TEXT: Chris T. Dias • Conan VeiTCh
  
  1
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  written by James Wyatt; and MONSTER MANUAL, written by Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert and James Wyatt © 2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights 
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  Visit us online at www.goodman-games.com and www.diasexmachina.com
  Originally released for Free RPG Day 2009. For more information on Free RPG Day, visit www.freerpgday.com
  Heart¡ of Chao¡
  An Amethyst Free Adventure
  Lead Writer: Chris T. Dias
  Contributing Writer: Conan Veitch
  Playtesters: Schuyler Den Dulk, Chris Dias, Cameron Lauder, Conan Veitch
  Cover Art and Interior Art: Nick Greenwood
  Cartography: Jeremy Simmons
  Editing: Elizabeth Bauman
  
  2
  WHAT IS AMETHYST?
  Coming to stores in September from Goodman Games, 
  Amethyst is a Role Playing Game that postulates 
  what would occur if a true-to-book fantasy setting 
  was forced upon our real world. How would humanity 
  truly respond? This is not some stylized, fanciful view 
  of Earth seen in books and on TV. It is a world with all 
  the problems, both social and political, intact. Would 
  we welcome the world of fantasy into our lives or would 
  we fear its very presence? This future spreads from the 
  world we know—a world where books and movies writ-
  ten about fantasy existed. It forced many to question 
  the familiarities of the world around with the fictional 
  tomes of old including famous works from legendary 
  authors. How would major religions respond given such 
  massive doubts to their dogma? 
   On top of this dilemma, magic breaks down many of the 
  normal rules of science that technology requires to oper-
  ate. Chaos inspires creation and, although this influence 
  won’t destroy life, it does retard the progress of civiliza-
  tion, preventing technology from operating beyond simple 
  mechanisms like windmills and bicycles. Where magic is 
  prohibited, normality returns and evolution and techno-
  logical advancement can continue.
   The remains of old man live in cities, many like ones 
  of present day, but walled in against the encroaching 
  magic around it. Here, they have their cars, their central 
  heating, and their televisions. Outside, the fantasy world 
  may be wondrous, but it is also real. People die from the 
  simplest calamities. Despicable rodents with weapons 
  and wicked brains prey on the innocent and unarmed.
   Will mankind be able to retake the planet and push 
  the fantasy back into the realms of our imagination, able 
  to resume our bind passion for consumerism and indus-
  trialization? Is this world better than the one mankind 
  squandered?  
   The fantasy carries its own mythology suggesting 
  that there are two realms of magic: one dark, the other 
  light. The source of this energy originates from two 
  powerful gates, the white star of Attricana and black 
  gate of Ixindar. The main axis between evil and good is 
  not one where the law-abiding, civilized nations of good 
  battle against the destructive force of chaos, but where 
  the chaotic tendencies of life clash with the controlled 
  and methodical might of syntropy. The conflict – at its 
  root – sets anarchy against order, uniformity against 
  unpredictability. Where life needs a level of uncertainty 
  to blossom, homogeny breeds only death. The fantasy 
  world is not some singular entity, but a complicated 
  multi-layered world of warring nations, political strife, 
  and monsters smart and powerful, as well as dumb and 
  many.
   This module introduces players to several, but not all, 
  of the concepts of Amethyst. There are five (5) pre-gen-
  
  3
  erated characters available online, each representing a 
  specific build of a specific class. The full classes are avail-
  able in the Amethyst: Foundation sourcebook. These 
  are all techan classes—characters that represent the side 
  of science. This is in contrast to the world of magic, of 
  echa. This is only one path and the book contains several 
  options for fantasy characters, as well. This module is 
  designed for the classes included, but a DM may modify 
  the setting and story to fit any group. Unlike most 
  modules released for Amethyst, this adventure is skewed 
  towards a techan party. 
  ADVENTURE SUMMARY
  The characters are a small cell of a large international 
  mercenary company, the Iron Sons. They have been 
  handed a critical mission: A former Iron Sons colonel, 
  Montgomery Cross, has gone rogue and vanished in the 
  deep wilderness. He has information on cell locations 
  and strengths, but—more importantly—the face of the 
  Iron Sons highest ranking officer, General Chauk—a 
  man with bounties for his arrest. Chauk believes this 
  colonel to be a severe security risk, regardless of the 
  state of his sanity. The characters are tasked with ventur-
  ing into a no-man’s land where few humans have been, 
  finding this colonel, and killing him. 
   This journey takes the group deep into fantasy, where 
  they encounter various fae monsters, suffer a vehicle 
  breakdown, and fall under a pagus attack (a corrupted 
  race of fae and loyal soldiers of darkness). Eventually, 
  they rescue some chaparrans from attacking pagus and 
  the survivors reveal they are under protection by the 
  Colonel. 
   Cross is not a danger to himself or others. He has 
  turned over to the side of fantasy, given up his old life, 
  and wishes to remain with the chaparrans. He has 
  become their leader, taking control of the military op-
  erations against the pagus. The pagus, a rarity in Canam, 
  have braved a water crossing in primitive boats on the 
  pressure from their god, the death dragon, Reaper. The 
  dragon is closing in on the village and will surely kill 
  anything it sees. The characters realize that, even though 
  Cross has become a bit of an anarchist, he is not evil—
  nor is he a threat. They must choose to kill him, surely 
  dooming the village to the hands of darkness, or leave 
  him alive, and risk castigation from their own command-
  er. Alas, by the end of the adventure, their vehicle will be 
  permanently disabled, stranding the characters alone in 
  the echan wilderness, regardless of their decision.
  EXPAND THIS MODULE
  Want a greater challenge? Want to draw out the drama. 
  Go to www.diasexmachina.com or  
  www.goodmangames.com and download the FreeRPG 
  Supplement module for free. The supplement includes 
  the five pre-generated characters, as well as an expanded 
  Encounter table with more events to lengthen the char-
  acters’ stay in fantasy.
  Area 1:  The scrambler is moving through the forest 
  path when a swarm of puggs and their skegg drivers at-
  tack. The characters must rely on their area effects and 
  mobility to avoid being overrun. 
  Area 2: As the scrambler enters a dense forest, the 
  vehicle disrupts.  The characters must figure out what’s 
  causing the malfunction as a very loud roar is heard, fol-
  lowed by heavy footfalls in the distance.  That is a battle 
  they must avoid as it is a chiggoth, a level 25 encounter! 
  Area 3: The group is still in the dense forest when they 
  are attacked by raid of pagus.  As the battle concludes, 
  the chaparran kitarris (an elite order of elvish archers) 
  arrive to lead the characters to Cross.  
  ENCOUNTER TABLE
  Location 
  Page 
  Type 
  Encounter 
  EL 
  Area 1 (Forest Map) 
  8 
  C 
  48 puggs 
  6  
   
   
   
  3 skegg drivers 
  Area 2 (No Map) 
  9 
  P 
  Vehicle Disruption 
  5 
  Area 3 (Forest Map) 
  11 
  C 
  4 pagus 
  6 
  Area Finale (optional) 
  12 
  C 
  Montgomery Cross  
  6  
   (Village Map) 
   
   
  15 chaparran ktarris 
  Area Finale (Village Map) 
  15 
  C 
  Reaper the death dragon 
  8  
   
   
   
  8 risen pagus 
  
  4
  Area Finale: Cross’s Leviathan has been turned into 
  a Keep.  The map features a small house and the sur-
  rounding farmlands leading to the forest beyond.  If 
  the characters kill Cross, the kitarri will attack.  If 
  Cross convinces the characters to hold their orders, 
  he and the chaparrans will help the characters fend off 
  the death dragon Reaper in its assault.  Reaper and his 
  pagus have crossed the canal with a small army and are 
  moving inland.  This village has been the only defense 
  against the rest of the land.  If the characters follow 
  orders, they will face Reaper alone.  If the characters 
  kill Cross after the dragon encounter, the kitarri will 
  still attack. 
  THE SET-UP
  The player group is a five-man lance—the standard 
  outfit—and have known each other for many months 
  (and five levels), but have been operating the relatively 
  safe zone outside the bastion of York. There have been 
  no major attacks on the city in years and the group has 
  not traveled out of view of the bastion their entire lives. 
  When the adventure begins, the characters already have 
  their mission and are several days away from any sign of 
  technology. So far, there has been no incident.
   
  If there are four players, it is recommended that Elias 
  Hannover be an NPC and remain with the vehicle, 
  avoiding actual combat and offering his mechanical 
  skills as necessary. The other option (which is preferred) 
  is to have one player take on dual responsibility. 
  THE VEHICLE
  The scrambler is a standard echan terrain transport 
  (ETV) characters around this level might be able to 
  acquire. An ETV is a massive, durable all-terrain vehicle 
  which is shielded from outside magical disruption. Unlike 
  the ones in the rulebook, this one is strictly a plot point. 
  It moves at the speed of the story, suffers from acts of god 
  on cue, and is indestructible until you decide it is not. 
  
  5
   
  This vehicle is a fragile and precious piece of tech-
  nology and should avoid combat whenever possible. 
  It should not be used as cover or as a weapon. It is 
  their lifeline and if it is lost, they are stranded. This 
  luxury should not be taken lightly. If the characters 
  squander this resource, putting it in harm’s way often, 
  don’t be afraid of destroying it completely, increasing 
  the group’s solitude. To do this, the vehicle shudders 
  to a stop, as gears and pistons fuse together or break. 
  Perhaps an axle breaks or the electrical system fries. 
  Regardless of its path, it is destroyed by the end of 
  the adventure.
   
  The vehicle has side entry points and a rear load-
  ing ramp, but no top hatch. It has significant ground 
  clearance and enough torque to drive up a 60 degree 
  incline. If used during an encounter, it only has an ac-
  celeration of 2 square per round (increasing by 1 square 
  every round thereafter). If the vehicle manages to build 
  up enough speed, any creature caught in the path is 
  attacked with a +10 vs. Reflex or suffer 1d6 damage per 2 
  squares of movement the vehicle had accrued (e.g.: The 
  vehicle builds up acceleration for three rounds, that’s 
  speed 6, or 6d6). After ramming, the vehicle looses 2 
  squares of movement for every target it hit. It cannot 
  build up a speed higher than 10.
  GM PREPARATION
  NEW RULES
  Although Amethyst is a GSL compliant campaign, it 
  does offer new rules players must be made aware of:
   
  Akimbo: The akimbo feat is designed for those 
  characters wielding two weapons simultaneously. If you 
  use the same ammunition with your secondary weapon 
  as your primary weapon, you add +1 damage.
   
  Automatic Weapons & Ammunition: An attack 
  power with the auto keyword requires the use of a 
  weapon with the auto property. An auto weapon can 
  still be used with other powers. When using an auto 
  weapon, you may fire one shot with any ranged attack 
  power that does not have the auto property. A weapon 
  with an auto property utilizing a power with the auto 
  keyword uses 10 rounds of ammunition. You also use 
  additional ammunition through a sustain effect, but not 
  with ongoing damage. 
   
  Burst Fire Feat: If you use this feat while wilding an 
  auto weapon you use 3 more shots for every attack and 
  add +1 damage per hit (three additional rounds of am-
  munition are used every time you add this damage). It 
  can be used with normal powers and auto powers.
   
  Reloading Weapons: All weapons are manual or clip-
  loading. Though these clips may be energy cells, they ne-
  cessitate the same time to reload. Reloading one techan 
  weapon of any type requires a move action. Reloading 
  does not provoke an opportunity attack.  
   
   
  Small Arms, One Handed: One-handed small arms 
  (pistols) do not grant opportunity attacks if fired. 
   
  Small Arms-Two Handed: Two-handed small arms 
  (rifles) grant opportunity attacks to adjacent squares if 
  fired. If you do anything but shift on your move action, 
  you suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls with two-handed 
  small arms when fired on that same round.
   
  Switching Weapons: Although drawing a weapon is a 
  minor action, switching weapons without dropping one 
  requires two minor actions (one to return—or sheath a 
  weapon--the other to draw the second). Although this 
  would never be an issue with fantasy characters, techan 
  characters may often switch weapons several times 
  through an encounter. 
   
  Tech Level (TL): The Tech Level is applied to dam-
  age rolls and attack rolls as an enhancement bonus. 
  These bonuses have been added into the powers of the 
  pre-generated techan characters
  ECHAN DISRUPTION FIELD (EDF)
  Magic retards the progression of technology. It breaks 
  down lubrications. It jams gears and shorts out elec-
  tronics. It overloads batteries. Almost all of humanity’s 
  technology, postindustrial age, is vulnerable. The more 
  advanced the technology, the more susceptible it is. 
   
  The effects of magic against technology became 
  referred to as the EDF or Echan Disruption Field 
  (although sometimes referred to as the Enchanted Dis-
  ruption Field). The low level EDF saturating the entire 
  world prevents communication between the bastions 
  and limits the lifespan of batteries, preventing most 
  travelers from even reaching any significant distance 
  away from their home. 
   
  How Does a Disruption Event Happen? EDF rolls 
  occur at the end of the initiative order. The DM makes 
  a single D20 roll to check if an item is disrupted and 
  which technology is affected. 
  
  6
  Village Map
  forest Map
  riVer Map (downloadable content)
  
  7
   Modified edf 
   
  d20 roll 
  result
   
  0 or lower* 
  Tech Levels 0 and up affected.
   
  1 
  Tech Levels 1 and up affected.
   
  2 
  Tech Levels 2 and up affected. 
   
   
  There is no TL 3 and up gear 
   
   
  in this module…
   
  7-20 
  No disruption effects.
   
  Natural 20 
  Critical Collapse.
   *Tech Level 0 items are only affected if the roll is modified.
   
  The result indicates the highest tech level items 
  which are affected that round, if at all. 
   
  Increase Risk: To escalate tension, the EDF roll suf-
  fers a -1 penalty from the beginning of the module, a -2 
  when they arrive at Cross’s Fortress.
   
  Who is Affected? If a disruption occurs, the last 
  one to act is the first one affected. Each time a disrup-
  tion roll is made, move up to the next player in the next 
  initiative order. When all the players have been rolled 
  for, return to the bottom of the initiative order. 
   
  What is Affected? The highest technology able to be 
  affected by the disruption roll on the player in question 
  is affected first. Because of the equipment of our Iron 
  Sons lance, their weapons are affected first. A few have 
  secondary equipment, like a medical kit.
   
  Natural 20, Critical Collapse: If a natural 20 is 
  rolled, every techan party member suffers a disruption 
  event. The highest tech level item they have that is able 
  to be disrupted and is not currently suffering disruption 
  is affected. 
   
  How is an Item Affected by EDF? Once a player 
  and an appropriate item are selected, the item is dis-
  rupted. The item no longer offers its tech level as an 
  enhancement and/or item bonus to relevant abilities 
  or skills. Weapons jam and cannot fire. The disruption 
  remains in effect until a successful saving throw is made 
  (a disruption save). 
   
  1st Saving Throw Failure: If the first saving throw 
  fails, the item remains disrupted. 
   
  2nd Saving Throw Failure: If the second saving 
  throw fails, the item remains disrupted.  
   
  3rd Saving Throw Failure: A third and final failed 
  saving throw renders the item broken. It can no longer 
  be used that encounter save for a miracle (which some 
  class powers can accomplish. If a saving throw is made 
  before the item breaks, it resumes functioning the round 
  the save is made. If an encounter is resolved before the 
  item breaks, but before a successful save is made, the 
  item is assumed to have survived without breaking. For 
  the purposes of the module, Elias Hannover repairs all 
  broken technology between encounters. 
   
  Aftereffects: It is important to note that an item 
  that is currently being disrupted cannot be disrupted 
  again. Disrupting an item currently suffering the effects 
  does not prolong the disruption nor change the results 
  of saving throws. 
   
  Offensive EDF: Other than the end of the initia-
  tive order, there may be times where an EDF roll may 
  be forced. This occurs under high saturation, usually 
  coinciding with a monster’s more powerful effects. An 
  offensive EDF check occurs the moment the action 
  does. Offensive EDF rolls also carry a -2 penalty to the 
  EDF roll. Roll for an offensive EDF roll if a magical 
  creature scores a critical hit.
  PLAYER BEGINNING
  Read or paraphrase the following:
  As you count off the first week without incident, a sense 
  of overconfidence begins to settle in. Your vehicle is old, 
  worn, and reliable. Your weapons are clean and main-
  tained. You had been trained for months, some years, to 
  deal with whatever you may encounter. After seven days 
  without even a thrown rock or sharpened stick as an op-
  ponent, you all began thinking this mission’s threat level 
  was greatly exaggerated. Despite this, the lingering dread 
  of what you may face and the decision that awaits you 
  
  8
  at the end of the journey is always present at the back of 
  your thoughts.
   
  Every day that passed was another reminder of the waste-
  land you were entering. The towers of York vanished days 
  ago. You were going beyond even the civility of primitive 
  nations. The gravity of the crisis and repercussions for failure 
  were made clear from the beginning...
   
  The scrambler was a monstrosity half the size of a house. 
  Twenty forward-mounted high intensity discharge lights 
  breathed a swath of light across the clearing. It was a brute 
  capable of uprooting small trees, ignoring pesky obstructions 
  like animals, plants, or elves. It was too valuable to risk in 
  combat as it was your only way home.
   
  Your mission commander’s instructions were to the point: 
  Your target is Colonel Montgomery Cross. He was General 
  Chauk’s highest ranking division commander—authority 
  over seven cells in the North, including yours. Six months 
  ago, he fell off network. No warning, no other signs of 
  distress from him or his men. Your Command believes his 
  Leviathan is 550 kilometres northeast of York. It’s a dense 
  forest devoid of any technology. All evidence points that 
  Cross has not been killed, but has in fact done rogue, turn-
  ing to the side of enchantment.  
   
  Cross knows cell locations, unit strengths, weapon load 
  outs, vital information regarding your company’s financial 
  status, technology development, most of all, he has seen the 
  face of Chauk… and that makes him a liability and target for 
  any number of opponents including rival mercenary compan-
  ies, echan nations, and bastions that would like an image to 
  accompany their bounties. That’s the side effect of being 
  successful in war.
   
  Your mission will be to follow Cross’s routine until you pick 
  up his path, track him to this chaparran forest he’s claimed 
  and verify the status of his unit...and his health. If he’s dead, 
  get proof. If alive, regardless of his mental condition, he 
  simply cannot be allowed to continue his... lifestyle. You are 
  to arrest him and any survivors of his unit. If they refuse, they 
  are to be eliminated. There is a 2,000 uc bonus for each 
  team member upon your safe return.
  AREA 1 – INVASION
  Forest Map
  Immediately after reading the introduction, read or 
  paraphrase the following:
  The path became dense and rocky, forcing the scrambler to 
  muscle over bushes, pushing small trees and shrubberies out 
  of the way. Finding your way back would be an easy journey. 
  No matter your course, returning would take half the time 
  as long as you follow the scar your vehicle cuts through the 
  wilderness.
   
  The vehicle suddenly shudders and the axle seizes. The 
  scrambler starts grinding gears. It slows to a stop. This has 
  happened before on this journey. Magic breaks technology 
  and the more advanced the technology, the greater the 
  Skegg Pugg-driver 
  Level 4 Brute (Leader)
  Medium Fae Humanoid 
  XP 175
  initiative +3 senses Perception +5; Low-light vision
  Hp 62; bloodied 31
  ac 15; fortitude 16, reflex 15, will 13
  speed 6
     M  pugg prodder (standard; at will) * Weapon 
    Reach 2; +6 vs. AC; 1d8+4 damage; reach; the skegg inciter 
  may attack through squares occupied by puggs.
   
    nice throw, boss! (minor; at will) 
    The skegg pugg-driver may shift an adjacent pugg four 
  squares.
   a  rabble rouse (minor; encounter) 
    Close burst 6; allies in the burst each count as two allies for 
  the purposes of the puggs’ Bloody Innumerable ability until 
  the end of the skegg inciters next turn.
   
    Vicious temperament (immediate Reaction; when first 
  damaged; encounter)
      The skegg pugg-driver may immediately make a basic 
  melee attack. This attack deals an additional 1d6 damage.
  alignment Chaotic Evil 
  languages Ferran
  str 15(+4) 
  dex 14(+4) 
  wis 8(+1)
  con 10(+2) 
  int 14(+4)  
  cha 8(+1)
  equipment Leather armor, pugg prodder
  skills Intimidate +6, Endurance +7
  Pugg 
  Level 1 Minion
  Small Fae Humanoid 
  XP 15
  initiative +1 senses Perception +0; Low-light vision
  Hp 1; a missed attack never damages a minion
  ac 12; fortitude 11, reflex 13, will 11
  speed 5
     M  sticks and stones (standard; at will) * Weapon 
   +2 vs. AC; 2 damage
   
   bloody innumerable
      If the pugg and its allies outnumber their enemy by two to 
  one in an encounter, it gains +2 to melee attack and damage 
  rolls. If the pugg and its allies outnumber their enemy by 
  three to one, this bonus increases to +3 to melee attack and 
  damage rolls.
  alignment Chaotic Evil 
  languages Ferran
  str 6 (-2) 
  dex 16 (+3) 
  wis 8 (-1)
  con 9 (-1) 
  int 6 (-2)  
  cha 6 (-2)
  equipment Barely even clothed
  skills None unless domesticated
  
  9
  chance of disruption. Your mechanic steps 
  out to take a look.
  It will take at least 5 minutes to clear the 
  jam and get the machine working again. 
  As the mechanic (NPC or PC) is work-
  ing on the machine, read or paraphrase 
  the following:
  Up ahead, you find a dumpy, hairless figure 
  jabbing a dead jackrabbit repeatedly with 
  a sharpened stick. Despite the state of the 
  prey, the predator continues to perforate the 
  body. As the glare of your vehicle looms over 
  creature, it utters a scream that crosses the 
  laugh of a monkey with the shriek of a bat. 
  In response, a much larger figure walks onto 
  the path. A man-sized fae wearing worn 
  clothes lashes a whip in the air and dozens 
  more vermin like the first swarm from the 
  trees towards you.
  The scrambler has wandered into a 
  skegg slaver band. Skeggs are a branch of fae known 
  for their vicious temperaments and enslavement of the 
  most primitive fae branch, the feral puggs. Puggs will 
  quickly flood into the encounter and the terrain is far 
  too hazardous for the vehicle to make a break for it. 
  Level 6 encounter (xp 1250)
  48 puggs (level 1 minion)
  3 skegg pugg-drivers (level 4 brute)
  Place the scrambler at one end of the map. Only 1 skegg-
  pugg driver appears initially with 12 puggs 4 squares 
  from the other end of the map. Every round after, place 
  another pugg-driver along the forest line with 12 more 
  puggs, all crowding in every available square around the 
  skegg. On the following round, the puggs that emerge 
  that round will attack. On the fourth round, place the 
  remaining puggs. 
   
  Advice: The characters with area effects should put 
  them to use to prevent the puggs from outnumber-
  ing their opponents. Grenades are a great idea here to 
  keep the pugg numbers down. If the characters hold 
  out without delivering these large area attacks, they are 
  as good as dead. Get those grenades out! Remember, 
  techan classes are not mirrors of fantasy classes. They 
  have few powers that mark and no characters that are 
  weak in AC or hit points. Since the vehicle will take 5 
  minutes to fix, the mechanic should not bother fixing it 
  during combat. 
  AREA 2 – BAD TIMING
  Read or paraphrase the following:
  As you follow the path dictated to you from the mission 
  briefing, one of you listens to Colonel Montgomery Cross’s 
  final report again--a garbled transmission relayed before he 
  went dark…
   
  “I tried to be perfect. They assumed I was. It was 
  expected. Flawless authority without a flinch or a flutter. 
  Commit yourself to the word of a superior, never question-
  ing, never doubting. Can’t see perfection anymore. I see the 
  sacrifices we would have to make to be perfect. Perfection is 
  without failing, no defects. Defects breed character. 
   
  “You seriously think the solution to life is control? The 
  laws you enforce that make you feel safe never do. You wear 
  shoes to protect your feet, but when you take them off and 
  step on a rock, it hurts. The more sanitized, the easier you 
  make life, the less of a life you lead. You only gain immunity 
  to something you’re exposed to. 
   
  “The more control you enforce, the less control you 
  actually have. Out here, you can follow your own personal 
  morality, where you can choose to be a noble man, and not be 
  told to do so. You can live your dream and not grow up. If that 
  means handing over your washing machine and toaster oven, 
  
  10
  so be it. When you strip away all rules, you truly find out who 
  you are. When everything is controlled...there will be nothing 
  left that distinguishes us...” 
  No map  
  required.
  It is later on that same day when the following occurs. 
  Read or paraphrase the following:
  The scrambler wheezes and coughs. A bearing is heard burn-
  ing itself out. The electric motor sputters and shuts down. 
  The massive wheels slow to a stop. An exhale of steam vents 
  from the cooling system. The forest opened somewhat 
  into a field of yellow and blue flowers and you can 
  barely make out the sound of distant rushing water. 
  You were at a dip in the road and, with the weight 
  of the ETV and no horses nearby, pushing is not 
  a viable option. 
  The scrambler has temporar-
  ily broken down from magical 
  disruption. A quick DC roll 15 
  Engineer check will reveal the 
  disruption, though the cause 
  and limit of the disruption is 
  still unknown by this point. 
  This is a moment for the 
  mechanic-build operator but 
  if he is an NPC, then he will 
  ask for help in ascertaining 
  the problem. They are look-
  ing for anything nearby that 
  may cause the EDF to be high 
  in this area. Before they begin their 
  search, read or paraphrase the following:
  A deep roar resonates from the thick of trees behind 
  you. It’s a strange rumble of heavy bass that shakes 
  apart the soil and makes sourcing a direction difficult. 
  This is followed by the felling of many trees, snapping 
  like twigs but hitting the ground with heavy thuds. The 
  roar grows louder.
  The monster is a chiggoth, a fabled beast with trees 
  and rocks growing from its back. The characters 
  should not (and will not) get a good look at this 
  creature aside from the tall trees rising and falling in 
  the distance. 
  Disruption Location
  Level: 5 (800 xp)
  Complexity: 3 (8 successes before 4 failures)
  Primary Skills: Engineer, Nature, Perception
  Note: For the purposes of the check, deal with Percep-
  tion and Nature before Engineer.
  Perception (DC17): You notice a strange cocoon that was 
  picked up by the upturned soil and wedged near the axle. 
  It looks to be from a spawn creature —a creature or magic 
  which is not fae. It’s still intact. However, a DC20 Nature 
  check reveals it is more likely a dawnling—an extremely 
  rare fae and a distant descendant of 
  the chaparrans. When this one 
  hatches, a minuscule creature 
  will emerge melding elf and 
  insect parts. They are docile, 
  shy, and totally harmless. A 
  DC20 Acrobatics would be 
  needed to remove the cocoon 
  safely without damaging it. 
   
  Otherwise, it can be torn 
  off and thrown away. If re-
  moved, gain a +1 bonus to the 
  Engineer roll to repair the 
  scrambler (see later). 
  Nature (DC17): This field 
  appears unnatural as the 
  tallest trees border the 
  edge of the clearing. Some 
  natural magic has opened this 
  region for a reason. With the 
  numerous flowers flowing in 
  the breeze, this is the work 
  of sylphids, a rare breed of 
  fae, related to the dawnlings. 
  They are elves crossed with flowers 
  and plants. While they have been known to appear 
  as adults, this is only an illusion as they are actually 
  extremely small. The sylphids likely use this clear-
  ing for breeding or just relaxation. You are unsure if 
  they are in the area. Kerosene is available for lighting 
  fires. Burning the flowers will offer a +1 bonus to the 
  Engineering roll and is unlikely to spread to the trees if 
  handled correctly. 
  Engineer (DC23): There was a power spike in the 
  silicon nanowire battery that overloaded the capacitor 
  and jammed the primary electric motor; the feedback 
  was comparable to a mild EMP which shorted out the 
  
  11
  backup and the electronics clusters that controlled ev-
  erything. Simply replace the fuses leading to the lithium-
  polymer batteries, do a cold reboot of the computer 
  system, and everything should come back online.
  Success: The vehicle comes back online and the group 
  can leave before the chiggoth comes around.
  Failure: A minute passes and they may try again…the 
  growls and roars grow louder. The chiggoth is a level 25 
  monster and if it finds the scrambler, it will devour it. 
  If the characters fail a third time at this skill challenge, 
  they have to abandon the vehicle. 
  AREA 3 – NOBLE RESCUE?
  Forest Map
  It is a new day and reaching the afternoon when the 
  players are read the following:
  Two arrows the widths of broomsticks dent the riot shield 
  of the scrambler. The impacts cause no damage. An axe 
  the height of half a man sheers a thick tree-branch and 
  wedges two inches into the cockpit glass. A moment later, a 
  delicate figure falls in front of your path as your brakes slam 
  the vehicle to a halt. She’s thin with dark skin, wearing loose 
  layers of fur and leather with exposed arms and shoulders to 
  show her tribal tattoos. She didn’t land gracefully, contrary 
  to cliché. She stumbles in front of the wheel, her longbow 
  broken at a limb. From behind her, four massive, hairless 
  humanoids stalk from the shadows. They are taller than any 
  of you, with bruised skin and uncaring grimaces. Two have 
  crossbows with black bolts while the other two wield massive 
  hammers already blessed with blood. They ignore the techan 
  vehicle and move to finish their prey.
  The chaparran is an elite bowman of the order of Kitar-
  ri, Espallomontha, or “Espa.” She is a loyal ranger of the 
  village Erronoe. She will be killed brutally in 2 rounds 
  if the characters don’t intervene. Afterward, the pagus 
  will direct their aggression to the vehicle, disabling it in 
  two rounds, destroying it in four. If the characters show 
  themselves as a target, the pagus’ attention will divert 
  only if Espa is dead. They will attempt to move by the 
  characters to kill her. If two or more of the pagus are hit, 
  they will all adjust their attention to the character(s) that 
  targeted them.
  Level 6 encounter (xp 1300)
  2 pagus battlesworn (level 7 soldier)
  2 pagus outrunners (level 8 skirmisher)
  Espa falls in front of the vehicle which is placed at the far 
  south end of the path. The pagus emerge from the op-
  posite forest edge. Pagus will prefer close combat when 
  range is obviously against them. In order to give Espa an 
  opportunity to survive, she will no longer be a target of 
  the pagus if they are hit by a character. If the characters 
  are completely coldhearted and plow Espa over, the 
  pagus will stop the scrambler by shearing an axle as it 
  passes, destroying the vehicle and forcing the fight.
   
  Advice: Espa becomes a kitarri ally, so can be moved 
  by the marshal’s powers. The grounder should immedi-
  ately lay down area denials to keep them back. Pagus are 
  all about melee combat so characters should maintain 
  their distance. Pagus don’t care about stealth. 
   After the pagus are killed, Espa (if alive) will thank 
  the characters in her language, uttering sounds like a 
  lasting poem of perfect rhythm. After realizing her folly, 
  she addresses them again in English through a thick 
  accent. She thanks them again and would offer her bow 
  in gratitude, as is their way, if it wasn’t broken. If the 
  characters didn’t save Espa (shame on them), then a male 
  Pagus Outrunner 
  Level 8 Skirmisher
  Medium Fae Humanoid (Ixindar) 
  XP 350
  initiative +6 
  senses Perception +4; Darkvision
  Hp 75; bloodied 37
  ac 23; fortitude 20, reflex 22, will 20
  speed 6
     M  falchion (standard; at will) * weapon
     +13 vs. AC; 2d4 + 3 damage
     R  crossbow (standard; at will) * weapon
     Ranged 15/30, +14 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage
   
    furious anticipation (immediate Reaction; when an enemy 
  enters a square adjacent to the pagus outrunner; encounter)
      The pagus outrunner may immediately drop its crossbow, 
  draw its falchion, and make one basic melee attack against 
  that enemy.
   
    focused aggression (immediate reaction; when bloodied; 
  encounter)
      The pagus outrunner must immediately make a basic melee 
  attack against the enemy that triggered Focused 
  Aggression. This attack gains +1 to hit, and +2 to damage. In 
  addition, the pagus may immediately make a saving throw to 
  remove any harmful effects.
  alignment Evil 
  languages Paggin
  str 16(+6) 
  dex 18(+6) 
  wis 8(0)
  con 11(+4) 
  int 12(+4)  
  cha 9(+3)
  equipment Leather Armor, Heavy Crossbow, Falchion
  skills Endurance +5, Intimidate +7
  
  12
  chaparran watching them, Swaniskaskas (“Swan”), will 
  run in to help, realize he’s late, and either thank or scold 
  the characters depending on their attitudes in the fight. 
  If the characters approach this entire rescue callously, 
  Swan will vanish soon after. Swan will arrive if Espa is 
  alive or not. They’re siblings. Believing the character’s 
  actions are noble, Espa or Swan will recognize the 
  techan origins of the characters and assume they mean 
  to join with Cross. 
  “You resemble one we know,” says Swan. “But ours is taller 
  with proven wisdom. Your gallantry is commendable but I 
  question your motives. Why are you so far from your wall?”
  Despite the character’s need to lie if directly asked, 
  neither Espa or Swan will question the character’s 
  desire to meet Cross, so no rolls to bluff or insight 
  are required.
   
  Swan or Espa will say, “We do know the man you call 
  Cross. He is the Fierikei, our tribal elder--a position earned 
  with exploits and not by threats or bribe. He claims to have 
  expected ones like you for some time, even to the details of 
  the wagon and the symbol adorned on your armor. He insists 
  you wouldn’t be a threat...initially…”
   
  Swan will add himself, “My instinct swears deception. I am 
  seldom wrong but will follow the judgment as asked of me. 
  My arrow will fly first if you prove my intuition correct.”
  If asked about the pagus, Espa will reveal that these dark 
  fae—followers of the lords of syntropy—have emerged 
  in the past week. Pagus keep to the north. They hate 
  water and mountains and with the forest guarded on all 
  sides by those obstructions, some great will must have 
  forced them to traverse.
  AREA FINALE – WAY OF CROSS
  Village Map
  Montgomery Cross is not insane by the measures of 
  the people he cares for. He abandoned his way of life 
  because of the appeal of the chaparrans and their casual 
  approach to their existence. He is not evil, but he has 
  become somewhat of an anarchist and will not return 
  to York under any circumstances. He hopes to con-
  vince the characters of his resolve and to respect his 
  wishes for solitude. Cross is not the chaparrans’ tribal 
  leader, just an elder with proven wisdom. The diligently 
  enforced structure of the Iron Son and most bastions of 
  the world motivated Cross’ rebellion against the techan 
  way of life; he prefers his life wild and unpredictable.
  The following encounter assumes Espa and/or Swan are 
  with the group. The characters will need to leave the 
  scrambler outside this map before entering: Allow the 
  characters to interact as much as possible in the upcom-
  ing scene. Read or paraphrase the following:
  You enter a vast clearing, surrounded by the heaviest trees, 
  decorated with maize farms and punctuated by the leviathan 
  ETV in the center. It lacks wheels and one wall has been 
  taken down to expand into a courtyard, but the keep’s origin 
  is obvious. Chaparran magic has grown trees to hug the 
  vehicle, bending their large branches to shroud the shelter 
  from the sky. Foliage and other natural camouflage have 
  replaced the old netting. Dozens of young and elderly chap-
  arran fae work in fields, casually breaking from their duty to 
  watch your arrival. You count at least a dozen armed kitarri 
  in a village of nearly fifty chaparrans. You are led on a raised 
  path away from the crops to the court of the open leviathan.
  <possible character contribution>
  Although wood is used in construction, it is all naturally 
  grown from the soil to be shaped into the desired structure. 
  The tree willingly gives up the piece formed if it must. 
  Often times, the construction remains rooted in the soil, as 
  is the table at the front of the collapsed wall. There is no 
  throne, only an old human with half-broken glasses and pelts 
  covering the tatters of his uniform. His pips, chevrons, and 
  all other military regalia are missing. He writes in a chaparran 
  book and removes his glasses as you approach.
  <possible character contribution>
  “Espa, Swan…these are the individuals my old leader has 
  sent to execute me. Don’t worry about the weapons or their 
  intents, they won’t think of killing me so abruptly. If I am 
  wrong, then it won’t matter anyway. Give us ten minutes—“
   
  “But father,” Espa pleads, “the pagus were scouts and to 
  be here means something beckoned them to overcome their 
  fear of water.”
   
  “Then five. If you hear the sound of thunder, come sooner.”
  After the two chaparrans walk away, Cross stands. He has 
  put on weight since last you saw him, but only in muscle. 
  He smiles. “Stepfather, as I’m sure you were wondering. 
  
  13
  What were you expecting to find? I am not a god, nor do 
  these natives think of me as one. I wear no crown. I have 
  never concealed who I am or lied about my past. These 
  proud warriors and farmers desperately needed help. While 
  my comrades sit behind walls, eating fat from plastic, 
  breathing conditioned air, I shall forge a purpose that 
  breaks every rule they hold most dear. I do so willingly with 
  the biggest hammer I can find.”
  Depending on the conversation, Cross has answers 
  for most inquiries:
  cross’s mental state.
  “Probably a few degrees between brilliance and lunacy, if you 
  want me to be direct. How do they say, a madman uses his 
  genius destructively; a genius uses his madness construct-
  ively? Is that how it is; little bit from column A, little but from 
  column B? I suppose, if I can ask the question myself, my 
  sanity shouldn’t be a problem. These people are smart. They 
  can spot such an illness, especially in humans.”
  why is cross here? 
  “I found the one place on Earth that wasn’t a bastion, as 
  far as one could walk from that path before coming back. 
  It wasn’t even that far away when you think about it. I can’t 
  even remember what the threat was. There was something 
  menacing about this place. The faeries, the elves… I came 
  here to burn the forest down. Why would I do that? What 
  justice was I serving? What point? I wouldn’t have acted 
  so brazenly unless Chauk and I agreed that it was the right 
  course. It’s against my nature to act in impulse. Perhaps we 
  were paid. I think I remembered being paid. You know Chauk 
  takes commissions from the same organizations that have 
  bounties for his arrest. All blank posters with hefty rewards 
  no one will ever claim. He can’t spend a dime as an execu-
  tion awaits him at every bastion. Explain the sense in that…” 
  where are the rest of his unit?
  “My men… Cain and Baxter stayed, but I never understood 
  why. Cain fell to an infection brought on by food he shouldn’t 
  have eaten. Baxter fell on his head. This village may be fae, 
  but it’s weak in ways of such magic. They are buried under 
  trees, as is the chaparran way. They aren’t marked and I don’t 
  recall which ones… as is also their way.
   
  The others I offered a choice: Stay and take their chances 
  or leave… and do the same. I didn’t kill any of them, though 
  I signed their warrant by making them walk. I shall never 
  regret staying despite the cost to myself or those around.”
  chaparran Kitarri 
  level 5 Minion
  Medium Fae Humanoid 
  Xp 50
  initiative +9 
  senses Perception +3; Low-light 
  vision
  Hp 1; a missed attack never damages a minion
  ac 18; fortitude 15, reflex 18, will 16
  speed 6
     R  longbow (standard; at will) * weapon
     Ranged 20/40; +7 vs. AC; 5 damage
     M  short sword (standard; at will) * weapon
     +6 vs. AC; 5 damage
    alacrity (Immediate Interrupt; at will)
     When an enemy charges the kitarri, the kitarri may make a 
  single basic ranged attack against that enemy. At the end of 
  the attack, the kitarri drops its bow and draws its short sword.
    weald walk (move; recharge 56)
      If the kitarri is adjacent to a tree terrain feature, the kitarri 
  may teleport itself so that it is adjacent to another tree 
  terrain feature within 12 squares.
  alignment Unaligned 
  languages Chaparran  
   
  (Espa & Swan speak English)
  str 12(+3) 
  dex 17(+5) 
  wis 10(+2)
  con 10(+2) 
  int 12(+3) cha 11(+2)
  equipment Leather armor, Longbow, quiver with twelve arrows, 
  Short sword
  skills Stealth 9, Athletics 8, Endurance 7
  Pagus Battlesworn 
  Level 7 Soldier
  Medium Fae Humanoid (Ixindar) 
  XP 300
  initiative +5 
  senses Perception +2; Darkvision
  Hp 76; bloodied 38
  ac 21; fortitude 19, reflex 21, will 18
  speed 6
     M  Maul (standard; at will) * weapon
     +13 vs. AC; 2d6 + 4 damage
   
    focused aggression (immediate reaction; when bloodied; 
  encounter)
      The pagus battlesworn must immediately make a basic 
  melee attack against the enemy that triggered Focused 
  Aggression. This attack gains +1 to hit, and +2 to damage. In 
  addition, the pagus may immediately make a saving throw to 
  remove any harmful effects.
  alignment Evil 
  languages Paggin
  str 18(+7) 
  dex 15(+5) 
  wis 8(0)
  con 11(+3) 
  int 11(+3)  
  cha 9(+2)
  equipment Scale Armor, Maul
  skills Endurance +6, Intimidate +7
  
  14
  In conclusion or if the characters bring up their 
  mission 
  “I can see it in your eyes.” He points to you all. “You’re a cog, 
  you’re a spring, a lever, a belt. And what do you produce? 
  What benefit have you offered those around? You follow the 
  rules of the machine whose only purpose is to enforce the 
  rules of other machines. You wake up from an alarm, you 
  punch a clock, and you follow the routine. You will accept it 
  as normal and consider anything outside of that deviant. Join 
  the rest of the world. Follow a path, don’t be handed one by 
  a colonel or a president or a god. 
   
  “They deceived you into thinking I went insane. That’s just 
  another measure of control. There was no washing of minds, no 
  corruption of ideals. I didn’t murder anyone that disagreed with 
  me. I remain to protect my flock from those that threaten it. If 
  you attempt to take me against my will, I won’t need to utter a 
  threat, it will be assumed by your hand and those around shall 
  act as is their will. By my words and planning, this village has 
  prospered. I did so without introducing any laws. Those that 
  threaten us do so because of their laws, their control. You’ve 
  seen them already. That was just a scouting party. They’re 
  growing braver with each attack. Something out there is gath-
  ering them... and it’s growing restless each time we defy it. You 
  want to abandon this... this pure moment of heroism?”
  There are 15 kitarris combat ready. They will jump 
  into action immediately if Cross is attacked or if the 
  characters attempt to arrest him. Kitarris will fight 
  to the death if Cross is attacked or killed. The non-
  combat chaparrans will keep their distance out of fear. 
  Many will vanish into the woods until the characters 
  leave. If they remain afterward, eventually, the death 
  dragon Reaper and his undead servants will arrive. If 
  the characters have left, Reaper will destroy the entire 
  village, killing everything and burning the entire section 
  of forest. Regardless of what happens, the scrambler 
  is broken from a massive EDF surge and cannot be re-
  paired. This will occur as they leave or during the battle 
  with Reaper. 
   
  The characters may still decide to kill Cross after the 
  battle with Reaper, the true and final threat. Reaper lead 
  a brood of pagus across the water, forced them to take 
  the dead that drowned or starved, and raised all those 
  that fell as undead servants. Those 4 pagus earlier could 
  have been the last of the living fae, but you may include 
  another encounter to threaten the village to prove the 
  danger the people are in or the value Cross has here. He 
  directs the innocents into the leviathan and coordinates 
  the kitarri to maximize their firing arc. 
   Alternative Ending Encounter, level 3 
  encounter (750 xp)
  Col. Montgomery Cross (Plot Point)
  15 Chaparran kitarri (level 5 minions)
  
  15
  Col. Montgomery Cross
  Col. Montgomery Cross has an AC of 22, Fortitude of 17, 
  a Reflex of 18, and a Will of 16. He has 1 HP, and a missed 
  attack never damages him. Col. Montgomery Cross will 
  not attack the characters.
   
  Optional Encounter: Feel free to create a larger 
  battle including 10 pagus against the characters and all 
  the chaparran kitarri. Although the amount of work for 
  DM would be extensive, it would serve to progress the 
  story better.
  Level 6 encounter (xp 1300)
  5 pagus battlesworn (level 7 soldier)
  5 pagus outrunners (level 8 skirmisher)
  If the characters hold off killing Cross or they decide 
  to let him live, they will have at least an hour to get to 
  know the people of the village. If the characters came 
  out of the previous pagus fight(s) (the optional or the 
  one from Noble Rescue) crippled from poor strategy, 
  feel free to make it a new day. Both Espa and Swan will 
  be amicable and show them around the farms. The 
  people are peaceful and have been on their own since 
  returning to Earth. But skeggs began appearing and their 
  armies of puggs are growing each month. They were 
  close to being wiped out until Cross thundered in on his 
  chariot. He helped them organize a defense, fell for and 
  bonded with a chaparran female, and decided to stay. He 
  first attempted to find a balance between his two lives, 
  but the ordered life of being a techan and the chaotic 
  life of being with the fae do not mingle. By definition, 
  Young Death Dragon 
  Level 6 Solo Controller
  Large natural magical beast (Dragon, Ixindar) 
  Xp 1250
  initiative +5 
  senses Perception +10; Darkvision
  Hp 282; bloodied 141; see also bloodied breath
  ac 23; fortitude 21, reflex 21, will 24
  resist 15 Necrotic 
   
   
   
   
  Vulnerable 5 Radiant
  saving throws +5
  speed 8, fly 10 (hover), overland flight 15
  action points 2
     M  bite (standard; at will) *necrotic
      Reach 2; +11 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 and the target is weakened 
  until the end of the Dragons next turn.
     r essence siphon (minor; at will) *necrotic
      Ranged 5; +10 vs. will; 1d8 + 3 necrotic damage, and the 
  Dragon heals half the same amount.
     r necromantic dominance (minor; recharge 56) *necrotic
      Ranged 10; +10 vs. will; 1d6 + 5 necrotic damage, in 
  addition, the target is slowed, and loses all resistance and 
  immunity to necrotic damage or effects (save ends all).
     c  breath weapon (standard; recharge 56) *necrotic
      Close blast 5; +11 vs. Fortitude; 1d12 +3 Necrotic damage 
  Miss: half damage.
     c bloodied breath (free; when first bloodied; encounter)
      The dragon’s breath weapon recharges, and the dragon uses 
  it immediately.
     c frightful presence (standard; encounter) *fear
      Close burst 5; targets enemies; +10 vs. Will; the target is 
  stunned until the end of the dragon’s next turn. Aftereffect: 
  The target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
  alignment Chaotic Evil 
  languages all known languages
  skills Arcana +15, religion +15, Insight +10, Intimidate +10
  str 18(+7) 
  dex 15(+5) 
  wis 20(+8)
  con 16(+6) 
  int 18(+7)  
  cha 16(+6)
  even the slight inclusion of chaos breaks the control by 
  those who enforce law. Finally, he cut himself off from 
  the outside world.
   
  Eventually, word will come down from scouts of the 
  sight of a massive dragon on the horizon. It’s Reaper, a 
  youth death dragon who has lead its pagus to these lands. 
  Characters will have time to prepare until Reaper arrives.
   
  Level 8 encounter (xp 1750)
  Reaper, the death dragon (level 6 solo controller)
  8 risen pagus (level 6 minions)
  The kitarri are involved in the battle, but will be taking 
  on other risen pagus throughout the battle. The encoun-
  ter listed is just for the characters. Several chaparrans, 
  like Swan, will be killed in the battle. Cross will also 
  be involved, equipped with a greatsword and leather 
  armor. He will not be directly involved in the characters’ 
  Risen Pagus 
  Level 6 Minion
  Medium Natural Inanimate 
  Xp 63
  initiative +5 
  senses Perception +3; Darkvision
  Hp 1; a missed attack never damages a minion
  ac 20; fortitude 16, reflex 16, will 13
  speed 6
     M  falchion (standard; at will) * weapon
     +8 vs. AC; 6 damage
     M  brutal slam
      Instead of making a basic melee attack, a Risen Pagus may 
  push the target back two squares and knock it prone.
  alignment Evil 
  languages none
  str 18(+7) 
  dex 15(+5) 
  wis 9(+2)
  con 10(+3) 
  int 3(-1)  
   
  cha 7(+1)
  equipment Shattered Jannishar platemail, rusted, broken 
  Falchion
  
  16
  encounter. Unless the characters target him, he will not 
  be in danger. 
   
  Three rounds after all the undead pagus are de-
  stroyed, Reaper raises five kitarri as undead servants. 
  Use the risen pagus template and ignore the brutal slam 
  attack. If a character is killed outright, they are risen as 
  undead 1 round later. 
   
  After five rounds, or if an EDF event occurs, the 
  scrambler will explode from disruption. Any time 
  Reaper uses his breath weapon; all characters caught in 
  the blast suffer an offensive disruption roll. If a charac-
  ter is nearing death, Swan could take the strike and die 
  for the character. 
   
  Optional: You can place all the kitarri (15) in the 
  battle and increase the number of pagus by 11. The battle 
  will and larger and more epic, but may be bogged down 
  with extensive NPC combat.
   
  Advice: Reaper will prefer ranged attacks as his AC is 
  low; giving characters the opportunity to employ area de-
  nials and ranged attacks. Characters should use grenades 
  and area effects to take down the minions. Remember the 
  Crossfire feat, but – since Reaper has a reach 2 – charac-
  ters will still be in threat range. Both operator characters 
  will be valuable so PCs should keep alert for disruption 
  and wounded characters. The marshal should swap initia-
  tive with the highest character initiative and use his War-
  rior’s Creed ability to boost the group’s defense against 
  fear. Don’t bother with grenades on the dragon. They are 
  useless. The dragon should counterattack with continu-
  ous Essence Siphon attacks when its hit points are low (as 
  a minor action, the dragon can do three of them a round).
  CONCLUSION
  Nearing death, Reaper will attempt to escape. His 
  success or death depends on the moment or if the DM 
  wants to bring him back as a recurring villain. Assuming 
  Espa survived the earlier fight with the pagus, she will 
  still be alive after the fight with Reaper. Swan, con-
  versely, did not survive. Six kitarri have also died. Cross, 
  too, survived. 
   
  The characters need to make a final decision: Leave 
  the man or kill him. Espa will attempt to block if weap-
  ons are trained. Cross will push her aside and let himself 
  die. The remaining kitarri will instantly attack. After 
  that, the characters can leave. With their scrambler 
  destroyed, the group is stranded and it’s a two month 
  journey back to York from here. 
   
  If alive, Cross will supply them with enough food for 
  the journey. They can modify what remains of the scram-
  bler to makeshift a wagon, maybe even hustle up a few 
  mounts. By this point, their ammunition will be low and 
  their future dim. Their orders required proof after they 
  killed Cross. Moreover, they may not be welcome back 
  to the Iron Sons if they return in their condition. There 
  is no convincing way to fake a report. If they still plan 
  on arresting Cross, Espa will privately offer them 1000 
  gp each to walk away and pretend the village was already 
  destroyed. Espa adds that the leviathan could have been 
  pushed into a river and torn apart by rapids, removing 
  evidence of its existence. It’s doubtful that the story will 
  be believed. With the bribe, the survivors could form 
  their own company, but if the Sons ever found out, the 
  next target they hunt will be the characters.
   
  Of course, Cross will also offer them accommoda-
  tions here. They can abandon their techan lives and em-
  brace the unpredictable nature of the outside world. But 
  they would have to give up their weapons, their climate 
  control, and their computers. The choice is theirs…
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Party/4th Edition/Goodman Games/Amethyst - Hearts Of Chaos.pdf