TEXT:  
   
  
  Roanoke 
  Copyright Clint Krause 2006 
  Based on the Wushu game system by Daniel Bayn 
   
  Written and Designed by Clint Krause 
  Additional Material by Daniel Bayn 
  Edited by Daniel Bayn 
  Cover Art by Glauco Nobre 
   
  Playtesters: 
  Isaac Gehrke 
  Aaron Hamric 
  Cassie Krause 
  Danni Bayn 
  Chris Malone 
  Mark DiPasquale 
  Matt Oehler 
   
  Other Works By Clint Krause: 
  The 3fold System   
  Don’t Walk in Winter Wood  
  Twilight Memoirs 
   
  Visit Clint on the web at www.clintkrause.com 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Special Thanks To: 
  Aaron, whose colonial Iron Heroes campaign inspired me to do this. 
  Dan, for laying the groundwork and his many contributions. 
  Cassie, for putting up with my 24-hour rpg delirium. 
  All the rpg.net Wushu disciples, for spreading the good word. 
   
  Dedicated to Amy, in hope that she will realize her potential. 
   
  
  Table of Contents 
   
  Foreword
  1 
  Introduction
  2 
  Chapter One: Premise
  3 
  Tone
  3 
  Chapter Two: Setting
  5 
  A Brief History of the Roanoke Colony
  5 
  The Island
  6 
  The Natives 
  6 
  Indian Magick
  7 
  Chapter Three:  Character Creation
  8 
  Concept
  8 
  Traits
  8 
  Fear
  9 
  Trappings
  10 
  16th Century Weapons and Armor
  10 
  Elizabethan Names
  11 
  Sample Characters
  11 
  Chapter Four: Playing the Game
  12 
  Getting Read to Play
  12 
  Game Mechanics
  15 
  Traits
  15 
  The Principle of Narrative Truth
  15 
  Conflict Resolution
  15 
   
  
  Quick Conflicts
  15 
  Spotlight Conflicts
  16 
  Combat
  17 
  Against Minions
  17 
  Against Villains
  18 
  The Coup de Grace
  19 
  Doom
  19 
  The Epilogue
  20 
  Chapter Five: Running the Game
  22 
  Chapter Six: Foul Plots and Dark Legends
  24 
  The Walsingham Conspiracy
  24 
  The Wolves of Ragnarok
  26 
  The Hungry Regiment
  27 
  The Wendigo
  28 
  Jumlin the Vampire Spirit
  30 
  Father Dagoan
  32 
  Beasts of the Wild
  33 
  Colony Events
  34 
  Bibliography
  37 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Foreword 
   
  Wushu is, above all else, a game of genre emulation. It may be most at home 
  in the land of cinematic action, but it also enjoys visiting other genres from 
  time to time. This Halloween, it's headed for the realms of semi-historical 
  fantasy and horror. Clint Krause is intimately familiar with the territory. His 
  last self-published game, Don’t Walk in Winter Wood, was a whirlwind tour of 
  its wild places. Twilight Memoirs, his Chaosium monograph, is an homage to 
  one of its pioneers. 
   
   
  Roanoke raises the spirits of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow and the wire-fu 
  masterpiece Brotherhood of the Wolf. It embraces Lovecraft's motif of doomed 
  characters coming face-to-face with forces beyond their ken, but gives them 
  license to go toe-to-toe and win . . . at least for a while. It supports extended 
  play and one-shots with equal aplomb, thanks to its versatile Doom 
  mechanics. It's a perfect game for All Hallow's Eve. 
   
  Roanoke also has the distinction of being the first commercial Wushu game 
  not written by the esteemed Reverend Bayn (a.k.a myself). It couldn't be in 
  better hands. Thanks to Clint for applying his talents towards this noble 
  pursuit and, what's more, giving me a few paragraphs with which to ramble. 
   
  I'll leave you with the words of wisdom that have guided me through 
  countless Lovecraftian tales: 
   
  "Do not go gentle into that good night. 
  Rage, rage against the dying of the light." 
  -- Dylan Thomas 
   
  Daniel Bayn, 2006 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  1 
  
  Introduction 
   
  Welcome to Roanoke.  Like many people, I’ve always been fascinated by the 
  mysterious disappearance of the Roanoke colony.  I remember my teacher in 
  grade school mentioning it and then quickly moving on to the next topic.  I 
  was disappointed the she had simply glazed over one of the most eerie and 
  interesting historical tidbits I’d encountered.  Perhaps this game is an 
  outgrowth of that early fascination.  Maybe if my teacher would have filled in 
  all the details I would have lost interest.  So here I am about fifteen years 
  later, writing about Roanoke and letting my imagination go wild with the 
  mystery of it all.  I’ve made no attempt to be historically accurate.  You’ll find 
  that this game is just as much fantasy as it is “history” and that I’ve merely 
  used the historical Roanoke incident as a starting point for my own imagined 
  Roanoke mythology.   
   
  I’ve wanted to do a Wushu supplement since Dan Bayn released the open 
  license for the game.  I’ve been a fan of Wushu since I happened upon the 
  Wushu Guide to the Matrix and Dan’s work was actually what inspired me to 
  get into independent publishing.  I’m glad to finally contribute something to 
  the Wushu community;  a community that has grown by leaps and bounds in 
  the last few years and through which I’ve had a great deal of fun throwing 
  around ideas and running games.  I have no doubt that Wushu will continue 
  to attract players around the world and perhaps even gain the level of critical 
  acclaim that it deserves.     
   
  Thanks for checking this out, 
   
  Clint      
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2 
  
  Chapter One: 
  Premise 
   
  In 1587, a small group of British colonists established a settlement on 
  Roanoke Island.  The New World held vast promise for those brave enough 
  to undertake the journey.  The leader of the colony, John White, eventually 
  returned to England in order to secure more supplies for the fledgling 
  colony.  When he returned three years later, the inhabitants of Roanoke 
  Colony had vanished without a trace.  The village that over a hundred 
  colonists had inhabited merely three years prior was completely abandoned 
  with no sign of struggle or violence.  The only clue was a carving in the bark 
  of a tree that read “Croatoan.”   
   
  In this game, the players take on the roles of the members of the doomed 
  colony of Roanoke and explore the sinister mysteries that led the colonists to 
  disappear without a trace.  They will encounter ancient secrets, combat 
  enigmatic malefactors, and explore the terrifying truth about Roanoke Island. 
     
  Tone 
  In a Wushu game, it is very important to get everyone one the same page in 
  terms of tone and style.  With so much freedom given to the players, 
  someone who doesn’t quite “get it” can easily kill the mood of the game.  In 
  order to prevent this, read or paraphrase the following to your players before 
  the game:   
   
  Subtle Horror 
  Thousands of zombies and flame-spewing demons are cool, but they don’t do 
  anything to help create a mood of horror.  In this game, the supernatural 
  should have a subtle feel.  A slight shift in the wind when a shaman’s spell is 
  intoned, a veil of fog that obscures the appearance of a horrific beast, twigs 
  snapping in the woods, all of these things contribute to the atmosphere of 
  the game by letting your imagination do the work.  There is no need to go 
  into gratuitous detail when a horror is described.  It’s better to be 
  intentionally vague.  
   
   
  3 
  
  Over-The-Top Action 
  When it comes to action scenes, feel free to go crazy with special effects, high-
  flying leaps, and explosive plumes of musket smoke.  Wushu really lends 
  itself to this kind of action.   
   
  Wicked Style 
  This isn’t a history textbook.  Your colonists should feel more exaggerated 
  and stylish than there real-world counterparts.  Historical settings can feel 
  sort of limiting if you try to emulate actual events too closely.  Don’t let your 
  game be this way.  Go watch Brotherhood of the Wolf or Sleepy Hollow to get 
  yourself in the mood for high-styled visuals with a strong historical texture. 
   
  Sinister Conspiracies 
  The Roanoke Colony is brimming with dark conspiracies.  Betrayals and 
  double-crosses are par for the course.  Your characters should never be sure 
  who they can trust.  This element of subtle paranoia can really help to 
  improve the unsettling atmosphere of the game.   
   
  Civilization vs. Wilderness 
  In this setting, civilization is a metaphor for structure and discipline, while 
  the wilderness is a metaphor for unbridled passion and chaos.  When the 
  characters are within the walls of the colony, their interactions should be 
  more formal and guarded.  In the wilderness, the characters should feel free 
  to unleash their passions without regard for the consequences.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  4 
  
  Chapter Two: 
  Setting 
   
  This game takes place during the three years in which the disappearance of 
  the Roanoke colonists took place.  Most of the action will be centered on the 
  colony itself or the untamed woodlands of Roanoke Island.  Isolation is the 
  key theme of the setting.  The colonists are far from home and have 
  absolutely no one who they can really trust.  If they are to survive they will 
  have to do it with their own wits and willpower. 
   
  A Brief History of the Roanoke Colony 
  In the 16th century, England was involved in a desperate arms race with 
  Spain.  England would later develop a legendary navy, but at this time the 
  Spanish Armada ruled the seas.  England, under the rule of Queen Elizabeth 
  I, began to seek new sources of revenue.  Elizabeth herself was reluctant to 
  invest in colonization, but the explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, a favorite in 
  Elizabeth’s court, pleaded for the queen to experiment with colonies in the 
  “New World.”  By setting up farms and plantations on the virgin soil of the 
  continent, England could gain vast new streams of income.   
   
  And so, in the year 1585 Raleigh sent a small group of settlers to Roanoke 
  Island.  The colony failed quickly—relying too much on the local Indian 
  tribes for food and supplies.  The colonists also treated the natives very badly, 
  even killing one of their chiefs.  The colony was soon retrieved by Sir Francis 
  Drake, who had been fighting the Spanish near St. Augustine.  Drake left 
  behind a small garrison of soldiers to keep watch over the island and hold the 
  ground for England.  By the time the new colony arrived at Roanoke, the 
  soldiers had vanished, leaving behind only a few sets of bite-ridden skeletal 
  remains.  
   
  In 1587, a new colony was sent to Roanoke Island under the leadership of 
  John White, an artist who had visited the island previously with the intent of 
  cataloging the culture of the natives through his drawings.  The colony 
  consisted of several families (about a hundred men, women, and children).  
  The colony lasted for ten months before it became obvious that they were ill-
  prepared to survive the New World’s harsh winter (they were accustomed to 
  the mild, maritime winters of England).  After the birth of his granddaughter, 
  5 
  
  Virginia Dare, the first child of European descent to be born in the New 
  World, White decided to return to England to gather more supplies for the 
  colonists. 
   
  When White returned three years later, the colonists had vanished without a 
  trace.  The colony’s buildings and fortifications stood empty and overgrown 
  with weeds.  There was no sign of struggle.  White found only a single clue to 
  the fate of the missing colonists.  The word “CROATOAN” had been carved 
  into one of the settlement’s wooden palisades.  White assumed that this 
  message meant that the colonists had moved to nearby Croatoan Island and 
  he quickly organized an expedition to search for the missing colonists.  
  Unfortunately, White’s attempt was thwarted by a sudden hurricane.  With 
  his ships scattered and his precious colony lost, White returned to England 
  bereft.  He was never able to gather sufficient funding to return to Roanoke 
  and the fate of the colony has remained a mystery to this very day. 
   
  The Island 
  Roanoke is a small island south of Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of 
  the New World.  It is a part of the territory of Virginia; claimed by the British 
  and affectionately named for the purity of the unmarried Queen Elizabeth.  
  The Queen desires this new territory to become a “little England” and a slap 
  in the face of the Spanish who control most of the surrounding area.     
   
  Much of the island is shrouded by untouched, primeval forests.  Many 
  animal species, including several unknown to science, inhabit its groves and 
  thickets.  The Atlantic waters that surround the island are also brimming 
  with life both strange and familiar.       
   
  Roanoke, and many of its neighboring islands, is also home to numerous 
  Algonquin tribes.  Some of these tribes are hostile and violent toward the 
  colonists and view them as murderous invaders.  Other tribes are less 
  threatened by the presence of the colonists and attempt to peacefully co-exist 
  with them. 
   
  The Natives 
  The colonists on Roanoke have come into contact with a variety of Native 
  American tribes.  The most notable contact has been with the peaceful 
  Croatoan tribe who dwell on a small island to the south of Roanoke.  The 
  Croatoan have proven to be valuable allies against more hostile tribes.  In 
  addition to trading and supplying the colonists with guides, the Croatoan 
  have made a great effort to introduce the foreigners to their way of life.   
   
  6 
  
  The truce with the Croatoan is still unstable and there is some degree of 
  mistrust on both sides.  Shortly after the colony at Roanoke was founded, 
  one of the settlers was slain by Indians.  The colonists took revenge by 
  ambushing a nearby village, but were horrified to learn that their victims were 
  not members of the offending tribe, but Croatoan.  The incident created a 
  great deal of tension with the Croatoan.  Although there is still peace 
  between them and the colonists, it is a fragile, uneasy peace. 
   
  Indian Magick 
  The Algonquin tribes that inhabit the Roanoke region follow ancient 
  traditions of magick and shamanism.  Indian conjurors channel the power of 
  Manitou, the Great Spirit, which is one part deity, one part mystery, and one 
  part spiritual philosophy.  The power of Manitou can manifest in a variety of 
  ways.  Magicians can take on the form or attributes of an animal, embark on 
  dream-quests to gain spiritual wisdom, or ward their flesh against bullets and 
  arrows.  
   
  Manifestations of Manitou should be subtle, though they may have drastic 
  effects.  We’re not talking about fireballs and magic missiles here.  Most 
  magic will manifest without any fireworks or blazing auras.  Generally, these 
  effects will occur quickly and quietly between the breaths of the caster.  Here 
  is a list of effects that are common among practitioners of Indian magick: 
   
  -  Assume the form of an animal. 
  -  Gain the senses or wisdom of an animal. 
  -  Hunt without making a sound. 
  -  Charm arrows to strike their target with great accuracy. 
  -  Incant a blessing that deflects arrows and musket balls.  
  -  Communicate with nature spirits (trees, rivers, etc). 
  -  Heal the sick and wounded with special herbs and songs. 
   
  Shamans who channel the power of Manitou also protect their tribe from the 
  darker tradition of witchcraft called “The Old Way.”  The Old Way is a 
  shadowy form of magick practiced by some rogue tribes (such as the 
  Wendigo).  Legends speak of blood sacrifice, demon-calling, and death 
  curses.  Most shamans shun the Old Way and weave incantations to ward 
  themselves against such evil. 
   
   
   
   
   
  7 
  
  Chapter Three: 
  Character Creation 
   
  In this game, player-characters are members of the ill-fated Roanoke Colony 
  and their Indian allies.  Through your character’s eyes you will explore the 
  mysteries of the colony and the surrounding wilderness.  Character creation 
  shouldn’t take very long and it’s mostly about defining your character’s style 
  and flavor.  Characters in this game can run the gamut from uber-competent 
  badass to frightened, meek commoner, since your character’s level of 
  competency is based more on narration than game statistics.   
   
  Step One: Concept 
  Decide on your character’s basic concept.  What types of things does he or 
  she do?  What’s his or her shtick?  Here are some good examples of character 
  concepts: 
   
  -  Alcoholic Explorer 
  -  Zealous Witch-Hunter 
  -  Overconfident Constable 
  -  Faithful Missionary 
  -  Secretive Heretic 
  -  Traveling Scholar 
  -  Indian Scout 
  -  Spanish Spy   
   
  Step Two: Traits 
  Traits define your character in game terms.  They rate his or her capabilities 
  in order of importance.  Your character starts with three traits:  one rated 5, 
  one rated 4, and one rated 3.  You may choose anything as a trait, but it’s 
  usually a good idea to have a combat trait, a social trait, and a profession 
  trait.  For example, the aforementioned Zealous Witch-Hunter might have 
  Zealous Witch-Hunter at rating 5 (a profession trait), Quote the Scripture at 
  rating 4 (a social trait), and Cleanse by Fire at rating 3 (a combat trait). 
   
   
  8 
  
  Step Three: Fear 
  Every character has a fear.  This is something that absolutely terrifies your 
  character to the point that it nearly cripples him.  When your character 
  encounters the source of his fear, he must use a trait rating of 1 for the 
  duration of the scene.   
   
  Fears should be fairly specific, but not so narrow that they never come up in 
  play.  You may create your own fear or choose one from the list below: 
   
  The Dark 
  Your character has an intense fear of the dark.  This fear is triggered 
  whenever your character is immersed in pitch black darkness.  Even torch or 
  lantern light is enough to keep this fear at bay. 
   
  Beasts 
  Your character cringes at the thought of fur, fangs, and fury.  This fear is 
  triggered whenever your character encounters any creature that has at least 
  one of the aforementioned descriptors or can reasonably be called a “beast.” 
   
  Savages 
  Your character has a deep-rooted fear of Native Americans and their customs.  
  This fear is triggered any time your character encounters hostile natives. 
   
  Firearms 
  Your character is startled by the discharge of firearms.  This fear is triggered 
  any time such a weapon is used against your character. 
   
  Betrayal 
  Your character mistrusts everyone, fearing betrayal at every turn.  This fear is 
  triggered whenever your character is betrayed. 
   
  Isolation 
  Your character is terrified of being alone.  This fear is triggered whenever 
  your character is left completely alone. 
   
   
   
  9 
  
  Step Four: Trappings 
  Your character starts the game with any equipment that befits his or her 
  character concept and traits.  Equipment has no effect on game statistics, but 
  is none-the-less important in adding flavor to your narrations.  Does your 
  character fight with an elegant sword or with firearms?  Both?  What does 
  your character wear?  Are his trappings clean and unused or worn ragged?  
  Deciding on your trappings does a lot to help define your character.  
   
  16th Century Weapons and Armor 
  The 16th century was the dawn of a new age of martial technology brought on 
  by the implementation of black powder firearms.  Smooth-barreled pistols 
  and muskets of various kinds (matchlock, firelock, flintlock etc . . .) were 
  common among infantry.  These arms were unreliable and dangerous to 
  wield.  Often, a marksman would only have time for one shot with a firearm 
  before the enemy was upon him (the weapons were notoriously difficult to 
  reload in combat).  This lead to the development of many interesting 
  combination weapons that would serve as knives or clubs once the firearm 
  had been discharged.   
   
  Archaic weapons were also commonplace.  Swords, halberds, and pikes were 
  still standard issue in the 16th century.  A fighting man who didn’t have 
  access to a firearm might very well carry a crossbow or even a traditional bow 
  and arrows. 
   
  With the introduction of firearms, heavy armor became less common.  
  Soldiers still wore breastplates and metal helmets, which could occasionally 
  stop a musket ball from striking home. 
   
  Step Five: Final Details 
  Finish up by naming your character and fleshing out his or her motivations 
  and background.   
   
  The following names were gathered from:  
  www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames 
   
   
   
   
   
  10 
  
  Elizabethan Names  
  Male Given Names 
  Female Given Names 
  Surnames 
  John 
  Elizabeth 
  Littlebury 
  Thomas 
  Joan 
  Gasper 
  William 
  Margaret 
  Chelsey 
  Richard 
  Anne 
  Church 
  Robert 
  Alice 
  Allen 
  Henry 
  Virginia 
  Clifton 
  Nicholas 
  Isabel 
  Seymour 
  Walter 
  Jane 
  Crisp 
  Edward 
  Mary 
  Stanley 
  Simon 
  Katherine 
  Barton 
  Francis 
  Margery 
  Hitchcock 
  Edmund 
  Clemence 
  Dove 
  Alexander 
  Frances 
  Whitewood 
  Barnaby 
  Joyce 
  Finch 
  Philip 
  Emma 
  Saintjohn 
  Peter 
  Cecily 
  Chase 
  Geoffrey 
  Amy 
  Wood 
  Tobias 
  Barbara 
  Rowely 
  Luke 
  Rose 
  Litchfield 
   
  Sample Characters 
  The following are examples of what your finished character should look like.  
  These characters could also be used as pre-gens if you wish to jump right into 
  the action. 
   
  Zealous Witch-Hunter 
  Witch-Hunter (5) Relentless in the search for heresy. 
  Quote the Scripture (4) Knows how to sway a crowd. 
  Cleanse By Fire (3) Great vengeance & furious anger. 
  Fear:  Isolation (1) Dreads being alone among heathens. 
  Trappings:  Several Matchlock Pistols, Hangman’s Noose, Bible, Sword 
   
  The Zealous Witch-Hunter was raised by puritanical parents and grew to 
  enjoy the power of persecution.  He joined the Roanoke colony planning to 
  convert the native tribes of the New World and break them of their heathen 
  ways.  He is extremely paranoid of witchcraft and the supernatural and will 
  go out of his way to “purify” practitioners of such traditions. 
   
  Fatal Flaw - His crusade could galvanize the natives against the entire colony... 
  11 
  
  Overconfident Soldier 
  Veteran (5) Knows one hundred ways to kill a man. 
  Vigilant (4) Sleeps with both eyes open. 
  Stubborn (3) Doesn't take orders from civilians. 
  Fear:  Betrayal (1) If you can't trust your soldiers, you're dead. 
  Trappings:  Musket, Sword, Helmet and Breastplate 
   
  The Overconfident Soldier has distinguished himself in battle against the 
  Spanish and in many of the civil wars still ravaging Europe. He has been 
  assigned by the Queen herself to ensure the safety of Roanoke colony. So 
  impressed is he by the Croatoan's fighting skills that he plans to bring a few 
  of them back to England when John White returns. 
   
  Fatal Flaw - His belief in his own superiority may lead him to confront forces 
  against which the colonists have no defense... 
   
  Secretive Heretic 
  Witchcraft (5) Divination, blessings & curses. 
  Secrets (4) Keeping them & rooting them out. 
  Folklore (3) Spirits, demons, etc. 
  Fear: The Dark (1) Knows what lies in wait... 
  Trappings:  Ceremonial Dagger, Bell, Book, Candle 
   
  The Secretive Heretic joined the colonization effort with her husband and 
  daughter.  She has been forced to hide her pagan beliefs her whole life and 
  hopes that exposure to the traditions of the Native Americans will result in a 
  more tolerant English society. (It's a good idea to let the other PCs in on her 
  secret, as her magical skills make her indispensable.) 
   
  Fatal Flaw - Her curiosity about the supernatural may draw the attention of 
  dark forces, or tempt her to make Faustian bargains with same... 
   
  Croatoan Scout 
  Brave Warrior (5) High-flyin', slow-motion Native-Fu! 
  The Trees Speak (4) Sensitive to magic & the spirit world. 
  Hunter (3) Knows how to track and trap almost anything. 
  Fear:  Firearms (1) Cowardly weapons that kill in an instant. 
  Trappings: Twin Tomahawks, Pouch of Herbs 
   
  The Croatoan Scout is a native who befriended the colonists after they 
  rescued him from a Wendigo band (They had abducted him for use in one of 
  12 
  
  their foul rituals.) He swore to stay with the colony until he had repaid his 
  debt. Needless to say, he's learned enough English to communicate reliably. 
   
  Fatal Flaw - Not all of the colonists welcome his presence and, in a time of 
  stress, he could become the flash point for a lynch mob. 
   
  Elder Statesman 
  Well-Spoken (5) Inspires allies & intimidates enemies. 
  Politics (4) Can read people like open books. 
  Duelist (3) A gentleman must be able to defend himself. 
  Fear: Beasts (1) Words are little use against hungry wolves. 
  Trappings:  Dagger, Coin Purse, Powdered Wig. 
   
  The Elder Statesman is in charge until John White returns . . . technically. In 
  truth, he has neither the military nor the religious authority that carries real 
  weight during a crisis. However, he has complete faith that civility will 
  triumph, even in this untamed wilderness. His wife and daughters aren't so 
  sure. 
   
  Fatal Flaw - His faith in his fellow Englishmen may lead him to ignore the 
  signs of civil unrest until it's too late... 
   
  Child of the Woods 
  Survivalist (5) Knows how to live in wild places. 
  Ruthless (4) In a fight, she's more mean than skilled. 
  Woman's Work (3) Sewing, cooking, being nice to people. 
  Fear: Savages (1) Heard too many tales of cannibalism and nocturnal rites. 
   
  The Child of the Woods never felt comfortable in civilized society. Her 
  hermit father raised her in a remote corner of the English countryside. When 
  he died, relatives forced her to move to London... and wear a dress. When 
  she heard Sir Walter Raleigh was looking to colonize the New World, she 
  jumped at the chance! Here, her skills as a woodsman are just too valuable to 
  ignore. 
   
  Fatal Flaw - In her heart of hearts, she wants nothing more than to abandon 
  the colony and live in the woods, but only if the other colonists come with 
  her... 
   
   
   
   
  13 
  
  Chapter Four: 
  Playing the Game 
   
  This game could easily be played as a one-shot, with the players discovering 
  the fate of the colony in a single session.  It could also support an extended 
  campaign in which the players explore the many mysteries of Roanoke Island 
  and perhaps even go through a few different characters.  There are three 
  whole years during which the activity of the colony is completely 
  unaccounted for—plenty of time for an entire campaign to blossom.   
   
  During play, your group will explore the mysteries of Roanoke Island and 
  learn more about the dark fate of the colonists.  This text presents a variety of 
  possible answers to the mystery, from the mundane to the sinister and 
  supernatural.  I leave it to you to determine the exact fate of the colony or to 
  leave the mystery unsolved.  Know, however, that there is no right or wrong 
  way to play and there is no “meta-plot” with a pre-determined end point.  I 
  encourage your group to play until you are satisfied and leave it at that. 
   
  Getting Ready to Play 
  This game is best with four to six players.  Before you sit down to begin the 
  game there are a few things that you’ll need.  Wushu uses standard six-sided 
  dice.  Each player will need about twelve dice (six each of two different 
  colors).  Alternately, you could put a big pile of dice in the center of the table 
  and let everyone grab from it as needed.  Each player will also need a 
  character sheet, which can be printed or photocopied from the back of this 
  book. Blank pieces of paper will work if you don’t have access to a photocopy 
  machine or a printer, but they won’t be quite as handy and evocative as the 
  “official” character sheet. Each player will also need a pencil and some way of 
  keeping track of his lifeblood points.  Poker chips and glass counters work 
  great for this. 
   
  You can greatly increase the atmosphere of your game by putting a little 
  thought into your playing environment.  Try turning out the lights and 
  burning some candles, light some incense, and play soft, creepy background 
  music.   
   
  14 
  
  Game Mechanics 
  The core mechanics of this game are a variation on the Wushu game system 
  by Daniel Bayn.  There are a variety of supplements and resources available to 
  Wushu players and gamemasters.  Check the bibliography at the end of this 
  book for a list of useful resources. 
   
  Traits 
  Characters in this game are defined by traits.  During character creation, each 
  trait is given a rating from 1-5.  This rating is used to determine the outcome 
  of conflicts involving the character.  If a character needs to roll for something 
  that doesn’t fall under one of his traits, he is assumed to have a rating of 2 
  for the roll. 
   
  The Principle of Narrative Truth 
  In this game, any narration by the GM or the players happens exactly as it is 
  described.  The dice either determine who gets narration rights or how far 
  the narration advances the scene.  If anyone at the table feels that a narration 
  contradicts the desired tone and style of the game, he or she can call for a 
  veto.  When someone calls for a veto, everyone at the table should vote on 
  whether or not the narration stands or gets thrown out. 
   
  Conflict Resolution 
  Whenever the outcome of a conflict is in doubt or it would be dramatic to 
  leave it to chance, we consult the dice.  There are two types of conflict:  
  Quick Conflicts and Spotlight Conflicts. 
   
  Quick Conflicts   
  Sometimes you’ll want to resolve a conflict quickly and without a lot of 
  gratuitous detail.  When this happens, the involved player rolls a single die.  
  If the result is equal to or less than the character’s relevant trait, the character 
  wins the conflict and the player narrates the outcome.  If the result is higher 
  than the character’s trait, the character loses the conflict and the GM 
  narrates the outcome.   
   
  If multiple characters are involved in a quick conflict, each player rolls and 
  the character with the lowest successful roll gets to narrate the outcome of 
  the conflict.  If everyone fails the roll, the player who rolled lowest wins the 
  conflict.  If there is a tie, simply re-roll. 
   
  15 
  
  Example 
  The Croatoan Scout, played by Joe, wants to determine the location of a 
  hostile group of Wendigo warriors.  Joe rolls a die against his The Trees Speak 
  (4) trait and gets a three.  Success!  Joe narrates his character meditating at 
  the base of a tree until the location of his enemies is revealed by the wind 
  whispering through the leaves and branches. 
   
  Spotlight Conflicts   
  Whenever you come across an interesting conflict (a fight, a passionate 
  debate, etc . . .) and want to resolve it in blow-by-blow detail, you use a 
  spotlight conflict.  This type of conflict puts a spotlight on the action at hand 
  and gets played out in greater detail than a quick conflict. 
   
  When you’re involved in a spotlight conflict, just describe your character’s 
  actions.  Each detail you narrate adds one die to your pool (to a maximum 
  pool of 6 dice).  Details can be lines of dialogue, slow-motion stunts, 
  environmental observations, or anything else that adds atmosphere to your 
  description.  Details don’t even necessarily have to involve your character, so 
  long as they are relevant to the conflict.  The only restriction is that you 
  cannot narrate any detail that would end the conflict before the roll.   
   
  Usually, the involved players will simply take turns describing their 
  characters’ actions.  Alternately, you can go back and forth with each player 
  describing one or two details at a time until everyone is satisfied with their 
  dice pool.  This method allows each character to react directly to the other 
  characters’ actions and is especially useful in combats against villains. 
   
  Once everyone is satisfied with their descriptions, roll the dice.  Each die that 
  comes up equal to or less than your character’s appropriate trait counts as a 
  success.  The player who gets the most successes gets to narrate the outcome 
  of the conflict.  If there is a tie, start the process over again. 
   
  Example 
  Joe’s Croatoan scout is attempting to sneak up on a Wendigo camp that he 
  recently discovered.  Joe narrates his character’s actions:  “I climb into a 
  nearby tree (1 die) and observe the Wendigo for a few minutes (2 dice) then 
  drop down on one of the sentries (3 dice) and break his neck (4 dice).”   
   
  Now, it’s the GM’s turn to narrate the activities of the NPCs:  “Another one 
  of the Wendigo sentries happens to wander near the scene of your ambush (1 
  die) he thinks that he hears something (2 dice), but shrugs it off as his 
  imagination (3 dice). 
  16 
  
   
  Since both sides are satisfied with their narrations, it’s time to roll the dice.  
  Joe rolls four dice against his Hunter (3) trait and rolls a two, two fours, and a 
  one.  Two successes!  Since the NPCs were minions, the GM rolls his three 
  dice against the default target number of 2.  He rolls a three, a two, and a six.  
  One success.   
   
  Joe wins the conflict and gets to narrate his infiltration of the Wendigo 
  camp. 
   
  Combat          
  This is an action-oriented game.  As such, combat has a few extra rules to 
  consider.  Combat that involves the player characters is almost always a 
  spotlight conflict.  Describe your character’s actions as normal, but before 
  you roll the dice, split your pool into attack dice and defense dice (this is 
  where having two different colors of dice comes in handy).  Attack dice inflict 
  damage on other characters, while defense dice protect your character from 
  damage.  “Damage” dealt by combat rolls does not have to reflect physical 
  harm, it can represent any kind of setback.  Once everyone has chosen their 
  attack/defense distribution, roll the dice. 
   
  Each successful attack die inflicts a point of damage on your opponent and 
  each successful defense die blocks a point of incoming damage.  Each time 
  your character takes a point of damage that isn’t blocked by a successful 
  defense die, he loses one point of Lifeblood.  Player characters get three 
  points of Lifeblood.  If your character takes damage that exceeds his current 
  Lifeblood his opponent gets to narrate a Coup de Grace (see below).   
   
  Against Minions 
  Minions are weaker opponents who exist more to make the player-characters 
  look cool than to threaten them.  Minions are special because they do not 
  count details or roll dice.  Feel free to describe minions in whatever way you 
  wish to pull off your cool combat stunts or to make the scene more 
  interesting.  When a group of minions comes into play, the GM assigns the 
  group a Threat Rating.  A minion group’s Threat Rating is equal to four 
  times the number of player-characters involved in the fight, times the number 
  of rounds you want the fight to last (4 x # of players x desired # of rounds).  
   
  When you’re fighting minions, each successful attack die reduces the group’s 
  threat rating by one.  When the threat reaches zero, the minions are defeated 
  (dead, unconscious, fleeing, or otherwise out of the fight).   
  17 
  
   
  Minions do present a small threat to the player-characters.  It is assumed that 
  anyone fighting minions will take one point of damage each time he makes a 
  combat roll.  In other words, you need at least one successful defense die to 
  avoid taking damage from minions. 
   
  Example 
  The Zealous Witch-Hunter, played by Mike, has just been ambushed by a 
  band of hostile natives.  He narrates:  “As the Indians come into the clearing 
  (1 die), I roll to the side, avoiding a volley of arrows (2 dice), then I leap to my 
  feet with my cloak twirling behind me in slow-motion (3 dice), I fill the air 
  with smoke (4 dice) as I fire two of my pistols into a charging savage (5 dice), 
  sending him spiraling backwards in a violent spray of blood (6 dice). 
   
  Mike is satisfied with his narration, so he splits the six dice he earned 
  through narration into four attack dice and two defense dice.  He rolls them 
  all against his Cleanse by Fire (3) trait and ends up with 3 attack successes and 
  zero defense successes.  Mike’s three attack successes lower the threat rating 
  of the hostile natives by three points and his character loses a point of 
  lifeblood (since he didn’t manage any defense successes).  The battle will 
  continue in this way until one side stands victorious.     
   
  Against Villains 
  Villains are more powerful opponents that pose a real threat to the player-
  characters.  Villains have traits and roll dice just like the player-characters, 
  except that all of their actions are narrated by the GM.  Villains generally 
  have between three and nine lifeblood points.    
   
  If more than one character gangs up on a villain, the participating players 
  must divide their descriptions so that they roll a combined maximum of six 
  dice.  Villains may always roll up to six dice.  After a combat roll is made, the 
  Villain may split his attack successes among his opponents as he sees fit. 
   
  Remember: since this is a spotlight challenge, players are free to narrate 
  whatever they want as long as it doesn’t end the conflict (i.e. you can’t simply 
  narrate your character decapitating a villain).  The privilege of narrating the 
  end of the conflict comes to whoever scores a Coup de Grace (see below). 
   
  Example 
  The Overconfident Soldier, played by Aaron, is being stalked through the 
  woods by a mysterious beast.  The GM begins his narration: “As you run 
  through the forest (1 die), completely alone (2 dice), you begin to hear 
  18 
  
  movement in the woods (3 dice) just beyond the light of your lantern (4 dice).  
  You hear a sound behind you (5 dice) and, when you turn to face it, your 
  lantern goes out (6 dice)!” 
   
  Now Aaron gets to narrate his actions:  “I cry out in terror (1 die) as I see a 
  vague silhouette of the creature in front of me (2 dice).  Instinctively, I thrust 
  my sword toward the silhouette (3 dice), but it is knocked out of my hand (4 
  dice) and I am knocked to the ground (5 dice).  I scramble to my feet and 
  begin to flee in terror (6 dice).” 
   
  Aaron assigns one die to attack and five dice to defense, then rolls against his 
  Soldier (5) trait.  The GM assigns four dice to attack and two to defense, then 
  rolls against the creature’s Prey Upon Mortals (5) trait.  Aaron ends up with 1 
  attack success and 3 defense successes.  The creature rolls 4 attack successes 
  and one defense success.  Aaron’s character loses a point of lifeblood and his 
  opponent comes out unscathed.   
   
  The Coup de Grace 
  When your character does damage to an opponent that exceeds his or her 
  current Lifeblood, you may narrate a Coup de Grace.  At this point, the 
  victim’s plot immunity has run out and you may narrate your victory in 
  whatever manner you see fit (including cold-blooded murder, if that’s your 
  thing).   
   
  Example 
  Aaron’s character, the Overconfident Soldier, has two points of lifeblood 
  remaining.  Another exchange with the creature who is hunting him results 
  in the woodsman taking three points of damage.  Since this exceeds the two 
  lifeblood that he has, the Woodsman is defeated and the GM gets to narrate 
  the creature’s Coup de Grace.  The GM narrates:  “For a moment, you think 
  that you’ve outrun the creature . . . but then you realize that the branches of 
  the trees that encircle you are occupied by its many brethren.  The camera 
  fades to black as the creatures leap upon you from the trees.  In the morning, 
  the others find your mangled corpse dangling from one of those very trees. 
   
  Doom 
  The Roanoke colonists are doomed to disappear into the mists of time.  The 
  following mechanics emulate this by allowing the players’ decisions to affect 
  the colony’s ultimate fate.   
   
  19 
  
  Authors Note:  This game’s Doom mechanics were directly inspired by 
  Conspiracy of Shadows, a role-playing game by Keith Senkowski 
  (www.bobgoat.com).  If you like games that feature doomed heroes, do 
  yourself a favor and check it out. 
   
  If a player is not satisfied with the result of a die-roll, he may choose to 
  invoke his Fate.  When Fate is invoked, the character is automatically granted 
  the highest possible level of success for the roll in question (as if he had 
  rolled all 1s).  Each time a player invokes his character’s Fate, the colony 
  gains one point of Doom.  The GM can also invoke Fate when rolling for 
  NPCs.  Each time the GM invokes an NPC’s Fate, the colony’s Doom score 
  is reduced by one.   
   
  It’s best to use glass counters or poker chips to keep track of the colony’s 
  Doom (as it will shift drastically over the course of the game).  The colony’s 
  Doom score should be visible to everyone.  It’s important that the players can 
  see the consequences of their actions. When the game ends, the colony’s 
  final Doom score determines the premise of the Epilogue. 
   
  The Epilogue   
  When the game ends (whether it was a one-shot session or a long-running 
  campaign) the players and GM work together to narrate the fate of the 
  colony. 
   
  The premise of the epilogue is dictated by the colony’s final Doom score.  
  Compare the colony’s final Doom score to the table below to determine the 
  premise of the Epilogue: 
   
  Final Doom Score 
  Epilogue 
  Equal to or less than zero 
  Heroic Escape 
  Equal to or less than the number of player-characters 
  Tragic Escape 
  Greater than the number of player-characters 
  Heroic Death 
  More than twice the number of player-characters 
  Terrible Death 
   
  Heroic Escape 
  The colonists manage to completely escape the doomed island.  The players 
  may narrate the details of the escape and their characters’ lives afterward. 
   
   
   
  20 
  
  Tragic Escape 
  The colonists escape the doomed colony, but not without consequence.  One 
  character is forced to sacrifice himself to allow the others to escape.  If no one 
  volunteers for the sacrifice, have everyone roll for it.  The GM narrates the 
  fate of the sacrificed character and the other players narrate the details of the 
  escape and their characters’ lives afterward.  
   
  Heroic Death 
  The colony goes down in a blaze of glory.  The GM sets up a final conflict 
  and each player narrates his character’s death in the most heroic manner 
  possible. 
   
  Terrible Death 
  The colony meets the darkest of fates.  The GM narrates each character’s 
  death in the most terrible way possible. 
   
  Once each character’s epilogue has been narrated, the GM provides an 
  epilogue that ties up any loose ends in the story and describes the fates of the 
  story’s antagonists. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  21 
  
  Chapter Five: 
  Running the Game 
   
  There are a variety of ways that you can use this material to run a game.  The 
  setting lends itself well to one-shots and short convention games, but there is 
  also a great deal of room for expansion, if you’d rather run an extended 
  campaign.  Whatever you decide to do, here are some suggestions about how 
  exactly to do it: 
   
  Populate the Colony 
  Make a list of five to ten interesting NPCs that are somehow related to the 
  colony.  These characters could be the husbands and wives of the player-
  characters, Indian allies, or anyone else that you can think of.  After the 
  players finish creating their characters, have them peruse this list and make 
  two or three connections between their characters and the NPCs.  This 
  process helps to define some pre-existing relationships that you can draw on 
  for conflicts in the game.  
   
  Make A List of Interesting Scenes 
  Before the game, sit down and brainstorm ideas for interesting scenes that 
  could appear in the game.  Don’t try to write a plot (the players will do that 
  through their actions) but simply outline some scenes that you’d like to see in 
  play.  Remember, scenes without conflict are boring!  The best scenes are 
  both pregnant with conflict and evocative of the setting. 
   
  Use the players’ character sheets as a tool to guide you when coming up with 
  ideas for scenes.  Try to base scenes on the characters’ traits and fears 
  whenever possible.  You should try to incorporate each character’s main trait 
  at least once per session.  It’s also good to trigger at least one character’s fear 
  each session.    
   
  Scene Ideas 
  -  Strange lights are seen off the coast of the island. 
  -  A young man is caught stealing from the colony’s food supply. 
  -  A neutral group of Indians seeks a truce with the colonists. 
  -  A PC has a sinister dream, which is played out as a spotlight conflict.  
  22 
  
  Start With a Bang 
  Go through your list of scene ideas and kick off the game with the best one.  
  Maybe try starting the game en media res.  If your opening scene draws the 
  players into the fiction, they’ll remain there for the rest of the session.  The 
  opening scene should be one that forces the characters to react in some way, 
  without railroading them.  Remember, there’s no need to plan how the 
  characters should react.  Just set the scene so that the characters have no 
  choice but to do something.  Often times, a good opening scene can drive play 
  for an entire session.     
   
  Opening Scene Ideas 
  -  Two PCs are attacked while hunting together and the attacker triggers one  
     of the character’s fears. 
  -  A woman from the colony is accused of witchcraft.  The game opens  
     in the middle of a passionate debate to determine her fate (a spotlight  
     conflict). 
  -  The game opens with a flashback of the characters first day on Roanoke  
     Island.  Something happens that foreshadows an event later in the  
     adventure. 
   
  Let the Players Lead 
  Your job as gamemaster is to introduce new scenes and conflicts into the 
  game.  That’s all.  Don’t try to pre-plan the characters’ course of action.  The 
  game will be much more rewarding for everyone involved if it ends up going 
  in unexpected directions.  Build new conflicts off the players’ actions and let 
  their decisions push the narrative forward.   
   
  Try asking leading questions of players that let them have more authorship in 
  the narrative.  When a player asks what he sees when he looks down a dark 
  hallway, try saying “Good question . . . what do you see?”  While you don’t 
  want to overuse this technique, it can be a great way to let the players take the 
  reins and push the game in an interesting direction. 
   
  Villainous Vignettes 
  Villainous vignettes are a great way to maintain a sinister tone in your game.  
  In these vignettes, you simply narrate a scene of a villain or his minions 
  pursuing their dreadful interests.  These scenes might give the players subtle 
  clues about the nature of the villain, or they may be red herrings.  At any 
  rate, the player-characters cannot generally act on information gleaned from 
  such vignettes.  This technique is often used in horror movies to show the 
  audience a couple of clues about the villain and his plans.   
  23 
  
  Chapter Six: 
  Foul Plots and 
  Dark Legends 
   
  As gamemaster, you may advise the players against reading the following 
  section.  It serves as a sort of “buffet of ideas” from which you can develop 
  the villains and antagonists of your game.  Feel free to modify these ideas to 
  fit your own agenda.   
   
  It’s probably not a good idea to try and work all of these antagonists into the 
  same campaign.  Pick two or three of your favorites and run with them.  It’s 
  quite possible to run several Roanoke campaigns with the same group of 
  players and focus on completely separate antagonists. 
   
  The Walsingham Conspiracy 
  When I found him, he'd already set the grain on fire. "It was you," I accused, my gun 
  leveled at the back of his head. "It was you who cut the boats from their moorings and 
  let them drift out to sea. It was you who emptied the traps and let rats into the seed. 
  You accused women of witchcraft, but it was you who served the devil." 
   
  He raised his pistol with the speed of a striking snake, but he did not fire. We circled 
  each other while the walls ignited around us. "This colony was doomed from the start. 
  I'm just lending God a hand." He pulled back his hammer and I did the same. "In a 
  week's time, I'll be aboard a Spanish Brigantine . . . and you'll be deep within the 
  Virginia soil, worms feasting on your eyes." 
   
  Within Queen Elizabeth’s court, there are some who plot the demise of the 
  Roanoke colony.  In fact, Elizabeth’s own spymaster, Francis Walsingham, is 
  jealous of Sir Walter Raleigh’s courtly prestige and wishes to discredit him by 
  disrupting his pet project . . . the Roanoke Colony.  This conspiracy filters all 
  the way down to Simon Fernandez, the captain of the ship put in charge of 
  taking the colonists to the New World.  Walsingham has even placed 
  operatives among the colonists in an attempt to disrupt and ultimately 
  destroy the settlement at Roanoke.   
  24 
  
   
  If you choose to bring the Walsingham conspiracy into play, you should steep 
  the game in a feeling of deep paranoia and mistrust.  Betrayals, double-agents, 
  and characters with shifting loyalties will help to instill this feeling.  Leave the 
  characters unsure of whom (if anyone) they can trust. 
   
  Francis Walsingham 
  Royal Spymaster (5) A master of courtly deception and subterfuge. 
  Manipulate from Afar (4) Commands with dark words from distant shores. 
  Master of Poisons (3) His enemies never see it coming.  
  Fear:  Betrayal (1) Can be beaten at his own game. 
  Lifeblood:  6 
   
  Walsingham is manipulating the fate of the Roanoke Colony all the way 
  from England.  His charming disposition and courtly reputation hide his 
  sinister espionage.  He is loyal only to himself and will stop at nothing to get 
  what he wants.  Even his loyalty to the Queen is a mirage.  If the Queen 
  herself were to interfere with Walsingham’s agenda, she may find an 
  unfortunate additive in her evening wine.  
   
  Simon Fernandez 
  Privateering Scoundrel (5) A veteran mercenary of the sea. 
  Master Swordsman (4) Leaves a wake of broken blades and bloodied foes. 
  Charming (3) Handsome and sharp, he’s hard to argue with.  
  Fear:  Betrayal (1) He has placed too much faith in his employers. 
  Lifeblood:  6 
   
  Simon Fernandez was the man responsible for transporting the Roanoke 
  colonists to the New World.  Little do the settlers know that Fernandez was 
  commanded by Spymaster Walsingham to deposit the colony on Roanoke 
  island instead of their original destination (the Chesapeake Bay area).  
  Fernandez was eager to take to the sea and pursue a life as a privateer, but 
  Walsingham has paid him a handsome sum to stay behind and lead the 
  conspiracy against the colony. 
   
  Plot Hooks 
  -  Simon Fernandez returns to Roanoke Island with a band of Spanish  
      pirates in tow. 
   
  -  One of the PCs was also paid off by Walsingham.  Walsingham tries to  
      use his Manipulate from Afar trait to force the character to betray his     
  25 
  
      fellow colonists.  This internal struggle could be represented by a   
      spotlight conflict between the PC and Walsingham as the PC struggles  
      with his memories of the deal and his loyalty to his fellow colonists. 
   
  The Wolves of Ragnarok 
  The howling started at dusk, just as the moon rose red over the sea. At first, the people 
  paid little attention; our colony had been beset by wolves before. Their hides adorned 
  more than one hunter's hearth. 
   
  By midnight, their braying rattled in our skulls. This was no wolf pack. Their voices 
  boomed out of the darkness from every direction, layering over each other in a 
  bloodthirsty chorus. The full moon cast deep shadows through the forest, but we began 
  to see the forms of men lurking therein. We were under attack. 
   
  Dawn found few of us left. The men had gone after the savages with hot lead and cold 
  steel. Only their gurgling screams returned.  If we do not leave before nightfall, our 
  fates shall be the same. 
   
  Long ago, Norse explorers were the first white men to discover and colonize 
  the New World.  One such group were members of an exiled religious sect 
  known as the Wolves of Ragnarok.  Criminals and murderers, these cultists 
  sought to bring about Ragnarok, the death of the gods and the rebirth of the 
  mortal world, so that they might atone for their crimes and start life anew.  
  The sect was exiled from their homeland and began to sail the coasts of 
  North America.  Eventually, the Wolves settled near Roanoke Island.  They 
  built a secret temple in a hidden cave, and began to stalk the local Indian 
  tribes, hunting down victims for their bizarre sacrifices.  Legend has it that 
  the Wolves of Ragnarok were stricken by the gods with the curse of undeath 
  for attempting to meddle in divine affairs.  Now, the ageless warriors roam 
  the dark places of Virginia, searching for victims to sate their never-ending 
  bloodlust. 
   
  Kleykir the Exile 
  Undead Norse Warrior (5) Undying, unfeeling, unkillable. 
  Cursed by the Gods (4) Forced to roam the land in suffering. 
  Hunter of the Living (3) Tracks his prey by scent alone.  
  Fear:  Hostile Magick (1) Can the curse be ended?  
  Lifeblood:  6 
   
  In life, Kleykir was the leader of the Wolves of Ragnarok.  Now, he 
  commands his rotting Norse minions from his subterranean lair.  Fortunately 
  26 
  
  for this bloodthirsty warrior, it seems that a new set of victims has just made a 
  home for themselves on the nearby island of Roanoke. 
   
  Wolf Minions 
  The Wolves of Ragnarok make great minions.  They mindlessly hunt the 
  living with their ancient swords and rotting armor.  Because they are undead, 
  the Wolves are a bit harder for the players to deal with than normal minions.  
  Wolf minions produce two attack successes every round instead of the 
  normal one success. 
   
  Plot Hooks 
  -  The PCs find mysterious rune-stones and other evidence of Viking  
     settlement.  Eventually, the evidence leads them to the secret lair of  
     Kleykir the Exile. 
   
  -  The colony’s Croatoan allies tell stories of bearded white men who have  
     lived in the woods for centuries. 
   
  -  The GM narrates a villainous vignette in which a decrepit old man      
     somewhere on the island casts a sinister spell, calling forth a shambling  
     horde of minions carrying rusted swords and shields.  He whispers a  
     single phrase:  “Ragnarok has come . . .” 
   
  The Hungry Regiment  
  America hates us with homicidal intensity. The winter it unleashed on us was brutal 
  beyond anything England has to offer. Its cold, spiteful winds bit deeply into our flesh, 
  no matter how thickly we piled the blankets or how gluttonously we fed the fire. The 
  game, which had seemed so plentiful just a month before, vanished with the autumn 
  leaves. 
   
  You cannot imagine how the hunger gnaws at you, how it erodes your will and 
  suffocates your soul. It becomes a living thing; within you, but not a part of you. Not 
  yours to control. Eventually, it claws its way up and eats you from the inside. It wears 
  your skin like a shroud. 
   
  In 1585, Sir Francis Drake left a small regiment of soldiers to watch over the 
  fledgling Roanoke territory.  The regiment ran afoul of the local Indians, who 
  deprived the soldiers of food by stealing their supplies and casting spells to 
  rid the surrounding woods of game.  When the first soldier died of 
  starvation, the others rationed and ate the young man’s corpse.  Soon, the 
  desperate men began to murder and eat their friends.  Those who survived 
  27 
  
  noticed that they were beginning to gain new levels of strength and vitality.  
  The cannibals then banded together and killed an Indian hunting party.  
  With each bite, they felt themselves infused with their victim’s strength.  A 
  few members of the Hungry Regiment still roam Roanoke Island, looking for 
  fresh meat.   
   
  Edward Chelsey 
  Demented Cannibal (5) The hunger wears your skin like a shroud.    
  Supernatural Strength (4) Fueled by flesh. 
  Keen Senses (3) Knows how to find his food. 
  Fear:  Damnation (1) The hunger suffocates your soul. 
  Lifeblood:  6 
   
  Edward Chelsey was a member of Drake’s lost regiment.  He has risen to 
  power among his kind because he has eaten more flesh than all of his 
  minions combined.  Chelsey is capable of incredible feats of strength and 
  agility.  He is mindless in his pursuit of human flesh.  Both his hunger and 
  his lust for power are limitless. 
   
  Hungry Minions 
  The cannibal soldiers of the Hungry Regiment are ferocious combatants.  
  They possess supernatural strength and agility, which allows them to pull off 
  all kinds of wire-fu-style stunts.  Don’t forget that their main form of attack is 
  their vicious bite. 
   
  Plot Hooks 
  -  After a colonist goes missing, the PCs find his or her remains in the  
     woods near the settlement.  It is disturbingly apparent that the victim was  
     eaten alive. 
   
  -  A strange white man wanders into the settlement and claims that he was  
     sent by God to eat the sin of the colonists and spare them from God’s  
     wrath.  If things are going particularly badly for the colony, some may  
     even believe him.  
   
  The Wendigo 
  We had him surrounded, but it mattered not. He raised his tomahawks to heaven and 
  screamed like a devil. He leaned back just as young Patterson fired, gun smoke 
  mingling with his breath as the musket ball rocketed past his face... and straight 
  through the elder Patterson's neck. 
  28 
  
   
  The savage was a whirlwind of blades and blood. He turned my rifle aside with one 
  tomahawk and buried the other in Smithe's head. Then, he dropped and spun around, 
  sweeping young Patterson's legs out from beneath him. I barely got my rifle up in time 
  to block, but he cleaved the barrel in two and kicked me in the sternum with such force 
  that I flew backwards into a tree twenty feet away. By the time my vision cleared, he 
  had vanished into the moonlight. 
   
  The Wendigo are a hostile Indian tribe, eager to drive the British colonists 
  from their lands by capturing them and sacrificing them to the “Wendigo,” 
  an ancient demon who roams the woods demanding tribute.  The Wendigo 
  have been at war with the Croatoan for many centuries.  The Croatoan see 
  the Wendigo as worshippers of unclean spirits.  The feud between the tribes 
  runs deep and hatred is firmly rooted on both sides.   
   
  The Wendigo tribe goes out of its way to strike fear into the settlers’ hearts.  
  They often stage moonlight raids in which they storm the colony’s forts, 
  killing and scalping those that they can and abducting others to use as 
  human sacrifices to their dark god.    
   
  The Wendigo 
  Demon of the Winter Wind (5) Wields an array of demonic powers.  
  Master of the Woods (4) The trees harken to its malevolent whims. 
  All-Seeing Gaze (3) It’s watching you. 
  Fear:  Fire (1) Manitou’s cleansing fire is its only weakness. 
  Lifeblood:  8 
   
  The Wendigo is a dark spirit that haunts wintry forests throughout the land.  
  The demon stalks the woods searching for victims, which he snatches up into 
  the sky and devours.  Several native tribes pay tribute to the demon by 
  offering their outcasts as living sacrifices.  
   
  Hunts-In-Shadow 
  Bloody Tomahawk (5) Has claimed the lives of many white-men.   
  Servant of the Wendigo (4) Serves a dark master. 
  Unseen, Unheard (3) Moves through the night like a shadow. 
  Fear:  The Wendigo (1) Terrified of his master’s wrath. 
  Lifeblood:  6 
   
  Hunts-In-Shadow is the chieftain of the Wendigo tribe.  As a boy, he 
  encountered the Wendigo in the woods one night and bargained with it to 
  spare his life.  In exchange, the Wendigo commanded the boy to build a 
  29 
  
  nation that would pay the creature tribute.  All of his life Hunts-In-Shadow 
  has been compelled to gather followers for the Wendigo and destroy anyone 
  who opposes his dark master.  
   
  Wendigo Minions 
  Wendigo braves are fierce in battle and masters of unique martial arts.  The 
  Wendigo are intended to be the setting’s default “hostile natives.”  It is quite 
  possible to introduce the Wendigo tribe as a fairly mundane threat with no 
  direct link to the supernatural. 
   
  Plot Hooks 
  -  Members of the Croatoan tribe urge the PCs to help them in their age-old   
     war against the Wendigo tribe. 
   
  -  As winter sets in, bone-chilling howls can be heard from the woods at  
     night.  Has the Wendigo been awakened? 
   
  -  After the settlers are plagued by bizarre dreams, a secret cult of  
     Wendigo-worshippers forms among the members of the colony. 
   
  Jumlin, The Vampire Spirit 
  "Help me..." 
   
  Her cries echoed through the cave like a siren song, drawing me deeper into this New 
  World. The climb was difficult; how a woman got through it, I could not imagine. By 
  the time I reached her, my hands were bloody and my clothes caked with earth.  She 
  was pregnant. Her fevered eyes glared from behind a stomach so swollen that I feared 
  it would burst at any moment. Getting her out the way I had come would prove 
  impossible, but that was never her intention. It was when I heard them skittering 
  through the cave behind me that I realized the trap was already sprung. 
   
  She had hungry mouths to feed. 
   
  The natives speak of a legend in which a shaman, whose wife was barren, 
  pleaded with Manitou to bless him with a son.  When Manitou refused to 
  answer his request, the shaman delved into the secret arts of the Old Way.  
  He called forth a dark spirit known as Jumlin, who promised to give the 
  shaman a legacy.  In return, Jumlin asked the shaman to open a gate through 
  which he could pass into mortal lands.  The shaman agreed and performed a 
  dark ritual that sundered the boundary between worlds.  But Jumlin had 
  deceived the shaman; he took possession of the shaman’s body and turned 
  30 
  
  on his tribe.  Jumlin slaughtered the tribe’s warriors and fed upon their 
  blood.  Later that night Jumlin ravaged the shaman’s wife and conceived a 
  great line of blood-thirsty children.  Jumlin and his vampiric brood still roam 
  the earth, feeding on the blood of the living, and plotting against the great 
  spirit Manitou. 
   
  Jumlin 
  Vampire Spirit (5) A powerful and seductive blood-drinker.   
  Dominate Mortals (4) Can take possession of a mortal body. 
  Walk Among Shadows (3) Stalks the night with ease. 
  Fear:  Sunlight (1) Driven away by the light of day. 
  Lifeblood:  8 
   
  Jumlin is an evil, vampiric spirit.  He wanders the mortal world with a 
  hijacked body, seeking to slake his thirst on the blood of the living.  He 
  commands a large arsenal of vampiric abilities including flight (or at least 
  gravity-defying jumps), supernatural persuasion, and uncanny stealth. 
   
  The Dark Mother 
  Dark Mother (5) Surrounded by her hungry children. 
  Barbed Hair (4) Strangles and slashes her foes. 
  Witchcraft (3) Practices the Old Way. 
  Fear:  Sunlight (1) Driven away by the light of day. 
  Lifeblood:  6 
   
  The Dark Mother was once the wife of the desperate shaman who granted 
  Jumlin access to the mortal world.  The vampire stole her husband’s body 
  and impregnated her with its demonic spawn.  The Mother’s mind is now 
  enslaved by Jumlin and she hides away in a secret lair, bloated and pregnant, 
  filling the woods of Roanoke with her bloodthirsty children.   
   
  Vampire Minions 
  The spawn of Jumlin and the Dark Mother possess a variety of vampiric 
  abilities.  Their actions are often at odds with gravity and they wield 
  supernatural strength and keen senses.  Fights with these creatures should be 
  brutal, action-packed, and terrifying.          
   
  Plot Hooks 
  -  Jumlin has taken a liking to one of the colony’s women.  Each night, he  
     appears at the foot of her bed and sings to her with seductive whispers.    
     The Dark Mother has become jealous and plots to kill the poor woman.   
  31 
  
   
  -  One morning, the colony’s livestock are all found dead and completely  
     drained of blood.  This presents two problems for the colonists:  How can  
      they replace the food that would have been provided by the livestock and    
     who or what perpetrated these gruesome killings?  Paranoia runs high and    
      tempers start to flair as the colonists struggle with this mystery. 
   
  Father Dagoan 
  I saw them. God help me, I saw them. Their spongy flesh and bulbous eyes, the flaps 
  of skin that heaved in the cold, night air. Spines and tentacles erupted from faces most 
  certainly not made by God's hand. Their stench lingered on the wind, announcing 
  them to all the creatures of Eden. 
   
  What they were up to, I cannot say. It was all I could do to keep my trembling legs 
  planted in the earth. They marched past me into the woods; some crawled or slithered. 
  I could hear them warbling and squealing deep in the island's bosom. 
   
  When they dragged themselves past me, back into the sea, they had a woman in tow. 
   
  Deep under the waves, there lies a deity that certain ill-bred tribes have 
  worshipped for centuries.  Father Dagoan, as he is known, is believed by 
  these tribes to be the great spirit of the sea.  By allowing their women to 
  breed with Father Dagoan’s aquatic children, these tribes ensure that they 
  will have plentiful fish and mild weather. 
   
  As a result of this unusual bloodline, many of the Dagoan-worshipping tribes 
  have a strange, almost fish-like appearance, which descends through the 
  generations. 
   
  Father Dagoan 
  Lord of the Deep (5) Master of the tides and waves. 
  Starry Wisdom (4) Blessed with the knowledge of the old ones.   
  Hybrid Legions (3) Children of the deep heed his call. 
  Fear:  The Elder Sign (1) Is driven away by a secret sign. 
  Lifeblood:  8 
   
  Dagoan lords over countless spawn from the depths of the ocean.  His 
  bloodline is a festering parasite on humanity.  Those who are “sea-blooded” 
  have disturbingly bulbous eyes and a foul appearance that suggests an unholy 
  union of man and fish.  When the stars are right, Dagoan will rise from the 
  depths and stride across the earth, heralding the arrival of the great old ones. 
  32 
  
  The Children of Dagoan 
  Dagoan could have a variety of minions in his service.  Several native tribes 
  pay him tribute and he commands a seemingly endless school of gilled 
  monstrosities from the depths of the ocean. 
   
  Plot Hooks 
  -  The colonists witness a tribe of Dagoan worshippers casting tributes into  
     the sea.  They notice that some of these “tributes” are young women. 
   
  -  A strange looking Indian with bulging eyes wanders into the settlement  
     and asks for shelter.  He speaks of unseen gods beneath the waves. 
   
  Beasts of the Wild 
  One of the mundane threats to life in the Roanoke Colony is the presence of 
  a variety of natural predators, some of which are still unknown to science.  If 
  provoked, wolves, bears, snakes, and sharks can all pose a danger to the 
  colonists.  These threats can be used as a break from conflicts with the main 
  antagonists of the game.  In a game with a lot of supernatural opponents, it’s 
  good to occasionally throw in an encounter with something more mundane.   
   
  Angry Black Bear 
  Tooth and Claw (5) Wields an arsenal of natural weapons. 
  Climb Trees (4) You’re not even safe in the timbers. 
  Seek Food (3) Knows how to follow its nose for food.  
  Fear: Captivity (1) Easier to deal with when captured. 
  Lifeblood:  6 
   
  Hungry Shark 
  Efficient Predator (5) Plenty of sharp teeth. 
  Drawn to Blood (4) Your wounds might be your doom.   
  Fast Moving (3) Escape is unlikely. 
  Fear: Captivity (1) Easier to deal with when captured. 
  Lifeblood:  3 
   
  Wolf Packs 
  Aggressive wolves are best handled as minions.  Their main advantage against 
  humans would be their speed and ability to outnumber and overwhelm their 
  prey. 
   
  33 
  
  Plot Hooks 
  -  Friendly Indians warn the colonists of a great shark who hunts in the  
     shallow waters just off the coast of the island. 
   
  -  While traveling in the woods, the PCs come across a wounded bear cub.   
     Unfortunately, its mother is lurking nearby, ready to defend her child. 
   
  Colony Events 
  Use the following table if you need to fill some down time in the story or if 
  you get stuck for an idea.  Each event is followed by several questions that 
  should help to spark your imagination. You can use these events either to 
  add a bit of color to the day-to-day struggles of the colony or as a launching 
  point for a whole story-arc. 
   
  Colony Events: Roll 2D6 
  Roll 
  Event 
  2 
  Pirate Raid 
  3 
  Indian Attack 
  4 
  Disease 
  5 
  Fire 
  6 
  Crime 
  7 
  Food Shortage 
  8 
  Storm 
  9 
  Rumors 
  10 
  Celebration/Festival 
  11 
  Friendly Visit 
  12 
  Discovery 
   
  Pirate Raid 
  A crew of Spanish pirates happens upon the colony.  Will they launch a raid 
  on the settlement?  Are they agents of Walsingham?  Are they fleeing 
  something that they encountered at sea? 
   
  Indian Attack 
  A band of hostile Indians attacks the settlement.  The attackers may be from 
  the Wendigo or another hostile tribe.  Why have the Indians attacked?  Were 
  they prodded into action by an unseen manipulator? 
   
   
  34 
  
  Disease 
  A disease sweeps across the settlement, leaving many colonists incapacitated 
  and dying.  Can the PCs find a cure before it’s too late? 
   
  Fire 
  A fire breaks out within the settlement.  Can the PCs put it out before the 
  town is destroyed?  Was the fire an accident or an act of arson? 
   
  Crime 
  One of the colonists (or perhaps an Indian ally) is accused of a crime.  Is the 
  suspect innocent or guilty?  Were they framed?  What was the nature of the 
  crime?  Make the charge “witchcraft” for that ol’ Salem charm. 
   
  Food Shortage 
  The colony is quickly running out of supplies.  Can the PCs find food before 
  everyone starves to death?  Why has food run out so quickly?  How long until 
  the colonists resort to cannibalism? 
   
  Storm 
  The colony is beset by a terrible storm.  Can the PCs find shelter?  Does the 
  storm leave anything in its wake: a washed-up shipwreck, one of Dagoan’s 
  children, strange artifacts from an ancient civilization? 
   
  Rumors 
  Intriguing rumors have spread throughout the village.  What are the rumors?  
  Witchcraft?  Cannibalism?  Sabotage?  Are the rumors true? 
   
  Celebration/Festival 
  The colonists come together to celebrate something.  Is it a marriage?  A 
  birth?  The death of an enemy?  Does anything disrupt the celebration? 
   
  Friendly Visit 
  The colony is visited by a friendly group.  Who is this group?  Friendly 
  natives?  Lost sea travelers?  What is the group’s agenda? 
   
   
   
   
  35 
  
  Discovery 
  Someone in the colony discovers something that was previously unknown to 
  science.  What was discovered?  (Feel free to go wild with this one.  
  Remember that this discovery disappears along with the colony). 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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  Bibliography 
   
  Books 
  Roanoke:  Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony by Lee Miller 
  Roanoke: The Abandoned Colony by Karen Kupperman 
  Roanoke: The Story of the Lost Colony by Peter Bosco 
  The Encyclopedia of Native American Shamanism by William Lyon 
   
  Films 
  Brotherhood of the Wolf 
  The Last of the Mohicans 
  Ravenous 
  Roanoke: The Lost Colony 
  Sleepy Hollow 
  The Village 
   
  Games 
  Wire-Fu by Daniel Bayn 
  Pulp-Fu by Daniel Bayn 
  A Wushu Guide to Cut-Fu by Daniel Bayn 
  A Wushu Guide to Gun-Fu by Daniel Bayn 
  A Wushu Guide to Wyrd-Fu by Daniel Bayn 
  Werewolves Bite by Daniel Bayn 
  Vampires Suck by Daniel Bayn 
  My Life With Master by Paul Czege 
  Conspiracy of Shadows by Keith Senkowski 
  Call of Cthulhu by Chaosium Inc. 
   
  Music 
  Opeth, Blackwater Park, Deliverance, Damnation, and Ghost Reveries 
   
  Websites 
  www.bayn.org 
  www.s-gabriel.org 
  wiki.saberpunk.net/Wushu/HomePage 
  37 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  About the Author 
   
   
   
  Clint Krause is a freelance writer, musician, and game designer. Aside from 
  these activities, he enjoys reading, travel, and spending time with his wife 
  Cassie. He lives in Missouri.  Visit Clint on the web at www.clintkrause.com. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Deduped  Shit/Wushu/Wushu - Roanoke.pdf