, Thief
  Powers: Blind, Confusion, Disguise, Sleep
  Equipment: Leather corselet (1 Armor 
  on the chest), black coral dagger (Str+d4; 
  if stabbed into a human corpse and left 
  inside the wound, the coral blade dissolves 
  and raises the victim in 1d6-1 minutes as a 
  Fury). Iron Crown (Relic with Manna).
  
  17
  Ultima Forsan
  The Iron Crown
   Bishop Captain Stéphane 
  of Navarre
  Stéphane of Navarre, Bishop of Aguillon 
  and Captain of the Imperial Army, is a noble 
  of ancient lineage, a man of action and a 
  skillful commander, capable of leading his 
  men to victory, or at least to the best result. 
  Already known for having vanquished in a 
  few years the Alsatian bandits, Constantine 
  II had no hesitation in sending him to chase 
  the burglar.
  He is also sincerely devoted to the Church 
  of France and the Pope King, and he will 
  never betray his honor, even at the cost of 
  his own life, his men’s or other innocents'.
  Navarre wields his family's great sword, 
  which he uses to perfection, and holds on 
  his arm his hawk Isabeau, which he uses to 
  hunt down foes, raise the alarm and annoy 
  melee opponents.
  The Bishop is not interested in killing 
  the heroes, but simply in retrieving the 
  Crown, and he is not a fool. Should he 
  come to a direct confrontation and be 
  defeated, he would surrender, recognizing 
  the superiority of the opponents. In this 
  case, he will remind them that the Crown is 
  the legitimate property of the Pope King of 
  Avignon, and that now they are the thieves.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, 
  Strength d10, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d10, Knowledge (Plague) 
  d4, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion 
  d6, Riding d8, Shooting d4, Streetwise d4, 
  Survival d4
  Charisma: -; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Hindrances: Code of Honor, Loyal, Quirk 
  (Does not use Augmented Armor)
  Edges: Beast Bond, Command, Counterattack, 
  Kinght, Trademark Weapon (great sword)
  Equipment: Great sword (Str+d10, two 
  handed, -1 Parry), Chain corselet, arms and 
  leggings, pot helmet (Armor 3, 50% vs head 
  shot). Riding horse.
  Isabeau, Stéphane's Hawk
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6 (A), 
  Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d12, Stealth d4
  Pace: -; Parry: 6; Toughness: 3
  Special Abilities:
   
  ✴ Blind: If Isabeau scores a raise on a 
  Fighting roll, she has hit the victim's face. 
  The opponent must succeed in an Agility 
  roll or suffer the One Eye Hindrance until 
  his wounds are healed. If the victim rolls 
  1, regardless of the Wild Die, he suffers the 
  Blind Hindrance instead.
   
  ✴ Claws: Str+d4.
   
  ✴ Flying: Flying Pace 8.
   
  ✴ Size -2: Hawks are small creatures.
   
  ✴ Small: Attacks against Isabeau suffer a -2 
  modifier.
  
  Hindrances
  Edges
  V
  Charisma
  Pace
  Parry
  Toughness
  XXV
  Seasoned
  Veteran
  Heroic
  Legendary
  XLV
  LXV
  XC
  X
  XXX
  L
  LXX
  C
  XV
  XXXV
  LV
  LXXV
  CX
  Name
  Race
  Wild Arcane 
  Vigor
  Strength
  Climbing
  Spirit
  Intimidation
  Persuasion
  Agility
  Boating
  Fighting
  Lockpicking
  Riding
  Shooting
  Stealth
  Swimming
  Throwing
  Smarts
  Gambling
  Healing
  Investigation
  Knowl.
  Knowl.
  Knowl.
  Notice
  Repair
  Streetwise
  Survival
  Taunt
  Tracking
  Background
  Languages
  Permanent Injuries
  Gear
  Fatigue
  -I
  -I
  -II
  -II
  -III
  INC
  Wounds
  Armor
  Weapon
  Power
  Range Damage
  Cost
  Wt.
  Range
  Notes
  Damage/Effect
  Head
  Arms
  Torso
  Legs
  Weight limit
  Encumbrance Penalty
  Total Weight                         Florins
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/Ultima Forsan/Savage Worlds - Ultima Forsan - The Iron Crown.pdf