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  Rivalry - Chapter 2 (Option A)
  [Note - Chapter 2 is divided into two paths, A and B. Option A is
  an adventure path that reflects a choice of travel by train out of
  New Orleans following the events of Chapter 1. This is considered
  the default option. Option B, which will be released separately, in-
  volves travel by airship. It should only be attempted by a party with
  a skilled Aviator. Both storylines will rejoin for Chapter 3.]
  Prologue
  You have recently completed a short retrieval job on
  behalf of the Wells Fargo office in New Orleans in the
  Confederation of Texas. It is now clear that there are
  agents working on behalf of the Southern Pacific
  Railroad itself that have been responsible for lost Wells
  Fargo shipments, mostly of advanced technology. You
  have just finished thwarting the theft of a prototype
  mining automaton bound for San Francisco.
  Because of the ongoing threat, you have now been
  hired to escort the automaton in transit all the way to the
  office in San Francisco, the capital of the Rocky
  Mountain Republic.
  You have decided that the train remains the safest
  mode of travel in spite of the concerns about railroad
  employees. You will simply have to be on your guard,
  watching for anything and anyone suspicious.
  Scene 1 – Traveling Through Texas
  The party will begin with a couple of days of normal
  travel through the states of New Orleans and East
  Texas. During this time, they may investigate passengers
  and workers, examine portions of the train, and ask any
  relevant questions they like. Important points and
  difficulties are listed below, but these should in no way
  be considered to be the only avenues of investigation.
  ● The passengers consist of a diverse mix of laborers,
  entrepreneurs, and others. The majority of them are
  indeed traveling to San Francisco from the American
  Consolidated Union to make their fortunes out west.
  ● A simple Investigation, Persuasion, or Streetwise
  check will determine that although there are a
  number of people looking for physical work, there
  are also a few professional scientists, both Spark
  Wranglers and Gearsmiths.
  ● A slightly more difficult Investigation or Persuasion
  check (-2) will allow the character to strike up a
  conversation with Adelaide Kellerson, a wealthy
  gentlewoman who is traveling with her son Edward
  to live in San Francisco. Her husband is a very
  important executive who was responsible for Wells
  Fargo’s acquisition of the Central Pacific Express.
  ● Another slightly difficult check (-2) using
  Intimidation, Investigation, or Persuasion will
  determine that the crew members of this train are
  unaware of the thefts that some Southern Pacific
  employees have committed.
  ● A series of checks using some combination of
  Stealth, Lockpicking, Investigation, and perhaps even
  Climbing (if entering from above) will allow the
  characters access to the luggage and mail cars. They
  will be able to determine that their automaton is
  secure. They may take additional measures (such as
  rigging traps to the crate) if they like.
  Scene 2 – Into the Wilds
  At San Antonio, a number of things change about
  your train. First of all, you are asked to disembark and
  make your way to the station office for the signing of, as
  they put it, “standard legal forms.” These turn out to be
  Hold Harmless agreements that specifically refer to the
  very likely possibility that the train will be attacked by
  bandits somewhere between here and the RMR border.
  You notice that a number of passengers who have made
  this trip before seem to regard the forms as routine.
  Others who are traveling west for the first time are
  understandably alarmed.
  In addition, you notice that a new car is being added
  to the train between the coal car and the luggage. This is
  a flatbed with very short but very sturdy walls all the way
  around it. In the center of the flatbed is a rotating
  vehicle mount with a large gatling gun.
  
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  If the characters ask, they will be
  told that this is standard procedure for
  travel through what is known as “high
  risk” territory. Bandits from Mexico
  frequently cross the border and attempt to raid the
  Southern Pacific trains for money and goods, and also to
  destroy any “ungodly” automatons they might find.
  Passenger trains are at slightly less risk than cargo trains,
  but only slightly.
  Two additional railroad personnel also board at this
  time. A rifleman will ride in the caboose, and another
  gunner will man the gatling in the flatbed. A very
  difficult Investigation or Persuasion check (-4) will alert
  the players that something is odd about the gatling
  operator. If they are particularly vigilant, they may notice
  that he seems to man the gun somewhat casually, as if he
  does not expect to see any action.
  The journey from San Antonio to El Paso proceeds
  without incident. After a night spent in El Paso, most of
  the passengers appear more relaxed about the trip. If
  approached about this attitude, they point out that
  raiding across the deserts of Nuevo Mexico and Arizona
  is much more difficult, and they will scoff at any
  attempts to inspire concern.
  Scene 3 - The Raid
  As is expected, the train comes under attack
  somewhere in the desert. If the party members are
  paying attention to likely ambush points, they may have
  time to prepare a defense. They will not be able to rely
  purely on notice, as the attack occurs immediately as the
  train is exiting a tunnel.
  Complications:
  ● The gatling gunner is nowhere to be found. The
  rifleman is still available in the caboose, but he can’t
  do all the work. Anyone with Shooting can attempt
  to operate the gatling gun.
  ● One of the passengers, a rather well-dressed woman
  with an east-coast accent, is wondering if anyone has
  seen her son. He is not in her car, and she is very
  worried that he will look out the windows while
  gunfire is happening. She will keep trying to interrupt
  the party members as they are trying to move
  through the cars to actually defend the train.
  ● The party may notice (with a -2 Notice check at first)
  that the train is beginning to slow down. When
  asked, the firemen will indicate that they do need to
  refill the boiler. They can’t keep going if they run out
  of water. What’s worse, if the characters try for a
  stop-and-defend strategy at the water tower, they will
  discover that the next tower on the line is empty.
  To scale the battle appropriately, there should be two
  bandits for every melee or short-range combatant in the
  party (such as Spark Wranglers) and three for every long-
  range combatant. Do not include the rifleman in the
  caboose, as he can be used at will to compensate for
  particularly good or bad luck on the part of the players.
  BANDITS
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Strength d6, Spirit d4,
  Vigor d6
  Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5
  Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8
  Equipment: Remington 1858 Navy, horse
  Once the fight begins to wind down, some of the
  characters may engage in a more direct search for the
  boy and the gatling operator. It turns out that neither can
  be found anywhere on the train.
  Scene 4 - The Kidnapping
  The well-dressed woman is hysterical by this point.
  She introduces herself as Adelaide Kellerson, wife of
  wealthy businessman Grant Kellerson. She says that her
  son Edward may have been taken with the intention of
  demanding ransom. Assuming the party members agree
  to try to track him down, they will have to follow the
  rails back a bit to find where two sets of footprints lead
  off into the desert. Locating and following the trail will
  certainly require Tracking or Notice checks. A raise on
  either might reveal that the smaller footprints are
  stumbling as if forced.
  As the party travels, Survival, Notice, or Stealth will
  be appropriate for avoiding being caught unawares.
  However, even without the advantage of surprise, the
  kidnapper has a very advantageous position. He is placed
  high up on a mesa, and he has a very long-range rifle. He
  has the boy tied up inside a nearby cave, and the boy is
  being guarded by a very large automaton scorpion.
  
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  The party need not face both of these Wild Cards at
  once, but may end up doing so depending on the choices
  they make, or to provide additional difficulty if the GM
  determines that the players need a more challenging
  encounter.
  KIDNAPPER
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Strength d6,
  Spirit d6, Vigor d6
  Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 5
  Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d10,
  Equipment: Martini-Henry Mark I, a mysterious
  electrical device
  [Note - This mysterious electrical device is designed to
  emit a powerful electromagnetic field that will suppress
  all automaton activity within a short range. It is used by
  the kidnapper to get past the scorpion. If the party takes
  the time to examine it, they may also use it to avoid
  combat with the scorpion. If the party keeps it, they will
  find that it is unreliable and breaks after a few uses.]
  SCORPION AUTOMATON
  Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d4, Strength d12,
  Spirit d6, Vigor d12
  Pace: 6, Parry: 8, Toughness: 10 (2)
  Skills: Fighting d12
  Special: All Automaton edges and hindrances. Also, the
  Scorpion Automaton has several special notes:
  Bite: Str + d8
  Claw Grab: The Scorpion attempts to grab an
  opponent. Success requires a hit with a raise. Any
  grabbed character may only attempt to escape on her
  action, which requires a simple success on an opposed
  Strength roll. The Scorpion may have up to two
  opponents grabbed at a time.
  Weakness, Large: Finding weak points is easier than
  usual on this automaton. Saboteurs get a +1 bonus on
  Sabotage rolls, and successes allow the Saboteur to
  declare attacks that disable specific portions of the
  Scorpion (such as a claw) with a simple hit, regardless of
  damage. Such disabling attacks do not count as wounds,
  however.
  Epilogue
  Mrs. Kellerson is very grateful for
  the rescue of her son. She will offer a reward upon the
  train’s arrival in San Francisco.
  If the kidnapper has been returned alive, the
  engineers and other railroad officials will insist that he be
  taken to the police station in San Francisco to be
  charged. The party may question him if they want, but
  they will not get very much out of him. If pressed very
  successfully (GM’s discretion), he may reveal one or
  more of the following facts:
  ● He was hired by someone in San Francisco, a man
  who often pays him to do “odd jobs.” He will not
  tell you the man’s name or any other details.
  ● He had nothing to do with the bandits. He was not
  responsible for the empty watertower, so he assumes
  the bandits did that.
  ● He did not build the automaton. He has no idea who
  did. He was just told how to handle it.
  ● He was expecting a zeppelin to come and pick him
  up in a couple of days, after the train arrived in San
  Francisco without the boy.
  The rest of this part of the journey will proceed
  uneventfully. But there are many questions left to be
  answered and even more that will be raised in Chapter 3!
  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.
  ©2013 Four-in-Hand Games
  
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  Rivalry - Chapter 2 (Option B)
  [Note - Chapter 2 is divided into two paths, A and B. Option A,
  released separately, is an adventure path that reflects a choice of
  travel by train out of New Orleans following the events of Chapter
  1. This is considered the default option. Option B involves travel by
  airship. It should only be attempted by a party with a skilled Aviator,
  and it can be more difficult in multiple ways. Both storylines will
  rejoin for Chapter 3.]
  Prologue
  You have recently completed a short retrieval job on
  behalf of the Wells Fargo office in New Orleans in the
  Confederation of Texas. It is now clear that there are
  agents working on behalf of the Southern Pacific
  Railroad itself that have been responsible for lost Wells
  Fargo shipments, mostly of advanced technology. You
  have just finished thwarting the theft of a prototype
  mining automaton bound for San Francisco.
  Because of the ongoing threat, you have now been
  hired to escort the automaton in transit all the way to the
  office in San Francisco, the capital of the Rocky
  Mountain Republic.
  You have decided your expertise will allow you to
  take the speedier but more dangerous air route west.
  You will take a Wells Fargo light courier zeppelin, and
  you are solely responsible for your own travels.
  Scene 1 – Setting Out
  The first day or two of travel are largely uneventful.
  The characters may travel with impunity west across the
  state of New Orleans into East Texas and resupply quite
  easily in Austin. After Austin, however, the Aviator will
  discover that prevailing winds paired to a low-dipping jet
  stream are making travel across the middle of Texas
  territory to be very difficult. The pilot will have a choice
  of either dipping south directly over Mexico or veering
  north, still in Texas but approaching the border of the
  Plains Tribal Federation. In either case, the party will
  have to plan on resupplying in the wilderness, and in
  particular cutting their own wood to fuel the airship’s
  small but somewhat inefficient steam engines. The party
  will have to decide whether to fly at night to escape
  detection, which risks increasing the pilot’s fatigue and
  also makes landings more dangerous. Flying during the
  day makes it more likely the airship will be seen, but also
  makes easier the party’s own Notice rolls to spot
  pursuers.
  Depending on which route the heroes take, they are
  going to face a number of difficulties. In both cases,
  water is an important and ongoing concern. If they head
  north, the Brazzos River is the most reliable source of
  water, but following it will take the airship almost
  directly to the Red River, which is the border of the
  PTF. Travel along the Red River will mean interacting
  with some of the bison herds that are being watched by
  Apache and Comanche scouts. Some of those scouts
  may try to track the party’s movements. Much of North
  Chihuahua is very dry, so they will have few choices but
  to risk it.
  If they travel over Mexico, both water and landing
  sites will be even more scarce, as they will have to fly
  over the rocky deserts between the Sierra Madre ranges.
  They will have to spend several days making difficult
  flying and survival decisions before a new complication
  arises.
  At any point during this stage of the scenario, the
  heroes may choose to reconsider their travel plans. They
  may divert back to Austin and instead take a train. If
  they do so, simply switch to Chapter 2 (Option A). The
  GM should give the party enough hardship to make it
  clear that they are choosing the more difficult route. If
  they definitely wish to continue, go on to Scene 2.
  Scene 2 – The Chase
  GM Note: Your job at this point is to engage the
  characters in a chase. This will take one of two forms,
  depending on which route they chose to fly. Prior to
  this, you should build the tension by asking them
  repeatedly to make decisions about survival.
  In the case of flying over the northern part of Texas,
  drifting close to the Plains Tribal Federation, this is
  
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  done by choosing where to land and
  find fuel and water. Ask whether they
  are flying through the day or night so as
  to raise the possibility that they might be
  spotted. If they continue trying to travel by night, make
  the Aeronautical Navigation rolls more difficult, and also
  suggest that the pilot is growing fatigued.
  In the case of flight over Mexico, the landings
  themselves should be more dangerous because of the
  rocky terrain. Make the Piloting rolls more difficult, and
  consider forcing the group to Repair damage if they
  happen to fail at one. In addition, there should be more
  Survival rolls to find water for travel over Mexico.
  Once the tension has been raised, the chase will
  ensue. In both cases, this should be considered a
  standard-length chase using the Chase Rules in Savage
  Worlds Deluxe, Chapter 4. (Page 82 in the full-sized
  SWD, page 94 in the SWD Explorer’s Edition.) The
  specific scenarios for each chase are as follows:
  Airship Chase Over Texas
  Over northern Texas, the adventurers will actually be
  chased in the air by Apache and Comanche pirates flying
  two airships of unknown design. (The group may later
  do some research and discover that these are dirigibles
  of French origin.) The pirate crews will attempt to shoot
  holes in the adventurers’ zeppelin. Ordinarily these
  would be considered Called Shots, but this is balanced
  out by the size of the airship itself. This is true for the
  heroes shooting back as well. All shots to an airbag will
  ignore armor.
  Because each airship has a single pilot, cards are
  drawn and Advantage is determined only once for each
  vehicle. The pirates will continue to have the +2 speed
  bonus. However, Steamhands or other heroes with the
  Repair skill may attempt appropriate cooperative rolls to
  support their Aviator by working the boilers and ballast.
  Also remember that the Ace Edge will allow the Pilot to
  spend bennies to soak damage done to the zeppelin.
  The GM may adjust the difficulty on this chase by
  raising the enemy Piloting skill. The default should be
  the same as the hero Aviator’s, but increasing it will
  make it more likely that the adventurers’ airship will be
  brought down. It should be at least possible for the
  heroes to escape and avoid further conflict.
  Foot Chase Across the Sierra Madre
  While out looking for water, the adventurers will
  happen upon a small camp of bandits on their way north
  to raid into Texas. The bandits will spot the heroes and
  chase them. If some party members (such as the Aviator)
  are still at the zeppelin, this chase will involve only those
  who are actually away from the airship.
  Because this is a foot chase, Advantage is determined
  individually with all appropriate modifiers. Terrain is
  difficult, providing a -2 for everyone. Injured heroes may
  keep going, but any bandits injured during this chase will
  retreat and not be available for the chase itself. After five
  turns of chase, the heroes and any uninjured attackers
  will arrive at the zeppelin. Proceed directly to Scene 3.
  Scene 3 – Defending the Zeppelin
  If the party was shot down over Texas, then they will
  need to defend themselves at the crash site. The typical
  procedure for air pirates is to land and engage a downed
  vessel on the ground. If the party is able to defend
  themselves successfully, they may either repair their own
  zeppelin or take the pirate ship. If the party ran afoul of
  bandits in Mexico, then they will need to either drive off
  the bandits completely or simply hold out long enough
  to take off.
  In either case, this is going to be a difficult fight. All
  of the opponents are Wild Cards, and there are as many
  enemies as there are party members. However, initiative
  should still be determined for the enemies on a group
  basis. (One group for the bandits, two different groups
  for the pirates.There are also some slight mitigating
  factors for each scenario:
  Fighting Off the Pirates
  The attacking pirate force is split evenly between
  Saboteurs and Braves. If the fight seems to be going very
  badly for the group, the Saboteurs may focus more on
  attempting to disable the zeppelin itself than on
  attacking the heroes. This is of course GM’s discretion.
  You may determine how deadly you would like this fight
  to be, but keep in mind that with this many Wild Cards it
  could potentially be extremely dangerous. The stats for
  the attacking force are as follows:
  
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  SABOTEURS
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Strength d6,
  Spirit d8, Vigor d6
  Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 5
  Skills: Fighting d8 Sabotage d8
  Equipment: Tomahawk (Str +d8)
  BRAVES
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Strength d8,
  Spirit d6, Vigor d8
  Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8
  Equipment: Bow
  There is a pilot as well who remained behind, but he
  is unarmed and will be easy to defeat should the party
  wish to take over the pirate airship.
  Escaping the Bandits
  There are only as many bandits as heroes who were
  out looking for water, which may mean that the heroes
  outnumber their opponents once the chase is complete.
  This is especially true if any of the bandits were injured
  during the chase itself, because they will retreat
  immediately rather than continuing on. However,
  because the bandits are Wild Cards, it is also possible
  that there may be some injured party members. If this
  fight seems to be going particularly badly for the
  adventurers, the GM may make it easier for them to take
  off quickly, thus allowing them to escape rather than
  having to defeat the entire group of bandits. The stats
  for the bandits are as follows:
  BANDITS
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Strength d6,
  Spirit d6, Vigor d6
  Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5
  Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8
  Equipment: Colt 1860 Army
  If for some reason this fight goes too easily for the
  adventurers, the GM can always make the rest of the
  bandit camp ride up on horseback. The size of those
  reinforcements are of course GM’s discretion.
  Epilogue
  The rest of this part of the journey
  will proceed uneventfully. When you arrive in San
  Francisco to deliver the automaton, you share your
  amazing exploits with the Wells Fargo office. Soon you
  discover that everyone in town wants to buy you a drink
  and hear your story firsthand. Even the Governor has
  sent you an invitation to dinner. All of this attention and
  more exciting events await in Chapter 3!
  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.
  ©2013 Four-in-Hand Games
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  We love feedback! Let us know what you think
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  Worlds Forums (http://www.peginc.com/forum).
  
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  Rivalry - Chapter 3
  [Note - Some dialogue in this chapter will vary based on which
  route the heroes took to arrive in San Francisco. For instance, if
  they traveled by train and stopped the kidnapping (Chapter 2A),
  then the Kellersons will be particularly friendly towards them. If
  they traveled by air, then it is more likely that Governor Haight and
  the Kellersons are simply treating the group as notable adventurers.
  Prologue
  You have finally arrived in San Francisco and safely
  delivered the automaton prototype to the Wells Fargo
  office there. You are enjoying a well-deserved rest in the
  city, although it turns out that tales of your travels are
  beginning to spread.
  After fielding numerous questions and offers for free
  drinks at saloons around town, you receive an offer from
  a more prominent source. Henry Huntly Haight, the
  Governor of the State of California, has invited you to
  dinner at his house in San Francisco. (He ordinarily lives
  in Sacramento but regularly travels to the capital to meet
  with President Stanford.) In attendance will also be
  Grant Kellerson and his family.
  Scene 1 – Dinner With the Governor
  The dinner scene should be played as a free-form
  conversation. It will begin with thanks and
  congratulations (and more requests to hear stories)
  directed towards the heroes. There is also some
  discussion about the kidnapping of the Kellersons’
  young son, Edward. However, as the conversation
  continues, a number of tfacts may be revealed:
  ● There have been a number of other raids on Wells
  Fargo shipments, mostly over the last few months.
  ● Most but not all of the raids were carried out by
  agents of the Southern Pacific or its subsidiary
  railroads.
  ● All of the shipments were of automatons or steam
  machinery bound for Weaverville, a small mining
  town in the mountains to the southwest of Mt.
  Shasta.
  ● Weavervillle is a town controlled entirely by Chinese
  immigrants and even Chinese nationals. The RMR
  has very generous property sovereignty laws,
  meaning that owners are allowed to determine
  legality within the boundaries of their own private
  property, as long as it is not within an established
  municipality. Using these laws, the Chinese
  landowners have declared Weaverville to be officially
  part of China. After the shipments arrive in
  Weaverville, it is presumed that they are then airlifted
  to the coast and put on ships bound for China, thus
  avoiding scrutiny and tariffs that would come from
  shipping the items normally through the San
  Francisco port.
  ● Wells Fargo, under the local direction of Grant
  Kellerson, has been supporting the nation of China
  and its efforts to smuggle high-end technology out
  of North America. Kellerson does not consider this
  process to be in any way illegal, since the letter of the
  law is followed at every step.
  ● Governor Haight, on the other hand, is upset not
  only about the loss of tariff revenue, but the growing
  power of local Chinese politicians who he believes
  are supported by money from China through this
  quasi-legal trade. He also has a somewhat isolationist
  viewpoint and would prefer that North American
  technology remain on the continent. He sees this as
  both a money and a resource drain on his state and
  his nation.
  ● Governor Haight has actually been working with the
  Southern Pacific Railroad, providing them with
  information that will help them intercept the
  smuggled goods before they arrive in Weaverville.
  Exactly which of these facts are revealed and how
  they are explained depends on whether the adventurers
  seem more inclined to support Mr. Kellerson or
  Governor Haight, how they feel about Wells Fargo and
  Southern Pacific, and even how they feel about China
  and the RMR. This is a point at which they will begin to
  take a side in the greater rivalries that guide the
  
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  politics of the region. There are many
  reasons for choosing each side, and the
  GM should use the NPCs involved in
  this conversation to argue for and against
  each position. There will be more opportunities later in
  the campaign to change sides, but these decisions should
  not be taken lightly.
  As some of the initial facts are brought out into the
  open, Governor Haight has a heated argument with Mr.
  Kellerson. Kellerson takes his family and leaves, allowing
  the heroes time to discuss further with either Kellerson
  or the Governor alone. This determines which of the
  deeper secrets the heroes can learn, and what perspective
  they might take on those secrets.
  Scene 2 – The Jailbreak
  Whether they are now conversing with Mr. Kellerson
  or Governor Haight, the group will be approached by a
  runner with an urgent message: the man who kidnapped
  Edward Kellerson on the train to San Francisco has
  broken out of jail before he could be put on trial. Upon
  hearing this, the Kellersons will hurry to their expensive
  hotel and secure themselves there, pleading for the
  adventurers to do something about this dangerous man.
  The Governor will wonder aloud how someone could
  have broken out of the jailhouse and will ask the
  adventurers if they would mind checking it out and
  making sure it wasn’t an inside job.
  Investigating the jailhouse itself is somewhat
  difficult, because there is a crowd of gawkers gathered
  outside the door. The heroes must find a way to
  persuade, trick, or sneak their way into the jail if they
  want to see what’s happening. If they are able to do so,
  they will discover that the two guards who had been on
  duty are having head injuries tended. They had been
  knocked out and their keys taken from them. Neither
  one remembers who it was that knocked them out, only
  that they had called a nearby runner to bring them some
  food.
  Further Streetwise or Investigation outside will
  reveal that the runner, a boy named James, went to order
  the food at a local saloon, but he did not actually bring it
  to them. The saloon is called “The Wealthy Mountain,”
  which James says is owned by some local Chinese
  businessman. He doesn’t really know any more than that.
  Scene 3 – The Wealthy Mountain Saloon
  The Wealthy Mountain Saloon is a typical one-story
  wooden building with a sloping roof and a wooden front
  porch. It is along a sloping street, so one side of it is
  actually slightly in the ground and the other is slightly
  raised. The underside seems to be built on brick, and it
  has a large brick chimney in the back.
  There is an old British gentleman in a pith helmet
  smoking a pipe on the front porch. He is courteous and
  polite to all passersby, especially the ladies. He has only
  been there for an hour, but is curious about anything the
  group wants to tell him about the goings-on at the
  jailhouse.
  Inside, there are a number of tables, an automaton
  playing the piano, and a bar in the back corner. At one
  fairly central table, there is a poker game happening,
  where a rather loud and brash woman seems to be doing
  quite well. She will invite the heroes to join so there cam
  be new money for her to win. (If any of the adventurers
  are good enough at Gambling to actually beat her, she
  will lose in a very loud but good-natured way.) If asked
  her name, she will give it as Myra Maybelle Shirley Starr.
  Several of the other tables are occupied, mostly by
  what appear to be miners. Everyone is clearly curious
  about the newcomers, but no one will speak up aside
  from the woman and the bartender, who will merely ask
  what they want to drink.
  Whether or not the group starts asking questions
  about the jailbreak, the bartender is immediately
  suspicious. A very difficult Notice roll (-4) will catch him
  knocking his foot on the floor in a specific place behind
  the bar. If the heroes do not make this roll, they may still
  spot the impressive number of Derringers the woman at
  the poker table has lining the inside of her jacket, and
  they cannot miss the shotgun hanging on the wall behind
  the bar. Aside from the bartender and the woman,
  however, no one seems to be armed.
  If the group rushes the bartender or asks him
  questions, they will only have to fight him at first. If they
  wait too long getting a lay of the land, the bartender’s
  help will arrive through the front door and start the
  fight. If the adventurers have played poker or otherwise
  befriended the woman, she will help them. If they barge
  in and disrupt everything, she will try to hinder them.
  Either way, she will cause further complications later.
  
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  BELLE STAR
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Strength d6,
  Spirit d10, Vigor d6
  Pace: 6, Parry: 4, Toughness: 5
  Skills: Fighting d4, Gambling d10, Shooting d10
  Edges: Level Headed, Quick Draw
  Equipment: 12 Derringers
  BARTENDER
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Strength d6, Spirit d6,
  Vigor d6
  Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5
  Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8
  Equipment: Double-Barrel Shotgun
  When the bartender’s reinforcements arrive, there
  should be as many of them as there are party members:
  REINFORCEMENTS
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Strength d8, Spirit d6,
  Vigor d8
  Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 6
  Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8
  Equipment: Colt 1860 Army
  A round or two after the help arrives, another
  complication occurs. A deep voice calls from outside of
  the Saloon, “Belle Star, drop your weapons and come on
  out of there.” It turns out that a bounty hunter has been
  tracking Belle, since she is a wanted leader of an outlaw
  gang. She will now ignore the rest of the fight and get
  into a shootout with him. If the group appears to be
  helping her, the bounty hunter will attack them as well
  but will try to focus on Belle. Either Belle or the bounty
  hunter will give up after sustaining two wounds.
  BASS REEVES
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Strength d8,
  Spirit d6, Vigor d8
  Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d10
  Edges: Gunslinger Profession
  Equipment: Starr Revolver
  Once the many aspects of
  this fight are resolved, the group
  can check behind the bar, where they will find a trapdoor
  leading into the hidden cellar, which has a loading door
  covered by dirt outside. Down there they will find the
  kidnapper hiding out with another scorpion automaton
  (see chapter 2A). Depending on how the last combat
  went, the GM can decide whether or not to make fight
  these two again.
  From either the kidnapper, the bartender, or Belle
  Star, the heroes will discover that the owner of the
  saloon and the man who contracted the kidnapping of
  young Edward Kellerson is a local businessman named
  Mr. Nakamura. Some of these people are aware that he
  is not in fact Chinese but rather Japanese. However, a
  few quick inquiries will also reveal that he has recently
  left town.
  Epilogue
  Why is a Japanese businessman involved with a
  kidnapping? Where is he getting these large and very
  advanced automatons? What is happening in the
  Chinese-controlled mining town of Weaverville? What
  connection does all this have to Wells Fargo and the
  Southern Pacific Railroad? There will be much more to
  discover in Chapter 4!
  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.
  ©2013 Four-in-Hand Games
  Keep up to date with every episode! Like us on
  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Steamscapes!
  
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  Rivalry - Chapter 4
  Prologue
  The Kellersons are very happy that you have
  successfully apprehended (or removed) the kidnapper.
  The Governor is also very impressed by your work. The
  question now is - which one of them has convinced you?
  Who do you want to help?
  Scene 1 – Who Do You Work For?
  This is an important decision point in the adventure
  path. The heroes will choose to work for either Grant
  Kellerson or Governor Henry Huntly Haight. Many of
  the events that follow will be similar regardless of which
  choice the party makes, but the reasons and effects will
  vary greatly. Also, some choices in later adventures will
  be affected by this choice.
  If the players are having trouble deciding, the GM
  might ask some or all of the questions below to prompt
  discussion:
  ● Which company do you trust more, Wells Fargo or
  the Southern Pacific Railroad?
  ● How do you feel about Wells Fargo’s flaunting of
  the laws and tariffs of the Rocky Mountain Republic?
  ● How do you feel about China and their efforts to
  acquire technology?
  ● Do you have any suspicions about how Mr.
  Nakamura might be involved? How might that
  change the way you view the two sides?
  Once the players have decided, they can meet with
  their chosen employer. If they are working for Governor
  Haight, read that section first. Otherwise, skip to Grant
  Kellerson.
  Working for Governor Haight
  The Governor is very grateful for your assistance.
  He explains that he has had a difficult time getting any of
  his operatives near Weaverville to find out what is going
  on there. He suggests that you might be able to use your
  favor with Grant Kellerson to get inside.
  Assuming you agree, you will pretend to work for
  Wells Fargo until you are able to see Weaverville for
  yourselves. At that time, it will be up to you to decide
  whether you are able to disrupt the operations there or if
  you will need to simply extract yourself and report back.
  You should make your way to Mr. Kellerson now and
  offer to work for him.
  [Continue with the “Working for Grant Kellerson”
  text, but with the heroes acting as double-agents.]
  Working for Grant Kellerson
  Mr. Kellerson is happy to have you working for him
  in a more direct fashion. He cannot imagine a more
  reliable group to entrust with Wells Fargo’s most
  important shipments. He would like to hire you to escort
  the mining automaton on the last leg of its journey to
  Weaverville.
  He notes that although this is a relatively short trip, it
  is not by any means easy. There have been reported
  attacks on both air and ground travel between San
  Francisco and the Chinese-controlled town. These
  attacks have often been from rifle fire, though there have
  been unconfirmed reports of oddly coordinated animal
  attacks as well.
  You make plans to set out with the automaton. It
  will be up to you to decide how to travel. There is a rail
  line that travels North through the Sacramento Valley,
  but you would still need a steam cart to get into the
  mountains. You may also choose to travel by light
  airship if you prefer.
  If the party does not include an Aviator or
  Steamhand, Wells Fargo may supply them with someone
  who can get them there.
  Whichever method of travel the heroes prefer, the
  first few hours will be uneventful. However, as they get
  far enough north to see the peak of Mt. Shasta clearly in
  the distance, they will be attacked.
  
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  Scene 3 – Ambush at Whiskeytown Lake
  The crow attack should force the party to rest on
  their way into the mountains toward Weaverville.. This
  can be done in one of several ways. If they are traveling
  on the ground, they will simply stop at a convenient
  source of water. If they were in the air and their airship
  was forced down, they can begin hiking up the
  mountains and stop at the lake. If they managed to
  escape unscathed in an airship, they may have had to
  push their engines such that they need to refuel and refill
  the boilers.
  Whatever explanation makes the most sense for the
  events in your game, the heroes will find themselves on
  the shore of Whiskeytown Lake, on the road between
  Redding and Weaverville. As they rest and resupply, a
  rifle shot will be fired from a hidden position in the trees
  a little ways up the slope. If you wish to increase the
  danger for this encounter (for instance, if the crows were
  too easy for your players), this shot will not be a warning
  shot but an attack, and the attackers have The Drop on
  the party.
  Alternately, if the last encounter was particularly
  difficult, the attackers will fire warning shots and attempt
  to get the heroes to throw down their weapons and give
  up the mining automaton.
  There are half as many attackers as there are party
  members (round down). They are automaton rifleman
  who have concealed themselves in very good cover
  overlooking the road.
  THE HIGHWAYMEN
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Strength d8,
  Spirit d6, Vigor d8
  Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 6 (2)
  Skills: Fighting d6, Riding d6, Shooting d6
  Equipment: Sharps Carbine
  The Highwaymen (each of them simply refers to
  himself as “The Highwayman”) will attempt to wound
  but not kill the heroes. Their goal is to drive the party
  away from the mining automaton or to have them give it
  up somehow. The party can attempt to fight back or
  concede immediately. It is possible, though difficult, for
  the party to fight off the automatons, in which case the
  Scene 2 – Animal Attacks
  As the adventurers travel into the
  Klamath Mountains, they may begin to
  notice that something is odd. A successful
  Notice check at -2 will reveal that the forest seems
  strangely quiet. There are occasional insect sounds and
  distant coyote calls, but there are very few bird sounds.
  Another Notice check (at a +2 if the last one was
  successful) will call attention to a murder of crows that is
  heading directly towards the vehicle. A Survival check
  will reveal that the crows are moving somewhat
  awkwardly and making no sounds themselves. As the
  murder nears (or sooner if one of the heroes has a
  looking glass or goggles with a telescopic attachment), it
  is obvious that these crows are in fact automatons.
  There are 20 crows in the murder. They will attack
  different targets in groups of 5 to maximize their Gang
  Up bonus. If the party is in an airship, one of the groups
  will attack the hydrogen bag. (Use a Toughness of 6 for
  the bag itself.) In general, one such wound on an airship
  will make it harder to fly, two will cause it to descend
  slowly, and three will force it down immediately. Crows
  that are attacking the airship are considered to have
  cover.
  AUTOMATON CROWS
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4, Strength d4, Spirit d4,
  Vigor d4
  Size: -2
  Pace: 8 Flying, Parry: 4, Toughness: 3 (1)
  Skills: Fighting d4
  Attack: Claw Attack - Str+d4
  Tactical note: Because of the Gang Up bonuses, many of
  the crows will hit their targets, especially at first. Luckily
  their attacks are not very powerful. However, with this
  many dice being rolled, they are still likely to get in a few
  wounds. If you want to be a little more merciful in this
  combat, keep the crows in groups attacking their original
  targets even as they lose individual members. This will
  make them much easier to handle as a few are picked
  off. If you prefer greater danger, have groups recombine
  into clusters of 5 when they get down to 2 and 3. Also,
  per the normal Savage Worlds rules, each group of 5
  should get its own initiative card.
  
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  story will proceed to Weaverville without the
  information that comes from talking to the
  Highwaymen. [Read Epilogue 1.]
  If the party chooses to give up or try to talk to the
  attackers, the conversation will proceed differently
  depending on who the heroes are working for. In both
  cases, the following information may be revealed:
  ● The Highwaymen attempt to liberate any
  automatons bound for Weaverville. They consider
  the work done there to be slavery.
  ● They also consider your actions to be smuggling, as
  you are illegally removing technology from the
  Rocky Mountain Republic and giving it to China.
  ● The Highwaymen themselves were constructed for
  various purposes but have since been liberated, and
  now act to free other independent automatons. A
  Common Knowledge check will remind you that this
  is itself only quasi-legal, as automatons generally do
  not have citizenship rights in the RMR.
  If the party is working for Grant Kellerson, then the
  Highwaymen will simply retrieve the mining automaton
  and allow the heroes to continue without it. [Go now to
  Epilogue 2.] If the party is working for Governor
  Haight, then the following additional conversational
  points will be made:
  ● The Highwaymen work for Saito Nakamura, a
  master Gearsmith who wants to stop China’s
  technological advancement. Mr. Nakamura makes
  mostly animal-shaped automatons. The crows and
  the giant scorpion were both his creations.
  ● Mr. Nakamura has tried very hard to stop shipments
  into Weaverville. He has been unable to track what
  happens to automatons after they arrive there, but he
  would very much like to find out.
  ● The Highwaymen will not allow the mining
  prototype to be taken to Weaverville. However, if
  you want to keep up your cover of working for Wells
  Fargo, one of them will volunteer to take the
  prototype’s place in the crate.
  With a Highwayman placed in the crate, the party
  can now proceed to Weaverville. You may conclude with
  Epilogue 3.
  Epilogue 1
  Someone definitely did not want
  you to get this shipment to Weaverville. Despite the
  hazards, you are finally able to deliver the mining
  automaton to its destination. But what is so important
  about this town? Find out more in Chapter 5!
  Epilogue 2
  Mr. Kellerson will certainly be upset that you lost the
  automaton. But perhaps there will be someone in
  Weaverville who can help you retrieve it, or at least
  answer some questions. Find out more in Chapter 5!
  Epilogue 3
  As glad as you might be to have a new ally in your
  efforts to infiltrate the Chinese stronghold of
  Weaverville, you are also a little concerned about Mr.
  Nakamura’s methods. Are you sure you want to be
  involved in this international conflict? Find out more in
  Chapter 5!
  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.
  ©2014 Four-in-Hand Games
  Keep up to date with every episode! Like us on
  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Steamscapes!
  
  www.steamscapes.com
  Rivalry - Chapter 5
  Prologue
  You have finally arrived in the mountain town of
  Weaverville. What secrets does it hold?
  GM Note - This chapter is built more as a list of
  locations to explore and scenes to experience rather than
  a sequential adventure. At this point in the story, the
  heroes’ interactions with Weaverville will depend greatly
  on the choices they have made and continue to make
  regarding their allegiances and motivations. The events
  in this chapter are available to be sampled and remixed
  as needed and as appropriate for the party.
  Also, if you like pictures and maps, the town of
  Weaverville was a real historic gold mining town. It is
  also the location of the oldest Taoist temple in North
  America, and that temple is still standing today. For
  pictures, search “Weaverville Joss House.” The airfield
  can be placed in the modern location of Lonnie Pool
  Field, which lies to the northeast of the temple. Pictures
  of that air strip may help players visualize the location.
  The rest of the town is mostly situated between those
  two locations or west of the temple.
  Scene 1 – The Delivery
  One of the first things the heroes will need to do
  upon arrival is complete the delivery that has brought
  them here in the first place. Official shipments are
  received at a small airfield at the north end of town.
  There is enough room between the trees to fit two
  medium-sized airships, and in fact there seems to be one
  here already.
  The airship that is parked at the airfield is like
  nothing the heroes have ever seen, even if any of them
  are knowledgeable aviators. It is built with an external
  rigid frame and open crew deck like French-style
  dirigibles, but the shape of both is more angular and
  decorated. The bag comes to more of a point at the
  front, with an ornate wooden bowsprit extending from
  the frame. On the prow of the crew cabin, there is also
  what at first glance appears to be long narrow cannon
  forged to look like the mouth of a dragon.
  A quick Common Knowledge check will confirm
  that this is unusual because cannons and shot are usually
  considered too heavy for airships and the firing of a
  cannon too disruptive to flight. Also, no crew could
  possibly muzzle-load such a cannon while in the air, as it
  seems to be hard-mounted on the prow. An appropriate
  Knowledge or Gunsmithing check may allow someone
  to realize that the tube is hollow straight through, which
  would seem to serve no practical purpose. There do not
  seem to be any other clues as to this mysterious object’s
  purpose or function.
  On one end of the airfield there is a large wooden
  storage building. There are a few workers moving crates
  and barrels into this building. Nothing is being brought
  out at this time. Overseeing the activity is an older,
  distinguished-looking Chinese gentleman. He wears a
  bowler hat and a suit and carries a clipboard. His name is
  Lo Bao.
  When the heroes actually deliver the package, Lo
  Bao will simply have the workers take it into storage
  building. They will do nothing else at this time. If anyone
  manages to get a glimpse inside, there are many wooden
  crates inside, some of them also big enough to hold a
  person. They are not currently being loaded onto any
  vehicles for immediate transport.
  The leader of the workers is a large, burly man. Lo
  Bao may call him directly to move the crate or check on
  something, in which case the heroes will hear that his
  name is Lo Feng. Upon closer examination, there is
  indeed some family resemblance between the old man
  and the laborer, but it is slight. As the adventurers meet
  more people around town, they will discover that most
  of the Chinese residents are either from the Lo family or
  the Liang family.
  Unless the heroes start any incidents themselves, the
  delivery should go very smoothly. They are then free to
  wander around the town.
  
  www.steamscapes.com
  Scene 2 – Around the Town
  In the town of Weaverville there are
  a number of locations that the adventurers
  may visit. They are presented here in no
  particular order, with a simple framework of setting and
  character information for each. In all of these cases, the
  townsfolk seem to be willing to go about their business
  as usual, welcoming the heroes as they would any other
  visitors. There is no immediate evidence of anything out
  of the ordinary happening in the town.
  The Ba Gua Inn
  There are a number of saloons, but only one has an
  inn. If the heroes intend to stay the night, they will need
  to make their way to the Ba Gua Inn. The sign for this
  inn is an octagon with a number of longer and shorter
  bars ringing a strange circular symbol in the middle.
  The inn and its attached saloon are run by one of the
  small number of women you have seen around the town.
  Women are still somewhat more rare in the Rocky
  Mountain Republic than in other countries, and Chinese
  women in particular are not seen very often, even in San
  Francisco. You have seen several as you have walked
  around the town, suggesting that Weaverville - although
  still clearly less than 50 percent - may have a higher
  female population than other Chinese communities in
  North America.
  The manager of the inn introduces herself as Liang
  Hui. She is a very friendly woman in her thirties. She will
  engage the heroes in whatever conversational topics they
  wish, although she doesn’t seem as boisterous as many
  saloon owners can be. She encourages all visitors to take
  time to visit the Temple of the Trees Under the Clouds,
  a prominent Weaverville landmark. She also indicates
  that her husband might be found there.
  Temple of the Trees Under the Clouds
  The temple is located on the southern end of town,
  and is usually the first building travelers see when
  approaching from the east. The design is a mix of
  frontier practicality with Chinese ornamentation. It is not
  a large building, comprising only two medium-sized
  rooms. The first room is clearly the main temple, with
  ornate rugs and pillows framing a lavishly
  decorated altar. The second room seems to be used
  mainly for storage, especially of chairs and a few other
  pieces of furniture.
  In the temple, an older man sits cross-legged on a
  pillow facing the door. He does not rise to greet visitors
  but welcomes them quietly to the temple. He introduces
  himself as Liang Tao. He is happy to answer questions
  about himself, the temple, the town, or Taoism.
  Liang Tao himself is not a priest or holy man, but
  rather the local Gearsmith. He has a workshop near the
  Ba Gua Inn, which his wife oversees, but he spends
  much of his spare time meditating in the temple. Others
  in the town visit occasionally, but often he is alone.
  If asked about his work as a Gearsmith, Liang Tao
  will indicate that most of his work involves repair and
  maintenance for automatons that work in the mine. He
  is happy to offer his services to any automatons in the
  party, since he has no pressing projects at the moment.
  The Apothecary
  The apothecary is a small store in the middle of town
  that acts as a general store, but with some very
  specialized medicines.
  Instead of the usual bottles of cocaine drops, hashish
  pills, and Mr.s. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup (made with
  opium), there are strange herbal and even animal
  concoctions lining the shelves behind the counter. The
  pleasant and talkative proprietor, Lo Xing-fu, will engage
  all visitors in a spirited discussion about the many uses
  of his various medicines. He is happy to explain why
  Chinese medicine works much better than European
  medicine. (He does not even acknowledge the existence
  of “North American” medicine, and if pressed on this
  topic he will point out as an example that the continent
  has the wrong sort of snakes.)
  In one corner of the store, there is also a display that
  may alarm some members of the party - a small open
  barrel of gunpowder with a scoop sticking out of it as if
  ready for serving. When asked, Lo Xing-fu explains that
  the powder is available for purchase by weight so that
  you may make your own rockets, fireworks, or dynamite.
  He does have some small rockets and fireworks that he
  makes and sells for special occasions, and the heroes
  may purchase some if they wish. Adventurers with
  
  www.steamscapes.com
  appropriate skills may even attempt to figure out how
  these creations work.
  The one topic that Lo Xing-fu will not discuss is his
  other customers. He will attempt to deflect any such
  questioning, and will grow more firm if the questioning
  persists. He will be particularly tight-lipped about any
  discussion of the mine, the airship, or Lo Bao.
  Other Locations
  The rest of the town consists of a normal mix of
  frontier mining town locations, such as houses, stables,
  saloons, blacksmiths, and even a small bank and
  telegraph office. Most of the owners of these locations
  are indeed Chinese, though there are a number of miners
  from around the area who are not. The few automatons
  in town seem to be owned by miners or townspeople..
  Scene 3 – Disturbance in the Night
  Eventually the heroes will settle in for the night at
  the Ba Gua Inn or in the woods if they choose to camp.
  In the middle of the night, they will hear gunshots from
  the direction of the airfield. The nature of this
  disturbance will depend on what the heroes have done
  with the mining automaton and the Highwayman. The
  most likely possibilities are listed below, but feel free to
  adapt as necessary:
  ● The Highwayman was hiding in the crate with his
  gun, and when the workers opened it, they
  discovered that he was active and dangerous. The
  gunfire occurs as he is escaping into the woods north
  of town.
  ● If the mining automaton was delivered and the
  Highwaymen are still active, the gunfire occurs
  during a nighttime assault on the storage barn by the
  Highwaymen. The airfield is too well defended for
  the Highwaymen to be successful, but they may
  injure some of the workers. The rest will chase the
  attackers into the woods.
  ● If the original Highwaymen  were incapacitated in
  the attack in the previous chapter, the attacker is yet
  another Highwayman, but operating alone. He is
  likely to be less successful in injuring the defenders,
  and so will flee sooner.
  If the heroes go to the
  airfield either during the night or
  the next morning, they may volunteer or be asked by Lo
  Bao to join the manhunt for the Highwayman. (Use the
  stats from Chapter 4.) If the adventurers are allied with
  the Highwayman, they will be followed by Lo Feng.
  They will have to lose him if they want to do anything
  besides capturing the automaton and returning him to
  Lo Bao.
  If the Highwayman is captured and returned, Lo Bao
  will trust the heroes slightly further. If the heroes are
  spotted conspiring with the automaton, Lo Feng and his
  workers will attempt to capture them as well. (Stats for
  Lo Feng and his crew will be provided in Chapter 6.)
  The heroes may prefer to escape into the woods rather
  than have that fight.
  Epilogue
  Now that you have a few answers but many more
  questions, you realize that you will need to spend a little
  longer watching the residents of Weaverville. It may also
  be time to visit the mine and see exactly what is
  happening there. Delve deeper into Weaverville’s secrets
  in Chapter 6!
  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.
  ©2014 Four-in-Hand Games
  Keep up to date with every episode! Like us on
  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Steamscapes!
  
  www.steamscapes.com
  Rivalry - Chapter 6
  Prologue
  The situation in Weaverville is growing more tense.
  Are you prepared for the conflict that is coming?
  Scene 1 – Incident at the Airfield
  As the heroes begin to poke their noses into the
  various businesses of Weaverville, Lo Bao grows
  suspicious that they may be looking for something
  specific. The town has just sent off its latest shipment of
  gold to Beijing, so there is not as much precious metal to
  steal. However, there is still plenty of value in the town
  and in the mine, so Lo Bao remains fairly cautious.
  If the adventurers seem to be spending more than a
  casual amount of time near the airfield and especially
  near the warehouse, Lo Bao tells Lo Feng and some of
  the workers to keep an eye on them. A simple Notice or
  Investigation check will reveal that the party is being
  followed, as Lo Feng is not trying too hard to avoid
  being seen.
  Once he realizes he has been spotted, Lo Feng
  confronts the heroes directly and tells them to stay away
  from the airfield. Any reluctance or hesitation on the
  heroes’ parts causes Lo Feng to resort to violence.
  Workers appear from all around the airfield and attack.
  (There should be two of these Extras for each player.)
  The heroes can flee at any point to end the fight.
  LO FENG
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Strength d10,
  Spirit d6, Vigor d8
  Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 6
  Skills: Climb d8, Fighting d10, Notice d6, Shooting d6
  Edges: Brawler, Frenzy, Martial Artist, Unarmed
  Stunning Strike (see below)
  Ÿ Stunning Strike: Make a called shot at -2. Add any
  armor the defender is wearing to the defender’s
  Parry. If you are successful, the defender must
  succeed at a Vigor roll or gain one level of Fatigue.
  Each raise adds -2 to the defender’s roll. Any
  Fatigue levels accrued in this way can be removed by
  resting for ten minutes after combat.
  LO FENG’S POSSE (TWO PER PLAYER)
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Strength d8, Spirit d4,
  Vigor d6
  Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 5
  Skills: Climb d4, Fighting d8, Shooting d4
  Equipment: Bowie Knife (as Short Sword)
  Win or lose, the adventurers are no longer welcome
  in the town after this fight. Members of the Liang family
  are less hostile but nevertheless urge the group to leave
  as soon as possible. They are not rushed out of town if
  they fled or left before the fight, but they do find that
  their every activity is being watched. Eventually, the
  social pressure should cause them to leave. If the heroes
  leave town for any reason, skip to Scene 2B below.
  Scene 2A – Into the Mine
  If the heroes have maintained a positive relationship
  with the leaders of the town—particularly Lo Bao—they
  may request a tour of the mine. Otherwise, they may
  choose to sneak around the edge of the mine to get a
  look (see Scene 2B below). Either way, there are some
  aspects of the mine and its defenses that are easy to spot
  and some that are more difficult. The easiest way to
  resolve this is to have players roll Notice or
  Investigation and provide the following information
  based on their degree of success:
  Simple Success
  Ÿ The mine is very well defended. The tree line has
  been cut back 200 yards in all directions. In addition
  to regular patrols, there are watchtowers with
  riflemen and several ground emplacements
  
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  with gatling guns. The gatling guns
  are not constantly manned, but they
  are easily accessible by anyone in the
  open area outside of the mine entrance.
  Ÿ The outdoor area of the mine consists of several
  storehouses, a small office building, and a large sluice
  mechanism. Automatons can be seen working the
  sluice and also entering the mine itself.
  One Raise
  Ÿ There are several spark wranglers overseeing the
  automaton workers, approximately one wrangler for
  every five automatons. A successful
  Electromagnetism roll can determine that their
  equipment is fairly advanced.
  Ÿ There is an automaton hanging on a wall by the
  entrance to the mine. It appears to have railroad
  spikes through its arms and legs. It is still moving
  slightly but cannot seem to break free.
  Two or More Raises
  Ÿ There does not seem to be much consistency in the
  models or even construction style of the automatons.
  Not all of them even seem well-suited to mining. A
  successful Mechanical Programming roll can
  determine that they were not only likely made by
  different gearsmiths but also for widely different
  purposes.
  Regardless of their degree of success, what the
  adventurers do not see is any sign that automatons are
  ever leaving the mine. It seems as though the technology
  being smuggled or stolen is mostly being used right here.
  The key activity is definitely the gold mining. It is
  unlikely but possible that one of the characters might
  have sufficient knowledge of Chinese history to realize
  that China’s trade has traditionally been conducted in
  silver, so gold is important for taking a more active role
  in international commerce.
  If the heroes are being given a tour, they may ask
  questions about the treatment of the automatons. Lo
  Bao clearly takes the opinion that the workers are simply
  objects and therefore property. The nailed-up
  automaton was put there as an object lesson after it
  malfunctioned and helped some of the other machines
  escape. (Lo Bao considers an automaton’s desires for
  anything other than work to be the product of poor
  programming or simple malfunction.)
  If the party asks about the automaton that they
  delivered for Wells Fargo, they are shown into the mine
  where that automaton is working. Lo Bao is very happy
  with this latest acquisition, as it is able to extract ore
  much more carefully than any of their other machines.
  (Finding this automaton is much more difficult if the
  adventurers are sneaking around.)
  Scene 2B – Heading for the Hills
  If the heroes are forced or hurried out of town, they
  may choose to simply return to San Francisco, in which
  case the adventure has ended for those characters. Offer
  players the option of playing through the Battle of
  Weaverville on behalf of the two sides, just so they can
  experience it. Otherwise, paraphrase the second half of
  the Epilogue and wrap up the adventure with any
  roleplaying scenes they would like to have with the
  Governor or with Wells Fargo.
  If instead the heroes choose to stay and find out
  more about Weaverville and its mine, they need to hide
  somewhere out of sight. That means finding somewhere
  outside the range of the patrols that circle the mine
  itself. It also means avoiding a potentially vengeful Lo
  Bao. Depending on the circumstances under which the
  adventurers leave Weaverville, they may be forced to
  confront or flee Lo Bao himself. He is a fearsome Wild
  Card, and several town guards accompany him.
  LO BAO
  Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Strength
  d10, Spirit d10, Vigor d10
  Pace: 6, Parry: 8, Toughness: 7
  Skills: Fighting d12, Notice d8, Shooting d6
  Edges: Command, Dodge/Improved Dodge, Fervor,
  Martial Artist/Improved Martial Artist, Unarmed
  Throw/Unarmed Defensive Throw (see below),
  Unarmed Redirect (see below)
  Ÿ Throw: Make an opposed Fighting roll. If you are
  successful, the defender is Shaken and prone. The
  
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  target takes a wound if already Shaken. Raises have
  no effect.
  Ÿ Defensive Throw: You may now use Throw to
  interrupt melee attacks. If you are unsuccessful, the
  attack continues as normal. Each defensive
  maneuver you have used since your last turn adds -2
  to your Fighting roll.
  Redirect: When an opponent attempts a combat
  maneuver against you on their turn, make an
  opposed Fighting roll. If you are successful, the
  combat maneuver is instead applied to the attacker.
  Each defensive maneuver you have used since your
  last turn adds -2 to your Fighting roll.
  TOWN GUARD (ONE PER PLAYER)
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Strength d6, Spirit d6,
  Vigor d8
  Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 6
  Skills:  Fighting d6, Shooting d8
  Equipment: Colt 1860 Army (12/24/48, 2d6+1)
  If Lo Bao is threatened, the guards will throw
  themselves into the line of fire to save him. Use the
  Fanatics Setting Rule for any encounters involving Lo
  Bao.
  Once the heroes finally make it into the forests and
  hills surrounding Weaverville, they can conduct their
  surveillance around the mine. (Use the Notice and
  Investigation roll results from Scene 2A.) While they are
  doing this, they come across a gathering of automatons
  that is being conducted by a Japanese man dressed in a
  fine suit and derby and carrying an ornately-topped
  cane. He introduces himself as Mr. Nakamura.
  Mr. Nakamura gestures to his automaton
  companions and explains that the Highwaymen have
  related to him the stories of your travels and the reasons
  you are here in Weaverville.
  “The Highwaymen and I intend to free the rest of
  the workers from that mine,” he says. “Their treatment
  is unacceptable, and many of them are being used for
  physical labor far beyond their design parameters. While
  I understand that your purposes may not necessarily
  align with ours, I would like to
  invite you to join us in this act of
  liberation.”
  The adventurers can agree or politely decline and
  walk away to make their own decisions. If they decide to
  behave violently towards Mr. Nakamura and the
  Highwaymen, this should be considered the start of the
  battle. Go directly to Scene 3.
  Scene 2 Wrap-up
  Whatever method the party uses to examine the
  mine, the most important information that becomes
  clear is that there does not seem to be any exportation
  of technology, only gold. There are probably tariffs
  being avoided with this legal loophole, but on the other
  hand the gold is technically originating from within the
  Chinese claim, so it’s not as clear that tariffs should
  apply or that anything actually illegal is going on.
  Once the characters have had some time to discuss
  their ethical dilemma in light of all this new information,
  they are forced to make a final choice. An alarm sounds
  from the northern watchtower—the mine is under
  attack! Which side will our heroes join?
  Scene 3 – The Battle of Weaverville
  If the heroes wish to participate on either side of the
  ensuing conflict, it should be run as a mass battle
  scenario (see Savage Worlds). This can even allow the
  party to split and choose opposing sides if the characters
  cannot agree who to support.
  As the battle begins, read or paraphrase the
  following:
  There is gunfire and a tremendous clatter from the
  north. Out of the tree line charge a number of
  automatons armed with pistols surrounding two giant
  scorpion automatons like those you have seen before.
  [Describe them if the players have managed to skip
  those encounters in previous chapters.] A cloud of
  clockwork crows flies from the trees at the nearest
  watchtower. Behind all of them, you can just barely
  make out a human figure who seems to be directing
  them. As the attackers approach, the mining automatons
  begin to turn on their masters, who try
  
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  desperately to deactivate the workers
  as quickly as possible.
  Setup
  For the Knowledge (Battle) rolls each turn, use the
  following leader’s skill levels for each side. Both are
  considered Wild Cards:
  Ÿ Defender: Lo Bao, Knowledge (Battle) d8
  Ÿ Attacker: Saito Nakamura, Knowledge (Battle) d10
  Tokens and situational modifiers are as follows:
  Ÿ The attackers have a slight strength advantage and
  begin with 10 tokens. 2 tokens represent the the
  scorpion automatons, 1 the clockwork crows, 3 the
  highwaymen, and 4 the automaton mine workers.
  Ÿ The defenders begin with 9 tokens. 4 tokens
  represent spark wranglers, 3 the gatling gun crews,
  and 2 the riflemen in the watchtowers.
  Ÿ Although the workers are causing chaos within the
  mine, the defenders still hold a slight terrain
  advantage because of the watchtowers, buildings,
  and gun emplacements. Apply a -1 to the attackers
  as long as the defenders hold these locations.
  Ÿ The attackers have slight air support from the crows,
  but the gatling guns provide light artillery support to
  the defenders. These factors apply a +1 to their
  respective sides.
  Ÿ Although the attackers are automatons, they are not
  fearless drones. They can still feel a sense of self-
  preservation, so they do not get an automatic +2
  morale bonus.
  This is a desperate situation for both sides. Play until
  one side is completely routed or destroyed.
  Epilogue
  The mine falls silent. The cost of victory has been
  terribly high. As you survey the battlefield and its
  wreckage of brass and blood, you begin to consider the
  larger ramifications of what has happened here.
  Whatever personal causes or local politics have led to
  this moment, a Japanese agent has just attacked
  Chinese territory. The shots fired here will no doubt
  reverberate across the Pacific.
  What will you do? Will you return to San Francisco
  and tell the governor? Will you collect your fee from
  Wells Fargo and walk away from something that doesn’t
  concern you? Or will you dedicate yourself to the
  country you feel is in the right, traveling even further
  from your home to join the war that will no doubt be
  stirring between these two Asian powers?
  Choose your next path across the wide world of
  Steamscapes!
  If you are interested in seeing what happens next to
  China and Japan, be sure to check out Steamscapes:
  Asia, available now at DriveThruRPG and Studio 2
  Publishing!
  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 Four-in-Hand Games
  Keep up to date with new releases! Like us on
  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Steamscapes!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/Steamscapes/Savage Worlds - Steamscapes - North America - Adv - Rivalry.pdf