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  Based on the Dying Earth Book Series by JACK VANCE 
   
  The Creep of Inaccuracy 
   
   
   
  A Rhialto-Level Adventure for the Dying Earth Roleplaying Game 
   
  Written and Designed by Ian Thomson 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Credits 
  Layout: Ian Thomson 
  Cover: Jerome Huguenin (pic & layout) 
  Interior Art: Dave Allsop (p5); Carrie Walters (p14); Sarah Wroot (p17), & Dover Books 
   
  Similarities between characters in this game and persons living or dead are coincidental. 
  The reproduction of material from this book for personal or corporate profit, by photographic, electronic, or 
  other means of storage and retrieval, is prohibited. 
  Based on the Dying Earth book series by Jack Vance. Produced and distributed by agreement with Jack Vance  
  c/o Ralph Vicinanza, Ltd. 
  One copy can be printed for personal use only.  
  E-mail questions and comments about this game to Pelgrane Press at: info@dyingearth.com, or write to:  
  Pelgrane Press Ltd., 9 Bromells Road, London SW4 0BN, UNITED KINGDOM. 
  Visit us on the World Wide Web: http://www.dyingearth.com 
   
  “The Creep of Inaccuracy” Copyright Pelgrane Press, 2006 
   
  PRINTING - All Duplex [double-sided]; save last page (Tag-lines) single-sided 
   
  
   
   
   
  3 
   
  GM’s Introductory Notes 
  This scenario is specifically designed as an introduction to Rhialto-Level play. You will need Rhialto’s Book of Marvels 
  (RBoM) to properly utilise it (particularly the chapter: ‘The Arch-Magical Series’, which is an essential adjunct to 
  running this adventure to the full). Experienced DERPG GMs might be able to extrapolate a workable system from 
  their previous knowledge of the original (Cugel-Level) and advanced (Turjan-Level) rules, and therefore use this 
  scenario as an amusing one-off experience. But those who attempt such a thing will miss out on enormous range of 
  expansion material within Rhialto’s Book of Marvels. Thus, purchasing the latest of the rulebooks is highly recommended.  
  This adventure is partially) set in Kaiin. However, you do not need to refer to the Kaiin Players’ Guide (KPG) in order to 
  run it. Although if you do, you can then easily extend this episode using the plethora of detailed information within. 
  In Vance’s ‘Rhialto’ stories, by and large Arch-Magicians live outside large settlements and keep to themselves. Weeks, 
  even months, pass without even those on relatively cordial terms setting eyes on one another. Several arch-magicians 
  joining forces for a single concerted action or series of actions is presented as a rare thing. Indeed the third Rhialto 
  story Morreion is noted in several references as being an entire aeon later than the first two tales. You may wish to run 
  your adventure-series in a like fashion, with years, or possibly decades, passing between episodes. Or you may choose 
  the alternate path, creating petty newcomer arch-magicians, for whom life at this level of potency is novel indeed. In 
  this case play may proceed along a more or less chartable timeline – with only weeks (or sometimes months) passing 
  between each episode. We choose this latter path, and the PCs hereon are deemed as being newly risen to the ranks of 
  arch-magicians. As suggested in Rhialto’s Book of Marvels this allows you, the GM, to introduce “the elements of Rhialto-
  level play in an orderly and gradual fashion”. It also provides a suitable arena for the examples of petty challenges given 
  in RBoM, which don’t fit the character of the arch-magicians in Vance’s tales. (But do make for amusing role-playing.) 
  Please note that what follows is one GM’s interpretation the rules in Rhialto’s Book of Marvels. Your DERPG style may 
  differ. Particularly, consider new spontaneous ways to introduce/allow Challenges, and opportunities to win the 
  various Share Awards, ways that suit your Players and the game that evolves around them. The material here is suited 
  to my gaming group and our style of play, not yours. Expansion and alteration is expected. You may even choose to 
  extrapolate enormously on the storyline within, and in fact we encourage that – add, diversify, and enhance at will. 
  The PCs in this adventure are resident or visiting in and around Kaiin at the time this adventure starts. Using the 
  original rules for creating arch-magician characters (DERPG, pp15-24), or the rules for advancing from Turjan-Level 
  (RBoM, pp8/9), create your flamboyant new characters and their manses. Tell players that each PC bound their chug 
  somewhere in the last decade. (Since the arch-magicians in the stories are centuries old, this makes the PCs mere 
  striplings.) As part of PC background creation, ask players to define the relationship of each to Kaiin. A simple option 
  is that they all use the Scholasticarium Library and have a nodding acquaintance with each other there. This works well 
  in this adventure because all of them are present in said library at its commencement. Since arch-magicians are rare, ask 
  each player creating a new PC to state how their character has risen to this lofty level. Reasons may vary from having 
  accidentally inherited a chug on their master’s death, through having just obtained a chug after decades of dedicated 
  study at the Scholasticarium, to having done a deal with some middling daihak (the exact nature of which is best left 
  forgotten). They may even have discovered one lying injured in some alternate reality, and merely picked it up. 
  Since Ildefonse is the initiator of this adventure, and seeks their help, this adventure is suggested as the very task that 
  the new arch-magicians undertake in order to impress him enough to be granted auxiliary membership. Therefore, 
  ideally the PCs will be known frequenters of the Scholasticarium Library and some may even (like Grashpotel and 
  Perrin) be lecturers or other staff members who within the last decade somehow stumbled upon chug ownership. 
  Apart from this, providing the PCs are all newcomers to the rank of arch-magician, and therefore (again as described in 
  RBoM p10) unusually active and ambitious examples of this magician class, little else matters. This scenario does not 
  directly cater for the newly-invented rank of arch-warrior, but owners of Rhialto’s Book of Marvels could easily 
  incorporate such a thing should they so desire. Again, bear in mind that arch-magicians are rare individuals. Therefore, 
  the PCs may be the only ‘junior’ arch-magicians in the Almery & Ascolais region. This makes sense in game terms, in 
  that they are upstarts with no choice other than to form at least a very loose supportive comradeship –  merely as a 
  means to aid their own survival. This would also explain why they have formed a loose friendship association centred 
  around the Scholasticarium Library. Where better to safely pursue their studies than its hallowed and protected halls. 
   
  
   
   
   
  4 
   
   
  Conventions of Presentation 
  At places in this scenario we cover merely one likely example of activities the PCs may undertake, sometimes 
  suggesting other possibilities. Some parts are written in precise detail, usually linkage sections, and other parts are more 
  fluid with various options presented that the GM will need to choose from and evolve. Each GM will need to adjust 
  and improvise the action according to the whims and behaviours of their own PCs. 
  Another convention is the GMCs’ empty ratings. That is to say some GMC description boxes with spaces for the 
  GM to write their rating totals. It is impossible for us to cater for every gaming group, and appropriate GMC ability 
  levels will vary enormously. Therefore for some useful skills we leave space for the GM to note whatever ratings she 
  decides as appropriate (after reading the description of the character and the role they play in the scenario). In many 
  cases it may be as simple as asking the PCs what their ratings are and then inventing the GMC’s rating at that very 
  moment. [To be fair it should then be written into the blank space and retained as ‘gospel’ from that moment on.] 
  Such a choice may vary according to their previous successes and failures, or just on the immediate needs of the 
  situation. Alternatively the GM may choose to fill all such blanks in prior to commencing play. This varies from the 
  original ‘~+3’ etc idea so as to give the GM total flexibility as to whether they want the encounter to be easy, relatively 
  easy, hard, extremely hard etc. The GM may alter the other ratings at will and even add extra abilities, according to 
  their conception of the character as best matches their gaming group. Incidental GMCs are detailed within the text at 
  the time of their primary encounter.  
  For reasons of space we cannot provide convoluted flowery speeches by every GMC encountered, but in most cases 
  we can merely summarise their attitudes. Since this is DERPG and not some game of lesser verve, each GM will need 
  to give proper voice to these sundry flunkies and townsfolk rather than passing over their words in hurried summary. 
  Likewise we cannot elaborate all of the opportunities for role-play in this finite document. Sometimes what we 
  mention in brief asides the GM will need to expand into a minor scene – so be on the alert for these opportunities.  
   
  The Ensqualmation Option for the advancement of Turjan-Level female PCs 
  After reading the section in RBoM on the difficulties of inserting female arch-magicians into Vance’s all-male 
  milieu, and recalling the ensqualmation incident in Vance’s story ‘The Murthe’, an idea struck me. Should you 
  have one or two female players who wish to play female arch-magicians here is an element of backstory that these 
  arch-magicians might use. In my estimation it works perfectly well for an individual, and OK for two characters 
  with a little stretch of credibility, but might not hold water for multiple uses. Basically it is this. On somehow 
  managing to find and master a chug this/these female(s) then spent a few decades in the mastery of sandestin use 
  before deciding that it was time to associate with peers once again. And that is when they realised that such a task 
  would be problematic in the Almery & Ascolais district, due to the rampant mistrust of female magic-wielders. 
  Sensibly they used magic to pose as a male and became associated with, and known by the Conclave, in that form. 
  But after further years this began to pall, their denial of their true natures going against the grain. And this is 
  where the second part of the plan was put into action. The female arch-magician(s) fabricated an ensqualmation 
  curse or attack, enacted their own victimhood, and even played out months of captivity/suffering. 
   
  The Conclave not being noted for their bold efforts at rescuing their own, could be relied on not to intervene, and 
  the perpetrator(s) of the subterfuge needed only to plant rumours as to what was (supposedly) occurring. Then, at 
  the end of all this, the perpetrator(s) reappeared, claiming to have escaped, but still suffering (The Horror!) from 
  ensqualmation. As we all know, Calanctus prescribed a simple way to reverse ensqualmation (TDE, p608), but the 
  arch-magician(s) in question ‘decided’ that they actually didn’t mind being female some of the time. (In much the 
  same way that Haze of Wheary Water permanently poses as a wefkin.) Of course this is a bizarre decision indeed, 
  but no more bizarre than Haze’s, which is something that members of the Conclave don’t even blink at. So, that’s 
  the backstory that you could use some variation of; merely noting that the Conclave members regard the PCs in 
  question as unstable and peculiar (exactly like every other member of the Conclave). There may be an extra 
  element of mistrust because of the inherent fear of witches that the Conclave members have, but since Conclave 
  members don’t remotely trust each other anyhow – what of it? 
   
  
   
   
   
  5 
   
  Another, even simpler answer to this problem, which ties in with the feel of the role-playing game so far, is that 
  the history of the Conclave remains the same, but that it’s future is different. Specifically I mean that Ildefonse 
  and the other arch-magicians are reluctantly responding to changes in trends. Ever since women started attending 
  (and occasionally graduating from) the Scholasticarium (KPG, p103) it has only been a matter of time before one 
  managed to bind a chug. Such a female arch-magician might never be fully accepted into the conclave, but the 
  Conclave members know that she isn’t a witch because they know her history. With reluctance they could just as 
  easily allow her auxiliary membership as they would any of the other upstart PC arch-magicians. Due to lingering 
  mistrust she may never be allowed to advance, but then neither might the other PCs in any series of adventures. 
   
  Introducing this Adventure 
  Prior to commencement of play, explain to the Players that each of their PCs is a relatively newly advanced arch-
  magician, who lives in (or somewhere near) the city of Kaiin. It is up to each player whether their PC is a lecturer 
  or department head at the Scholasticarium, a city grandee, a member of the Royal house, or a country gentleman 
  who only visits town for study purposes. (The Scholasticarium Library has its own sandestins that prevent the 
  tomes therein from being casually swept away by other daihaki. Thus, even the most powerful arch-mages must 
  actually attend if they wish to peruse the tomes. Or at least send a retainer or simulacrum in their stead.) Explain 
  also that whilst not necessarily being friends, each PC is acquainted with the others, in a loose and pale reflection 
  of Ildefonse’s conclave. Each PC has applied for membership in that conclave at least once, and usually three or 
  more times (dependent on how long they have been an arch-mage) and has been rejected hands down, as an 
  inexperienced newcomer. 
   
  Thus the PCs have formed their own loose alliance, and (as RBoM states so well) have been using their new 
  powers: ‘to attempt to outdo their colleagues’, ‘in the seduction of fair maidens’, to expand the ‘finery of their 
  garb’, and occasionally even in jaunts across the multiverse. (Though these latter have been mere toe-dipping 
  exercises to date.) In short, the PCs are inexperienced and comparatively nervous arch-magicians, whose 
  unfamiliarity with their new state of power (and the diversionary fractiousness of sandestins) has prevented them 
  from really doing more than dabble with the potential possibilities at their command – until now! Every adventure 
  is allowed to start with one unlikely coincidence and ours is this: it is unusual that several arch-magicians come 
  into their power within a roughly similar time period. Thus, the PCs combining as an alliance (even such a casual 
  one as this) is something that Ildefonse’s conclave has never had to deal with before. This coincidence can be 
  used to fuel the possibility of a new level of ‘auxiliary’ membership (RBoM, p10). (The conclave members are 
  worried about a rival conclave being formed, and are prepared to make an exception for this small group that they 
  would not make for individual new arch-mages - until said individuals had proved themselves over many decades. 
  If the GM sees fit, this loose alliance can also be a hook for some of your future adventures. IE ‘auxiliary’ 
  membership requires that the juniors hold themselves ready for occasional testing tasks that the conclave may see 
  fit to set them with. (Until such time as they are judged sufficiently elevated to be admitted to full membership.) 
   
   
  Preparations 
  Before commencing play proper, make sure each Player has indicated on their PC sheet which possessions are 
  carried as standard, which spells are routinely encompassed each morning, and the like. Later in the series you may 
  allow instant transport, but such did not routinely occur in the Rhialto stories, so why not instil some necessity for 
  pre-planning right at the beginning. Arch-magicians are not infallible or invulnerable, especially at the beginner 
  level, which each PC is at. Absolutely do not let players assume that their PC has with them whatever they need at 
  any given moment. When they leave their manse, they need to be clear what they are taking with them, and this 
  reverts to the default unless otherwise specified. In the playtest one player thought to have various contingency 
  packs on standby at his PC’s manse. So that he could send his sandestin for one or more of them in event of an 
  emergency: IE “Go and fetch Packs A, C & F from the secure store, and bring them here instantly, whole, intact, 
  without alteration or interference of any kind.” We all agreed that this was a sensible use of an Indenture Point. 
   
  
   
   
   
  6 
   
  Chapter 1: The Mystery Begins 
   
  1.1) Optional Introductory Events 
  If you have access to the marvellous Kaiin book, then 
  now is the time to introduce a short series of less 
  significant events during which your PCs will have the 
  opportunity to explore minor challenges and their own 
  capabilities before the adventure itself commences. As 
  stated earlier, by virtue of all PCs being new arch-
  magicians not yet accepted into Ildefonse’s conclave, 
  they are part of a loose comradely alliance which 
  includes only the PCs, though for the sake of this story 
  might be looked kindly upon by Perrin (KPG, p112).  
   
  The PCs might be friendly rivals, like Ildefonse and 
  Rhialto, or they might be niggardly pedantic colleagues, 
  or a mixture. Your players may have taken the 
  opportunity to fill in the ‘Character Overview’ box on 
  the back of the Rhialto-Level character sheet with 
  details of their PC’s manner and presentation in the 
  world. This in itself may be enough for likes and 
  dislikes to have already become apparent. Two arch-
  magicians vying to be the best ‘poppinjay’ for instance, 
  or two ‘experts in historical curios’. 
   
   
  Arch-magicians, whether part of the conclave or not, 
  are valued by the upper echelons of society, and will be 
  invited to the best events. (Not each and every one, but 
  on a regular basis by anyone who wants to cultivate 
  powerful friends.) Personalities still matter, and 
  although no-one will want to annoy an arch-magician 
  seriously, it is widely known that other arch-magicians 
  look poorly on savage behaviour against the lower 
  orders and would retaliate. Thus a certain degree of 
  snobbery and exclusivity is still present. Nonetheless, if 
  your players have gamed in the Dying Earth before, 
  they will find that at last that their PCs are at the level 
  of high privilege. Invite the PCs to balls, have lowly 
  magicians petition them for magical assistance or 
  apprenticeship, suggest social contests for public 
  superiority, have one PC invite all of the others to an 
  evening of Gambling at the Tracks… 
   
   
  1.2) Perrin and Ildefonse 
   
   
  As stated earlier, the PCs are all present in the private 
  reading room of the Scholasticarium Library this 
  morning. It might be amusing to ask each Player to 
  describe what it is that their PC is researching. Allow 
  the invention of ever-more grandiose objectives. In 
  time-honoured DERPG style, possibly even offer to 
  award an Improvement Point or two for the most 
  ambitious and amusing offering. In such a case give the 
  Players a minute or two to write down the objective as 
  a sentence, which they will then read out to the group. 
  (In terms of the award, something like the ‘Seventeen 
  Erotic Combinations as listed by the legendary 
  concubine Zaffula’, or ‘Malopil’s Perfected Brewing of 
  Yeastly Beverages’ should be automatically viewed as 
  superior to anything that is actually scholarly or 
  remotely related to the serious magical arts. 
   
  The research of course is immaterial to the events to 
  follow. The first that the PCs know of any impending 
  mystery is when Perrin comes into the reading room 
  and wanders over to each PC, cordially asking if they 
  would do him the honour of attending a small 
  gathering in his office at noon. He says that he wishes 
  to ask their advice on a sensitive matter, and will 
  provide something he refers to as a ‘modest luncheon’, 
  which knowing Perrin will be an excellent buffet 
  selection of choice viands and fine wines. PCs may vie 
  for the most impressively graceful or craftily 
  condescending response to his invitation, depending 
  on their wont. (Again the GM may wish to allocate an 
  Improvement Point to he who comes out with the 
  most game-amusing response.) 
  
   
   
   
  7 
   
   
  Any adventure in a DERPG series must be seen to be 
  presented as an overview. For instance, in this specific 
  case we do not mention possible attempts by individual 
  PCs to be first to Perrin’s office with gifts and flattery 
  in order to impress this Scholarly arch-magician. 
  Likewise we do not list possibilities for character-
  assassination by spreading slanderous rumours about 
  their colleagues - on the offchance that this will lead to 
  the PC speaking these rumours to gain comparative 
  prestige in Perrin’s eyes. It is up to the GM to subtly 
  suggest, encourage or guide such efforts. Opportunities 
  such as this will no doubt be present throughout this 
  adventure without always being specifically mentioned. 
  The GM needs to keep an eye out for them and also to 
  allow space for PCs to notice and use such 
  opportunities - even when the GM (and indeed the 
  author of the piece) did not. 
   
  Perrin is indeed waiting in his office with a fine buffet 
  lunch at his beck and call. His sandestin Conlyp stands 
  lethargically around in the guise of a robust young 
  sylph, occasionally producing and offering a new 
  selection of sweetmeats on a magically manifested tray. 
  The centrepiece of the display is a magnificently 
  braised haunch of erb, delicately flavoured with a 
  dozen discreet spices. A tureen of kank-blossom and 
  peppered-leek soup is also a marvel both to the smell 
  and the taste. Perrin refuses to talk business until all 
  have dined, which is no chore whatsoever. He himself 
  joins in heartily, and encourages talk about 
  personalities and events related to the Scholasticarium. 
   
  Improvisation: This too could be expanded into a 
  challenge (RBoM, p12) in which some PCs attempt to 
  outdo one another with tales of their own explorations 
  and experiments (using Persuasion and Rebuff, or 
  possibly other abilities including Pedantry or Etiquette, 
  depending on what stories they make up about their 
  opponent). Specifically in the playtest we found that it 
  was very easy to generate tales of the failures of other 
  PC arch-magicians, things that were not established in 
  the backstory (since there was no backstory), but 
  sounded believable. IE: 
  PC1: “I was most saddened to hear of the unfortunate 
  demise of your aviary of zooney birds. If it is not too 
  bold of me to suggest, then perhaps on any future 
  similar occasion you might wish to target your 
  experiments in pyrotechnics in some other direction 
  than towards the front door of your own manse.” 
  PC2: “Your sources are incorrect. A force of archveults 
  assailed me at the precise moment of casting, and it 
  was their foul influence that diverted the thrust of my 
  spell.” 
  PC1: “An interesting assertion. I was present at the 
  edge of your property during the event, and saw no 
  archveults, nor indeed anything more threatening than 
  an owl. However, I did observe certain deranged 
  caperings that some optimistic dabblers might be 
  convinced to label as spell-casting.” 
  Encourage players to come up with at least some basic 
  verbiage rather than just rolling the dice. One way to 
  do this is to offer boons on rolls for any half-decent 
  verbal presentation, or a levy for those who do not 
  make any effort to come up with appropriate language. 
   
  As luncheon draws to a close, perhaps with any 
  embarrassed PCs fuming quietly in the corner whilst 
  nibbling on dry crackers coated with lark pate, a knock 
  comes on the door. Perrin answers it, and none other 
  than the renowned Ildefonse, Preceptor of the Ascolais 
  & Almery conclave enters the room. 
   
  Undoubtedly the PCs have all met him before, since 
  each has at least once petitioned for membership of the 
  conclave. (And inevitably been refused.) A 
  conversation will take place, and the thrust of 
  Ildefonse’s news is this (and may be interrupted by 
  questions): 
   
   
  
   
   
   
  8 
   
  ⊕ “Recently an unfortunate re-occurrence of the 
  dreaded ‘Creep of Inaccuracy’ has beset the region. 
  Both Rhialto and myself managed to purge it from our 
  own collections, but only by great effort. Its latest 
  manifestation is here at the Scholasticarium. Master 
  Perrin wisely alerted the conclave to its presence, and 
  after due consideration we have decided on a course of 
  action. This curse threatens us all, and needs to be 
  eradicated. Firm and decisive action has been agreed 
  upon as the only possible solution. A task force of 
  dedicated arch-magicians must single-mindedly 
  investigate the origin of the curse and eradicate it with 
  extreme prejudice, so that the sanctity of our libraries 
  will never again be threatened. This task force is to be 
  composed of those arch-magicians here in this room, 
  with Perrin and myself serving in an advisory capacity, 
  and the others as the primary active force. As a reward 
  for success the conclave has agreed to create a new 
  level of membership for certain valuable ‘auxiliaries’, to 
  which you will automatically graduate on successful 
  completion of this mission.” 
   
  How the GM handles Perrin’s reward is up to them. 
  He may be involved merely in order to protect the 
  Scholasticarium Library, or he too may be granted 
  auxiliary membership of the conclave as part of his 
  rivalry with Grashpotel.  
   
  Fear not that we have forgotten about status (RBoM 
  pp11-32). Ildefonse offers an extra reward to the most 
  competent of the arch-magicians, a primary 
  representation, if you will, of the value of accumulating 
  a greater degree of Status Points than your fellows: 
   
  ⊕ “In emulation of the conclave itself, the auxiliary 
  branch will have its own Preceptor, and the person 
  deemed fit to be offered this role will be one amongst 
  you who proves their suitability for this high status by 
  dint of courageous and decisive actions during the task 
  ahead of you. Presuming that you bring this event to a 
  successful conclusion a proper conclave will be called 
  and you will all be granted auxiliary membership. At 
  that conclave we will evaluate the mission based on 
  your own accounts and our knowledge, and decide 
  then who is the most suited for the Preceptor’s role. 
  Perrin here may also be asked to recount his 
  observations of your performance.” 
   
  NB: The GM if necessary can plainly tell the players that this 
  decision will exactly depend on the highest Status Points total. 
  The PCs may already have heard the rumour that sage 
  Grashpotel has been acting somewhat unpredictably, 
  even for him (see KPG, p111 & 125), and may realise 
  that despite the rivalry between them, Perrin is 
  concerned for his colleague, and has contacted 
  Ildefonse because of this. The fact that Ildefonse and 
  some others of the conclave have also been subject to 
  the Creep is presumably what has stirred the famously 
  sluggish conclave into an active response. (Irrespective 
  that this response was a clear decision to lump the 
  responsibility for this potentially hazardous mission 
  onto someone else.) The following information may be 
  gained by talking to Ildefonse, or by PCs examining 
  their own recollections. 
  Pedantry – The Creep of Inaccuracy 
  DF – Perhaps some manner of the Palsy? 
  QF – No, wait! Isn’t it some type of magical instability of 
  the mind? I seem to recall….? 
  EF – Not of the mind, it affects the written word in some 
  way. Doesn’t it? 
  HBS – It affects magical literature, twisting its contents to 
  support erroneous and therefore dangerous 
  misinformation. 
  PS – And it affects the mind of the reader, which makes 
  it triply dangerous, since in time the reader cannot tell 
  fact from fiction. 
  IS – To the best of my knowledge a malevolent magician, 
  whose name I cannot recollect, created it aeons ago. 
   
  1.3) Research 
  The next step is to perform research into the origins, 
  effects, and (hopefully) cure, for the Creep of Inaccuracy.  
  Here, and in other parts of this adventure we cannot 
  possibly predict what order the PCs will attempt to 
  pursue their options, and have thus listed them in an 
  arbitrary fashion. Likewise, bear in mind that your PCs 
  may think of other avenues of exploration not 
  mentioned here. They may also assume that the arch-
  magicians of the conclave have at least perused their 
  own Compendiums in search of an easy solution (and 
  failed to find it). 
   
  Perrin: He knows a little of Grashpotel’s recent 
  blunders and is alarmed at his associate’s descent into 
  irregularity and misinformation. The fact that this is 
  adversely affecting the students is not something that 
  overly alarms him. They are, after all, only students. 
  The GM can use Perrin as an unofficial stimulator for 
  the quest for Status Points. At this stage of the 
  
   
   
   
  9 
   
  adventure he will be genuinely interested in their 
  progress in a supervisorial capacity, wanting to know 
  what each PC has accomplished. 
   
  Ildefonse: The preceptor is loathe to offer any 
  examples of his (or Rhialto’s) difficulties and 
  embarrassments that came about as a result of their 
  being affected by the Creep. He is also unsure of 
  whom else amongst the conclave was affected. Possibly 
  Byzant, Shrue and Perdustin. He has done some 
  cursory research on the Creep, and has identified it as 
  originating in the Eighteenth Aeon – a product of the 
  diseased mind of Klymp the Knave. Klymp (it was 
  found some years after his death) had been the 
  originator of a number of curses and significant 
  problems that plagued the arch-magicians of the day. 
   
  Grashpotel: Busy and confused, the powerful 
  Inferator does not believe he has been cursed. He is 
  just busy. He is too busy even to spend time discussing 
  this with Perrin. Only direct intervention by Ildefonse 
  is likely to convince him that something truly is amiss. 
  (One of the reasons he is so busy is that he has recently 
  noticed several significant problems with his primary 
  theories and researches, and is seeking to redress them 
  as quickly as possible.) 
   
  Rhialto: Questioning Rhialto (as one of the most 
  accessible and personable of the region’s other arch-
  magicians) or any other arch-magician that a PC has a 
  cordial relationship with, can reveal whatever 
  information the GM decides is suitable. None have any 
  obvious enemies newly appeared. Any that admit to 
  having been affected by the Creep inform PCs that it 
  took an unseemly number of Indenture Points to 
  eradicate the problem, which is not something they are 
  willing to experience again. Yet as of this moment they 
  have no knowledge of who set the curse upon them or 
  why. They all want to know this, or at the very least 
  want to know an effective counter-curse that they can 
  embed over their valuable collections to ward against 
  future tampering. 
   
  The Scholasticarium Library:  
  This incredible resource (KPG, p122) is here to be 
  examined at length, and may well be the primary source 
  of the following information, or not, at the GM’s whim 
  and according to the dictates of entertaining role-play. 
   
  The Creep of Inaccuracy: This curse distorts and 
  erases knowledge, spreading from book to book and 
  affecting even the library owner’s mind. The first 
  known instance of the Creep of Inaccuracy was at the 
  main library at the court of King Zenweld, who ruled a 
  substantial part of the world, including the regions 
  know known as Ascolais and Almery during a latter 
  phase of the Eighteenth Aeon. After some years of 
  confusion, Klymp, a little-known magician, managed to 
  create a solution and was awarded the lifetime position 
  of Royal Wizard, and attendant privileges. No solution 
  is extant to this curse, which was thought to have been 
  forgotten in the mists of time. The only occasions 
  when it has been used as a curse in historical times 
  were very much directed by a malevolent individual 
  against one of his enemies. For instance, Geegphan the 
  Vengeful used it against a trio of enemies five centuries 
  ago, causing the downfall of each of them. The only 
  person one can assume to have had the counter-curse 
  was Klymp, although Geegphan is a more recent figure 
  that released it upon the world and he may have had 
  his own protections. 
   
   
  Klymp: An arch-magician who apparently started as an 
  ill-favoured rogue and through peculiar circumstance 
  managed to find and bind a chug after only being a 
  regular magician for a little more than two decades. He 
  was appointed Royal Wizard to the court of King 
  Zartowl in the city of Iskwen sometime in the later 
  years of the Eighteenth Aeon, became an arch-
  magician during that time and outlived the kingdom. 
  His last known home was the manse “Kruplar” in the 
  land of Cutz, shortly before the Cutz Wars began. 
   
  Geegphan: Sometimes known as the ‘vengeful’, this 
  arch-demonist was an unpleasant fellow in the extreme, 
  and released a number of powerful curses during his 
  time, including the dreaded Creep of Inaccuracy. (NB: 
  This is a clue – the fact that Geegphan was a demonist 
  – so the GM should not advertise or hint at this 
  reference. Unless a PC thinks to follow this up.) 
   
   
  
   
   
   
  10 
   
  The Sandestin Solution 
  In the Rhialto stories sandestins were not the automatic recourse. Even arch-magicians prefer to use spells or magical 
  devices. Sandestins are fractious and unpredictable, and follow the dictates of the letter of your instruction. It is crucial 
  in the development of a successful arch-magician that he learn precise languaging when commanding sandestins. Many 
  a budding arch-magician has been left in some soon-to-be fatal, or distant (in time or space), situation due to imprecise 
  instruction. As RBoM states (p98) a sandestin’s greatest desire is to be proven so unreliable as to be discharged from 
  service, and if this comes about by the unfortunate and entirely coincidental death of the arch-magician, then so be it. 
   
  Indenture Points are hard to come by, particularly if you are an inexperienced new arch-magician. Although only 
  hinted at in the Rhialto stories, it is clear arch-magicians cannot simply assign Points will-nilly for poor service. The 
  sandestin must do something especially villainous or wilfully in contradiction to its instructions or terms of service in 
  order for their Point total to be increased. Sandestins, who utterly resent being forced to service will normally try to 
  avoid this. Indenture Points are normally held back for emergencies or events that cannot possibly be accomplished in 
  another way. The only time Rhialto used sandestins with frequency was when he was stranded in the past after being 
  deprived of most of his other magical resources. During that time he was able to ask his sandestin incidental questions 
  and receive fair answers, because he’d spent an Indenture Point for 6 months of ‘mundane light service’ (Appendix 2), 
  which a PC will have to do at the start of play if they want the same level of co-operation from their primary sandestin. 
   
  The point, therefore, of this boxed information, is to indicate that it is far more likely (far, far, more likely) that PC 
  arch-magicians will seek a mundane or magical solution, even at great effort, before resorting to sandestins. The GM 
  needs to make sure that their players are aware of this distinction. Of course this doesn’t preclude a PC from using 
  sandestin magic, but the Player needs to be clear that Indenture Points do not just automatically refresh at the end of 
  each game. During the game they are purchased at 1 Improvement Point apiece. However, since these additions 
  represent penalties for infractions, their acquisition must be role-played (using a Persuade/Rebuff contest against the 
  sandestin: IS: 3 pts, PS: 2pts, HBS: 1pt) - unless their addition occurs during a break in the action of at least a day. 
   
  And let us imagine a situation where a group of arch-magicians are sorely threatened. Is one of them likely to volunteer 
  one of his valuable sandestin Indenture Points to save the day? Or are they more likely to enter a lively discussion as to 
  whose turn it is to make this offering on the group’s behalf? If there is time for a debate, there will inevitably be one, 
  possibly an indeterminably long one, which may indeed prove to be a PC Challenge (RBoM, p12). 
   
  NB: In situations of imminent life or death, when sandestin action is required to save them, PCs may still attempt a 
  quick argument unless they have developed a clear priority system that all have accepted and understood. As GM, 
  exploit such situations to the full, reminding overly sensible and agreeable players that their arch-magician PC is 
  unlikely to be so compliant. It is entirely appropriate to ask for a Resistance against Arrogance before a PC ever 
  voluntarily sacrifices something valuable for the greater good (except in immediate life or death situations). 
   
  Speaking of which, when a life or death situation occurs, a fine GM trick is to ask players to write secretly on a piece of 
  paper whether they order their sandestin to rescue everyone, and what exact words they use. (This writing represents 
  the babble of voices as each arch-magician panics.) Some arch-magicians may obfuscate, hoping that someone else uses 
  up an Indenture Point first. It is not inconceivable that all PCs may perish in such a situation. Sensible groups of PCs 
  will arrange their own very minor version of the Monstrament detailing the fact that anyone who clearly saves the life 
  of a fellow by astute and swift use of sandestin is entitled to at least one IOUN stone. Such a thing is in keeping with 
  the tone of the Rhialto stories when translated to the RPG setting. 
   
  Sandestins need specifics. You can’t ask them to ‘go find the originator of this problem’, or ‘bring me the best magical 
  item to solve this dilemma’. If you do so they will begin an interminable debate outlining the multiple ways that such a 
  command could be interpreted, and explaining why to attempt to do so would take many years of research. 
   
  Progressing Through the Scenario: Because this is a sample adventure, pains have been taken to 
  combine linear plot with opportunity for PC improvisation and derailment. As a GM, when you prepare and run 
  your own adventures you may chop and change the plot with casual abandon, and that is perfectly fine. Here, 
  however, in an effort to provide a solid framework for exploring this kind of play (as GM and as Player), we have 
  attempted to set up the various chapters in a fashion that will need to be explored in a specific order.
  
   
   
   
  11 
   
   
  Chapter 2: History Today 
   
  2.1) What Next? 
  The PCs will have found some clues as noted above. 
  Time travel is a tricky thing, best left to GMs who have 
  plenty of experience running Rhialto-Level games. 
  Hence, ideally your PCs have no automatic means of 
  flitting about time. We can assume that even members 
  of the conclave are wary of doing such things without 
  taking proper precautions. From the clues that the PCs 
  have uncovered, the only viable lead is Klymp’s tenure 
  at the court of King Zartowl during the latter part of 
  the Eighteenth Aeon. 
   
  Geegphan’s historical details are too tenuous to guide a 
  sandestin’s correct placing of persons in time or place. 
  However, since Klymp was court wizard for decades, it 
  is entirely possible for an arch-magician to instruct his 
  sandestin to transport the PCs to a safe place outside 
  the palace sometime during those years. Avoiding 
  errors in timing needs to be brought into the wording, 
  by saying for instance that Klymp must be hale and 
  hearty and with full faculties at the moment they arrive. 
  Should the PCs also specify that they wish to arrive 
  sometime between the first manifestation of the Creep 
  and the time Klymp became an arch-magician, the 
  sandestin will do his best but fail. The PCs (see below) 
  will arrive during the festivities that mark Klymp’s 
  ascendancy to arch-magicianhood. 
   
  The first difficulty is deciding who is to spend the 
  Indenture Point on behalf of the group to transport 
  them all back through time (a similar problem will also 
  occur when they wish to return). Although the arch-
  magicians in the Rhialto stories never had such 
  arguments, one gets the feeling that in their earlier 
  years if they had been forced into such group actions, 
  such disagreements would have been entirely within 
  their character. This may be the point when some 
  version of the PCs’ own rules and regulations is 
  brought into effect, setting up a strict rotation of who 
  spends Indenture Points on the group’s behalf. In 
  other RPGs the GM might encourage gravity, brevity, 
  and clarity in such a discussion. In Rhialto-Level 
  DERPG however, she should not only encourage 
  vigorous debate for the privilege of going last, but also 
  offer actual Status Points (for instance half of a 
  Directed Share: RBoM, p31), or even Improvement 
  Points for in-character role-playing. 
   
  Status Point Options 
  As an expansion on the Victory Conditions (RBoM, 
  p11), should you find that your players are not 
  pursuing Status Points with the vibrancy that you 
  would hope for, consider adding an Improvement 
  Point incentive at the end of a session for the PC with 
  this highest Status. This reward would be either for the 
  winner alone or granted in descending increments with 
  the winner getting a significantly larger share. These 
  extra IP would be awarded at the end of the session. 
  Adoption of this rules expansion in playtest was a 
  significant incentive, though I granted the newly gained 
  points immediately since this adventure was not run as 
  part of an ongoing campaign. 
   
  PCs may of course try all sorts of other avenues before 
  transporting themselves back in time. The GM may 
  need to adopt the ‘all roads lead to Rome’ approach, 
  gently diverting them back towards the inevitable 
  without appearing to be doing so. 
   
  2.2) Iskwen 
  The arch-magician PCs arrive on a hillside overlooking 
  a large city (Iskwen) one summer evening. The city 
  appears to be in pageant, vibrant and alive with happy 
  crowds. The city is not as large as Kaiin, but impressive 
  nonetheless. It is walled and is but three miles away. 
  The PCs will need to travel this distance somehow, 
  across the fields and small woodlands outside the city 
  walls. Perhaps one of them has a motile carriage? 
   
  Should the PCs be utterly uncaring for their own 
  safety, have them attacked by some semi-intelligent 
  monster (not just a run of the mill half-man, but some 
  odd carnivorous beast or bizarre flying demonic 
  humanoid unique to this era of the distant past). The 
  idea is not to actually kill a PC but to remind them of 
  their own mortality – and to evoke exciting role-playing 
  as the PCs employ spells or ingenuity to save 
  themselves or their comrade. If possible, evoke states 
  of dishevelment, have PCs thrown into quaggy ditches, 
  encourage PCs to flee ignominiously rather than stand 
  their ground and risk being gored before they can cast 
  a spell – all that sort of thing. Sandestin sarcasm or 
  admiration at the sight of surprisingly deft action 
  would not be out of place. 
   
  
   
   
   
  12 
   
  If a PC uses spells or Indenture Points to save another, 
  then now might be the time that they add to their list 
  of rules and regulations about reciprocal assistance. 
  Should such a course of action appeal, the GM might 
  even make note out loud that this beast is something 
  previously unknown to any of the general classification 
  indexes. Therefore it could be an opportunity to issue a 
  Challenge (RBoM, p12) to another player in the form 
  of a wager that they cannot correctly identify the beast. 
  This would effectively be a Pedantry Challenge. Or the 
  GM might declare - since this is an opportunity to 
  “belittle, humiliate, and otherwise show up your fellow 
  PCs” (RBoM, p31) - that the PC to best, and most 
  convincingly, classify its taxonomy might gain half a 
  Directed Share (RBoM, p31). Envisage, for instance, 
  PCs standing over the creature’s shredded corpse, 
  pointing out faint striations upon the tail, or the 
  distinctive musculature around the lower jaw. 
   
  Mortality and Fallibility 
  In the Rhialto stories, Morreion very nearly died when 
  the archveults left him at the end of the universe, 
  Hache-Moncour was stripped of his magic and 
  immortality, Rhialto is fearful of a grue when he thinks 
  he’s trapped outside his own boundary magics, and at 
  one point nearly the entire conclave is ensqualmed and 
  about to be taken away as slaves to Sadal Suud. Thus 
  we can see that Arch-magicians are not invulnerable to 
  negative circumstance or even death. Certainly the 
  likelihood of such is much reduced, and by and large 
  they tend to live for centuries (even aeons according to 
  the final story in which the Conclave itself is nothing 
  more than a memory). Petty gods and demons can be 
  used, alongside temporary loss of magic and sandestin 
  access to evoke real fear of personal annihilation or 
  utter failure in adventures if you wish. 
   
  Closer to the city the PCs will observe several well-
  fashioned coaches waiting to pass through the gates.  
  A force of polite guards in splendid livery are gently 
  examining the coaches’ occupants and contents before 
  allowing entrance. A few folk wait to enter on foot, and 
  are regarded with near-disdain by the guards, being 
  forced to wait their turn. Even those on foot who are 
  quite well-dressed are so treated. 
   
  City Guard: Forthright [___], Lawyerly [___],  
  Finesse [___], Parry [___], Health [___],  
  Athletics [___], Perception [___], Pedantry [___], 
  Wherewithal ~[___]. 
   
  The PCs will need to enter the city. They may choose 
  to do so as lowly foot-sloggers (Ψ RESIST ARROGANCE), 
  or manufacture some manner of magical carriage. It is 
  possible this may become a ‘Free for All’ Challenge 
  (RBoM, p23), especially if the GM offers a half or full 
  Directed Share (RBoM, p31) for the most gloriously 
  presented arch-magician. (Once again consider having 
  the Players write down in three sentences or less the 
  exact nature of their mode of transport.) If PCs decide 
  to co-operate at this juncture in order to save 
  Indenture Points or Magic, do not deride this. It is not 
  crucial that they challenge each other at every turn, 
  especially not when they are facing an unknown and 
  possibly hazardous situation. 
   
  Note that the city cannot be entered by use of regular 
  magic. Anyone trying to do so will find themselves 
  rudely returned to the point at which they started, 
  possibly falling in an ungainly heap due to the reverse 
  force of the repulsed spell. PCs may evoke this as a 
  Challenge if they like, wagering with each other as to 
  who can be the first to break through this defense. 
  However, a victory here is not possible without 
  spending the minimum 3 Indenture Points required to 
  nullify these defences temporarily. A powerful daihak 
  watches over the city’s integrity. Note also that a 
  sandestin will not elaborate on the nature of this being 
  for anything less than a single Indenture Point (and will 
  
   
   
   
  13 
   
  argue for 2 points, claiming its potency is such that the 
  sandestin risks harm in merely investigating it too 
  closely). If anyone spends the point(s) required, the 
  sandestin returns after a few moments and says that the 
  protective entity is a demonic daihak possibly from the 
  dimension known as Thrupp 103, unless its nostrils fail 
  to identify the characteristic reek with any certainty. Of 
  course all of this is unnecessary if the PCs merely 
  create some kind of posh carriage and declare 
  themselves to be foreign grandees. (Wealth talks on its 
  own behalf.) 
   
  Other difficulties include translation. (Hopefully one of 
  them brought along some sort of translator like 
  Rhialto's glossolory [TDE, p650].) If not then more 
  Indenture Points might be required. (1 point will grant 
  the entire group the ability to speak and be understood 
  for a whole day and night.) And though the PCs will 
  not know it, their arrival in the city (or more precisely 
  the arrival of their sandestins) will be noted soon 
  enough by the protective entities stationed within. 
   
  At some point the PCs will inquire of someone what 
  the celebration is about. They will be told that the 
  festivities acknowledge the investiture of the new city 
  wizard, whose predecessor died or departed 
  (dependent on who they ask) some weeks ago. 
  Apparently the ceremony took place this very 
  afternoon, and the new court wizard (one Klymp by 
  name) was invested with the rights and privileges 
  according to his new rank. Tonight there is feasting 
  and drinking aplenty, and tomorrow has been declared 
  a public holiday. 
   
  The above information (if guessed at indicating that 
  Klymp is already an arch-magician) might lead to a 
  chastisement of a certain sandestin if the PC’s 
  instructions were specific. The sandestin will defend 
  itself roundly if so, declaring that such accuracy over 
  such a long distance is dazzling indeed, and in fact they 
  should be congratulating it. PCs may gain the 
  impression that the sandestin itself is amazed to have 
  brought them to the correct spot even within the 
  lifetime of the person whom they wish to address. This 
  impression will be reinforced if they attempt to use 
  another sandestin to reposition them in time a few 
  months or years back. The problem (so they will be 
  told) is now that they are all here their very presence 
  disturbs the timeline for decades around. 
  Chrono-navigation is an imprecise science at the best 
  of times, and with this added interference the chance 
  of finding their way to an earlier period of Klymp’s life 
  is virtually non-existent. Nonetheless, for a mere five 
  Indenture Points any of the other sandestins will be 
  willing to try. (And if so they will fail, taking the PCs 
  on a merry chase through history only to reappear back 
  at this time and place just in time to see themselves 
  leave on the merry goose chase - and to observe the 
  resultant sick flicker in the fabric of reality.) 
   
  The city is civilised, the people relatively well-off, and 
  the refreshments delightful (if a trifle expensive – 
  illusory coins anyone?). Overall this is a more genteel 
  settlement than the dour and decadent Kaiin, but 
  otherwise things are much the same as the wealthier 
  quarters of that city. For instance no districts like Canal 
  Town are present here, and the area that is like the 
  Threek is a much smaller proportion of the city. 
  Remember, of course, that fashions vary, and the PCs 
  may evoke mirth and ridicule until they subtly adjust 
  their garb – replacing their hats and sashes with more 
  becoming attire. (1 Indenture Point will cover the 
  whole group, though as to who spends this – that 
  could be quite an argument.) 
   
  2.3) The Court of Zartowl 
  The PCs will eventually, or immediately, travel to the 
  Palace. Here they will face a similar and more stringent 
  procedure. Nobody without an invitation is allowed 
  inside, and the invitations are magical devices with 
  imprints of the bearer’s likeness. Nonetheless it will 
  cost only a single Indenture Point to have passes 
  manufactured for all PCs. If they try to enter without 
  one, this will invoke suspicion. PCs may guess (or have 
  a sandestin confirm) that the Palace and its grounds are 
  also protected by a powerful daihak. 
   
  Inside the palace a grand ball is taking place, and the 
  GM will be forgiven for evoking Resistances left, right 
  and centre. Food, wine, women, gambling, dancing and 
  other entertainments from the simplest to the most 
  debauched are on offer depending on your tastes. 
  Women from the upper echelons of society (some 
  single, some dallying away from their relationships) 
  might well be attracted to this dazzling bunch of 
  strangers. (Presuming that they have adjusted their 
  attire according to local fashions, but then again had 
  they not then they probably would have been denied 
  entry even with a proper invitation.) During this time 
  the PCs may learn a little more of the previous city 
  wizard, who was in fact a sorceress named Yaska. (The 
  
   
   
   
  14 
   
  rulers of Iskwen are notoriously egalitarian in their 
  quest for excellence no matter how it clothes itself.) 
  Nobody knows what happened to her; she simply 
  disappeared after an explosion in her laboratory. After 
  a couple of months people have had to presume she 
  was destroyed or transported to some distant place 
  from which she has been unable to return. 
   
  Using magic within the Palace (anything more than 
  personal cantraps) draws the attention of madlings. 
  Madlings cannot be seen by the human eye, but arch-
  magicians can sense them (Ψ PERCEPTION) if they are 
  alert as unseen forces. A sandestin can also pass on 
  general details if asked, but only one who has been 
  granted an erased Indenture Point for the standard ‘6 
  months light duties”, as this includes access to its own 
  general knowledge. 
   
  Madlings: Magic[___] 
   
   
  The madlings are not in themselves troublesome, and 
  can be easily dispelled. But if they vanish or are 
  interfered with, or detect major magics, then they will 
  alert the Commander of the Guard who will come to 
  question the PCs, along with his primary bodyguard, all 
  of whom (including himself) are protected from magic 
  by potent amulets (created by Klymp’s daihak). 
   
  Eventually, through asking the right people, or being 
  convinced to accompany the guards, the PCs will be 
  brought into the presence of Klymp the newly-
  appointed city wizard. Normally a cunning man, 
  tonight he is surrendering himself to drink. It would 
  not be remiss of the GM to engineer a situation 
  wherein the PCs have no option but to match him 
  drink for drink (perhaps in a free-for-all) in order to be 
  considered worthy company to which he will impart 
  his secrets. Once he is alerted to the fact that they are 
  arch-magicians he will assume (and indicate so in a 
  knowing fashion) that they have been sent by a foreign 
  power to assess if he is any threat to them. He will 
  reassure them that his small country has no ambitions 
  other than its independence, and he himself prefers to 
  have all of his time free for study and relaxation. 
  “War,” he says with utter conviction “is so time-
  consuming and wasteful of resources. You need never 
  fear that we shall ever come barking at your borders.” 
   
  Once in his cups he may still need to be flattered and 
  cajoled (Ψ PERSUASION) into revealing that he created 
  the Creep of Inaccuracy in order to impress the King 
  and Court when he removed its blemish from the city 
  libraries. Or this may be one of those ‘Not If, But 
  Who’ instances (RBoM, p18) where success is pre-
  ordained and it only matters who amongst the PCs gets 
  there first. Remember though, that this is Klymp’s 
  ‘home turf’, and the Players/PCs need to be given the 
  solid impression that the man they are dealing with 
  could possibly be capable of wiping them out with a 
  twitch of his daihak/sandestin for all they know. (IE a 
  modicum of tact is clearly essential). 
   
  In any case he will admit his guilt so directly, only 
  through hyperbole and hinting asides. He may also 
  allude to the fact that it was only a few months ago that 
  he managed to bind a daihak that grants him incredible 
  powers, and tell the obviously exaggerated tale of this 
  heroic feat. He believes it was actually an utter fluke, 
  and in reality was a binding of him by a demonic 
  daihak with a penchant for mischief (which the PCs 
  probably won’t know for certain but may suspect). 
  Then, he says, it was only a matter of time before he 
  used these powers to arrange for the demise of his 
  predecessor. 
   
  They may flatter and befriend Klymp (which may in 
  itself be a Challenge pitting the boasting prowess of 
  one PC against the others, according to how well they 
  represent themselves as mighty magicians of the future, 
  or from a distant land or star). If they also offer him 
  some kind of very substantial reward he will be open to 
  helping them. He will of course couch all his responses 
  in terms that indicate he didn’t actually causes the 
  Creep to infest this city’s libraries, but that he 
  nonetheless uncovered and invented a cure, and will be 
  delighted to show them his notes. These notes, he says, 
  13
  
   
   
   
  15 
   
  are arranged in such an order as that it may appear to 
  the ‘untrained eye’ as if curse and cure were developed 
  concurrently. This will be a mere illusion – he will tell 
  them – brought about by an inexcusable lapse when 
  compiling his old series of notebooks into this current 
  volume. For he would, obviously, never stoop so low 
  as to resort to such chicanery. 
   
  Klymp: Eloquent [___], Wary [___], Speed [___], 
  Intuition [___], Health [___], Devious [___],  
  Appraisal [___], Athletics [___], Concealment [___], 
  Gambling [___], Imposture [___], Pedantry [___], 
  Perception [___], Scuttlebutt [___], Stealth [___], 
  Stewardship [___], Wherewithal [___] 
  Klymp can be portrayed as the arch-trickster if the GM so 
  desires, or possibly at this point in his history he has yet to reveal 
  himself to be the originator of such works – or else the majority of 
  such works have not yet been engineered. 
   
   
  Klymp’s source of sandestin-like powers is not actually 
  a sandestin, but one of the other daihak, a being of a 
  demonic affiliation. The PCs will need to question a 
  sandestin in order to gain fuller information, and pay 
  an Indenture Point for the privilege. If they do, they 
  will learn whatever the GM decrees, including the fact 
  that Klymp appears to be unaware that his soul is part 
  of the bargain he has entered into. 
   
  Klymp’s new quarters are Yaska’s old quarters, and he 
  is in the process of redecorating. The old silvers and 
  purples are making way for the more manly new golds 
  and reds. He takes the PCs to his personal library, and 
  they cannot help but see that the annex of this area that 
  serves as a workroom has recently been destroyed in 
  conflagration. If questioned, Klymp will say that this 
  was where Yaska destroyed herself, or did whatever it 
  was that caused her to vanish. He may look slightly 
  guilty as he says this, for Yaska was a surprisingly good 
  teacher, and he betrayed her. She put up a good fight, 
  but the daihaki magic eventually overcame her and 
  catapulted her away into the chronoplex. 
   
  In another annex the PCs may observe an ancient brass 
  cabinet worked with a sickening frieze of demonic 
  metalwork and horrid runes. This is the receptacle to 
  which the demonic entity Argrule is linked. Any PC 
  with an interest in Daihaki may be asked to Resist 
  Pettifoggery to prevent themselves from needing to 
  take advantage of this unique opportunity to examine 
  and classify this avatar at close range. This may even be 
  a suitable point for a PC to issue the Challenge 
  (perhaps in the form of a wager), that he will be the 
  one to most quickly and accurately label and describe it 
  according to Thrupp’s Index. If the cabinet is opened, 
  Argrule’s repulsive visage leers out. He will 
  immediately try to take over the minds of anyone 
  looking at him, using his full magical potency. This can 
  form an amusing backdrop as the PCs try both to 
  identify, and perhaps communicate with, the being in 
  feigned relaxation - whilst pretending that their minds 
  are not being ravaged by an entity of the outer dark. 
  (NB: If Klymp has left the area, perhaps to retrieve the 
  key to the secure stacks of his library, then such might 
  be an ideal moment.  
   
  Unfortunately, Klymp’s old workbooks are gone. He 
  stands in bemusement when he discovers that only 
  simulacra stand in their place, and as he comes to 
  understand why Yaska had been treating him so oddly 
  in the weeks before he disposed of her. He will name 
  her as the only possible culprit, since this area has 
  profound magical protection. He will also moan and 
  talk about betrayal, and yet mutter about the 
  inevitability of the Law of Equipoise, and how he 
  should not have been so ill-prepared to realise its 
  effects would come back to haunt him. 
   
   
  Where did Yaska go? 
  The PCs may have pieced together that the ruthless 
  Klymp used his daihaki magic to dispose of her. In 
  order to learn where she went, and confirm that she 
  
   
   
   
  16 
   
  had the stolen workbooks upon her person, they will 
  probably need to use sandestin magic. (We say 
  ‘probably’, being as we are unaware of the exact level 
  of resourcefulness of your campaign PCs.) 
   
  Now is the time to alert the Players to the fact that 
  finding out where she went to is one of the occasions 
  where a Share Award (RBoM, p29) will be granted to 
  the one who does so first. Players won’t know that this 
  is not an exceptionally difficult task, since it is definitely 
  a crucial one, a turning point in the scenario. PCs may 
  comb the city, seek out her old acquaintances, travel 
  the country to visit her distant relatives, visit every 
  second-hand bookdealer in the land, all in vain. The 
  way to track her is to ask a sandestin. This recalcitrant 
  creature will (for one Indenture Point) confirm that she 
  took the workbooks and various other books with her. 
  It will also explain that she was attempting to escape 
  under her own power when Klymp set his daihak on 
  her. The result was that she was transported a vast 
  distance, and is thus untraceable without gargantuan 
  efforts. The cost it requests for such an effort is 3 
  Indenture Points (may be bargained down to 2). 
   
  If sent to track her, the sandestin will actually vanish 
  for several minutes, which usually either indicates that a 
  task was indeed exceptionally arduous, or that the 
  sandestin has been destroyed and is never coming 
  back. But then it will return. It arrives facing the other 
  direction, mutters in exasperation, then flickers out of 
  existence, returning again a few seconds later. It looks 
  over its shoulder sharply and then turns around. 
   
  “Ahah,” it says, “I have tracked the sorceress across 
  the chronosphere. She left a faint but unmistakable trail 
  of timelight during her transportation to your own 
  aeon.” 
   
  Yes, Yaska was transported to the very aeon from 
  which the PCs so recently arrived. But they cannot be 
  transported to her point of arrival because they already 
  exist in that time period. The closest they can be 
  transported is to the moment just after they originally 
  departed, and this is nearly a century after she arrived 
  in that time. However, the PCs now know what they 
  are after, and can try to track the books, and her. 
   
  Before they leave, the PCs might force Klymp to revise 
  his work for them and recreate the countercurse. This 
  will not be easy. He doesn’t want to, and his demon 
  will protect him. Yet with sufficient Wherewithal and 
  expenditure of Indenture Points they might 
  temporarily overcome this entity and bend Klymp to 
  their will. They would also need to use Indenture 
  Points to obtain obscure tomes and spell components. 
  Elaborate this section as required, though it is easier 
  for the plot if his daihak is too powerful and he merely 
  expels them from the city. Note that in any case they 
  cannot take Klymp back with them unless they are 
  prepared to pay the 5 Indenture Points required to 
  break him temporarily free of his demonic bargain. 
  And even if they do this, he will shortly be visited by 
  (and kidnapped or killed by) his demon ally. (Mind you, 
  this might be an amusing episode if one of the PCs is 
  sheltering him as he works laboriously on the 
  countercurse.) 
   
   
  Argrule: Intimidating [___], Lawyerly [___],  
  Magic (Demonic) [___], Health [___], Appraisal [___], 
  Etiquette [___], Gambling [___], Pedantry [___], 
  Perception [___], Wherewithal [___] 
   
  Argrule’s Demonic Minion: Intimidating [___], 
  Obtuse [___], Ferocity [___], Dodge [___],  
  Magic (Demonic) [___], Health [___], Athletics [___], 
  Perception [___], Wherewithal [___] 
   
  
   
   
   
  17 
   
  Chapter 3: Back to the Future 
   
  3.1a) The Final Solution? 
  If you decide to follow this route, and the PCs return 
  with the countercurse, it works. Surprise, surprise. 
  How easy was that? They are invited to cleanse 
  Grashpotel’s quarters themselves, whilst Perrin 
  distracts his comrade at an evening’s wine-tasting. The 
  members of Ildefonse’s Conclave demand a copy 
  immediately (through Ildefonse) and those who need 
  to test it out do so to their great advantage. 
  Proceedings are then set in motion for a special 
  meeting of the Conclave to create the new rank of 
  auxiliary members and install the PCs as its first 
  representatives. Then during inevitable delays before 
  this conclave comes about - terrible, a new curse arises. 
   
  First one, then two, then three, of the arch-magicians 
  are struck by Manse Blight. This curse disrupts the 
  magic inherent in their manses, imposing a penalty of 1 
  on all rolls involving Manse properties connected to its 
  structural integrity. And every time a DF is rolled, bits 
  keep dropping off. No surprises then when the 
  conclave members declare that the job has not been 
  done as far as they are concerned and petition the PCs 
  in the strongest terms to finish their task. No surprises 
  either when after a bit of historical research the 
  likelihood of Klymp also being the originator of this 
  new curse comes to light. The mission continues. 
  Unfortunately they cannot return to the past again, 
  because they are already there, as are their sandestins. 
  They must pursue solutions in the here and now. 
   
  Locating Yaska: She cannot be simply located by use 
  of sandestin magic. Her own daihaki function at that 
  level and have blocked her whereabouts. 
   
  3.1b) On With the Mission 
  If the PCs do not return with the countercurse, then 
  they are armed at least with the knowledge of Yaska 
  and her possession of the workbooks. It is clearly she 
  who has targeted the arch-magicians with whom she 
  has found herself sharing her new aeon. All they have 
  to do is find her and put an end to her activities, 
  possibly along the way incidentally uncovering the 
  nature of whatever grievance she holds. The GM now 
  announces another opportunity to win a Share Award 
  (RBoM, p29). The first person to find a concrete clue 
  about her or her presence in this aeon wins this. 
   
  The PCs need to visit the manse of one of the afflicted 
  arch-magicians. The GM should make this person the 
  most entertaining of the arch-magicians to interact 
  with. She should also declare that the person who most 
  impresses this personage wins a Directed Half-Share. 
  Thus, how they arrive, what they say about each other, 
  what gifts they bring, how they promote their own 
  involvement in the activities so far – all of these things 
  might be taken into consideration. 
   
  The other afflicted arch-magicians in the region refuse 
  outright to let the upstarts enter their homes; their 
  arrogance forcing them to continue their own efforts 
  to manufacture a solution. The one who allows them 
  to visit is a more forward-thinking individual who 
  knows that one day these junior arch-magicians might 
  be his colleagues, and so is attempting to foster good 
  relations with them. If you are familiar with the stories, 
  then the sinisterly sycophantic Hache-Moncour 
  (RBoM, p79) might work well. Regardless of who it is, 
  this person will invite them to dinner at his manse. 
  There he will naturally try and impress them with his 
  own exploits and facilities (harder to do if he is 
  suffering from Manse Blight). Arch-magicians being 
  what they are, including Hache-Moncour, this meal 
  may degenerate into base Gourmandism contests and 
  other challenges promoting the bravado of all involved. 
   
  During all of this, the PCs must play detective, asking 
  what activities or visitors have been unusual for this 
  person in the days or weeks prior to the arrival of the 
  curse. The GM needs to invent a list on which she 
  includes a Masked Ball at the home of Lady Shaunica 
  (SVG, p81). It is possible that the arch-magician they 
  are with will also recall that the other afflicted arch-
  magicians were also at that ball. Or the PCs may take 
  the list to one or more of the other arch-magicians who 
  are suffering the curse, bulling past their paltry 
  objections, and work out the coincidence that way. The 
  actual coincidence may take some time and resources 
  to work out (or may simply be divined by scrying 
  through time if such is allowed under your 
  interpretation of the rules). It is that each of the 
  afflicted individuals spent time in discourse with a 
  woman affecting the feathered jacket and mask of a 
  white swan. And before she left them, she passed over 
  a small book of poetry. Finding this out counts as a 
  16
  
   
   
   
  18 
   
  concrete clue. (Hache-Moncour will not think to 
  divulge this information without being pressed for it. 
  After all, such things are relatively commonplace.) NB: 
  All these books of poetry disintegrated after releasing 
  their curse into the manse in question. 
   
  3.3) Lake Island and Lady Shaunica 
  The PCs need to find out who the woman that dressed 
  as a swan is. To this end they will first need to visit 
  Lady Shaunica. (In any scrying the woman does not 
  reveal her true form or admit her true name to anyone. 
  She is in fact also protected by Daihaki magic.) Whilst 
  they could just get their sandestins or magical 
  transports to deposit them upon the lawns of Holam 
  House at Lake Island, Lady Shaunica is notoriously 
  fond of her privacy. She is also a favoured 
  acquaintance of Rhialto the Marvellous. It would be 
  too easy here to gain an introduction through Rhialto. 
  So if they attempt this, Rhialto is away hunting down 
  an archveult who stole some of his IOUN stones. 
   
  This leaves only the normal way. One must contact 
  Lady Shaunica and petition for an audience in the 
  normal fashion – sending lavish gifts, a flattering letter, 
  and hoping for the best. It is not inappropriate for 
  some manner of Challenge to be evoked here, as to 
  whom will be the first to be invited to visit Lady 
  Shaunica, or who will receive the most promising reply. 
  Mind you, such things will be complicated by the fact 
  that she invites them all on the same day, via an 
  identical letter, to attend a private soiree. (Some arch-
  magicians may argue that the Challenge is null and void 
  if they are all invited together. Or perhaps the first to 
  set foot on the lawns will proclaim himself to be the 
  rightful winner, resulting in heated debate 
  [Persuasion]?) The GM will in any case point out that 
  the true challenge comes from gaining the identity and 
  description of the woman they are seeking. (A task that 
  will net the victor an entire Share Award.) 
   
  Once on her premises, the arch-magicians will find her 
  a woman of exquisite manner and appearance, and her 
  home a repository of great artistic treasures. Not to 
  mention a fine buffet table set on the patio immediately 
  outside the main drawing room. Resisting Rakishness 
  will be a challenge all of its own, possibly resulting in 
  less than becoming behaviour. Fortunately for her, 
  Lady Shaunica has several of Rhialto’s sandestin-
  designed protections for dealing with unwelcome 
  advances, even from arch-magicians. The least of these 
  finds one deposited naked on the shingle on the far 
  side of the river, trussed hand and foot like a hog and 
  securely gagged. (Anxiously awaiting nightfall and the 
  arrival of the local deodands, or perhaps the passing of 
  some itinerant rascal.) Unaware of this risk, the PCs 
  will no doubt posture and preen ridiculously in an 
  attempt to gain the Share Award by being the first to 
  inveigle the information they need. Lady Shaunica 
  shifts the topic away from business when they are all 
  together on the patio. She will such as: “I wish to hear 
  tales of daring, and poetic descriptions of my graces, not all of this 
  talk of mystery and curses. Flatter and charm me, and then 
  maybe later I will deign to respond to your dullard whimsies.” 
   
  Lady Shaunica does not wish to give away the identity 
  of her mysterious friend, but the first arch-magician to 
  thoroughly charm and entertain her and/or convince 
  her that her friend is quite probably a witch from a 
  previous age, will gain the information. (This is the 
  winner of the free for all bragging contest, who is 
  invited to stroll around the grounds with her, and 
  another example of a pre-ordained success [RBoM, 
  p18].) The woman they seek is none other than Lady 
  Yasmaine, whom Shaunica met last year at a ball given 
  by Prince Kandive. If questioned, Shaunica can 
  recollect that Yasmaine asked many questions about 
  the nature of Shaunica’s connection with the arch-
  magicians of the region. However, Yasmaine evidenced 
  no particular dislike of such people, only an eager 
  curiosity. Shaunica does not know where Yasmaine 
  lives exactly, only that she said she dwells in Odkin 
  Prospect. But she can describe her (accurately 
  compared to their description of Yaska if they have 
  one). Shaunica also knows that Yasmaine is friends 
  with Flolad son of Flolad (KPG, p78), and possibly 
  more than friends. 
   
  
   
   
   
  19 
   
   
  Chapter 4: Kaiin – Jewel of the South 
   
  4.1) To Kaiin 
  Yet another clue. PCs may now travel to Kaiin with all 
  dispatch. It would not be utterly unseemly for a PC to 
  call out a Challenge here as to whom travels fastest to 
  Kaiin without recourse to sandestin assistance. 
   
  4.2) Flolad son of Flolad 
  As mentioned in the Kaiin book (KPG, p79), Flolad 
  possesses ancient enchantments that allow sandestins 
  to be released from their Indenture Points. No 
  sandestin will ever point this out to a PC. However, it 
  is only fair to assume that most PCs will have heard of 
  this. (The GM makes a single roll on Pedantry for each 
  PC, aiming to achieve a success of any kind. PCs who 
  actually live in Kaiin are granted a bonus of 1. If 
  nobody succeeds then the following encounter could 
  be disappointing all round.) Since Flolad goes to social 
  events, and arch-magicians go to social events, I am 
  ruling that it is not Flolad’s actual presence that 
  dismisses the Indenture Points, but the actual use of a 
  sandestin against him or his property in any way. Note 
  that Flolad is the only person who knows Yasmaine’s 
  address, so the PCs may waste time looking for a less 
  dangerous source of information. 
   
  Flolad is one of the most important people in Kaiin, 
  therefore it is entirely appropriate that the PCs vie for 
  his approval by presenting themselves in the most 
  ostentatious fashion. They might go out of their way to 
  find out what he likes and bring gifts, or they may send 
  their sandestin on ahead to announce them (in suitably 
  glowing terms – and possibly never see it again). Or, 
  since they are hot on the case they may merely debate 
  amongst themselves as to who is the most appropriate 
  amongst them to act as spokesperson. (This would be a 
  free-for-all Persuasion challenge, as described in 
  RBoM, p23.) After all, he who presents the facts to 
  Flolad at an urgent meeting is half-way towards 
  forming a Relationship with this important personage. 
  If it is useful to do so, the GM can declare that the PC 
  that is the spokesperson in their dealings with Flolad 
  gains half a directed share (RBoM, p31). After all, 
  convincing the others that you are best suited for this 
  task (for whatever reason) is a clear case of one-
  upmanship. 
   
  This may again turn out to be one of those times when 
  the outcome is pre-ordained. Or you might wish the 
  PC in question to roll an ability contest against Flolad 
  to convince this powerful individual that his associate 
  (and possible intimate) Yasmaine is a dangerous 
  character in need of apprehension. One way or 
  another, Flolad will finally accept that a woman has 
  duped him, and he reveals that although Yasmaine 
  didn’t tell him herself, his sources have discovered that 
  she is the person who bought the old manse in Odkin 
  Prospect that once belonged to Changa the Witch 
  (DDE, p49). 
   
  One of the PCs may have heard (Ψ PEDANTRY) that 
  only five years ago Valdaran the Just and his Green 
  Legion raided this place and put an end to a cabal of 
  demonic witches they found practising there. The 
  house was burned to a ruin, but was purchased around 
  three years ago, and rebuilt overnight by a mysterious 
  foreign merchant, or so the rumours have said. 
   
  PCs technically could recruit Valdaran and his 
  followers to assist them, but any PC even suggesting 
  such a thing would be required to (Ψ RESIST 
  ARROGANCE) just in order to voice it. Likewise, any PC 
  who wanted to agree would need to do the same. Possibly 
  a PC who did Resist could then Persuade all the others in 
  a free-for-all, but such things are becoming complicated. 
  GM’s faced with such a thing need merely state 
  something along the lines of: “The PC who most 
  forcefully leads the assault on Changa’s old manse gains a 
  full directed share” to quickly change the direction of 
  debate. Or perhaps one of the other PCs can be subtly 
  prodded into challenging the suggester of this odd idea 
  with accusations of cowardice? 
   
  4.3) The Manse of Changa the Witch 
  This property is typical of those scattered about Odkin 
  Prospect. It stands in its own small parkland that is 
  surrounded by a 10ft high stone wall. As with many 
  properties in the Prospect, this wall merely serves to 
  mark the boundary of an encompassing sphere of force 
  that prevents mundane and magical assault. However, 
  in this case the effect wasn’t purchased from one of the 
  Palace sorcerers, but created by a demonic force. 
  Sandestins may be able to find this out, but will not 
  volunteer such information freely. 
   
  
   
   
   
  20 
   
  The PCs will quickly find that there is no easy way 
  through this barrier. Mundane spells do not work. If it 
  suits the game and looks possible according to realistic 
  PC capability, allow the PCs to figure out some way to 
  pass through or wear down the defences with magical 
  attrition. In such a case one of the PCs might win a 
  challenge by being the magician who finally breaks 
  through. But if it comes to the crunch, someone will 
  probably need to pay the 2 Indenture Points required 
  for a brief opening of these defences, or the 3 points 
  required for putting them in hiatus for a longer period. 
  (Although as you will see, in the latter case, this will be 
  1 point wasted.) 
   
  A complication exists. Due to the presence of a major 
  overworld artefact in the house, the area inside the wall 
  is considered a pocket dimension for all intents and 
  purposes. Sandestins will not know this until they 
  enter, unless specifically sent on a mission to gain facts 
  first. Ideally (in plot terms) a sandestin will transport 
  everyone inside before this fact is realised. Should you 
  have access to a copy of Demons of the Dying Earth, then 
  you might look at p45 for a list of spells that work 
  differently in other dimensions (or examine the similar 
  information in the Gomoshan’s Tomb adventure. 
  Otherwise, since this is a unique pocket dimension, 
  make up your own rulings. (Ideally do this before the 
  game begins for the sake of fairness.) 
   
  Simply put, the arch-magicians find themselves trapped 
  within the walls of the grounds. The rules of magic are 
  different here, and the first thing they might realise is 
  that the sandestin’s access is only one-way (or the 
  sandestins may neglect to mention this until much 
  later). On top of this, what appeared to be sparse 
  deciduous woodland when viewed from outside turns 
  out to be ancient weird forest now they stand at its 
  edge. As the arch-magician PCs take this in, describe 
  how any visibly manifest sandestins retreat to their 
  walnut shells or other portable casings. Even those not 
  visible will be felt curling themselves up as small as 
  possible. The PCs may at this point rightly assume that 
  anything that unnerves sandestins is something to be 
  concerned about. 
   
  If a sandestin that is engaged in a six-month contract 
  for basic service is asked, it will explain. “This is 
  another dimension; the rules of magic are different 
  here. Plus, there is an entity at the centre of this place 
  whose powers are a threat to our existence.” It will say 
  no more unless paid lavishly in Indenture Points. All of 
  the sandestins now wish to lie dormant and avoid 
  notice. Any tasks required of them will cost at least 1 
  extra Indenture Point, and they will refuse point blank 
  to do anything that involves them travelling 
  independently around this pocket dimension at any 
  distance from the PCs of more than a few yards even 
  outdoors. Now seems to be an appropriate time for the 
  GM to announce a Share Goal: “A full share goes to 
  the PC who first lays hands on the missing 
  workbooks.” Breaking back out is something that is 
  possible for the sandestins to do, but very hard. 
  Indenture Points will be charged in profusion, and the 
  sandestins will need to travel across the multiverse 
  seeking advice from various elementals and sage 
  entities. (Which takes time even for them.) Crafty PCs 
  may try and use the sandestin’s fear against them to 
  reduce the Indenture Point total, but will learn that the 
  total has already been reduced as low as they are going 
  to let it. (Because the sandestins want out as much as 
  the PCs.) 
   
  In the meantime they may as well get on with the task 
  at hand. A demon has been left to patrol the grounds. 
  The GM needs to decide whether it is actually several 
  demons, how strong it is, what it looks like, etc. All 
  such things depend on the powers currently possessed 
  by the PCs. Sandestins will still agree to do things to 
  enhance or shift a PC slightly in space, but will not 
  attack the creatures here. If asked to, they will claim 
  that the powerful entity at the centre of this realm will 
  surely devour them if provoked, and annihilation is 
  something even more feared than the dreaded chug. 
  Thus, the arch-magicians are reduced to dealing with 
  threats by using whatever spells work in this realm. 
  And this is indeed the point of this encounter, to give 
  the PCs/Players a chance to wield spells of excessive 
  violence against foes that actually have a chance of 
  causing injury to arch-magicians (something that ups 
  the scene tension notably). 
   
  Demon Guardian(s): Ferocity [___], Sure-Footed 
  [___], Magic (Resistance only) [___], Health [___],  
  Athletics [___], Concealment [___], Perception [___], 
  Stealth [___], Tracking [___], Wherewithal [___] 
   
  If your Players are greatly enjoying countering this 
  sudden threat to the survival of their PCs, then add 
  other odd dangers into the woodland before they reach 
  the house – carnivorous plants, slime creatures lurking 
  beneath shallow ponds, floating bags of living acid… 
  whatever bizarre otherworldly inventions you think of. 
  
   
   
   
  21 
   
  Many of these should be relatively easily dealt with 
  despite the unusual circumstances. (IE some will serve 
  as illustrations that despite the present dangers, well-
  prepared arch-magicians are potent individuals.) 
   
   
  Demons and Magical Damage 
  At Rhialto-level since a sandestin can simply restrain a 
  demon or render it unconscious it would be extremely 
  easy for an arch-magician (or more likely their burly 
  retainer) to cut off its head - or otherwise terminate it - 
  whilst it was so inconvenienced. Thus at Rhialto-level 
  we suggest that most demons can only be damaged by 
  magic, and that regular weapons simply bounce from 
  their hides. This situation presents a much higher 
  entertainment value. In this particular case the GM 
  may of course have sandestins refuse even to hold a 
  demon, though they have no excuse (other than their 
  own fear and reluctance) for not performing holding 
  actions like dropping trees onto/before these entities. 
   
  The manse appears pleasant enough on eventually 
  reaching it, although the journey was longer than they 
  might have expected when looking at the apparent size 
  of the grounds from outside. Clearly, someone has 
  been using potent magic here, taking advantage of the 
  prevalence of strange hermits that live in the Prospect 
  to shield their own oddness from common knowledge. 
   
  Getting inside is another difficulty they will need to 
  overcome. It too has a protective shield of other-
  dimensional magic. Probably some version of whatever 
  worked against the outer wall will do, but sandestins 
  gain a boon of 1 to their Rebuff rolls when evidencing 
  their reluctance to move closer to the source of power 
  in this place. Again, a proud arch-magician may boast 
  (or wager) that he will easily overcome these paltry 
  defences. (Or perhaps wager that another PC cannot.) 
   
  Within the manse the furnishings are decent but 
  unusually inexpensive for the area – a fact that should 
  be suspicious in and of itself. The majority of rooms 
  are clearly unused, and have gathered dust. 
  Nonetheless, someone has been living here. Rooms of 
  note include: a well-stocked library; a witch’s 
  workroom (complete with rabid guardian vat creature 
  that leaps dripping from a cauldron with murderous 
  intent); the witch’s bedchamber; and a black sorcery 
  room (predictably in the cellar). The workbooks that 
  the PCs seek are in the library. It would be a fine thing 
  if a PC spots their ‘Must Have’ item in the library and 
  is faced with the choice of being first to grab the 
  workbooks OR their item, but unable to be first to 
  both. He who dithers loses out on both counts if eager 
  rivals are present. Note that magical defences block all 
  important items, and any PC who wishes to snatch 
  something important up must match his rating against 
  what is effectively the manse’s Security rating. This 
  gives another possibility of a free-for-all challenge. It 
  might also be amusing to have a few shambling vat 
  creatures appear and attempt to rend the arch-
  magicians limb from limb before they are casually 
  blasted into shards (bearing in mind the spell-casting 
  restrictions present due to being in another dimension.) 
   
  Vat Creature(s): Strength [___], Parry [___], Magic 
  (Resistance only) [___], Health [___], Athletics [___] 
   
  Since the location of a ‘Must Have’ item is essential 
  once in a while in scenarios, the witch’s workroom is 
  another possible place for a PC to spot such a thing. 
  Remember that obtaining a ‘Must Have’ item entitles 
  one to a Directed Share, and that snatching another 
  player’s ‘Must Have’ item from under their nose 
  entitles one to a Directed Share x 1.5. 
   
  It might be worth the GM’s while to create lists of 
  interesting magical items and tomes that she can read 
  out as the arch-magicians ransack the shelves and 
  drawers and benchtops in unseemly haste and greed. 
  (Such lists will at the very least enhance the amusement 
  of this moment. The kind of things that Cugel-level 
  characters only dream of, and Turjan-Level characters 
  covet, will be casually swept onto the floor as the arch-
  magicians hunt for items of real utility and interest.) 
   
  The sorcery room, when they get there, is an eerie 
  place, which cannot be properly illuminated. Whatever 
  it is that stands so bulkily at the cellar’s centre seems to 
  absorb most light like water into a sponge. Why would 
  they even go here, when they have found the 
  workbooks and when even sandestins are quivering in 
  fear? Curiosity, avarice, as a result of a cowardice 
  challenge? Perhaps one of the PCs has challenged 
  another to see which of them can subdue and bind the 
  entity to their will? Since they may never go here, the 
  possible events if they do will be merely summarised.  
   
  However, if your PCs are capable enough it may also 
  be an opportunity a crescendo moment, so consider 
  the following: The PCs cannot leave the grounds 
  because their powers are limited in this dimension, as 
  are the powers of their sandestins (who are effectively 
  operating on this entity’s turf). In such a situation they 
  
   
   
   
  22 
   
  are left with no choice but to confront the entity with 
  the objective of destroying or disabling it, so that they 
  can then pass back out of the manse’s grounds into 
  Odkin Prospect (rather than being left traversing the 
  distant planes without a map). This could be set up and 
  played as a free-for-all version of a Tough Challenge 
  (RBoM, p18). In this case victory would be almost 
  assured, and the only variant would be which PC gains 
  the status from being the one to actually express the 
  final blast of mental force that defeats their foe. 
   
  If the PCs need some kind of concrete motivation to 
  send them into Magical contest with this being, 
  perhaps it begins to set off enchantments designed to 
  pull the oxygen out of this pocket dimension, or 
  otherwise make it uninhabitable for the intruders. Or 
  perhaps it begins (ever so slowly) to manifest itself fully 
  in the courtyard (into some huge blob that gradually 
  becomes recognisable as a embryonic hundred foot 
  physical demonic avatar. (Since this is impervious to 
  their Magic, they will have no choice but to confront 
  the energetic avatar downstairs before it can complete 
  the process of creating their nemesis in the flesh.) 
  Or perhaps the arch-magicians scent or suspect IOUN 
  stones, and find that Yaska (wisely) stores hers in a 
  doorless compartment in the front of the altar (where 
  they buzz and bounce most appealingly). For variety 
  you might make these instead be IOUN alternates such 
  as Unda-Hrada’s Tears (Demons of the Dying Earth, p67). 
  Imagine the fun of trying to collect these dodging and 
  flying baubles once they have defeated the demonic 
  entity and the manse collapses or burns around them! 
   
  Yaska/Yasmaine 
  It is probably an apposite moment to discuss this 
  woman, who is the focus of this scenario after all. Well, 
  in truth she is a mere plot device, but in the tradition of 
  most role-playing games, as a primary plot device we 
  feel she deserves at this minimal explanation. 
   
  A woman who worked her way up in her own aeon, 
  where prejudice against witches was almost as strong as 
  in our own time. She found a position of power, was 
  forced to take on a male apprentice, discovered he was 
  plotting against her, and at the moment of her planned 
  escape was attacked by him and catapulted into the far 
  future. Although she succeeded in absconding with a 
  number of potent magical tomes, she found herself in a 
  land and society far more backward than her own, and 
  was unable to practice her magic without prejudice. 
   
  Fortunately the Scholasticarium at least provided a 
  place where women were allowed to associate with 
  magic, so she naturally gravitated here. Nonetheless (or 
  perhaps because of the condescension received at the 
  hands of the almost exclusively male staff), her 
  bitterness and hatred for male magicians continued to 
  grow. Eventually she used Klymp’s workbooks to 
  summon a daihak of her own, and set about a number 
  of petty revenges. (Including seducing magicians and  
  arch-magicians, and the subsequent purloining of 
  information and magic items. And the recent escalation 
  to the release of curses. She is an angry woman! 
   
  The shrine at the centre of this darkened room is a 
  blackened human skull (Changa’s) on top of a burned 
  and melted altar. The daihak manifests as a faceless 
  shiny-skinned humanoid with bat-like wings. (Again, 
  on the moment it appears one PC may challenge 
  another as to who can best classify it according to 
  Thrupp’s Almanac.) It is impervious to many spells, or 
  at best scorched by them, thus PCs need to match their 
  sheer Magical will against its own to overcome it here 
  on its home turf. During any such combat make sure 
  to describe its hideous keenings (yes even though it has 
  no mouth) its savage claws, and its relentless efforts to 
  reach them in order to rend them limb from limb. 
   
  This combat needs to be played out with full drama 
  and description, since if it takes place it will be a 
  highlight of the adventure. If any sandestins are forced 
  into participation, create a very real opportunity that 
  they will be permanently dispelled or destroyed. 
  Consider also describing arch-magicians bleeding from 
  the nose and ears, skin charring, bones creaking, that 
  sort of thing - as they have no choice but to pit their in 
  combined wills against this fiendish entity. Once the 
  entity is defeated you will be fully within your rights to 
  have the manse explode, burst into flames, disintegrate, 
  or whatever else best suits your sense of the dramatic. 
  Since sandestins may now act with impunity, the safety 
  of arch-magicians in such an event is almost assured. 
  As you will probably have gathered by now, Yaska is not at 
  home at this time. If it adds to the fun and games she might 
  appear whilst they are so engaged, salvage some of her equipment 
  and tomes, and flee beyond their ken. But only if they are 
  powerless to stop her or too distracted. Of course, if the 
  opportunity presents, one PC may confront her alone. Since she 
  has potent talismans she is invulnerable to magic, and an 
  undignified physical pursuit or combat may become necessary. 
  Ideally she will escape so as to be encountered later. 
   
  
   
   
   
  23 
   
  Chapter 5: All Hail the Intrepid Heroes 
   
  5.1) Bringing News of Success 
  A Challenge may occur as to who alerts Ildefonse of 
  their success. Speed and splendour of arrival all count in 
  deciding such a distinction. It is possible that 
  unscrupulous PCs (which is to say any of them) might 
  even sabotage the transport plans of their fellows. 
   
  5.2) A Local Aside 
  This is a shameless opportunity for giving the PC in 
  third place in the Status Points stakes (or the male 
  character closest to this point if you allow female arch-
  magicians) a chance to catch up. (Or the PC with most 
  Sympathy Points [DERPG, p143], if you track these.) 
   
  ⊕ "You are walking in Kaiin’s huge Market Place, some 
  few weeks after the events that you have just survived, 
  and still some few days before the scheduled conclave. 
  Others of your companions are in the area, either still 
  lunching at the Scholasticarium or browsing other stalls. 
  You yourself are examining the offerings of those who 
  claim to have pulled treasures out of the bay, but as of 
  yet have found nothing of merit. On your mind is the 
  witch woman Yaska, who has so far eluded detection. 
  Although you did not admit such to your comrades, you 
  began to find her somewhat familiar. Eventually 
  managed to recollect that six months ago you met her at 
  a soiree in Odkin Prospect, during which time she 
  charmed you, and this led to an energetic physical 
  encounter in one of the private apartments. And yet for 
  some reason, she chose to leave no curse with you, nor 
  any other impediment. You sigh at the fond memory, 
  and fancy that perhaps you alone managed to satisfy her 
  female needs and attain a special place in her fractured 
  affections. Then you start from your reverie. Surely not. 
  You look again at the end of the aisle. A woman in a 
  wide-brimmed hat is carrying a large bag and moving 
  with swift short movements along the stalls, examining 
  this and that in hurried bursts of energy. You position 
  yourself to greater advantage. Yes, it is her, there is no 
  doubt: Yasmaine, or rather Yaska, the woman cast adrift 
  from a far distant time. What will you do?” 
   
  Encourage interesting role-playing by offering the player 
  half of a Directed Share if he captures her or otherwise 
  alerts the authorities, but a share and a half if he 
  manages to approach her as an admiring equal and gain 
  at least a lingering embrace before parting. 
   
  Yaska: Charming [___], Penetrating [___], Cunning 
  [___], Misdirection [___], Health [___], Daring [___],  
  Appraisal [___], Athletics [___], Concealment [___], 
  Gambling [___], Imposture [___], Pedantry [___], 
  Perception [___], Riding [___], Scuttlebutt [___],  
  Seduction [___], Stealth [___], Wherewithal [___] 
  Resistances: As you see fit, with the proviso that rude 
  temptation is not the way to win this encounter. 
   
  Flattery and admiring reassurance is the way to go here. 
  She may admit that she is leaving Kaiin and departing 
  overseas for a new life, leaving her checkered past 
  behind her. Perhaps the PC in question did indeed 
  charm her, or perhaps he is left with a book of poems 
  or cursed brooch slid secretly into his pocket. (Should 
  he fail to charm her.) Persuasion and Seduction are the 
  abilities that leap to mind, and Yaska should be 1 point 
  better in these ratings than the PC. A PC who fails the 
  task will not notice that they have been cursed, but will 
  be discovered at Conclave to be in the throes of 
  ensqualmation, and therefore in need of a cleansing. 
  This ignoble situation should be role-played for 
  maximum amusement, and will result in a levy on the 
  PC’s rolls when he tries to convince anyone of his 
  heroic involvement in the preceding events. 
   
  5.3) At the Special Conclave 
  PCs have the chance to describe the various difficulties 
  they went through in the course of ‘getting the job 
  done’. Since whoever speaks first has the opportunity to 
  lavish praise on themselves, it may be a free-for-all 
  challenge to decide who this will be, with the 
  accumulated challenge points going to the winner. This 
  person will inevitably tell all in great theatrical style, 
  magnifying their own role. If someone does so in 
  character award them an Improvement Point or two. 
   
  However, all PCs will be allowed a say. If Ildefonse has 
  to step in and decree that it must be so, he will, perhaps 
  quoting an obscure by-law (RBoM, p36). Or he will 
  agree that the PCs may tell their tale as a group, if that is 
  what they decide to do. Again this would be a free-for-
  all, with eliminated PCs being sidelined by the 
  overbearing expressions of bravado from their fellows. 
  Once again, you might insist that each Player voice at 
  least a sentence or two, to stay in the running (or to 
  avoid suffering a levy). 
   
  
   
   
   
  24 
   
  The person with the most Status Points at the end will 
  still be appointed as the Preceptor of the auxiliaries; this 
  is merely an opportunity to change who that person will 
  be. The Conclave will vote at the end of the PCs’ 
  description of the events that have just occurred, 
  though of course the GM merely declares that the result 
  of the vote is a clear preference for <insert name of PC 
  with the most Status Points>. In the event of a tie 
  (which the GM might also declare if the difference in 
  Status Point totals is only 2 or 3) tying PCs will be told 
  that they appear to be of more or less equal merit. And 
  they must therefore stand and expound on the reasons 
  why they should be chosen above the other candidates. 
  This is another opportunity for a Challenge of course, 
  which may result in the Status Points total becoming 
  more clearly divergent. It is also an excuse for 
  flamboyant role-playing. Note that the role of acting 
  Preceptor stands until some viable reason emerges why 
  things should change. 
   
  Now comes the time when the Conclave must decide 
  on the exact rights and privileges of the auxiliary 
  members. Ildefonse (seconded by Rhialto) will declare 
  that for the purposes of this conclave alone, the PCs 
  will be given full participatory rights. Thus the GM, and 
  likely the players too (although since they are new then 
  perhaps a sense of unfamiliarity is a good thing) will 
  need to become familiar with the Conclave chapter. 
  (RBoM, p33). 
   
  The GM will also, prior to running this adventure, use 
  this chapter to decide on the exact rights and privileges 
  that will be on offer. Individual PCs, or PCs acting in 
  group or in support of each other can lay claims for 
  various privileges, dependent on their own limited 
  understanding of points of order etc. This is not meant 
  to be an opportunity for them to make great gains, 
  merely their first chance to experience the rampant 
  unfairness and chaotic nature of the conclave, and to 
  have their rights and duties fully delineated. PCs will 
  need to stand up and argue against the full member that 
  put forward a proposal, if they are to gain a concession. 
  In the event of a tie, or to clarify the benefits of a win, 
  Ildefonse will decide and announce the result. 
   
  Points to Consider: 
  The entire auxiliary might be proposed to become 
  equivalent to one vote; PCs may argue that their full might 
  is worth at least two votes in any dispute.  
  Likewise in the event of a quorum being required, the 
  auxiliaries might like to see two of their number equalling 
  one regular member, whereas someone within the 
  conclave originally proposes that three of them should be 
  the equivalent to one regular member. 
  No auxiliary member may call for a conclave to be 
  convened except through a full member; PCs may wish to 
  argue that if they act in unity, the auxiliaries should be able 
  to convene a conclave. 
  The auxiliary is entitled to its own copy of the 
  Monstrament (RBoM, p35), which will be held at the 
  manse of their acting preceptor. Not only might other PCs 
  argue for their own copy (a request not likely to be granted 
  therefore at a penalty of 1), but also might argue amongst 
  themselves for a rotating hosting of their copy. 
  No auxiliary member may propose a motion, except 
  through a full member. (Again a penalty of 1 stands against 
  the PCs even arguing that they be entitled to propose a 
  motion if they act in unison, as none of the full members 
  want this.) 
  As immediately above – as pertains to declaring an ad 
  hoc conclave. 
  Again as above – as pertains to the auxiliaries as a body 
  being subject to Executive Orders. 
  Grievances: Initially it is proposed that the auxiliaries 
  may only offer a grievance if they do so in unison. No 
  penalty stands in the way of this being argued against in 
  favour of an individual auxiliary doing such a thing. 
  NB1: The full members see no problem in auxiliary 
  members having full rights to call Points of Order and 
  Precedence etc. Such things are so embedded in their 
  understanding of the basic structure of conclave that 
  no-one even thinks to question the rights of the 
  auxiliaries in this regard. 
  NB2: Should a PC shine particularly well during debate, 
  and accumulate significant numbers of Status Points, 
  check and see if they have overcome the previous 
  holder of the highest total. If so, select the arch-
  magician most favourably inclined towards the new 
  leader (or select at random if no person fits this 
  description, but don’t choose Ildefonse or Rhialto). This 
  person stands up and says that they believe the conclave 
  has chosen poorly in selecting the acting Preceptor for 
  the auxiliaries. He instead puts forward the person with 
  the new highest total, and calls for a vote on the matter. 
  Someone else stands up and says that a vote cannot be 
  held until both challengers have spoken again. Another 
  contest (even a Quick Contest – RBoM, p33) will need 
  be played out, and the acting Preceptor may change. 
   
  
   
   
   
  25 
   
  Appendix 1: Role-Playing Hints for Rhialto-Level 
  Rivalry 
  A read through of Vance’s Rhialto stories brings various aspects into focus. Whilst the theme of oneupmanship and 
  ruthless competition is primary, it is important to note that this goes on amidst a climate of ostensibly cordial 
  interchange much of the time. Whilst Rhialto himself certainly has enemies, by and large the arch-magicians do not 
  exist in a climate of unbridled hatred. Many of them have cordial or at least neutral relations, attend the same social 
  functions in an attitude of good-natured rivalry, and socialise in a civilised fashion once circumstances have 
  conspired to insist that they spend time together. At one point Rhialto enters a room and doffs his hat, and various 
  other arch-magicians respond in kind, although others coldly ignore him. So, it is important to note that 
  competition is considered normal. At a distribution of IOUN stones for instances, it does not surprise the arch-
  magicians when several of their number cheat using the Charm of Temporal Stasis, despite their having agreed 
  verbally upon an equitable selection. Nor is this event a cause for unbridled anger or lasting enmity – the arch-
  magicians take such chicanery for granted and individuals who lost out are mostly annoyed with themselves for not 
  having acted first or with greater efficiency. Of course within this framework it also seems that various veins of 
  sympathy exist, and it is also likely that several members of the conclave will take a dislike to the others. How the 
  Players and GM decide to run this within their own group is up to them. Possibly the PC arch-magicians maintain a 
  roughly cordial social framework (whilst still of course attempting to hoodwink, outdo, and rob each other on a 
  regular basis). Or perhaps the rivalry runs far deeper beneath a veneer of overpolite social nicety. 
   
  Sandestins & Spells 
  Arch-magicians do not use sandestins habitually. For most eventualities they use their repertoires of spells and 
  cantraps. Sandestins are useful when Rhialto travels back in time, since during the story of Fader’s Waft he has been 
  robbed of much of his magical power, which he would have likely used instead had it been available. In the story 
  Morreion, sandestins are not mentioned at all, yet the magicians fly to the end of the universe and do other weird and 
  wonderful things like activating living representations of women from previous aeons. Thus, whilst sandestins are 
  certainly indispensable and immensely powerful, in the stories the arch-magicians use their spells and magical 
  devices by default, rather than reaching for the chug and preparing orders. Similarly, arch-magicians tend to travel 
  via magical machine rather than by sandestin-powered teleportation, which again clarifies that sandestins are for 
  emergencies and unusual situations – for use in extremity rather than daily application. 
   
  With a few exceptions, such as Gilgad’s Galvanic Thrust and Ildefonse’s Signifier, spells are not mentioned to 
  anything like the same degree as they are in the Turjan-Level stories. However, this appears to be because the arch-
  magicians take such things for granted rather than because they are uncommon. No doubt each arch-magician has a 
  large battery of spells at their command, and a range of favourite spells from which they choose those that they 
  routinely encompass. Likewise they will have several magical devices about their person, taken from the large 
  collections at their manse, and any device they have they will know the activation cantrap as readily as you and I 
  know the way to the local shop. Such things are obvious and apparent to experienced arch-magicians. 
   
  The Limitations of Sandestins 
  They cannot create magical items, or journey to a time period if they are already there (TDE, p648); they cannot 
  directly affect lesser gods, the more powerful demons, or someone who also commands sandestins (RBoM, p103). 
  They need specifics and their magical effects can only be roughly equivalent to spells. For each Indenture Point they 
  might: recover a magical item, build a reasonably sized and apportioned manse, slay a powerful archveult (usually by 
  collapsing a cave on them etc rather than dealing death indiscriminately – sandestins have an aversion to being used 
  as common assassins, which needs to be worked around through indirect means); transport you into the far past; 
  repair a magical item (but not recharge one); identify the originator of a set of footprints and describe their present 
  location and activity… Wise arch-magicians include smaller tasks into larger orders, since such things (e.g. stocking 
  a fine wardrobe as part of the manse’s furnishings) cost no extra indenture points – being framed as incidental. 
   
  
   
   
   
  26 
   
  Appendix 2: Optional Sandestin Guidelines 
  Murder! Sandestins won’t willingly murder someone. Such an act is against the rules of their own High Congress 
  (RBoM, p102), perhaps a subclause of the Permeating Injunction. This includes such things as transporting 
  somebody to a place that will inevitably result in their death in anything less than a few weeks. They will happily 
  transport attackers roughly to a distant place. If commanded to murder someone they will argue at great length, and 
  demand a high cost in Indenture Points, quoting the Law of Equipoise and the by-laws of Sandestin High Congress. 
  As explained more fully below, an exception is made for those who are already (or about to) cause harm to others, 
  but even so such an act evokes a higher indenture point cost, making the better option transportation or restraint. 
   
  Injury. Sandestins will not impose actual injury on a non-violent person, such as breaking a leg, rupturing a spleen 
  etc. This might be because such a thing might lead to death, or perhaps this is a separate subclause, or most likely 
  because it is in contradiction of the Law of Equipoise to do so. One exception to this rule is in regard to those 
  sandestins somehow magically bound into weapons, who have no choice in the matter. Sandestins will happily 
  impose all manner of inconveniences however – such as carbuncles, three-foot long noses, turning somebody bright 
  blue. Whilst sandestins still won’t murder a violent person, they might transport them away so violently that they 
  suffer injury. If the person is themselves a murderer (previously or just about to be) the sandestin might accidentally 
  allow a wall to fall on them whilst blocking the way, or otherwise get around this injunction. As mentioned in other 
  DERPG publications, this seems all to be a balance with the Law of Equipoise – what you do unto others expect 
  have done unto you. When dealing with aggressors, the sandestin sees itself as fulfilling the Law of Equipoise by 
  allowing a degree of violence. But when dealing with passive subjects it is constrained from causing them harm. 
   
  Sample Indenture Point Costs 
  1 Point (“generally equivalent to a single difficult, but not overwhelming, magical effort”) 
  Recovering a stolen magical item; Constructing a moderately sized elegant manse; Six months of mundane light 
  service; A week of significant endeavour without risk of harm; A single relatively simple service for an hour or two 
  that has some risk (such as repressing the magical pendants of a small group of arch-magicians); Casting up to 3 
  straightforward spells; Casting a complex spell; Restraining up to a dozen non-magical beings; Transporting up to a 
  dozen persons back in time or returning them to their present; Reading someone’s mind for specific information. 
   
  2 Points 
  Restraining a relatively weak archveult/witch/demon; Allowing vision through the defences of another arch-
  magician’s manse; Briefly deactivating the defences of another arch-magician’s manse; Constructing a moderate 
  manse with full furnishings and accoutrements; Rendering one person temporarily undetectable to magic. 
   
  3 Points 
  Restraining a relatively powerful archveult/witch/demon; Removing/dispelling a weak archveult/witch/demon to 
  where they are unlikely to return from; Allowing vision and sound observation through the defences of another 
  arch-magician’s manse; Longer term deactivation of the defences of another arch-magician’s manse; Constructing a 
  moderate manse with full furnishings and accoutrements and some minor magical capacity. 
   
  4 points 
  Restraining a very powerful archveult/witch/demon; Removing/dispelling a medium archveult/witch/demon to 
  where they are unlikely to return from; Slaying a weak archveult/witch/demon; Transporting you inside the 
  defences of another arch-magician’s manse (without setting off the security measures). 
   
  5 Points 
  Removing/dispelling a very powerful archveult/witch/demon to where they are unlikely to return from; Slaying a 
  relatively powerful archveult/witch/demon; Transporting you and a few companions inside the defences of another 
  arch-magician’s manse (without setting off the security measures). 
   
  6 Points 
  Slaying a very powerful archveult/witch/demon; Transporting your group from the clutches of an enraged godling. 
  
   
   
   
  27 
   
  Appendix 3: Tag-Lines for the Creep of Inaccuracy 
  Play might go for three sessions, or even four, should your Players/PCs be particularly diversionary or verbose. In such 
  cases you will need to adjust and expand the following, which are presently balanced across specific adventure sections. 
   
  Character One 
  The allure of dusty tomes dwindles appreciably when measured against the unexpected offer of a refined luncheon. 
  I have rarely seen such a spectacularly ineffectual effort. Perhaps if you would care to stand aside…? 
  My highly-evolved nasal facility reveals the disagreeable scent of ancient evil drifting limply upon the wind. 
  Character Two 
  I am pursuing the study of eighteenth aeon erotic art, purely as an enhancement to the nobility of my soul. 
  Your inopportune and ill-founded comments are without a minim of merit. I reject such slander with my fullest vigour. 
  My ability to down trenchers with the best of them is without question. Hand me a tankard and prepare for amazement. 
  Character Three 
  Good day to you, sir. Might I take this moment to remind you of my current application to join your fine order? 
  You will find I am the logical choice to head such a force, due to my wide experience of both conundra and uncertainty. 
  I am unconvinced by such claims and suggest a wager to see which of us can truly best master this trifling adversity. 
  Character Four 
  No manner of curse exists that I am unable to undo. I shall lead, and you shall follow. To the library! 
  A jaunt in time is no significant peril. Command your sandestins and evoke your cantraps, for I am in full readiness. 
  Fine clothes, feathered hats, high-stepping horses, such is my natural milieu. Follow me to the walls. 
  Character Five 
  Might I compliment you on this excellent buffet. Clearly you command sandestins of a superior gustatory competence. 
  My membership in your organisation is as good as guaranteed. Merely outline the problem and consider it solved. 
  Your sluggish attitude does you no credit. Behave more zestily or I shall be forced to act with rude force. 
  Character One 
  I shall personally find and restrain this witch or else eat my own hat, lightly boiled and garnished with kank-weed. 
  Fell deeds once took place upon these premises; death and revenge still hang heavy on the air. 
  Loathe as I am to admit it, we have no choice but to attack our cruel nemesis in concert and with our utmost force. 
  Character Two 
  I say this only out of courtesy, but your overly-ostentatious hat is certain to offend her and your ridiculous trousers will 
  surely unsettle her delicate nerves. I advise you to stand aside for your betters in this arena. 
  I was merely taking cover behind that fallen log in order to better target the entity with my choicest magics. 
  My own role has been reduced and maligned to the point of utter farce. I demand a retelling in the strongest terms. 
  Character Three 
  Eyes with the lustre of gossamer stars, lips shining as rubies, hair like spun silk… Command me – I am yours. 
  My mind seethes with spells, my fingers glow with power. Consider the workbooks as being already within my grasp. 
  We cannot accept such a poor representation. Our recent actions have shown us to be men of mettle. Think again! 
  Character Four 
  Enough faddle. To Kaiin at once. You may not care for such things but my personal prestige hangs in the balance. 
  Penalties must be exact and proportionate. I declare it my own arduous duty to find and confiscate her IOUN stones. 
  Such a reward is generous indeed, yet somehow lacking when compared against the magnificence of our recent exertions. 
  Character Five 
  Although the shamefully bedraggled appearance of my colleagues belies it; we are on a mission of utmost importance. 
  Whilst none posses greater innate boldness than myself, when sandestins cower I at least pause to consider my options. 
  Though no stranger to adversity and exertion, I now admit to lethargy. If needed I shall be relaxing in my nympharium. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dying Earth/PEL018 The Creep of Inaccuracy.pdf