TEXT: 1
  Mystery of the anasazi
  a raVaGeD taLe By eriC aVeDissian
  Dr. Miles Macray gazed dreamily at the book on his desk and turned a page stiffly. Photographic reproductions of an-
  cient petroglyphs, captured almost half a century before on the living rock walls of some godforsaken mesa in the southwest 
  all appeared the same. Macray knew all about the ancestors of the southwestern tribes from his youth spent exploring the 
  cliff dwellings in New Mexico and Arizona. He thought the native inhabitants deserved what they received from the white 
  settlers – lifelong confinement in reservations. Made them easier to study, he reckoned. 
  As he sat lost in his memories from a past excursion, the door to his office opened. Macray looked up from his book 
  and saw two muscular men standing before him. The men had dark skin, straight shoulder-length hair and wore gold jew-
  elry of an almost primitive design. Their flat noses and pierced ears led him to conclude they weren’t from the university’s 
  alumni committee. 
  “Dr. Macray?” asked the man on the left in thickly acccented English.
  “Yes,” Macray replied. “How can I help you?”
  The pair walked to Macray’s desk. The archeologist could see both men wore the same style of white suit. 
  “We have come a long way to see you, Dr. Macray,” said the man on the right. 
  “Have you?” Macray intoned.
  “From Mexico,” the other man said. “Just outside Mexico City.”
  Macray leaned back in his chair, saying “So, what business brings you to this country?”
  “Our employer heard you were the foremost expert on ancient southwestern Indian cultures,” the man on the right said. 
  “Our employer wants to hire you for an expedition into New Mexico.”
  A smile creased Macray’s lips. “Does he?”
  “Yes.” Apparently, it was the turn of the man on the left again. “He said you would be perfect for the job. He said you 
  know all about the Anasazi.”
  “The Cliff Dwellers? Yes, I’ve been to their sites. I even have a few pottery shards if you’d care to see them...?”
  “We are not interested in broken pots, Dr. Macray,” the man on the the right snapped. “We’re looking for the secret of 
  Pueblo Bonito. Our employer wants to discover what happened to the Anasazi. He wants to know why they all mysteriously 
  vanished 500 years ago. He has a theory.”
  “Does he?” Macray said, skeptically. 
  “It involves dark magic,” the other man said, and produced a photographfrom his breast pocket of an elderly Navajo. 
  “This is a shaman who owns a relic from Pueblo Bonito.”
  “What sort of relic?” Macray asked.
  “A prayer stick used in Anasazi rituals,” said the man on the left. “We will help you get the relic. You must use it to 
  help us get into the Great Kiva under Pueblo Bonito. That’s our destination. We will pay you five thousand dollars if you 
  can do it.”
  “What about the old man?” Macray asked. “How will you get him to part with his precious relic?”
  “He is old; things can happen to old people, and then they are no longer an issue,” the other man said with a slight 
  smile. “Do you have a problem with this?“
  “No,” drawled Macray. “No, I don’t have a problem with that at all.”
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  2
  BaCKGroUnD
  The Anasazi were a Native American people whose 
  civilization thrived from 850 A.D. to 1250 in the 
  southern Colorado Plateau, northeastern Arizona, 
  southeastern Utah and northwestern New Mexico.
  Anasazi is a Navajo word for “ancient enemies,” 
  and this has caused consternation with the neighbor-
  ing Puebloan tribes who are their descendants. The 
  term “Ancient Ones” or “Old Ones” is less offensive 
  and is acceptable to use. 
  The Anasazi constructed mud brick houses, 
  lodges and kivas, or sacred underground rooms, 
  sometimes under overhanging cliffs. Not all Anasazi 
  settlements were built in these inaccessible cliff faces; 
  the largest villages were in Chaco Canyon in north-
  ern New Mexico. 
  Excavations of Anasazi ruins began in the 1880s 
  when rancher Richard Wetherill learned from a Ute 
  chief of the existence of sacred Indian dwellings up 
  in the cliffs. Wetherill, intrigued with tales of the 
  “Old Ones,” persuaded the chief to show him these 
  big houses. 
  Wetherill and his brothers explored the ruins 
  over the next few years, uncovering pottery and bas-
  kets and other artifacts. Wetherill called these ancient 
  peoples the “Cliff Dwellers” and gained notoriety for 
  his exploration of the sites. 
  In 1893, as Wetherill excavated a deep pit, he dis-
  covered skeletons among the pottery and artifacts. 
  Several of the skeletons had cracked skulls and flint 
  arrows in their backbones, leading the rancher to 
  surmise a possible execution or sacrifice. 
  He also noted strange pictoglyphs on the walls 
  depicting a grisly battle scene. Wetherill recorded 
  his observations in his journal, including interviews 
  he conducted with local tribes about these so-called 
  “Cliff Dwellers.” 
  In time, Wetherill became a minor celebrity and 
  donated many of his finds to Eastern universities. But 
  a mishandling of the artifacts by university and ac-
  cusations Wetherill was merely a pothunter dimmed 
  his reputation, until he discovered mummified re-
  mains in a few ruins. He spoke Navajo and Ute and 
  traded with these tribes during expeditions. 
  While exploring Chaco Canyon in 1910, Weth-
  erill and his assistant were ambushed and Wetherill 
  was shot to death. Accounts claim a Navajo whose 
  horse was stolen shot Wetherill; other stories point to 
  Wetherill’s own assistant who was moved by tales of 
  an Anasazi treasure and wanted his boss out of the 
  picture. 
  According to these legends, the Anasazi stashed 
  away a fortune in gold, turquoise-encrusted masks 
  and exquisite pottery and weaponry at Pueblo Bon-
  ito. 
  Archeologists believe the Anasazi simply left 
  their settlements and either became or joined other 
  tribes, such as the Zuni, Hopi and Pueblo. 
  But some unsavory rumors persist claiming the 
  Anasazi were attacked by another tribe and either 
  starved to death or were all killed. Some legends 
  say the Aztecs traveled to the region and swayed 
  the Anasazi holy men to practice the religion of the 
  Aztecs. According to these tales, in time, the Anasazi 
  grew corrupt and practiced cannibalism, black magic 
  and unlocked a gateway to the spirit world. 
  In the world of the Ravaged Earth Society, the lat-
  ter stories actually happened. 
  The Anasazi at Pueblo Bonito, led by a corrupt 
  shaman named Dark Whisperer, practiced repug-
  nant blood sacrifices and cannibalism. He believed 
  the way to defeat the Aztec invaders was to use their 
  own magic against them. Dark Whisperer forged 
  three prayer sticks that he used in a grand kiva at 
  Pueblo Bonito to open a portal to the spirit world. 
  There he communicated with the dark spirits and 
  grew more and more corrupt. 
  Instead of growing in strength, Dark Whisperer 
  became insane with power. He forced his followers 
  to eat their weaker kin, then made them practice self-
  mutilation to appease the dark spirits. 
  When the elders learned of these ghastly deeds, 
  they sent warriors to kill Dark Whisperer. But the vile 
  shaman sensed the plot against him and rather than 
  his followers betraying him, he hypnotized them, 
  opened the portal to the spirit world, and cracked the 
  skulls of his followers. Their spirits flowed from their 
  bodies and were sucked into the spirit world, never 
  to be seen again. 
  When the warriors arrived in the kiva, they saw 
  Dark Whisperer performing his unholy ritual. One 
  
  3
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  of the warriors snatched a prayer stick from the al-
  tar, closing the gateway to the spirit world, while an-
  other warriors struck Dark Whisperer. Anasazi holy 
  men cursed Dark Whisperer and the village, which 
  was abandoned by what few families remained. 
  Dark Whisperer lay dying with the hundreds of fol-
  lowers he killed in the Great Kiva. With his last re-
  maining breath, Dark Whisperer uttered a powerful 
  incantation that transformed his body into that of an 
  undead. His soul still retains some control of his des-
  iccated body, and he awaits the day when some curi-
  ous explorer finds the Great Kiva. 
  Dr. Miles Macray, an archeologist from a big 
  Eastern university, wants to uncover why the Ana-
  sazi vanished. Macray also has ulterior motives for 
  his expedition: he’s being paid a great sum of money 
  by Order of the Winged Serpent, an occult organiza-
  tion from Mexico led by Seven Jaguar, a mystic who 
  wants to bring back the bloodthirsty Aztec religion! 
  Seven Jaguar has a theory there were arcane methods 
  involved and that the Anasazi used dark magic. He 
  also believes the early Aztecs made contact with the 
  Anasazi and left their influence on that culture.
  Local tribes dispute this claim, except one man, a 
  Navajo shaman named Talks to the Gods. 
  Macray knows from an interview Talks to the 
  Gods gave with a tabloid that the shaman possesses 
  a rare arcane item, a prayer stick used by Dark Whis-
  perer. The insidious archaeologist anonymously 
  threatened the shaman, telling him that he doesn’t 
  part with the artifact, terrible things will befall him 
  and his family. 
  Talks With The Gods is too proud to part with the 
  prayer stick, which his grandfather found at Pueblo 
  Bonito. Currently, Talks With The Gods is employed 
  by a variety show playing in Las Vegas, where he dis-
  plays authentic Native American shamanistic rituals. 
  He’s trained his body to walk on hot coals, handle 
  venomous snakes and other fantastic feats. 
  Macray, feeling pressure from the Order of the 
  Winged Serpent, has decided to travel to Las Vegas 
  with a few Aztec cultists and make the Navajo sha-
  man see reason. He plans on killing Talks With The 
  Gods and stealing the prayer stick, which he’ll use to 
  unlock the secrets of Pueblo Bonito. 
  Using this adventure
  Mystery of the Anasazi is a good introductory adven-
  ture for Novice characters. It introduces characters to 
  the game world and can be played in a single evening. 
  The heroes will get a chance to travel to the American 
  Southwest and discover what happened to the ancient 
  Anasazi while preventing a corrupt archeologist from 
  securing a powerful relic and treasure.
  new hindrances & edges
  Some characters in this adventure have a setting spe-
  cific Hindrance or Edge and these are detailed below.
  Gestures & Incantations (Minor or Major Hindrance)
  Your hero is required to perform intricate gestures and 
  vocalize complex incantations to activate his powers. 
  Being unable to perform either of these tasks will pre-
  vent him from using his powers. The minor version of 
  this Hindrance affects a single power (player’s choice), 
  while the major version affects all powers.
  Rituals (Major Hindrance)
  Heroes with this Hindrance are required to perform 
  elaborate rituals (such as burning incense or scribing 
  magical circles on the floor) in order to activate their 
  powers. All of their powers are affected by this Hin-
  drance. If prevented from speaking or moving freely, 
  your hero is unable to enact his ritual and therefore 
  cannot use any of his powers. Furthermore, during a 
  round in which your hero activates a power, he may 
  perform no other actions (including movement)!
  Focused Mind (Power Edge)
  Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background, Smarts 
  d8+, Spirit d8+
  Your hero is able to stay focused and alert even un-
  der the most stressful of situations. Whenever he 
  makes an Arcane Skill or Smarts roll to avoid having 
  his powers disrupted, he may apply a +2 bonus.
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  4
  sCene 1
  the night the Lights 
  Went out in Vegas
  The adventure begins in January 1936 in New York 
  City. John Yazzie, a 21-year old Navajo from Arizona 
  who is attending college in New York City, contacts 
  the heroes. The characters meet with Yazzie in Man-
  hattan at a nice restaurant or club. 
  The Narrator Speaks
  The year is 1936, but this world is different from 
  our own. Strange, dark forces manifest across 
  the globe, darkening the hearts of some men and 
  spawning vile creatures and corrupt magic. 
  It is a time for heroes: bold adventurers, stal-
  wart magicians, super humans and daring explorers. 
  From the solitude of their New York City headquar-
  ters, the adventurers plan their strategy against a 
  world of villains. Suddenly, the phone rings. On the 
  other end of the line is a scared young man asking for 
  your help. You arrange a meeting and things are set 
  into motion…
  a Grandson’s Plea
  Yazzie, a clean-shaven man in a suit and tie, has a 
  friendly and outgoing demeanor. He tells the heroes 
  that he’s concerned his grandfather, a Navajo sha-
  man named Talks With The Gods, might be in mortal 
  danger. 
  Yazzie said he received distressing phone calls 
  from his grandfather. The old man claimed someone 
  sent him threatening notes promising to kill him if 
  he didn’t part with a prayer stick, an ancient artifact 
  that’s been in the Yazzie family for generations. The 
  Anasazi priests used the prayer stick in ceremonies 
  over 800 years ago. Talks to the Gods acquired the 
  prayer stick from his grandfather, who found it at 
  Anasazi ruins in New Mexico. According to Yazzie, 
  legend says the prayer stick has magical properties 
  and can unlock the way into Pueblo Bonito, an an-
  cient Anasazi ruin. 
  Yazzie said the man who threatened his grandfa-
  ther promised he’d kill the old man to get the prayer 
  stick. Talks With The Gods first started receiving the 
  threatening letters shortly after he gave an interview 
  to a local newspaper about shamanism and some of 
  the ritualistic items he possessed, the prayer stick be-
  ing among them. 
  Yazzie says his family isn’t rich, but they can af-
  ford to pay a $1,000 reward to any hero who exposes 
  the identity of those who threatened his grandfather. 
  When you’re done explaining this to the heroes, 
  Yazzie says the following:
  “My grandfather is a very headstrong man. He 
  is so proud of his people and of his ancestors. 
  If the prayer stick were to fall into the wrong 
  hands, who knows what magic it could unleash? 
  Entrance into Pueblo Bonito isn’t something to 
  be taken lightly. It is said in old stories that there 
  is a giant kiva or sacred chamber underground 
  Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, the center of the 
  Anasazi civilization. Within that kiva lies the secret 
  of what happened to the Anasazi. Many archeologists 
  say the Anasazi simply moved away from their dwell-
  ings and joined other tribes due to a drought that 
  wiped out their food supply. My grandfather thinks 
  the Aztecs corrupted their society and dark magic de-
  generated the people. Legends of an evil shaman who 
  practiced cannibalism among his people offend most 
  Navajo, but my grandfather believed them.”
  Yazzie tells the heroes his grandfather performs 
  traditional shamanism as part of a variety show in 
  Las Vegas, showing tourists how the Native Ameri-
  can shaman chanted, concocted herbal remedies and 
  used a variety of ceremonial masks and dances. 
  The young Navajo tells the heroes his grandfa-
  ther is performing at The Meadows Casino.
  sin City
  How players arrive in Las Vegas is up to them. The 
  city does have railroad and air service, though the 
  train station and airstrips are small and not accus-
  tomed to handing a lot of passengers. 
  Those taking the train find the Union Pacific Sta-
  tion to be dismal, but train service from Denver is 
  reliable. 
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  5
  Las Vegas, Nevada
  Las Vegas is a hot and dry frontier town in the harsh 
  southern Nevada desert. Ranchers and gamblers, 
  prostitutes and mobsters and people looking to make 
  a fast buck all flock to this lawless outpost. The recent 
  infusion of mob money into civic life created many 
  new structures, most of them hotels and casinos, but 
  the mob, realizing it had better play the benevolent 
  benefactors, also constructed schools and a hospital. 
  Many of the tourists in Las Vegas are there to see 
  the construction of Boulder Dam or awaiting a quick-
  ie divorce after only living in Nevada for six weeks. 
  Fremont Street offers gambling dens, hotels and 
  casinos, most of them run by the Chicago mob. The 
  primary casinos in Las Vegas are The Apache Casino, 
  The Meadows Casino, Nevada Hotel, The Red Rooster, 
  El Rancho Hotel and Casino, and the Pair O’Dice Nite 
  Club. Lesser gambling parlors include The Black Cat, 
  the Northern Club and the Red Windmill Roadhouse. 
  Al Capone’s mob money is pumped into the 
  town, and the Chicago criminal boss owns half the 
  town council, police force and city judges. Capone’s 
  goons are holed up at a few of the casinos “minding 
  the store.” 
  If the heroes want to gamble while they’re in 
  town, remember all Gambling rolls here are made at 
  a -2, thanks to a little help from Capone’s boys rig-
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  6
  ging roulette wheels, craps rolls and slot machines. Those trying their 
  luck at cards won’t fare any better. 
  A notorious red light district fronts North Street, with cathouses 
  numbering in the dozens. Saloons, bars and pawnshops round out the 
  places where tourists spend their last few dollars. The Pioneer Loan 
  Shop is the best pawnshop in town; they trade anything for anything. 
  Those who feel cheated can always find a square meal at the Green 
  Shack Restaurant, one of the few businesses in town not touched by 
  Capone. 
  The Las Vegas Airstrip is located outside of town to the south. It 
  mainly handles small aircraft but doesn’t have any facilities for air-
  ships.
  Dr. Miles Macray
  Dr. Miles Macray checks into The Meadows Casino on Boulder 
  Highway with two bodyguards. The bodyguards are cult members 
  from the Order of the Winged Serpent and wear suits and jewelry in-
  spired by Aztec designs. Macray is a lanky man with a mustache and 
  glasses. He is always jotting things down in his notebooks but isn’t a 
  total bookworm: he hides a revolver in a sling under his jacket in case 
  trouble breaks out.  
  Macray is interested in attending the variety show in the casino’s 
  theater. Macray doesn’t care about the singers, dancers or comedians. 
  He wants to see the Navajo shaman Talks With The Gods and his sacred 
  artifacts, particularly the Anasazi prayer stick. 
  Macray will do anything to get that prayer stick and uncover the 
  secret of the Anasazi’s treasure and disappearance.
  the show Must Go on!
  The variety show is held at The Meadows Casino, which features com-
  fortable rooms, a restaurant, casino and theater. The stage manager, 
  Stan Benson, is aware of the threats Talks With The Gods received from 
  his anonymous tormentor, but the shaman refused to leave the show. 
  Benson is stuck: he doesn’t want anyone harming the old man or any-
  one else in his company, but he also doesn’t want to loose his star act. 
  Benson isn’t taking any chances: he’s sequestered his performers in their 
  dressing rooms under heavy guard. Nobody is to come backstage until 
  the performance is concluded. 
  If the heroes try to Persuade their way back, all rolls suffer a -4. 
  Benson is very stubborn and won’t grant access to his performers for 
  safety reasons. 
  The entertainers will only be available after the show. If the heroes 
  wish to buy tickets, they cost $1. They can sit through the whole show if 
  they like. The acts include (in their order of appearance): 
  DR. MILES MACRAY (Wild Card)
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, 
  Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Gambling d6, 
  Guts d6, Healing d8, Investigation 
  d8, Knowledge (Archeology) d10, 
  Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting 
  d8, Streetwise d6, Tracking d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Hindrances: 
  Overconfident, 
  Greedy, Xenophobic
  Edges: Dodge
  Gear: revolver, backpack, com-
  pass, spectacles, archeology tools, 
  survival knife (STR+1), Atlas of 
  America, $1,500.
  AZTEC HENCHMAN
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, 
  Spirit d10, Strength d8, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d10, In-
  timidation d6, Shooting d6, Notice 
  d6, Knowledge (occult) d6, Throw-
  ing d6, Tracking d6, Stealth d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
  Hindrances: Loyal (to the Order 
  of the Winged Serpent), Gestures 
  & Incantations (Major)
  Edges: 
  Wizard, 
  Arcane 
  Back-
  ground: Magic, Dodge
  Powers: blast, bolt, stun
  Gear: Traditional Aztec warrior’s 
  headdress, white suit, automatic 
  pistol, throwing knife
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  7
  •	Burke	&	Rigby: Tommy Burke and Joey Rigby are 
  standup comedians from Boston whose act in-
  clude the famous comedy skit “Let’s Buy A Cow” 
  and “Not In My Basement!”  The two are respon-
  sible for the comedic catchphrase, “It’s like Miami 
  all over again!” Their act is mostly corny, but that’s 
  why they are the opener.  
  •	The	Sizzling	Sullivan	Sisters: Raven-haired Brook-
  lyn beauties Karen and Lisa entertain with song 
  and dance and can high-step better than any Paris-
  ian can-can girl!
  •	Johnny	Fortune: A silken-voiced crooning sensa-
  tion, Fortune sings ballads, love songs and tunes 
  to fall in love by. 
  •	General	Parker	&	His	Orchestra: “General” Nate Parker is one of the top African-American bandleaders in 
  the western U.S., and his orchestra plays hot jazz numbers. 
  •	Sigmund	&	Ray: Gunther Sigmund and Jimmy Ray are lion tamers from Germany and the U.S., respec-
  tively. They bring their act to the stage by training a lion to beg for a steak, jump through a hoop and play 
  dead. 
  •	Talks	With	The	Gods: This Navajo shaman recreates authentic native rituals and demonstrates his tribal 
  artifacts, the Anasazi prayer stick among them. 
  Talks With The Gods (Wild Card)
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, 
  Spirit d12, Strength d4, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Healing 
  d10, Knowledge (Shamanism) d10, 
  Notice d6, Shooting d4, Tracking d8, 
  Survival d8
  Pace: 5; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
  Hindrances: Cautious, Elderly, Out-
  sider, Rituals
  Edges: Arcane Background: Shaman, 
  Focused Mind
  Spells: dispel, healing, deflection, 
  environmental protection
  Gear: Knapsack, medicine pouches, 
  traditional clothing, prayer stick
  Each act performs for ten minutes. Whether the heroes want to sit 
  through the whole show is up to them. Anyone making a Notice roll in 
  the theater observes Macray seated in the audience, surrounded by his 
  Aztec bodyguards. 
  If the heroes manage to finagle their way or sneak into Talks With 
  The Gods’ dressing room and tell the shaman his life is in danger, the 
  old Navajo appears grateful, then tenses up. 
  He tells the heroes he will not be intimidated by anyone, especially 
  an archeologist looking for fame. 
  Talks With The Gods proposes the heroes help him get to Pueblo 
  Bonito to find the Anasazi treasure before anyone else does. He even 
  Persuades reluctant heroes if they’re doubtful. 
  If the heroes aren’t convinced, Talks With The Gods tells them:
  “This prayer stick is enchanted. My grandfather found it while he 
  was a young man exploring Chaco Canyon. He said the stick un-
  locks a great kiva underground, where great evil still lurks. He said 
  one day, one of us must return and confront this evil and put an end 
  to it. The Old Ones knew of this evil and tried to stop it, but only 
  contained it. If someone wants to unleash it, that concerns me and 
  my people. My grandson was wise to send you to me. Now I know 
  we must travel to Chaco Canyon and into the heart of the Anasazi.”
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  8
  stage fright
  Macray hired some mob goons to bribe the guards away from the dress-
  ing rooms. Macray gave the goons explicit instructions to break into the 
  shaman’s dressing room and take the prayer stick. If Talks With The 
  Gods is in the dressing room, the goons are to subdue the old man and 
  grab the relic. 
  The heroes can learn of this plot if they make a Notice roll to hear 
  Macray whisper to the mob goons in the lobby before the show. 
  There are three mobsters, each armed with automatic pistols. They 
  head backstage to bribe the guards before Sigmund & Ray take the 
  stage. The heroes will have ten minutes to stop them before Talks With 
  The Gods goes onstage. 
  Remember, any loud noises like gunfire will certainly attract un-
  wanted attention! 
  If the heroes see Talks With The Gods before he’s scheduled to per-
  form, play out the encounter above, where he asks the heroes to accom-
  pany him to Chaco Canyon. 
  the house Wins!
  Macray has another plan if his mob goons fail. He sends the Aztecs af-
  ter the heroes. The cultists use their dark magic to paralyze the heroes 
  so Macray can steal the prayer stick. Whatever happens, Macray must 
  survive this encounter. He plays a role later in the adventure. 
  If the heroes engage in a skirmish with the Aztecs, backstage in-
  stantly becomes chaotic. Performers lock themselves in their dressing 
  rooms, Sigmund & Ray’s lion escapes, and Benson summons the casino 
  manager and the police. 
  The combat lasts for seven rounds before the police arrive. 
  When the Dust Clears…
  After the fight, Macray and his remaining henchmen escape. Talks With 
  The Gods thanks the heroes and offers his automobile to them for the 
  trip to Chaco Canyon. The elderly Navajo shaman insists they make the 
  trip to the Anasazi’s ancient city, Pueblo Bonito before Macray reaches 
  it. The shaman reminds the heroes he won’t be safe unless the prayer 
  stick is returned to the sacred chamber in Pueblo Bonito. He chooses 
  one trustworthy hero and gives them the prayer stick, telling them to 
  guard the item.
  Of course, Talks With The Gods intends to come along for the ride.
  MOBSTER
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, 
  Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimi-
  dation d8, Shooting d8, Taunt d6.
  Pace: 6;  Parry: 6;  Toughness: 6
  Hindrances: 
  Bloodthirsty, 
  Mean, 
  Vengeful
  Edges: Dodge
  Gear: Beretta 1934, suits, $150
  Anasazi Prayer Stick
  Location: American Southwest
  History: The Anasazi used these 
  sacred items to heal the sick and to 
  curse their enemies. This particular 
  prayer stick had a more sinister use. 
  It was forged by a shaman called 
  Dark Whisperer who used it, along 
  with two similar prayer sticks, to 
  open a portal to the spirit world. The 
  artifact is a yard-long stick decorated 
  with paint and feathers and beads 
  and distinctive Anasazi pictoglyphs. 
  The prayer stick is over 500 years 
  old but surprisingly well preserved. 
  Powers: The stick’s magic is two-
  fold: it grants the owner protection 
  against the blast, bolt and burst 
  spells and, when placed near two 
  other prayer sticks and an Anasazi 
  incantation chanted, will open a por-
  tal to the spirit world. Macray knows 
  the ritual and needs the prayer stick 
  to accomplish this. 
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  9
  Bar Brawl
  The town’s dancehall, the Union Saloon, serves pretty 
  good meals, and the heroes are recommended there 
  if asked if there’s anything exciting in town. 
  Talks With The Gods heads to the Union Saloon 
  shortly after the heroes arrive to get food and sarsa-
  parilla. The shaman gets a little more than he bar-
  gains for when a few burly men ambush him and 
  start a fight. 
  If the heroes are present at the saloon, they notice 
  a group of men approaching Talks With The Gods. A 
  few coarse words are exchanged and fists start flying! 
  There are six mooks who manhandle the shaman. 
  The fight lasts five rounds before the remaining 
  men flee out the back door, Talks With The Gods in 
  tow. Searching for the shaman is useless; it seems 
  he vanished in thin air. After the heroes try making 
  Streetsmarts, Search or Tracking rolls, have them re-
  ceive this note at their hotel:
  The U.S. Marshals show no interest in the note, 
  if presented to them. They want peace in their town 
  and will incarcerate anyone fighting, including the 
  heroes. 
  Macray kidnapped Talks With The Gods and 
  plans to use the shaman to get the prayer stick from 
  the heroes. This dramatic conflict plays out on top of 
  Boulder Dam noon the next day. 
  If the heroes want to head to the dam at night to 
  ambush Macray, their efforts are useless. Security is 
  tight at the dam after dark, and they’ll have a tough 
  time getting close enough to the dam due to patrol-
  ling U.S. Marshals. 
  sCene 2
  DaM troUBLe
  Talks With The Gods suggests the heroes leave Las 
  Vegas and start on their trip to Chaco Canyon in 
  New Mexico immediately. The first town the heroes 
  can drive to is Boulder City, 34 miles southeast from 
  Las Vegas, near the Boulder Dam. 
  a Clean town
  When the Bureau of Reclamation built Boulder Dam, 
  the construction workers and supervisors needed a 
  permanent place to live. The old tent encampments 
  wouldn’t suffice for the lengthy project, so the U.S. 
  government and Six Companies, the contractor 
  building the dam, planned and established Boulder 
  City. 
  Boulder City, Nevada
  Boulder City is a planned community of cottag-
  es, bunkhouses and businesses near Boulder Dam. 
  During Boulder Dam’s construction, from 1931 un-
  til 1935, it housed the workers and supervisors from 
  Six Companies. Now that the dam is complete, some 
  workers moved on, but a majority stayed in town.
  The government appointed a wiry, no-nonsense 
  man named Sims Ely as city manager. Ely runs Boul-
  der City like a dictatorship; any transgressors are 
  banished or imprisoned. Unlike the wild and lawless 
  Las Vegas, Boulder City forbids alcohol, prostitution 
  and gambling. Because of Ely’s heavy-handed tactics, 
  or the effectiveness of the U.S. Marshals who patrol 
  the town, Boulder City has no crime. 
  Heroes find Boulder City a stark contrast to Las 
  Vegas; it’s quiet and peaceful and mostly populated 
  by families. The business district has retail stores, a 
  movie theater, a few churches and some U.S. govern-
  ment offices. Unlike the unlawful Las Vegas, which 
  flaunts Prohibition by openly serving alcohol, Boul-
  der City is a teetotaler’s paradise. The local dance 
  hall serves sarsaparilla and soda instead of alcohol, 
  and playing cards, even a friendly game of bridge, is 
  forbidden. 
  To those interested in the welfare of the  
  old man,
  Your friend is safe with us for the mo-
  ment. But he will not remain so, unless 
  you cooperate. Bring the prayer stick to 
  the Boulder Dam at noon tomorrow. Do 
  not go to the police and no funny busi-
  ness or your Indian friend will meet 
  with a most unfortunate accident. 
  Macray
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  10
  hostage standoff
  Macray’s goons are holding Talks With The Gods at 
  gunpoint at the top of Boulder Dam. The shaman’s 
  wrists are bound to a cable slung across one of the 
  concrete supports on the dam’s rim. Macray also 
  positioned his mooks at various spots on the dam’s 
  apex, armed with rifles. Macray warns the heroes 
  if they try anything funny, his men will push Talks 
  With The Gods over the edge of Boulder Dam!
  There are six armed mooks positioned near the 
  intake towers and on the dam’s rim. They train their 
  rifles on the heroes and will act as one if Macray gives 
  the signal. 
  Macray instructs one of the heroes to approach 
  with the prayer stick. If the heroes refuse, Macray 
  shouts an order and the mooks begin firing and Talks 
  With The Gods is pushed over the southern face of 
  the dam!
  If the heroes cooperate and give the prayer stick 
  to Macray, the archeologist looks at the object with 
  wide-eyed reverance and says:
  “Whoever thought such a primitive object could 
  cause sane men to act so irrationally? This is 
  more than a simple stick covered with paint, 
  beads and feathers. To me, it’s the key to a mys-
  tery I’m about to solve, a mystery that’ll grant 
  me real power. I thank you for your 
  cooperation.” 
  With this, Macray walks back 
  to his car with the prayer stick 
  in hand. As he passes one of his 
  mooks, he whispers something in 
  the man’s ear. Suddenly, the mook 
  pushes Talks With The Gods over 
  the side of the dam and gives a 
  signal. The other mooks posi-
  tioned around the dam begin fir-
  ing at the heroes while Macray 
  escapes!
  The cable supporting Talks 
  With The Gods is 50 feet long and 
  the shaman dangles at the end of 
  it, above the 735-foot dam! His 
  Boulder Dam
  Built 34 miles south of Las Vegas in Black Canyon on 
  the Colorado River, Boulder Dam is the largest dam 
  in the world. Construction started in 1931 and ended 
  in 1935, creating jobs for thousands of workers who 
  flocked to the area and now live in nearby Boulder 
  City. 
  Towering at 726 feet tall and 1,244 feet wide at 
  its highest point, Boulder Dam is an engineering 
  marvel. The dam contains four intake towers that 
  draw water into a power plant. The massive banks 
  of General Electric generators are still being installed 
  in early 1936. When completed, the generators will 
  provide electricity to the southwest. 
  The dam straddles the river, linking Nevada and 
  Arizona via a road built atop the dam. 
  Two 32-foot tall winged bronze statues dubbed 
  “Winged Figures of the Republic” guard the dam’s el-
  evator towers. A plaque lists the names of those who 
  died during the dam’s construction and a monument 
  features a celestial map depicting the constellations 
  the exact day the dam was dedicated by President 
  Garner in 1935. 
  When the heroes arrive, they find the normally 
  bustling dam eerily quiet. 
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  11
  red rock Country
  The trip through northern Arizona into southern 
  Utah by car takes one full day of travel through 
  beautiful, rocky scenery. Spectacular canyons, natu-
  ral weathered rock formations and mountains and 
  hills of various ringed colors give the place the name, 
  “the painted desert.” 
  The area is quite remote, and local Navajo make 
  helpful guides, but warn outsiders of the nocturnal 
  terrors existing out in the desert and hills. Supernat-
  ural creatures like werewolves, ghosts and spirit eat-
  ers or ghouls are on the prowl. If the trip is a little too 
  quiet, you might want to have your heroes encounter 
  these creatures.   
  Bluff City, Utah
  Bluff City is a small town in the southeast corner of 
  Utah, near the Four Corners area. The town has a bank, 
  police station, town hall, post office, hotel and a variety 
  of shops and stores. The county museum is a quaint 
  building located next to a church on Main Street. 
  Getting the journal, which is behind a glass dis-
  play case along with other relics of Wetherill’s ex-
  peditions, will take finesse. The museum curator, a 
  surly man named Peter South, doesn’t tolerate any 
  funny business, and won’t hesitate calling the police, 
  which, incidentally, are headquartered across the 
  street. 
  wrists start bleeding and it’s only 
  a matter of time when the cable 
  loosens, sending him plummet-
  ing to his death below! Heroes 
  have six rounds before the cable 
  loosens and one round after that 
  before Talks With The Gods falls. 
  The cable can be pulled and the 
  shaman hoisted up, but doing so 
  requires a Strength check each 
  round the heroes are pulling the 
  cable. It takes three continuous 
  rounds before the shaman is hoist-
  ed to safety. Heroes who want to 
  shimmy down the cable must 
  make a Strength roll and another 
  Strength roll to lift the shaman. 
  Then the hero must get a raise on 
  his climbing roll while climbing up the cable with the 
  shaman in tow.
  If the heroes fail, Talks With The Gods falls to his 
  death. It’ll be bad news to his grandson in New York 
  if this happens. The heroes may try to salvage the 
  remainder of the adventure by finding their way to 
  Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico and 
  stopping Macray’s expedition.
  Useful information
  If Talks With The Gods is rescued, he profusely 
  thanks the heroes for saving him. 
  Finding Pueblo Bonito isn’t particularly difficult; 
  its existence and location are well documented. Find-
  ing a way into the Great Kiva is another matter. Talks 
  With The Gods tells the heroes he overheard Macray 
  talk about a journal once belonging to Richard Weth-
  erill, who explored many of the Anasazi ruins. In 1903 
  Richard Wetherill chronicled his excavations at Pue-
  blo Bonito, including a way into the lower levels. 
  The heroes must get Wetherill’s journal to unlock 
  this information. According to Talks With The Gods, 
  he overheard Macray say Wetherill’s journal is in a 
  county museum in Bluff City, Utah. The shaman said 
  Macray will try to steal the journal and suggests the 
  heroes beat the rogue archeologist at his own game 
  by getting the journal first!
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  12
  rustlin’ Up some Varmints!
  Macray may be evil, but he’s not stupid. He knows the heroes present 
  a threat to his expedition and wants them eliminated as quickly as pos-
  sible. Macray hired some cowboys from a local ranch to “take care” of 
  the heroes when they leave Bluff City. 
  About two hours after leaving the town, eight cowboys on horse-
  back sweep down fom the hills and ambush the heroes! The cowboys, 
  led by ranch hand Eli McGurk, show no mercy as they ride their horses 
  beside the heroes’ car and fire their pistols and shotguns! 
  The cowboys will abandon their efforts if half their number is killed. 
  They turn tail and ride off into the hills, back to their ranch to lick their 
  wounds.
  COWBOYS
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, 
  Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimi-
  dation d6, Taunt d6, Shooting d8, 
  Notice d6.
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Mean
  Edges: Block
  Gear: Pistols, lassoes, shotguns, 
  throwing knives, horses. 
  the Journal
  Wetherill’s journal has seen better days. The old 
  book contains handwritten entries from 1895 
  until 1906. The passage of interest about Pueblo 
  Bonito was written in 1903 and has been repro-
  duced at the end of this adventure as a handout 
  for your players. 
  South can explain the background of Wetherill’s excavations of Chaco Canyon, his interest in the Anasazi, 
  the various bits of pottery and baskets and tools on display in great, exhaustive detail. Feel free to exagger-
  ate to the players and do your best, boring museum curator impression. If the heroes are foolish enough 
  to inquire about something to a museum curator, they’ll get a long-winded explanation of everything on 
  display. 
  If the heroes want to Persuade South to relinquish the journal, have them make their Persuasion rolls at 
  -2. South is very committed to his collection and doesn’t want anything damaged. 
  If the heroes are the smash-and-grab type, South goes wild, yelling at the heroes for breaking the display 
  case and damaging valuable museum property. He leaves and returns with three police officers who arrest 
  the heroes.
  If the heroes are there to stop Macray from getting the journal, they find 
  the archeologist uses a slightly different tactic. His Aztec goons put South to 
  sleep, then the archeologist simply grabs the display case keys from South’s 
  pocket, unlocks the case and snatches the journal. 
  A fight can break out here quickly if the heroes want it. Just don’t forget 
  the police department is across the street and any loud gunfire will draw at-
  tention!
  Just remember to keep Macray alive; he plays a major part at the end of 
  the adventure. 
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  13
  Pueblo Bonito
  The Early Spanish conquistadores called the settle-
  ments of over six hundred rooms and three levels 
  Pueblo Bonito (“pretty village”) when they stumbled 
  upon them. Unlike the cliff dwellings the Anasazi 
  built, Pueblo Bonito rests on the canyon floor. 
  The Pueblo Bonito ruins resemble a cluster of 
  several stone rooms and large rings called kiva, or 
  ceremonial chambers. Most of the above ground 
  rooms have been pilfered by generations of treasure 
  hunters, so finding anything of value is difficult. No-
  tice rolls in any of the rooms are made at -4 due to 
  previous excavations. 
  If the heroes have Wetherill’s journal, they know 
  the way into the lower levels is though a small triangu-
  lar room in north-eastern area of the adobe complex. 
  Finding it means searching the many small earthen 
  rooms. This task can be done from a higher vantage 
  point, or by making Notice rolls in several rooms. 
  If the heroes have the prayer stick, they notices 
  the relic glows with an eerie light as they approach 
  the triangular room. 
  sCene 3
  ChaCo Canyon
  Chaco Canyon, New Mexico is the site 
  of several Anasazi ruins and its many stone settlements 
  were the center of Anasazi culture, containing the so-
  cial, religious and economic life of the Anasazi people. 
  What remains are crumbling stone walls, potsherds 
  and the occasional woven baskets, but many amateur 
  treasure hunters have turned up gold, turquoise and 
  silver figurines, masks and other glittering prizes. 
  Chaco Canyon seems to have been the center 
  of a ceremonial, mystical network of roads radiat-
  ing hundreds miles in several directions, going over 
  hills, mesas and other natural obstacles. Some specu-
  late the lines channeled supernatural energy toward 
  Chaco Canyon. Others claim the lines weren’t built 
  by the Anasazi at all but by another people and cul-
  ture a thousand years before the Anasazi arrived. 
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  14
  Underground
  The triangular room is loaded with debris: rocks, dirt 
  and sand cover the floor, and it takes some serious dig-
  ging to remove them. Once the debris is removed, a small 
  wooden trapdoor appears blocking the lower level. 
  The underground level is a warren of narrow 
  passages and rooms. The air here is choked with 
  the stench of death, and anyone entering the un-
  derground level must make a Vigor roll or become 
  nauseous from the smell. Characters also need a light 
  source if they’re going to explore the lower levels: the 
  place is pitch dark and uneven floors can cause in-
  jury if the heroes stumble around in the blackness.
  Exploring the undisturbed lower level can yield 
  artifacts. Each time your heroes want to look for arti-
  facts, have them make a Search roll. On a raise, they 
  find one item! Roll on the table below to determine 
  the object found.
  ANASAZI OBJECTS
  1d6
  Object
  Cost
  1-2
  Pottery shard
  d4+3 x $100
  3
  Whole pottery
  d4 x $100 + $1,000
  4-5
  Flint tool
  d10 x $10 + $100
  6
  Woven basket
  d4 x $100 + $1,100
  Blanket Room
  This small square room is empty, save for a skeletal 
  figure wrapped in a colorful woven blanket. The fig-
  ure’s arms and legs appear bound by rope and the 
  sketeton’s grizzly appearance causes anyone looking 
  at it to make a Guts check. The remnants of another 
  woven blanket lay shredded in the corner. Heroes 
  making an Investigation roll determine the skeleton 
  to be over 500 years old. 
  Kitchen
  Heroes discover a few crude metal tools in this small 
  chamber, namely knives and a few primitive saws. 
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  15
  Some woven baskets and clay bowls are also here, along with a few skel-
  etons of small animals. Heroes making a Notice or Search roll find a clay 
  pot filled with what appear to be human bones. A few of the bones appear 
  to be severely gnawed. A firepit is in one corner, and what appears to be a 
  chimney is blocked by debris.
  Rattlesnake Den
  A family of rattlesnakes nests in one of Pueblo Bonito’s underground 
  chambers. When the heroes enter the chamber, have whichever hero’s 
  in the lead make a Notice roll to hear a faint rattling sound. Another 
  Notice or Search roll locates a small borrow underneath a section of 
  fallen wall. Six rattlesnakes are here, and the hero’s loud investigating 
  draws them out. They begin attacking, rattling their tails and biting 
  whoever is closest. 
  For stats on the rattlesnake, use the Snake, Venomous stats from the 
  Savage Worlds rulebook, page 131. 
  Petroglyph Hall
  This long corridor leads toward the Great Kiva. The hall is five feet wide 
  and a narrow squeeze, and bits of rock and debris littler the floor. The 
  walls of the hall are decorated with disturbing, monstrous petroglyphs 
  depicting warriors being killed by supernatural beings. Though the petro-
  glyphs appear crudely drawn, they are enchanted. Anyone passing them 
  can make a Notice roll to detect the petroglyphs oddly shimmering. 
  When the heroes least expect it, the petroglyphs come to life, peel-
  ing themselves off the walls and attacking the characters. 
  The petroglyphs are enchanted guardians drawn by Dark Whisper-
  er to protect the Great Kiva. There are eight various petroglyphs, and 
  each one stands four feet high. The petroglyphs are armed with the bar-
  rier and bolt spells, but can use their spears and arrows for more con-
  ventional attacks. The petroglyphs cannot be harmed by conventional 
  weapons: only magic attacks affect them.
  The Anasazi Treasure
  When the heroes first discover this chamber, it’s sealed off from the 
  main passage by crumbling clay bricks, which are easily removed by 
  hacking or sawing through them. The room is circular, like a kiva, but 
  smaller, with wooden beams and posts supporting it. Strewn around 
  the room are various glittering artifacts and treasures, from gold and 
  turquoise masks, weapons, totems and jewelry. An array of Anasazi 
  war clubs, spears and arrows are also here. Mingled with the treasure 
  are several Aztec items, including a sacrificial dagger and shield bear-
  ing the images of Aztec deities. 
  The whole treasure is worth $70,000 if brought to the surface intact. 
  Individual pieces range from $300 to $1,000. It is up to the GM to deter-
  mine just what bit of treasure is worth what amount of money. 
  PETROGLYPH GUARDIAN
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6(A), 
  Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidate d6, 
  Stealth d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Special Abilities
  Spells: barrier, bolt
  Spear: STR+d1  Claws: STR
  Fearless: The petroglyphs never 
  suffer from Fear effects and cannot 
  be Intimidated
  Immunity: The petroglyphs are im-
  mune to attacks from conventional 
  weapons
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  16
  Great Kiva entrance
  This small, featureless chamber is empty except for a hole at its center and a wooden ladder leading down 
  into the darkness. The ladder descends 25 feet below into the Great Kiva. 
  Great Kiva
  The Great Kiva is a large circular underground chamber where the Anasazi practiced their rituals and medi-
  cine. It’s also where Dark Whisperer opened a portal to the spirit world after a mass human sacrifice, sending 
  his brothers into the great beyond.
  Only accessible by a ladder through the ceiling, the Great Kiva is 100’ in diameter. The walls are made of red 
  sandstone blocks and decorated with pictoglyphs showing various gods and hunting scenes. The floor here is 
  littered with dozens, maybe hundreds of human skeletons. A Successful Notice rolls reveals each skull bears a 
  distinctive hole at the back. 
  On the floor at the center of the Great Kiva is a circle of colored sand. Inside the circle is a wooden stool 
  with three holes, and resting in two of the three holes are prayer sticks. The desiccated remains of a shaman 
  rests here. The shaman clutches various pouches of dried herbs and powdered animal remains. In the sha-
  man’s belt is a red tomahawk.
  A Notice roll reveals the two other prayer sticks and a hole for one more. If the players have Talks With 
  The Gods’ prayer stick, they can place it in the hole beside the others. When this happens, the three sticks 
  glow eerily. 
  the Portal opens
  If Macray has the prayer stick, he places it beside the others, and begins 
  reciting an incantation in an ancient, forgotten language. 
  Immediately, a shimmering portal manifests at the far end of the 
  room. The portal resembles a swirling green vortex with spirits spinning 
  within. Humans cannot enter the portal; they merely pass through it as if 
  it were a beam of light from a movie projector. Spirits, however, are im-
  mediately sucked into the portal and are transported into the afterworld, 
  a dimension inhabited by Native American deities and spirit warriors. 
  Dark Whisperer Awakes!
  If Macray activates the portal, he excitedly announces he’s discovered 
  the secret to the Anasazi’s disappearance. He gloats in front of the he-
  roes (in true villain form).
  “The Anasazi used this portal to enter the spirit world and escape their 
  enemies!” Macray cries. “I will summon them back from the land of the 
  dead and they will inhabit human bodies so I can interview them about 
  their culture. I will be famous beyond measure!” He turns to the heroes 
  and smiles. “I have just the bodies for the Anasazi souls to inhabit…”
  Regardless of whether Macray or the characters activate the por-
  tal,  and before the heroes can act, Dark Whisperer makes his presence 
  known. 
  DARK WHISPERER (Wild Card)
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, 
  Spirit d10, Strength d8, Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Taunt d8, 
  Intimidate d8, Throwing d8 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
  Edges: Arcane Background: Magic
  Special Abilities
  Claws: Str
  Spells: bolt, blast, detect/conceal 
  arcana, barrier
  Undead: Dark Whisperer adds +2 
  on attempts at recovering from 
  being Shaken, and arrows, bullets 
  and other piercing weapons only 
  do half damage. Dark Whisperer 
  doesn’t suffer from Wound Modi-
  fiers. 
  Fearless: Dark Whisperer doesn’t 
  suffer from Fear affects and cannot 
  be Shaken. 
  Gear: Enchanted Tomahawk 
  (Str+1d12 damage)
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  17
  The desiccated shaman lying in the center of the 
  Great Kiva, emits a terrible groan. The eyes be-
  gin to glow red and Dark Whosperer pulls him-
  self upright. He surveys his surroundings and 
  the strangers in his domain.
  With lightening speed, he grabs Macray by the neck 
  and lifts him off the ground. The undead shaman reach-
  es into his belt and pulls out the tomahawk. Grinning 
  vilely, Dark Whisperer strikes Macray a sickening blow 
  to head, and drops the archeologist to the ground. 
      A misty form exudes from the gaping wound in 
  Macray’s head; his spirit is leaving his body. The ap-
  parition floats in the air for a moment and then moves 
  toward the swirling vortex. The heroes watch the spirit 
  struggle to break free but, with a ghostly scream, it is 
  sucked into the the spirit realm. Dark Whisperer barks 
  a mad laugh and, clutching the tomahawk tighter in 
  his bony fingers, turn his attention to the heroes.
  Heroes who witness this guesome event must 
  make a Guts check.
  Dark Whisperer demonstrated how the Anasazi 
  managed to leave this world and enter another. He 
  wants to kill the heroes so their souls can enter the spir-
  it realm! If a hero is killed by Dark Whisperer’s toma-
  hawk, have the hero roll a Spirit roll immediately after 
  they’re killed. If they succeed, their souls are saved and 
  they are Stunned, otherwise they are sucked into the 
  vortex and the spirit world beyond! 
  the Great escape
  If Dark Whisperer is killed, he evaporates into dust. 
  The entire kiva shakes and the ceiling and walls be-
  gin to collapse. The heroes have five rounds to leave 
  the kiva and lower levels before the cave-in. 
  If the heroes don’t make it out, they suffer 2d12 
  damage from falling debris and might become trapped 
  underground. If they are still underground after five 
  rounds after Dark Whisperer is killed, roll a d6. On a 
  3-6 they are trapped in an underground room and are 
  unhurt. But on a 1 or 2, they are pinned under falling 
  debris and must make a Strength roll to move it and 
  escape. Characters pinned by debris are considered 
  prone and Shaken and might require help. 
  When the heroes reach the upper level, they no-
  tice Pueblo Bonito sunk several feet. 
  afterMath
  If Talks With The Gods is still alive, he thanks the 
  heroes for helping to discover the truth about the 
  Anasazi. If the shaman managed to grab his prayer 
  stick in the skirmish with Dark Whisperer, he breaks 
  it in half defiantly. He tells the heroes he will quit 
  show business and return to be a shaman to his peo-
  ple, bringing comfort and the old ways to the Navajo. 
  Each hero receives three experience points if Talks 
  With The Gods survives. 
  If Dark Whisperer survives, the undead Anasazi 
  medicine man takes his vengeance out on the sur-
  rounding native settlements by fashioning an army 
  of undead Anasazi warriors. Congratulations! A new 
  villain is born!
  If the Aztecs survive the encounter, they report 
  back to the Order of the Winged Serpent. Seven Jag-
  uar sends another expedition to Pueblo Bonito to 
  probe through the rubble and uncover any prayer 
  sticks or artifacts that remain. 
  If the heroes killed Dark Whisperer and Talks 
  With The Gods is safe, they receive the $1,000 reward 
  John Yazzie promised them, plus they get to keep any 
  treasure taken from the Anasazi ruins. If they want to 
  cash in on their adventure, The New York Chronicle 
  is paying $500 for their story about the mystery of 
  the Anasazi. 
  CreDits
  Written by: Eric Avedissian
  Art by: Marcio Fioretti
  Maps by: Eric Avedissian
  Layout by: Peter Leitch
  This Ravaged Earth Society adventure is for use with 
  Savage Worlds™, published by Pinnacle Entertainment 
  Group, Inc. It is made available for non-commercial use 
  only. The only other restriction is that it is not to be made 
  available from any website other than that of Double G 
  Press (www.doublegpress.com). Otherwise, enjoy!
  Copyright © 2007 Double G Press Pty Ltd
  
   The Ravaged Earth Society
  18
  EXCERPT FROM RICHARD WETHERILL’S JOURNAL
  August 16, 1903
  This particular dwelling at Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito, is very intriguing. Built in the 
  shape of a D with hundreds of rooms, the settlement is apparently a site of religious and 
  political significance to the Cliff Dwellers. According to some of the native tribes I’ve 
  interviewed recently about it, the site has astronomical significance and is the center of 
  and ancient road network, a hub of the Cliff Dweller society. 
  Whatever happened here was very important. I believe this settlement was as mysteri-
  ous and as important to the Cliff Dwellers as Stonehenge was to the ancient Britons. 
  My previous excavations unearthed many intact samples of pottery, stone tools, hu-
  man bones and other mundane artifacts no doubt of interest to museums and universities. 
  I have already shipped a number of them to New York, Boston and Chicago, and Washing-
  ton expressed interest in what I’ve found here. 
  I’m currently excavating the center of the settlement, one with many pictoglyphs, or 
  native picture writing on its walls. 
  August 17, 1903
  A few natives are curious about my work and entered camp today, frightening my wife 
  Marietta and a few assistants as we removed debris blocking a passage into the lower 
  level of the settlement. The triangular room has a hole leading down to the lower levels 
  with hardly any obstructions. 
  After exchanging a few tokens and other sundry items, the natives told me more about 
  the settlement. Apparently, this Pueblo Bonito was the site of great religious ceremonies 
  conducted hundreds of years ago. The people lost sight of the truth and the old ways and 
  latched on to the beliefs of a medicine man, or shaman, who practiced wicked magic. 
  The natives told me the shaman, Dark Whisperer, opened a gateway to the spirit world and 
  the people’s spirits departed their bodies and they found peace in the world of the dead. 
  I must say that the native’s stories left me and the others visibly shaken and uneasy, but I 
  laughed and realized it was just a simple story designed to frighten the gullible and super-
  stitious. 
  August 18, 1903
  Some of the workers halted the excavation into the lower levels today, saying the na-
  tives we’ve employed refused to continue. The Ute laborer, Johnny, said he discovered a 
  series of disturbing pictoglyphs and begged me to take a look. I complied and will record 
  what I’ve seen on the walls here. 
  The picyoglyphs depicted six figures, all human in appearance. One of the figures, a 
  dominant authority figure, was larger than the others and had wide eyes and carried a 
  ritualistic object, like a totem or stick. The lesser five figures appeared to be cowering or 
  suffering below him. A spiraling shape was painted between the small and larger figures. 
  I do not understand what these strange depictions mean, but I can only assume they 
  are mythological in origin and persuaded my team to resume their work, paying little heed 
  to the pictoglyphs.
  
  Mystery of the Anasazi 
  19
  August 21, 1903
  After a much-needed rest, we resumed work on the Pueblo Bonito excavation, un-
  earthing a small chamber and several artifacts, including 16 pieces of pottery, three stone 
  knives, two cutting tools, a finely-woven basket and a woven blanket. These pieces will be 
  shipped to my contacts in New York. 
  I believe morale has improved among the team and the fright we received a few days 
  ago subsided. I am confident we will clear more debris and uncover more rooms tomor-
  row.
  August 22, 1903
  Damn my foolish pride and certainty! Today we found a disturbing number of human 
  skeletons, all intact. Some of the bones appeared to be gnawed, while others were frac-
  tured and splintered, as if a stone implement cracked them. The bones were found in a 
  round chamber along with a set of fresh pictoglyphs more disturbing than the last set. I 
  will summon the natives living nearby and ask them what these strange pictures mean. The 
  deeper we go, the more Pueblo Bonito resembles a graveyard than an important religious 
  site. 
  August 23, 1903
  The natives visited the site today and appeared disturbed at what they saw. They told 
  us not to proceed with further excavating the center of Pueblo Bonito and that the outer 
  rooms possessed no real danger to us. I asked them what they meant and they replied the 
  center of the settlement was the way into the lowest level, an underground kiva, or cere-
  monial chamber where Dark Whisperer holds court with the dead. The natives said Pueblo 
  Bonito is a sacred site where their dead ancestors remain and we should show reverence 
  for them. 
  Several hours after the natives left, I pondered what they said. The newest pictoglyphs 
  showed a ladder descending downward and three sticks or poles lined with decorations 
  and feathers, before a strange spiral shape. Beneath the spiral were several small human 
  figures all lying down. They appeared dead. More disturbing than that, was the large figure 
  with the bulbous eyes towering over them, appearing to survey this scene of destruction. 
  At my wife’s urging, I have halted all further excavation of the center of Pueblo Bonito. 
  I do this out of respect for the dead but also because my men threatened to leave if work 
  continued. Already a few of them complained of stomach cramps and illness, as if they 
  were cursed by something rotten wafting up from the earth. 
   Those wishing to resume digging Pueblo Bonito in the future should remember the 
  chamber we unearthed is not the final way underground. There’s one small triangular 
  chamber, covered with sand and dirt, under which is a wooden trapdoor leading below. 
  The natives claim the lower levels are protected by magic and the only way down is by 
  countering the spell, whatever that means.
  I do not contemplate such things. For now, we’ll concentrate on the outer rooms, where 
  I’ve found some remarkable pottery and baskets and wager more await us. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/Ravaged Earth/Savage Worlds - Ravaged Earth - Adv - Mystery of the Anasazi.pdf