TEXT: GM’s Section
  GM’s Section
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  1
  Volume 4, Issue #3 
  Fall, 2008 
  THE MODERN/HORROR ISSUE!!
  GM’s Section 
   
  Around the World 
  The Winchester House by Sitting Duck ............................. 2 
  The Stuff of Legend 
  Prester John by Wiggy Wade-Williams .............................. 3 
  Licensee Dispatch 
  Triple Ace Games by M.A. Cutter ...................................... 3 
  Campaign for My Real Friends 
  Raven’s Peak by Lord Skudley .......................................... 4 
  The Ruling House 
  20 Ways to Haunt Your Game by Preston P. DuBose ...... 7 
  I Love Adventure 
  Living Death by M.A. Cutter ............................................... 8 
  Ravaged Earth: The Creep Squad by Sean Preston ....... 10 
  Ravaged Earth: Fool’s Errand by Sean Preston .............. 13 
  Four from 12 to Midnight 
  Hunting for Bigfoot by Wetterman and Ramsey ............... 17 
  Doorways by Neal Hyde ................................................... 21 
  The Devil’s Throat by Preston P. DuBose ....................... 22  
  The Evil Eye Doctor by Brendan Quinn ........................... 23 
  Editor: Marc Gacy 
  Contributing 
  Editors: 
  M.A. 
  Cutter, 
  Norm 
  Hensley, 
  Jr.,  
  William Reger 
  Layout: Marc Gacy 
  Artists: Terry Whisenant (Cover, 7), Lord Skudley (5), Geoff 
  Nelson (1, 23), other images WikiMedia Commons 
  Shark Bytes created by "JB" Littlefield  
   
   
    
  Shark Bytes is an unofficial, not-for-profit fanzine produced by and for fans 
  of *Savage Worlds*—Pinnacle Entertainment's role-playing game of fast, 
  furious fun. Pinnacle is in no way associated with the publishers of this 
  fanzine and should not be held responsible for its contents. *Savage 
  Worlds*, Smiling Jack, and any other associated trademarks or logos 
  remain the property of PEG, Inc. and are used here with permission. 
  Everything contained herein is considered unofficial unless explicitly stated 
  otherwise. All artwork appearing in this issue of Shark Bytes is the property 
  of the Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. or from the public domain, unless 
  noted otherwise, and is used herein with permission. All articles and 
  artwork remain the property of their copyright holders. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  2
  Around the World 
  This month, a real location with a creepy twist. 
  The Winchester House 
  by Gordon “Sitting Duck” Lawyerer 
  Fear Level: 5 
  On a mesa about halfway 
  between 
  Shan 
  Fan 
  and 
  Gomorra, 
  travelers 
  passing 
  through the Great Maze might 
  notice a large house atop it. 
  Should you pass by again after 
  a few months, it would be 
  apparent 
  that 
  extensive 
  alterations had been made in 
  the interim. If the local ghost 
  rock miners were to be asked 
  about it, they would mutter that 
  the house belongs to, "that 
  crazy Winchester woman." A couple might admit to having 
  helped build it at some point. But always they'd leave in 
  spite of the excellent pay because of the way her 
  instructions changed on a daily basis. One or two might 
  sinisterly observe that, while the sounds of constructions 
  continue day and night, there haven't been any supplies 
  delivered up there for close to a year. 
  To fully comprehend the nature of the Winchester House, 
  one must first get acquainted with the fractured psyche of 
  its architect. When she was married in 1862 to William 
  Winchester (heir to the Winchester Repeating Arms 
  Company), Sarah Pardee was to all appearances a well 
  adjusted young woman. While she had a strong interest in 
  spiritualism, this was hardly unusual for the time. The initial 
  chink in her sanity came about in 1866 when her daughter 
  Annie died a few weeks after being born, sinking her into a 
  great depression. This intensified in 1874 when William 
  died of tuberculosis on the anniversary of the Winchester 
  '73 being introduced on the market. Believing her family to 
  be cursed, Sarah consulted several mediums for advice. 
  Finally one of them told her that the ghosts of those killed 
  by Winchester rifles were angry and to appease them she 
  would have to go out West and build a house for them.  
   Sarah did as instructed and eventually arrived in the 
  Maze. During her trip, she conducted seances on a regular 
  basis to determine where the House was to be built and 
  continued to do so for instructions on how it was to be 
  constructed. Workers were easy to come by, as many 
  ghost rock miners frustrated over being unable to hit a big 
  strike were lured to the promise of a steady paycheck. 
  There was still a moderate turnover in her workforce 
  despite the generous pay as Sarah's constantly changing 
  orders were a source of aggravation. However, a little over 
  a year ago the desertions stopped. The last person known 
  to have left there was Erik Zarkov of the Collegium, whom 
  Sarah had commissioned to install various household 
  devices. 
  As you've probably guessed, the demand for the House 
  came not from ghosts but the Reckoners, who aren't above 
  taking advantage of a grieving widow. The purpose of the 
  House is to be a fear collecter not too different from the city 
  of Lost Angels. The reason for the constant alterations is to 
  adjust it like an antenna to collect as much fear as 
  possible. The entity Sarah believes to be her spirit guide is 
  in truth a manitou which monitors the 
  surrounding Fear Levels. The workers 
  themselves are no longer alive, merely 
  animated husks continuing the work on the 
  House. The House itself is slowly becoming 
  an entity in its own right and can currently 
  cause minor physical effects and illusions in 
  its interior. Once the mesa becomes a 
  Deadland, the House will be able to adjust 
  the actual architecture by itself and will 
  consume Sarah and the workers. 
  Should the posse enter the Winchester 
  House, they'll be in for a bad time. The 
  interior layout is chaotic and is easy to get lost in. Unless 
  an effort is made to map a trail, a character must make a 
  Smarts roll at -4 every five minutes of exploration to keep 
  from getting lost. Many of the doors and staircases lead to 
  blank walls or drops. Sarah believes this is to confuse the 
  ghosts so they won't get her. In actuality it's the House's 
  way of dealing with intruders. Compounding the danger is 
  that the House frequently creates illusions to disguise a 
  dangerous fall waiting on the other end. To spot such 
  illusions requires an opposed Spirit roll against the House's 
  d12. 
  Sarah Winchester (WC) 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d4  
  Skills: Guts d6, Investigation d8, Knowledge (Occult) d10, 
  Notice d8, Persuasion d6  
  Hindrances: Anemic, Delusional (major, must keep up the 
  construction), Slowpoke (mildly arthritic), Small  
  Edges: Closed Channeler*, Filthy Rich, Sensitive*  
  Pace: 5 Parry: 2 Toughness: 3 Charisma: 0 Grit: 2 
  Description: A petite upper class woman in her early 
  forties. 
  *These edges can be found in Shark Bytes 1.1. 
  Workers  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8  
  Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6, Repair d6 Pace: 6 Parry: 5 
  Toughness: 8 
  Special Abilities 
  Fearless 
  Low Light Vision 
  Undead 
  Note: There are twenty workers and one foreman. The 
  foreman has its skills at d8 and is a Wild Card. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  3
  The Stuff of Legend 
  Legendary Characters to spruce up an encounter or 
  provide the seed for a whole adventure. 
  Prester John 
  A Necropolis 2350 Legend 
  by Wiggy Wade-Williams 
  For the last decade, Prester John’s name has been spoken 
  in awe by soldiers aided by him on the battlefield, yet 
  despite his fame among the Sacri Ordines, Prester John’s 
  name appears in no Ordo’s records, and no Lance claims 
  to serve with him. 
  Virtually every story about him runs the same—a unit cut 
  off and seemingly without hope is rescued by a lone man 
  who appeared out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly 
  once the action was over. The story could be believable, if 
  it wasn’t for the fact that soldiers across Salus have 
  reported his appearance. Without an official record, the 
  man could never secure transportation, but soldiers on 
  every battlefront have witnessed his fury, and been healed 
  by his expert ministrations. 
  To some he is a spiritual guardian, an angel sent to aid 
  those in desperate need. Others claim the stories are pure 
  myth, figments of imaginations stretched to breaking point 
  by the horrors of perpetual war. Yet those who have 
  received medical care or rallied to his orders swear holy 
  oaths the mysterious figure was flesh and blood. 
  Little is known about the man behind the myth. Witnesses 
  claim he wears the markings of an Impaler Chaplain on his 
  battle-damaged armor and that he is blessed with 
  miraculous powers. They also swear he wears the 
  distinctive “Hammer of Thor” shoulder patch, the symbol of 
  Valhalla Military Academy graduates. 
  Adventure Seed: The Lance is suffering heavy losses to 
  the Rephaim, when out of the smoke walks a lone figure, a 
  shotgun in one hand and prayer book in the other. Without 
  pausing, the stranger takes command of the situation, 
  barking orders and blasting any Rephaim in sight. When 
  the battle ends, there is no sign of the mysterious 
  Chaplain. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6 
  Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Healing d8, 
  Intimidation d6, Knowledge(Battle) d8, Notice d6, Shooting d8 
  Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 9 (4) 
  Hindrances: Death Wish, Loyal, Overconfident 
  Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Combat Reflexes, 
  Command, Common Bond, Improved Dodge, Marksman, 
  Medic, Power Points (x2), Tactician, Valhalla Graduate 
  Special Training: Church Knowledge, Healers 
  Powers: Deflection, healing (20 PP) 
  Gear: Light armor (+2), shotgun (Range: 12/24/48, 
  Damage: 1–3d6), 20 shells, dog-eared Book of Common 
  Prayer, medikit. 
  Licensee Dispatch 
  TRIPLE ACE GAMES 
  It's only been 16 weeks since TAG came sprang into life, 
  but we've managed to deliver one product a week without 
  fail. And that trend is set to continue long into the future. As 
  well as continuing to pump out our Daring Tales of 
  Adventure pulp tale line, Triple Ace Games is proud to 
  announce the release of Necropolis 2350 on 22nd October. 
  Releases for the next few weeks include the Necropolis 
  2350 Player's Guide, Figure Flats, and two adventures, a 
  Sundered Skies adventure, and more Daring Tales. 
   
  Several new adventure lines are in development, as are 
  two new Savage settings. Early 2009 also sees the release 
  of not one, but two Showdown settings. Keep an eye out 
  for new products each and every week! 
   
  The Savage Worlds Explorers Society 
  Ever wonder how you can spread the Savage word 
  to all those poor unlucky gamers you see at the 
  conventions playing the same old, same old?  
  The best way is to jump in there and run some 
  games yourself! The Savage Worlds Explorers 
  Society is all about helping you be successful at 
  running convention games and rewarding you for 
  doing it!  
  We offer a place for GMs to share with each other, 
  helpful aids, previews of upcoming Savage Worlds 
  projects, and much more! Becoming an Explorer can 
  also net you some cool branded items just for 
  running games! Stickers, T-shirts (yes they are 
  coming soon! Check the site for more details!), and 
  some other as of yet unannounced freebies are 
  coming for you devoted GMs! 
  Running a game at a con can seem intimidating, but 
  take it from the Explorers, it’s not as bad as you 
  might think! So the next time you’re going to a 
  convention that doesn’t have enough Savageness, 
  why not bring your own!? 
  Visit the web page at 
  www.savageworldsexplorerssociety.com for more 
  information and thank you for supporting Savage 
  Worlds! 
  - Evil Mike and Chaos Steve 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  4
  Campaign for My Real Friends 
  This month, from the prolific Lord Skudley we have the 
  town of Raven’s Peak and a couple of the fine 
  establishments in the town. There are more maps than are 
  shown here (only one florr of a given map with multiple 
  floors is shown) but all will be available as a separate 
  download on the Shark Bytes site. 
  RAVEN’S PEAK 
  by Lord Skudley 
  The Guardian 
  Once a gothic church, The Rose of Mary Chapel, the 
  Guardian is now a favorite hangout for the Youth of 
  Ravens Peak (or any other town). Despite the atmosphere, 
  the Guardian conducts an honest and very above board 
  business. Altercations are dealt with quickly, the offending 
  parties are expelled and repeat offenders are banned for a 
  period of time. The Proprietor and Bouncers’ ability to spot 
  and 
  deal 
  with 
  problems 
  is 
  almost 
  supernatural…
   
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  5
  The main floor consists of: 
  The Dance Floor: open to anyone 16 and older. The Dance 
  Floor also has Mezzanine available to the patrons to sit 
  away from most of the noise. The Bouncers at the door are 
  vigilant and mostly unflappable. 
  The Bar: Open to only those above 21 and who can 
  provide verifiable ID. If the Bouncers at the Dance Floor 
  are vigilant then the ones here are positively militant. 
  The “G-Garden” Restaurant and The “G” Restaurant. Open 
  during the day, closing at 9:00 PM as the Dance Floor 
  opens. It serves exquisite food, and has an elegant 
  atmosphere. 
  The Yard and Bell Tower: Hmmm… 
  The Basement: It is an OLD church after all… 
  The Walrus and the Carpenter 
  A seedy, second rate smoke-filled tavern so old you could 
  believe the Omniverse was built around it… In point of fact 
  the Omniverse was created to accommodate its existence. 
   
  Andrew “Drew” Carpenter 
  A large Scotsman who greatly resembles a squat walrus, 
  his bushy mustache flares and his ample belly shakes 
  when he laughs, which is often. He is the congenial owner, 
  operator of the infamous tavern “The Walrus and the 
  Carpenter”. Always there to serve you a drink or share 
  information, for a price. 
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d6  
  Skills: Fighting d4, Gambling d8, Intimidation d10+2, 
  Knowledge(Business) d10, Notice d10+2, Persuasion 
  d10+2, Shooting d4, Streetwise d12+2, Taunt d6+2  
  Pace: 4, Parry: 4, Toughness: 6, Charisma: +2/-2 
  Edges: Alert, Charismatic, Rich, Snake Oil Salesman, 
  Strong Willed 
  Hindrances: Cautious, Habit (Major): Smokes a pipe, 
  Obese, Outsider: Scotsman 
  Gear: Bar: Owner Operator of “The Walrus and the 
  Carpenter”, Club, Sap, Shotgun: Double Barrel 
   
  Stanley “Fingers” Walrus 
  Drew’s long time associate and Partner. Fingers is as slim 
  as Drew is fat. With his battered derby cocked to one side 
  and look of perpetual naïveté, he hides a cunning talent 
  for… procurement. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d10, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6+2, Fighting d4, Knowledge(B&E) d10, 
  Knowledge(Carpentry) d10, Lockpick d8+2, Persuasion d6, 
  Repair d8, Stealth d10+2, Streetwise d8  
  Pace: 6, Parry: 4(+1), Toughness: 5, Charisma: +2/-2 
  Edges: Acrobat, Charismatic, McGyver, Thief 
   
  Hindrances: Curious, Quirk: Absent mindedness; some 
  may say he is as Dumb as a Brick, Small, Outsider: 
  Cockney 
    
  Gear: Hammer, Saw, Picks, Derby  
  The Quaint & Curious Chamber Door  
  A Curiosity Magic Shop 
  "Nevermore" Neverman 
  Owner operator of The Quaint & Curious Chamber Door. 
  He is a tall thin man of Carrabin descent. Well educated 
  and knowledgeable on a number of esoteric subjects. His 
  long thin nose and dark complexion reminds people of the 
  Raven in the gothic poem of the same name. 
  Attributes: Agility d6 Smarts d12 Spirit d10 Strength d6 
  Vigor d6 
  Skills: Healing d6 Investigation d12+2 Knowledge: History 
  d12+2 Knowledge: Occult d12+2 Knowledge: Trivia d12 
  Notice d10 Persuasion d12 Streetwise d10+2  
  Pace: 6 Parry: 2 Toughness: 4 Charisma: 0 
  Edges: Beast Bond Beast Master Investigator Jack of All 
  Trades Scholar 
  Hindrances: Bad Eyes (mjr) Curious Pacifist Small 
  Gear: The Quaint & Curious Chamber Door 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  6
   
  NoCraven 
  Mr. Neverman's pet Raven. He sits on his perch on the 
  counter and welcomes patrons to the shop with a squawk 
  of "Come in, Welcome". His grasp of language is 
  rudimentary but he will learn the names of regular 
  customers and will call "Nevermore Neverman!!!" when Mr. 
  Neverman is not in sight to help the clientel. 
  Attributes: Agility d12 Smarts d6(A) Spirit d4 Strength d4 
  Vigor d6 
  Skills: Fighting d4 Notice d10 Stealth d8 Tracking d4 
  Knowledge: English d4 
  Pace: 7 Flying (Climb rate of 2) - 4 Walking Parry: 4 (-2 to 
  hit) Toughness: 2 Charisma: 0 
  Edges: Low Light Vision 
  Hindrances: Curious 
  Gear: Perch 
  The RavenSpeak 
  Raven’s Peak’s bi-weekly newspaper 
  Randy Carter 
  Owner and Editor of the RavenSpeak. If curiousity killed 
  the cat then Mr. Carter should have died long ago. Always 
  ready to hear a tale, spin a yarn, and stick his nose where 
  it doesn’t belong just as long as he gets the scoop! 
  Attributes: Agility d8 Smarts d10 Spirit d12 Strength d6 
  Vigor d6 
  Skills: Driving d8 Fighting d6 Guts d12 Intimidation d6 
  Investigation d12+2 Lockpick d6 Notice d10 Persuasion 
  d8+2 Stealth d10 Streetwise d8+4 Knowledge: Literature 
  d10+2 Knowledge: History d12 Knowledge: Occult d10+2 
  Pace: 6 Parry: 5 Toughness: 5 Charisma: +2 
  Edges: Charismatic Investigator Jack of All Trades Scholar 
  Snake Oil Salesman 
  Hindrances: Curious Overconfident Stubborn 
  Gear: Notepad Pen Camera Laptop 
   
  Other locations 
  The Nathan Reign Museum 
   
  Howell’s  
  A 1950’s style soda shop owned and operated by the ever 
  congenial Albert Howell. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  7
  THE RULING HOUSE. 
  The Ruling House showcases house rules or additional 
  rules. This month, how to make your game more terrifying 
  from the masters at 12 to Midnight. 
  20 Ways to  
  Haunt Your Game 
  by Preston P. DuBose of 12 to Midnight 
  Pulling off a haunting in game takes a special kind of 
  spookiness. Real haunted houses aren’t filled with tableaus 
  of gore and monsters, but hours of boredom broken by 
  brief, startling phenomena. At the game table the best way 
  to create a successfully scary haunting is by building upon 
  several small events. When you’re all out of ideas, or when 
  you want to throw your players a curve, dust off your d20 
  and roll randomly on the table below--or just use the idea 
  that sounds coolest to you. 
   
    
  A small object belonging to a hero disappears and is found in an 
  unlikely place (medicine cabinet, kitchen drawer, locked safe, attic, 
  basement, inside a toy, etc.) 
  1. 
  Voices whisper a hero’s name from the next room. 
  2. A hero feels a hand clamp down on his shoulder from 
  behind, but nobody is there. 
  3. A small object flies across the room toward a hero. 
  4. A strong, distinct smell (burning hair, a hot cooked meal, 
  perfume or cologne, etc) briefly washes over the heroes. 
  5. A hero experiences a brief drop in temperature intense 
  enough to cause frost to form on clothing or equipment. 
  6. An empty room rings with the sound of children running 
  through. 
  7. A hero who looks in a mirror fails to see his reflection. 
  8. All photos, paintings, etc. fall from the walls simultaneously. 
  9. Any and all radios, tvs, or sound equipment spontaneously 
  turn on and burst into static. 
  10. The heroes can hear a swarm of flies or bees, seemingly 
  inside a wall. 
  11. A shadow defies all light sources. 
  12. All doors slam shut simultaneously. 
  13. Blood pools up from any fabric touched by the heroes, 
  including footsteps in carpet. 
  14. Lights flicker every time a particular hero speaks. 
  15. An unplugged telephone rings until someone answers. 
  16. A knocking sound comes from inside the walls. 
  17. As a hero enters a room, he catches sight of a stranger 
  leaving through a different doorway.  
  18. Over the space of 15 minutes, dozens of birds violently kill 
  themselves by flying into windows. 
  19. All liquids, even water, turn rancid. 
  For more ideas on what to do with a haunting, check 
  out the Random Séance table found in Green’s Guide 
  to Ghosts. 
   
   
  Ron & Veronica Blessing’s podcast that often covers 
  Savage Worlds with fantastic interviews and insight. 
  Check it out at http://www.thegamesthething.com 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  8
  I Love Adventure 
  This section normally has one or two, but this issue we 
  have just a few more than that, with representation from 
  Deadlands, Ravaged Erath and Pinebox Texas. Sit back, 
  relax and enjoy these episodes in terror. 
  Living Death 
  A Deadlands: Reloaded Adventure 
  by M.A.Cutter 
  A Bad End 
  While moseying across the plains the posse sees a haze of 
  smoke up ahead. Soon they discover an overturned and 
  smoldering Conestoga wagon, a pair of bloated horses 
  hacked nearly to pieces, and an entire family of settlers 
  burned upon a bonfire. 
  Their belongings are scattered about but nothing—not 
  even the family’s keepsake box containing $20—is 
  missing. The smell is nearly unbearable, so cowpokes 
  need to make Guts checks or lose their lunch. 
  A successful Notice check reveals that the earth and 
  prairie grass are trampled down as if by a mob of 20 or 
  more people. Any character scoring a raise on the Notice 
  check discovers something even more odd—the bonfire is 
  encircled by a ring of salt, and the mouths of the victims 
  were stuffed full of holy wafers after they cooled. A 
  successful Tracking or Notice roll reveals that the mob’s 
  footprints lead due south. 
  Old Gil 
  Gilman Hutchinson wasn’t always lonely. Once he had a 
  family, and was well-liked among the people of Atlanta. But 
  that was before Gilman saw with his own eyes the evil that 
  men do. Long before the Civil War he was a Captain in the 
  Army, and he led a raid upon a Cherokee village that 
  turned into a massacre. Captain Hutchinson did not join in 
  the slaying, but he didn’t raise a hand to stop it either. The 
  dying Chief’s last words to him were, “You may be 
  killed...but you can never die.” 
  Over time Gil’s wife passed on and his children grew up. 
  He grew old as well, and infirm, but as much as he prayed 
  for death it never came. He lit out for the West after the 
  Civil War, still praying that his torment would end. Out on 
  the plains an ancient spirit heard and answered, leading Gil 
  to the tiny, impoverished town of Sawgrass Ridge. 
  The people were laid low by drought and famine, and new 
  settlers continually passed over the region for brighter 
  prospects farther West. With the unholy aid of his spirit 
  guide, Gil secured the same blessing he’d been given—
  though some might call it a curse—for the people of 
  Sawgrass Ridge. No matter how bad things got, the 
  townsfolk of Sawgrass Ridge would never die. But they 
  weren’t exactly alive, either. 
  Old Gil is now the beloved mayor of a town that believes 
  itself to be quite normal. In truth the townsfolk are walkin’ 
  dead, deluded by the Reckoners. Even worse, the 
  townsfolk believe “The Living” to be irredeemably evil. It 
  was they who slaughtered the settlers. They’ll do the same 
  to any living posse that rides into town, if they’re able. 
  The Houlihan Farmstead 
  Before the posse reaches Sawgrass Ridge, they must 
  cross the farmland of Bertram Houlihan. Bert works the 
  fields with a rotting, sway-backed mare that pulls the plow. 
  To him, his current state is just the way of things, while the 
  posse—with their nauseating pink flesh and repulsive 
  breathing—represents pure evil. 
  What looks like a groaning fiend is actually a farmer 
  unaware of his own predicament. It is likely that the posse 
  reacts with violence, but they may be taken aback when 
  Bert shouts for help, fights intelligently, and accuses them 
  of being “pawns of the devil.” Bert’s family (one per posse 
  member) aid him if they can. Under no circumstances can 
  Bert be convinced that he’s dead. He just thinks the posse 
  is crazy as well as evil. 
  Zombietown 
   
  Presumably the posse won’t ride into the middle of 
  Sawgrass Ridge (Fear Level 4), whoopin’ and hollerin’, but 
  if they do they’re in for a hell of a fight. The townsfolk all act 
  with the intelligence they had in life, but use the stats for 
  walkin’ dead (with a few changes). They quickly form a 
  mob (numbering 30), and attempt to hang, burn, and bless 
  “The Living” with holy water. Mayor Hutchinson joins in as 
  well, using the terrible powers given to him by his spirit 
  guide to lay low any interlopers. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  9
  If the posse takes a more cautious route and watches the 
  town from a distance, they see a bizarre scene. Every 
  single person in town shuffles about, bits of flesh dropping 
  from yellowed bones, going about their business and 
  greeting friends as though nothing was out of the ordinary. 
  Sawgrass Ridge has a general store, a small church, a 
  saloon, a telegraph office, and a barber, along with several 
  other residential buildings. 
  From here everything depends on what the posse does. 
  Characters who are obviously Harrowed are welcomed as 
  friends. If townsfolk are captured and successfully 
  interrogated, they’re not good for much more than curses 
  and threats, along with assurances that the posse will 
  never get away with their evil plot. All the townsfolk speak 
  of Old Gil, their mayor, in terms of glowing admiration. 
  They were in a bad place, they say, but when Gil came to 
  town “everything changed.” Old Gil brought everlasting 
  happiness where there had been only misery. 
  Bustin’ the Curse 
  The only way to lift the curse upon Sawgrass Ridge is to 
  destroy Mayor Hutchinson and bless his remains. This is 
  easier said than done. Old Gil lives in a house near the 
  center of town, and is perhaps most deluded of any of its 
  inhabitants. He views his spirit guide as a benevolent 
  guardian rather than a scheming manitou. If given the 
  chance he explains that he only wanted some respite from 
  the loneliness of eternal life. That doesn’t stop him from 
  using his prodigious powers to try to wipe out the posse. 
  If Old Gil is killed and blessed, the zombie townsfolk return 
  to normal, as though waking from a horrible nightmare. As 
  Gil passes from this life, he seems grateful—a peaceful 
  smile is on his lips. Any walkin’ dead the posse put down 
  stay dead once the curse is lifted. 
  Old Gil Hutchinson (WC) 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Notice d10, Shooting d8, 
  Spellcasting d10, Stealth d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 
  Hindrances: Delusional (Believes himself to be a good 
  man). 
  Gear: Rotting clothes, cracked spectacles. 
  Special Abilities 
   Black Magic: Old Gil has 30 Power Points and can 
  use the following powers: armor (shadowy shroud), 
  barrier (bloody thorns), bolt (black arrows), dispel 
  (cleansing wind), fear (otherworldly scream), and 
  puppet (sinister voice). 
   Death Touch: Old Gil can drain the lives of his foes 
  with a touch. Instead of a normal attack, Old Gil 
  makes a touch attack (a Fighting roll at +2). Each 
  success and raise on his Fighting roll automatically 
  inflicts one wound to the target. Foes killed in this 
  manner becoming willing members of Gil’s flock. 
   Fear: Old Gil has taken on a terrifying aspect that 
  provokes a Guts check. 
   Hardy: Additional Shaken results do not cause a 
  wound. 
   Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. Called shots do no extra damage. 
   
  Walkin’ Dead Townsfolk (30) 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Trade) d8, 
  Notice d6, Shooting d4 
  Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Hindrances: Delusional (Believe that they are alive, and 
  the living are evil). 
  Gear: (varies by individual) 2 Winchester lever-action 
  (12/24/48; 1-3d6; RoF 1; Shots 4; +2 Shooting), 6 double 
  barrel shotgun (12/24/48; 1-3d6; RoF 1-2; Shots 2; +2 
  Shooting), knives (d6+d4), clubs (d6+d6), torches, holy 
  water. 
  Special Abilities 
   Claws: Str+d4. 
   Undead: +2 Toughness:. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. Called shots do no extra damage. Arrows, 
  bullets, and other piercing attacks do half-damage. 
   Weakness (Head): Shots to a zombie’s head are +2 
  damage. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  10
  Ravaged Earth 
  Hello one and all. As we approach Halloween, we’d like to 
  remind one and all that there is something about the 
  autumnal air that seems to carry with it not only the 
  seasonal changes but ghosts of the past. It is as though 
  Aetherium stirs up memories of another age and awakens 
  dormant supernatural creatures, the creeps, who roam 
  through our back alleys and dark corners waylaying 
  unwary citizenry. Be careful. Beware.  
  The Creep Squad 
  by Sean Preston 
  copyright Reality Blurs and used with permission  
  Ever since the War of the Worlds, the Red War, there has 
  been a rise of supernatural phenomena across the world. 
  In the United States, public outcry and reported weird 
  incidents grew to such a degree that Congress proposed 
  the Supernatural Protection Act that President Garner 
  passed in late 1933. This act created a special division in 
  the FBI that investigates and contains supernatural 
  incidents in the United States. This special department is 
  called Division X and keeps tabs on all weird sightings, 
  unexplained phenomenon, supernatural creatures, and 
  occult activity. Johnny Harker, a British journalist, claimed 
  to have intercepted some of the files and refused to report 
  on them, claiming they gave him the creeps and the less 
  known about them the better. Currently, Mister Harker is 
  convalescing nicely somewhere on the West Coast. 
  Whatever the case, the files are now called the Creep 
  Reports and the special agents of Division X are better 
  known as the Creep Squad. Even the agents themselves 
  glibly refer to the nightmare monsters they deal with 
  categorically as creeps. The Creep Reports were moved 
  after being compromised to a secure facility in the 
  Department of Justice known as the Black Vault to which 
  only certain members of Division X and FBI Director 
  Hoover have unrestricted access.  
  Division X is headed up by Eliot Ness, a former treasury 
  department agent who tried going after Capone in 1931 
  with his distinguished team called the “Untouchables.”  
  Ness may have been given the slip by Capone’s men, but 
  he never forgot the mobster king. After Capone’s trial 
  ended and Capone went free, Ness did a lot of soul-
  searching. He realized the only way to get Capone was to 
  hit the gangster hard and only one entity could do that: the 
  FBI. Ness joined the agency and functioned as a regular 
  agent for a few years, until Division X’s creation. Hoover 
  tapped Ness to head that division based on an experience 
  Ness had in Capone’s vault. 
  Eliot Ness  
  Ness and his G-men got a tip Capone smuggled some 
  illegal “merchandise” in the safe vaults at the Hawthorne 
  Hotel in Chicago in early 1933. Armed with Tommy Guns, 
  .38 
  revolvers 
  and 
  shotguns, Ness’ G-
  men 
  stormed 
  the 
  hotel with a warrant 
  to 
  search 
  the 
  premises.  
  The 
  agents 
  made 
  their 
  way 
  to 
  the 
  basement 
  vaults 
  where the rumored 
  contraband 
  lay. 
  There 
  in 
  the 
  darkened gloom, the 
  G-men came face-to-
  face with a hideous 
  wraithlike apparition. 
  The creature wielded 
  a scimitar and wore 
  a 
  tattered 
  robe 
  completely obscuring 
  its head. The thing lunged at the agents, who opened fire. 
  Two of Ness’ men died in the altercation, but the creature 
  was finally killed. Inside the vault, Ness found ancient 
  Persian scrolls, golden statues, idols and Sumerian clay 
  tablets. What a hood like Capone wanted with ancient 
  artifacts puzzled Ness. He hopes the agents of Division X 
  can solve that mystery. Ness is a good man. He’s moral 
  and clean and follows things by the book. Ever since taking 
  over Division X, he has worked hard to lower the division’s 
  profile and few governmental agencies are aware of their 
  existence. This is by design. Ness doesn’t want to draw 
  any attention to his agents, nor to their work. He knows 
  how large the threats are and what’s at stake and instills 
  the importance of discretion into his operatives.  
  Black Badgers and Specials 
  The only difference between the standard FBI badge and 
  the Division X badge is that the latter badge is gunmetal 
  black and is commonly known as the Black Badge. Thus, 
  Division X agents are frequently referred to among 
  governmental and law enforcement agents with which they 
  interact as Black Badgers. With the rampant rise of 
  Ravaged criminals and gangster activity, support for the 
  Creep Squad has declined as ordinary G-men are in short 
  supply. Ness, who reports directly to Hoover, is used to 
  working on limited resources and has made a special 
  arrangement with Hoover that empowers his agents with 
  field deputization powers, enabling them to recruit 
  necessary talent outside of normal governmental channels. 
  Deputized outsiders are known as Specials and run a 
  broad spectrum of careers and occupations. The Specials 
  have become invaluable in Ness’ fight against the growing 
  tides of darkness. A number of Specials regularly become 
  full-time members of Creep Squads, either maintaining 
  their old careers as cover identities or abandoning them 
  altogether to become Black Badgers themselves. Specials 
  are rarely sent on their own, usually there is at least one 
  field agent per mission, but extenuating circumstances 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  11
  sometimes arise where no regular agents are available and 
  the Specials must act.  
  Power of the Badge 
  The Black Badge is well respected and known among 
  criminal supernatural elements and an agent who 
  brandishes it receives a +2 to Intimidation attempts against 
  any who are aware of – and care about- Division X.  
  Becoming a Black Badger 
  Should a character become a Black Badger during the 
  course of play, then they gain Connections (Law 
  Enforcement) and Obligations (Major: Division X) and the 
  Black Badge. Other requirements are at the GM’s 
  discretion, but should include, at a minimum actively 
  serving on a Creep Squad as a Special for several 
  adventures (or one long investigation).  
  A Typical Creep Squad 
  Following is a typical Creep Squad, complete with 2 Black 
  Badgers and 4 Specials.  
  Special Agent Frank Cheney 
  Frank Cheney is a tough, no nonsense, agent who tends to 
  be very serious and focused on his work to the exclusion of 
  having any sort of personal life. In other words, what his 
  boss, Ness, considers a perfect Black Badger. He stands a 
  wiry 5’8” tall and looks a bit bookish or distracted. His black 
  hair is in constant disarray and his general appearance is 
  disheveled and unkempt, as though he sleeps in his 
  clothes. He’s orchestrated a number of successful 
  operations against creeps and doesn’t let his ego get in the 
  way. He knows the dangers of what’s out there and is 
  comfortable operating in a support capacity if need be. His 
  free time is consumed with reading books on the occult. 
  Cheney has bent a few rules along the way and lost a few 
  agents and Specials, but sleeps well at night knowing he’s 
  working for the greater good.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 5, Charisma: 0, Toughness: 5 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Investigation 
  d8, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4 
  Defining Interests: City Knowledge (Washington, D.C.), 
  Disguise, Knowledge (Law), Knowledge (Occult)  
  Languages: English 
  Hindrances: Obligations (Major, Division X), Obsession 
  (Root Out Evil) 
  Edges: Courageous, Division X Agent, Connections (Law 
  Enforcement), Marksman 
  Knack: Eagle Eye 
  Gear & Equipment: suit, trenchcoat, the Black badge, Colt 
  Service pistol (.45), and two-way wrist radio 
  Quote: “We have no other choice, but to press on!”  
  Dr. Victoria Price 
  Victoria Price, Vicky to her close friends, is a slender 
  blonde who dresses in pantsuits and wears simple wire-
  frame glasses. She is constantly playing with her gum 
  while she tries to sort out problems. Six months ago, she 
  became a Special and has served on Creep Squads from 
  time to time when not trying to break the laws of physics. 
  Her analytical mind is frequently is at odds with what she 
  sees and she’s constantly trying to reconcile the underlying 
  facts of any situation before blindly rushing into harm’s 
  way.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d6 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 5, Charisma: -1, Toughness: 5 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d4, Healing d8, Notice d6, Repair 
  d8, Shooting d6, Weird Science d8 
  Defining 
  Interests: 
  Classical 
  Literature, 
  Metallurgy, 
  Knowledge (Aetherium)  
  Languages: English, German 
  Hindrances: Cautious, Bad Eyes (Minor), Habit (Chewing 
  Gum) 
  Edges: AB (Weird Science), New Power, Gizmo (Healing 
  Kit: Healer) 
  Knack: Universal Gadget 
  Gear & Equipment: Face Mask with Sonic Boom, Pistol, 
  Healing Kit 
  Powers: Aetherium Wave Detector (Detect/Conceal 
  Arcana), Sonic Boom (Burst) 
  Power Points: 10  
  Clara Bow, Parapsychologist  
  With short bobbed 
  hair 
  and 
  little 
  make-up, there is 
  something 
  about 
  Clara Bow that still 
  makes heads turn. 
  She did a bit of 
  film work in her 
  youth, 
  but 
  after 
  her 
  mother’s 
  passing, 
  she 
  became obsessed 
  with the afterlife 
  and 
  abandoned 
  her career. She 
  learned 
  savate 
  while working on 
  her last epic piece 
  of cinema that was 
  never completed, 
  The Revenant. 
  People still regularly recognize her and Clara is considered 
  one of the more prominent Specials. Clara is not one bit 
  bashful about using her fame and animal magnetism when 
  the situation warrants. Division X has promised to help her 
  learn to control her Second Sight and, in return, she helps 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  12
  open doors and illuminates the darkness as much as she is 
  able.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d4 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 6, Charisma: +2/+4, Toughness: 4 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Knowledge (Occult) d8, 
  Notice d6, Persuasion d8 
  Defining Interests: Acting, The Afterlife, Psychology 
  Languages: English, French 
  Hindrances: Curious, Loyal, Pacifist (Minor),  
  Edges: Animal Magnetism, Cat’s Pajamas, Martial Artist 
  Knack: Psychometry 
  Gear & Equipment: Simple dress, diamond ring, pill box 
  hat, gloves, purse 
  Quote: “Don’t you recognize me?”  
  Professor George Melies, Antiquarian 
  Of advancing years, the Professor had long been a 
  bibliophile operating a tiny bookstore in Paris. One 
  afternoon, an old acquaintance entered and insisted he 
  translate a folio he had picked up while travelling the 
  Mediterranean. Intrigued, Melies set to the task and 
  realized he was reading an ancient book of magic. Melies 
  also noted that the paper had a strange texture and 
  investigation revealed that this ancient book contained 
  trace amounts of ground Aetherium. The Professor traded 
  the bookshop to his old friend for the book and set abroad 
  looking for more books, concerned that they might fall into 
  the wrong hands. Along the way, the Professor, a practical 
  man, has taught himself some magic, though, being 
  rational, considers it more a physical manifestation in 
  response to a formula. He feels anyone can learn to do it, 
  given enough time. Generally, he uses his talents with 
  discretion. He has worked with Division X on several 
  occasions and has continually refused their offer of making 
  him a full agent.  
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d6 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 4, Toughness: 5 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Investigation d10, Notice d6, 
  Spellcasting d8, Streetwise d8  
  Defining Interests: Ancient History, Books 
  Languages: English, French 
  Hindrances: Heroic, Poverty, Vow (Minor: Collect the 
  World’s Dangerous Books)  
  Edges: AB (Magic), Investigator, Linguist 
  Knack: Photographic Memory 
  Gear & Equipment: Cane, Topcoat, Bowler 
  Powers: Zeus’ Fury (Bolt), Hecate’s Wisdom (Dispel), 
  Athena’s Blessing (Speak Language) 
  Power Points: 10 
  Quote: “Magic? I don’t do magic! Math with special effects, 
  perhaps?”  
  Roger Miller, Drifter 
  An aspiring architect, Roger’s world unraveled when he 
  suffered crippling injuries during the later part of WW2. 
  During his convalescence, he began suffering strange 
  visions and couldn’t control them. This manifested 
  physically as his body’s energy field shifted, making his 
  ability to work in an office impossible. With no other choice, 
  Roger began the life of a hobo, wandering from town to 
  town, taking whatever work he could. One day while 
  traveling the rails one of the Circle of Wonder and Light 
  explained to him that he had uncontrolled powers and 
  began to teach him. He learned that they man helping him 
  was the famous Captain Calhoun. His nightmares went 
  away for the most part and he now helps the Creep Squad 
  as its unnoticed eyes and ears. He blames the war for 
  destroying his life and his greatest wish is to eliminate the 
  Nazi threat once and for all and will happily die in pursuit of 
  this goal.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d4 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 4, Toughness: 4 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d6, Psionics d10, 
  Streetwise d8, Survival d6 
  Defining Interests: Architecture, Astronomy 
  Languages: English, German 
  Hindrances: All Thumbs, Death Wish, One Leg (Lame), 
  Vow (Major: Uphold Calhoun’s Creed) 
  Edges: AB (Psionics), Hobo, Extra Power Points 
  Knack: Lip Reader 
  Powers: Thumb Lighter Pantomime (Light), Pocket Watch 
  Trick (Puppet), Steely Gaze (Telekinesis) 
  Power Points: 15 
  Gear & Equipment: None.  
   “Fighting” Father Charles Spencer  
  Raised in an orphanage and continually getting into 
  trouble, one afternoon while in chapel, Charles felt the 
  touch of the divine and decided he would join the 
  priesthood. He still continued his fighting, but has 
  organized it into a community boxing league for the local 
  kids. He’s viewed more or less as a street priest by the 
  Church and is considered something as an expert on 
  exorcisms which he’s reported has been on the rise in the 
  past fifteen years. The Church regularly loans him out to 
  Division X and recognizes the good the father does.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d8 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 7, Toughness: 6 
  Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d10, Guts d6, Notice d6, 
  Persuasion d4 
  Defining Interests: City Knowledge (Boston), Knowledge 
  (Theology), Exorcisms, Mythology 
  Languages: English 
  Hindrances: Obligations (Major: Church), Code of Honor 
  Edges: AB (Miracles), Bring it On!, Holy Warrior 
  Knack: Heroic Inspiration 
  Powers: Strength of Faith (Boost/Lower Trait), Healing 
  Prayer (Healing) 
  Power Points: 10 
  Gear & Equipment: Cross, Bible, Baseball Bat 
  Quote: “By the grace of God!” 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  13
  Fool’s Errand 
  A Ravaged Tale from  
  the Creep Squad Vault 
  by Sean Preston 
  copyright Reality Blurs and used with permission  
  Forward 
  This scenario shows you another direction you can take 
  your Ravaged Earth campaign. Rather than focus on the 
  sunlit jungles and lost ruins, it provides a campaign with a 
  more urban element and a noirish feel where shades of 
  grey often mingle with crimson. Alternately, you can use 
  such adventures as one-offs where the heroes are 
  recruited from time to time into dealing with the creeps. 
  These adventures can often be investigative in nature, 
  afford ample opportunities for roleplay, but are, at the same 
  time, punctuated by the pulp traditions of high stake action. 
  This scenario is particularly suited to Halloween, but it is 
  left open enough where you can place it anywhere. While 
  our tale takes place in Boston, you can easily locate it any 
  place and any season by modifying the names as 
  necessary. Lastly, for convenience’s sake, you’ll find all 
  stat blocks located at the end of the adventure. Enjoy!  
  The Location 
  This tale takes place in Boston, during the fall, or early 
  winter months. There have been a lot of bad rainstorms of 
  late and lightning creases the sky.  
  The Setup 
  Special Agent Cheney receives a call from headquarters at 
  9 pm about an incident at the Halloran Estate and is told to 
  gather up a Creep Squad and investigate. Before he can 
  protest, the dispatcher advises him to proceed quickly and 
  with caution. Cheney has been sensing something in the 
  air of late and gathers up a crew at McGuire’s, a hang-out 
  for the type of Ravaged talent he needs.  
  The Halloran Estate 
  Located twenty minutes outside of central Boston, the 
  Halloran Estate is a sprawling four-story mansion. At the 
  moment, however, the circular driveway is loaded with 
  luxury cars and jazz can be heard playing loudly through 
  the large front doors.  
  Winston, the family butler, answers the door expectantly. 
  Behind him, it is evident that a party of some sort is in full 
  swing. People are dancing in the ballroom to jazz records, 
  tightly knit groups of men are discussing business and 
  politics, and a group of women are playing bridge in the 
  adjoining room. After requesting identification, he directs 
  them to the study. Should the heroes wish to explore the 
  party, how you handle that is up to them. Depending upon 
  their attire, it’s doubtful many of them will be well received 
  and Winston will try to politely usher them back on course. 
  Notable party guests include the Lieutenant Governor John 
  “Jack” Johnson, the actress Jessica Clarke, and Shorpy De 
  Luca, a notorious gangster best known for gunrunning.  
  The Study 
  Within the study is William Dean Halloran III, a Common 
  Knowledge roll reveals he is a local industrialist and the 
  Halloran name dates back to colonial times. He is in his 
  mid-fifties and is a tobacco aficionado. Presently, he paces 
  back and forth as he smokes a brandy-smoked Cuban 
  cigar. “You must be the folks Jack called up. Right nice of 
  him to call you out, though I told him that it’s really no big 
  deal. Annabelle just gets upset from time to time and these 
  things happen.” He motions them over and presses a stud 
  on the bookshelf. It slides aside to reveal a short corridor. 
  Halloran is reluctant to discuss Annabelle’s “issues” and 
  tells them that Winston will fill them in on all the details and 
  that he must return to the party. A successful Persuasion 
  roll can garner general information about her troubled 
  childhood, while a raise tells them the same information 
  that Winston explains to them below.  
   
  The Corridor 
  Winston is relieved to share his information as they walk 
  down the corridor to a staircase that descends to the 
  kitchen and servant’s quarters. “Miss Annabelle was a 
  precocious youth. After her mother’s passing, she 
  changed. I hear it was something in the bloodlines on the 
  mother’s side, I don’t mind telling you, but the girl’s not 
  natural.” He leads them through the kitchen where they see 
  an older woman scolding an attractive blonde. “Beatrice is 
  giving it to Marta again, it seems.” He comes to a door at 
  the end of the hall with a stenciled 13 on it, pulls out a key, 
  and hands it to them. “His name is Jeremy Winstead. He’s 
  been fresh with Miss Anabelle before. When you’re done 
  seeing what you’re seeing, come get me. I’ll be in the 
  kitchen.”  
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  14
  Room 13 and Beyond 
  The room is about 20x20 and is quite luxurious for a 
  padded cell. In one corner of the room is a man in a 
  straight-jacket who rushes towards them as they enter. He 
  looks dirty and unshaven, but lucid. “I’ve calmed down 
  now. It’s okay. I won’t say anything. I told Mr. Halloran. I 
  provoked her. I didn’t really believe she could, she could do 
  it.” If asked, he’ll tell them the whole story about how they 
  were drinking a bit and went out to the Cedar Grove 
  cemetery because they’d been dating for a few months and 
  she claimed she could talk with dead people. He dug up a 
  body and she calmly pretended to carry on a conversation 
  with it. He made fun of her and she whispered in his ear to 
  “See what I see” and then he saw ghosts all around him, 
  swarming towards him, and he must’ve went mad, but he’s 
  okay now.  
  How the heroes decide to handle the hapless young 
  Winstead is up to them, but just when they feel they’ve 
  been sent on a fool’s errand, they hear scuffling in the 
  kitchen. Rushing back down, they see Marta unconscious, 
  Bertha missing, and Winston wrestling with a swarthy man 
  in a tuxedo. “Don’t worry about me,” he’ll shout at them. 
  “Save her!”  
  The heroes hear people running up the staircase. As they 
  enter the corridor, two men in suits are waiting with 
  machine guns and open fire (use the minions, substituting 
  pump action shotguns for Berettas). When these are 
  dispatched, one figure is holding a knife on an unconscious 
  Halloran and is telling the heroes to back off. If they don’t, 
  he’ll knife Halloran. He is merely ensuring the rest of the 
  Brotherhood has time to escape. However, this turns out, 
  there is general chaos in the ballroom, guest unconscious, 
  and bloody, and the parking lot is a disaster with many 
  people fleeing the scene and there are several car wrecks 
  that have already complicated things. Certainly, however, 
  the heroes have successfully captured one or more of the 
  Brotherhood. Each of them wears platinum cufflinks with 
  diamond studded pentagrams. A Common Knowledge roll 
  indicates these culprits are known members of the 
  Brotherhood of the Pentacle. Successful interrogation 
  reveals that the Ritual of the Reborn is to be performed at 
  midnight at Star Harbor Cemetery. Star Harbor is a small 
  coastal village just north of Boston. The cemetery is among 
  the oldest in the country.  
  Road Travel 
  When the heroes hit the road, the sky opens up and the 
  worst storm of the season begins. Should the heroes want 
  to drive excessively fast (to get their before midnight), they 
  will need to make a successful drive roll. Failure indicates 
  they get a flat and lose a half hour.  
  Ritual of the Reborn 
  This Ritual takes the life of one and gives that life force to 
  another. Beatrice, as a loyal servant of darkness, wants the 
  power that courses through Annabelle’s veins. Annabelle, 
  however, is seriously demented from her long contact and 
  exposure to the spirit world, and cares nothing for Beatrice, 
  or the Brotherhood, and seeks to destroy them all. The 
  ritual Annabelle has promised to perform will unleash an 
  army of the night.  
  Too Late 
  Whenever the heroes arrive, even if it’s before midnight, is 
  too late. Annabelle isn’t superstitious. She might have 
  been, if not for her dead friends. The heroes see six cars 
  that are on fire at the edge of the cemetery. They must all 
  make a Guts check as they see the Bloody Beast running 
  through the graveyard and slaying fleeing men. Each man 
  she kills rises as a “sleepyhead” and goes after the nearest 
  hero they see. There is light and chanting emanating from 
  the Church which is 20” away. The terrain is treated as 
  difficult if the characters don’t have a flashlight. 
  Regardless, any character attempting to run on slippery 
  ground must make an Agility roll or only be able to move 3” 
  before falling prone. If any hero gets close to the Church, 
  the Bloody Beast focuses on them exclusively.  
  Note: You can certainly adjust the number of sleepyheads 
  (zombies) you have pursuing the heroes. A good rule of 
  thumb is two per hero. Feel free to add more as needed.  
   
  The Church 
  When anyone nears the Church, they can hear a woman 
  chanting through the doors. The windows are stained glass 
  and spattered with blood. The doors are barricaded from 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  15
  within. Should anyone attempt to break in, Edgar Post 
  shoots at them (be it through the door or through the 
  windows). Once the perimeter is breached, all the 
  characters must make another Guts check at -2. This place 
  is horribly befouled. Blood, intestines, and remnants of the 
  Brotherhood members are spattered about the place, and 
  the crazed Edgar Post is wild-eyed and filth-covered and 
  frothing at the mouth. Annabelle drove him insane with her 
  inner darkness. The remains of Beatrice’s skin are floating 
  in the baptismal fountain. Kneeling on a pew and praying is 
  Annabelle Leigh without a drop of blood on her. She rises 
  after the heroes dispatch Post and runs and hugs the 
  nearest of the group or whomever she can assay is the 
  group leader. She thanks them profusely for rescuing 
  them. She is all eyes and innocence and happy to be going 
  home. Unless the heroes physically assault her, Annabelle 
  is sensitive and rather withdrawn. She’s been through a lot 
  and satisfied with eliminating her enemies.  
  The Aftermath 
  How the heroes want to deal with Annabelle in the future is 
  up to them. She certainly is trending towards darkness, but 
  how much of that was guilt, fear, and the urgings of dark, 
  unseen powers? The Creep Squad will probably want to 
  keep an eye on the Halloran Estate in the future and root 
  out more information on the Brotherhood of the Pentacle, 
  for these guys seemed more like dabblers at best. This 
  may, indeed, have been A Fool’s Errand after all.  
  The Villains  
  Annabelle Leigh Halloran (WC) 
  A slender girl of nineteen, Annabelle has deep red, 
  shoulder-length hair and skin the color of alabaster. She 
  dresses in simple black skirts, light silk shirts, and flats. 
  Typically, she has wears little jewelry other than a pendant 
  left by her mother that she is never without. Once a good, 
  proper girl, she has become deranged by her constant 
  conversations with ghosts and the dead. The police know 
  her as the “Graveyard Girl” because of her frequent 
  trespassing of graveyards throughout the Boston area. Her 
  father’s connection with the Lieutenant Governor ensures 
  her record is kept clean. When she gets angry, she often 
  loses control, and seeks vengeance upon any who cross 
  her, for she knows that death is not the end, and the dead 
  cannot hurt her.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d4 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 4, Toughness: 4 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d10, Spellcasting d10 
  Defining Interests: Cemeteries, Boston 
  Languages: English, French, Latin 
  Hindrances: Childlike (Clueless), Vengeful (Major) 
  Edges: AB (Magic), Courageous 
  Knack: Ghost Friend 
  Power Points: 30 
  Powers: “See what I see!” (fear), Reciting nursery rhyme 
  (speak with the dead), “Get Up, Sleepyhead!” (zombie) 
  Gear & Equipment: purse, jacket, $50  
  New Knack  
  Knack: Ghost Friend: A character with this ability can see 
  any ghosts within Spirit inches of them and communicate 
  with them freely. Only the character can hear the ghosts. 
  This character receives +2 to all reaction rolls from ghosts 
  and other sentient dead.  
  New Power  
  Speak with the Dead 
  Rank: Novice 
  Power Points: 1 
  Range: Touch 
  Duration: 10 minutes (1/10 minutes) 
  Trappings: Chanting, prayer, hand motions 
   
  This power is cast on one corpse and allows the character 
  to speak with the corpse much as anyone else can speak 
  with the living. The target does not animate, but rather 
  communicates psychically. A corpse’s reaction to the living 
  begins at -2 with an additional -2 if they were killed by the 
  person communicating with them. The corpse’s reaction 
  determines both their general truthfulness and willingness 
  to cooperate. 
  Edgar Post (WC) 
  Once upon a time, Mister Post loved Miss Halloran, but 
  then she learned he loved her because of her powers. She 
  learned that he was a member in good standing with the 
  Brotherhood and he had painstakingly sought her out after 
  years of research into her family line. He was also of good 
  stock and good standing in the community. He also was 
  touched, like she was. Wasn’t that enough for her? Oh 
  well. After they broke up, he vowed to get her, no matter 
  the consequence and make her love him. Imagine his 
  surprise when she approached him. He saved her life and 
  she owed him now.  
  Edgar is ten years Annabelle’s elder and is very athletic. 
  His family also has sensitivity to Aetherium and it typically 
  manifests in physical attributes among himself and his 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  16
  siblings. At the house, he’ll seek immediate escape, 
  leaving his associates to defend him.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d10 
  Pace: 6”, Parry: 7, Toughness: 7 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d4, Riding d10, Shooting d10 
  Defining Interests: Hunting, Riding 
  Languages: English, French 
  Hindrances: Obsession (Annabelle Lee Halloran),  
  Edges: Bring it On!, Martial Artist 
  Knack: Just a Scratch 
  Gear & Equipment: Pump Action Shotgun (Range: 
  12/24/48; Damage: 2d10; RoF: 1, Shots: 2), box of 10 
  slugs  
  The Minions 
  Amateur Cultists 
  These fellows all attend university together and are in the 
  Brotherhood for a good time. Good times, for them, include 
  drinking, fighting, and kidnapping. As troublemaking rich 
  kids, they have gotten in deeper than they ever imagined, 
  driven, as they were by Edgar’s charisma and enthusiasm. 
  They are all well-connected and it is doubtful, at best, if 
  they serve any time. 
   
   
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Shooting d8 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5 
  Hindrances: Rich 
  Edges: Connections (Governor) 
  Gear: Berretta (Range: 12/24/48; Damage: 2d6+1; RoF: 1, 
  AP1; Shots: 7)  
  Monsters  
  Raggedy Ann (Bloody Beast) 
  This red-skinned, bull-horned monstrosity was once 
  Beatrice. Annabelle carved her up and animated her to 
  slay the rest of the cult. Rather than channeling Beatrice’s 
  life force into herself, which Annabelle thought was icky, 
  she redirected it into the corpse, unknowingly making 
  Beatrice into a permanent, undead abomination.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d12, 
  Vigor d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, 
  Swim d6, Throwing d6 
  Pace: 7; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 (1)  
  Special Abilities:  
  • Armor +1: Rubbery hide. 
  • Claws: Str+d4. 
  • Improved Sweep: May attack all adjacent foes. 
  • Fast Regeneration: Raggedy Ann may attempt a 
  natural healing roll every round unless her wounds 
  were caused by fire or flame. 
  • Fearless: She is immune to Fear and Intimidation. 
   Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. Called shots do no extra damage (except to 
  the head). 
  • Weakness (Head): Shots to her head are +2 damage 
  and do not regenerate.  
  The Sleepyheads 
  Annabelle also has summoned a number of zombies she 
  affectionately called sleepyheads. Use the standard 
  zombies from SWEX.  
  The Supporting Cast/ Other Notes  
  Beatrice Sharp, the cook, is a wizened old woman who 
  watches over the lower quarters of the mansion like a 
  hawk. She is stern, polite, and is constantly fidgeting over 
  pots and stoves, and fussing at her assistant, Marta, a 
  young Swedish immigrant, to work faster.  
  Marta Andersen is an attractive woman in her mid-thirties 
  with straight blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She speaks 
  English with a slight German accent she explains away by 
  having attended the University of Hamburg where she 
  studied Art History. Her Danish is flawless. She struck up a 
  romance with Halloran while he was traveling abroad last 
  summer and he brought her home with him under the 
  auspices of expanding the kitchen staff. In reality, she is a 
  Vril Society agent who was instructed to get close to 
  Halloran and monitor Annabelle’s behavior. Surprisingly, 
  she has grown found of Halloran and has a vested interest 
  in the daughter. She is unaware of Sharp’s connections to 
  the Brotherhood.  
  Annabelle Leigh is a classic malcontent. Shortly after her 
  mother passed, she manifested her powers: the ability to 
  cause fear, the uncanny ability to speak with the dead, and 
  the ability to see ghosts. She harbors a secret guilt that she 
  caused her mother’s death, but it was her latent abilities 
  manifested when she reached puberty. Beatrice Sharp is a 
  secret servant of the Brotherhood of the Pentacle and 
  allowed them to gain entrance into the guest’s quarters. 
  Annabelle is aware of all this and has already made her 
  own arrangements with the Brotherhood and has agreed to 
  sacrifice Beatrice to show her loyalty.  
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  17
  A Bite of Midnight: 
  Hunting for Big Foot 
  by Ed Wetterman and Mark Ramsey 
  Jimmy Jones, a local hunter living in Pinebox, claims to 
  have shot a Big Foot in the Big Thicket and swears he has 
  proof. However, he refuses to give his proof to the 
  authorities claiming the government would just take it and 
  conveniently lose it or replace it so no one will believe his 
  story. The heroes may seek him out to investigate the 
  story, may be hired by an interested party to find out the 
  truth, or they may simply do so on their own. Does this 
  East Texas hunter hold the secret to identifying the 
  mysterious Big Foot of legends, or is it yet another hoax? 
  History 
  Jimmy Jones has been hunting the Big Thicket his whole 
  life (52 years). He dropped out of school in 5th grade and 
  has worked in the lumber industry, trucking, and was even 
  an electrician for a while. However, when deer season 
  comes, he quits whatever he is doing, and goes to live in 
  the Thicket, hunting and loving the great outdoors. Jimmy 
  has been in minor legal troubles, most involving 
  drunkenness or hunting illegally. He has been married 
  twice and divorced twice, but has five children to show for 
  his attempts. 
  His oldest son, James Jones, Jr., is set to go to college 
  and Jimmy is upset that he cannot hope to help pay for the 
  tuition. He met with his brother, Ed, and developed a plan. 
  They would fake a Big Foot sighting and manufacture 
  “evidence” that they could sell on EBay or to anyone willing 
  to pay the right price. Ed modified a hunting outfit with 
  various animal skins and coats and made a Big Foot Suit. 
  They studied all the Big Foot lore they could find and 
  settled on making the newly opened Caddo Trails of the 
  Thicket their location for the “sighting.” 
   
  The Forestry Service has recently opened a series of trails 
  through the northern part of the Big Thicket ranging from 
  Golan County, east to Lake Toledo Bend. These hiking 
  trails are very rugged and take hikers approximately 10 
  hours to accomplish, most camping somewhere along one 
  of the numerous paths. 
  Jimmy and Ed picked one of the new trails leading past 
  Black Pond, a pool of murky, flea infested water, which 
  provided a small clearing between the pond and the tree 
  line of approximately 40 yards. 
  Jimmy camped along the trail to warn Ed that hikers were 
  coming by and Ed would don the suit and give the hikers a 
  scare. Big Foot sightings became more prevalent over the 
  next year, and surprisingly, many of them were not of Ed! 
  Pinebox’s mayor, John Flowers, responded by stating that 
  Pinebox was a “Big Foot Friendly” town and even had a 
  statue of the creature prepared to greet travelers entering 
  Pinebox city limits along highway 96. It stands over 9 feet 
  high, has brown fur, and a scary face with long fangs and 
  red eyes. Humorously, several locals have taken shots at 
  the statue and the holes are visible by any inspecting the 
  statue. Its left hand is now missing three fingers. 
  Finally, Jimmy shot a small brown bear and took some of 
  its fur and blood (which he mixed with chicken blood) as 
  proof he had shot a Big Foot. Ed was his “witness” and the 
  story was carried by television and newsprint across the 
  country. Now many Big Foot Hunters have come Pinebox 
  in search of the elusive creature, while others are in a 
  bidding war for the “proof.”  
  However, something else is stirring in the forest. The trails 
  cut by the Forestry Service opened up land that had been 
  uninhabited for centuries, and awoke a vengeful Native 
  American Witch spirit. She has attacked a few travelers 
  and three have been reported missing, though no trace of 
  them has yet been found. She attacks her victims at night, 
  all within a few hundred yards of the Black Pond. 
  The Real Story 
  The Witch’s true name is Angelina, and she was a member 
  of the Hainais Caddoan tribe of East Texas in the late 
  1700s. She studied the power of the Ayo (fire) on what is 
  now Dale Island, but watched as her village was 
  massacred by a Spanish Force led by Generalismo Lopez 
  from the nearby fort of La Bonita.  
  The General was stricken by her beauty and ordered her 
  taken to the Fort, where he decided to Christianize her and 
  make her his Indian bride. He forced her to live among the 
  Spanish and she learned his language and agreed to 
  marry him, though she secretly planned her revenge on 
  him. 
  Using her magic, during a harvest moon, she called upon 
  the spirit of the wolf and the panther to exact her revenge. 
  General Lopez asked her to lead him to the treasure of the 
  Hainais, (rumored gold traded by the Aztecs hundreds of 
  years earlier). She led them to the Black Pool and then set 
  loose her spectral creatures. The General and 20 of his 
  men fell to her bloodlust. But the evil powers she conjured 
  trapped her as well, and now her spirit is angry and lusts 
  for nothing but murder. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  18
  Action 
  Jimmy is willing to meet anyone and can usually be found 
  at the Roadside Tavern, a local biker bar and icehouse 
  found just north of Pinebox off 96. He is willing to show his 
  proof, but does not agree to let it out of his sight and 
  refuses any true scientific tests on the hair or blood 
  samples. However, if anyone doubts his veracity, he 
  attempts to arrange a visit to the Black Pond, to prove his 
  case. This is the crux of the adventure and leads to all that 
  follows. 
  If the heroes are willing to make the journey, he arranges 
  to meet them around noon the next day to hike to the 
  location. He states they should be prepared to camp 
  overnight and that he always hears something in the night. 
  He arranges for his brother to be “out there” to provide 
  sounds and sightings. 
  The hike in is long and strenuous and the humidity in East 
  Texas is stifling. Every hero must make a Vigor check or 
  suffer one level of Fatigue, until he/she rests of 4 hours 
  and is dehydrated by drinking good fluids.  
  Once the heroes are deep in the Thicket allow each to 
  make a Notice roll. The highest hears something in the 
  woods, just out of sight. Wood snaps and birds fly as if 
  spooked by something. This is Ed doing his best to 
  unsettle the heroes. Allow a second Notice roll to see that 
  Jimmy also notes the sounds, but plays as if he doesn’t 
  hear them.  
  Once they arrive at the campsite near the Black Pond, 
  allow them to set up the camp and mark general locations 
  on whatever play mat is generally used. Jimmy goes on 
  making a show of pointing out where the Big Foot was 
  when he shot it, and describing how it ran into the Thicket 
  on the opposite side of the pond. 
  If the heroes attempt to use Tracking and are successful 
  they find several places in the brush of the Thicket that 
  have been trampled and they also discover several empty 
  beer cans that Ed has dropped the past few weeks.  
  The Witch spirit begins to slowly manifest after nightfall. 
  She uses her minor powers to cause electrical equipment 
  to fail, and other minor ghostly activities. Her true powers 
  manifest around Midnight. 
   Ed stays away from the camp until just before Midnight. 
  Allow heroes who are still awake to make Notice rolls. 
  Success indicates they definitely hear something crunching 
  around in the Thicket opposite the pond. From this point on 
  in the adventure all Notice and Shooting rolls are made at -
  6 for Heavy cover and Dark conditions. If one of the heroes 
  acts as a spotter using flashlights etc, the roll is modified 
  for Dim conditions to be a -5. Anytime a hero shoots at 
  something on the trail allow for Light cover and Dim or 
  Dark conditions (-2 to -3 modifiers).  
  Once Ed begins his antics he becomes the first victim of 
  the Witch. Her spectral panther attacks him and rips him to 
  pieces. He screams for 2 rounds. Any hero who runs to 
  help him must make a Notice roll with modifiers to find him 
  approximately 60 yards away from the pond in the Thicket. 
  If found, he is dead, as he was ripped to pieces, and is 
  missing an arm and his throat ripped out. His abdomen is 
  also ripped open with his guts spilling out onto the ground 
  around him. He is still wearing the remains of the Big Foot 
  suit with the mask as well. 
  Jimmy, worried for his brother, calls out for Ed for 3 rounds, 
  then attempts to charge into the woods to rescue his 
  brother. Unless he is accompanied by the heroes, he 
  becomes the next victim and falls to the two spectral 
  wolves. If the heroes find him, they may take his rifle and 
  ammo.  
  How the rest of the adventure plays out is up to the heroes 
  and the GM. The Witch begins to play a cat and mouse 
  game with them, relishing in their fear, wanting to kill them 
  slowly. Her three spectral creatures following her 
  commands, running through the woods, paralleling the 
  heroes should they decide to try to escape back to 
  civilization. In the dark, they must make Smarts checks (-2) 
  or become lost or turned around on the many trails. The 
  Witch is in no hurry and sends the spectral creatures at 
  them one at a time, trying to separate the team if possible. 
  She occasionally manifests before them. She has long 
  black hair, high cheek bones, and is a young shapely 
  Native American wearing a white gown and is barefoot. 
  She does not attack the party directly, preferring to use her 
  spectral wolves or panther, though she does read the 
  team’s minds and uses the voices of loved ones to try to 
  draw them into the woods. 
  NPCs 
  Angelina- Caddoan Witch Spirit 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Rituals) 
  d6, Notice d6, Spellcasting d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: - 
  Special Abilities: 
   Call Spectral Animals: Once per night the witch may 
  summon 1 spectral panther and 2 spectral wolves. 
  These remain with her and do her bidding unless 
  destroyed or the sun comes up (at which time they fade 
  and disappear). 
   Channel: Lost souls may communicate with the living 
  whose mind is open to outside influence (such as a 
  medium during a séance or in the dreams of others). 
  Lost souls may use this opportunity to temporarily 
  possess the contacted character. Each attempt is 
  handled as an opposed Spirit roll if the character is 
  unwilling. On a success, the lost soul controls the 
  character (treat as the puppet power) for a number of 
  rounds equal to its Spirit. Using this ability causes the 
  lost soul one level of Fatigue, which can only be 
  recovered after 8 hours. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  19
   Cluster Attack: The lost soul telekinetically “throws” 
  any objects weighing less than Spirit times 5 pounds 
  within a Medium Burst Template. Any characters within 
  the area take damage equal to the lost soul’s Spirit. The 
  effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the lost 
  soul’s Spirit. Using this ability causes the lost soul one 
  level of Fatigue, which can only be recovered after 8 
  hours. 
   Cold Spot: Lost souls may reduce the temperature 
  within a Small Burst Template by 5 degrees times their 
  Spirit die type. 
   Electrical Drain: The lost soul can drain the electrical 
  capacity of a battery or batteries in a single device. It 
  may also reduce or temporarily stop the electrical 
  current from a single outlet or room. The Lost Soul can 
  use this power a number of times equal to his Spirit die 
  type. 
   Electrical Malfunction: The lost soul can cause a 
  single electrical device to completely malfunction. A 
  Repair roll reverses the effect of the malfunction but the 
  device is subject to further electrical malfunction 
  attacks. The lost soul can use this power equal to ½ its 
  Spirit die per day. 
   Ethereal: (As in the Savage Worlds rulebook) Also, it is 
  difficult to destroy a lost soul through simple combat; the 
  “destroyed” soul often restores itself in 2d6 days. In 
  addition, lost souls make natural healing rolls every six 
  hours. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a lost soul 
  forever is to determine the reason for its existence and 
  set right whatever prevents it from resting in peace. The 
  exact means varies with each lost soul. 
   Fatigue: The lost soul can cause a single person suffer 
  a level of Fatigue (see the Savage Worlds rulebook). 
  The lost soul must make a successful attack upon a 
  targeted person and the victim gets to make a contested 
  Spirit die roll against the attack roll. If failed, the targeted 
  person suffers a level of Fatigue for 24 hours. Recovery 
  from Fatigue occurs as normal. Additional Fatigue 
  attacks have no effect unless the targeted individual is 
  no longer Fatigued. The lost soul can use Fatigue a 
  number of times equal to ¼ its Spirit die type per day. 
   Heat: The lost soul can cause a single object (not a 
  living creature) to rise in temperature by 10 degrees 
  Fahrenheit per round up to 10 rounds, up to 100 
  degrees above ambient temperature. The object does 
  not burn or ignite but is subject to changes caused by 
  heat, such as melting or discoloration. Heroes that 
  touch the object must make an Agility check or take one 
  level of Fatigue due to burning. This is a minor burn and 
  the level of Fatigue may be regained with an hours rest, 
  proper medical care, etc. The lost soul can use his 
  power a number of times equal to ½ its Spirit die per 
  day.  
   Lesser Apport: The lost soul can cause one or more 
  objects that it was associated with in life and weighing a 
  total of 6 ounces or less to appear where it desires. 
  Often the apports are coins, jewelry, or other small 
  objects that fall out of midair (causing no damage), but 
  the objects can also quietly appear on a table or other 
  location. When apports appear, they are near freezing 
  and covered with a gelatinous membrane of ectoplasm 
  that evaporates within 30 seconds. Electrical devices 
  that appear via apport have drained batteries and may 
  be 
  damaged 
  (as 
  if 
  exposed 
  to 
  an 
  intense 
  electromagnetic source). The lost soul can use this 
  power a number of times equal to ¼ of its Spirit die per 
  day. 
   Reek: The lost soul can fill a Large Burst Template area 
  with a single odor so powerful that heroes in the area 
  automatically notice it. The lost soul can use Reek a 
  number of times equal to ½ its Spirit die type per day. 
   Scent: The lost soul can fill a 3x3 area with a single 
  odor that was familiar to it during life. Heroes in the area 
  notice the odor with a successful Notice roll. IT can use 
  Scent a number of times equal to its Spirit die type per 
  day. 
   Scream: The lost soul can create a very loud sound 
  lasting two rounds, such as a scream or the sound of a 
  train crash. Heroes within 20” of the lost soul 
  automatically hear the sound. Heroes within 3” of the 
  lost soul must make a Vigor roll or be deafened for 1d4 
  rounds. The lost soul can use Scream a number of 
  times equal to its ¼ its Spirit die type per day. 
   Singe: The lost soul can cause a single object (not a 
  living creature) to rise in temperature until it becomes 
  takes 1d6 points of fire damage. If the object is 
  flammable, it may catch on fire on a roll of 6 on 1d6 and 
  may spread normally. The lost soul can use Singe a 
  number of times equal to its 1/4 its Spirit die type per 
  day. 
   Telekinesis: With a successful Spirit roll, the lost soul 
  may move an object weighing up to its Spirit die type in 
  pounds. The object must be within 5” of the lost soul at 
  all times. The object does not move fast enough to 
  cause damage. 
   Scent: The lost soul can fill a 3x3 area with a single 
  odor that was familiar to it during life. Heroes in the area 
  notice the odor with a successful Notice roll. IT can use 
  Scent a number of times equal to its Spirit die type per 
  day. 
   Visible Form: The lost soul may manifest itself as a 
  visible presence to the living. The level of detail 
  depends on the lost soul’s Spirit. A d8 may appear as a 
  simple ball of energy. A d10 may appear in a 
  translucent human form similar to its original human 
  appearance. A d12 may take a form that is 
  indistinguishable from a living human without an 
  opposed Notice versus Spirit roll if the character is 
  suspicious 
   Voice: The lost soul can create a moderately loud 
  sound lasting for one round, such as a sentence spoken 
  in normal conversation or a laugh. Heroes within 10” of 
  the lost soul automatically hear the sound. The lost soul 
  may use Voice a number of times equal to ½ its Spirit 
  die type. 
   Whisper: The lost soul can create a quiet, very short 
  sound, such as a whispered word, or the soft click of a 
  lock. Heroes within 2” hear the sound on a successful 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  20
  Notice check. The lost soul can use Whisper a number 
  of times equal to its Spirit die type per day. 
  Spectral Panther 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d10, Vigor d8 
  Skills: Climb d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d6, Stealth 
  d8 
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 
  Special Abilities: 
   Bite or Claws: Str+d6 
   Camouflage: A panther’s dark coloration makes them 
  difficult to spot in the deep woods. Add a +2 to Stealth 
  when hiding in thick woods. 
   Dark Vision: Spectral panthers can see normally in 
  Dark conditions 
   Improved Frenzy: Panthers may make two Fighting 
  attacks each action at no penalty. 
   Pounce: Panther’s often hide and pounce on their 
  prey for a quick kill. It can leap 1d6” to gain a +4 to its 
  attack and damage. Its Parry: is reduced by –2 until it 
  performs its next action. 
   Size +1: Panthers can weigh over 300+ pounds. 
  The legendary 
  black 
  panther 
  of East Texas 
  is an elusive 
  hunter 
  that 
  haunts 
  the 
  deepest 
  recesses of the 
  Big 
  Thicket. 
  Some 
  believe 
  these 
  are 
  a 
  type of jaguar 
  or cougar, but 
  little 
  evidence 
  has ever been 
  collected. Many 
  tales are told of 
  a bone-chilling 
  scream 
  that 
  sounds like a 
  woman 
  or 
  a 
  small child. In 
  reality, it is the 
  call of this large 
  cat. 
   Spectral Wolves 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d6, Vigor d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8 
  Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Special Abilities: 
   Bite: Str+d6 
   Dark Vision: Spectral wolves can see normally in 
  Dark conditions. 
   Fleet Footed: Wolves roll d10s instead of d6s when 
  running. 
   Go for the Throat: Wolves go for opponents soft 
  spots. With a raise on its attack roll, it hits the target’s 
  most weakly armored location.  
  Though mostly extinct in East Texas, these spectral wolves 
  come to their master’s call and do her bidding.  
  Jimmy Jones 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d4, Intimidation d8, Knowledge 
  (Local Big Thicket) d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Streetwise 
  d6, Taunt d4, Tracking d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: Greedy (Major) 
  Gear:.30.30 rifle 24/48/96 RoF 1 Wt. 8 Shots 8 (2d8), 
  Backpack with small pup tent, hunting knife, water canteen, 
  whisky flask, flashlight, a bag of chips. 
  Ed Jones 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d4, Intimidation d8, Knowledge 
  (Local Big Thicket) d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Streetwise 
  d4, Tracking d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Edges: Brawny 
  Gear: Wears a modified Big Foot suit and carries a big 
  club (Str+d4) 
  Complications 
  Jimmy allows the heroes to carry weapons, but orders 
  them not to shoot the Big Foot unless they are threatened. 
  He says he already has several folks threatening him with 
  a law suit for shooting at it originally. 
  This adventure may be very tough without weapons, 
  though the heroes may improvise them using metal tent 
  stakes (Str+d4), or clubs (Str +d4).  
  Don’t forget to have the heroes make appropriate Fear 
  checks, especially if using our Fear Effects system. 
  Resolution 
  Once the heroes reach their car, or civilization, or when 
  you think the adventure should end, she simply stops 
  chasing them. Allow them one more glimpse of her as she 
  turns and returns to the Black Pond.  
  Possible follow up adventures could include destroying the 
  Witch spirit through casting of a ritual over the Black Pond, 
  or finding the bones of the Spanish dead buried near the 
  pond and setting them afire. The secret of this adventure is 
  cutting the heroes off from civilization, and keeping them 
  guessing and afraid. 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  21
  Midnight Tale: 
  Doorways 
  by Neal Hyde of 12 to Midnight 
  Background:  
  The books from the Ashwright collection have made their 
  way into various hands. One group of would-be cultists 
  should have left them alone. After obtaining a transcript 
  from a book, the coven leader attempted a ritual far more 
  difficult than she was ready for.  
  The ritual was performed at the top of the bell tower on the 
  ETU administration building. It was intended to open a 
  doorway to beings of wisdom and benevolence. However, 
  because the ritual was botched, a doorway was opened to 
  a realm of monstrous creatures, and one came through to 
  our world. It feasted on many of the novice cultists and only 
  a handful managed to escape.  
  The creature is ethereal in nature but it can effect (and kill) 
  beings and objects from our world. It is harmed by bright 
  lights (coming from a realm where light is unknown) and 
  hides during daylight hours in the darkness of the bell 
  tower’s enclosed steeple. During the darkest nighttime 
  hours, it leaves its lair and hunts, feeding on people and 
  animals. 
  The creature is still tied to its home dimension and the still-
  open doorway. If the doorway is closed, the creature and 
  anything else that may have passed through to our world 
  are destroyed. The creature senses this and will attempt to 
  stop any closing ritual. 
  The Investigation:  
  One of the heroes has a friend who lives on campus and 
  her roommate is driving her nuts. She’s suddenly terrified 
  of the dark and has strung their room with hundreds of light 
  bulbs. At the same time, several people claim that they’ve 
  seen something big in the air at night, possibly a UFO.  
  When the heroes investigate the friend’s roommate, they 
  find her nearly frightened out of her mind. With a little 
  coaxing, she tells the heroes that she was in a “stupid 
  pretend group of witches” that tried to do a ritual but it went 
  badly wrong. A terrible creature emerged from the drawn 
  doorway on the floor of the bell tower and it attacked them. 
  Several girls were killed (they simply disintegrated into 
  dust) before they could escape. The one thing she is 
  certain of is that the creature seemed to be frightened of 
  the girl's candlelight. The roommate has a fragment of the 
  photocopied ritual but refuses to do anything more to help 
  the heroes. If pushed, she lapses into a catatonic state. 
  If the heroes wish to investigate the bell tower, they must 
  first unlock the door in the main hall. Once in the tower, 
  they find the remains of the ritual scattered about (candles, 
  a chalk pentagram, photocopies of the ritual, and other 
  things). 
  A successful Investigation roll allows the heroes to find the 
  stub of a human finger. If the heroes investigate during the 
  day, they may Notice a slight shimmer in the center of the 
  pentagram (the open doorway). At night, the shimmer is 
  much more easily seen and appears as a hole in the solid 
  floor of the loft.  
  If the heroes attempt to close the gateway, they must 
  perform another part of the ritual, which is found on the 
  scraps of photocopied paper in the loft. Alternatively, the 
  heroes can attempt to find the original book in the library 
  and pull the ritual from there.  
  To perform the ritual that closes the gateway, the heroes 
  must be in the bell tower at midnight, which is, of course, 
  when the creature is free to go nuts on them. When the 
  ritual is completed, the creature and anything else that 
  passed through the gateway ceases to exist. 
  Extra-Dimensional Squid 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d12+3, Vigor d6 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d4, Stealth d8  
  Pace: 10 (Flying); Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 
  Special Abilities: 
   Fear -2: The Extra-Dimensional Squid causes Guts 
  checks at -2 when it is seen. 
   Flight: The Extra-Dimensional Squid has a Flying 
  Pace of 10” with a climb rate of 4”. They may not “run.” 
   Size +6: The Extra-Dimensional Squid is well over 30’ 
  long and 5’ in diameter. 
   Large: Attackers add +2 to their Fighting or Shooting 
  rolls when attacking the Extra-Dimensional Squid. 
   Weakness (Light): The Extra-Dimensional Squid is 
  damaged by intense light, including sunlight. 
   Disintegration: A character grasped by the tentacles 
  of the Extra-Dimensional Squid takes 2d6 damage 
  each round as the creature absorbs them. 
  The creature is large, approximately five feet wide and 
  some thirty feet long. It is ethereal, being visible but 
  transparent, and it floats and maneuvers around the air as 
  a fish does in the water. The creature resembles a cross 
  between a hammerhead shark and a giant squid, with the 
  hammerhead-like eye stalks appearing at the top of the 
  creature’s torso and a dozen long tentacles hanging from 
  the bottom. Although it is ethereal, it affects creatures 
  around it as if it were fully corporeal. The creature is 
  harmed by bright light, and it avoids all but the dimmest of 
  lights. Flashlights, particularly powerful halogen lights, can 
  do considerable damage to the monster. 
  Sample Light Damage 
  Candlelight (Small Burst Template): 1d4 
  Average Light Bulb (Medium Burst Template): 1d8 
  Flashlight (Flame Template): 1d6 
  Handheld Spotlight (Flame Template): 1d10 
  Daylight: Death 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  22
  Midnight Tale: 
  The Devil’s Throat 
  by Preston P. DuBose of 12 to Midnight 
  Background 
  It has been another dry Summer in Texas. The Big Thicket 
  is dry as tinder and grass pastures are brown and 
  withered. Even Lake Greystone is down 16 feet from 
  normal levels. Golan County needs water badly, and one 
  entrepreneur thinks he has a solution. The Devil’s Throat is 
  a crystal, clear, spring-fed pit at the abandoned Wilson’s 
  Quarry, and one company plans to tap into this easily 
  accessible source of fresh water and pipe it into Pinebox 
  for processing. However, to get the necessary permits they 
  have to conduct geological and wildlife studies to insure 
  that their actions won’t harm the local ecosystem. 
   
  Dr. Fred “Caveman” Boyle is a Geology professor at East 
  Texas University and a campus favorite. His sense of 
  humor and enthusiasm for geology makes even a normally 
  dry subject seem fun. In the field, Dr. Boyle enjoys 
  spending hours and days studying formations found in 
  caves, and has even done some cave diving. He is a 
  natural choice to explore the Devil’s Throat, and he takes 
  to the “consulting” job with enthusiasm. 
  Hook 
  The heroes may be Dr. Boyle’s students at ETU, earning 
  extra credit by helping him with equipment at the Devil’s 
  Throat. Alternately, the heroes could be hired to investigate 
  attempts by unknown parties to sabotage the project, one 
  of the heroes could be related to Boyle, they could be 
  environmentalists 
  trying 
  to 
  stop 
  the 
  project 
  from 
  proceeding, or one of the heroes might be a psychic who 
  caught a precognitive flash of danger at the quarry. 
  Investigation 
  Dr. Boyle, equipped with an insulated wetsuit and SCUBA 
  apparatus, slips into the frigid water’s embrace and 
  disappears into the blackness below. Less than five 
  minutes later, the surface of the water briefly bubbles and 
  roils before quickly settling down again. Characters who 
  succeed in a Notice check briefly glimpse dark silhouettes 
  in the water's depths. Should one or more of the heroes 
  dive into the Devil's Throat themselves, they discover that 
  these silhouettes are rare fresh water jellyfish, each as a 
  large as a dinner plate and with stingers trailing a yard 
  below. Dr. Boyle inadvertently disrupted these creatures 
  and received a painful sting even through his wetsuit. 
  There are three such creatures, but their slow movement 
  should make them an avoidable threat. 
   
  Dr. Boyle is nowhere to be seen, but a cloud of silt is still 
  visible roughly 3" feet below the surface and against a cave 
  wall. If the heroes attempt to investigate, they discover an 
  opening large enough for one person to pass through at a 
  time. This narrow branch continues for a only a body length 
  before opening into a pool in another wide cavern. 
  Reaching this cavern does not require diving equipment; 
  however it is a long, dangerous swim for anyone trying to 
  do it while holding his breath. Without SCUBA gear, it 
  requires a Swimming check at -2. 
   
  The new cavern has a pool, through which the heroes 
  arrive, and at least 6" of dry rock in an irregular shape. The 
  dry portion of the cave is at roughly the same level as the 
  entrance to the Devil's Throat, which means the cavern is a 
  pocket within the quarry wall itself. The cave has stale, but 
  breathable, air. It is also pitch black--a darkness so deep 
  that it seems to eat at the edges of the heroes’ light source. 
  Should the heroes not have a light source of their own and 
  they are fortunate enough to stumble upon Dr. Boyle’s 
  SCUBA tank, which is discarded on dry rock of the cavern 
  floor, they also find a flashlight. There is no sign of the 
  professor himself. However, the dry portion of the cavern 
  does contain a set of human remains. Based on the style 
  of clothing, one might guess that the skeleton is 20 years 
  old. One of the leg bones is broken, and a natural 
  assumption might be that it was a swimmer who found the 
  cave, became injured, and couldn’t make the return swim. 
   
   
   
  A narrow fissure splits the back wall of the cavern, and a 
  series of steps are chiseled into the very rock leading up 
  the crevice. These steps lead up to yet another, 
  significantly smaller cavern. A carefully stacked set of 
  bricks adorn the center of the cave, but the cavern also 
  contains a pair of corpses. One corpse is grotesquely fresh 
  and is, in fact, the late Dr. Boyle. The other is nothing but a 
  skeleton dressed in the ancient uniform of a Spanish 
  Conquistador. The second corpse is a guardian revenant, 
  cursed to guard Spanish spoils even beyond the grave. 
   
  The revenant awakens upon their entrance; however 
  combat is not a foregone conclusion. It first issues a 
  warning in Spanish. As long as nobody attempts to touch 
  the grimy--but solid gold--bricks, the revenant does not 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  23
  attack. The spell holding him in place compels him to 
  prevent the gold bars from being removed, but the old 
  soldier wants to be released from his curse. This could be 
  accomplished through a ritual of exorcism, destroying the 
  seal chiseled in the cave’s ceiling (dangerous!), or 
  defeating the revenant in combat. 
   
  Assuming the heroes survive the encounter, they are free 
  to take the gold bricks. However, they are identified as 
  antiquities and there is significant red tape in trying to sell 
  them for profit. The gold originated from Aztec spoils 
  melted down by the Conquistadors, who ran aground on 
  the Texas coast in a terrible storm. Nothing else is known 
  about these castaways other than the name of the priest 
  who accompanied them, Roberto de la Garza y Gomez. 
  Guardian Revenant 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d12, 
  Vigor d6  
  Skills: Climb d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Knowledge 
  (Tactics) d4, Notice d4, Stealth, d6, Swimming d4,  
  Pace: 5; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7; Charisma 0  
  Edges: Dodge  
  Special Abilities:  
   Animate Own Body: Revenants can animate their 
  own bodies at will.  
   Fear: Revenants cause Guts rolls at –2.  
   Fearless: Revenants are immune to Fear. 
   Know Location/Object: The revenant can identify the 
  location and condition of any object or location that it 
  protects. This operates like the Detect/Conceal Arcana 
  power but only for the location or object that it protects.  
   Undead: +2 Toughness:, +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. Called shots do no extra damage.  
   Gear: saber (str+d6)  
   
   
  Midnight Tale: 
  The Evil Eye…Doctor 
  by Brendan Quinn of 12 to Midnight  
  Overview:  
  Jerome Owens was an ETU senior with everything going 
  for him. Owens was ETU's starting running back attending 
  school with a full scholarship. Academically, he had earned 
  a 3.82 cumulative GPA and was majoring in Civil 
  Engineering. His future was bright and hopeful, until his 
  body was found along the shoulder of highway 96. 
  According to police accounts, Owens was struck by an 18-
  wheeler sometime between 3 and 4am earlier that 
  morning. Owens' roommate reported that Owens had left 
  their dorm at around 1am and hadn't returned since. 
  Owens' death was ruled an accident as no ante-mortem 
  signs of force were evident on the body. Toxicology reports 
  show no presence of narcotics or alcohol in the student's 
  system.  
  The truth is: Owens' death was accidental, but was caused 
  by a side effect of the treatments he had been receiving 
  from his new eye doctor. Dr. Thomas Safford has recently 
  set up shop about a quarter mile away from ETU. Billing 
  itself as "High-tech optometry, with a home-town feel," 
  Safford's office has quickly earned itself a loyal clientele. 
  Students 
  have 
  found 
  Safford's 
  services 
  especially 
  appealing as he performs all services at 50% off for 
  students with a 3.0 GPA, and 75% off for any students with 
  a 3.5.  
  Safford can afford this significant discount because his real 
  backing is a secret private organization using his practice 
  as a front to conduct medical experiments on unsuspecting 
  students. The experiments are focused on chemical 
  compound A2930-Oracle. Oracle's primary function is to 
  enable Special Forces operatives the ability to glimpse 
  briefly into the future and react accordingly. Safford has 
  been able to design a version of Oracle based on his 
  unique cerebral make-up, but is now developing a drug 
  that can be applied to anyone without modification. So far, 
  tests have been unsatisfactory. The majority of students 
  tested have no change in visual ability, but rare cases of 
  erratic behavior have been noted. In the most extreme 
  cases—like Owens—subjects suffer from acute visual and 
  auditory hallucinations.  
  For the cases that do not progress into complete 
  hallucinations, the treatments—primarily delivered through 
  eye drops—are addictive. After Owens' death, Safford will 
  close his doors and those addicted to the eye drops will 
  succumb to the withdrawal and proceed en masse to 
  Safford's office. 
  Heroes are asked to uncover more information from 
  Owens' roommate who doesn't buy the official story of the 
  student's death.  
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  24
  Clues:  
   If heroes search Owens' dorm, a Notice check at -2 will 
  uncover a half-empty bottle of eye drops prescribed by 
  Thomas Safford.  
  o If eye drops are analyzed, chemical compound is 
  unknown. A successful Knowledge (Chemistry) 
  reveals that the eye drops don't match the typical 
  chemical make-up of eye drops  
   If asking around about Owens, a Streetwise check will 
  introduce them to Sadie Caldwell: a study partner of 
  Owens'. Caldwell is another patient of Dr. Safford who 
  has been experiencing vivid nightmares that have been 
  getting progressively worse. Caldwell has a bottle of 
  eye drops that she will use if questioned for more than 
  a few moments. The more characters question Sadie, 
  the more she will use the eye drops. A Notice check at 
  -2 will reveal that were prescribed by Dr. Safford.  
  o See Knowledge (Chemistry) check above if drops 
  are analyzed. Successful Knowledge (Chemistry) 
  check will also confirm that eye drops match those 
  found in Owens' room  
   
   A successful Streetwise check while researching 
  around the student dorms (or a Notice check at +2 
  once the fight breaks out) will allow characters the 
  opportunity to observe a rather heated argument 
  occurring over a dorm room poker game. What starts 
  out as a loud argument between two players erupts 
  into a violent brawl. Fists are quickly replaced by 
  nearby bludgeoning weapons (lamps, backpack with 
  books, etc) as the students work out their hostilities. 
  One of the students has been accused of cheating by 
  the other.  
   The other players eventually break up the melee, and if 
  questioned afterward will reveal that neither of the 
  students involved in the fight had had anything to drink, 
  and that this group had played poker weekly for 
  months and had never had the slightest argument 
  break out. The money involved was paltry; each of the 
  5 players tossed in ten bucks for a seat. The “cheater” 
  had won every hand since sitting down.  
   A Notice check will show that in front of both seats that 
  the brawling students had occupied are bottles of Dr. 
  Safford’s eye drops. A Notice check at -2 will reveal 
  that the two students being pulled away from each 
  other have vibrantly blood-shot eyes.  
   A successful Streetwise check will uncover that there 
  have been a number of cases lately of students visiting 
  the campus clinic to have severe eye irritation 
  checked. Cases have been increasing over the past 
  few days. If visited, three students are currently being 
  examined, and five are in the waiting room. All 
  students have very irritated eyes, and are constantly 
  applying eye drops to them.  
   If characters speak with the clinic’s front office staff, a 
  successful Persuasion check will get an off-hand 
  remark warning characters to stay away from the new 
  optometrist’s shop. The office staff is frustrated with the 
  increase in cases, so they begin at an Uncooperative 
  level.  
   Internet research (Investigate check) will reveal that 
  before Dr. Safford set up shop in Pinebox, he had an 
  established practice in Placentia, California. Further 
  research (Investigate -2) will reveal that two months 
  before opening up locally, three promising college 
  students died mysteriously. Calling relations to the 
  deceased students will connect them to Dr. Safford. 
  Relations are hesitant to speak with strangers about 
  the events though (Persuasion at -2 or they won't talk).  
   Safford's office is closed for business. If characters 
  wish to enter during the day, breaking into Safford's 
  practice requires a Lockpicking check at -4 (very nice 
  electronic lock) or a brick. The brick method will leave 
  heroes with 10 minutes of search time before police 
  arrive (though police will not be the first unexpected 
  party on the scene). If characters attempt to enter the 
  office under the cover of darkness, all doors will be left 
  unlocked.  
   The office holds the following:  
  o Flash Drive: stuck into the USB port of Safford’s 
  computer is a flash drive containing the chemical 
  formulas of numerous (useless) versions of Oracle. 
  A Knowledge (Computer) check will grant access to 
  the drive, and a Knowledge (Chemistry) will give 
  evidence as to what the formulas might be related 
  to.Bottles of eye drops (Notice check)  
   If later analyzed, eye drops are chemically 
  similar to those found in Owens' room and in 
  Caldwell's possessions.  
  o Safford's journal (Lockpicking (desk drawer) and a 
  Notice check -2 (false bottom)  
   Safford's journal  
   At first glance, the journal is a list of numeric 
  sequences followed by gibberish  
   Two successful Investigate checks will connect the 
  numbers to patient identification tags. The tags are 
  typed onto manila folders located throughout the front 
  office  
   Journal is encrypted Latin (Knowledge (Cryptography) 
  
   
  Shark Bytes, Vol. 4, No. 3 
  25
  check -2 to find a cipher, Knowledge (Dead 
  Languages) to translate)  
   Journal is a series of tests performed and their results. 
  The largest number of tests performed were on 
  Owens, followed by Sadie Caldwell.  
   
  Action: 
  During the investigation at Safford's office, heroes will 
  begin hearing pounding at the walls and shattering glass. 
  All students addicted to Safford's treatments are trying to 
  find more Oracle to satisfy their cravings. Students are 
  unreasonable, and will tear apart anything standing 
  between them and the narcotics. While violent and surging 
  with adrenaline, they are still normal people and can be 
  knocked unconscious without too much of an issue.  
  During the battle, characters making a Notice check at -2 
  will see the windows of the office being boarded up, and 
  hear the doors being nailed shut. Within moments, a clean-
  up crew will set fire to the building and everyone inside.  
  Once the building is lit, characters can break down 
  boarding to escape. They can carry/drag unconscious 
  students to safety, but those still awake will continue their 
  search for Oracle, ignoring the fire. When the heroes are 
  outside, the clean-up crew has vanished. 
  Aftermath: 
  Heroes will be questioned by police if they are present 
  when emergency services arrive, but the journal and any 
  other evidence they retain will exonerate them. Safford is 
  still at large, and is likely to open another office somewhere 
  in the country.  
  Cast:  
  Addicted Students: 
  The addicted mob of students consists of two types of 
  student: Fast and Strong. One of each type per character 
  should provide enough of a challenge.  
  Fast Addict: 
  These are addicted students starting to develop some of 
  what Oracle is capable of. They receive glimpses of 
  actions before they occur and can react to them.  
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d4 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 4 
  Edges: Quick  
  Strong Addict: 
  These are students who started physically fit, but are 
  surging with adrenaline and frenzy from both the treatment 
  and the onset of withdrawal.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6  
  Poker Players: 
   
  Cheater: 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d4 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 4 
  Edges: Quick  
  Accuser:  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6  
    
    
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shark Bytes/Shark Bytes Volume 4 Issue 3 GMs Section.pdf