TEXT: BY BRUCE R. CORDELL
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  
  2
  © 2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC
  The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Monte Cook Games characters 
  and character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC.
  Credits
  Writer/Designer
  Bruce R. Cordell
  Creative Director
  Shanna Germain
  Editor
  Jeremy Land
  Proofreader
  Ray Vallese
  Cover Artist
  Matt Stawicki
  Graphic Designer
  Bear Weiter
  Artists
  Grzegorz Pedrycz, Matt Stawicki, Dreamstime.com
  Cartographer
  Hugo Solis
  Monte Cook Games Editorial Team
  Scott C. Bourgeois, David Wilson Brown, Eric Coates, Gareth Hodges, Ryan Klemm, 
  Jeremy Land, Laura Wilkinson, George Ziets
  Special Thanks
  Torah Cottrill
  Table of Contents
  Introduction
  3
  Eschatology Code 
  4
  Pregenerated Characters 
  17
  
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  3
  Introduction
  Eschatology (from the Merriam-Webster dictionary): 
  1. A branch of theology concerned with the final events in the 
  history of the world or of humankind.
  Eschatology Code is an adventure for The Strange™ suitable for beginning players. It starts on Earth, and if 
  the player characters (PCs) don’t play their cards right, it ends on Earth … as in, the “End of Days.”
  Eschatology Code guides the game master (GM) through a string of possible encounters, 
  introducing the people, places, and creatures as the narrative unfolds. Of course, since the PCs 
  can do whatever they wish at any time after they get off the plane in the initial encounter, the order 
  of encounters presented here is just one way things could go.
  War glasses, page 9
  September Project, 
  page 155
  Betrayer, page 178
  Estate, page 148
  Office of Strategic 
  Recursion, page 157
  BACKGROUND
  Under the guise of improving soldier performance, 
  the September Project utilized next-generation 
  quantum computing hardware to create the War 
  Code program. At its heart, the project is an optical 
  delivery system that flashes code directly to anyone 
  wearing specially fabricated war glasses. This 
  War Code gives the recipients abilities normally 
  reserved for quickened individuals (like PCs). The 
  September Project began shopping the War Code 
  program around to various military contractors as 
  soon as the program was complete.
  The September Project is more than a cutting-
  edge military weapons supplier. And the War Code 
  is far more than just the product of advanced 
  computing. The September Project is actually 
  an Earth-based front for the Betrayer, once the 
  Incarnation of War in the recursion of Ardeyn. The 
  code being downloaded into recipients’ brains 
  is actually a portion of the Betrayer’s soul, which 
  resonates between Ardeyn and Earth thanks to a 
  program running on a quantum computer. While 
  a wearer of war glasses gains amazing abilities, 
  each wearer also widens a conduit between Earth 
  and Ardeyn. In time, this conduit could allow the 
  Betrayer to manifest on Earth with the abilities of 
  an entity from a recursion operating under the law 
  COREBOOK CALLOUTS
  Throughout this supplement, you’ll see page 
  references to various items accompanied by 
  this symbol. These are page references to 
  The Strange corebook, where you can find 
  additional details about that item, place, 
  creature, or concept. It isn’t necessary to 
  look up the referenced items in the corebook; 
  it’s an optional way to learn more about The 
  Strange and provide additional information to 
  your players.
  of Magic. That would be bad. Very bad.
  Unable to locate buyers in the military-industrial 
  complex, the September Project changed tactics. 
  It delivered the quantum computer and war 
  glasses to Father Foss, a church leader in Sioux 
  Falls, South Dakota. When the All Souls Church of 
  Deliverance began publicly counting down to the 
  End of Days, the Estate and the Office of Strategic 
  Recursion (OSR) both sent operatives to find out 
  if the miracles reported on the local news had 
  anything to do with the Strange. 
  
  4
  SYNOPSIS
  Things get off to a quick start with a fight inside a 
  jet plane against enhanced supersoldiers, followed 
  by the investigation of a church and its messianic 
  leader, Father Foss. In the church basement chapel, 
  the PCs have the opportunity to save the world, if 
  they can defeat the Incarnation of War and seal a 
  breach between Earth and the recursion of Ardeyn.
  ALTERNATIVE HOOKS
  The adventure presumes that the PCs are 
  operatives of the Estate who have been sent to 
  investigate the All Souls Church of Deliverance. If 
  you’re not running this adventure at a convention, 
  you can adjust it to fit your own campaign in any 
  way you desire, including using player characters 
  who are not part of the Estate. 
  A COUPLE OF DAYS EARLIER
  If you run an ongoing campaign in the Strange, 
  you might prefer to introduce the investigation of 
  the church to the PCs in a manner similar to other 
  jobs they have taken. If they’re working for the 
  Estate or a similar organization, this could begin 
  with a briefing at organizational headquarters. The 
  briefing includes the basic information the PCs 
  know about their assignment (which is provided 
  in the Adventure Start). But since the PCs’ actual 
  briefing occurs a couple of days beforehand in this 
  alternate scenario, the players have the opportunity 
  to research the church online, prepare additional 
  resources if desired, and take care of other 
  business before they begin Eschatology Code. 
  NOT AN ESTATE PC?
  Instead of Estate operatives, the PCs might be 
  reporters for a magazine called Exposing the Strange. 
  Their editor is Svetlana Tankov. The PCs are cognizant 
  of recursions, the dark energy network, and their own 
  abilities, although such things may still be relatively 
  new to them. When the miracles in Sioux Falls are 
  televised, Svetlana suspects that a paradox (the 
  character type) is actually responsible. She sends 
  her reporters (the PCs) to investigate. During their 
  flight to South Dakota, the PCs are caught up in a 
  fight with some All Souls acolytes (and a gremlin!), as 
  described in the Adventure Start.
  INTRODUCE THE CYPHER 
  SYSTEM
  If you are running Eschatology Code at a 
  convention, begin by introducing the game system 
  to the players. At some point—but probably not 
  until you’ve described the differences between 
  paradoxes, spinners, and vectors—let the players 
  choose from the pregenerated characters that 
  come with this adventure. When allowing players 
  to choose, provide the following summary of 
  each character, beginning with the fact that the 
  characters have all translated to Ardeyn before as 
  part of an earlier mission.
  Character Summary to Help 
  Players Choose Characters:
  • Arlo Coulton: Arlo is good with guns and
  knows his enemies’ weaknesses.
  • Vanessa Torgue: Vanessa fights competently
  with her two nightsticks.
  • L. G. Babcock: L. G. is best at helping others
  but isn’t necessarily great at fighting. On the
  other hand, L. G. is great at persuading NPCs
  of almost anything.
  • Torah “the Windmill” Bishop: Torah is brash and
  better at fighting than talking, unless she’s lying.
  • Dr. Sybil Holloway: Sybil is a scientist who knows
  her high-energy physics and who can cause
  objects to shatter at a distance if she can see them.
  • Jonny “Flip” McDaniel: Jonny can see what’s
  hidden and can stun creatures from alternate
  recursions who find their way into worlds
  where they don’t belong.
  Ardeyn Focus Sheets: At this time, don’t give 
  players the Ardeyn focus sheets associated with 
  each character (pages 29-34). When the time 
  comes for the PCs to access their Ardeyn foci (at 
  the Breach in the Church Basement), hand out the 
  additional character sheets.
  Experience Points: As part of the introduction, 
  tell the players that you’re giving them 1 XP 
  and that one of the things they can do with an 
  experience point is reroll a bad die roll.
  Introducing the system should take less than 20 
  minutes (and no more than 30). Once the players 
  understand the basics, start the adventure.
  Eschatology Code
  As an adventure designed to be run at a convention, Eschatology Code throws characters right 
  into the action with a high-stakes initial encounter on a plane. The adventure also presumes that 
  the characters are operatives of the Estate. If you’re not running this adventure at a convention 
  and want to incorporate it into your ongoing campaign, optional ideas for involving your PCs are 
  provided under Alternative Hooks (see below).
  
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  5
  Difficulty and Effort
  If you’re running this adventure at a convention or 
  for players new to the cypher system, explain to the 
  players the difficulty of tasks, attacks, and defense 
  rolls (and the number that must be rolled associated 
  with that difficulty) they’re attempting. This allows 
  players to more quickly come to understand how 
  the game works and whether applying Effort is 
  something that is reasonable to do.
  ADVENTURE START: 
  TURBULENCE AT 30,000 
  FEET
  The PCs begin play already aboard a commercial 
  airliner, en route to a mission destination. Read 
  or paraphrase the following to the players if they 
  haven’t already been briefed. 
  read aloud
  You’re an Estate operative, and you’ve got a badge 
  to prove it. The Estate is a secret organization that 
  monitors activity on Earth that originates in alternate 
  recursions and, generally speaking, puts a stop to it 
  for Earth’s safety. You’ve been touched by the Strange 
  yourself and have abilities regular people wouldn’t 
  understand. Those abilities are what make you a 
  perfect operative for the Estate.
  You and your team were assigned a new mission, 
  which started today. You’ve been in the air for a 
  couple of hours with a coach-class ticket from Seattle, 
  Washington, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. You’re on 
  your way to investigate a man called Father Foss of the 
  All Souls Church of Deliverance (located in Sioux Falls). 
  Father Foss began counting down to the “End of 
  Days” a few weeks ago. Of course, crackpot evangelists 
  do that all the time, but in this case, local televised 
  news reports showed Father Foss pulling off several 
  tricks that bamboozled the local media. A few reporters 
  went so far as to call the tricks actual miracles.
  But you know a lot more than local reporters, 
  thanks to your briefing.
  The player characters are sitting together on a 
  Boeing 737 in two consecutive rows on the left side 
  of the plane (call them rows 17 and 18; row 17 has 
  an emergency exit). Each of these rows is three 
  seats wide. If you have fewer than six players, those 
  seats are empty of other passengers. The plane has 
  a single central aisle. (The rows on the right side of 
  the plane are also three seats wide.)
  Ask the players to introduce their characters 
  to the other players, including the connection 
  information described in each character’s 
  Background (in the second paragraph), if that 
  information isn’t a secret. The players may 
  also decide to reveal their characters’ personal 
  
  6
  Planetovore, page 8
  backgrounds (the first paragraph).
  Introductions should take about five minutes. 
  During this time, establish who is sitting in the 
  middle, aisle, and window seats in each row. As 
  soon as the players have finished introducing 
  themselves, give them the briefing information 
  provided in the next section.
  THE REAL STORY
  Read or paraphrase the following to the players once 
  they’ve introduced their characters to each other. This 
  briefing information was given to the characters in a 
  dossier that they read after they were bundled onto 
  the flight, because time was of the essence.
  read aloud
  The Estate destroys quantum computers whenever 
  it finds some scientist trying to make one, because 
  using a quantum computer can strip the Earth of its 
  anonymity and summon planetovores in the Strange.
  Unfortunately, a quantum computer is exactly what 
  Father Foss probably has.
  The Estate recently learned that the group calling 
  itself the September Project utilized next-generation 
  quantum computing to create the War Code 
  program. The project promised specially fabricated 
  war glasses that would supposedly give wearers the 
  abilities of supersoldiers. The September Project 
  began shopping the War Code program around to 
  various military contractors as soon as the program 
  was complete.
  Unable to locate buyers in the military-industrial 
  complex and growing impatient, the September 
  Project changed tactics. It delivered the quantum 
  computer and war glasses to Father Foss, a church 
  leader in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. However the 
  quantum computer and the associated war glasses 
  accomplish their “magic,” it’s bending the law of 
  Standard Physics on Earth—so much that everything 
  is on the line. Active war glasses could destabilize 
  Earth and Ardeyn, leaving the planet wide open to the 
  creatures that live in the Strange.
  Allow the PCs to discuss the background 
  information and perhaps engage in a bit of 
  roleplaying. If players ask about the September 
  Project, remind them of the following points:
  • As an operative of the Estate, you know the
  September Project is more than a cutting-edge
  military weapons supplier. It is actually an
  Earth-based front for the Betrayer.
  • As an operative of the Estate, you know the
  Betrayer is one of the most dangerous threats
  facing Earth.
  Before the conversation goes on for more than 
  a few minutes, interrupt things with a gremlin 
  sighting for one or two PCs.
  WE INTERRUPT THIS FLIGHT
  About thirty minutes before they’re scheduled to 
  land in Sioux Falls, the characters are attacked by a 
  gremlin and acolytes of the All Souls Church. The 
  acolytes’ plan is to cause the plane to go down, 
  killing everyone on board (including themselves).
  The gremlin and acolytes serve Father Foss. Foss 
  knew that the Estate would be sending operatives 
  to shut him down because he was warned by 
  the “Most High” in a dream (actually, Foss was 
  warned by the Betrayer, whose September Project 
  organization has a mole inside the Estate on 
  Earth, but Foss thinks the Betrayer is some flavor 
  of God). After the warning, Foss prepared to 
  eliminate the investigating operatives and, in the 
  process, bring down an airplane. Doing so would 
  serve as a warning to the Estate and an “End of 
  Days” omen to the rest of the world.
  Immediately Before the Attack
  One or both characters sitting in the window seats 
  see something unexpected outside the plane, on 
  the wing. Read or paraphrase the following.
  
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  7
  read aloud
  A man-sized creature stands on the wing of the plane, 
  looking at you. Despite the vapor trails streaming 
  from it, it’s apparently untroubled by the fact that 
  it’s outside on the wing of a commercial jet flying at 
  cruising altitude. The creature’s face is a horrid parody 
  of a human’s and its body is covered in tight-curled, 
  dark fur. It locks eyes with you, cocks its head, then 
  bends to tear at the composite material of the wing 
  with its long claws.
  The creature on the wing is a gremlin native to 
  a recursion where Magic rules (Ardeyn), and it 
  serves Father Foss. If the characters do nothing 
  and don’t call attention to the creature (unlikely), 
  the gremlin keeps tearing at the wing until the 
  plane goes down, which requires just a few 
  minutes of sabotage.
  If the characters react by calling attention to the 
  gremlin or attacking it in some fashion (perhaps 
  by using type powers that merely require a PC 
  to see the target, such as Dr. Holloway’s Shatter 
  revision or Jonny McDaniel’s Exception revision, or 
  something more drastic like attempting to shoot 
  the gremlin through the fuselage), the acolytes 
  make themselves known. Read or paraphrase the 
  following to the players.
  read aloud
  Two people wearing wraparound sunglasses stand 
  from their aisle seats, one a few rows in front of you 
  and one a few rows behind you. Faint flickers of light 
  leak around the edges of their dark glasses, as if the 
  eyewear is showing each of them a flashing movie. 
  The same flickering glow envelops their entire bodies 
  like a nimbus.
  If you haven’t already, it’s time to roll for initiative.
  Weapons and PCs: As operatives of a quasi-
  official group that includes spinners (who are 
  nothing if not persuasive), the PCs managed to 
  get their personal weapons (including firearms) on 
  board the plane with them, although they had to 
  convince TSA they were federal agents to do so. 
  In fact, this means the stewardesses and pilots 
  probably think the players are federal marshals 
  or something similar. (That actually makes it 
  easier for the PCs to extricate themselves from the 
  situation after the plane lands.)
  A Fight Breaks Out!
  Gremlin Tactics: Each round as its action, the 
  gremlin tears at the wing, visibly enlarging the 
  hole it’s making in the metallic cowling and 
  occasionally ripping out a part. The gremlin was 
  called by inapposite travel through the efforts of 
  one of the acolytes on the plane just moments 
  before the PCs noticed it. Normally, once on Earth, 
  a creature from Ardeyn would begin to experience 
  degeneration of its abilities after one minute. Due 
  to the ongoing breach located in the bottom of 
  the All Souls Church, this gremlin’s abilities are 
  unaffected for the few minutes it needs to rip the 
  wing to shreds and bring the plane down, if not 
  stopped.
  Acolyte Tactics: The acolytes are followers of 
  Father Foss and are wearing war glasses (the war 
  glasses are level 5). A pair of active war glasses 
  transforms each acolyte from a level 1 human 
  into a level 4 threat, with abilities beyond those of 
  normal people. 
  Find the Flaw: If Arlo uses Find the Flaw, he 
  learns that the war glasses are the acolytes’ weak 
  spot and that without them, the acolytes are 
  nothing to be afraid of.
  Each round on their action, the activated 
  acolytes attempt to kill the PCs, which might keep 
  the PCs distracted from dealing with the gremlin 
  on the wing. The acolytes know about the gremlin’s 
  attempts to destroy the plane and are happy to 
  sacrifice their lives to the cause. Remember to use 
  the GM intrusions on page 8.
  Acolyte war glasses (which look like wraparound 
  sunglasses) are particularly well secured, and 
  targeting the glasses with an attack or trying to 
  snatch them off an acolyte’s head requires a minor 
  or major special effect—as when a PC rolls a 19 
  or 20—or “Trading Damage for Effect.” Doing the 
  latter requires the sacrifice of 6 points of damage 
  from a successful attack in order to target the 
  glasses. If successfully targeted, each pair of war 
  glasses has 2 points of health for the purposes 
  of destroying them or ripping away the restraints 
  holding them to someone’s head (which means 
  an attack would have to do 7 or more points of 
  damage to actually damage the glasses).
  Each acolyte has one level 5 cypher, which 
  the acolyte could choose to use in combat if 
  applicable. The anoetic cyphers are as follows.
  • Strength Boost: Adds 1 to Might Edge for one
  hour.
  • Radiation Spike: Delivers a powerful burst
  of radiation that disrupts the tissue of any
  creature touched, inflicting 5 points of
  damage.
  If the PCs fail to stop the gremlin within ten 
  minutes, the plane goes down: game over. In the 
  unlikely event that this happens, consider asking the 
  players to repurpose their characters as OSR agents, 
  re-name them, and fast forward to the section where 
  the OSR agents get news of the plane going down 
  and the Estate team being lost (page 10).
  Gremlin: level 4; has a 
  fly speed able to match 
  the jet’s speed in short 
  bursts; can adhere to 
  and move about on any 
  surface (such as the 
  wings of a plane during 
  flight); two melee 
  attacks that do 4 points 
  of damage each as a 
  single action; Ardeyn 
  native
  War Code-Activated 
  Acolyte: level 4; health 
  15; short-range electrical 
  arc attack that inflicts 
  4 points of damage; 
  unarmed melee attack 
  that inflicts 4 points of 
  damage; one cypher
  Trading damage for 
  effect, page 353
  
  8
  GM Intrusion: When 
  an acolyte attacks a 
  PC but misses, the 
  flare of nimbus hits the 
  overhead compartment; 
  the entire thing drops 
  onto the PC’s head, 
  dealing 3 points of 
  ambient damage and 
  pinning the PC to 
  her seat until she can 
  succeed on a difficulty 3 
  Might-based roll.
  GM Intrusion (Group): 
  The plane begins to 
  steeply descend. Every 
  PC who is standing and 
  fails a difficulty 3 Speed 
  defense roll falls forward 
  about five rows, taking 3 
  points of damage in the 
  process.
  FIGHTING ON A PLANE
  When a fight breaks out on the plane and the gremlin is noticed by other passengers, lots of panicked 
  screaming results. But at least in the short term, most of the passengers and flight attendants cower 
  and shrink down in their seats, while others flee to the front or the rear of the plane. 
  The single aisle, the crowded flight, and the panicking passengers make a straightforward fight with 
  the acolytes difficult. Only characters and creatures directly facing each other in the aisle are able to 
  fight without modifications. Generally speaking, any other task or attack is modified by one or two 
  steps to the detriment of whoever is attempting it. Some examples follow.
  Climbing over a seat into a new row (normally routine) becomes a difficulty 2 Speed-based task. Firing 
  a weapon at someone over the crowded seats increases the difficulty by one step (if trying to avoid 
  hitting passengers on a miss—which the acolytes don’t care about). Climbing over the food cart that’s 
  been abandoned in the middle of the aisle is a difficulty 2 Speed-based task. Avoiding being knocked 
  down by a fleeing passenger just before taking a shot at an acolyte is a difficulty 2 Might defense roll. 
  Trying to shoot the gremlin through the metal of the plane instead of sighting directly through the 
  window (to avoid explosive decompression) increases the difficulty of the attack by one step.
  FIRING A GUN ON THE PLANE
  The PCs probably brought a gun on the plane. A bullet that punctures the skin of an airplane only 
  creates a small leak, for which the plane’s automated pressurization system can adjust. So even 
  though punctures sound terrifying as air whistles out, a few holes have no effect on the condition of 
  the plane. This means the PCs could fire their guns at the gremlin, although they should avoid firing 
  directly through a window. Unlike firing through the fuselage, putting a bullet through a window is 
  likely to blow out the window (and a chunk of wall with it); the PC needs to succeed on a difficulty 
  4 Intellect defense roll to avoid such an outcome. If the whole window goes, it will depressurize the 
  plane. 
  HOLE IN THE PLANE
  If a window is shot out, it’s enough to tear a 5-foot (2 m) hole in the side of the plane. This threatens 
  to suck unbuckled passengers and PCs out of the plane. (The PCs might even accidentally create a 
  hole themselves while trying to get at the gremlin on the wing.)
  If a big hole is created in the plane, oxygen masks drop and the pilots put the plane into a steep 
  descent—they have a minute to reach an altitude of 8,000 feet (2,438 m) before the plane fully 
  depressurizes. Meanwhile, debris streams toward the hole, and the plane loses a screaming passenger 
  or two, a flight attendant, a pet carrier, and lots of loose possessions. (Unless prevented, the pilots 
  reach a safe altitude before that minute elapses.)
  Characters who are strapped in or who are specifically using both hands to prevent themselves 
  from being sucked out of the hole can do so automatically, and those using both hands to secure 
  themselves can also move up to an immediate distance at the same time. But each round a character 
  moves more than an immediate distance or attacks, even if using one hand to hold herself in place on 
  a belt strap, handle, or other projection, she must also succeed on a difficulty 3 Might-based task. On 
  a failed roll, the PC is sucked to the edge of the hole but manages to grab hold of the edge. A difficulty 
  4 Might-based task is required for a character to pull herself back into the plane. A failed roll doesn’t 
  mean the PC is sucked to her death; it just means she continues to dangle—unless she fumbles. This 
  might be the time for players who have them to use an experience point to reroll.
  VENTURING ONTO THE WING
  It’s not a good idea to go out on the wing. Really. A PC who purposely goes through the hole onto 
  the wing (or uses a phase changer cypher) must deal with extremely low oxygen. She must hold 
  her breath, which she can do for about a minute, if really lucky. But she must also find some way to 
  secure herself to the plane wing. If she can manage that, the gremlin takes an interest in her. Each 
  time the gremlin hits her, she must make a difficulty 3 Might defense roll. If she fails the roll, she gets 
  the breath knocked out of her and drops one step on the damage track. The acolytes and gremlin 
  don’t seem to be affected by the difference in air pressure. Pushing an acolyte out of the plane does, 
  however, put an end to that particular threat. 
  
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  9
  Aftermath of Plane Attack
  If the plane doesn’t crash, chaos ensues, during 
  which time the PCs might want to take care of 
  a few things. For starters, the PCs may want to 
  search the acolytes, question one if they managed 
  to take one or more alive, and check out the war 
  glasses.
  When the fight ends, the PCs have only about 
  ten minutes before the plane lands. So if PCs 
  spend too long questioning the acolytes or 
  dealing with others on the plane, you are within 
  your rights to wrap things up. (During convention 
  play, you’ve got only so much time to reach the 
  finale.)
  Questioning Surviving Acolytes: If the PCs 
  subdued either of the acolytes without killing 
  them, they can attempt to question them. 
  Without their war glasses, acolytes are level 
  1 humans, and they’re a bit confused. But 
  they remain fanatics and will enthusiastically 
  divulge the following if questioned, which is 
  all they know. For instance, they don’t know 
  their own names, merely describing themselves 
  as acolytes of the Most High and servants of 
  Father Foss.
  • “Father Foss knew you would come. He
  sent us to intercept you three days ago. He
  said to bring down your plane as a message
  to sinners everywhere and another omen
  to show the world that the End of Days is
  nigh!”
  • “Father Foss is the first disciple of the Most
  High. Father Foss performs miracles that bear
  witness to the truth.”
  • “The Most High revealed to Father Foss
  that the End of Days is coming. The Most
  High makes the faithful like angels of War
  with holy relics.” (The war glasses are the
  relics.)
  • “You are servants of the Sinner and would
  prevent the prophecy of the End of Days
  from coming to pass. We were warned
  against you.”
  • “Those who follow the will of the Most High
  will live forever in glory.” (Details known to the
  acolytes beyond this are fuzzy.)
  In addition to war glasses, each acolyte might 
  still have a cypher, a wallet with 1d6 x $10, and 
  an ID with a home address in Sioux Falls, South 
  Dakota.
  Examining a Pair of War Glasses: War glasses 
  are level 5 objects. They look like the kind of 
  computer glasses popularized by big Internet 
  search companies, turned up a notch. A PC with 
  electronic or computer technical expertise (or 
  other ways of gathering information) can hack 
  a pair of war glasses on a successful difficulty 5 
  Intellect-based task. Each failed hacking attempt 
  burns out a pair of war glasses (because anti-
  hacking safeguards are activated). A PC who 
  successfully hacks a pair of war glasses can learn 
  the following information. 
  • Normally, a pair of war glasses won’t function
  unless worn by a user with a registered retinal
  print (a hack can bypass this).
  • War glasses function only in areas with
  Wi-Fi (many jets in the US have Wi-Fi).
  When activated in the presence of Wi-
  Fi, a pair of war glasses streams optical
  information directly into a wearer’s brain in
  a manner unlike anything the PCs have ever
  seen. (It’s a direct feed from a quantum
  computer server hidden in the basement
  of the All Souls Church, which the PCs may
  later discover.)
  • Putting on a pair of active glasses
  grants enhanced abilities but also risks
  consequences such as the wearer’s memories
  being edited.
  • Whatever is coming through the glasses
  violates the law of Standard Physics.
  Continued use of such devices can’t be good
  for the integrity of Earth’s defenses against the
  Strange. In fact, the appearance of the gremlin
  on the wing shows that cracks may already be
  forming, which is bad.
  War Glasses Capabilities: Activated war glasses 
  grant an NPC enhanced abilities for up to one hour 
  at a time (requiring an hour’s rest afterward) along 
  the lines of those gained by the acolytes. However, 
  each time a pair of war glasses is activated by an 
  NPC, the NPC becomes more open to suggestion 
  from Father Foss and the Betrayer. 
  A PC who puts on a pair of hacked, activated 
  glasses is affected as follows for one hour per use:
  • Gains 4 points to distribute among her Pools
  (these points don’t fade after the glasses
  become inactive)
  • Gains access to one of her type abilities at the
  next higher tier
  • Gains +1 to Armor
  • The PC must succeed on a difficulty 5
  Intellect defense roll each time the glasses
  are used. Each time the wearer fails, she
  becomes more open to the Betrayer’s
  influence. Three failed rolls causes a wearer’s
  mind to become like an acolyte’s—a fanatic
  serving Father Foss.
  
  10
  The Fixer, page 149
  Police officer: level 4; 
  health 9; Armor 1; long-
  range attack with pistol 
  for 5 points of damage
  SIOUX FALLS,
  SOUTH DAKOTA
  This city of over 160,000 people is the largest in 
  the region, located on the wide, flat area of the 
  Great Plains. The PCs can find all the services 
  they’d normally expect to find in any large city in 
  the U.S.
  The PCs have a day before things get out of 
  control at the church, so if they elect to spend 
  some time recuperating from the plane flight, it’s 
  not necessary to rush them.
  Arrival and Dealing With Authorities: Try to wrap 
  up this part of the adventure before it has a chance 
  to lag.
  If the plane doesn’t crash, it sets down in Sioux 
  Falls. Dozens of police vehicles, ambulances, 
  and military vehicles from the nearby Air and 
  Army National Guard bases line the tarmac. 
  Beyond, all the local media are positioned with 
  their satellite vans and video cameras. If the PCs 
  aren’t proactive, they’ll be detained, questioned 
  for hours, and possibly locked up pending further 
  investigation. But their special abilities (and 
  possibly the belief of the stewards and pilots 
  that the PCs are air marshals) should allow the 
  characters to deal with the authorities and extricate 
  themselves from the mess. They could even call 
  the Fixer at the Estate. The PCs would be well 
  advised not to get into a firefight with the several 
  dozen police officers and National Guard on the 
  scene.
  Local Accommodations: The Estate arranged for 
  a rental van for the PCs, as well as rooms at a local 
  Holiday Inn Express. 
  ALL SOULS CHURCH 
  OF DELIVERANCE
  Upon arriving in town, the characters can rest, 
  do some local research on the church, or use the 
  GPS on their phones or in the rental car to 
  head right over to All Souls Church, 
  which is located downtown, not 
  far from a loop of the Big Sioux 
  River.
  Researching All Souls 
  Church Locally
  The PCs can research All Souls Church online, call 
  the church, canvass the neighborhood, or show 
  up at the front door. Calling the church results in 
  a recorded message that provides a schedule of 
  services.
  Online Search, All Souls Home Page: An 
  online search brings up the church’s home page, 
  which is old-school basic. The site provides a 
  vision statement, an address, a few pictures of 
  parishioners seated in a large sanctuary, and so on.
  The vision statement is a quote from the Bible, 
  Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God 
  and His righteousness, and all these things shall 
  be added unto you.” 
  A picture shows Father Foss, a thin, tall, older 
  man with blond hair, smiling into the camera. The 
  caption under the picture reads Father Nick Foss.
  A schedule of services is also provided. (The PCs 
  arrive on a Tuesday.)
  Every Sunday
  •
  9:00 a.m. 
   Prayer Service
  •
  9:30 a.m. 
   Sunday School
  • 10:30 a.m. 
   Morning Worship Service
  Nothing on the web page says anything about 
  the End of Days—apparently, no one has updated 
  the church site since the eschatology ministry 
  began.
  Other Online Sources: The PCs can find lots of 
  recent local media reports (from the Argus Leader, 
  KSFY News, and KELOLand News, to name the 
  most prominent) that cover the apparent miracles 
  being worked by Father Foss. The PCs can watch 
  video of Foss levitating an acolyte, turning water 
  into wine, reading the mind of a reporter, healing 
  the sick and lame, moving things by mind alone, 
  and more. Most of the reporters seem a bit 
  stunned by the demonstrations. 
  The reason that these reports haven’t broken out 
  nationally is because of how recently the events 
  occurred—and because of the efforts of both the 
  Estate and OSR to keep them contained.
  
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  11
  Canvassing the Neighborhood: PCs who take the 
  time to ask around Sioux Falls about the church 
  discover that people generally don’t know what to 
  think. Despite news reports, most share a healthy 
  suspicion about it. After all, before a few weeks 
  ago, the place seemed like just one more of the 
  many small ministries in town where well-meaning 
  people of faith gathered, mainly for the sense of 
  community provided. “But then that reverend—
  what’s his name, Foss?—started making with all 
  the pronouncements about the Most High and the 
  End… I don’t know. He’s trying a little too hard. 
  He’s got something to sell, but it ain’t salvation.”
  THE CHURCH BUILDING
  The All Souls Church sits on a three-acre parcel 
  of land. The church grounds are only a single 
  structure and a parking lot. It looks no different 
  from any number of similar churches in the area; it 
  even has a steeple. 
  The church placard out front reads: “You Cannot 
  Enter Heaven Unless the Most High Enters You.”
  Unless you are in the last hour of play (in which 
  case the church is empty), visual surveillance 
  reveals the parking lot mostly full of parishioners’ 
  cars, a media truck or two out in front of the 
  church, lights and movement inside the sanctuary, 
  and the sound of celebratory church music. Every 
  few hours, a delivery vehicle pulls up with food of 
  various sorts. Evidence suggests that the church 
  must be hosting some sort of ongoing, days-long 
  celebration.
  A check on Wi-Fi in the area shows only one 
  network: End of Days. The network is heavily 
  encrypted. A PC with skill related to computers 
  and/or cryptography could try to crack it, but it’s a 
  level 7 Intellect-based task, and even if the network 
  is cracked, the data coming through can be 
  interpreted only with a pair of war glasses.
  Interior Church Layout: The All Souls Church is 
  divided into four parts: the Sanctuary (see Party in 
  the Sanctuary), the Main Floor (see Exploring the 
  Church Main Floor), the Stairs to the Basement 
  (see Scurriers on the Church Stairs), and the 
  Basement Chapel (see Breach in the Church 
  Basement and Basement Chapel). 
  Approaching the Church
  To get in through the front or side doors, the PCs 
  will have to deal with the media first unless they’re 
  very sneaky.
  Media Presence: During the week, even when 
  no services are scheduled, there’s always a media 
  truck or two pulled up in front of the church 
  (even at night), just in case something interesting 
  happens. The arrival of the PCs certainly counts. 
  
  12
  Unless the PCs try to sneak into the church (and 
  all succeed on a difficulty 5 Speed-based task to be 
  stealthy), newswoman Kathy Billion notices and 
  accosts them, with cameraman Jim Tucker in tow. 
  (If the PCs evade her outside, Kathy finds them 
  inside later at the party; she’s actually an OSR 
  undercover agent.)
  Kathy Billion, identifying herself as a reporter for 
  KELOLand News, shoves a mic in one PC’s face 
  and says, “What can you tell us about what’s going 
  on inside the All Souls Church? Are you here for a 
  miracle?”
  The PCs are free to give whatever story they 
  want, but whatever they say, Kathy sees the 
  characters’ arrival as her ticket to get into the 
  sanctuary where the party is, which means she 
  pretty much goes along with whatever they say. 
  If questioned, she reports that there’s been no 
  contact with anyone in the church for the last few 
  days, and the celebration inside has been ongoing 
  for the last several hours, if not longer. 
  If the PCs tell Kathy that she and her cameraman 
  can’t join them, she offers them a deal: Jim will 
  go back to the van (“He’s getting interference 
  uploading his footage, anyway”) and she’ll go with 
  them alone. If the PCs still don’t agree, she sneaks 
  after them.
  Entering the Church: The front doors (as well as 
  the one at the rear of the church) are locked with 
  a level 3 mechanism. A window into a classroom 
  or hallway can be broken with a large rock. That 
  said, a heavy knock on the front doors or back door 
  brings dazed-looking parishioner Sheila Anderson 
  to the door (unless you’re down to the final hour 
  of play, in which case the sanctuary is empty, and 
  Sheila doesn’t appear). Sheila’s expecting a delivery 
  of pizza, ice cream, cookies, or some related snack. 
  Stealth, fast talk, or a plea to join the congregation 
  gets the PCs inside easily. (Violence would also do 
  it, of course.)
  Party in the Sanctuary
  Inside the church, the PCs find a party (unless 
  you’re running Eschatology Code at a convention 
  and you’ve got only an hour left to play, in which 
  case the sanctuary is empty, as noted above). 
  PCs can avoid the party and explore the rest of 
  the church by staying in the main hallway (see 
  Exploring the Church Main Floor), or they can 
  party crash. Read or paraphrase the following to 
  the players who check out the sanctuary.
  read aloud
  Music and light stream from the sanctuary, as does 
  the smell of tuna casserole, coffee, what might be 
  whiskey, cigarettes, popcorn, and fried chicken. About 
  thirty people in their Sunday best are arranged in 
  small groups, engaged in lively conversation and 
  laughter. Tables with food are set up along the sides 
  of the room. Across the room, a small band including 
  a guitar player, a drummer, a tambourine player, and 
  a singer are producing the joyous music. One table 
  has a purple cloth draped over it, and on it, several 
  interesting objects are arranged as if on display.
  Unless the PCs are being stealthy, the 
  congregation notices them, and the characters 
  get several friendly waves and are immediately 
  welcomed by Sheila Anderson and Troy Berg, true-
  believer parishioners. Throughout it all, the band 
  plays on.
  Interacting With the Parishioners: The 
  parishioners aren’t really clear on exactly what the 
  End of Days is, but they’re convinced it’s going to 
  mean wonderful things for each of them. If the PCs 
  interact with the party attendees in the sanctuary, 
  they learn the following: 
  • “The End of Days is going to happen in the
  next twelve hours! Isn’t that wonderful?”
  • “When the End of Days happens, we’ll all be
  exalted and sit at the right hand of the Most
  High. We’ll be saved!”
  • “Father Foss is downstairs praying in the
  basement chapel. He said that in the hour
  of the End, he’ll rejoin us here.” (Foss isn’t
  actually planning to do so.)
  • “Father Foss was given relics by the Most
  High to help him convince the world of the
  coming change.” (Actually, the “relics” on
  the purple cloth are cyphers. PCs who show
  interest are offered one or two by Sheila.)
  If you need names and motivations for 
  interaction with individual parishioners, use the 
  following. 
  Sheila Anderson: Sheila is a true believer with 
  enough passion for any five parishioners, although 
  she’s a bit dazed with exhaustion.
  Troy Berg: Troy is a true believer who doesn’t say 
  much, but his shining eyes reveal his fervor.
  Betsy Wilson: Betsy is the only parishioner to 
  realize that something is wrong. She’s afraid of 
  everyone else, but she’s also afraid of leaving, 
  because when others left, acolytes like Katie and 
  Eric went after them and she never heard from 
  them again. She’ll ask the PCs for help if they give 
  her a chance.
  Katie Wheeler: Katie is vindictive and mean, but 
  she is scared of physical violence.
  Kathy Billion, OSR 
  Agent: level 3, level 5 
  for all tasks related to 
  persuasion, perception, 
  and stealth; short-range 
  attack with medium 
  pistol for 4 points of 
  damage; hidden OSR 
  badge
  Troy Berg: level 3, level 
  4 with fists that deal 4 
  points of damage
  Betsy Wilson: level 2; 
  short-range attack with 
  taser that deals 4 points 
  of damage and dazes foe 
  for one round; taser can 
  be used only once
  Katie Wheeler: level 2
  Sheila Anderson: level 2
  Band member: level 1, 
  level 4 for tasks related 
  to instrument or singing
  
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  13
  Note:
  If you’re running Eschatology Code at a 
  convention and you’ve got only about an hour 
  to go, skip the Scurriers on the Church Stairs 
  encounter. Make it so that the webbing is empty 
  of scurriers, and the PCs can progress straight 
  to Breach in the Church Basement. 
  Kray scurrier, 
  page 276
  Eric Thorson: Eric is aggressive and suspicious 
  of the PCs, but he will back down from a fight.
  Holy Relics Displayed on the Purple Cloth: PCs 
  who approach the objects immediately realize 
  they are cyphers. Given all of the commotion of 
  the party, the PCs could either swipe these with a 
  successful difficulty 4 Speed-based task, convince 
  a parishioner (not Katie or Eric) that Father Foss 
  sent for the relics, or get on Sheila or Troy’s good 
  side so successfully that a couple of relics are 
  offered as gifts. The four level 5 anoetic cyphers are 
  as follows.
  • Cardinal’s Hat (Reflex Enhancer): The difficulty
  of any task involving manual dexterity, such as
  pickpocketing, lockpicking, juggling, operating
  on a patient, defusing a bomb, and so on, is
  decreased by two steps for one hour.
  • Holy Water Dispensing Aspergillum (Friend-
  Slaying Ray Emitter): Allows the user to project
  a ray up to 200 feet (61 m) that causes the
  target to attack its nearest ally for one round.
  • Holy Wafer (Nutrition and Hydration): User can
  go without food and water for a number of days
  equal to the cypher’s level without ill effect.
  • Cassock (Null Field): When activated, the user
  and all creatures within immediate range gain
  +5 to Armor against damage from fire for one
  hour.
  Exploring the Church Main Floor
  The main hallway opens onto both the front and 
  back entrance, the main sanctuary, and about eight 
  other doors. None of these are locked except for 
  the double doors at the end of the hallway farthest 
  from the sanctuary, which lead to the basement 
  stairs. The other rooms on the main floor are 
  innocuous: a lounge, a kitchen, bathrooms, a 
  janitor’s closet, a Sunday school classroom, and 
  so on. 
  If Kathy Billion is with the PCs as they explore 
  these rooms, she begins asking questions about 
  their affiliation, their thoughts on the significance 
  of the End of Days, whether people really should be 
  worried, and so on.
  Scurriers on the Church Stairs
  The double doors to the stairs are locked (level 3). If 
  opened, the PCs see that things aren’t copacetic on 
  the stairs. Read or paraphrase the following to the 
  players, assuming time remains for the encounter.
  read aloud
  These wide stone steps look as if they’ve been made to 
  resemble the cobwebby stairs of a gothic horror flick—
  strands of white web twine the railings leading down 
  to the landing, thicker webs reach across that landing, 
  and webs fill the raised alcove on the landing so fully 
  that it’s hard to see which saint’s statue occupies it. 
  From somewhere farther below, you can see flickers of 
  multicolored light and hear the faint echo of chanting.
  The web is thick but navigable down the middle 
  of the stairs and on the first and second landings. 
  Two kray scurriers infest the webs and attack 
  anyone attempting to use the stairs (including 
  acolytes). PCs who visually search the webs 
  from the top of the stairs before descending see 
  something horrifying: two creatures about the size 
  of a human head that look like an unholy cross 
  between a spider and a crayfish. 
  If Kathy Billion remains with the PCs, she pulls a 
  medium handgun from her purse and joins in the 
  fray, but she stays at the top of the stairs until all 
  is safe.
  More Implications: PCs with knowledge of the 
  Strange (like paradoxes have) recognize the kray 
  scurriers as creatures native to the Chaosphere, 
  and as entities related to planetovore activity. 
  For scurriers to be present on Earth means that 
  something incredibly bad is happening. The 
  presence of the scurriers is an even worse sign 
  than the gremlin on the wing of the plane that 
  reality may be under threat.
  Breach in the Church Basement
  The stairs lead down to a set of double doors, 
  closed but unlocked. Strobing light flashes from 
  around the edges of the doors, and the PCs can 
  hear the strident sound of a single man chanting 
  prayers. A sign over the doors reads “Basement 
  Chapel.” But before the PCs get involved in the 
  final confrontation, something very odd happens.
  As soon as the PCs approach the bottom of the 
  stairs, they begin to feel strange. A PC who steps 
  from the bottom of the stairs into the area in front 
  of the doors to the basement chapel undergoes a 
  change. Read or paraphrase the following, leaving 
  out any PCs who don’t approach the bottom of the 
  stairs.
  Eric Thorson: level 2
  If a character uses the 
  Find the Flaw ability, 
  it doesn’t reveal any 
  particular weakness of 
  the scurriers. 
  
  14
  read aloud
  You feel strange. Your clothing tugs, loosens, and 
  shifts, and your skin prickles and tingles all over.
  Arlo, your hunting knife lengthens and becomes the 
  size of a scimitar, and your pistol fades away, to be 
  replaced by a heavy bow.
  Vanessa, your clothing flows and thickens, and your 
  two nightsticks become two sharp, thin sabres. To you, 
  it feels like coming home.
  L. G., your pistol becomes mist, lengthens, and is 
  now a bow. Your fingers warm as if with healing grace.
  Torah, your machine gun fades away, and in its 
  place is a scimitarlike blade. Suddenly, you can feel 
  the dead, like firefly lights, stretching away in all 
  directions, quiet and alone.
  Sybil, it feels as if someone is pulling on your ears and 
  nose; both lengthen, and your skin darkens to a shade 
  of beautiful ebony. You remember that once, your kind 
  served a demigod called the Incarnation of Death.
  And Jonny, your skin turns grey, stiffens, and 
  becomes as hard as rock, and the sound of your feet 
  on the stairs thuds with a massive weight. Your flesh 
  has become stone!
  The effects of a translation wash over the PCs 
  who reach the bottom of the stairs, despite the 
  fact that none of them has initiated a translation. 
  Give those PCs their Ardeyn foci, along with their 
  Ardeyn character sheets (pages 29-34).
  Translation occurs over the course of a round, 
  during which time the PCs lose access to their 
  Earth foci and equipment, and gain access to their 
  Ardeyn foci and equipment. Stepping back up the 
  stairs is like translating back to Earth, and it also 
  requires a round. If the PCs play around with this 
  effect, they realize that they could choose to drag 
  any of their Earth foci to the bottom of the stairs 
  (even ones not normally draggable). If they do so, 
  they retain their Earth equipment and foci at the 
  expense of gaining Ardeyn equipment and foci. 
  (In fact, the PCs can shift back and forth between 
  Earth and Ardeyn foci at any time while the breach 
  is open, but doing so consciously takes an action.)
  This local effect breaks some of the rules of 
  translation because the rules of existence are 
  breaking down around them. For instance, despite 
  translating, the PCs aren’t transported to the 
  default location in Ardeyn (or the last place they 
  visited) when they gain their Ardeyn foci and 
  equipment; they stay in the church on Earth.
  On the other hand, non-quickened NPCs can 
  walk down the stairs and into the chapel in the next 
  room and be completely unaffected—as happens if 
  Kathy Billion, cameraman Jim, or anyone from the 
  party upstairs in the sanctuary follow the PCs here.
  The Breach: Characters with some knowledge 
  of the Strange realize that the recursion of Ardeyn 
  is breaching into Earth. The real world and Ardeyn 
  are overlapping each other, an inherently unstable 
  situation that, if left unresolved, could shatter 
  Ardeyn and, in the process, leave Earth wide open to 
  the Strange (which is where the planetovores live).
  If a PC doesn’t come to this conclusion, Kathy 
  Billion reveals herself as a secret OSR agent and 
  describes the situation to the PCs. She also gives 
  an ultimatum: if the PCs can’t seal the breach, 
  OSR will do so, but with lots of associated 
  collateral damage (meaning huge numbers of 
  civilian casualties that reach far beyond the church 
  grounds, just to be sure).
  Spirits: If Torah “the Windmill” Bishop is present 
  and her Shepherds the Dead focus is active, she 
  notices a spirit “caught” in the doorway leading 
  to the chapel (no one else can see or sense it, 
  initially). The spirit resembles that of a human 
  child wearing Ardeyn clothing, crying. If Bishop 
  uses her Question the Spirits ability on the child, 
  it manifests so that everyone sees it. Before Torah 
  can really ask it anything, the child says, “You must 
  destroy the Machine! The world is breaking!” 
  Further questions are difficult because the ability 
  used by Bishop was enough to allow the spirit to get 
  free of the doorway, and it fades away with a sigh of 
  relief. (Tell the character she just saved a lost spirit.)
  Basement Chapel
  When the doors are opened, the scene beyond is 
  revealed. Read or paraphrase the following to the 
  players.
  Translation, page 125
  OSR, page 157
  
  ESCHATOLOGY CODE
  15
  Gremlin: level 4; has a 
  fly speed able to match 
  a jet’s speed in short 
  bursts; can adhere to 
  and move about on 
  any surface; two melee 
  attacks as a single 
  action; Ardeyn native
  Lotan the Sinner, 
  page 162
  Megeddon, page 179
  read aloud
  A large chamber occupies the basement of the church. 
  But the contents shift and waver every few seconds, 
  in time to pulses of frenetic light emanating from 
  a large machine sitting in the chamber’s center. In 
  the light of one pulse, a normal chapel occupies the 
  space, including a pulpit. A man in ecclesiastical robes 
  stands behind the pulpit, screaming out prayers to 
  the Most High. Behind him, a gargantuan creature 
  stands, wreathed in blue lightning connecting it to the 
  central, pulsing machine. Thanks to your Ardeyn foci, 
  all of you instantly know that this is the Betrayer, and 
  if he’s here on Earth, the planet is in dire peril.
  In the light of the next pulse, the walls melt away. 
  The floor, machine, man at the pulpit, and the 
  Betrayer remain, but you and they are now perched at 
  the top of a black tower in a place completely different 
  than Sioux Falls. The tower is one of several studding 
  a gargantuan fortress of black stone perched at what 
  seems to be the edge of the world. Three creatures, 
  just like the gremlin that almost brought the plane 
  down on your way here, are also present around the 
  machine during the “Ardeyn” pulse.
  Reality shifts back and forth between the two 
  scenes, and each time it does, you feel like the world 
  tears a little bit more.
  The gargantuan creature is the Betrayer of 
  Ardeyn (shown on the cover of this adventure), as 
  any PC with an Ardeyn focus immediately realizes. 
  Normally, the Betrayer is a being whose power is 
  just one step down from that of Lotan the Sinner, 
  but he looks somewhat… preoccupied.
  The situation seems complex, but it’s fairly 
  straightforward—if the PCs can disrupt the 
  machine, the overlap of Ardeyn and Earth ends. Of 
  course, the Betrayer attempts to stop anyone who 
  interferes with the machine.
  Pulsing Worlds: The gremlins exist only every other 
  round. The easiest way to track this is to use a coin 
  on the play surface. Turn the coin over each round. 
  On a heads result, the chapel is in the basement 
  on Earth; on a tails result, the chapel exists on a 
  Megeddon tower top (and the gremlins are active).
  Father Foss: The reverend screams out in the 
  tones of a lunatic that the End of Days is now, that 
  the PCs are too late, and that their only option is 
  to accept the Most High into their hearts. Foss is 
  wearing active war glasses.
  Gremlins: The three gremlins exist only every 
  other round, when the basement becomes the top 
  of a tower in the fortress of Megeddon, during an 
  Ardeyn pulse. One gremlin always protects the 
  machine; the others attack the PCs. A gremlin 
  War glasses, page 9
  Find the Flaw reveals 
  that Foss’s weakness 
  is his war glasses, 
  as described for the 
  acolytes on the plane. 
  Without them, he’s a 
  level 2 NPC.
  
  16
  GM Intrusion: When 
  the Betrayer hits a 
  PC, she goes flying, 
  almost going over the 
  edge of the tower. The 
  PC must succeed on a 
  Might-based task to pull 
  herself back onto the 
  tower’s top, or remain 
  dangling on the edge 
  until she succeeds.
  Find the Flaw reveals 
  that the Betrayer’s 
  weakness is the 
  machine—if the 
  machine is destroyed, 
  the breach is closed, 
  and he can’t manifest.
  War Code-Activated 
  Father Foss: level 5; 
  health 18; short-range 
  electrical arc attack 
  that inflicts 5 points 
  of damage; unarmed 
  melee attack that inflicts 
  5 points of damage; 
  regenerates 1 point of 
  health per round while 
  wearing activated war 
  glasses; can create other 
  minor effects such as 
  moving small objects, 
  changing water to wine, 
  and so on
  IF THE MACHINE IS DEACTIVATED
  If the quantum computer hosting an instance 
  of the Betrayer’s mind and soul is destroyed or 
  deactivated, the breach of Ardeyn onto Earth 
  begins to heal. All the kray scurriers on the 
  stairs dissipate like mist. The basement chapel 
  solidifies and becomes permanent. The Betrayer 
  fades away. So do the PCs’ Ardeyn foci and 
  equipment, to be replaced by their Earth foci 
  and equipment in a shimmer of light.
  If the PCs fail to destroy or deactivate the 
  machine, the drone attack promised by Kathy 
  Billion occurs. If Kathy is removed from the 
  picture too soon to tell the PCs about OSR’s 
  plans, parishioner Betsy Wilson is instead 
  revealed to be an OSR agent who describes the 
  impending drone strike.
  Abridged Betrayer: 
  level 5, level 4 for Speed 
  defense due to size; 
  health 32; Armor 3; 
  attacks up to four foes 
  within immediate range 
  with club as a single 
  action, dealing 5 points 
  of damage
  The Machine: level 5; 
  health 25; Armor 2
  protecting the machine doesn’t attack directly, 
  but rather gets in the way of PCs who attack the 
  machine. A PC attempting to target the machine 
  must succeed on a difficulty 4 Speed-based task 
  to avoid having the attack jostled or intercepted by 
  the guarding gremlin (who might take damage for 
  its sacrifice, depending on the attack).
  The Betrayer: The Betrayer exists every round, 
  regardless of whether it’s during an Ardeyn pulse 
  or an Earth pulse. The Betrayer is expending the 
  greater part of his strength and power to remain 
  entangled with the quantum machine, which 
  means that despite his size and threat, he isn’t an 
  unstoppable demigod. He still does his best to kill 
  anyone who interferes with the machine and can 
  make four attacks as a single action against any 
  PCs within immediate range.
  If the PCs somehow manage to hurt the Betrayer 
  so much that he feels at risk, he disengages, severing 
  his ties with the machine and deactivating it.
  The Machine: The quantum computer created 
  by the September Project (the logo and company 
  name are printed right on it), housed in a thick 
  metallic cowling measuring 6 feet (2 m) on each 
  side, is cold to the touch. 
  The machine offers a computer touch-screen 
  interface plus about a dozen USB ports, of which 
  only two are currently in use, charging war glasses.
  Shutting down the machine with computer or 
  hacking skills requires three successful difficulty 
  5 Intellect-based tasks (though the gremlins also 
  attempt to prevent the PCs from accomplishing 
  this). Each round spent attempting to hack the 
  machine delivers an electrical charge to the PC 
  programmer for 4 points of damage. 
  Kathy Billion: If she hasn’t already done so, the 
  newswoman reveals herself as an OSR agent and 
  begins shooting a pistol at the Betrayer. If the PCs 
  fail to destroy or deactivate the machine, Kathy 
  shouts out that if they don’t succeed, an inbound 
  OSR drone strike will drop enough ordnance onto 
  the church (and surrounding neighborhood) that 
  the threat will be neutralized. The strike will cost of 
  thousands of lives, but OSR needs to be sure. 
  CONCLUDING THE 
  ADVENTURE
  If you’re running Eschatology Code at a convention, 
  the adventure ends when the PCs shut down 
  the machine or fail to do so. In the former case, 
  congratulations are in order. Tell the players they 
  have saved Earth, Ardeyn, and probably all of 
  Earth’s recursions!
  In a non-convention setting, there’s time for a little 
  more wrap-up. Hopefully, the adventure ends with 
  the PCs deactivating the quantum computer, not with 
  a smoking, mile-wide crater in Sioux Falls. Assuming 
  the former, the PCs can question the revealed OSR 
  agent (if she yet lives) regarding any details about the 
  quantum computer, the war glasses, and the Betrayer 
  they didn’t manage to figure out earlier. 
  In the end, Father Foss was only a stooge, fooled 
  into believing that his cooperation would lead to 
  some sort of heavenly transubstantiation for him and 
  his flock. But in reality, the Betrayer wanted Foss’s 
  help in order to enter Earth with a full connection 
  to the Strange. If he were successful, the Betrayer 
  would have drawn upon enough power to become a 
  planetovore himself.
  Foss loses his ability to perform miracles, and 
  every pair of war glasses loses its efficacy. Dealing 
  with the parishioners in the aftermath is a task, but 
  spinners in the party can help ease the transition 
  of people waking up to reality.
  The Estate gives each PC a commendation. The 
  world is saved! But now the Betrayer in Ardeyn has 
  learned of the PCs and remembers them as the 
  agents of his defeat. Slowly but surely, he draws his 
  plans against them.
  Experience Point Awards
  PCs gain 4 XP each for ending what was shaping 
  up to be a terrible threat to Earth, or at least the 
  death of over a thousand civilians in the aftermath 
  of an OSR drone strike. This is in addition to any 
  XP earned by other means.
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Arlo Coulton
  Sharp-Eyed
  vector
  Earth
  Is Licensed to Carry
  1
  1
  2
  0
  10
  1
  16
  1
  8
  0
  Initiative
  Speed Defense 
  (w/no armor)
  Balancing
  Running
  9mm pistol 
  5
  Hunting knife 
  –1 2
  Perception
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Find the flaw: GM describes an 
  NPC’s weakness, if it has one
  When not wearing armor, trained 
  in Speed defense
  Translation (better at easing)
  Pierce (1 Speed point)
  Fleet of Foot
  Gunner: +1 damage with guns
  Sniper module (level 6)
  Darksight (level 5)
  Clothing
  Binoculars
  Cell phone
  9mm pistol with 3 magazines of ammo (medium 
  ranged weapon)
  Hunting knife (light melee weapon)
  0
  $720
  1
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Arlo owes money to a number of 
  people and doesn’t have the funds to 
  pay his debt.
  In the recent past, while doing a 
  little target practice, Arlo accidentally 
  winged Dr. Sybil Holloway, leaving 
  her badly wounded. It is up to Sybil 
  to decide whether she resents, fears, or 
  forgives Arlo.
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Vanessa Torgue
  Tough
  vector
  Earth
  Wields Two Weapons at Once
  1
  1
  2
  0
  16
  1
  10
  1
  8
  0
  Speed Defense 
  (w/no armor)
  Running
  Hiding
  Nightstick 
  –1 2
  Nightstick* 
  –1 2
  Might Defense 0
  0
  0
  0
  +1 to Armor, +1 to recovery roll
  Gain an extra light weapon when 
  you translate to new recursion
  When not wearing armor, trained 
  in Speed defense
  Translation (better at easing)
  Practiced in armor: reduce Might 
  cost and Speed reduction by 2
  Bash (1 Might point)
  *Dual Light Wield: 2 light weapon
  attacks as one action
  Curative (level 6)
  Electrical grenade (level 5)
  Street clothes
  Leather jacket (light armor)
  Nightstick (light weapon)
  Another nightstick (light weapon)
  Camping gear
  2
  $200
  2
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Vanessa is a native of Ardeyn, but 
  no one on Earth knows it (she thinks). 
  An evil sorcerer laid a curse on her 
  when Vanessa turned 16, which she 
  escaped by translating to Earth and 
  taking up a new life. Things were 
  hard at first while she adjusted, but 
  Vanessa has made it work.
  Vanessa noticed that “Flip” is also 
  skilled with weapons, and regardless 
  of how she feels about him otherwise, 
  can’t help but respect him for that.
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  L. G. Babcock III
  Appealing
  spinner
  Earth
  Operates Undercover
  1
  1
  2
  0
  9
  0
  12
  1
  16
  1
  9mm pistol 
  4
  Pleasant social interaction
  Persuading & Deceiving
  Investigation
  Resist. persuas’n & seduc.
  Perception
  Cryptography
  Breaking into Comps.
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Practiced with light and medium 
  weapons
  Translating (better at hastening)
  Enthrall (1 Intellect point)
  Spin Encouragement (1 Intellect 
  point)
  Stim (level 5)
  Temporary shield (level 5)
  Street clothes
  Disguise kit
  Light tools
  Duct tape
  Pen knife
  Smartphone
  9mm pistol with 3 
  magazines of ammo 
  (medium ranged 
  weapon)
  “Sleep inducer” headset 
  (made by Dr. 
  Holloway)
  0
  $700
  1
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  As a child actor, L.G. was loved and 
  adored. As an adult, less so, so L.G. 
  keeps it a secret.
  Torah Bishop knows that L.G. 
  was a child actor, but has kept that 
  information private . . . so far. In 
  addition, Dr. Holloway made L.G. a 
  “science” machine that allows him to 
  get a good night’s sleep.
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Torah “the Windmill” Bishop
  Brash
  spinner
  Earth
  Looks for Trouble
  1
  1
  2
  0
  10
  0
  14*
  1
  10
  1
  Initiative
  Ignoring fear/
  intimidation
  * 16 w/out armor
  Weighted baseball 
  bat 
  5*
  Submachinegun 
  4
  Deceiving
  Healing
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Practiced in light and medium 
  weapons
  Translation (better at hastening)
  Fast Talk (1 Intellect point)
  Sleight of Hand (1 Speed point)
  *Brawler: +1 damage in melee
  (including with bare fists)
  Wound Tender: Trained in 
  healing
  Strength enhancer (level 6)
  Armor reinforcer (level 5)
  Street clothes
  Leather jacket (light armor; 2 points subtracted 
  from Speed Pool; costs 1 Might per hour)
  Weighted baseball bat (medium weapon)
  Submachine gun (rapid-fire medium weapon)
  First aid kit
  Utility knife
  Cell phone
  1
  $400
  1
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Torah is part owner of a local bar, 
  where she’s something of a whiz at 
  creating specialty cocktails.
  Arlo and Vanessa seem pretty 
  tough . . . and Torah secretly hopes 
  that at some point she’ll see who’s 
  tougher—her or them. In addition, 
  Torah knows that L.G. was a famous 
  child actor, despite the fact that he 
  hides it.
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Dr. Sybil Holloway
  Lucky
  paradox
  Earth
  Conducts Weird Science
  1
  1
  3
  0
  8
  0
  8
  0
  18
  1
  Light handgun 
  –1 2
  Setting up 
  experiments
  Knowledge of 
  the Strange
  High-energy 
  physics
  0
  0
  0
  Luck Pool: 3 floating Pool points
  Advantage: When XP used to reroll 
  d20, add +3
  Practiced with light weapons
  Translation (better at initiating)
  Premonition (2 Intellect points)
  Shatter (2 Intellect points)
  Lab Analysis: Analyze samples 
  from scene of interest to learn 
  pertinent facts
  Force screen projector (level 6)
  Meditation aid (level 6)
  Phase changer (level 5)
  Street clothes
  Science field kit
  Light tools
  Pen knife
  Smartphone
  Light handgun (light weapon)
  0
  $1,700
  1
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Sybil studied high-energy physics 
  and found something strange 
  in her experiments—something 
  she published, although it got her 
  thrown out of the ranks of respectable 
  researchers.
  Sybil created a scientific 
  instrument designed to give L.G. a 
  restful night’s sleep, but she now fears 
  unanticipated long-term side effects. 
  In addition, Arlo Coulton accidentally 
  winged Sybil during firearms 
  practice a few months ago. She’s fine 
  now, and has yet to decide how she 
  feels about him after the incident.
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  Jonny “Flip” McDaniel
  Graceful
  paradox
  Earth
  Solves Mysteries
  1
  1
  3
  0
  10
  0
  12
  0
  14
  1
  Speed Defense
  Balance and 
  careful 
  movement
  Physical 
  performing 
  arts
  Light handgun 
  –1 2
  Nightstick 
  –1 2
  Exception 
  4
  Intellect 
  Defense
  Perception
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Practiced with light weapons
  Translation (better at initiating)
  Exception (2 Intellect points)
  Closed Mind: Intellect defense and 
  Intellect armor
  Spend points from Might, Speed, 
  or Intellect to apply levels of 
  Effort to any Intellect-based 
  task.
  Sleuth: Trained in Perception
  Corrosive grenade (level 6)
  Disguise module (level 6)
  Lift (level 5)
  Street clothes
  Laptop computer
  Flashlight
  Utility knife
  Cell phone
  Light handgun (light weapon)
  Nightstick (light weapon)
  *2 Armor versus Intellect damage only
  2*
  $600
  1
  
  ©2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. The Strange and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the United States and other countries. Permission granted to duplicate for personal use.
  An experiment Jonny conducted 
  in his garage blew up, burning down 
  his house and killing some family 
  members. Jonny still dreams about the 
  event.
  Arlo is a good sounding board. 
  After you talk to this character for 
  an hour, you gain an asset on any 
  Intellect-based task you attempt 
  related to the conversation.
  
  Ardeyn
  Carries a Quiver
  10
  1
  16
  1
  8
  0
  Initiative
  Speed Defense 
  (w/no armor)
  Balancing
  Running
  Bow 
   
  4
  Shamshir 
   
  4
  Perception
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Find the flaw: GM describes an 
  NPC’s weakness, if it has one
  When not wearing armor, trained 
  in Speed defense
  Translation (better at easing)
  Pierce (1 Speed point)
  Fleet of Foot
  Spend points from either Speed or 
  Intellect Pool when applying 
  Effort to increase bow damage
  Clothing
  Well-made bow and 24 arrows
  Shamshir
  Explorer’s pack
  Tools for fletching
  0
  430cr
  Arlo Coulton
  
  Ardeyn
  Wields Two Weapons at Once
  16
  1
  10
  1
  8
  0
  Speed Defense 
  (w/no armor)
  Running
  Hiding
  Sabre 
  2
  Sabre* 
  2
  Might Defense 0
  0
  0
  0
  +1 to armor, +1 to recovery roll
  Gain an extra light weapon when 
  you translate to new recursion
  When not wearing armor, trained 
  in Speed defense
  Translation (better at easing)
  Practiced in armor: reduce Might 
  cost and Speed reduction by 2
  Bash (1 Might point)
  *Dual Light Wield: 2 light weapon
  attacks as one action
  Clothes
  Leather jerkin (light armor)
  Sabre (light weapon)
  Another sabre (light weapon)
  Explorer’s pack
  2
  200cr
  Vanessa Torgue
  
  Ardeyn
  Works Miracles
  9
  0
  10*
  1
  16
  1
  * 12 w/out armor
  Bow 
   
  4
  Pleasant social interaction
  Persuading
  Resist. persuas’n & seduc.
  0
  0
  0
  Practiced with light and medium 
  weapons
  Translating (better at hastening)
  Enthrall (1 Intellect point)
  Spin Encouragment (1 Intellect 
  point)
  Healing Touch (1 Intellect point): 
  Touch restores 1d6 points to 
  PC’s Pool (difficulty 2 task)
  Clothes
  Leather jerkin (light armor)
  Bow with 24 arrows
  Explorer’s pack
  1
  200cr
  L. G. Babcock III
  
  Ardeyn
  Shepherds the Dead
  10
  0
  14*
  1
  10
  1
  Initiative
  Ignoring fear/
  intimidation
  * 16 w/out armor
  Shamshir 
   
  4
  Deceiving
  0
  0
  0
  Practiced in light and medium 
  weapons
  Translation (better at hastening)
  Fast Talk (1 Intellect point)
  Sleight of Hand (1 Speed point)
  Question the Spirits (2 Intellect 
  points)
  Clothes
  Leather jerkin (light armor)
  Shamshir (medium weapon)
  Explorer’s pack
  12 sticks of incense
  10 matchsticks
  1
  400cr
  Torah “the Windmill” 
  Bishop
  
  Ardeyn
  Embraces Qephilim Ancestry
  8
  0
  8
  0
  18
  1
  Sabre 
  2
  Death kindred 
  2 
  (ignores Armor)
  Setting up 
  experiments
  Knowledge of 
  the Strange
  Qephilim lore
  0
  0
  0
  Luck Pool: 3 floating Pool points
  Advantage: When XP used to reroll 
  d20, add +3
  Practiced with light weapons
  Translation (better at initiating)
  Premonition (2 Intellect points)
  Shatter (2 Intellect points)
  Mythlight abilities
  Death Kindred (1 Intellect point)
  Looks like a qephilim
  Clothes
  Sabre (light weapon)
  Shield (asset to Speed defense rolls)
  Relic “badge” of the Incarnation of Death
  Explorer’s pack
  0
  400cr
  Dr. Sybil Holloway
  
  Ardeyn
  Abides in Stone
  15
  1
  12
  0
  14
  1
  Speed Defense
  Balance and 
  careful 
  movement
  Physical 
  performing 
  arts
  Golem fists 
  4
  Sabre 
  2
  Exception 
   
  4
  Intellect 
  Defense
  0
  0
  0
  0
  Practiced with light weapons
  Translation (better at initiating)
  Exception (2 Intellect points)
  Closed Mind: Intellect defense and 
  Intellect armor
  Golem Body
  Practiced in using fists as 
  Medium weapon
  Golem Healing: Lose access to first 
  single-action recovery roll each 
  day
  Pouch
  Chisel and hammer
  Sabre (medium weapon)
  *2 Armor versus Intellect damage only
  1/2*
  200cr
  Jonny “Flip” 
  McDaniel
  
  The Dark Spiral
  Now Available
  Spiral dust is a transcendent, wonderful, and orgasmic high. That’s 
  what users claim, eyes wide to reveal blue fractals instead of irises. 
  Spiral dust addiction is on the rise. But why? Who is the Dustman 
  who deals this strange substance from the shadows? And why do 
  heavy spiral dust users tend to disappear without a trace?
  Now Available:
  DriveThruRPG. 
  The Strange PDFs are also available on
  The Strange
  corebook
  The Strange
  Player’s Guide
  The Strange
  XP Deck
  The Strange
  Cypher Deck
  The Strange Bestiary
  Available: November 2014
  Monument spiders, data sentinels, octopus sapiens, extereons, 
  blobs, kaiju, and killer robots: The Strange Bestiary features more 
  than 150 lavishly illustrated creatures and characters native to 
  Earth, Ardeyn, Ruk, Crow Hollow, Atom Nocturne, and others. 
  It also facilitates creating your own worlds by providing scores 
  of creatures that will work in any recursion you can dream up, 
  including those created by fictional leakage and operating under 
  the laws of Magic, Mad Science, Psionics and more.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Cypher System/Setting - The Strange/Adventures/Eschatology Code.pdf