TEXT: M1
  73
  NEW DIMENSION
  GAMES
  Official Game Adventures
  BY: MATT DEMILLE
  OF THE
  TM
  LOST KINGDOM
  
  For  Piri  Reis,
       for  exploring  myth . . .
  Credits
  Designer:  Matthew  deMille
  Cover:  Frank  Schoonover  (historical  picture)
  Editing,  Graphic  Design,  Typography:  Matthew  deMille
  Producer:  James  deMille
  This  work  is  protected  under  the  copyright  laws  of  the  United  States  of  America  COPYRIGHT  2006
  
  PLANNING   THE   ADVENTURE
  2
  Welcome  to  adventures  in  the  ancient  seas,  matey!
  I  hope  you  find  what  yer  seekin’ here . . .
  PRONOUN  NOTE:  The  male  pronouns  (‘he’,
  ‘him’,  ‘his’)  are  used  throughout  this  ‘ere  book.
  Though  women  may  be  bad  luck  at  sea,  they’re
  right  fine  for  this  ‘ere  game,  and  we’re  not  be
  tryin’  to  exclude  ‘em,  nor  even  imply  their
  exclusion.  Centuries  of  use  have  made  these  ‘ere
  pronouns  neutral,  and  they’re  use  provides  for  clear
  and  concise  written  next—nothing  else  does.
  ABOUT  THIS  BOOK:  About  this  book  in
  particular,  indeed  this  gamebook—just  what  is  a
  gamebook  for  a  role-playing  game?
  What  is  in  this  book:  Contained  within  these  pages
  are  three  individual,  open-ended  Adventures  that
  will  take  the  Characters  on  thrilling  journeys  across
  the  Mediterranean  sea!  These  can  either  be  played
  individually,  or  used  in  chronological  order,  thereby
  building  the  basis  for  the  careers  of  the  Player
  Characters.  Or,  they  may  even  be  played  in  non-
  chronological  order,  assuming  that  the  Encounters
  keyed  to  specific  years  are  omitted.
  Using  this  book:  These  Adventures  are  relatively
  short,  requiring  on  an  average  one  full  game
  session  (roughly  10  hours)  to  play  through  to  their
  end.  However,  you  may  increase  the  length  of  any
  Adventure  by  adding  Encounters  from  other  game
  gazetteers.  One  must  select  such  additions  carefully
  however,  for  each  of  the  Adventures  in  this  book
  are  carefully  constructed  and  their  own  Encounters
  are  carefully  chosen  to  lead  the  Characters  to  a
  certain  conclusion,  and  even  one  sidetrack  can
  throw  the  Players’  thinking  off  enough  to  change
  the  course  of  the  entire  Adventure.  Additional
  Encounters  are  welcome  and  even  encouraged,  but
  you  should  read  through  the  new  material  and  the
  entire  Adventure  itself  before  choosing  what  to  add
  and  where  to  add  it.
  It  is  important  to  note  that,  as  these
  Adventures  are  not  ‘full-length’,  that  they  should
  not  be  played  back-to-back,  as  Players  may  tend  to
  believe  them  to  be  one  Adventure.  This  would  lead
  to  problems,  in  that  Players  might  well  associate
  Encounters  in  one  Adventure  with  those  situations
  they  face  in  another,  and  this  can  throw  them  way
  off  track  in  their  choices.  These  Adventures  should
  only  be  played  one-after-another  if  the  Players  are
  fully  aware  when  one  Adventure  ends  and  that  a
  new  Adventure  is  beginning.
  Indeed,  if  you  play  these  Adventures  one  after
  another,  have  a  little  ‘shore  leave’  time  in-between
  them,  perhaps  breaking  the  game  session  at  that
  point,  or  in  some  other  way  clearly  establishing  the
  time  elapsed  between  adventures.
  PREPARING  TO  PLAY:  Before  you  and  your
  friends  sit  down  to  play  this  game,  you  should
  consider  the  basic  elements  of  the  Adventure,  as
  explained  throughout  the  following  pages.
  Tales  to  be  told:  The  Adventures  in  this  book  are
  presented  in  their  chronological  order.  The  first
  Adventure,  ‘The  Sultan’s  Daughter’  takes  place  in
  1632.  The  second  Adventure,  ‘Isles  of  Evil’,  takes
  place  in  1635.  Finally,  the  third  Adventure,  ‘Where
  the  Gods  are  Buried’,  might  take  place  in  1638 . . .
  Telling  these  tales:  The  adventures  of  pirates  in  the
  Mediterranean  are  difficult  to  imagine  at  first,  not
  just  because  the  archtypical  pirate  story  is  deeply
  themed  with  the  Caribbean,  but  also  because  there
  is  such  a  diversity  of  culture  in  this  part  of  the
  world  that  whatever  one  imagines  in  one  city,  the
  backdrop  might  be  completely  different  in  the  next.
  Therefore,  it  is  best  to  take  a  more  light-hearted,
  Hollywood  approach  to  these  stories.  Indeed,  try  to
  abandoned  historical  and  cultural  accuracy  for  the
  sake  of  an  exciting  adventure  whenever  the  choice
  must  be  made,  tempting  though  it  may  be  to  use
  the  setting’s  deeply  founded  history  to  add  greater
  realism.  These  adventures  are  not  about  realism.  In
  fact,  they  are  quite  fantastical,  even  more  so  than
  those  found  in  other  realms  of  piracy.
  MYTHS:   There  are  times  when  a  pirate  comes
  across  a  legend,  a  sailor’s  yarn  that  becomes  a
  noose,  leaving  his  mortal  life  and  skill  hanging  and
  certain  to  die,  and  while  each  Adventures  offers  its
  their  own  rules  to  tie  unique  knots  in  the  thread  of
  the  Character’s  story,  here  are  provided  the  scores
  for  figures  they  may  encounter  during  any  of  the
  three  tales  within  this  booklet.
  
  PLANNING   THE   ADVENTURE
  3
  Gorgon
  Group  number:
  1-3
  Ability  Scores:
  B8, A11, E9, G6, W6, I12, C1, L2
  Defense  Score:
  13*
  Survival:
  16
  Attack  Rolls:
  Bow  +7*
  Base  Damage:
  10*
  Morale:
  8
  Movement  Rate:
  110’
  Treasure:
  None
  Gorgons  are  said  to  be  mere  myths,  these
  hideous  women  truly  the  stuff  of  legends,  with
  living  serpents  for  hair  and  a  life  that  lasts  for
  thousands  of  years,  quickened  by  those  they  slay.
  For  indeed,  anyone  who  merely  sees  one  of  these
  creatures  face-to-face  will  perish,  his  life  devoured
  by  her  eyes,  and  so  one  must  fight  them  ‘blind’,
  suffering  all  modifiers  thereby,  for  each  Round  he
  can  possibly  see  such  a  monster  make  an  Intuition
  Check  at  a  -2  penalty,  lest  he  meet  her  gaze  and
  die  all  the  same.  These  creatures  lurk  in  the  ruins
  of  ancient  shrines  and  temples  where  people  have
  long  abandoned  both  the  site  and  its  past,  perhaps
  due  to  the  presence  of  the  Gorgon(s),  who  they  do
  not  speak  of,  lest  others  be  drawn  to  them  and
  subsequently  slain  by  them,  thus  only  perpetuating
  both  the  myth  and  the  life  of  the  unholy  monster.
  Mermaid
  Group  number:
  1-4
  Ability  Scores:
  B3, A9, E11, G8, W8, I9, C12, L12
  Defense  Score:
  10*
  Survival:
  5
  Attack  Rolls:
  Spells  +4*
  Base  Damage:
  8*
  Morale:
  7
  Movement  Rate:
  30’ (on  land) / 70’ (in  water)
  Treasure:
  +0
  Mermaids  are  the  lore  of  most  sailors,  and
  pirates  are  no  exception,  but  what  they  are  and
  what  seeing  one  means  depends  entirely  on  he  who
  is  fortunate  (or  unfortunate)  enough  to  come  across
  them.  Indeed,  while  most  Mermaids  appear  only  to
  beguile  men,  their  ‘attacks’  which  effectively  drain
  away  one’s  life  made  only  in  their  own  defense,
  there  are  many  who  ‘attack’  in  many  other  ways,
  depending  on  who  approaches  them.  For  instance,  a
  bloodthirsty  Catholic  may  see  such  a  creature  as  a
  devil,  and  thus  she  may  do  him  harm  outright,  by
  some  spell  he  cannot  see.  Whatever  the  case  may
  be,  a  Mermaid  can  ‘fight’  from  any  distance,  and
  her  Attack  Rolls  are  made  against  one’s  outright
  Luck  Score  rather  than  their  total  Defense  Score.
  Siren
  Group  number:
  1-6
  Ability  Scores:
  B2, A5, E5, G12, W11, I8, C12, L9
  Defense  Score:
  9
  Survival:
  5*
  Attack  Rolls:
  Song  +3*
  Base  Damage:
  3*
  Morale:
  5
  Movement  Rate:
  100’ (on  land) / 50’ (in  water)
  Treasure:
  +2
  Sirens  are  spirits  of  the  sea,  perhaps  real  and
  perhaps  not,  in  the  physical  sense,  but  real  enough
  to  those  whom  they  draw  down  into  the  watery
  depths  to  an  unknown  realm.  For  sirens  lurk  along
  coastlines  and  upon  small,  unknown  islands,  or
  even  swim  alongside  ships,  singing  to  those  aboard
  with  a  charming,  hypnotic  voice.  This  ‘attack’  is
  made  against  one’s  outright  Intuition  Score  rather
  than  their  total  Defense  Score,  a  defense  increased
  by  one’s  Religion  Skill  Level  (if  any).  Their  total
  Damage  is  not  deflected  by  any  armor,  but  only
  by  1  point  of  Protection  for  every  exotic  manner
  of  holy  symbol  that  one  has  with  him.  Those  who
  are  ‘hurt’  by  a  siren  are  losing  their  will  to  live  in
  this  mortal  world,  and  when  ‘killed’,  they  do  not
  actually  die,  but  either  jump  overboard  or  simply
  appear  in  the  siren’s  arms,  who  then  takes  her
  ‘playthings’  down  into  her  realm  where  the  living
  cannot  follow.  However,  the  treasures  of  sirens  are
  kept  ashore  as  an  additional  lure,  and  thus  lost
  crew  can  be  paid  for  by  what  is  left  behind.
  
  THE   SULTAN’S   DAUGHTER
  4
  Cursed  be  the  dark  men  o’ the  east,  says  not  I,  but
  the  God-fearin’ men  o’ the  western  cities.  Ye’d  be
  a  fool  ta  be  a  seekin’ ta  help  them.  But  then,  ye’d
  be  a  bigger  fool,  says  I,  ta  turn  down  the  fortune
  that  awaits  them  who  can  find  the  greatest  jewel
  o’ the  eastern  seas,  the  Sultan’s  daughter . . .
  BEGINNING  THE  ADVENTURE:  Before  running
  this  Adventure,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  read  through  it
  just  to  be  familiar  with  the  storyline  and  key
  elements.  However,  reading  the  entire  Adventure
  beforehand  is  not  necessary  for  play.
  Timeline:  This  adventure  is  set  in  the  Mediterranean
  in  the  year  1632.  Those  Encounters  that  are
  marked  with  an  ‘*’  require  the  game  to  be  played
  in  this  era.  If  your  game  does  not  adhere  to
  timelines,  do  not  use  these  Encounters.
  Background:  When  everyone  is  ready  to  play,
  begin  the  adventure  by  reading  the  narrative  below.
  As  few  tales  survive  in  the  Mediterranean  as  do
  those  brave  fools  who  seek  them.  Yet  for  many
  months  now,  one  story  has  gathered  size  like  the
  barnacles  on  an  old  ship’s  hull  and  traveled  just
  as  far.  It  is  widely  rumored  that  the  daughter  of
  the  Sultan  himself  has  gone  missing.
  Like  birds  that  circle  above  a  scuttled  ship,
  so  too  can  you  hear  the  echoes  of  many  ships
  preparing  for  sail,  not  for  a  rescue,  but  for  war.
  If  the  Sultan’s  daughter  is  indeed  lost,  it  can  and
  will  be  blamed  only  on  his  enemies.  Soon  the
  seas  shall  be  stained  crimson-red  with  the  sunset
  of  peaceful  times.  War  is  inevitable.  Some  indeed
  welcome  it.  Others  fear  it.  And  you?  You  know
  better  than  anyone  that  storms  assault  men  both
  on  land  and  sea,  and  only  he  who  has  the  charts
  written  by  rumor  can  find  a  way  safely  through
  the  onslaught  of  fate  and  faith  to  come.
  Strangely,  nobody,  neither  nation  nor  corsair,
  is  taking  responsibility  for  the  disappearance  of  a
  woman  who  holds  the  fate  of  an  empire  in  her
  hands  and  heart.  It  is  as  if  the  ancient  gods  have
  spirited  her  away.  It  is  as  if  some  power  that  is
  unknown  to  the  entire  world  truly  desires  war,  if
  for  no  greater  reason  than  the  storm  itself  wishes
  to  unleash  its  fury,  destroying  all  that  it  can.
  PART  1:  FINDING  HEROES:   The  party  may  or
  may  not  care  about  the  Sultan’s  daughter,  but  they
  soon  will.  Use  the  following  Encounters  at  your
  discretion  to  capture  the  interest  of  the  Players  and
  curse  them  with  the  desire  to  seek  this  woman.
  1)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  awaits  anyone  who  has  no  gold
  left,  whether  he  started  with  none  or  spent  it  all.
  Whether  the  work  of  one  personality  of  God  or
  another,  all  fates  seem  cruel  in  this  world.  The
  Heavens  tease  you  with  clouds  warmed  with  the
  richest  golden  lining,  yet  you  never  reach  them,
  unless  in  death  by  pain  unimaginable  or  suicide
  to  damnation.  All  you  see  of  the  Heavens  is  the
  horizon  from  the  deck  of  the  ‘Sea  Hawk’,  a  fair
  but  crowded  ship—you  and  many  others  have  all
  been  rescued  or  captured  by  its  captain,  a  man
  who  a  year  ago  was  a  gentleman,  but  whose  life
  was  ruined  by  treachery,  and  his  humanity  with
  it.  “Evil  in  the  womb  of  Destiny  was  his  birth.”
  one  of  the  other  human  cargo  says  unto  you.
  “All  he  knows  now  is  gold.  I  was  his  first  mate,
  once,  but  now  I’m  only  property,  all  the  same  to
  him  as  this  ship.  At  least  he’ll  sell  us  all  when
  we  reach  shore.”  The  next  evening  brings  a  new
  horizon,  one  drawn  by  golden  lamps  within  the
  bustling  city  of  Syracuse.  You  are  quickly  traded
  for  sheep,  and  after  a  hard  day’s  work,  set  free.
  The  Characters  are  now  free  to  do  as  they
  will  in  the  port  city  of  Syracuse.  The  captain  of
  the  Sea  Hawk  will  not  see  any  of  them,  as  he  is
  ever  in  fear  of  treachery,  and  he  mistreats  all  his
  captives  and  crew  alike.
  2)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  will  bring  into  the  game  anyone
  and  everyone  who  is  in  debt.
  The  wealthy  elite  of  Syracuse  are  bidding  on  the
  latest  lot  of  people—whores,  criminals,  and  you.
  A  chain  links  you  to  the  other  wretches,  as  you
  stand  in  the  cold  night  on  the  docks.
  
  THE   SULTAN’S   DAUGHTER
  5
  The  Characters  will  not  be  bid  upon  unless  by
  another  Character,  and  since  nobody  has  yet  been
  introduced  who  has  gold,  to  carry  out  such  a  bluff
  will  only  result  in  that  individual  being  put  up  for
  auction  as  well.  Once  everyone  has  been  bid  on  or
  ignored,  a  wealthy  woman  will  bid  on  all  of  the
  Characters—then  set  them  free.  Before  she  merges
  into  the  departing  crowd,  all  they  can  learn  is  her
  name:  ‘Bronwyn  Del  Torro’.  She  will  not  wish  to
  speak  to  the  Characters  and  guards  will  keep  them
  at  a  distance—her  motives  will  remain  as  much  a
  mystery  as  the  rest  of  her.
  3)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  will  gather  together  all  Characters
  whose  loyalty  is  to  treasure  above  all  else—those
  who  have  any  gold  on  them.
  Moonlight  glimmers  upon  the  waves  which  try  in
  vain  to  ascend  the  cliffs  of  this  ruined  fortress,
  its  ancient  towers  defying  time  to  fall,  its  people
  of  the  most  wretched  ilk  gathering  inside  defying
  any  law,  any  nation,  any  god  to  cease  their  sheer
  debauchery.  Yet  amidst  the  dark,  smoky  haze  of
  the  lanternlit  dungeons,  where  men  gamble  away
  life’s  earnings  and  whores  crawl  over  them  like
  vipers,  there  comes  one  who  defies  them  all.  For
  the  tale  of  the  Sultan’s  daughter,  envenomed  with
  the  dangerous  nectar  of  a  Sultan’s  sweet  reward,
  has  finally  crept  inside  this  fortress  where  faith
  and  Royal  navy  could  not,  and  then  for  all  the
  boasting  of  the  corsairs  and  smugglers  here,  none
  dare  to  believe  this  tale  to  be  true,  much  less
  seek  this  prize.  None,  save  perhaps  yourselves.
  All  Characters  who  value  gold  above  all  else
  will  be  here,  in  the  ‘Dungeon  Taverne’  that  is  the
  favored  drinking  hole  for  sailors  within  the  port  of
  Syracuse,  a  ruined  fort.  If  the  party  presses  anyone
  for  details  about  the  reward,  they  will  find  many
  that  have  heard  of  it,  and  thus  the  reported  reward
  ranges  between  3000  and  36000  gold.  It  is  offered
  by  the  Bey  of  Tripoli,  who  wishes  to  reclaim  the
  Sultan’s  daughter  for  his  master.
  Those  who  have  been  introduced  already  can
  also  be  here,  whether  they  have  procured  any  gold
  for  themselves  or  not.
  PART  2:  THROUGH  MESSINA:   Once  all  the
  Characters  have  decided  to  band  together  and  set
  out  in  search  of  the  Sultan’s  daughter  for  whatever
  reason,  fate  will  take  them  northward,  through  the
  Straights  of  Messina.  Use  the  following  Encounters
  as  necessary,  though  they  are  most  likely  to  occur
  in  the  order  that  they  are  presented.  The  only  bits
  of  information  that  can  be  learned  of  the  current
  whereabouts  of  the  Sultan’s  daughter  are  from  the
  Governor  of  Naples.  Thus  the  party  faces  a  venture
  of  56  leagues  to  that  port  city.
  4)  Acquiring  a  ship
  If  the  party  doesn’t  have  a  ship  of  their  own  and
  thus  seeks  one,  the  only  pirate  vessel  not  already
  gone  to  the  race  for  the  Sultan’s  daughter  is  thus:
  Already  are  the  wharfs  deserted,  the  ancient  piers
  reaching  out  into  the  green  waters  like  the  stone
  shadows  of  those  gone  to  the  horizon,  sacrificed
  to  race  for  the  reward  of  the  Bey.  Only  one  ship
  remains  here,  a  half-rotten  barque  rocking  gently
  in  the  cradle  of  wharfs  that  are  the  walls  of  an
  ancient  fort  sunken  into  the  sea.  The  ‘Marionette’
  she  is,  and  the  rag-tag  lot  crawling  about  on  her
  spiderweb-like  rigging  must  surely  be  pirates.
  The  ship  is  run  by  one  ‘Captain  Hogsworth’,
  a  man  as  fat  and  foul  as  his  name  implies.  He  is
  also  going  after  the  reward,  but  needs  some  new
  ‘expendable’  crewmen  in  the  event  of  unforeseen
  dangers—he  will  eagerly  sign  the  party.  His  ship’s
  articles  are  provided  as  Handout  1.  His  ship  itself
  has  60  days  of  food  and  water,  10  cannons  with
  20  salvos  and  a  crew  of  85  men—50  1st Level,  30
  2nd Level,  and  5  3rd Level.  Hogsworth  himself  is  a
  Maltese,  cutlass-wielding  captain  of  Level  4.
  5)  Half-sunken  ship
  The  Straights  of  Messina.  Normally  well  patrolled
  by  Catholic  and  Muslim  ships  alike,  this  day  you
  sight  nary  a  sail.  Soon,  however,  the  wreckage
  of  many  ships  begins  to  stain  the  surface  of  the
  emerald-green  waves,  indicating  that  the  war  has
  already  begun.
  
  THE   SULTAN’S   DAUGHTER
  6
  A  Search  of  the  flotsam  can  find  the  ghostly
  image  of  a  sunken  barque,  laying  on  a  reef  so  that
  its  deck  is  only  a  few  feet  below  the  waves,  and
  its  aft-deck  is  still  above  water.  Those  who  climb
  aboard  will  have  to  contend  with  the  4  tiger  sharks
  who  are  swimming  amongst  the  wreckage.  If  they
  are  killed  or  driven  off,  the  party  can  make  a  new
  Search,  one  that  might  find  a  treasure  chest  still  in
  the  sunken  cabin.  Inside  the  heavy,  locked  chest  is
  5200  gold,  three  human  skulls,  and  a  scroll  case
  containing  the  parchment  that  is  Handout  2.
  6)  By  the  blood  of  Allah!
  From  out  of  nowhere,  a  galliot  appears,  racing  in
  blind  fury  towards  you!
  The  galliot  has  6  cannon  and  is  crewed  by  60
  fanatical  Muslim  corsairs.  If  the  party’s  vessel  is
  not  commanded  by  a  follower  of  Islam,  they  will
  attack.  If  the  party  is  clearly  winning,  the  galliot
  commander,  ‘Enderah  Rais’,  will  bluff,  calling  out
  “If  you  don’t  call  off  your  attack  I  will  load  our
  cannons  with  prisoners!”  He  has  no  prisoners,  save
  for  the  galley  slaves,  who  are  already  dead  due  to
  sheer  exhaustion  and  disease—those  not  dead  will
  perish  before  the  day  is  out.  If  the  Muslims  are
  victorious,  they  will  throw  overboard  all  the  dead
  and  wounded  who  are  not  of  Islamic  faith—what
  use  are  they?  Thusly,  Characters  who  are  wounded
  at  least  get  a  chance  to  swim  for  their  lives—half
  a  mile  to  the  western  coast  of  Italy.
  7)  Auction  of  angels
  Navigating  through  a  floating  labyrinth  of  flaming
  wreckage,  you  come  upon  several  ships  all  tied
  together.  It  appears  their  crews  are  celebrating  a
  victory  over  the  several  ships  burning  upon  the
  waves  all  around,  forming  a  ring  of  fire.  For  the
  prisoners  aboard  them,  who  are  being  auctioned
  as  slaves,  it  must  be  as  if  they  are  in  Hell  itself.
  These  57  surviving  pirates  of  these  3  barely
  seaworthy  sloops  are  auctioning  female  prisoners.
  One  is  the  Countess  Bronwyn  Del  Torro  from  the
  city  of  Syracuse.  If  anyone  sets  her  free,  this  is  to
  be  punished  by  both  being  marooned  together.
  PART  3:  FATES  ENTWINED:   In  the  port  city
  of  Naples  the  party  may  or  may  not  find  what  it
  is  that  they  seek.  Use  the  following  Encounters  as
  needed.  However,  once  the  day  draws  to  a  close,
  or  the  Characters  plan  to  leave  port,  move  on  to
  the  next  Section  of  this  Adventure.
  8)  The  tale  of  the  Governor
  Only  those  who  make  a  Charisma  Check  will  be
  admitted  to  see  the  Governor  of  Naples.
  You  are  escorted  inside  the  large,  brick  mansion
  of  the  Governor.  Today  he  is  conducting  business
  on  the  verandah,  as  the  main  court  has  recently
  been  destroyed  by  cannons  from  raiding  ships.
  Passing  through  the  broad,  lattice  doors,  you  see
  him  just  as  your  escort  announces  you  all.  “His
  Excellency,  the  Governor  Polumbo  of  Naples!”
  Governor  Polumbo  will  say  he  knows  nothing
  of  the  Sultan’s  daughter.  If  pressed,  he  will  simply
  say,  rather  dismissively,  “Maybe  it  is  the  gods  of
  Atlantis  returning  to  wreck  havoc”.  But  having  said
  this,  if  pressed  further,  he  will  cease  business  for
  the  day  and  order  everyone  out  of  his  house,  save
  for  a  double-duty  of  guards.  He  actually  has  the
  Sultan’s  daughter  hidden  in  a  secret  dungeon  under
  the  mansion,  whose  only  entrance  is  the  fireplace,
  whose  back  is  a  secret  door.
  9)  The  Fates  and  Fergusson
  You  sit  down  to  eat  at  a  small,  outdoor  taverne.
  The  sole  proprietor  is  a  Jew,  happily  making  up
  large  pitabread  dough  by  stretching  it  outward  by
  hand,  with  all  the  glee  as  if  he  were  God  busily
  making  the  universe.  He’s  humming  to  himself,  a
  tale  here,  a  psalm  there.
  Have  each  Character  make  an  Intuition  Check.
  If  successful,  they  will  hear  the  proprietor  singing
  a  song  about  the  Sultan’s  daughter  being  “In  Hell”.
  If  asked,  the  proprietor,  ‘Mr. Fergusson’,  will  have
  a  price  of  50  gold  (free  for  those  who  can  prove
  their  faith  as  bring  Jewish).  His  tale  is  that  the
  only  Hell  he  knows  of  is  beneath  the  Governor’s
  mansion  in  ancient  catacombs . . .
  
  THE   SULTAN’S   DAUGHTER
  7
  PART  4:  ATTACK  ON  NAPLES:   The  very  first
  night  the  Characters  are  in  Naples,  there  will  be
  an  attack  on  the  port  city  by  20  galliots  and  over
  a  thousand  fanatical  Muslim  corsairs!  During  this
  bombardment  of  cannonballs  and  curses,  use  the
  following  Encounters  as  they  become  applicable  to
  tell  the  tale  of  the  party’s  adventures  in  the  city.
  10)  The  attack  begins
  The  night  sky  is  as  tranquil  as  the  dark  waters
  of  the  Mediterranean,  either  one  the  reflection  of
  the  other.  Then,  suddenly,  that  mirror  is  shattered
  on  high  and  low,  as  corsair  ships  launch  an  all
  out  assault  on  the  city,  their  oars  churning  the
  waves  as  if  stirring  a  stew  of  blood  and  wrecked
  ships,  and  spewing  cannon  salvos  into  the  ancient
  forts  guarding  the  harbor.  The  walls  endure  better
  than  expected,  as  if  spirits  from  forgotten  worlds
  are  helping  defend  the  port,  and  their  ranks  are
  constantly  being  added  to,  as  fires  of  fury  create
  the  smoke  of  ghosts  on  sea  and  land  alike.
  Make  note  of  where  in  the  city  each  Character
  is  based  on  their  last  stated  action.  For  example,  if
  one  was  buying  equipment,  he’s  at  the  bazaar.  For
  moving  between  any  locations  calls  for  a  Stealth
  Check  at  a  total  +5  bonus  due  to  the  surrounding
  chaos.  Failure  of  such  a  Check  results  in  crossing
  paths  and  thus  swords  with  1-6  Muslim  zealots.
  11)  Power  of  the  gods*
  The  raiders  are  gaining  ground,  and  from  where
  you  are,  you  can  easily  see  them  pouring  onto
  the  wharfs  like  rats  deserting  their  ships.  They
  are  armed  to  their  nefarious  teeth  with  the  newly
  developed  flint-lock  pistols,  easily  sending  to  rout
  the  Catholic  guardsmen.  The  tide  is  turning,  and
  it  is  a  tide  of  blood  rushing  in,  staining  all  the
  docks  in  crimson-red.  They  cry  how  the  power
  of  the  gods  is  now  in  the  hands  of  worthy  men!
  All  the  invaders  are  Muslim  zealots,  but  they
  have  flint-lock  pistols  as  well,  though  they  have  a
  penalty  of  -2  to  use  them.  Anyone  on  the  wharfs
  will  now  have  a  total  of  only  +1  instead  of  +5  to
  his  Stealth  Check  to  escape  this  area.
  12)  Revenge  of  the  gods
  Making  your  way  through  the  city  towards  the
  Governor’s  mansion,  you  find  the  way  difficult
  to  be  sure.  The  already  maze-like  streets  are  now
  worse,  being  half  collapsed  and  sending  loose  an
  avalanche  of  rubble  around  every  corner.  Then,
  as  you  near  the  gates,  you  see  several  guardsmen
  materialize—living  shadows  are  walking  towards
  you,  wielding  swords  that  gleam  like  moonlight.
  These  5  ‘Skeletons’  are  shadows  indeed,  but
  of  guards  from  thousands  of  years  ago,  as  one  can
  tell  if  he  can  make  a  Wits  Check  at  a  -4  penalty.
  They  will  attack  everyone  who  tries  to  enter  the
  Governor’s  mansion,  which  has  been  built  on  what
  was  to  them  sacred  ground.
  13)  Fallen  angel
  Dashing  through  the  streets,  you  happen  upon  a
  woman  laying  half  buried  by  a  collapsed  wall  of
  broken  bricks.  Through  the  soot  and  stains  of  her
  blood,  she  seems  somehow  familiar,  like  an  angel
  perhaps,  or  someone  even  from  this  life.  She  is
  helpless  and  dying,  but  looking  keenly  at  you.
  This  is  Countess  Bronwyn  Del  Torro.  She  is
  dying  and  cannot  be  saved.  However,  if  given  any
  means  of  comfort  in  her  final  breaths,  she  will  say
  “The  dungeon . . . placate  the  most  ancient  gods . . .”
  If  she  was  rescued  in  Encounter  7,  to  the  one  who
  saved  her  she  will  whisper  in  his  ear  so  that  no
  others  can  hear  her  last  word;  “Poseidon . . .”
  14)  The  battle  ends
  Fires  from  the  harbor  are  setting  the  corsair  fleet
  ablaze.  With  no  time  for  wonder,  the  invaders
  are  in  flight  back  to  their  galliots.  From  here,  all
  you  can  see  is  that  other  ships,  European  in  their
  design,  are  responding  to  the  attack.  One  parting
  shot  from  the  Muslims  brings  down  the  mansion
  of  the  Governor  in  a  heap  of  rubble!
  If  the  party  has  not  yet  found  the  entrance  to
  the  catacombs,  there  are  no  guards  left  to  hinder
  them.  The  Governor  will  have  been  killed  as  well.
  
  THE   SULTAN’S   DAUGHTER
  8
  PART  5:  THE  CATACOMBS:   Just  beneath  the
  mansion  of  the  Governor,  there  begins  a  labyrinth
  of  catacombs,  for  many  centuries  ago,  the  wealthy
  elite  of  Naples  sought  to  castrate  the  pagan  ways
  of  Greek  shipping  by  establishing  their  rule  over
  the  sacred  ground  of  the  ancients.  When  the  party
  enters  this  maze,  they  will  face  many  dangers  long
  forgotten  by  the  world  above.  To  tell  the  terrible
  tale  of  the  adventure  through  these  tunnels,  use  the
  following  Encounters  one  and  all  and  in  the  order
  that  they  are  presented.
  Vision  and  light:  The  various  descriptions  of  these
  Encounters  are  written  with  the  assumption  that  the
  party  is  using  torchlight.  If  they  are  using  some
  other  light  source,  read  the  boxed  texts  differently
  to  compensate.  For  example,  read  “Your  flickering
  torchlight . . .”  as  “Your  glowing  lanternlight . . .”
  Legends:  The  catacombs  are  forgotten,  save  within
  legend.  If  anyone  seeks  for  records  of  these  mazes
  within  the  library,  he  may  with  a  Searching  Check
  discover  one  story,  rolled  on  the  following  chart.
  This  roll  will  gain  a  bonus  equal  to  the  highest
  Religion  Skill  Level  among  all  of  those  searching.
  Legends
  Roll
  Legend  of  the  catacombs
  10-12
  The  original  entrance  to  the  tunnels  was
  sealed  from  within  and  rigged  with  a  trap
  4-9
  The  evil  in  the  catacombs  fears  Christians
  but  relishes  the  taste  of  Muslim  blood
  1-3
  Somewhere  in  the  catacombs  is  the  third
  brother  of  the  rulers  of  Algiers
  15)  Gate  to  the  catacombs
  Narrow  stairs  wind  down  through  a  rough-hewn
  shaft,  like  a  tower  or  a  mine  shaft.  Thick  strands
  of  moss  dangle  like  slimy  stalactites.  When  you
  reach  the  bottom,  you  find  yourself  in  a  spacious
  antechamber  whose  walls  are  carved  in  relief,  the
  pagan  deities  of  ancient  Rome  still  embodied  in
  the  stonework  of  mariners  and  merchants.  Your
  flickering  torchlight  seems  to  give  them  new  life,
  as  they  seem  to  move  within  the  shadows,  and
  their  eyes  blink  at  you.  Thick  grime  on  the  floor
  tells  that  nobody  has  been  here  for  centuries.
  The  blinking  eyes  are  caused  by  rats  within
  the  narrow  tunnels  carved  into  the  eyes.  Someone
  must  stick  a  pole  or  similar  shaft  4’ into  the  eye
  of  Poseidon  (the  Sea  God)  to  cause  the  otherwise
  unfindable  secret  door  here  to  open.  Solving  this
  riddle  merits  20  Experience  Points.  A  search  may
  find  writing  scrawled  on  the  floor,  reading  as  thus:
  ‘He  who  was  of  the  three  is  master  of  the . . .’
  This  writing  is  reproduced  as  Handout  3.  However,
  sticking  a  pole  into  the  eye  of  any  other  deity  will
  cause  a  poison  dart  to  shoot  out  of  a  different  eye
  socket  behind  him  and  automatically  hitting  the
  poking  trespasser  for  level  5  poison.
  16)  Haunted  passage
  Exploring  the  narrow  tunnels,  you  feel  that  each
  corner  takes  you  further  back  in  time.  Now  you
  come  to  a  small  room,  like  a  Chapel  hewn  out
  of  the  very  living  rock.  Faded  frescoes  look  out
  at  you,  as  women  dance  naked  upon  plains  that
  no  sunlight  has  touched  for  thousands  of  years.
  Continuing  from  this  room  will  only  lead  the
  party  in  circles.  Here,  they  must  search  to  find  the
  outline  of  a  secret  door  worked  into  the  frescoes,
  as  it  is  camouflaged  as  an  arch  on  the  seacoast.  It
  opens  easily,  but  then  a  haunted  voice  will  echo
  from  the  darkness  within,  saying  “They  hung  me
  from  their  yardarm  to  stay  the  losing  battle . . . to
  quiet  the  guns  my  body  would  be  no  flag . . . the
  noose  was  my  freedom,  not  to  death,  but  like  the
  wind  I  swung  to  the  other  ship . . .”
  17)  Bottomless  pit
  The  dark  passageway  ahead  is  blocked  by  air,
  for  you  come  to  the  edge  of  a  bottomless  pit,
  reaching  from  one  wall  to  the  next.  The  opposite
  side  is  a  good  twenty  feet  away.  Hanging  amidst
  the  dangling  moss  above  you  are  countless  dried
  bodies,  like  ghosts  waiting  to  watch  you  fall.
  The  bodies  hang  from  nooses,  and  each  one  is
  thick,  though  not  unbreakable.  If  someone  swings
  across  on  a  corpse’s  rope,  it  stands  only  a  1  in  12
  chance  of  breaking  for  every  100  Burden  one  has
  (rounded  down).  The  pit  is  400’ deep.
  
  THE   SULTAN’S   DAUGHTER
  9
  18)  Ancient  treasure  vault*
  The  tunnel  passes  by  a  stone  door  whose  edges
  are  sealed  with  liquid  rock.  Ancient  words  carved
  into  the  face  of  it  tempt  you  to  translate  them,
  for  what  unguarded  treasures  lie  beyond  their  all
  too  solvable  riddle?  Such  are  the  ways  of  devils
  from  the  ancient  world’s  tunnels  into  Hell.
  The  writing  is  English,  but  written  with  the
  script  of  Muslims,  thus  requiring  one  with  such  a
  language  Skill  to  read  it,  or  else  the  Players  can
  try  to  decipher  it  by  studying  Handout  4.  It  reads
  ‘May  my  brothers  Barbarossa  never  know  of  my
  birth  or  my  treasure.  May  thieves  find  it  first.  Yet
  beware  all  for  I  shall  not  give  it  up  without  trial.
  Sealed  by  the  grace  of  Allah  in  the  Christian  year
  1510  to  complete  its  curse’.  The  door  requires  a
  Brawn  Check  at  a  -3  penalty  to  open.  It  leads  to
  a  small  room  containing  only  a  coffin  that  contains
  a  Vampire,  along  with  6  treasures;  3  rolls  worth  of
  jewels  and  3  ‘special’  treasures,  plus  1510  gold.  If
  there  is  anyone  present  of  Islamic  faith,  this  fiend
  will  gain  a  +3  bonus  to  hit  him.
  19)  The  end  of  the  catacombs
  The  catacombs  end  before  a  large  door,  barred
  from  this  side.  Thick  cobwebs  grasp  the  heavy
  bar  like  the  hands  of  ghosts,  desperately  trying
  to  keep  the  living  from  entering  their  vault.  Your
  very  breath  seems  to  fade,  chilled  no  less  by  the
  underground  world  than  something  in  your  soul.
  The  bar  holding  the  door  is  trapped,  so  that  if
  lifted,  it  will  cause  the  entire  ceiling  to  slowly  fall
  (centuries  ago  it  fell  much  faster),  leaving  everyone
  with  but  2  Rounds  before  being  crushed  to  death.
  The  ceiling  is  falling  as  far  back  as  50’, so  those
  who  wish  to  ‘outrun’  it  must  do  so  quickly.  Once
  it  has  fallen,  it  will  slowly  retract,  resetting  itself.
  Breaking  the  door  requires  doing  16  Damage  with
  a  single  blow,  lest  it  blunt  one’s  weapon  for  either
  -1  Base  Damage  (for  melee  weapons),  wound  those
  doing  this  bare-handed  (to  knock  out  rather  than  to
  kill),  or  cause  a  ricochet  to  which  an  Attack  Roll
  is  made  against  all  Characters  in  a  random  order,
  but  stopping  as  soon  as  it  hits  anyone.
  20)  Sheralinna
  The  doors  open  to  reveal  an  ancient  throne  room
  that  must  have  been  the  tomb  for  nobility.  The
  sarcophagus  is  indeed  carved  like  a  throne.  Only,
  sitting  within  it,  with  as  much  flesh  as  yourself,
  is  a  queen,  who  stares  at  you  through  long  trails
  of  midnight-black  hair.  Yet  her  flesh  is  pale,  like
  that  of  a  corpse,  and  her  eyes  are  ringed  with  a
  rotting  blackness  like  someone  not  of  this  world.
  The  ‘queen’  is  actually  the  Sultan’s  daughter.
  She  heard  the  party  coming  and  dressed  herself  in
  the  funeral  ornaments,  in  case  she  needed  to  scare
  off  would-be  thieves.  She  will  play  the  part  of  a
  ghost  until  the  party  has  either  shown  that  they  are
  not  afraid,  or  are  here  to  rescue  her  and  take  her
  to  a  Muslim  haven.  Once  befriended,  ‘Sheralinna’
  will  explain  she  was  imprisoned  her  by  Governor
  Polumbo  above,  who  brought  her  down  a  secret
  shaft.  This  shaft  she  will  use  to  escape  if  she  is
  threatened—she  will  fear  the  party  more  than  the
  guards  in  the  mansion.  However,  with  the  mansion
  now  destroyed,  the  way  will  be  blocked,  allowing
  only  those  of  60  body  weight  or  less  to  squeeze
  through  the  rubble—she  weighs  only  50.  Yet  if  the
  party  befriends  her,  Sheralinna  will  prove  to  be  a
  very  grateful  and  cooperative  political  prisoner.
  CONCLUDING  THE  ADVENTURE:  Once  the
  party  has  left  the  smoldering  city  of  Naples  behind
  there  are  some  things  to  consider.
  The  reward:  If  Sheralinna  is  taken  to  the  Bey  of
  Tripoli,  her  rescuers  will  be  granted  amnesty  for
  the  duration  of  their  stay,  as  well  as  the  reward  of
  either  10000  gold  (if  they  are  mostly  non-Muslim),
  or  30000  gold  (if  a  majority  of  them  are  Muslim).
  The  three  skulls:  The  three  skulls  that  may  have
  been  found  in  Encounter  5  are  very  valuable  to  the
  Sultan’s  daughter  Sheralinna,  as  they  were  friends
  of  hers—she  was  aboard  the  ship  they  were  found
  on  when  she  was  captured.  If  turned  over  to  her,
  the  Bey  of  Tripoli  will,  at  her  request,  reward  the
  party  with  an  additional  3000  gold  for  each  skull.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  10
  The  winds  o’ war  be  smellin’ rich  with  blood,  an’
  ere  the  sun  sets  on  the  battles,  the  domain  o’ death
  will  be  revealed  by  a  moon  made  o’ gold,  says  I.
  BEGINNING  THE  ADVENTURE:  Before  running
  this  Adventure,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  read  through  it
  just  to  be  familiar  with  the  storyline  and  key
  elements.  However,  reading  the  entire  Adventure
  beforehand  is  not  necessary  for  play.
  Timeline:  This  adventure  is  set  in  the  Mediterranean
  in  the  year  1635.  Those  Encounters  that  are
  marked  with  an  ‘*’  require  the  game  to  be  played
  in  this  era.  If  your  game  does  not  adhere  to
  timelines,  do  not  use  these  Encounters.
  Background:  When  everyone  is  ready  to  play,
  begin  the  adventure  by  reading  the  narrative  below.
  For  years  now,  the  ancient  seas  have  been  the
  battlefield  of  angels  bound  in  bodies  of  timber,
  as  the  vessels  of  all  Catholics  and  Muslims  have
  gone  from  temple  to  terror,  from  piety  to  piracy,
  indeed  from  worship  of  faith  to  warships  at  sea.
  The  death-toll  has  been  rising,  forcing  the  greater
  nations  into  the  conflict.  Strangely,  none  seem  to
  know  how  it  began,  or  even  what  they  are  all
  fighting  for,  save  each  for  their  own  god.
  The  hardest  blows  have  been  dealt  by  the
  Sultan  of  the  Ottoman  Empire  raiding  European
  shipping,  and  strangely  even  his  own  subjects  to
  take  a  greater  levy.  Stranger  still,  the  only  one
  who  questions  these  actions  is  his  own  daughter,
  Sheralinna.  Yet  even  her  mind  seems  to  change
  with  the  seasons—first  she  opposed  the  war,  then
  she  joined  merchant  vessels  to  oversee  raids,  and
  now  she  remains  recluse,  but  is  seen  most  often
  by  ambassadors  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Empire.
  With  the  naval  power  of  both  empires  fading
  like  sunlight  over  a  broadside  battle,  mercenaries
  are  being  licensed  at  an  alarming  rate,  their  fires
  providing  enough  light  to  dare  hope  for  a  dawn
  beyond  victory  rather  than  any  cease  of  hostility.
  Nowhere  are  the  corsairs  of  the  ancient  world
  more  eager  and  able  to  accept  privateering  trades
  than  in  the  temple  of  Tsamanni,  the  unofficial
  ruler  of  the  pirate  haven  Tripoli.  Fate  has  landed
  many  in  this  city,  including  yourselves.
  PART  1:  HAUNTED  HAREM:   The  city  known
  as  Tripoli  is  actually  three  cities—Oea  is  the  main,
  central  city,  while  its  outskirts  stretch  all  the  way
  to  Sabratha  18  leagues  to  the  west  and  the  port  of
  Leptis  Magna  15  leagues  to  the  east,  hence  what
  the  Greeks  called  the  ‘tripolis’.  Originally  settled
  by  the  Phoenicians  who  built  Carthage,  this  was  a
  bustling  port  of  merchants  once,  but  now  is  a  dead
  city,  a  secret  anchorage  for  pirates.  All  manner  of
  unholy  services  can  be  bought  here.  However,  no
  amount  of  gold  can  buy  adventure—the  party  must
  find  that.  Once  they  set  out  to  find  Tsamanni,  they
  will  be  directed  to  the  ‘city’  of  Leptis  Magna.  To
  tell  of  this  most  fated  meeting,  play  the  following
  Encounters,  and  in  the  order  they  are  presented.
  1)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  will  bring  into  the  game  any  and
  all  male  Characters  of  a  chosen  faith,  regardless  of
  what  that  faith  is  (Catholicism,  Islam,  etc.).
  One  boat  leaves  the  wharf  at  Leptis  Magna  each
  sunset,  daring  the  dark  waters  of  the  ancient  and
  sunken  cities  below  to  seek  the  island  off  the
  coast.  Formed  by  clusters  of  massive,  volcanic
  rocks  thrust  up  from  the  depths,  they  form  the
  rampart  of  a  natural  fortress.  Here  you  and  many
  others  are  bound,  men  all,  for  the  whispered  and
  heavenly  pleasures  of  that  place,  the  domain  of  a
  man  known  as  Tsamanni,  in  whose  harem  easy
  money  consorts  with  easy  virtue  to  spawn  the
  seeds  of  the  greatest  of  adventures.
  On  the  boat  ride  over,  one  of  the  men,  merely
  a  corsair  of  0  Experience  Level,  will  try  to  pick
  the  pocket  of  a  random  Character.
  2)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  can  add  to  the  already  swelling
  tale  any  male  Characters  who  desire  it,  themselves
  having  already  been  on  the  island  for  some  time.
  Most  of  the  island  fortress  is  a  converted  Roman
  palace,  with  pillars  and  old  walls  surrounding  an
  extensive  bazaar.  Many  men  move  about  here,  as
  much  of  faith  and  fortune  as  yourselves.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  11
  The  new  Player  Characters  are  in  the  bazaar.
  How  long  they’ve  been  here  and  for  what  reasons
  they  came  and  why  they  hook  up  with  the  newly
  arrived  are  all  tales  only  they  themselves  can  tell.
  Also,  another  pickpocket  will  try  his  luck  with
  a  randomly  determined  Character.
  3)  Ghosts  of  pleasure
  Once  anyone  seeks  audience  with  Tsamanni,  the
  guards  will  insist  they  leave  their  weapons  outside,
  and  if  they  accept,  only  then  run  this  Encounter.
  The  guards,  swathed  in  colorful  robes  and  large
  turbans,  escort  you  without  a  word  to  a  harem.
  However,  there  is  nobody  here.  The  guards  then
  leave  as  well.  The  lustful  smell  rising  from  the
  plush  cushions  all  around  indicate  that  someone
  has  been  here  within  the  last  hour.  Torches  and
  stained-glass  lanterns  glow  along  the  walls.
  Hiding  in  compartments  both  above  and  below
  are  a  total  of  10  ‘disguised’  Piratess’,  which  will
  jump  out  and  attack  after  1  Round.  They  will  be
  painted  with  green  and  white  in  order  to  have  the
  appearance  of  ghosts,  or  at  least  possessed  people,
  and  they  will  fight  without  weapons,  as  must  the
  party—they  are  being  watched  through  tiny  holes
  in  the  walls  by  20  Ottoman  guards  of  Tsamanni.
  However,  they  will  let  the  fight  play  to  an  end.
  Those  who  beat  the  women  without  weapons  will
  be  escorted  on  to  the  next  Encounter.
  4)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  will  bring  any  and  all  Characters
  of  female  stature  into  the  tale.
  Beyond  the  empty  harem,  the  guards  lead  you
  through  a  paradise!  Mountains  of  pillows,  glaciers
  of  fountains  and  forests  of  fruit  trees  create  the
  garden  of  the  island’s  master.  Several  women  are
  taking  their  leisure  here,  though  none  of  them
  are  consorts—they  seem  to  be  pirates  much  like
  yourselves,  only  being  given  special  treatment.
  Amongst  the  women  here  will  be  the  new
  Player  Characters.  Let  them  do  as  they  will.
  5)  The  assassin
  The  guards  lead  you  down  a  dark  corridor.  You
  can  see  nothing,  save  for  the  jewels  glittering  on
  their  turbans  and  their  sword-hilts.
  A  Muslim  zealot  is  hiding  in  a  niche  in  the
  wall,  and  will  attack  and  kill  one  of  the  guards  in
  the  false  belief  he  is  a  spy.  During  the  fight  that
  will  thus  immediately  begin,  he  will  turn  his  knife
  (envenomed  with  level  4  poison)  on  a  randomly
  determined  Character  each  Round.  The  guards  will
  then  hold  back,  doing  nothing,  as  they  cannot  tell
  whose  side  anybody  is  on.  The  assassin,  in  case  of
  capture,  took  a  poison  before  attacking,  so  he  will
  die  during  torture,  unable  to  retrieve  his  antidote.
  6)  An  audience  with  Tsamanni
  You  are  brought  before  the  unofficial  ruler  of  the
  island  and  the  city.  Tsamanni  sits  upon  a  raised
  dais  piled  high  with  cushions,  fat  beyond  telling,
  and  surrounded  by  equally  bloated  women.  The
  so-called  ‘Emperor  of  Everlasting  Evil’  seems  to
  be  three  men,  enough  to  rule  Tripoli.  You  doubt
  not  that  he  has  also  the  men  enough  to  do  just
  that.  Yet  he  seems  calm,  at  peace,  indeed  more
  interested  in  pursuing  other  matters.
  If  the  party  dares  attack,  there  are  30  Ottoman
  guards  ready  for  battle.  If  they  listen,  the  Muslim
  mercenary  king  will  say  the  following:
  “Neither  empire’s  faith  will  win  this  war.  War
  is  to  be  won  with  weapons.  Allah  is  pressed  hard
  against  the  shields  of  Catholic  zeal.  We  are  only
  bringing  ruin  upon  ourselves,  all  of  us.  It’s  bad  for
  business.  Good  for  my  business,  true,  but  overall  a
  most  ill  change  in  the  wind,  for  the  ancient  gods
  long  drowned  in  the  sea  are  getting  the  gold  rather
  than  Bey  or  Cardinal  alike.  Therefore  I  ask  you,
  no,  I  dare  you  to  seek  the  Conch  of  the  Siren,  an
  artifact  that  can  force  an  end  to  this  war.  Agree,
  and  I  will  tell  you  where  to  find  it.  You  all  seem
  foolish  enough  to  risk  what  nobody  else  will . . .”
  Those  who  accept  will  be  forcibly  branded  by
  a  tattoo  on  their  forearm,  shown  as  Handout  5.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  12
  PART  2:  FALCONS  OF  MATLA:   Reaching  the
  island  nation  of  Malta  requires  a  voyage  of  only
  50  leagues  to  the  northeast.  Once  there,  the  party
  will  have  to  find  the  ‘Falcons’.  Simple  inquiries  in
  local  hubs  and  pubs  will  soon  learn  that  these  men
  were  a  faction  of  the  Malta  Knights,  and  their  one
  and  only  temple  lies  in  ruins  down  the  coast.  Once
  the  party  ventures  there,  tell  the  tale  of  exploring
  it  with  the  following  Encounters,  to  be  used  one
  and  all  and  in  the  order  they  are  presented.
  Map:  If  the  party  is  open  about  their  search  for  a
  temple  or  the  Falcon  Knights,  one  of  those  whom
  they  talk  to  will  offer  to  sell  them  a  ‘map’  of  the
  temple.  For  a  fee  of  200  gold,  the  party  can  gain
  possession  of  Handout  6.
  Legends:  Many  locals  talk  about  the  ruins  down  on
  the  beach  often,  though  they  fancy  them  to  be  just
  that,  ruins,  and  nothing  more.  Yet  through  taverne-
  tales  and  sailors  yarns,  the  party  can  find  treasures
  of  information,  giving  them  2  stories  rolled  on  the
  following  chart.  This  roll  receives  a  +2  bonus  for
  each  Character  in  the  party  of  Maltese  heritage.
  Legends
  Roll
  Legend  of  the  ruined  temple
  10-12
  The  heirloom  of  the  English  king  is  still
  down  there  and  even  that  is  not  the  most
  valuable  treasure  in  that  dark  place
  5-9
  Some  sailors  claim  they  can  hear  music
  coming  from  those  dark  ruins  when  the
  moon  is  riding  high
  2-4
  The  Falcon  Knights  were  in  the  service
  of  the  kings  of  England  for  a  century
  1
  Man-beasts  crawled  out  of  the  sea  haunt
  those  ruins,  thirsting  for  human  blood
  7)  Sarcastro  of  Barbbadoss
  The  ruins  rise  from  the  barren  headlands,  hewn
  from  the  cliff  itself.  The  salty  smell  of  the  air
  and  the  lonely  cry  of  gulls  are  like  the  ghosts  of
  the  magical  music  and  succulent  smell  of  feasts
  that  once  came  from  within  those  dark  halls.  The
  gravel  of  the  beach  crunches  beneath  your  feet
  as  you  slowly  approach.  Once  inside  the  palace,
  you  find  naught  but  spacious,  empty  chambers.
  Hiding  in  the  shadows  is  a  Spaniard  from  the
  Caribbean,  ‘Sarcastro  of  Barbbadoss’  (the  island  of
  ‘Barbados’  with  his  strong  accent).  If  there  are  any
  Spaniards  with  the  party,  he  will  reveal  himself,
  and  offer  to  sell  them  information  in  the  form  of
  one  additional  roll  for  a  legend  at  the  price  of  20
  gold.  A  sarcastic  and  crude  individual,  his  name  is
  well  earned,  and  if  the  party  scoffs  at  all  at  his
  offer,  it  will  double  without  a  second  thought.  He
  will  also  laugh  at  threats,  claiming  that  ‘god’  is
  watching  over  them  and  is  generous  with  curses.
  However,  this  is  merely  the  bluff  of  a  mad  Pirate.
  An  offer  of  100  gold  up  front  is  required  for  this
  Pirate  to  join  the  party,  but  he  can  be  ‘haggled’
  down  very,  very  easily  to  a  mere  10  gold—he  will
  claim  there  are  terrors  deeper  in  the  ruins,  but  can
  be  ‘persuaded’  to  face  them  by  confidence  in  the
  party’s  own  confidence  (and  aggression).
  8)  Council  chamber
  Amongst  the  many  dark,  empty  rooms,  you  find
  a  circular  council  chamber.  A  round  table  in  the
  center  and  ragged  coats  of  arms  along  the  walls
  echo  a  poor  attempt  to  model  a  court  after  the
  legends  of  Europe  rather  than  more  efficient  fact.
  Still,  there  is  something  captivating  to  the  heart
  about  this  dusty  room.
  A  search  of  this  chamber  might  just  discover
  that  one  of  the  table  legs  is  hollow,  and  inside  it
  is  a  pearl  necklace  worth  1000  gold.
  This  room  is  haunted  by  the  ghost  of  a  knight
  (a  ‘Hero’).  The  Falcon  Knights  being  the  enemies
  of  Muslims,  all  those  among  the  party  whose  faith
  is  to  Islam  increases  the  chance  in  12  that  this
  specter  attacks—if  there  is  only  one,  it  is  only  a  3
  chance,  with  each  additional  Character  adding  2  to
  the  odds.  The  knight  will  know  of  one’s  faith  no
  matter  if  the  Characters  conceal  it.  However,  if  this
  ghost  does  not  attack,  the  party  can  talk  with  it.  It
  will  not  say  anything  important  unless  asked  as  a
  question  specifically,  and  then  it  can  only  answer
  “Yes”  or  “No”,  though  it  will  posses  an  unlimited
  knowledge  about  things  within  this  Adventure.  Yet
  after  the  second  question  has  been  answered,  the
  ghost  will  disappear,  never  to  return  for  the  party
  no  matter  what  they  try.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  13
  9)  Grand  stairwell
  The  many  empty  rooms  of  this  ruin  all  lead  to  a
  broad  stair,  running  straight  down  into  the  black
  depths  of  the  earth.  The  walls  are  covered  with
  fading  murals.  Massive  torches  in  iron  sconces
  lean  outward,  forming  an  arched  canopy  above,
  made  complete  by  thick  cobwebs.
  The  stairs  are  trapped,  so  that  every  third  step
  triggers  poison  darts  that  shoot  out  from  the  walls,
  automatically  hitting  everyone  on  the  steps  with  a
  poison  of  level  3.
  10)  Dead  men  tell  cryptic  tales*
  Delving  deeper  into  the  darkness  of  the  ruins,  an
  uneasy  feeling  begins  to  overtake  you.  Finally,  a
  chamber  welcomes  you  with  more  than  shadows
  and  spiders.  Here,  several  large,  rose-colored  urns
  stand  against  the  walls,  and  the  ceiling  is  a  low
  dome  covered  with  a  faded  mural  depicting  the
  Falcon  Knights  in  their  days  of  glory.  Laying  on
  the  floor  is  a  skeleton  dressed  in  European  robes
  of  parliament.
  Each  of  the  5  urns  contains  a  strange  liquid,
  like  wine  in  fragrance  but  not  in  taste.  If  anyone
  drinks  it,  roll  on  the  following  chart  to  determine
  what  happens  to  him.  This  ‘wine’  can  only  effect
  each  individual  once,  no  matter  how  much  he  has.
  Magical  Wines
  Roll
  Magical  effects  of  the  wine
  12
  Enchantment;  +1  to  Endurance
  10-11
  Healed  of  all  wounds  and  afflictions
  6-9
  No  effect
  4-5
  Automatically  afflicted  by  level  1  poison
  2-3
  Hair  fades  to  white;  -1  to  Charisma
  1
  Endurance  Check  at  -2  penalty  or  perish
  The  skeleton  is  of  an  ambassador  sent  by  the
  current  king  of  England,  Charles.  He  was  killed  by
  Sarcastro  a  year  ago,  though  he  will,  if  present,  be
  ready  to  act  completely  horrified  by  the  discovery,
  spouting  rhetoric  about  how  terrible  it  is  that  gods
  war  so  much  that  the  English  and  Spanish  find  a
  common  enemy—Sarcastro  will  not  confess  to  this
  murder  unless  it  is  tortured  out  of  him,  or  unless
  it  is  told  by  the  spirit  of  this  dead  man,  for  if  the
  skull  is  spoken  to,  it  will  glow  from  within  with  a
  vibrant  red  light  and  speak  back,  speaking  thus:
  “The  sword  of  the  last  Spaniard  cannot  thwart  the
  last  Englishman  from  the  Blue  Falcon,  who  speaks
  for  King  Charles,  who  comes  to  claim  his  family
  loom  of  thirty  and  a  hundred  years  past”.
  11)  Lake  beneath  the  sea
  The  foundations  of  the  temple  are  cavernous,  a
  natural  maze  of  tunnels  leading  to  a  large grotto
  where  the  floor  sinks  into  a  tranquil  pool  which
  shimmers  beneath  your  light.  Tall  stalagmites  rise
  from  the  mirror-like  depths,  almost  deliberately
  blocking  your  view  of  every  distant  detail  beyond
  the  water.  But  clear  to  see  from  every  place  on
  the  shore  is  a  beautiful  woman  in  the  center  of
  the  pool,  a  sculpture  of  silvery  metal  resting  on
  a  rock.  This  Siren  sings  a  silent  song  with  her
  beautiful  body,  naked  save  for  a  shawl,  inviting
  or  perhaps  daring  you  to  enter  her  domain,  her
  lake  beneath  the  sea.
  The  pool  is  of  salt  water  and  the  home  of  3
  Mermaids,  who  have  a  tunnel  running  500’ out  to
  the  sea—they  are  currently  hiding  in  it,  waiting  to
  see  what  the  Characters  do.  The  pool  is  10’ deep,
  so  one  will  have  to  swim  or  swing  the  30’ to  the
  island  of  the  statue.  A  search  of  that  rock  can  find
  a  conch.  However,  this  is  not  the  Conch  of  the
  Siren.  If  blown,  it  will  compel  the  Mermaids  here
  to  reveal  themselves,  and  they  will  offer  the  party
  a  single  favor.  To  earn  another  favor  requires  a
  kiss,  but  to  do  so  requires  a  Wits  Check,  with  any
  failure  causing  that  individual  to  lose  all  desire  to
  ever  leave  this  cavern.
  Leaving  would  be  good  to  ask  for,  freeing  all
  who  are  held  by  the  Mermaids’ spell.
  Treasure  can  be  given  in  the  form  of  1500  in
  English  crowns  and  a  necklace  (an  heirloom  of  the
  English  King  Charles).
  Information  on  the  whereabouts  of  the  Conch
  of  the  Siren  earns  a  song,  provided  as  Handout  7.
  Once  sung,  however,  if  Sarcastro  is  with  the  party
  he  will  go  mad  and  attack  random  targets  every
  Round  until  he  himself  is  killed.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  14
  PART  3:  CONS  OF  CRETE:   The  island  nation
  of  Crete  lies  130  leagues  due  east  of  Malta.  Along
  this  journey,  the  party’s  vessel(s)  will  encounter  as
  many  ships  as  you  wish  to  present  them  with,  as  a
  full  war  is  on.  However,  once  there,  they  will  find
  no  ruins  to  explore.  Indeed,  the  whereabouts  of  the
  next  island  they  must  seek  are  known  only  to  the
  local  profiteers,  forcing  the  party  to  find  their  way
  through  the  maze  of  pirate  camps  and  small  city
  streets,  seeking  the  most  wretched  and  vile  scum
  to  pry  information  from.  Once  the  party  begins  to
  do  this,  tell  the  tale  of  their  successful  ideas  with
  the  following  Encounters  whenever  applicable.
  12)  Diary  of  Grandall
  Inquiries  at  any  taverne  calls  for  a  Charisma  Check
  for  the  entire  party.  If  successful,  the  locals  will
  tell  of  the  whereabouts  of  ‘the  prophet’  for  1-12
  gold.  This  Check  can  be  re-attempted  as  often  as
  it  takes  to  be  successful,  however  each  subsequent
  failure  adds  1-12  gold  to  the  final  price.  If  asked
  for  ‘Mr. Grandall’  by  name,  there  will  be  a  bonus
  of  +4  to  this  Check.  Once  successful,  one  and  one
  Character  alone  will  be  escorted  into  a  dark  room.
  Steep,  wooden  stairs  descend  into  a  dark  hole,  a
  converted  wine  cellar  that  is  now  a  haunting  mix
  of  a  prison  cell  and  a  study.  Sitting  at  a  desk  is
  a  man  hunched  over  a  long  parchment,  talking  to
  himself  as  he  scribes  his  journal.  He  seems  to  be
  oblivious  to  his  squalor,  as  if  he  has  died  once
  and  fears  it  not  a  second  time.  A  lonely  lantern
  illuminates  his  back  and  the  parchment  he  pours
  over,  yet  its  words  remain  just  at  the  edge  of
  sight,  and  his  face  in  shadow.
  This  is  ‘Mr. Grandall’,  though  he  will  not  ever
  give  his  name  unless  it  is  spoken  to  him.  In  any
  event,  he  will  eagerly  tell  the  Character  his  tale:
  “I  killed  my  own  brother.  Mad  we  went,  and
  no  life  besides  a  pirate  shall  I  ever  have.  Carved
  into  my  forehead  the  number  he  did.  The  day  that
  we  found  that  cursed  treasure.  No  Holy  Day  was
  it  that  was  recorded  by  Columbus.  Blessed  were
  we  to  find  the  hoard?  Cursed  it  was,  and  so  are
  we  in  turn.  I  live  in  fear  but  only  of  myself,  for
  if  I  can  kill  my  own  blood,  what  restraint  of  the
  devil  is  there  left  within  me?  Ancient  gods.  Fear
  them.  They  can  prove  stronger  than  faith.  Now  this
  tale  is  yours  to  bear.  I  shall  remember  it  no  more
  so  long  as  my  mind  is  my  own  to  command”.
  If  asked  of  the  number,  Grandall  will  brush
  back  his  hair,  revealing  ’12 – 10’  scarred  into  the
  pale  flesh  of  his  forehead.
  13)  Old  Crow  Cemetery
  There  is  only  one  cemetery  nearby,  and  if  sought,
  the  party  can  easily  find  it.
  Old  Crow  Cemetery  tumbles  down  a  hillside  and
  off  a  cliff  overlooking  the  bay.  Not  a  single  one
  of  the  hundreds  of  headstones  still  stands  upright.
  Sculptures  of  crows  perch  upon  the  posts  of  the
  blown  down  fence,  long  weathered  by  the  salty
  air  of  the  sea.
  The  party  must  search  for  an  epitaph  that  does
  not  make  sense—there  is  one  that  reads  the  date
  of  death  as  2106,  which  has  not  yet  occurred.  The
  epitaph  itself  is  provided  as  Handout  8.  There  is
  no  birth  year  given,  but  this  is  not  uncommon  for
  pirates  who  come  from  poor  backgrounds  and  are
  fleeing  the  law  anyway—“Origins  are  unimportant,
  and  only  ends  are  remembered”  is  a  saying  of  the
  locals  on  this  island.
  Digging  up  the  grave  will  find  a  poor  wooden
  coffin,  and  therein  a  corpse  and  a  key  encrusted
  with  diamonds,  worth  1800  gold  total.
  14)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  will  bring  any  and  all  new  Player
  Characters  into  the  game.
  On  the  wharf,  you  see  several  ships  docking  this
  night.  Most  are  beleaguered,  weather-beaten  and
  half  sunken  vessels,  doubtless  having  coming  to
  these  rocky  shores  through  storms  of  war.  Those
  sailors  disembarking  are  from  as  wide  a  variety
  of  cultures  as  they  are  ships—pirates,  the  lot  of
  them.  Lanterns  flicker  in  the  darkness,  making  all
  these  poor  souls  appear  as  ghosts.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  15
  PART  4:  CLIMB  HOLY   MOUNTAIN:   The  tiny
  island  nation  of  Bozwell  lies  90  leagues  northwest
  of  Crete.  Along  this  journey,  the  party’s  vessel(s)
  will  encounter  as  many  ships  as  you  desire  to
  present  them  with,  as  the  war  is  still  raging  on.
  However,  once  there,  they  will  be  told  by  locals
  that  any  answers  to  all  mysteries  await  them  atop
  the  sacred  mountain  where  the  ziggurats  landed.  If
  one  knows  his  history  and  argues  that  these  deities
  were  believed  to  have  come  down  elsewhere,  the
  locals  will  say  that  they  ‘have  returned’,  and  even
  that  they  ‘are  there  now’.  Once  the  party  begins  to
  climb  the  steady  slopes,  tell  the  tale  of  their  ascent
  with  the  following  Encounters,  played  one  and  all
  and  in  the  order  they  are  presented.
  15)  False  faith  and  fools  gold
  The  only  path  through  the  rocky  cliffs  upon  the
  mountainside  begins  here,  beside  the  statue  of  a
  very  strange  figure.  Tall  and  thin  with  massive
  eyes,  this  ancient  idol  must  represent  the  mythic
  ziggurats  of  the  mountaintop.  He  holds  a  small,
  stone  chest,  filled  with  real  coins,  though  they
  are  clearly  unreal  as  well—fools  gold.
  Writing  can  be  found  upon  the  stone  chest  in
  every  language,  all  instructing  every  pilgrim  to  take
  one  of  the  cursed  coins  here  to  ascend  the  slopes,
  lest  the  wrath  of  the  ancient  gods  be  cast  down  on
  him.  However,  this  set  up  by  Rahz  Al  Gray  who
  rules  the  mountain  up  high  to  test  each  Character’s
  respect  for  ancient  gods,  passed  by  taking  a  coin.
  16)  The  blind  leaving  behind
  The  path  zigzags  its  way  up  the  mountainside.  A
  while  on,  you  come  upon  a  hermit,  sitting  beside
  a  campfire  atop  a  mountain  of  his  own—of  fools
  gold.  He  smiles  with  a  single-tooth  and  invites
  you  to  join  him.  You  cannot  tell  what  misshapen
  thing  he  is  cooking,  though  several  cats  scamper
  about,  all  of  them  with  their  eyes  put  out.  “I  can
  be  paid  in  false  gold!”  he  says  giddily.  “Just  one
  coin  for  both  your  eyes.  It’s  a  fair  trade,  for  the
  gods  up  high  will  otherwise  tempt  you  too  much
  with  sight  of  true  treasure.”  He  then  produces  a
  harmonica  and  plays  softly,  awaiting  your  choice.
  This  man  is  not  mad,  but  only  feigning  to  be,
  as  he  is  also  a  servant  of  Rahz  Al  Gray,  testing
  each  Character’s  courage,  and  those  who  would  be
  blinded  will  pass  it.  Yet  once  everyone  has  made
  their  choice  for  blindness  or  not,  the  old  man  will
  feign  regret  to  do  the  deed,  and  allow  all  to  pass.
  17)  Omnipotent  impotence*
  Further  up  the  path,  the  peak  drawing  near,  and
  the  sky  is  growing  dark.  As  the  dying  sun  stains
  the  Heavens  with  bloody  light,  a  luminous  figure
  comes  down  the  path  towards  you.  Holding  up  a
  single  hand  as  a  gesture  to  stop,  it  speaks,  and
  its  voice  echoes  amongst  the  rocks.  “It  has  been
  fifteen  long  suns  since  the  fall  of  Istanbul,  where
  my  temple  was  desecrated  by  your  kind.  A  count
  of  tenfold  coin  must  be  repaid  for  each  solar  day
  I  have  been  bound  to  this  earth.  You  may  find
  forgiveness  now  and  be  safe  on  high . . .”
  This  ‘spirit’  is  yet  another  servant  of  Rahz  Al
  Gray,  further  testing  the  party.  Each  Character  who
  pays  a  full  150  coins  to  him  will  be  ‘forgiven’,  so
  having  pass  this  test.  If  confronted,  this  Ottoman
  Turk  in  disguise  will  use  a  secretly  planned  escape
  route,  giving  him  +4  to  his  Fleeing  Check.
  18)  Rahz  Al  Gray
  At  the  height  of  the  mountain  you  find  a  ruined
  monastery,  its  doors  flung  wide.  Just  inside,  you
  see  a  most  inhuman  man  sitting  upon  a  throne.
  His  skin  is  eternally  youthful  though  he  has  the
  length  of  a  century  stemming  from  his  pointed
  chin.  His  eyes  are  wide  and  sharp,  and  by  their
  power  he  gazes  directly  at  you.
  The  man  is  ‘Rahz  Al  Gray’,  an  Asian  warrior
  who  is  neutral  in  this  war,  a  guardian  of  secrets
  and  of  lost  powers.  He  also  has  30  former  guards
  of  the  Ottoman  Turks  hiding  behind  secret  panels
  along  the  false  walls  that  enclose  this  room.  Those
  who  passed  2  of  the  3  challenges  on  the  mountain
  are  worthy  of  the  fourth  and  final  challenge—the
  test  of  strength.  This  is  a  single  fight  against  3  of
  his  guards,  to  the  death.  He  who  passes  first  will
  be  deemed  worthy,  and  Rahz  Al  Gray  will  remove
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  16
  from  its  hiding  place  down  his  throat  the  ‘Graven
  Eye  of  Mordachai’.  This  is  a  diamond  carved  like
  an  eye,  wherein  is  trapped  a  magical  light  that  acts
  as  a  compass—the  retina  always  looks  towards  the
  Conch  of  the  Siren.  Once  awarded,  Rahz  will  add
  “Make  no  mistake,  the  ancient  gods  are  real . . .”
  PART  5:  VAULTS  OF  DEMON  ISLAND:   It  is
  on  an  island  that  cannot  be  found  that  the  treasure
  awaits  the  party.  This  island  is  cursed,  and  can  be
  found  only  by  those  following  the  ‘Graven  Eye  of
  Mordachai’.  Indeed,  this  island  moves  in  time  and
  space,  so  you  can  place  it  wherever  in  the  bounds
  of  the  Mediterranean  that  you  wish,  and  thus  give
  the  party  however  easy  or  difficult  of  a  journey  to
  reach  it  that  you  desire.  Once  there,  the  party  will
  find  ruins,  their  exploration  of  which  is  to  be  told
  with  the  following  Encounters,  to  be  played  one
  and  all  and  in  the  order  they  are  presented.
  Fading  faith:  The  deeper  the  party  ventures  into
  the  accursed  Demon  Island,  the  further  they  will
  be  from  whatever  god  they  pray  to.  Indeed,  from
  Encounter  21  and  onward,  each  Encounter  poses  a
  cumulative  penalty  to  all  rolls  on  Tables  128-131.
  For  example,  Encounter  23  poses  a  -3  penalty.
  Legends:  On  their  journey  to  this  island,  the  party
  can  easily  learn  of  its  name,  ‘Demon  Island’,  and
  perhaps  much  more.  For  every  ship  or  city  that
  they  visit  they  get  one  roll  on  the  following  chart,
  with  results  of  ‘1-5’  finding  no  tales  regarding  this
  accursed  island.  What’s  more,  they  can  continue  to
  find  new  legends  in  the  same  location  so  long  as
  they  continue  to  best  their  rolls—as  soon  as  a  roll
  is  equal  to  or  less  than  the  previous  one,  they  will
  have  exhausted  that  source  of  ifnormation.
  Legends
  Roll
  Legend  of  Demon  Island
  12
  Beware  the  demons  of  ancient  worlds  that
  with  their  gaze  snuff  the  very  fires  of  life
  10-11
  Somewhere  in  that  ruin  is  a  lost  Cross
  that  commands  spirits  of  the  Church
  8-9
  The  Spanish  hid  a  treasure  on  that  island
  in  1578  for  King  Phillip II.  None  returned
  6-7
  There  is  a  secret  Chapel  inside  that  keeps
  count  of  the  days  on  prays,  to  his  profit
  19)  Door  between  worlds
  The  fog  rises  as  you  near  the  island  of  demons.
  You  can  hear  it  before  you  seen  it,  as  waves  lap
  against  its  timeless  shores,  where  only  the  dead
  walk  freely.  Finally,  the  colorless,  rocky  shores
  appear  through  the  fog  bank.  Exploring  them  is  a
  matter  of  hours  and  no  more,  as  the  island  is  an
  ancient  volcano  crater.  You  find  many  ruins,  all
  empty,  naught  but  small  forests  of  marble  statues
  and  columns  lost  in  times  long  dead.  Yet  finally
  you  brush  back  vines  on  a  wall  and  discover  a
  heavy  door  set  into  the  cliff,  doubtless  leading  to
  hidden  vaults  in  ancient  tunnels  below.
  The  door  cannot  be  forced  or  broken  open  by
  any  means,  nor  its  lock  picked.  Only  the  key  from
  Encounter  13  can  open  it.
  20)  Door  of  sunken  stars
  Inside  the  door,  broad  stairs  descend  straight  into
  the  fathomless  dark  of  this  lost  world,  ending  at
  last  before  an  enormous  door.  Made  of  stone,  it
  must  have  been  sheathed  in  gold  at  one  time,  as
  countless  green  stains  and  scrape  marks  where  it
  has  been  chiseled  yet  remain,  obscuring  the  once
  raised  lettering  all  over  it.  There  must  have  been
  a  hundred  gems  set  into  it  as  well,  but  now  only
  their  holes  remain,  leaving  dark  slits  to  map  the
  Constellations  they  once  did  with  precious  light.
  There  are  a  hundred  keyholes,  but  only  one  is
  able  to  unlock  this  impervious  door.  Indeed,  only
  by  using  the  key  from  Encounter  13  in  the  hole
  that  would  have  been  the  off-set  star  of  the  belt  of
  the  Constellation  of  Orion  will  open  the  door.  All
  other  keyholes  will  activate  a  random  trap.  Solving
  this  puzzle  is  worthy  of  55  Experience  Points.
  Traps
  Roll
  Trap  sprung  by  a  false  keyhole
  11-12
  Hear  a  trap  misfire  or  break;  no  effect
  7-10
  Blade  pokes  out  of  keyhole;  1-6  Damage
  3-6
  Stale  poison  gas;  level  1  and  effects  1-4
  people  including  the  one  at  the  door
  1-2
  Poison  gas;  level  3  and  effects  everyone
  in  the  immediate  area
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  17
  21)  The  antechamber
  Murky  shadows  peel  off  the  walls  as  you  draw
  near,  slithering  into  the  cracks  of  the  crumbling
  walls  like  serpents  of  darkness.  Your  light  floods
  into  a  circular  chamber  with  a  domed  ceiling,  its
  ancient  stone  glittering  with  thousands  of  glass
  stones,  like  stars  in  a  stone  sky.  Surrounding  you
  are  tomb  doors,  ten  in  all,  each  marked  at  its
  apex  with  a  Roman  numeral.
  The  numerals  simply  read  ‘I-X’,  beginning  at
  the  party’s  left  with  ‘I’  and  running  clockwise,  so
  that  ‘X’  is  upon  their  immediate  right.  Each  door
  contains  a  different  peril,  each  explained  below.  If
  the  room  is  searched,  the  party  may  discover  faded
  writing  on  the  floor,  Greek  in  letter  but  English  in
  dialect,  graven  much  more  recently  than  the  rest  of
  the  ancient  room.  Translated  from  Greek,  it  reads
  ‘The  Holy  Day  must  outweigh  the  Cursed  Day  or
  there  is  naught  behind  the  gates  but  the  path  to
  the  Nine  Hells’.  If  nobody  can  read  Greek  letters,
  provide  the  Players  with  Handout  9  to  study.
  Door  I  leads  to  a  small  crypt,  the  floor  a  pit
  trap.  Every  20  total  Encumbrance  upon  it  is  the
  chance  in  12  it  opens  above  a  30’ deep  shaft.
  Door  II  has  a  floor  covered  with  sand  and
  bones,  with  3  vipers  hiding  within  it.
  Door  III  leads  to  a  small  crypt,  the  floor  lost,
  a  crumbled  pit  trap.  A  search  of  the  rubble  at  the
  bottom  of  this  30’ deep  pit  may  find  450  gold.
  Door  IV  holds  an  unguarded  but  empty  chest.
  Door  V  opens  to  an  empty  room  which  has  a
  secret  door  leading  to  Encounter  22.  Having  solved
  this  puzzle  merits  50  Experience  Points.
  Door  VI  contains  a  stone  sarcophagus.  Opened,
  it  contains  a  skeleton  that  is  actually  a  Gorgon  that
  will  awaken  in  4  Rounds  and  come  out  to  fight.
  Door  VII  is  empty.  However,  each  full  day
  one  spends  praying  in  here  will  reduce  the  penalty
  to  Prayer  Checks  in  these  dungeons  by  1.
  Door  VIII  is  empty.
  Door  IX  imprisons  the  Skeleton  of  a  pirate . . .
  Door  X  is  empty,  save  for  a  shallow  alcove
  wherein  burns  an  everlasting  flame  around  a  Cross.
  The  flame  destroys  all  else  it  touches.  If  the  head
  of  a  dead  Gorgon  is  presented  to  it,  the  flame  will
  cease  and  the  Cross  can  be  taken.
  22)  Spanish  vault
  The  hall  passes  by  a  wide,  vault  door,  flanked
  by  statues  of  Conquistadors,  their  tense  poses  the
  same  as  if  they  were  chained,  perhaps  by  the
  thick,  dead  vines  wrapped  around  them.  Ahead,
  these  scraggly  tentacles  dangle  from  the  ceiling
  by  the  hundreds,  ready  to  grab  anyone  they  can.
  The  door  requires  a  Brawn  Check  at  a  penalty
  of  -3  to  force  open.  Inside  is  Encounter  23.  If  the
  party  continues  down  the  corridor,  they  will  come
  to  Encounter  24  instead.
  23)  The  vault  keepers
  The  door  yields  at  last,  revealing  a  dark,  dingy
  vault.  Its  floor  is  lost  beneath  piles  of  treasure,
  spilling  out  of  iron  coffers  and  seabattered  chests,
  flowing  through  the  bones  and  armour  of  many
  skeletal  Spaniards.  Thick  cobwebs  obscure  all  the
  corners  and  the  true  size  of  this  chamber.
  This  dead  end  room  contains  58000  pieces  of
  eight,  32000  philips,  and  jewels  enough  to  equal  a
  total  of  19  values  from  Table  85.
  After  3  Rounds,  the  6  Skeletal  Spaniards  will
  rise  up  and  point  their  cutlasses  at  all  who  are  in
  the  vault.  If  the  party  talks,  a  Charisma  Check  can
  earn  the  question  “In  this  year  of  our  Lord  1578,
  whom  do  you  serve  in  the  war?”  If  the  party  says
  King  Phillip  II  (“The  Spanish  King”  is  not  enough
  of  an  answer),  these  dead  men  will  let  them  go,
  so  long  as  nothing  of  the  treasure  is  taken—these
  guards  will  know  if  it  is,  even  without  seeing.
  24)  Underground  swamp
  The  corridor  ends  on  a  ledge  overlooking  a  vast
  chamber  whose  bottom  is  lost  in  a  foul  swamp,
  poisoned  by  seawater  bleeding  down  the  ancient
  brick  walls.  Thick  vines  and  moss  drape  across
  the  shadowed  heights.  On  the  far  side,  you  see
  through  this  jungle  of  darkness  another  ledge.
  It  is  40’ to  the  other  ledge.  The  swamp  is  20’
  below,  and  each  Round  one  spends  in  it  he  will
  be  attacked  by  1-3  vipers  of  the  hundreds  therein.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  18
  25)  Sunken  temple
  The  passage  opens  into  an  even  larger  cavern,  a
  grotto  carved  by  a  thousand  years  of  astrology
  and  art  into  a  temple,  and  reshaped  by  at  least  a
  thousand  more  years  back  into  a  grotto.  Flooded
  with  seawater  to  the  level  of  your  own  feet,  you
  see  pillars  and  other  sculpture  rising  out  of  the
  depths,  competing  with  stalactites  to  retain  their
  identity  while  arches  still  resist  the  cave  walls  to
  maintain  their  carvings  and  letters.  Several  cracks
  high  above  allow  daylight  to  leak  in,  illuminating
  the  sunken  temple  as  far  down  as  twenty  feet,
  but  there  is  still  darkness  deeper  than  that,  and
  things  move  within  it.  You  see  stairs  descending
  through  a  luminous  underwater  world  and  then
  sinking  into  liquid  shadows,  while  statues  rise  up
  from  the  abyss  as  if  breathing  in  light  before
  they  are  to  be  pulled  back  down  into  the  murky
  blackness.  Several  tunnels  lead  from  this  temple.
  The  sunken  temple  actually  descends  50’ before
  finding  a  floor.  Cave  sharks  roam  the  depths,  and
  1-3  of  them  will  attack  anyone  who  falls  in.  It  is
  120’ to  the  nearest  tunnel,  and  so  one  will  have  to
  climb  or  swim  to  reach  it,  or  complete  a  series  of
  jumps  atop  pillars  and  arches.  If  anyone  is  killed
  by  these  sharks,  they  will  not  pursue  the  party  into
  the  next  Encounter,  as  the  blood  keeps  them  here.
  26)  Flooded  tunnels
  The  tunnels  beyond  the  temple  are  a  maze.  Once
  high  ceilinged  ceremonial  passages,  they  have  for
  thousands  of  years  crusted  over  like  any  seashore
  with  barnacles  and  slime  of  every  description.  It
  is  your  suffering  that  you  must  pick  your  way
  along  through  this,  for  your  feet  can  never  find
  the  floor.  Finally,  after  much  slow  searching,  you
  come  to  what  must  be  the  end,  for  the  way  is
  blocked  by  a  wall  carved  with  the  stone  ghost  of
  an  eroded  idol,  grinning  at  you.  His  eyes  are  but
  holes,  revealing  the  darkness  of  a  cavern  beyond,
  if  only  you  can  reach  it.
  If  the  sharks  killed  nobody  in  Encounter  25,  8
  of  them  will  have  followed  the  party  to  this  point,
  and  will  attack  on  the  2nd  Round.
  The  idol  was  merely  the  height  of  an  arched
  gate  into  the  temple  beyond,  so  the  party  has  to
  go  underwater  to  reach  Encounter  27.  However,  the
  passage  below  has  collapsed  by  many  earthquakes,
  so  the  way  will  not  be  easy  to  find—a  Searching
  Check  is  required  to  do  so.  This  Check  can  be  re-
  attempted  each  Round,  though  unless  the  Characters
  are  secured  with  a  rope,  they  will  not  be  able  to
  find  their  way  back  any  more  than  they  can  find  a
  way  forward—count  the  Rounds  spent  underwater
  in  case  anyone  causes  themself  to  drown.
  27)  Diamond  of  doom
  You  climb  from  the  depths  upon  wide  stairs,  a
  ceremonial  ascent  into  a  palace.  Great  pillars  rise
  before  you,  and  in-between  them  are  thrones  that
  appear  to  be  sheathed  in  gold,  three  in  all.  Just
  beyond  such  trees  of  marble  you  see  a  new  stair,
  one  which  narrows  as  it  rises  into  a  grand  hall,
  filled  with  pale  light.
  A  search  of  this  temple  might  find  a  cache  in
  the  back  of  the  central  thrones,  containing  20  jade
  stones  (each  worth  400  gold)  and  10  rubies  (each
  worth  1600  gold),  and  a  fist-sized  diamond  (easily
  worth  5000  gold  in  itself).  This  last  gem  is  cursed,
  and  whoever  takes  it  will  have  his  life  drained  by
  1  random  Ability  Point  lost  each  day.  Secretly  roll
  a  dice,  with  ‘1’  being  Luck,  ‘8’  being  Brawn,  and
  so  forth.  ‘9-12’  results  in  no  Point  lost  that  day.
  If  anyone  approaches  the  distant  tunnel,  then
  he  will  come  to  Encounter  28.
  28)  Mirrored  terrors
  Approaching  the  tunnel,  you  see  now  up  close
  what  you  missed  at  a  distance—the  hall  begins
  with  a  dolmen  arch,  flanked  by  statues  of  life-
  sized  Spaniards  wreathed  in  rich  vines,  like  those
  outside  the  vault  earlier.
  The  ‘Spaniards’  are  actually  Gorgons  who  can
  alter  their  shape  like  chameleons.  After  3  Rounds
  they  will  attack.  If  the  Cross  from  Encounter  21  is
  presented,  it  will  summon  the  Skeletons  from  back
  in  Encounter  23,  provided  they  were  not  destroyed,
  who  will  arrive  in  6  Rounds  to  fight  the  Gorgons.
  
  ISLES   OF   EVIL
  19
  29)  The  Conch  of  the  Siren
  The  hall  ends  in  a  palace!  Unlike  the  rest  of  the
  temple,  this  area  appears  clean,  without  stain  or
  blemish  of  any  kind.  It  is  as  if  the  pale  light
  throughout  is  alive  and  somehow  keeps  back  the
  moldering  spell  of  time.  Surrounding  you  are  tall
  columns  in  a  seemingly  random  pattern.  Within
  their  apparent  center  if  a  shallow  pool  of  crystal
  clear  water.  Laying  within  it  is  a  golden  conch
  that  is  the  source  of  all  the  light  here.
  The  Conch  of  the  Siren  is  indeed  within  reach
  of  the  party.  However,  when  anyone  moves  to  take
  it,  an  elemental  figure  of  water  will  rise  up  from
  the  pool  and  say:
  “You  who  could  claim  the  Queen’s  Horn  must
  beware.  While  it  may  lull  men  to  peaceful  sleep,
  when  they  awaken  they  will  be  stronger  than  ever.
  The  horn  was  made  for  love,  to  delay  its  passion,
  thus  to  let  it  be  unleashed  at  last  with  greatest
  conviction.  Yet  the  queen’s  triumph  is  destined  for
  neither  love  or  war,  but  for  one  person,  the  queen
  herself.  She  lives  forever  and  when  she  sleeps  in
  death  she  is  quick  to  rise  again.  This  is  her  horn
  to  use.  Sheralinna  she  is.  She  must  be  the  one  to
  kiss  this  power.  For  it  has  itself  been  asleep  for  so
  long  it  will  only  be  able  to  grant  its  power  once
  and  then  be  exhausted  for  many  days  of  lives.  In
  the  queen’s  realm,  it  was  used  so  often  it  had  but
  little  effect.  Now  let  whoever  would  whisper  in  its
  ear  or  kiss  its  lips  beware  the  desire  it  has . . .”
  With  this,  the  elemental  will  draw  back  down
  into  the  pool,  not  to  rise  again.  Yet  there  is  still  a
  great  challenge  before  the  party,  for  to  take  the
  Conch  demands  that  one  first  express  true  love  to
  someone  or  absolute  hate  for  someone  (but  neither
  needs  be  present).  To  do  so  will  allow  one  to  take
  the  Conch  safely  and  earn  60  Experience  Points.
  However,  failure  to  do  so  will  cause  him,  before
  touching  the  Conch,  to  find  either  that  true  love  or
  extreme  hate  right  now!  Determine  at  random  one
  individual  from  all  present,  both  Player  Characters
  and  NPCs  alike.  If  that  target  of  the  chanted  one’s
  desire  is  the  same  gender,  he  will  attack  him  until
  one  of  them  is  dead.  If  that  individual  is  of  the
  opposite  gender,  he  will  swoon  for  her  (or  him)
  and  so  be  totally  under  their  control  until  they  are
  either  married  or  one  of  them  dies  (or  at  least,  the
  enchanted  one  believes  the  object  of  his  love  to  be
  married  to  him  or  dead).
  The  Conch  itself  will,  if  blown,  cause  all  who
  are  within  earshot  to  fall  into  a  trance-like  state,
  one  in  which  their  deepest  desires  will  be  put  to
  sleep  for  years—they  can  neither  love  nor  kill.  The
  powers  of  the  Conch  will  work  only  once  unless  it
  is  blown  by  the  Sultan’s  daughter,  Sheralinna  (she
  from  Adventures  #1  and  #3)  in  a  specific  place,  in
  which  case  the  result  will  be  totally  different . . .
  CONCLUDING  THE  ADVENTURE:   Once  the
  party  has  left  the  bloody  waters  around  the  Demon
  Island  behind,  there  are  some  things  to  consider.
  The  destiny  of  the  Conch:  If  the  Conch  is  returned
  to  anyone  of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  it  will  set  into
  motion  the  events  of  Adventure  #3.  But  until  this
  happens,  Adventure  #3  cannot  take  place.  A  reward
  of  20000  philips  by  the  Ottoman  Empire  might  be
  enough  to  encourage  the  party  to  give  it  up . . .
  The  heirloom  of  King  Charles  of  England:  If  the
  skull  from  Encounter  10  was  kept,  it  can  be  given
  to  any  Governor  in  exchange  for  1000  gold.  If  the
  party  asks  about  the  heirloom  the  skull  spoke  of,  it
  will  be  dismissed  as  a  legend.  However,  if  anyone
  takes  this  skull  all  the  way  back  to  London,  then
  the  ‘legend’  will  come  to  life,  for  there  the  skull
  can  be  exchanged  to  the  English  royalty  for  such
  honor  as  to  merit  a  reward  of  10000  gold  as  well
  as  Promotion  Points—300  for  Englishmen,  200  for
  non-English  British,  and  100  for  all  others.
  The  Cross:  This  relic  from  Encounter  21  will  not
  have  much  extraordinary  power  beyond  its  destiny
  of  this  Adventure.  However,  it  is  worth  3200  gold.
  If  one  sacrifices  a  Round  to  openly  present  it  in
  his  Prayer,  it  will  grant  a  +1  bonus  to  all  Prayer
  Checks  made  on  Table  129  (this  bonus  will  be  +2
  for  Priest  Classed  Characters).
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  20
  Ahhhh,  Venice!  Here  lie  the  unseen  roads  o’ the
  ancient  worlds,  matey!  Here  be  all  manner  o’ fates
  entwined,  fer  good  or  ill,  ne’er  to  where  ye  seek,
  lestin’ ye  be  seekin’ death.  Aye,  those  who  set  sail
  from  the  sunken  streets  be  sailin’ into  destiny,  trust
  me  true.  Believe  me  not?  Ye’ll  soon  discover  the
  ways  o’ the  ancients  fer  yerself . . .
  BEGINNING  THE  ADVENTURE:  Before  running
  this  Adventure,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  read  through  it
  just  to  be  familiar  with  the  storyline  and  key
  elements.  However,  reading  the  entire  Adventure
  beforehand  is  not  necessary  for  play.
  Timeline:  This  adventure  is  set  in  the  Mediterranean
  around  the  year  1638,  though  this  can  be  changed
  according  to  what  happens  during  this  voyage,  so
  long  as  it  remains  in  the  1630’s.  Those  Encounters
  that  are  marked  with  an  ‘*’  require  the  game  to
  be  played  in  this  decade.  If  your  game  does  not
  adhere  to  timelines,  do  not  use  these  Encounters.
  Background:  When  everyone  is  ready  to  play,
  begin  the  adventure  by  reading  the  narrative  below.
  War!  The  rising  tensions  between  the  Catholic
  Empire  of  Rome  and  the  Ottoman  Empire  of  the
  east  has  erupted  like  a  ring  of  volcanoes,  spilling
  blood  fiery  with  faith  throughout  the  seven  seas
  of  the  Mediterranean,  claiming  the  lives  of  the
  pious  and  the  sinful  alike.  There  are  heroes  and
  villains  on  both  sides.  Chaos  reigns  supreme.
  The  symphony  of  war  created  by  every  noble
  instrument  of  the  civilized  world  is  a  deafening
  roar  of  curses  and  hate.  Love  seems  nothing  but
  a  ghost  of  the  ancient  kingdoms  lost  beneath  the
  blood-stained  seas.  The  rules  of  piracy  are  now
  consuming  everyone  on  sea  and  land  alike.
  After  years  of  fighting,  the  Ottoman  Empire
  has  begun  to  push  its  Christian  adversaries  back
  into  the  mainlands  of  Europe.  The  island  nations
  are  beleaguered  and  lie  in  ruins,  each  smoldering
  city  a  trophy  to  Murdarat  Rais,  the  newly  titled
  and  empowered  commander  of  the  entire  Muslim
  navy.  With  his  tactics  quickly  choking  the  life
  out  of  shipping,  piracy  and  Christendom  with  an
  apparent  ease,  his  legend  almost  demands  a  hero
  or  even  an  entire  kingdom  to  challenge  him.
  PART  1:  THE  MERCHANT  CITY:   The  grand
  adventure  will  begin  in  the  city  of  Venice.  Here,
  the  party  will  learn  much,  both  about  the  ancient
  world  and  their  thread  of  a  tale  in  the  tapestry  of
  destiny.  Use  the  following  Encounters  when  they’re
  applicable  but  in  the  order  that  they  are  presented.
  1)  Introduction
  This  Introduction  will  bring  all  Player  Characters
  into  the  Adventure—there  is  little  time  to  waste.
  They  will  each  be  summoned  to  the  house  of  the
  city’s  wealthiest  person,  Count  Osric.  After  all  are
  done  with  whatever  they  wish  to  do  around  town
  and  go  to  this  meeting,  run  this  Encounter.
  You  make  your  way  along  the  bank,  built  from
  ancient  marble  to  keep  the  water  from  rotting  the
  pilings  upon  which  this  city  is  built,  and  wonder
  is  reflected  back  at  you  from  the  emerald-green
  waters—whatever  happened  to  the  ancient  cities
  and  their  secrets?  Well,  such  questions  must  wait,
  for  you  are  now  led  into  the  parlor  of  this  living
  city’s  wealthiest  man;  Count  Sydow  Von  Osric
  sits  alone  upon  a  massive  throne,  a  relic  that  is
  seemingly  no  older  than  he  is  himself.  Yet  when
  he  speaks,  there  is  vigor  in  his  voice  to  rival  the
  strongest  sailor  and  the  most  angry  deity.
  “Greetings,  scum!”  he  roars.  “. . . I  salute  you.
  I  am  proud  of  my  family  and  my  city,  at  least
  of  their  past.  Damned  how  the  Ottoman  Empire
  has  forced  our  great  merchant  capital  to  survive
  due  to  privateers—pirates  like  you!  Why,  there
  are  now  gambling  tables  in  the  merchant  square
  and  brothels  in  the  cloisters!  We  must  all  endure
  this?  We  who  funded  the  crusaders  that  sacked
  Constantinople?  We  are  reduced  to  hiring  thieves
  and  pining  for  their  ill-gotten  gold?”
  Count  Osric  stirs  in  his  throne,  as  if  old  age
  struggles  to  hold  back  is  wrath.  “We  turned  our
  necessity  of  boats  into  business  and  became  the
  center  of  trade.  Now  we  will  turn  our  necessity
  of  pirates  into  a  blessing,  and  become  the  center
  of  a  new  kingdom.  I  will  richly  reward  each  of
  you . . . if  you  destroy  Murdarat  Rais!”
  The  noble’s  offer  is  genuine:  3000  gold  each
  up  front,  and  100000  total  upon  proof  of  success.
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  21
  2)  Jew  crew
  This  Encounter  is  best  used  when  the  party  needs
  crew,  but  either  has  low  Notoriety  or  low  rolls  for
  acquiring  them,  and  simply  cannot  get  as  many
  men  to  sign  on  board  as  they  want.
  Signing  new  crew  is  difficult.  Everyone  in  this
  port  seems  reluctant  to  go  to  sea.  However,  you
  are  soon  approached  by  a  rowdy  group  of  men
  who  all  look  alike—long,  braided  hair,  yarmulke
  hats,  and  an  unspoken  camaraderie—they  are  all
  Jewish.  “We’ll  be  your  Jew  crew!”  they  boast,
  though  you  cannot  tell  if  they’re  jesting,  or  not.
  These  are  30  men  of  1st Level  willing  to  join
  the  party’s  pirate  crew  under  their  articles,  though
  they  are  all  of  Jewish  faith,  which  will  cause  a  -5
  loss  to  Morale  if  a  majority  of  the  current  crew
  are  not  of  Jewish  faith  themselves.  These  Jews  are
  turning  to  piracy  because  of  the  Holy  War—they
  feel  they  must  help  destroy  the  followers  of  Islam.
  3)  Christian  mission
  The  marketplace  is  a  maze  of  tents  and  gangway
  planks,  as  half  the  goods  float  in  barrels  or  boats
  in  the  narrow  channels  that  criss-cross  the  bazaar.
  Making  your  way  through  the  knots  of  people,  a
  priest  approaches  you,  waving  with  his  good  arm
  while  his  other  leans  on  a  crutch—he  is  missing
  half  of  his  leg,  and  he  also  wears  an  eye-patch
  and  has  a  terrible  scar  crawling  up  his  face.  If  a
  true  priest  he  is,  he’s  been  to  the  gates  of  Hell
  and  returned  to  tell  the  tale.
  This  priest  has  been  watching  the  party  since
  they  were  in  Count  Osric’s  manor  (though  he  will
  not  admit  to  this  willingly).  He  will  claim  to  have
  beheld  the  Characters  through  a  ‘divine  vision’  and
  thus  be  eager  to  Christen  them  to  faith  in  Jesus.
  Indeed,  for  the  small  fee  of  5  gold  apiece,  all  their
  sins  can  be  purified,  he  will  claim.  Those  who  are
  Christian  already  need  only  pay  a  tithe  of  1  gold.
  Those  who  convert  to  this  new  religion  simply  use
  the  normal  rules  for  doing  so.  Once  the  Characters
  take  their  leave,  he  will  add  “God  is  watching  you
  all.  Seek  truth  by  the  Lion’s  mouth.  Farewell . . .”
  4)  The  artist  of  legend*
  The  sun  is  shining  brightly  on  the  Lion’s  Mouth,
  a  sculpture  true  to  size  whose  gullet  holds  notes
  and  messages  delivered  anonymously  to  the  court.
  Sitting  beside  it  is  an  elderly  artist  working  on,
  of  all  things,  pictures  of  pirates.  “The  Lion,  you
  see,”  he  says,  with  a  keen  eye  for  eyes,  seeing
  thus  your  interest,  “he  was  constructed  years  ago,
  as  the  people  of  Venice  wanted  a  democracy,  but
  feared  any  one  person  or  family  becoming  too
  powerful,  unlike,  say,  pirates . . . Ah,  yes,  you  too
  have  the  glint  of  gold  in  your  eyes,  yet  with  a
  far  greater  luster  than  mine—perhaps  you’d  care
  to  know  where  the  greatest  treasures  await?”
  The  painter,  ‘Cornelis’,  can  sell  many  different
  things  to  the  Characters,  including  tales.  Every  10
  gold  the  party  gives  him  will  get  them  a  painting,
  but  the  total  is  the  cumulative  tale  that  he  tells
  while  he  sells  them,  working  the  art  of  taletelling.
  Legends
  Total
  Legends  of  Cornelis
  40+
  “In  these  days,  treasures  are  not  hidden
  with  locks,  but  words  within  words.”
  20-39
  “Why,  there  is  a  treasure  sunken  beneath
  this  very  city,  hidden  in  a  lost  tomb”
  10-19
  “Yes,  the  angels  of  stone  speak  words
  not  heard  by  man,  but  are  nonetheless
  true,  and  within  them  a  greater  tale . . .”
  A  successful  search  of  the  last  painting  that
  the  party  buys  will  discover  Handout  10  hidden  in-
  between  the  canvas  and  the  paper  backing.
  5)  Careless  priests
  The  only  Christian  church  whose  doors  are  open
  this  day  is  in  a  state  of  chaos.  New  laws  are  an
  endless  burden  for  the  priests,  who  in  this  temple
  are  neglecting  their  duties  of  upkeep.  They  seem
  to  be  debating,  but  you  quickly  learn  they  are
  ignoring  their  duties  for  the  sake  of  a  game—a
  local  tradition,  they  are  applying  numerical  values
  to  the  letters  of  odd  names  and  thereby  finding
  their  ‘number’.  The  stone  angels  carved  into  the
  pillars  all  around  seem  to  be  watching  everyone.
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  22
  If  asked,  the  priests  will  explain  (being  used
  to  explaining  customs  to  mariners  and  other  sorts
  of  foreigners)  that  their  game  involves  applying  the
  numbers  associated  with  the  Greek  letters  of  names
  and  thereby  ‘guessing  the  number’,  or  the  reverse,
  that  of  starting  with  a  number  of  guessing  a  name.
  They  can  easily  be  bribed  (20  gold  total)  for  the
  party  to  be  able  to  freely  search  the  church.  This
  way  they  can  find  the  entrance  to  a  tomb  behind  a
  pillar—the  stone  angel  pushes  aside,  revealing  the
  dark  stairwell  of  Encounter  6.  If  the  party  does  not
  have  such  permission,  each  Round  that  they  search
  is  the  cumulative  chance  in  6  that  Spanish  guards
  are  summoned,  all  of  them  arriving  in  3  Rounds
  and  numbering  5,  plus  1  for  each  Character  here
  at  the  time  they  were  called.
  6)  Hidden  passage
  This  can  only  be  found  by  searching  Encounter  5.
  The  stairs  descend  through  a  dark,  narrow  sluce.
  Centuries  of  cobblestone-buttressed  mud  to  either
  side  leaks  a  slimy,  gray  seawater  down  the  walls.
  Finally  you  come  to  a  door,  clearly  the  gate  to  a
  tomb  of  some  sort.  There  is  old  writing  on  the
  door  but  it  is  difficult  to  make  out.  In  a  shallow
  alcove  to  the  right  is  a  small  dish,  where  a  lone
  candle  must  have  once  illuminated  this  dungeon.
  Only  those  who  can  read  Greek  letters  will  be
  able  to  read  the  writing  on  the  door,  and  thus  only
  thereafter  should  you  provide  the  Players  with  the
  writing  of  Handout  11  (which  for  some  reason  is
  written  in  English,  and  thus  cannot  be  read  by  the
  Character  outright).  If  exactly  6  coins  are  placed  in
  the  dish,  it  will  deactivate  the  trap.
  If  the  trap  is  not  disarmed,  opening  the  door
  will  activate  its  release,  opening  a  floodgate  high
  up  in  the  stairwell,  causing  seawater  to  rush  in.  To
  force  the  door  open  requires  a  Brawn  Check  for  it
  to  be  ajar  enough  for  80  total  Encumbrance  (both
  bodily  and  carried)  to  squeeze  through  in  a  single
  Round.  To  re-ascend  the  stairs  requires  an  Agility
  Check  at  a  -4  penalty,  with  failure  causing  one  to
  tumble  back  down  as  if  he  had  fallen  10’.  After  8
  Rounds,  this  entire  area  will  be  completely  flooded.
  Closing  the  tomb  door  will  not  re-set  this  trap.
  7)  Lost  tomb
  This  can  only  be  found  by  passing  Encounter  6.
  Stairs  ascend  into  an  antechamber,  and  beyond  it
  you  see  a  half-flooded  tomb.  A  massive,  granite
  sarcophagus  rises  from  the  midst  of  the  black,
  oily  water  like  an  island  in  a  Hellish  sea.  Green
  stains  cling  to  the  stone  walls  as  high  as  the
  ceiling,  wherefrom  hang  tendrils  of  slime,  like
  the  trees  in  a  dense  jungle.
  This  chamber’s  ceiling  is  just  below  tidal  level
  and  that  is  key  to  its  trap.  For  if  the  sarcophagus
  is  attempted  to  be  opened,  it  will  activate  this  trap,
  causing  the  door  to  the  antechamber  to  close,  thus
  sealing  inside  this  crypt  anyone  who  did  not  state
  they  were  hanging  back.  The  seawater  will  slowly
  fill  the  room  with  the  tide,  submerging  everyone  in
  30  Rounds  unless  they  can  free  themselves.  Once
  the  water  rises  above  the  ceiling,  it  will  float  the
  ‘release’  mechanism  in  a  tiny,  hidden  niche  after
  1-6  Rounds.  Only  during  the  time  that  the  crypt  is
  completely  flooded  can  the  sarcophagus  be  opened,
  as  its  release  is  also  in  a  hidden  niche  above  the
  ceiling,  which  must  also  float.  Inside  the  granite
  tomb  is  a  skeleton,  with  a  compass  set  into  one  of
  its  eye  sockets.  This  compass  actually  points  not  to
  cardinal  directions,  but  to  years,  with  the  year  of
  1638  replacing  ‘North’,  1636  replacing  ‘East’,  1634
  replacing  ‘South’,  and  1632  replacing  ‘West’.  The
  compass  constantly  wavers  however,  never  fixing
  on  one  direction,  unless  it  is  physically  heading
  towards  a  location  key  to  that  date;
  1638  is  fixed  to  the  location  of  Encounter  13,
  for  this  treasure  was  created  by  the  Sirens  there.
  1636  is  fixed  to  the  location  of  the  Sultan’s
  palace  in  Acre.  For  it  was  here  that  the  Sultan’s
  daughter,  Sheralinna,  set  forth  in  1636  to  seek  her
  destiny,  which  the  Characters  are  a  part  of.
  1634  is  fixed  to  the  mythical  Demon  Island
  from  Adventure  #2.  If  you  have  not  yet  played  out
  that  Adventure,  you  can  do  so  now,  for  the  Conch
  of  the  Siren  on  that  island  is  critical  to  this  tale,
  and  for  the  Characters  to  win  it  themselves  would
  weave  their  fate  deeper  into  the  tapestry  of  destiny.
  1632  is  fixed  to  the  city  of  Naples,  where  the
  Sultan’s  daughter  was  once  imprisoned.
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  23
  PART  2:  SEARCH  FOR  THE  MURDERER:   It
  is  well  known  that  the  flagship  of  the  Ottoman
  Empire’s  Murdarat  Rais  is  called  the  ‘Murderer’.
  The  following  Encounters  can  tell  the  tale  of  the
  party’s  voyage  through  a  Holy  War  at  sea  as  they
  search  for  this  ship.  Use  them  to  respond  to  the
  party’s  choice  of  direction—while  they  can  meet
  random  ships  endlessly,  they  will  come  upon  true
  Encounters  when  they  are  drawing  near  their  goal.
  Still,  play  these  Encounters  one  and  all  before  the
  end  of  the  Part,  in  any  order  you  desire.
  A  Christian  harbor:  Venice  is  predominantly  a  very
  Christian  harbor.  The  few  Muslim  ships  that  anchor
  here  are  clearly  pirates—the  most  vile  scum  that
  there  are,  for  their  greed  alone  the  city  can  trust
  in  as  proof  that  they  are  not  part  of  the  Ottoman
  Navy,  and  even  if  they  are,  it  is  only  for  bribes,
  which  can  be  easily  outdone.  Therefore,  there  will
  be  no  chance  for  any  contact  with  official  Ottoman
  sources  while  in  this  city.
  Acquiring  a  ship:  If  the  Characters  do  not  already
  have  a  ship  by  their  own  means,  there  are  vessels
  setting  sail  to  war  every  day.  The  average  ship  a
  poor  pirate  can  sign  on  without  question  is  a  small
  barque  with  8  cannons,  20  salvos,  30  1st Level  men
  and  food  enough  to  last  for  30  days.  After  such  a
  time  has  elapsed  they  return  to  a  port  hostile  to  all
  Muslims  to  reprovision  not  only  food  but  crew  as
  well.  Sailors  who  served  thus  will  receive  10  gold
  for  the  month  at  sea,  but  nothing  else.
  8)  Challenge  of  Ballast
  Your  ship  is  ready.  As  men  haul  supplies  aboard,
  you  glance  down  at  the  marble  wharf  and  the
  green  waters  beneath,  and  wonder:  What  ancient
  cities  will  you  be  flying  over  on  your  voyage  in
  the  Hellish  heaven  of  Holy  War?  Yet  that  will
  have  to  wait—one  of  the  crew  is  challenging  for
  the  captaincy!  He’s  a  huge  man,  ‘Ballast’  by  his
  tradename,  with  long,  braided  armpit-hair.  “It  was
  my  loincloth  I  used  as  a  sail  when  I  was  adrift.”
  he  says.  “If  I  can  be  a  ship,  then  I  can  run  this
  one!”  As  if  already  considering  himself  captain,
  he  boasts  “We  sail  with  the  tide,  and  the  tide  is
  want  to  wait  for  no  man!”
  If  no  Character  is  captain,  then  Ballast  will  be
  able  to  take  command  indeed,  but  events  will  run
  normally.  However,  if  any  Character  is  indeed  the
  captain,  he  will  have  to  battle  this  brute,  who  is  a
  Level  5  Quartermaster  with  a  spiked  club  instead
  of  a  cutlass  (but  whose  statistics  are  the  same).  If
  the  brute  is  beaten,  he  will  forever  after  prove  to
  be  a  loyal  and  daring  crewman.
  9)  Captain  of  the  Sea*
  The  crew  is  awakened  by  the  lookout’s  call.  In
  the  dead  of  night,  lanterns  glow  like  ghost  crew
  on  a  nearby  ship,  off  the  larboard  quarter.  This
  vessel  is  already  rounding  on  you,  its  guns  like
  demons  angry  at  being  awakened  frothing  at  their
  metal  mouths  with  smoke.
  The  other  ship  is  a  galliot  running  8  cannon,
  crewed  by  50  1st Level  men,  50  2nd Level  men,  and
  20  4th Level  men,  and  captained  by  Murat  Rais,  the
  Ottoman  ‘Captain  of  the  Sea’.  Indeed,  given  this
  title  by  the  Ottoman  Emperor  himself  decades  ago,
  he  has  been  undefeated  for  over  thirty  years,  and
  so  neither  he  nor  his  men  will  ever  surrender,  thus
  negating  all  such  rolls  and  abilities  of  intimidation.
  The  battle  will  be  fierce,  the  decks  of  both  vessels
  rendered  slippery  with  blood  before  it  will  be  over.
  If  killed,  Murat  Rais’  last  breaths  can  provide  vital
  information.  If  subdued,  he  will  have  to  be  tortured
  to  reveal  anything.  What  he  is  able  to  reveal  is
  that  Murdarat  Rais  is  seeking  an  island  known  by
  a  cursed  name  alone,  ‘Vyrallex  Ninn’,  for  it  is  not
  on  any  charts.  He  does  not  know  its  coordinates.
  10)  Piri  Rais
  Tonight  it  is  a  dead  calm.  But  suddenly,  all  the
  lanterns  flicker  to  life,  burning  with  blue  flames.
  In  the  eerie  light  you  see  an  albatross  upon  the
  yardarm,  who  then  flies  away.
  Have  nothing  more  happen.  pretend  that  the
  Characters  ‘fail  their  Searching  Checks’  or  what
  have  you.  When  calculating  the  movement  for  the
  next  day’s  voyage,  have  them  ‘randomly  encounter’
  a  Tuskish  officer  laying  unconscious,  floating  on  a
  nondescript  piece  of  wreckage.  If  hauled  aboard,  he
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  24
  will  appear  grateful  to  be  rescued,  but  have  lost  all
  memory.  Once  alone  with  the  Characters,  he  will
  whisper  to  them  his  name,  ‘Piri  Rais’,  and  confess
  that  he  recognizes  some  of  their  crew,  and  doesn’t
  want  them  to  have  his  treasure,  and  so  he  will  tell
  the  party,  privately,  of  its  whereabouts;  “Seek  the
  map  to  the  kingdom  that  was  lost  not  on  paper,
  but  in  stone,  the  rock  where  the  Sirens  sing  to  all,
  and  they  shall  tell  you  of  the  greatest  treasure . . .”
  He  will  then  feign  unconsciousness,  and  can  do  it
  quite  well,  given  that  he  is  dead,  a  corporeal  ghost
  that  will  disappear  forever  when  next  left  alone.
  11)  For  Love  Of  Men
  “Sail  ho!”  The  familiar  call  rings  strange  within
  this  crimson  twilight.  Gathering  on  deck,  all  can
  see  the  tall  sails  of  a  swiftly  moving  ship  that’s
  heading  straight  towards  you,  backlit  by  the  sun
  as  it  sinks  below  the  horizon.  Yet  it  comes  with
  nary  a  sound.
  The  ship  is  no  ghost,  but  a  galliot  running  6
  cannons,  crewed  by  50  1st Level  and  20  3rd Level
  Muslim  fanatics,  and  captained  by  a  Turkish  Pirate
  whose  first  words  to  the  Player  Characters  will  be
  “I’m  going  to  use  your  skull  to  knock  on  the
  gates  of  Hell!”  No  matter  the  Characters’ allegiance
  these  Muslims  are  convinced  that  everyone  is  fated
  for  death  in  defiance  of  Allah  by  participating  in
  this  war—so  they  will  kill  them.  Their  galliot  has
  been  named  ‘For  Love  Of  Men’.
  12)  Shipboard  fire
  Chaos  has  gripped  the  crew!  A  fire  has  broken
  out  in  the  hold.  Flames  erupt  through  the  deck
  like  volcanoes.
  Each  Round  the  ship  will  suffer  1-12  Damage
  and  0-4  (a  single  dice  roll  -8)  total  Levels  worth
  of  crewmen.  To  extinguish  the  fire,  the  Characters
  will  have  to  act—the  rest  of  the  crew  are  too
  frightened  to  do  anything.  The  fire  broke  out  due
  to  a  lantern  falling  because  a  man  drunk  on  duty
  mishandled  it,  so  there  is  no  real  source  to  stop.
  The  flames  can  be  quelled  in  many  different  ways;
  Steering  into  a  wave  is  difficult,  as  the  waters
  of  the  Mediterranean  are  relatively  calm.  However,
  maneuvering  amongst  headlands  or  other  high  rocks
  might  work.  This  is  the  equivalent  act  of  steering
  head-on  into  a  Magnitude  5  storm.
  Emptying  water  casks  can  work  if  the  ship  is
  laden  with  enough  of  them.  Indeed,  10  days  worth
  of  ‘food’  must  be  sacrificed  for  every  1  Hull  Point
  worth  of  damage  the  vessel  has  already  endured.  If
  this  does  not  dowse  all  the  fire,  it  does  nothing.
  13)  Song  of  the  Seven  Sirens
  White  sands  flow  out  of  the  sea  and  into  a  lush
  line  of  palm  trees.  Just  through  them,  you  see  an
  array  of  tall  pillars  gleaming  in  the  sunlight.  The
  faint  voices  of  beautiful  womens’ singing  draws
  you  closer,  until  you  see  the  ruins  to  be  real,  the
  pillars  rising  out  of  a  crystal  clear  lagoon  where
  swim  Sirens  of  every  hair  color,  their  piercing
  eyes  an  array  of  azure  and  emerald-green,  their
  song  one  that  could  make  angels  swoon.
  There  are  7  Sirens  here.  They  will  be  friendly
  if  not  threatened.  If  asked  of  various  things,  they
  will  reply  to  anyone  who  can  make  a  Charisma
  Check  when  asking  the  question—answers  that  are
  not  provided  below  require  no  such  Check.  All  the
  answers  given  are  true.
  Loving  a  Siren  in  any  way  requires  one  to  be
  daring  enough  to  ‘fight’  her,  as  her  affections  and
  indeed  her  will  are  set  against  him.  If  he  succeeds,
  she  will  kiss  a  single  object  of  his  choosing,  thus
  turning  it  to  gold  and  increasing  its  value  tenfold.
  But  if  she  wins,  he  is  lost  to  her.
  Vyrallex  Ninn  is  an  island  ‘where  the  ancient
  gods  sleep’,  and  is  but  2  leagues  south  off  of  the
  easternmost  tip  of  Crete.
  The  compass  from  Encounter  7  was  made  by
  these  very  Sirens,  centuries  ago.  If  the  party  offers
  to  give  it  back,  the  Sirens  will  accept  it,  but  warn
  “To  lose  it  is  to  lose  your  way  in  time,  and  that
  you  should  do  only  to  correct  a  mistake”.  To  do
  this  is  the  same  as  if  all  the  Sirens  were  killed.
  Killing  all  the  Sirens  will  cause  everyone  here
  to  be  transported  back  in  time  to  Encounter  1-12.
  Roll  once  for  the  entire  group.  All  physical  reality
  and  objects  will  be  moved  back  in  time  as  well.
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  25
  PART  3:  TALES  OF  VYRALLEX  NINN:   Just  2
  leagues  south  of  the  eastern  end  of  Crete  is  this
  island.  Once  a  pirate  haven,  it  has  been  captured
  by  corsairs.  Indeed,  once  the  Characters  arrive  they
  will  have  to  fight  their  way  in,  be  they  Muslim  or
  not.  Use  the  following  Encounters  when  applicable
  but  in  the  order  they  are  presented.
  14)  Arriving  at  the  island
  The  leagues  stretch  on,  and  on,  as  if  your  vessel
  is  held  in  place  by  some  unnatural  force,  or  the
  sands  of  time  are  so  soaked  with  blood  that  they
  have  choked  in  the  neck  of  the  hourglass.  Finally
  the  island  reveals  itself  at  twilight.  A  relatively
  large  island  of  light  palm  trees,  it  is  difficult  to
  understand  how  it  has  gone  undiscovered.  There
  are  many  small  pirate  camps  visible  on  the  coast,
  some  burning,  some  newly  erected.
  The  island  is  currently  at  war  with  itself,  as
  pirates  are  fighting  corsairs  for  control  of  the  entire
  island—the  Christians  want  to  choke  off  this  island
  as  a  staging  point  for  Muslim  raids  on  European
  cities.  To  enter  the  island  anywhere  requires  one  to
  make  a  Stealth  Check  lest  he  be  noticed  by  either
  Christians  or  corsairs.  Roll  a  single  dice,  and  if  the
  result  is  ‘1-6’,  that  is  how  many  foes  they  meet,
  be  they  English  Pirates  or  Ottoman  Corsairs.  If  the
  result  is  ‘7’  or  higher,  they  encounter  those  who
  would  be  friendly  to  them,  but  must  still  explain
  why  they  were  sneaking  in,  a  successful  Charisma
  Check  thus  required  for  each  individual,  lest  they
  have  to  fight  these  men  all  the  same.
  15)  Searching  through  Hell
  As  night  deepens  around  the  island,  blazing  fires
  from  burning  camps  and  ships  appear,  like  gates
  into  Hell.  The  distant  screams  and  war-cries  are
  mingled  with  the  unnatural  cawing  of  birds.  The
  very  demons  of  Dante’s  pit  could  escape  through
  here  and  go  unnoticed  by  man  and  beast  alike.
  A  Searching  Check  must  be  made  to  find  the
  next  whereabouts  of  Murdarat  Rais,  who  is  at  the
  island’s  only  watering  hole,  where  all  the  rivers
  running  downhill  converge.  This  Searching  Check
  is  to  be  made  until  successful.  However,  each  time
  it  fails,  the  party  will  come  across  1-12  enemies,
  be  they  Ottoman  Corsairs  or  English  Pirates.
  16)  The  fate  of  Murdarat  Rais
  Towards  the  west  end  of  the  island,  several  low
  waterfalls  spill  into  a  freshwater  lagoon.  Its  dark
  surface  mirrors  the  moonlight  so  that  the  falls  all
  around  appear  as  quicksilver.  The  high  cliffs  are
  sundered  in  on  place,  which  is  filled  with  the
  crooked  streets  and  shanties  of  a  sizable  pirate
  village.  The  flickering  lanterns  cast  a  supernatural
  glow  about  the  dozens  of  men  whose  silhouettes
  move  behind  the  windows.  Yet  most  of  them  are
  coming  outside,  gathering  around  a  commanding
  man  who  is  barking  orders  in  Arabic.  He  wears
  a  large  turban  inset  with  amazing  jewels.
  The  man  is  Murdarat  Rais  himself,  a  Turkish
  Sailor  of  6th Level  and  90  Notoriety,  DS  16,  G  11,
  MOVE  160’,  and  he  uses  a  saber  at  +5  skill.  To
  attack  him  is  to  also  engage  all  42  Pirates  here
  (all  of  1st  Level),  but  Murdarat  will  remain  rather
  than  flee,  and  fight  when  his  men  are  down  to  10
  or  less  in  number.  If  not  attacked  and  instead  he
  is  challenged  to  a  duel,  a  Charisma  Check  can  get
  Murdarat  to  accept,  this  roll  gaining  a  +4  bonus  if
  the  challenge  includes  in  any  way  ‘being  for  God’.
  However,  if  the  Check  fails  or  anyone  interferes
  with  the  duel,  all  of  his  men  will  attack  as  before.
  17)  Daughter  of  destiny
  You  are  approached  by  an  aloof  woman,  beauty
  embodied  in  youth,  and  seemingly  without  care
  of  the  carnage  around  her,  as  if  she  is  somehow
  invulnerable  to  it.  She  introduces  herself  as  the
  Sultan’s  daughter,  Sheralinna,  and  asks  for  your
  assistance  in  ‘the  rise  of  a  new  kingdom’.
  If  Sheralinna  was  killed  in  Adventure  #1,  that
  woman  will  have  been  an  impostor,  a  decoy.  The
  real  Sultan’s  daughter  stands  before  the  party  now.
  She  will  need  their  help  at  least,  and  the  Conch  of
  the  Siren  if  they  posses  it.  If  they  do  not,  she  will
  have  attained  this  treasure  by  simply  hiring  others
  to  do  the  deeds  of  Adventure  #2.  She  will  ask  for
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  26
  the  party,  whom  has  ‘proven  their  power’,  to  assist
  her  in  uncovering  a  lost  kingdom  nearby,  and  thus
  ‘share  in  the  glory’.  If  they  refuse,  150  Ottoman
  guards  will  come  from  the  surrounding  buildings  at
  her  call  and  capture  them,  the  price  of  freedom  to
  be,  as  Sheralinna  sets  it,  100  gold  for  every  week
  of  the  Greek  year,  thus  5200  gold  apiece.  Those
  who  agree  to  help,  however,  will  move  on  to  the
  next  Part  of  this  Adventure . . .
  PART  4:  TUNNEL  OF  TRIAL:   Sheralinna  will
  lead  the  party  to  a  cave  nearby.  Inside,  they  will
  face  three  perils  before  reaching  the  next  Part  of
  the  Adventure.  Use  the  following  Encounters  one
  and  all  and  in  the  order  they  are  presented.
  The  Sultan’s  daughter:  Sheralinna  will  wait  behind,
  and  then  follow  the  Character  who  solves  each
  Encounter’s  challenge  once  he  is  safely  past.  She
  will  pay  1000  philips  for  his  discovery.  All  those
  killed  by  a  trap  receive  500  philips  for  their  effort,
  given  to  their  respective  party’s  leader  for  division
  later,  according  to  their  own  articles.
  Vision  and  light:  The descriptions  of  the  following
  Encounters  are  written  with  the  assumption  that  the
  party  is  finding  their  way  by  torchlight.  If  they  are
  using  any  other  light  source,  read  the  boxed  texts
  differently  in  order  to  compensate.  For  example,
  “Your  flickering  torchlight . . .”  could  be  read  as
  “Your  glowing  lanternlight . . .”
  18)  The  first  trap
  Thick  moss  dangles  from  the  cavernous  ceiling.
  The  smooth-masoned  walls  reflect  a  kingdom  lost
  thousands  of  years  ago,  but  whose  beauty  of  art
  and  stone  even  the  filth  of  Hell  could  not  bury.
  It  is  as  if  the  ancients  defy  death  itself,  as  their
  graven  faces  look  back  at  you  through  centuries
  of  crusted  mud.  Finally,  your  flickering  torchlight
  is  subdued  by  a  shaft  of  moonlight  beaming  in
  through  a  small  hole  in  the  ceiling.  Just  beside  it
  on  the  wall  are  some  letters.
  The  shaft  of  moonlight  lands  upon  a  pressure-
  plate,  so  anyone  reading  the  writing  will  activate
  this  trap.  Those  passing  by  stand  a  5  in  12  chance
  as  well,  increased  by  the  difference  of  their  Luck
  Score  and  13.  Once  tripped,  sections  of  the  wall
  will  smash  together  with  spikes  hidden  by  the  filth,
  hitting  everyone  10’ ahead  and  behind  for  a  Base
  Damage  of  8.  The  writing  is  in  Greek.  Translated,
  it  reads  ‘Calculate  the  name  of  God’.  If  none  can
  read  such  writing,  it  is  provided  as  Handout  12.
  19)  The  second  trap
  The  dank  hall  comes  to  a  pit.  Running  wall-to-
  wall,  it  is  a  good  twenty  feet  across.  Fixed  into
  the  floor  is  a  rusted  grappling  hook,  to  which  is
  tied  an  old  rope,  gray  with  age,  leading  down.
  In  the  depths  of  the  darkness  is  utter  silence.
  The  pit  is  60’ deep.  30’ down,  the  rope  lashes
  the  ankle  of  a  skeleton,  held  together  by  its  rotten
  clothes,  so  it  is  more  like  a  bag  of  jumbled  bones.
  Inside  it,  amongst  rusted  weapons,  is  a  parchment,
  provided  as  Handout  13.  On  the  far  side  of  the  pit
  is  a  tripwire  which  activates  another  pit  of  equal
  dimensions,  leaving  but  a  5’ space  between  them.
  At  the  bottom  of  the  pit  is  a  door  that  cannot
  be  opened  or  broken,  with  a  tiny  hole  in  it.  There
  is  a  bucket  on  the  other  side.  If  exactly  666  are
  placed  in  it,  the  door  will  open.  Any  more  or  less
  will,  after  3  Rounds,  cause  the  bottom  of  the  pit
  to  open  above  yet  another  pit  of  equal  depth!  The
  door  leads  on  to  the  next  Part  of  this  tale.
  20)  The  third  trap
  The  hall  ends  before  a  brick  wall.  There  is  a  tall
  door  in  it,  but  the  unstable  masonry  clearly  will
  collapse  if  the  door  that  supports  it  all  moves.
  A  search  of  this  area  might  discover  of  Greek
  writing  graven  into  the  wall,  buried  by  a  thousand
  years  of  moss  and  more.  Translated,  it  reads  thus:
  ‘Hebrew  Nero  Ceaser  666,  Gaios  Kaiser  616,  Lord
  Jahova  777’.  If  none  can  read  this  writing,  it  is
  reproduced  as  Handout  14.  If  this  door  is  opened,
  it  will  indeed  cause  a  cave-in,  and  everyone  must
  immediately  make  an  Agility  Check  to  leave  or  get
  buried  alive.  Going  back  gains  a  +1  bonus  to  the
  roll.  Going  forward  suffers  a  -2  penalty,  but  will
  indeed  lead  to  the  next  Part  of  the  tale . . .
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  27
  PART  5:  THE  KINGDOM  RISES:   Sheralinna,
  daughter  of  a  Sultan,  is  truly  the  heir  of  a  greater
  kingdom,  a  lost  one.  Now  back  in  her  throne  room
  she  will  blow  the  Conch  and  this  lost  world  will
  begin  to  awaken.  Use  the  following  Encounters  one
  and  all  and  in  the  order  they  are  presented.
  21)  Voice  of  the  Conch
  The  echo  of  the  Conch  resounds  throughout  the
  darkness . . . like  waves  on  the  beach,  the  layered
  sounds  seem  to  creep  forward  from  around  rather
  than  rippling  outward,  and  the  rising  tide  of  this
  echo  illuminates  bit  by  bit  the  great  throne  room
  of  an  ancient  kingdom,  and  its  people.  For  as  all
  the  pillars,  statues  and  arches  appear,  so  does  an
  endless  horde  of  spectral  sailors,  surrounding  you.
  Like  the  hall  itself,  with  each  breath  you  make,
  these  ghosts  gain  a  little  more  substance,  as  their
  shades  begin  to  glow  from  within,  and  then  their
  bones  begin  to  solidify.
  Indeed,  the  Conch  illuminated  the  chamber  and
  its  people,  but  it  is  the  party’s  breathing  that  gives
  them  form.  Sheralinna  will  explain  that  these  were
  all  sailors  drowned  by  Poseidon,  the  patron  god  of
  the  sea.  She  will  go  on  to  explain  that  the  magic
  of  the  Conch  is  different  for  her  because  she  is
  the  rightful  Queen  of  this  kingdom,  bowing  neither
  to  Allah  or  Jahova.  Furthermore,  the  Characters  all
  must  make  a  choice:  Renounce  current  false  faith
  and  swear  their  souls  to  her,  or  be  banished  from
  her  kingdom.  To  agree  not  only  carries  with  it  the
  normal  modifiers  for  denouncing  one’s  religion,  but
  full  healing  of  all  ills.  However,  to  refuse  is  to  be
  attacked  by  1-4  Ghost  Skeletons  endlessly—just  as
  one  falls,  another  will  take  its  place,  maintaining
  the  number  rolled  until  the  ‘traitor’  either  flees  or
  pledges  himself  to  Sheralinna.
  22)  Secrets  of  the  Conch
  The  hall  continues  to  clean  itself,  echoing  every
  breath  of  its  queen.  The  cavern  rock  melts  away
  as  if  it  were  a  choral  with  time  being  hastened
  backwards,  revealing  marble  walls  just  beneath  it.
  On  one  wall  you  see  a  great  amount  of  writing,
  and  though  you  know  it  not,  you  can  read  it.
  The  writing  is  translated  on  Handout  15.  The
  Characters  can  read  it  because  of  the  great  powers
  that  are  awakening  right  now.  However,  to  read  it
  also  binds  one  to  Sheralinna  as  if  he  accepted  her
  offer  in  Encounter  21.
  23)  Challenge  of  the  Conch
  From  the  Conch  begins  to  rise  a  sparkling,  azure
  mist.  Soon  it  takes  the  form  of  a  whirlwind,  its
  heights  forming  the  upper  half  of  a  brutish  man
  with  blue  skin.  A  long  braid  of  black  hair  and  a
  pair  of  glowing  eyes  harken  to  magic  thought  to
  be  mere  myth.  He  glares  down  at  you  all.  “Who
  among  you  is  worthy  to  be  Queen’s  Champion?”
  it  asks  in  a  hollow  voice,  like  the  tempest.
  This  is  a  Djinn.  His  statistics  always  equal  the
  highest  scores  amongst  all  those  who  confront  him.
  Servant  to  Queen  Sheralinna,  he  will  be  operating
  at  her  subtle  suggestion.  Indeed,  he  is  offering  the
  Characters  the  right  to  compete  to  be  her  champion
  and  lover  (whether  they  are  male  or  female—she  is
  of  the  ancient  world),  so  all  those  who  say  they
  are  worthy  will  be  forced  to  fight,  but  not  to  the
  death,  as  ‘wounds’  should  be  taken  as  fatigue  only
  and  ‘death’  as  a  knockout.  Those  who  refuse  to  do
  this  will  have  to  fight  the  Djinn  for  real,  who  will
  remain  invulnerable  to  all  those  who  are  waiting  to
  compete  for  championship.
  24)  Hunger  of  the  Conch
  The  echoes  of  the  Conch  finally  fade  and  silence
  fills  the  throne  room,  which  now  appears  clean,
  glistening  as  if  new,  illuminated  fully  by  lights
  of  another  world.  The  Conch,  however,  seems  to
  be  filled  with  darkness,  as  either  end  of  it  has  a
  sable  sheen,  and  no  light  reflects  in  its  smooth
  lining  as  once  it  did.  The  Queen  too,  she  has
  changed,  appearing  now  as  cadaverous  as  all  her
  sailor-subjects.  She  is  aging  further  as  you  watch.
  She  mumbles,  slowly,  as  if  fearing  that  her  jaw
  may  dislodge  by  speaking  too  quickly.  You  can
  discern  that  she  is  returning  to  the  age  she  was
  when  her  kingdom  fell,  thousands  of  years  ago,
  and  that  she  is  desiring  food  and  drink.  She  and
  her  subjects  seem  to  be  waiting  for  something . . .
  
  WHERE   THE   GODS   ARE   BURIED
  28
  The  Queen  Sheralinna  is  invulnerable  so  long
  as  the  Conch  exists.  The  Conch  itself  will  after  2
  Rounds  create  a  whirlpool  effect  throughout  the  air,
  drawing  all  living  creatures  into  it.  Each  Round,  all
  Characters  must  make  a  Saving  Throw  at  6  or  one
  of  them  will  be  sucked  into  the  Conch.  The  victim
  will  be,  in  order  of  priority,  the  youngest  in  years,
  then  the  one  with  the  highest  total  Ability  Scores.
  Each  Round  a  victim  is  sucked  into  the  Conch,  the
  Queen  will  put  her  lips  to  it  and  draw  the  lost  life
  into  her  body.  Yet  she  needs  to  so  drink  in  1500
  total  years  of  vitality,  and  each  life  she  takes  will
  only  have  the  difference  of  100  and  their  current
  age.  If  one  was  deemed  to  be  Queen’s  Champion
  in  Encounter  23  he  will  be  immune  to  the  Conch’s
  hunger  but  unable  to  hinder  the  Queen  herself,  and
  when  she  is  finally  attacked,  he  will  be  compelled
  to  defend  her  and  the  Conch  at  all  costs.  During
  this  same  battle,  1-12  Ghost  Skeletons  will  attack
  each  individual  assaulting  their  queen.  Once  anyone
  destroys  the  Conch,  all  the  spirits  will  vanish,  and
  the  Queen’s  Champion  will  be  free  once  more.
  CONCLUDING  THE  ADVENTURE:   Once  the
  party  has  left  the  bloody  waters  around  Vyrallex
  Ninn  behind,  there  are  some  things  to  consider.
  The  ancient  kingdom  returns:  If  the  party  did  not
  destroy  the  Conch,  then  Queen  Sheralinna  will  in
  time  regain  her  full  life,  but  this  will  take  several
  hundred  years.  Indeed,  she  cannot  leave  her  throne
  room  and  only  by  wayward  adventurers  wandering
  into  her  presence  can  she  gain  more  life  towards
  her  required  1500  years.  You  may  use  this  island’s
  ancient  peril  for  the  basis  of  other  adventures,  but
  there  is  little  the  Queen  herself  can  do.
  The  remains  of  the  Conch:  The  shards  of  the  once
  magical  Conch  will  be  worth  a  good  4200  gold  to
  any  eccentric  aristocrat  in  European  ruled  towns.
  The  remains  of  the  Queen:  The  ashes  of  the  once
  immortal  Queen  Sheralinna,  if  collected  and  kept  in
  some  manner  that  preserves  them,  will  prove  over
  time  to  have  some  power  still.  Indeed,  they  will  be
  responsible  for  all  Prayer  Rolls  gaining  a  +1  bonus
  as  long  as  they  are  in  one’s  possession,  no  matter
  their  amount  (so  everyone  can  have  a  pouch  thus).
  Return  of  the  queen:  In  order  to  close  this  story,
  be  it  one  Adventure,  or  two  or  all  three,  you  may
  wish  to  read  the  following  narrative.  Play  it  like  a
  true  Encounter,  getting  the  Players  anxious,  ready
  for  a  confrontation,  and  then,  as  this  tale  itself  will
  say,  nothing  happens.  When  reading  this  narrative,
  replace  ‘CHARACTER’  with  the  name  of  the  one
  who,  in  order  of  priority,  was  the  one  who  brought
  and  end  to  the  Conch,  was  the  Queen’s  Champion,
  is  the  current  ship’s  captain,  and  has  the  highest
  total  Notoriety  Points.
  The  emerald-green  waves  of  the  ancient  seas  are
  sparkling  under  the  heavens.  Shafts  of  sunlight
  pierce  the  depths  like  swords,  but  are  blunted  by
  the  darkness  therein,  perhaps  by  unseen  guardians
  of  lost  ancient  cities.  You  can  only  look  into  the
  depths  of  the  sea,  its  surface  almost  as  calm  as
  a  mirror,  and  wonder  what  worlds  yet  lie  where
  only  fear  and  fantasy  can  make  venture,  your
  nightmares  and  dreams  alone  able  to  explore  the
  worlds  lost  to  legend.
  Stormclouds  darken  the  horizon.  Imagination,
  that  most  double-edged  sword,  is  dueling  with  a
  twilight  that  might  bring  peace  or  war,  angel  or
  devil—the  clouds  seem  to  taking  the  shape  of  a
  person,  looking  down  on  you  like  a  queen,  or  a
  goddess.  Then,  the  image  is  no  more.  Fleeting  to
  memory  and  fear  alike,  it  passes,  blown  away  by
  a  gentle  night  breeze.
  The  last  rays  of  sunlight  set  fire  to  the  seas
  beneath  you,  but  only  with  reflections  of  flames
  in  a  world  that  is  lost.  As  night  settles  over  the
  Mediterranean,  the  waters  become  like  a  mirror,
  wherein  the  fires  still  burn,  reflections  of  starlight
  blazing  white  upon  the  dream-like  images  of  long
  sunken  temples.  As  the  moon  takes  its  throne,
  you  can  only  wonder,  truly,  what  kingdoms  still
  lie  drowned  beneath  the  waves,  ready  to  rise  and
  challenge  all  gods  and  their  followers  who  walk
  the  world  that  once  they  ruled.
  
  HANDOUT 1
  e the undersigned are men and women without a country, king or queen.
  Outcasts in our homelands we are proudly outcasts in all others. We are bound by
  faith rather than government, by piety, not policy. Therefore we do by the blessed
  skill of our own letters and not those of any Latin church make our agreement in
  ink and blood with one another, solely. We the undersigned agree to the provision
  first and foremost to be bound to these Articles of Agreement the same as a pledge
  to one’s own vision of the Almighty. Therefore we the undersigned are also bound
  to the following provisions one and all:
  1. All wealth in the form of monies, philips, jewels, jewelry, slaves and tradegoods
  shall be bound in a common fund. From this fund shall primarily be taken the
  money necessary to fit, rig, repair and stock the ship. All that remains thereafter
  shall be divided in the day of Yule, December the 25th, each year, equally among
  all crewmembers present. Division to be carried out in full view by the present
  Aga, Kayia, or Quartermaster.
  2. Those wounded in battle shall receive compensation as follows: For the loss of a
  right arm 500 philips. Left arm 400. Either leg 300.
  3. Any individual found concealing money or failing to place it forthwith in the
  common fund shall be given a choice of ten and a hundred lashings or marooning.
  This choice must be made by sunrise following discovery of the crime.
  4. Any individual who frees slaves or prisoners is to receive the punishment of
  marooning by the sundown following the discovery of the crime, on the first island
  found to be otherwise uninhabited prior to that time chosen by the heavens.
  5. Any individual who flees battle is subject to forfeiture of all moneys gained by
  virtue of the conflict, plus the removal of a hand, foot or limb. Loss to be chosen by
  the individual most wounded in the battle who did not flee.
  6. Any individual found drunk on duty shall receive 40 lashings.
  7. Any individual found stealing food or water shall receive 30 lashings.
  W
  
  HANDOUT 2
  Your Excellency,
  May your office remain blessed
  until such time as it is knighted
  for victory and peace. To placate
  fate and in this stead of time, a
  Sultan’s daughter, Sheralinna,
  jewel of the Ottoman Empire, is
  pleased to present you with 100
  gold for each week of the Greek
  calendar year.
  If it pleases you, may this gift
  be taken as a gesture of peace in
  these troubled times.
  Lord Alfred Dynn,
  August 23rd
  
  HANDOUT 3
  He who was
  of the three
  is master of
  the
  
  HANDOUT 4
  
  HANDOUT 5
  Only
  falcons
  can fly
  false knights
  to such
  foolish
  ends
  Seek
  the blood
  that is only half
  dead on the isle
  where the king
  is only half
  human
  Seek
  the dates
  that can in
  truth never be
  recorded true
  40-14
  20-5
  
  HANDOUT 6
  The Englishman with the rich blood
  was seeking his ancestral trove there
  Menzer always jokes about his appetite
  being a bottomless stomach or a shoe
  for some reason when tales are told of
  the false Falcon Knights.
  Sir Willem could not map the temple.
  He alone survived of ten men. His tales
  of shifting passages and stairs that lead
  to the “Devil’s Grail” only enrich the ale
  of Salty Mann’s old taverne. Folk back
  then never tired of listening to the fool.
  Dead men tell no tales . . .
  
  HANDOUT 7
  The Conch, seek you
  of the Siren’s lost song
  It lies in the deep
  where ancient gods sleep
  Where earthly compass
  can only read wrong
  The key, the dead
  of the earth hold it near
  It opens the keep
  where our queen’s voice sleeps
  Her kingdom lost
  in this world of fear
  From old, we came
  from the ancient land drowned
  We read by the stars
  in lands near and far
  Poseidon he ruled
  by Orion’s crown
  The tide, that by the stars
  lands and seas change
  The crown it is lost
  The belt was the cost
  Choking our queen
  until all lands seemed strange
  Yet we remember
  the secrets drowned deep
  We wait for the queen
  to come back from sleep
  
  HANDOUT 8
  
  HANDOUT 9
  
  HANDOUT 10
  The eyes of angels are within the innocent eyes of living
  children. God’s truth is in the games that they play. For
  their matching wits with numerals intrigues me. The very
  children are a match for both the Greek and the Hebrew
  attempts to keep truth to themselves within the labyrinth
  of writing. The children need not read. They can all well
  count. They are sly little devils. Even John knew of the
  hidden wisdom of these hidden angels. Or are they devils
  indeed? John’s Book plays this game with the Empire’s
  greatest leaders who all fancy themselves almighty. Truth:
  “Let him who has understanding calculate the number of
  the Beast, for it is a man’s number” he tells us. Is it
  then the Emperor of John’s time? My apprentice believes
  it can be only two of the seven Emperors who lived with
  rule over John. May it then be it the one called by so
  much fanfare “Gaios Kaiser” whose idolatry burned away
  all fear from his heart of erecting a statue of himself on
  the Temple Mount? He shall thus for all time have his
  name recorded as its equal in numbers the same as any
  gold he or his men collect; 616. Yet may “Nero Ceaser”
  not be the Beast? His name can be counted to 666, that
  of a number which more fearful slaves avoid at all costs.
  My apprentice feels there is more than just simple game
  rules of Three To Be “C” by children and their singing.
  He feels the Scriptures conceal treasures and bury what
  cannot otherwise be buried or even slain and so be given
  to earth, the ancient kingdoms of the sleeping gods. Truth
  if be prophecy, then under the floors of the older of the
  
  HANDOUT 11
  TOMB OF
  THOSE WHO WOULD
  ENTER FIRST LEAVE
  A PROPER DONATION
  OF GILDED RESPECT
  Prince
  ABBA
  
  HANDOUT 12
  
  HANDOUT 13
  The fells
  Wires cut Jun 6,
  Chester Coppertooth
  The writing translates:
  By God! By God! The Scripture of
  Revelations has not failed us.
  Blessed be poor torchbearer Arkus!
  ‘
  ’
  Calculate the name of God
  Tripwires, one disarmed, two found.
  Down to last torch. Securing rope.
  
  HANDOUT 14
  
  HANDOUT 15
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pirates/Pirates M1 Pirates of the Lost Kingdom {NDG2301}.pdf