TEXT: Letters From a Foreign Land. 
  An adventure for WFRP, CoC and MERP. By Graham 
  Staplehurst. 
  From White Dwarf 93, pp 58-67. Transcribed by 
  Zenobia. Original art-work missing except the map. 
  This is a role-playing adventure for a medium-sized 
  party of player characters - 3 to 5 would be best - with a 
  fair degree of competence. This adventure can be used 
  with many different role-playing game systems. 
  Provided are notes for Warhammer Fantasy Role-
  playing (WFRP), Call of Cthulhu (CoC, and Middle-
  earth Role-playing (MERP). This adventure should 
  constitute sufficient material for at least two sessions 
  play. 
  Synopsis of Plot 
  The essential plot in this adventure is simple. A small 
  province in a backward, mountainous region is being 
  affected by power-politics, with an evil-led faction 
  attempting to gain control of the area. Owing to the 
  area's historical autonomy, and the lack of any sign of 
  outward aggression by either faction, neighbouring 
  provinces have taken little interest in the struggles of 
  the area. However, there is an occult force at work 
  behind the faction (indeed, without this force there 
  would be no faction as such). 
  The force has a higher aim, naturally. The area in 
  question is famous for its secluded monasteries, 
  religious retreats of devotion. Through divination and 
  prophecy it has discovered that one of these will shortly 
  provide a spiritual leader for a much wider area, who 
  may well rise to become the chief Primate. With a 
  power-base established in the area, the force can 
  ensure its own candidate becomes this holy man and 
  thus gain a powerful tool in its quest for evil domination 
  of the whole continent. 
  The adventurers get involved when a friend or 
  associate of theirs mysteriously disappears in the 
  mountains. The adventure should be introduced by a 
  series of letters from a certain Petrosian (see below) 
  describing his travels. After they stop arriving, the 
  adventurers are contacted by someone compiling a 
  book about the country who was relying on Petrosian to 
  supply vital contributions. He asks the adventurers to 
  locate him. 
  Notes for Call of Cthulhu Keepers 
  The province in question is located somewhere in the 
  Balkans, previously a state in the Austro-Hungarian 
  Empire. It is even more cut-off and backward than the 
  other new countries formed after the Great War. 
  Because of its geographical remoteness and isolation it 
  has a distinct Slavonic language and barely post-
  Medieval culture. The country is, however, 
  predominantly Roman 
  Catholic rather than Eastern Orthodox and there are 
  numerous monasteries as mentioned above. Not every 
  detail of the country is supplied but you might want to 
  imagine it as a sort of tainted, slightly grubby Ruritania 
  (as in The Prisoner Of Zenda by Anthony Hope). Using 
  this 'twee' setting will help to put players off the idea 
  that there is some deeper evil at work here. 
  The evil force is a malevolent undead spirit, whose 
  personal aura and power are sufficient to warrant being 
  rated with the lesser gods. This being, once a Prince of 
  his people around the time of the great Council of 
  Nicaea, entered into Hell-knows-what pacts with some 
  Great Entity and survived, creating an indestructible 
  Ring of Eternity through which his essential spirit has 
  persisted down ages of time. Now worshipped by an 
  evil cult, he manipulates his worshippers and supplies 
  them with the capability to perform evil deeds. 
  Petrosian is a Russian émigré, a scholar and a bit of an 
  explorer-cum-adventurer himself. He writes fairly lurid 
  tales of his exploits which sell well, and the contact who 
  asks the player characters to find him is a newspaper 
  publisher, Courtney St John. He will provide funds for 
  travelling and a decent bonus for a good scoop. 
  Notes for WFRP Gamesmasters 
  The setting for this adventure is the eastern reach of 
  the Middle Mountains, south of the Forest of Shadows, 
  in Ostland. The area concerned is a backward 
  province, surrounded on three sides by mountains and 
  on the fourth by the Forest, and nominally ruled by 
  Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck of Ostland. The evil 
  cult concerned is an ancient branch of the worship of 
  Kháine, driven underground long ago. Some 700 years 
  ago, a Necromancer and an Alchemist forged a bond of 
  evil alliance and set up their kingdom, terrorising the 
  population. Both were slain by a hero from Kislev - or 
  so the story goes. Actually, the Necromancer survived, 
  after having stolen the Ring of Eternity from the 
  Alchemist. He went into hiding and developed a religion 
  centring on himself as a manifestation of Kháine, 
  preserving his body through the Ring, to become a 
  demi-Liche. 
  The tiny kingdom, now a simple barony, is known in 
  some circles for the religious retreats devoted to Moor. 
  These often supply religious advisors (called seers) to 
  the Empire's courts. It is into one of these monasteries 
  that the Necromancer's tentacles have stretched. 
  Petrosian is a noted scholar, originally from Kislev. He 
  became a noted, if eccentric, tutor of history in the 
  university of Althorn and his writings were enjoyed for 
  their fresh and even humorous approach. He also 
  explored and investigated in person, the better to 
  understand and discover history. Lately he was 
  sponsored by his university to visit the barony and 
  report back, and the adventurers are contacted by his 
  principal (Ventura the Learned) to try and locate him. 
  Notes for MERP Game masters 
  The adventure is set in the massif of the Erred Nimrods 
  (White Mountains), just west of Morton Fief. The high 
  vale and slopes were claimed by a devout lord of the 
  Faithful who loved the mountains as an echo of great 
  peaks of Unmoor. The fief has had little to do in the 
  great affairs of Condor, producing neither warriors nor 
  statesmen, but the first lord, who died childless, 
  nevertheless left a legacy in the form of an endowment 
  to support three houses of contemplation. Here men 
  and women congregated in the silent worship of Eru. 
  But deeper in the mountains, where none went is an 
  even earlier legacy - a temple built by Black 
  
  Númenóreans, worshippers of Melkor, a copy of that 
  constructed in Armenelos. And here a dire priest was 
  rewarded for his sacrifices by immortality -in the form of 
  a Wraith. When all his companions fled after the Fall 
  (most to Umbar, some to the service of Sauron in 
  Mordor) he was left to await his own death. But a 
  messenger came from Sauron, bearing what he called 
  the Ring of Eternity. Thus he endured, even through 
  Sauron's own fall and rise. 
  Petrosian is a lesser Dúnadan from Lamedon who has 
  joined the Sages' Fellowship in Minas Anor (Minas 
  Tirith). Currently undertaking a major history of the 
  worship of Ecru after the Fall, he has been to many 
  centres, most recently to the distant barony. When no 
  word comes from him for many weeks, a Sage contacts 
  the characters to investigate. The map given here 
  extends from the frontispiece map in Erech & the Paths 
  of the Dead, an adventure supplement from ICE. 
  The Letters 
  The following are extracts from the letters Petrosian 
  has written to the characters. He writes about once a 
  week, and delivery takes as long as you assess for the 
  countries and distances concerned. 
  1 ... 
  The carriage service was punctual and surprisingly 
  comfortable; the border patrol stopped us once but it is 
  good to know that the region is protected. The flower-
  decked 'capital' was wonderfully rewarding, for greenery 
  was everywhere; roses peppered the shrubs along the 
  pavements and entwined themselves around the gateposts 
  and fences and women with brooms swept the side streets 
  with their tunnels of trees, although litter appeared non-
  existent. 
  There is a shrine here, but it is a place of the people, with 
  scarved peasant women crossing and re-crossing the vast 
  mosaic floor. I took a lit candle, had a tumbler-full of 
  water ladled from a bucket, indulged in the luxury of 
  climbing stone steps to gaze upon a long-gone corpse, and 
  partook of a gooey conglomeration of sticky food which I 
  was requested to 'try'. It was all homely, cosy and 
  spiritually comforting. 
   
  2 ... 
  And so we came to Sibiu, after cutting through the 
  mountains and waving to the rural folk along the 
  wayside, sitting like over-sized dolls in worn jackets and 
  enormous, brightly-coloured skirts. Some we passed along 
  the dusty road, high-tailing it in dirty old narrow-wheeled 
  cans with an arched cover over the top and a poor thing of 
  a horse putting away to goodness knows where. There are 
  many of these wanderers of a more ancient race than ours. 
  Some stay along the town fringes and infiltrate the fairs 
  and markets and some 'travel' over the back roads living in 
  wanderer villages but still part of the populace. 
  3  ... 
  I went to a shrine and stood with the congregation 
  through the service, while nuns chanted scriptural 
  responses... I left for a lunch in a typical peasant's home. I 
  took the dishes out into the kitchen, tip-toeing past 
  grandfather snoozing on the rude sofa and arranging fresh 
  food on a tray. It was a glorious day, full of memories. 
  For all along the road the houses were fascinating; storks 
  nesting in thatch, and attic rooms whose arched brow-
  windows gave them the appearance of eyes watching you - 
  a most uncanny sight. 
   
  4... 
  Sighisoara was my nuncheon stop, where 975 long, 
  slanted steps led up to the hill-top shrine, a former 
  sanctuary for the populace fleeing from the hated, 
  impaling Wild Horde. Little boys made their silent way 
  up the cobbled path on their way home. 
  This fortress-town with its concentric walls holding in its 
  heart the shrine and the tiny stone rooms built into the 
  rock have sheltered the long-suffering inhabitants from 
  enemy raids. In the square, the circular beds of flowers 
  hug the stone in formal patterns as variegated as a patch-
  work quilt. 
   
  5 .... 
  Suceava in the high vale is the lush province of black 
  earth, where every inch is utilised and every furrow 
  ploughed by horses or bullocks. Suceava is a joy, for it is 
  the old princely residence of the baronial rulers, where the 
  citadel was entered by Mirkal the Brave without 
  opposition; henceforth it was united, although the Empire 
  ruled closely in later centuries. I must say, I admired 
  Mirkal and the other baronial heroes; Petru Rares's statue 
  at the Monastery of Moldovitar is imposing, with its long 
  locks and six-pointed crown, and the Monastery of Mirkal 
  showered me with gifts. 
   
  6 ... 
  In the southern region, the painted monasteries of Voronet 
  and Sucevitar are genuine masterpieces of the barony's art 
  and architecture. With their illustrations of scriptural 
  stories and historical scenes they are unique; everything is 
  there, from battle scenes and sieges to a genealogical tree. 
  The fires of some hell pit flame around struggling souls 
  and live coals scorch their tormented bodies, while animals 
  give back fragments of human bodies to supplement those 
  which have been savaged. It is a pity that the art of fresco 
  painting appears to have been lost, and that Voronet lies 
  in such ruined splendour, its cloisters silent but with the 
  memory of echoing treads. 
  
  7 ... 
  it is a fascinating country, chock fall of things - the 
  wanderers, flowers, woodlands, towns and villages. 
  Friendly folk help one on one's way and absurd 
  happenings tint everyday life with the colour of gold. The 
  mountains succour me and shed upon me their beguiling 
  majesty and their arboreal splendour. 
  How can one adequately describe the magic of those deep-
  forested mountains in the pedestrian language of a letter? 
  Superb and magical, they display their gentle slopes in a 
  wealth of varying shades of green, for sweet chestnut, 
  flowering acacia and tall pines follow the trails up to the 
  gorges and down again to the plain... 
   
  8 ... 
  I have returned to the mysticism of the Monastery of 
  Mirkal, but something has disturbed my researches. In the 
  cells and hallows of this ancient building a strange cry 
  awoke me last night. There was much to-ing and fro-ing, 
  the patter of slippered feet, and the screams ended. None 
  here seemed to be aware of anything more than a brother 
  seized with a fit, but his words were not incomprehensible 
  to me: 
  Kha-ly iest'churya 'es tron'n u-kha-ly; 
  Dÿurian 'os nazg kechkar! 
  Aî kha-ios en all’alluchyren 'es chthon'n nam-ly. 
  This message of doom from the Realm Outside has 
  shattered the feelings of peace I had until now. I am 
  always looking over my shoulder and seeking something to 
  fear - but I know not what. 
   
  This is the last letter from Petrosian. The fragment of 
  language given above is in an arcane language 
  (WFRP: Magick (Necromantic); MERP: Black Speech) 
  and is the calling up of a spirit in the name of the Ring 
  of Eternity. Reveal this only to player characters with 
  knowledge of the relevant language (a skill check may 
  be required). 
  Event One: Commencement 
  The adventure starts as described above, with the 
  player characters being contacted by someone 
  connected professionally with Petrosian. The person is 
  aware of the friendship between the characters and 
  Petrosian and knows they have been receiving letters 
  from him. Alternatively, you could have the PCs hired 
  by the person and given all the letters above. 
  The characters have to journey to the barony where 
  Petrosian was travelling and studying. Its location is 
  given in the Introduction. The backward region is 
  relatively cut off. A nearby town can be reached by 
  various means of commercial transport, but from there 
  on the journey will be foot, horse or pack beast. 
  In addition to dashing straight off to the barony, PCs 
  may want to do a little investigating. Reveal pertinent 
  information from sources relevant to the game & setting 
  you are using, in addition to information you deem they 
  could find out from that given in the Introduction. You 
  may also like to have them discover some conflicting 
  legends and stories about the region (for example, in 
  CoC, the tales of Count Dracula). 
  Encounters along the way should be appropriate to the 
  rural country side through which the adventurers travel. 
  They may meet footpads and con-men; if it is winter, 
  there may be wild beasts roaming closer to civilised 
  areas, such as wolves; other encounters should be 
  taken from the usual procedures for generating them in 
  your game (in WFRP you might have some Beastmen 
  and/or goblinoids in the 'gloomy depths' of the Forest of 
  Shadows). This stage of the adventure ends when the 
  PCs reach the barony -probably meeting one of its 
  poorly-equipped border patrols first. 
  Event Two: Border Patrol 
  The border patrol is an uncouth bunch of six men-at-
  arms headed by a sergeant. All speak only their own 
  barbaric dialect - even those knowing a similar 
  language will have only half the normal chance to 
  understand the men. The sergeant actually 
  understands some Old Worlder/Common (CoC: any 
  Slavonic language) but if PCs want to talk to him, they 
  will first have to persuade him to be patient. 
  If the characters seem at all suspicious, the sergeant 
  will order his men to search their belongings. If 
  anything suspicious is found, he will attempt to arrest 
  the party, otherwise he will do nothing. Try to make the 
  sergeant as sinister as possible. He is greasy and 
  unkempt in appearance, speaks with lisps and snarls, 
  and wears a grubby neckerchief embroidered with what 
  look like small yellow-and-black eyes (actually just a 
  pattern). 
  If the characters allow themselves to be arrested, their 
  belongings will be confiscated (any money being 
  divided out between the men, the sergeant keeping 
  anything of obvious value) and they will be 
  escorted to a stone hut beside a house where the 
  patrol (and another) reside, about 2 miles from where 
  they were arrested. The hut has a small window and a 
  single door which is barred and locked from the 
  outside. There is some strewn hay and a wooden 
  pitcher of water inside. The roof consists of heavy 
  timber baulks and tiles. 
  Anyone protesting will be beaten up by three of the 
  men. Later that evening, the men will celebrate their 
  good fortune and get themselves drunk on the loot. If 
  the characters do not take this opportunity to escape, 
  starve them for a couple of days, then have them 
  released, common belongings being returned to them. 
  Event Three: To The Monastery of Mirkal the Brave 
  This monastery is the last place Petrosian was known 
  to be at, and the characters should think to head here 
  first. Directions are not difficult to obtain. The best place 
  to go would be one of the shrines along the route, for 
  the more learned priests who tend them speak other 
  languages (WFRP: Reikspiel/Old Worlder; CoC: 
  
  French, German, Russian; MERP: Adûnaic, Sindarin, 
  Dunael) known in the 'outside world'. If the characters 
  show great devotion, generosity or manage to influence 
  a priest, they may be provided with a guide to the 
  monastery. 
  Use the descriptions given in Petrosian's letters to give 
  a flavour of the tiny, secluded land to the players. On 
  the way to the Monastery they should be able to find 
  food and lodgings if necessary, although it is just 20 
  miles or so wide. Remember that it can get cold in an 
  elevated region such as this, and sudden squalls of 
  rain, sleet or snow are not uncommon even during the 
  more pleasant months of the year. 
  Other events and encounters may be as you wish. The 
  'towns' spoken of by Petrosian are little more than 
  walled villages (WFRP: use a much-compacted version 
  of the village on p333-335; MERP: for an example, see 
  Caras Gwindor in Dagorlad & the Dead Marshes or 
  Carandor in Trolls of the Misty Mountains). However, 
  the towns are currently subject to occasional small-
  scale riots as those people under the sway of the Evil 
  One try to wrest control from and undermine the 
  authority of those currently in power. Most of the time, 
  the characters will be ignored by the locals, unless they 
  specifically interfere. 
  The characters should certainly meet some of the 
  wanderers (CoC: gypsies). They might react in various 
  ways - for example crossing themselves and hurrying 
  out of the way. This should certainly get the wind up the 
  players. The wanderers speak their own tongue, which 
  is one of the influences on the barony's strange dialect. 
  They may also try to give a warning to the PCs, but it is 
  likely to be incomprehensible. 
  If the characters are relatively weak, a 'wise woman' 
  from a group of wanderers may press a small charm 
  made from bones and herbs on one of the PCs at 
  random. They may accept or reject it. It will ultimately 
  prove useful against the wearer of the Ring - if they 
  remember it! 
  The Monastery of Mirkal the Brave is a low, broad 
  square edifice. Four short towers with conical roofs 
  form the corners, connected on three sides by a wall 
  and covered cloister, and on the fourth by the dormitory 
  and other rooms used by the monks. One of the towers 
  is square and slightly larger than the others, housing 
  six men-at-arms who keep a watch on the surrounding 
  vale. They are often busy dealing with small raiding 
  groups (bandits, wild tribes) or wild animals which 
  might endanger the monks and their servants working 
  the fields. 
  Within the walls are lawns and some flower beds (two 
  devoted to growing medicinal herbs) and, in the centre, 
  a shrine where the brethren go for their religious 
  devotions. The walls of the shrine are painted with 
  splendid frescoes (see Letters)', within, it is austere and 
  has a great aura of spirituality. 
  Event Four: Petrosian's Last Stop 
  Petrosian's itinerary can be followed to some extent to 
  plot his progress around the barony, ending at the 
  Monastery of Mirkal the Brave. Here, the player 
  characters will be able to find someone that speaks 
  their language, as there are some 35 learned brothers 
  here, under Father Maynir. He will talk freely to the PCs 
  and tell them: 
  (a) that Petrosian left the monastery, saying he was 
  going to visit the letter office in the capital, then go on 
  to the higher vales (which, he did not specify) before 
  returning to the monastery. 
  (b) that he left a pack with extra clothing and a few 
  other things to collect later. He will let the PCs take this 
  if they make an easy Fellowship/Influence roll (CoC: 
  any applicable communications skill). 
  (c) that the brother Petrosian heard to scream is now 
  confined to a small room in the guard tower for his own 
  safety, since he is subject to very severe fits. They pray 
  for his recovery constantly. 
  (d) he knows nothing about the disturbances in the 
  towns of the barony, nor about any threats, demons or 
  whatever. 
  Petrosian's pack contains little of interest. There are 
  some spare items of clothing, a bedroll, a gnarled stick 
  (used for walking) and some books, rather old and out 
  of date, on the history of the region. In one of the books 
  are some pressed flowers. These are the same as 
  those in the wanderer's charm (if anyone has it, make 
  an Observe/Spot Hidden/Perception roll/check to notice 
  this), and can themselves be bound into a minor charm. 
  They could also help the PCs to find more of the same 
  plants growing in the wild; they are not uncommon. 
  The 'mad' brother will give no more information to the 
  characters although they should be allowed to see him 
  if they make a Fellowship/Influence roll. If anyone 
  wears or openly carries a charm, he will be calmer, but 
  this will only be noticeable to Father Maynir. Also, if 
  they look around his new cell, they have a chance to 
  notice some marks scratched on the back of the door, 
  perhaps making a symbol. 
  If the books have been examined, characters may 
  make a check against Library Use, Intelligence or 
  whatever seems appropriate to remember a page 
  showing similar symbols (they are to be found as a 
  motif in the frescoes at the Monastery of Voronet). 
  Father Maynir may also be able to help with this. If the 
  PCs do not discover this information, they may ask at 
  the letter office in the capital (Mieräch). 
  Event Five: The Ruins of Voronet 
  The road up from Mieräch to Voronet is a good track as 
  far as the shrine marked on the map (WFRP: shrine to 
  Moor; CoC: a tiny church; MERP: old Dunael shrine 
  with standing stones). From then on it is but a path 
  used only by the few farmers and wanderers who still 
  travel the high vales. Wheeled vehicles cannot pass at 
  all easily. The path gets steeper and less distinct until 
  the gorge is reached. 
  Huge cliffs lower on the far side. On this side the path 
  winds round the spur to a tiny village on a high dale the 
  other side of the peak from Voronet. Its roofless walls 
  are easily seen from the path, but harder to reach. 
  Some clambering may be necessary. Parts of the path 
  are marked by steps cut into the rock. 
  
  If the characters obtained their information (that 
  Petrosian went to Voronet when he said the 'high 
  vales') from the letter office, the Evil One will have 
  learnt of their plans and will send a party of peasants to 
  waylay them. The group consists of eight countrymen, 
  armed with pitchforks (in WFRP/CoC one also has a 
  crude firearm). They will try to ambush the party but are 
  not too difficult to spot if a watch is being kept. 
  Neither will they press an attack too heavily, fleeing if 
  several are injured or an alarming counter-attack is 
  made (with magic or efficient firearms, for example). 
  The peasants will remain completely silent throughout 
  (other than grunts of pain or dismay) and will not talk if 
  captured. In the latter case they will appear extremely 
  frightened. 
  The ruins of Voronet are smaller than the Monastery of 
  Mirkal the Brave. A narrow dormitory building is linked 
  by two walls to the shrine/church making a rectangular 
  cloister. The whole structure is built upon a narrow 
  shelf on the sloping hillside; around are the broken 
  remains of other terraces where fruit trees, vines and 
  other crops were grown to support the brethren. The 
  dormitory building has lost its roof but the gables walls 
  still stand, if somewhat crumbled. The older shrine is in 
  better condition. 
  Nothing of interest can be found in the dormitory or 
  cloister areas, save the fact that many of the weeds 
  and plants growing there are less than welcoming: 
  nettles, deadly nightshade, pale lilies and madwort 
  (MERP: see Erech and Paths of the Dead for the 
  latter). By the walls of the shrine in contrast pimpernel, 
  edelweiss, boneset and vervain can be found. 
  In the shrine, the walls have retained their marvellous 
  paintings, although slightly faded from their original 
  glory. Nothing remains of the furnishings. There are 
  niches in the solid walls which once held candles or 
  lamps, and detritus litters the floor. If the far end of the 
  shrine is inspected, the characters should notice that 
  the altar stone (one large block) has been split in two 
  and there are signs of charring. If the characters can 
  move either portion of it (a very hard Strength 
  check/roll), they will discover a small hollow in the 
  flagstones in which lies an unrecognisably burnt body, 
  which has been dead for some time. 
  This is the body of Petrosian, although without very 
  special help the player characters will not know it. 
  However, they may guess if they discover a secret door 
  in the back of a niche to the left of the altar. This stone 
  slab swings in when a catch is depressed to reveal a 
  flight of steps down within the thickness of the wall. At 
  the foot of the stair, some 20' down, is a room carved 
  from the solid rock, once the crypt of the shrine. Lying 
  to one side is Petrosian's abandoned pack. 
  The walls are carved: three have been defaced beyond 
  recognition but a few sections echo the frescoes 
  painted in the shrine. The fourth wall has harsh images 
  of an entirely different style. It is titled in an arcane 
  language (see notes on Letters), which translated might 
  read 'The Evil/Enemy One/God(?) Dances With The 
  Black/Dark Spirits'. In the centre of the carving is the 
  image of a black sepulchre or temple, surmounted by a 
  beacon of black fire: actually shards of a glittering black 
  stone like jet. 
  If the fire gems are touched, they feel loose; in fact they 
  can be removed. They are attached to the end of a 
  wand or rod of some sort, engraved with golden 
  symbols. Anyone holding it and looking at the image of 
  the temple receives a tugging sensation. This will return 
  every time they think of the temple, even after leaving 
  the crypt. The rod is in fact a way of locating the Evil 
  One's temple. 
  Petrosian's pack reveals little that the player characters 
  did not know, except he appears to have become 
  paranoid about some evil force developing in the 
  barony and trying to overthrow the authorities - and 
  perhaps spread beyond its borders. He notes in an 
  unfinished letter that he does not trust anyone in the 
  towns, and that he has been set upon twice, the 
  second time only just escaping with his life. Another 
  charm may be found in the pack. 
  If the characters are in the vicinity of the Monastery 
  when darkness falls you may have them encounter 
  some minor form of undead, such as a ghoul or 
  zombie. It should not be too difficult to overcome if they 
  face it, but immediately after defeating it, everyone 
  should make a Spot Observe/Hidden/Perception 
  roll/check to see if they notice a pair of bats or night 
  birds wheeling away and flying off in the direction of the 
  ruined temple, 5. 
  The characters should be motivated to find the temple; 
  if necessary add passages to Petrosian's unfinished 
  letter detailing his belief that there is an evil cult centred 
  at the temple of the crypt carving, and where he 
  believes it to be. If they do not find and use the wand, 
  they will take longer to find the temple and will have to 
  risk a greater chance of encounters with wild beasts in 
  the mountains. 
  Event Six: The Temple 
  No path leads to the Temple. It sits in a freezing hollow 
  almost 9,500 feet up, 4,000 feet above the vale of 
  Suceva, hidden at the head of a narrow U-shaped 
  valley. There are only ruins here now, sharp edges of 
  black stone marking the lines of walls and a teetering 
  quarter of its once splendid dome. Within is a circular 
  slab once used for sacrifices: they were burnt alive in a 
  brass brazier. 
  Anyone stupid enough to repeat the words of the mad 
  brother (see Letter 8) in this place will summon up the 
  Evil One, who will try to either destroy the characters 
  immediately or turn them to his purpose. If he seems to 
  be failing, he will disappear after inflicting as much 
  damage as possible (including making the rest of the 
  temple crumble about their ears). 
  Behind the ruins of the temple a small, squat structure 
  extends from the mountainside, partially buried by 
  falling scree. Upon investigation, the outline of a door 
  can be found in its otherwise smooth sides. Clearing 
  away the stones allows the door to be opened - either 
  prising it with some strong, narrow implement, or by 
  saying 'Open' in the arcane language. There is no 
  handle. 
  On the other side is a single room, unlit by window or 
  
  lamp but smelling pungently of a noxious substance. 
  Upon a pedestal is a brass thurible or censer, beside it 
  a brass lectern upon which a heavy-bound book with 
  brass clasps sits. The clasps are magically locked and 
  cannot be opened. The room feels oppressive and all 
  lights are only half as effective as normal in here. 
  If the thurible is lit (it is half-full), it will glow, lighting the 
  room with a lurid violet. It will also cause the book to 
  spring open, and a plume of smoke to gather over the 
  thurible. Anyone with mediumistic, clairvoyant or 
  divination talents, skills or abilities can see into the 
  smoke. If they do so, the book will riffle through its 
  pages to some blank ones and a quill will spring up 
  from the binding for them to record what they 
  see/hear/divine. Otherwise, if someone concentrates 
  on a subject, the book will turn its pages to a relevant 
  passage. The following should be somehow revealed to 
  the party: 
  When the time of Stone comes and the clouds 
  gather in the heavens shall come a leader of the 
  Faith from the high retreat. He shall come with 
  glory and enlightenment on the one hand, and 
  with darkness and deceit on the other. He shall 
  hold the balance of the world, and cast it down. 
  He shall be the bringer of war and doom, and 
  death will follow his skins. For he shall be a 
  worshipper of the murderer and insanity. This 
  shall come to pass after the time of Ferrand in 
  the place of Mirkal. 
  Despite being written in the arcane language, anyone 
  holding the rod from Voronet can understand it as, of 
  course, can any diviner. The Ferrand referred to is 
  WFRP: the father of Emperor Karl-Franz I; CoC: 
  Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary (this is the 
  French form of the name); MERP: (S: from fea-rand, 
  'wandering spirit'), apply this meaning how you wish, 
  e.g. to the time when Sauron returns in the Third Age, 
  or when the Nazgûl are seen abroad again. The place 
  of Mirkal is obviously the Monastery of Mirkal the 
  Brave. WFRP/CoC: Note that use of the divinatory 
  procedure will lead to some small Sanity loss. 
  Event Seven: Return Tb Mirkal's Monastery 
  On leaving the chamber of prophecy described above 
  (from which nothing can be removed without it 
  immediately crumbling to dust) perceptive characters 
  may notice a furtive figure. If they try and follow or 
  sneak up to it, they will see someone in a cowled hood 
  fleeing. The figure is obviously sure of its way and 
  moves faster than the player characters can follow. 
  This is Herisan, the Evil One's disciple at the 
  Monastery. The PCs' task now is to return to the 
  Monastery and unfrock the evil brother, whose identity 
  they will have to discover for themselves. 
  Upon their return to the Monastery, they will have to 
  first persuade Father Maynir that they are not 
  demented, and that he really does have a renegade 
  amongst his brothers. They may show him items from 
  Petrosian, the black rod, etc. In addition, Herisan has 
  grown worried about the mad brother and has had him 
  killed, although Father Maynir believes he battered 
  himself to death in a fit. 
  Next a test will have to be devised; this might be as 
  simple as a spell to detect the presence of evil, or 
  undergoing a strict devotion to the divinity worshipped 
  in the shrine, or trick questioning (as with CoC's 
  Psychology skill). Naturally, Herisan will not let himself 
  be captured by this if at all possible, escaping to the 
  Monastery's graveyard and luring the PCs after him. 
  Make this after dark. . . 
  Herisan's true nature is revealed. She is a woman 
  posing as a brother, and using her multifarious skills to 
  seduce brothers and make them willing slaves. She 
  has thus gained freedom of movement (to visit the ruins 
  of the temple and speak with the Evil One) and power 
  within the monastery, and is much relied on by Father 
  Maynir (not one of her conquests). Naturally, the other 
  brothers who do her bidding will confuse any tests the 
  characters try to perform. 
  She has a fair range of clerical skills herself but, more 
  importantly, has been given a Staff of Necromancy by 
  the Evil One so that she can summon up and control 
  various sorts of undead. If the player characters try and 
  attack her, she will defend herself with as many nasty 
  critters as you feel appropriate. Such a fight takes place 
  at night, and the characters will get little help from the 
  brothers (except perhaps Father Maynir) - indeed, 
  those devoted to Herisan might frustrate attempts by 
  the characters to reach her. 
  If the PCs are closing in on her, she will break the Staff, 
  destroying herself and tearing a rent in the fabric of 
  Space. To the characters, it appears that the air turns a 
  tinted red, and a ghoulish visage leers out of the sky, 
  hundreds of feet tall, directly over the shrine. If the 
  characters remember what happened at Voronet, they 
  should head for the crypt. 
  Event Eight: The Crypt 
  Father Maynir (if still alive) will admit that he hasn't 
  been to the crypt for several years; nothing important is 
  stored there except a few old records of the Monastery 
  put there during a tidy of their library by his 
  predecessor. If it is entered now (again through a 
  secret door and a flight of carved stairs), the characters 
  will be met by an icy blast. 
  This immediately starts to gnaw through them (reduce 
  Initiative, CON, hits, etc as appropriate) unless a save 
  (Willpower/Channelling) is made. It is at this point that 
  the charms may be useful, aiding this and subsequent 
  saves/checks. At the bottom of the steps is a sight to 
  cause Fear (a difficult save here to cross the threshold 
  of the crypt, and for CoC another Sanity Roll) - a 
  personification of the Evil One. 
  Here in the confines of the underground chamber they 
  must battle the Evil One using their wits and skills. The 
  following things may affect its ability to manifest here: 
  magic weapons, spells and incantations of banishment 
  (or dispelling, annihilation etc.), the charms mentioned 
  above, prayers or holy rituals (Father Maynir might be 
  able to help) and so on. A few things will be distinctly 
  hazardous, such as possession of the black rod from 
  Voronet, which gives the Evil One total control over the 
  
  possessor. 
  Meanwhile; the Evil One will be attacking the player 
  characters with his icy blasts, illusory foes and terrible 
  sights, trying to drive them insane. The crypt has been 
  adapted for his purpose like the one at Voronet, with 
  the scrolls and vellums cleared to make room for a 
  small altar-stone. The Evil One might be able to 
  animate some of the scrolls made from cured animal 
  skins (treat as a swarm). These will be easily destroyed 
  by fire. 
  The aim of the characters should be to survive until 
  they can force the Evil One back where he belongs. 
  Once this is done, they might conclude they have done 
  their task. But they should heed the words of Petrosian 
  closely, for did he not mention the Ring of Eternity? 
  This will preserve the Evil One for a later time, to rise 
  again with new disciples, if they do not find and destroy 
  him. And now is the time, for he will be weak. It should 
  become clear that they have only defeated a 
  manifestation of his made possible by the Staffs energy 
  as released by Herisan. 
  Event Nine: Grasp Eternity! 
  The Evil One has had his remains transported by 
  Herisan to the shrine in Mieräch, the barony's capital. 
  From there he has used a hypnotic influence to gain 
  control of many people living there and tried to upset 
  the rulers. Now his needy spirit calls upon his 
  worshippers to regenerate his energy - by sacrificing 
  their own. Naturally, this is so against the natural 
  inclinations of most of the population that they are 
  resisting the death wish covering the town. But a few 
  are not strong enough and hurl themselves off buildings 
  or onto knives. Some even slaughter their families first. 
  The characters must act swiftly to prevent the Evil One 
  from arising! 
  The shrine in Mieräch has no crypt but several stone 
  tombs line the walls, and it is one of these they seek. 
  Anyone making a Willpower I Resistance roll/check can 
  force the black rod to locate its remains, otherwise it 
  may be given away by townsfolk killing themselves 
  upon it or clustering near to protect it, even though they 
  unwittingly reveal its location. Some of the characters 
  will have to stage a diversion to draw off any defenders 
  whilst someone opens the tomb and removes the Ring 
  from the hand of the Evil One. Naturally, it will take an 
  extreme Fear check to do this, as it is even more 
  hideous in reality than its apparitions and projections 
  (and yes, it's time for another CoC SAN loss). 
  This practically ends the adventure. The townsfolk who 
  have been influenced by the Evil One will be confused 
  and dazed for some time after its destruction, but will 
  not take any retributive action -indeed, they may even 
  come to see the folly of their worship and thank the 
  player characters for saving them from probable death. 
  The ruling authorities and the brothers of the 
  Monasteries in the area may also give some gift to the 
  party for helping rid the barony of this evil threat. In 
  CoC there will also be a SAN gain for a successful 
  conclusion to the adventure. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  The lack of strict structure in this adventure, and the 
  fact that there are three different role playing systems 
  with which this adventure can be used, means that 
  many of the people or creatures encountered are not 
  detailed here. Most systems have sources from which 
  you can draw 'normal' or 'standard' statistics for such 
  encounters. The descriptions in the text should serve 
  as guidelines; remember that with these less notable 
  encounters, you should be aiming to annoy the player 
  characters and wear them down a little bit, rather than 
  trying to finish them off. 
  Herisan 
  Herisan is a woman disguised as a man. She has been 
  posing as one of the brothers of the Monastery of 
  Mirkal the Brave for some years, and has gotten the 
  confidence of Father Maynir as well as seducing a 
  number of the weaker brethren. She knows the location 
  of the ruined Temple used by the Evil One and has 
  learned of her 'destiny': to become the leader of her 
  religion and draw the world about her into confusion 
  and death. She plans to do this for her true master, the 
  Evil One, whom she perceives as a manifestation of a 
  horrible god (use whichever seems appropriate if no 
  other guidance is given). 
  Herisan is about 36. She stands 5'6" tall, and has short 
  black hair after the nature of all the brothers. She has a 
  very pleasant voice and manner, and will help the 
  characters whilst actually confusing them wherever 
  possible. She wears the traditional black, cowled robes 
  of the Order and bears a staff occasionally; she also 
  has a concealed dagger with her almost always. 
  WFRP 
  M WS BS S  T  
  W I  A  Dex  Ld  Int Cl  
  WP Fel 
  4 40  
  44 4  
  3  
  9  58 1  41  45  56 41  59  53 
  Skills: Arcane Language- Magick, Charm (+10% Fel), 
  Cryptography, Disguise, Divination, Identify Undead, 
  Lightning Reflexes (+10% I), Luck, Magical Sense, 
  Meditate, Public Speaking, Read/Write, Scroll Lore, 
  Secret Language- Classical, Seduction, Sixth Sense, 
  Theology. 
  Careers: Initiate, Seer, Charlatan, Cleric Level I, Cleric 
  Level II. 
  Magic Level: I 
  Power Level: 22, Cast Spells - Cleric I, Cast Spells - 
  Cleric II 
  Special Trappings: 
  Staff of Necromancy - Has an energy reserve (as Jewel 
  of Power) of twenty points usable for any of these 
  spells: 
  Summon Skeletons/Skeleton Champion 
  Stop Instability 
  Hand of Death 
  Dagger of Kháine - magic weapon with Poison Attack, 
  +2 damage and Fear. 
  
  MERP 
  ST AG CO IG 
  IT 
  PR AP Lvl PP OB 
  AT(DB) Hits MM
  77 
  75 
  45 
  71 
  95 
  96 
  63 
  7 
  28 
  65da No(5) 
  55 
  15 
  Animist, Lesser Dúnadan 
  Languages: Dunael 5, Westron, Sindarin 3, Morbeth 3 
  Spell Lists: Sound/Darkness Ways* Surface Ways, 
  Contaminations* Bone/Muscle Harm* Blood Harm* 
  Organ Harm* Creations. (* indicates some spells on the 
  list have the reverse effect of spells on a similar list in 
  the rulebook, e.g. Contaminations=Purifications.) 
  Notable Skills: Base Spells +14, Directed Spells +34, 
  Thrown Weapons +45; Acting +65, Use Items +57, 
  Perception +55, Stalk/Hide +55, Seduction +50, Ride 
  +42, Meditation +40, Read Runes +27. 
  Special Items: Dagger (+15 and x2 spell multiplier); 
  Staff of Necromancy (summon up to 28 levels of 
  skeletal undead (max level 7) per night). 
  No statistics are given for this being; you should not 
  need them if the characters are careful enough to avoid 
  a physical confrontation with it. The Evil One has great 
  power in the spheres of illusion and terror, and also 
  mind control/compulsion, although the latter is less 
  effective against the player characters. Most of its 
  power must be channelled through the Ring of Eternity 
  which holds it half in this world and half in the next like 
  a Wraith. Deprived of the Ring, it will wither and 
  dissipate rapidly. It gets its power from the god it serves 
  and also from its own worshippers. It is dedicated to the 
  overthrow of lawful or good temporal and spiritual 
  power in this world, replacing it with evil tyranny 
  directed by itself and its master, through Herisan. 
   
  Father Maynir 
  Father Maynir is a venerable old man, with a shock of 
  white hair and a forthright manner. He is capable in 
  most situations, although not as fast or agile as he 
  used to be, nor as used to manual work. The shock of 
  discovering Herisan's true nature will probably put him 
  out temporarily, leaving the PCs to attack her on their 
  own. Otherwise he is a fighter! He is also well read and 
  learned. 
  WFRP 
  M WS BS S  T  W  I  
  A  Dex  Ld  Lit Cl  WP Fel 
  4 26  
  31 2  
  3  
  9  
  58  1  35  38  68 41 62 42 
  Skills: Etiquette, Heraldry, History, Linguistics, 
  Meditate, Public Speaking, Read/Write, Rune Lore, 
  Scroll Lore, Secret Language -Classical, Speak Slavic, 
  Theology. 
  Careers: Scribe, Scholar (incom.), Initiate, Cleric Level I 
  Magic Level: I 
  Power Level: 10, Cast Spells - Cleric I 
  Special Trapping 
  Chain with Holy Symbol can cast Stand Calm once per 
  day. 
  MERP 
  ST AG CO IG 
  IT 
  PR AP Lvl PP OB 
  AT(DB) Hits MM
  71 
  38 
  65 
  50 90 53 
  77 
  5 
  5 
  25ma No(0) 
  33 
  10 
  Animist, Rural Man 
  Languages: Wes 5, Dunael 5, Sindarin 5, Adânaic 5, 
  Quenya 5 
  Spell Lists: Protections, Surface Ways, Direct 
  Channeling, Bone/Muscle Ways, Blood Ways. 
  Notable Skills: Base Spells +10; History 4-50, 
  Perception -1-50, Holy Ritual +45, Use Items +45, 
  Read Runes +35, Leadership/Influence +10. 
  Special Item: Chain with holy symbol, casts Calm Song 
  2/day. 
   
  Useful Sources 
  Other encounters can be taken from the following 
  sources: CoC: Third Edition Rules 
  WFRP: Rulebook - Beastmen (p216) and Goblins 
  (p220-21) in the Forests; Boars (p233), Bears (p232) or 
  Wolves (p247) in the wilder mountain-lands of the 
  Barony; Ghoul (p248-49) or Zombie (p251-52) at 
  Voronet. For the rural folk of the Barony, use the 
  standard Human profile (p222). Also useful will be the 
  standard NPCs and military types found in The Enemy 
  Within (handout sheets and p27-30). 
  MERP: Normal Middle-earth creatures can be found on 
  p86 (Table ST-2) of the rulebook; for undead see Erech 
  & Paths of the Dead p11 and 35 or Dagorlad & the 
  Dead Marshes p10-11 - ghouls and skeletons are 
  suitable. 
  Graeme Staplehurst 
  
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu (CoC) (BRP) [multi]/3rd Party (Unoffical Content)/CoC - Adv - Letters From a Foreign Land.pdf