TEXT: Sariniya's 
  Curse
  y
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  A RuneQuest Adventure
  
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  Sariniya's 
  Curse
  T
  his short scenario explores a remote temple to a 
  Goddess of Meeros. Its main purpose is to introduce 
  the RuneQuest system rules in an evocative  and 
  exciting way. In the scenario the characters accompany an 
  ageing merchant on a quest to lift an old curse from his fam-
  ily; but the island of Iaxos and the temple to Sariniya (pro-
  nounced SAR-in-EYE-uh) can easily be dropped into any 
  campaign setting and the characters can simply encounter 
  the temple while exploring.
  If you have the RuneQuest supplement Monster Island, 
  then the temple can be located on one of the islands encir-
  cling Hina Bay. If you have the RuneQuest supplement 
  Shores of Korantia, then Iaxos can be one of the many islands 
  found off the western Korantine coast – or even much fur-
  ther distant.
  Note: You can find a guide to pronouncing the various 
  character and place names on page 17.
  Using the Scenario
  The scenario begins with some background about Sariniya 
  and her worshippers; then it introduces the main non-player 
  character, Trimostones; afterwards come the events of the 
  scenario proper. Games Masters are encouraged to read the 
  scenario from start to finish perhaps making a few notes on 
  how they will present the different encounters, and which 
  rules from RuneQuest (either the full rules or RuneQuest 
  Essentials) will apply or be needed.
  All the game statistics for the non-player characters, crea-
  tures and monsters to be found throughout the adventure 
  are at the end of the scenario, starting on page 14. We have 
  also provided four pre-generated RuneQuest characters 
  for players to use so that they can quickly get into the game. 
  Each pre-generated character has some information on the 
  character's background, history and personality. We have 
  used several characters appearing in the RuneQuest rules 
  examples: Anathaym, Kara, Mju and Zamothis, but you can 
  easily change the names and genders if you wish.
  Although there will be combat in this scenario, one of the 
  foes is especially deadly and will require team-work and cun-
  ning to defeat. Some guidance on how this can be achieved 
  is given but Games Masters should be prepared to help the 
  players by making a few subtle suggestions or offering one or 
  two clues. The aim is to introduce the players to RuneQuest 
  and not annihilate the party – but, if the players do not care-
  fully look at their environment and use the options they have 
  available, then death may come readily.
  y
  Above: Sariniya's rune, symobolising  
  Truth and Vengeance
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  RuneQuesT
  2
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿  Sariniya's Curse
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  About Sariniya
  Sariniya is the Meerish Goddess of Vengeance and Ret-
  ribution. She is a minor deity in the Meerish pantheon, 
  worshipped directly by very few. Myths say that the Invader 
  Gods came to heaven and defiled the peaceful lands where 
  the Gods and Goddesses dwelled. The Invader Gods were 
  driven out by Myceras, but the pain and destruction they 
  caused left Sariniya, the daughter of Hephastane, the God-
  dess of Light, wanting revenge upon the Invader Gods and 
  all those who worshipped them. She stole the secret of Sun-
  fire from her mother, a spear and shield from Myceras, and 
  armoured herself with Truth. She then went into the realm 
  of the Invader Gods, found them one by one, and killed 
  them. Then she found those who enabled them, and killed 
  them also. She then returned to heaven, rebuilt her home, 
  and vowed to have nothing further to do with either killing 
  or the mortal world ever again. She is now hermetic and 
  contemplative, meditating and ruminating on the nature of 
  All Things.
  Sariniya therefore embodies the cold, simple nature of 
  vengeance followed by a willingness to accept eternal peace 
  once it is accomplished. Those who seek revenge against 
  others look to Sariniya’s example; some, though, ignore 
  what she became and focus only on what she did. It is these 
  small sects that have created temples to Sariniya and wor-
  ship her, forgetting that, once she achieved her vengeance, 
  she renounced all violence and materialism.
  The cult of Sariniya is therefore outlawed in Meeros. It 
  is not the goddess who is outlawed; indeed, her contempla-
  tive aspect forms the basis of several peaceful cults. Those 
  who seek constant retribution, allowing themselves to be 
  consumed by hatred, are the pariahs, because, over time, 
  these worshippers have become assassins and murderers, 
  ignoring the totality of Sariniya’s nature and journey.
  The Isle of Iaxos
  Iaxos is one of innumerable islands south of Meeros. 
  Two hundred years ago, rebels who sought to destroy King 
  Akretes were driven out of the city: they fled to Iaxos, suc-
  cessfully hiding on this small, mountainous island and 
  planning revenge. The rebels were worshippers of Sariniya 
  and built a temple to her in the natural caves of the island, 
  where the cult’s leaders planned and trained for the day 
  when they would take revenge against Meeros once more.
  The rebels did not remain hidden for long. King Akretes 
  paid highly for information about where the rebels had 
  taken refuge and eventually learned of Iaxos. He sent the 
  Scarlet Spears to root them out and destroy them. After 
  bitter fighting, the leaders of the rebellion were dragged 
  back to Meeros where Akretes had them publicly executed 
  – stoned to death at the base of the stairs of the Temple of 
  Myceras.
  Yet the rebels had one, last ace to play. Knowing their 
  days were numbered, the priests and priestesses of the 
  Sariniya cult petitioned their goddess and were heard. King 
  Akretes was cursed: soon after the rebel leaders were exe-
  cuted the corrupt and decadent king choked to death on a 
  chicken bone and those nobles who had backed him died, 
  one-by-one, in mysterious circumstances.
  Over the centuries the cult has dwindled. The original 
  founders are long dead, but some of their descendants still 
  live on Iaxos and worship Sariniya. Cut-off from civilisa-
  tion they have degenerated into primitive savagery with 
  crude rites and barbarous practices. Iaxos is shunned and 
  many are the tales of cannibals and monsters brought-back 
  to Meeros from sea-farers and merchants.
  Trimostones 
  the Gold
  Trimostones is the most successful merchant-venturer 
  of Meeros. His ships have sailed the Eight Seas of the 
  Known World and brought much wealth to his family and 
  the city-state. The ageing merchant has retired now, and 
  his trading empire is managed by his daughter, Herme-
  stone, and eldest son, Eurastanos. What few know is that 
  Trimostones is a relation of one of the nobles who sided 
  with King Akretes and died as a result of the Sariniya 
  Curse. Every male descendent has died at the age of 65 
  Hey, haven't I seen this 
  somewhere before...?
  Observant Games Masters and players may notice 
  some parallels with the classic fantasy film The Golden 
  Voyage of Sinbad and will be correct in doing so. This 
  wonderful movie is major inspiration and contains 
  several terrific scenes inside a very similar temple… 
  As great fans of the late Ray Harryhausen, The Design 
  Mechanism couldn't resist this homage to his genius.
  
  RuneQuest:﻿  Sariniya's Curse
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  without exception. Trimostones is 64 and although he is 
  not a superstitious man, he has felt his health beginning to 
  fail in small, subtle ways. He is not ready to die yet: he does 
  not want his son, Eurastonos, to share his fate. The Curse 
  of Sariniya must be broken.
  In the past couple of years Trimostones has researched 
  the myths and rites of Sariniya. He has learned that if 
  someone cursed by the cult goes to the temple where the 
  curse was made, begs forgiveness, and is prepared to offer 
  a sacrifice, the curse will be lifted. Trimostones intends to 
  make this pilgrimage.
  However, he does not want either Hermestone or 
  Eurastonos to know. Therefore he is willing to hire a group 
  of adventurers – the characters – to escort him to Iaxos, act 
  as bodyguards, and then ensure his safe return to Meeros 
  once the ritual to lift the curse is complete. Trimostones 
  can pay handsomely: he is willing to pay each character 300 
  SP. In return, they must say nothing of their task.
  Naturally Trimostenes has transport at hand. He picks 
  a small, competent crew, but does not tell them they are 
  destined for Iaxos. He also does not reveal this to the char-
  acters until they are well under way: all they are told is that 
  he is undertaking a personal trading mission and requires 
  good, loyal bodyguards. 
  Beginning the 
  Adventure
  The adventure begins aboard the merchant gal-
  ley  Axeneya. The ship is named for a minor sea goddess 
  which is the patron of Trimostones’ family. She is a well 
  crafted and elegant trader, with her figurehead carved into 
  the form of Axeneya rising from the waves. The ship is a 
  day out from Meeros, sailing due south. All the characters 
  know is that they are on a trade mission of some kind: even 
  the crew of 15 does not know the precise destination. The 
  weather is good, the sea calm, the sun shining, and schools 
  of dolphins run ahead of the Axeneya as she cuts through 
  the waves. Trimostones calls the characters to the prow of 
  the ship where he stands watching the sleek hull pursuing 
  the dolphins.
  “This is a good sign,” he says. “Dolphins are the sons and 
  daughters of the goddess Axeneya and this shows she is 
  with us.” He tells the characters they are bound for Iaxos. A 
  successful Locale roll means the characters have heard the 
  stories of this half-forgotten and savage isle, with its degen-
  erate cannibals who worship a demoness. “The stories are 
  partially true,” Trimostones says. “The inhabitants of the 
  island are the descendants of the rebellion against Mad 
  King Akretes. They are savages now, but once they were 
  civilised. For reasons important to myself and my family, 
  I must travel to Iaxos and its temple to Sariniya, braving 
  these savages. The crew may remain with the ship but you, 
  my hired companions, will act as my escort.”
  
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  Mutiny!
  Trimostones reveals the destination to the crew. They 
  are deeply troubled: Iaxos is considered a bad omen for all 
  seafarers and a few of them make their displeasure known. 
  The Games Master can make an Influence roll for Trimo-
  stones at this point, trying to calm the crew: if he fails, a 
  group of three announce they are going to take over the 
  ship and turn back to Meeros. If Trimostones fumbles, 
  then the three attack Trimostones directly, such is their 
  anger and fear.
  The three mutineers are armed with clubs: their inten-
  tion is not to kill anyone, but take control of the ship and 
  turn it around. The characters have the chance to sub-
  due the mutineers, prevent Trimostones from coming to 
  harm, and secure the ship. The other crew members are 
  wary but loyal to Trimostones: these three are the real 
  trouble-makers.
  The characters shouldn’t have any problems in dealing 
  with the mutineers – allow a couple of  crew members to 
  help them if things take a turn for the worse. The aim of 
  this near mutiny is to give the characters an opportunity to 
  get to grips with the RuneQuest combat rules and assert 
  their authority as Trimostones’ bodyguards. The statistics 
  for the crew members are on page 15: the mutineers are 
  simply very angry crew members.
  Once the mutiny is subdued, Trimostones orders the 
  mutineers to be bound and held below decks until the ship 
  returns to Meeros. He is angry at the treachery but also 
  understands the men’s fear and trepidation. No one is to 
  talk to these mutineers for the remainder of the voyage 
  and, he tells the rest of the crew, anyone else who tries to 
  seize the ship will not see the same mercy. Although the 
  mood is sullen for the next day or two, they comply.
  Approaching Iaxos
  On the morning of the third day the look-out calls that 
  land is sighted. In the distance the characters can see a 
  high, rocky island pushing-up through the waves. Iaxos is 
  typical of many of the islands in the Meerish archipelago: 
  rocky and steep, but with very good, fertile soils in the 
  lower reaches. Fruits and vegetables grow well, and Iaxos 
  has olive groves, orchards, and a small amount of game on 
  its slopes. Fish is abundant and the main (but not the only) 
  source of protein for the islanders.
  As the ship nears the island the crew becomes visibly 
  more nervous. Trimostones is grim-faced too, but orders 
  the ship to perform a circuit of the island looking for a con-
  venient bay. There is one on the southern face of the island, 
  but even so, Trimostones is good to his word and says that 
  only the characters and he will go ashore in the ship’s skiff. 
  The Axeneya is taken a point about 500 metres away from 
  the bay and anchor is weighed. The skiff is lowered from 
  its position near the rails and the characters and Trimo-
  stones climb aboard. The characters have to do the rowing, 
  and here it is worth every character making a Boating roll. 
  Every failure means the voyage to the shore takes 5 min-
  utes longer than the usual 15 minute row as the characters 
  struggle with the strong coastal currents, and even struggle 
  with maintaining an accurate rhythm. If there are two or 
  more fumbled Boating rolls, then the skiff capsizes and 
  the occupants have to swim for shore: each character must 
  make a successful Swim roll. If the roll is failed, the char-
  acter is swept half a kilometre down the coast from where 
  the rest make shore, and must spend half an hour trekking 
  through the undergrowth to reach the beach.
  The Landing Site
  A broad, crescent beach is the best landing site on Iaxos. 
  The white sands eventually give way to scrub and hardy, 
  thorny plants as the land begins to rise towards the inte-
  rior. It is very quiet: there is no birdsong although the con-
  stant chirruping of insects echoes across the island. Trimo-
  stones says that their destination is the Temple to Sariniya 
  and is found at approximately the island's centre – a series 
  of caves in a prominent rock formation. “Although I have 
  never seen it, there are good accounts of the formation in 
  the Meeros palace archives,” Trimostones says. “We are 
  looking for a promontory resembling a huge fist: the Fist 
  of Gods.”
  The next part of the journey is to trek inland. The ground 
  is steep, with loose rocks, small, thorny plants that scrape 
  G 
  
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  at ankles and shins, and dense groves of stunted trees that 
  create a natural maze around the island. The going is hard-
  work and tiring. Making their way into the interior requires 
  the following.
   
  ҉ Every character must succeed in an Endurance roll to 
  avoid Fatigue. Failure gives the character one level of 
  Fatigue while a Fumble gives two.
   
  ҉ Characters must make either a Hard Athletics roll, or 
  a Standard Survival roll, to avoid cuts, abrasions and 
  injuries as they negotiate the treacherous steep and 
  stony ground. Failure results in either the left or right 
  leg (roll 1d4: odds, left; evens right) sustaining 1d3 
  points of damage (or 1d4+1 if the roll is fumbled). 
  Armour offers no protection, and the damage ranges 
  from minor scratches, bites and nicks through to 
  twisted and sprained ankles.
   
  ҉ Perception or Insight rolls (whichever is higher) from 
  each character. Successful rolls give the characters 
  the feeling they are being watched…
  The light is beginning to fade when the ground finally 
  begins to level and there is enough space to make camp, 
  eat, and recover from the day’s exertions. The characters 
  should form a watch rota, plus decide who will gather 
  wood for a fire (quite plentiful), replenish water (there are 
  streams nearby) and prepare a meal. Trimostones, despite 
  being in reasonably good shape, is suffering. His ankles and 
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿  Sariniya's Curse
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  shins are bloody from cuts and scratches, and he is very 
  tired from the climb: he simply cannot continue and badly 
  needs sleep. A Hard First Aid or Standard Healing roll 
  recognises that his fatigue is nothing to do with either the 
  climb or his injuries (it is a symptom of the curse placed by 
  the Cult of Sariniya) and he cannot be easily treated so far 
  from civilisation. Tonight, the characters must watch over 
  him as they have been paid to.
  Eyes in the Night
  The savages of Iaxos have been watching the characters 
  ever since spotting the Axeneya approaching over the hori-
  zon. Fearful and susperstitious, they rely on the magic of 
  their priestess to deal with any intruders, but a group of 
  four savages have been sent to watch the characters’ prog-
  ress into the heart of the island: it is they that have been 
  trailing the party all day.
  As night falls, this small group creeps nearer for a bet-
  ter look. They remain semi-hidden in the undergrowth and 
  are alert for danger; what they want to do is get a better 
  idea of numbers, weapons and, in particular, the old man 
  who appears to be the leader. There is a prophecy among 
  the savages that a man of advanced years will challenge 
  Sariniya’s magic, and so they are keen to see if this is the 
  prophecy being fulfilled.
  The savages creep to within a dozen metres of the char-
  acters’ camp and observe, quietly. Spotting them requires a 
  Formidable Perception roll, opposed by the savages' Stealth 
  (35%) by whoever is keeping vigil. If the alarm is raised, 
  move to Combat Rounds and roll for initiative. The sav-
  ages flee, but do so after taking the opportunity lob a spear 
  at one (randomly chosen) character and a sling shot at 
  another. The characters can attempt to fell the natives with 
  missile weapons, or give chase. As it is dark, and the only 
  light comes from the campfire, all skill rolls are at Hard. 
  If they give chase, then the savages oppose the characters’ 
  Hard Athletics rolls with their own Athletics roll at no pen-
  alty – given that they know the area and are used to the 
  dark. 
  If the savages win, then they get away. If a savage should 
  be taken captive, he pleads for mercy in a broken, strangely 
  accented version of Meerish. On closer inspection the sav-
  age is clearly a young male with long, filthy, dark hair, a 
  flattened nose, terrified, sunken eyes, and clothes made 
  from animal skins. He stinks to high heaven and tearfully 
  begs for his life punctuating his pleas with prayers to ‘Good 
  Oora. Good Saniyara.’
  The captive understands Meerish well enough, even 
  though the version he speaks is a bastardisation of the orig-
  inal language. He volunteers his name as Urm and he can, 
  of course, be forced to lead the characters to the temple 
  Trimostones is seeking.
  If Games Masters wish, they can have the savages 
  attempt an ambush in a bid to save Urm. This gives a further 
  opportunity for a fight. If the characters have their captive, 
  finding the temple takes half of the next day. If they simply 
  drive-off the savages, then finding the temple requires the 
  same set of rolls as for the previous day’s travel, plus the 
  characters must negotiate the Death Trap…
  The Death Trap
  As the sun reaches its zenith on the next day, the going 
  has been every bit as hard as the day before. The under-
  growth is thicker, the insects are more troublesome, and 
  the air is heavy and humid.
  The characters are getting close to the temple, and 
  unless a successful Perception roll is made (taking into 
  account Fatigue, don’t forget), then the Death Trap, set by 
  the savages, is sprung. The trap is a simple one: a pit dug 
  into the path and then concealed with skins, dirt and local 
  vegetation. The pit is 3 metres in length, 1 metre wide, 3 
  metres deep and lined with stakes at the bottom, ready 
  to impale the unlucky. The pit also contains a Black Krate 
  snake. Anyone surviving the fall onto the stakes must also 
  evade the krate…
  Pit Trap
   
  ҉ Purpose: Death
   
  ҉ Trigger: Walking across the false surface
   
  ҉ Difficulty: 64%
   
  ҉ Resistance: Acrobatics, Athletics or Evade
   
  ҉ Effect: 1d6+1 to 1d3 random locations for the spikes 
  and the fall. Roll against the trap’s Difficulty; if a suc-
  cess, one of the locations rolled for stake damage is 
  impaled as though by a shortsword.
  
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  The krate has a burrow in the wall and emerges when it 
  senses panic and movement. Highly territorial, it attacks 
  anything it perceives to be a threat. It’s statistics are as 
  follows:
   
  ҉ Action Points: 2
   
  ҉ Damage Modifier: -1d2
   
  ҉ Strike Rank: 16
   
  ҉ Armour: 0
   
  ҉ Move: 12m
   
  ҉ Skills: Athletics 98%, Endurance 20%, Evade 95%, 
  Willpower 90%
   
  ҉ Combat Style: Coiled Horror 75%, Bite (Small, 
  Touch) 1d3-1d2
  It only has 3 Hit Points and a good strike will kill it, but 
  remember how fast and agile it is. The krate only needs to 
  inflict 1 point of damage to inject its venom:
  Black Krate Venom
   
  ҉ Injected
   
  ҉ Potency: 65%
   
  ҉ Resistance: Endurance
   
  ҉ Onset Time: 10 Combat Rounds
   
  ҉ Duration: See Below
   
  ҉ Conditions: Unconscious – anyone failing the Resis-
  tance roll loses consciousness for 1d8 hours. When 
  he or she comes round, they suffer a level of Fatigue.
  The Fist of Gods
  As the party climbs higher on this second day, and as 
  afternoon turns to evening, the promontory Trimostones 
  spoke of reveals itself. It is a massive plug of dark rock set 
  against the sky: an immense boulder thrown by the gods so 
  that it landed on a raised pillar of rock and remained there, 
  dominating all. Known as the Fist of Gods by the histori-
  ans (and the savages), this plug of granite overhangs the 
  surrounding lands casting a long shadow. Even when the 
  characters first see it, some distance away, it is obvious that 
  something special nestles within its natural caves: a vast 
  opening, inaccessible due to the way the promontory over-
  hangs the surrounding geology, reveals massive steps and 
  carvings clearly belonging to a temple.
  The path the characters follow curves up towards the 
  western side of Fist of Gods, turning from a track into 
  steep, carved steps. At their summit is another natural 
  opening – a collapsed cave – and this is the easiest way into 
  Sariniya’s Temple. The map on page 8 shows the interior 
  layout of the temple complex.
  The temple can be accessed either via the western 
  entrance (1) or the opening on the southern face (7). If the 
  southern face is used, the characters will need to be very 
  skilled in climbing: the overhang is such that it is impos-
  sible for any human to successfully climb using only hand-
  holds. Instead, a line with a grapnel must be thrown into 
  the opening and, hopefully, find purchase enough to take 
  the weight of the first climber. It is a 30 metre climb up to 
  the opening and this can only be accomplished by first suc-
  cessfully making a Herculean success with Athletics to hurl 
  a grapnel into the opening and find a secure anchor point.
  Games Master's Note: If you are playing this scenario 
  with the pre-generated characters provided, and are using 
  the full RQ6 rules, Mju's Adhesion Talent allows him to eas-
  ily scuttle up this overhang without the need for any par-
  ticular equipment.
  So the main entrance (1) is the safest route.  But let the 
  characters use their ingenuity in deciding how to get into 
  the temple.
  Within Sariniya’s 
  Temple
  The island is home to several hundred savages – all 
  descendants of the rebels. However, they are scattered 
  across the island and only the Chosen of the Priestess are 
  allowed to live in an around the temple. In the temple itself 
  are about 40 savages – a mixture of sexes and ages – com-
  manded by Oora, the Priestess of Sariniya (or, as the sav-
  ages call her, Saniyara). Oora is the most powerful person 
  on the island because she communes directly with Sariniya 
  and commands Her miracles. 
  One of the previous priestesses made a prophecy on 
  her death-bed that, one day, an old man of Meeros would 
  come to confirm Sariniya’s power. The dying priestess had 
  it wrong: the old man will come to break Sariniya’s power – 
  but as the dying priestess had been poisoned by her succes-
  sor, it was a deliberate, vengeful, omission. Still, the current 
  priestess, Oora, is wary and so has commanded her faithful 
  to watch these strangers and judge their intent. The savages 
  of Iaxos still recall stories of how soldiers from across the 
  sea came and murdered the founders of the island and are 
  therefore naturally wary of any intruders.
  
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  Oora watches the characters approaching and has her 
  faithful prepare their weapons: stone-tipped spears and 
  slings. Meanwhile, Oora prays to Sariniya and casts her 
  Awaken miracle on the stone statue of the goddess located 
  at the top of the shrine (4) in readiness for both the char-
  acters and the old man they are guarding. Oora commands 
  16 savages of warrior status: the remainder are too old, too 
  young or too frail to fight and they remain in their own area 
  of the temple (8).
  The Priestess Oora does not care about the characters: 
  they can die for all that it matters, and, since the savages 
  of Iaxos are cannibals, they are a fresh source of food for 
  the colony. The old man though, Trimostones, is not to be 
  so readily murdered. If the prophecy is true, it may be that 
  Sariniya intends him to become Oora’s husband and mate, 
  thereby ensuring her bloodline continues to rule the island. 
  But she has to be sure, and so she wants Trimostones 
  unharmed so that he can be brought before Sariniya and 
  his suitability tested. If this old man is destined to prove 
  Sariniya’s power he will not care if his companions die – 
  for they will be serving the goddess. If he is a false prophet, 
  then they will all be sacrificed to the Goddess as punish-
  ment. When Oora learns that Trimostones has come to 
  break the curse made by her ancestors – well, she sees it as 
  her duty to have every last one of these invaders butchered 
  and eaten.
  Key to the Temple
  All the areas marked on the diagram, with the exception 
  of area 1, are enclosed within the immense plug of stone 
  known as the First of Gods. Light comes from rush torches 
  and crude, fish-oil lamps set into sconces and crevices. 
  The walls of the caves are hewn from solid basalt. The roof 
  of area 1 collapsed perhaps a thousand years ago and the 
  debris has been used to build the structures within.
  Originally, the temple complex was three separate caves, 
  but the central and eastern caves were joined into a single 
  area when the partitioning wall was removed. Also, this 
  was not always a temple to Sariniya: the original (long-
  dead) inhabitants of Iaxos worshipped an elephant-headed 
  god, and its temple still remains in area 2. Sariniya’s temple 
  came two centuries ago and was fashioned to deliberately 
  supplant the temple to the Elephant God.
  The savages of Iaxos worship Sariniya every evening at 
  sundown. Led by Oora, they spend an hour or so in ritual 
  prayers, make offerings of fish and, occasionally, fresh meat, 
  concluding with frenetic dancing to pounding drums. On 
  Sariniya’s Holy Day, Oora casts Awaken upon the statue 
  and has it lead the dancing: this is an awe-inspiring sight 
  for the savages, as their revered goddess comes among 
  them and leads their devotional displays. Games Masters 
  can easily have the characters’ arrival coincide with Sarin-
  iya’s Holy Day, or simply have it that Oora has readied her 
  Awaken Miracle in a bid to impress and intimidate.
  1. Courtyard
  Open to the sky, the Courtyard is reached by the broad, 
  steep stairs that curve up to Fist of Gods from lower down 
  the mountain. It is 15 metres wide and 17 metres long. 
  Steps to the north lead into the temple of the Elephant God 
  while the steps to the east lead into Sariniya’s Temple.
  Both entrances are framed by 3 metre-high basalt pillars 
  carved to resemble stylised elephants. The pillars forming 
  the entrance to Sariniya’s Temple have been hacked and 
  defaced, with attempts being made to restyle the elephants 
  into (unsuccessful) representations of the goddess. Both 
  entrances are reached by sets of broad, shallow stairs.
  If the savages are, for any reason, acting aggressively or 
  defensively, 1d3+1 of them use the pillars as cover and send 
  sling-stones hurling into the courtyard from the entrance 
  to area 3. If the characters manage to avoid or survive their 
  attacks the savages retreat into the main temple area and 
  join with Oora.
  2. Shrine of the Elephant God
  Set into its own, immense, dark recess, this shrine to an 
  unnamed Elephant God has survived the Sariniya worship-
  pers’ best-efforts to destroy it. The shrine is a 3 metre-high, 
  square plinth on which sits an elephant-headed god. Its 
  tusks were made of ivory and were plundered long ago, but 
  the statue itself – all 3.5 metres of it – is intact. The idol is 
  carved of basalt and is in a kneeling position. The Elephant 
  God’s face is scowling and terrible to behold: its trunk curls 
  around its neck like a noose, and the hands rest on the 
  statue’s knees. The whole thing has a SIZ of 60 and weighs 
  in the region of 4,500 kilos. If it can be moved or toppled, 
  then the plinth it sits on is hollow. Inside are the complete 
  skeletons of three elephants which were brought here and 
  sacrificed as part of the Consecration Ritual. The tusks of 
  the elephants are worth 500 SP each to an ivory dealer. 
  The shrine is protected by a powerful Consecrate Mir-
  acle (see page 137 of RQ Essentials, or page 267 of the 
  RuneQuest rules) that has embedded an Earthquake 
  Miracle into its foundations. If anyone attempts to damage, 
  break-into, or defile the shrine, a localised earth tremor 
  affects the whole of the Fist of Gods area which, if unre-
  sisted, causes large chunks of basalt to fall from the ceilings 
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿  Sariniya's Curse
  ﻿10﻿﻿
  (Evade rolls or 1d8+1 damage, rolling 1d10+10 for the Hit 
  Location) and people to fall prone.
  The area to the immediate east of the shrine, sepa-
  rated by more of the elephantine columns, is an empty 
  ante-chamber.
  The savages and Oora are scared of the Elephant God 
  and will not enter any part of the shrine. Neither will they 
  launch attacks from outside on anyone who takes shelter 
  within it, for fear of activating the Earthquake Miracle.
  3. Sariniya Temple
  The temple to the Meerish Goddess of Revenge is 35 
  metres long, with a high, naturally domed ceiling. Pillars 
  five metres apart divide the temple into its different sec-
  tions. The pillars are in the old Meerish design of plain 
  columns of stone carved with scenes of ritual and myth. 
  Each pillar recounts a key myth of Sariniya, from how she 
  came to be the goddess of revenge through to how she took 
  that revenge on each of the Invader Gods. The carvings are 
  detailed, intricate, and shocking in their graphic depictions 
  of vengeance. There are beheadings, disembowelments, 
  flayings, and someone having their vertebrae removed, 
  one piece at a time. Below these depictions are pictorial 
  illustrations of the rituals associated with each myth. These 
  are dances, and the steps and movements of the dance are 
  clearly shown, with a stylised figure of Sariniya used to 
  demonstrate the requirements.
  Between the entrance and the shrine (4) is a 15 metre-
  long pool sunk into the stone. The pool is 3 metres deep and 
  was once filled with water, but is now dry. It is surrounded 
  by more columns and, looking carefully at the walls and 
  floor of the pool, it is clear that it is covered in blood stains. 
  The pool was once used for cleansing rituals but is now used 
  for ritual murders. The savages of Iaxos have descended 
  into cannibalism to supplement their meagre diet of fish 
  and local vegetables, feeding on the old, infirm and those 
  who are deemed, by Oora, to have offended Sariniya. These 
  victims are ritually slaughtered in this pool, before being 
  taken to the storage area (9) to be hung. The pillar on the 
  south west corner displays, quite clearly, the processes of 
  ritual killing and preparation for eating. Anyone looking at 
  this iconography should make a Hard Willpower roll: fail-
  ure results in them being struck with utter terror, as though 
  afflicted by the Terrifying creature ability (page 150 of RQ 
  Essentials or page 316 of RuneQuest).
  To the south, at area 7, the cave wall is completely open, 
  flooding the temple with natural light in the mornings. To 
  the north is Oora’s Sanctum and to the east is the Living 
  Area for the temple savages.
  4. The Shrine
  An ornate stepped plinth, 6 metres by 6 metres by 6 
  metres dominates the eastern end of the main temple area. 
  At the top of the plinth is an intricate and detailed statue 
  of Sariniya herself. The goddess is depicted in her aspect 
  of Avenging Mother: a six-armed she-demon with a face 
  on each side of her head, ensuring that she sees all injus-
  tice and is equipped to deal with it. She has four breasts, 
  and her powerful legs are wrapped in ankle bracelets of real 
  silver (worth 150 SP each, if they can be hacked from the 
  ankles). Each of the six hands carries a weapon: two carry 
  shortspears; two carry shortswords and two carry axes. 
  The arms are arrayed in a defensive posture with the short-
  swords crossed over Sariniya’s lower body, the battle axes 
  crossed over her head and the spears levelled. The statue is 
  carved from granite brought from elsewhere on the island, 
  and is highly polished so that every surface is smooth and 
  gleaming. The eye sockets of each face are blank, with no 
  pupils, lending the goddess a terrifying, merciless appear-
  ance. The statue is three metres tall, from head to toe.
  During key rituals Oora activates her Awaken Miracle, 
  causing the statue to come down from its plinth and lead 
  the dances. The savages are in abject fear of the animated 
  statue and obey Oora’s commands to the word whenever 
  the statue is brought to life. She uses it to reinforce her own 
  power but can also direct the statue to attack and destroy 
  her enemies. The Awoken statue obeys Oora’s commands, 
  channeling her intellect and skills, and is aware of its sur-
  roundings and enemies. If commanded to fight, it fights; if 
  commanded to pursue, it pursues. With faces on both the 
  front and back of its head it is capable of directing attacks 
  and defences against foes in front and behind it, but therein 
  lies a weakness – which either a Standard Lore (Strategy 
  and Tactics), Hard Insight or Formidable Perception roll 
  can spot: if engaged with foes in front and behind, the 
  statue cannot move in either direction: it becomes rooted 
  to the spot. Someone approaching from the side, and 
  applying enough force (a successful Formidable Brawn roll, 
  for instance; or two successful Standard Brawn rolls by two 
  different people), could topple the statue over. Similarly, if 
  the statue is forced to either Overextend (using the Over-
  extend Special Effect), and the statue is very close to a prec-
  ipice (the pit, for example), it can easily lose its balance. 
  In this case the statue must make a successful Formidable 
  Athletics roll (based on Oora’s Athletics skill) or topple 
  
  RuneQuest:﻿  Sariniya's Curse
  ﻿11﻿﻿
  over. Its bulk, coupled with the force of the fall, causes the 
  Awaken Miracle to fail and the statue to smash. This is 
  really the only effective way to defeat the statue. Oora can 
  easily send savages to block all the exits from the temple, 
  forcing the characters to fight it, and any weapons striking 
  the statue may sustain damage, as per the rules for striking 
  inanimate objects on page 74 of RuneQuest Essentials, or 
  page 123 of RuneQuest.
  The statue is far too powerful for a single combatant to 
  take-on: it requires group tactics and cunning to defeat it. 
  As well as the tactics mentioned on page 10, the following 
  can also be used:
   
  ҉ Attack Oora: if Oora is forced to break her concen-
  tration then the link with the statue is lost and the 
  Awaken Miracle ceases abruptly.
   
  ҉ Spells such as Befuddle, Calm, Demoralise, Glue and 
  Slow all work against the statue directly and can be 
  used to impede its combat abailities.
  5. Oora’s Antechamber
  To the north of the main temple area, and hidden by a 
  mixture of pillars and crude drapes strung between them, is 
  Oora’s antechamber. Lit by fish oil candles, this wide cham-
  ber is where Oora spends most of her time, being attended 
  by those savages chosen as her servants. There are ten 
  servants: five are personal attendents who look after the 
  priestess’s food and grooming needs, and then five more 
  who act as a bodyguard, armed with stone-tipped spears.
  If the characters and/or Trimostones are captured, this 
  is where they are brought first, so that Oora can question 
  them, gloat over them and then decide what might be done 
  with them. If she decides to hold them prisoner, they are 
  thrown into the pit in area 3, and guarded by eight savages 
  who use spears to ensure no one climbs out. Prisoners have 
  to wait until Oora is ready before witnessing the savages’ 
  rituals and the Awakening of the statue.
  The antechamber is littered with hides, crude cush-
  ions, wooden and bone utensils and dishes, scraps of food, 
  fruit and so on. There are also a dozen large drums used to 
  pound the frantic rhythms of the ritual dances. The ante-
  chamber stinks, is dirty, but Oora and her cohorts do not 
  seem to notice. Oora spends her time reclined on a wooden 
  platform lined with dried bracken, palm fronds, reeds and 
  animal hides. She is a formidable presence: a large woman 
  with long, lank, greying hair. On each side of her face are 
  tattoos of smaller faces, resembling those of Sariniya’s like-
  ness on the statue. She wears many necklaces of bones, 
  teeth, shaped stones and the occasional precious gem. On 
  her ankles and wrists are bangles of silver and jade, total-
  ling 200 SP in value. Her eyes are accentuated with soot, 
  daubed around the sockets and across her lids. She wears 
  her breasts uncovered and they, like her cheeks, are tat-
  tooed but this time with many peculiar runes and sigils, 
  revealed to her in dreams by the goddess.
  No one dares to disobey Oora. She is confident, dan-
  gerous, and, most likely, insane. She is willing to indulge 
  the characters and Trimostones while she communes with 
  Sariniya. This takes a whole day, and through her commu-
  nications she learns that Trimostones is a descendent of 
  those who once hunted Sariniya’s worshippers. She discov-
  ers that he is here to break the curse placed on his blood-
  line and this amuses Oora greatly. Trimostones has come 
  to offer Sariniya a finger from each hand, a toe from each 
  foot and one of his eyes in return for the lifting of the curse. 
  Oora is quite willing to accept these offerings – and take 
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿  Sariniya's Curse
  ﻿12﻿﻿
  them herself – but she will not call upon the goddess to lift 
  the curse. As soon as they time is right Oora will awaken 
  Sariniya’s statue and call upon her savages to butcher all the 
  characters. This is the only way she can be certain that her 
  own power will never be threatened and that the prophecy 
  can be thwarted.
  6. Oora’s Bedchamber
  This is where Oora sleeps. A dark, cave-like recess, it 
  contains a bed made of rushes, leaves and more hides, plus 
  the skulls of every priestess of Sariniya going all the way 
  back to the first people who came back to Iaxos. The skulls 
  are placed in niches around the walls and stare down, leer-
  ing and grinning, as Oora sleeps.
  In a wicker basket near to her bed are kept four of the 
  deadly Black Krates (see page 7). If threatened Oora can 
  run back into the bedroom and tear open the basket, either 
  hurling the whole thing at her enemies or releasing the 
  snakes into the chamber.
  Hidden beneath the rancid bed is a hole carved into the 
  rock. A small box, about 30cm long and 20cm wide, con-
  tains 300 SP and 5 Gold Pieces in coinage. There are also 
  rings, necklaces and other jewels worth an extra 250 SP. 
  This is the accumulated treasure of the Meerish rebels who 
  fled to Iaxos and are the most precious of Oora’s posses-
  sions. She guards them with her life and is prepared to bat-
  tle anyone, hand to hand, who tries to steal the box away.
  7. The Outer Temple
  When the island was more populous, this natural open-
  ing is where the priestess would appear, the crowds gath-
  ered outside Fist of Gods, with the rituals and dances being 
  led in the open air. The Outer Temple is little more than a 
  partition of columns, but it still forms an important part of 
  the overall structure as it provides daylight, fresh air, and a 
  handy way of dealing with those Oora doesn’t like by cast-
  ing them to their deaths onto the rocky slopes below.
  The plinth at the far southern edge of the opening is an 
  ornate balcony supported by a pair of columns with a waist-
  high altar set just before the edge of the drop. It can be used 
  either as a means of getting into the temple from the lower 
  slopes, or of escaping it. Note, though, that the drop to the 
  lower slopes is 30 metres, so any attempt to use the Outer 
  Temple needs to be accompanied by good, sturdy rope. The 
  temple forms part of the Fist of Gods overhang, so climb-
  ing it without rope is incredibly difficult to do.
  8. Communal Hall
  This area is separated into two. The southern part is a 
  large communal cooking and eating area, with open fire 
  pits, storage areas made of lean-tos and so forth. Raised 
  above it to the north, is the sleeping area; a natural ledge, 
  two metres high, creates the separation. Handholds and 
  crude steps have been chiselled into the limestone.
  This is where the savages chosen by Oora to live within 
  the temple spend most of their time. They eat, work and 
  play together, repairing weapons, making snares, fashion-
  ing clothes and tools – a very primitive, domestic exis-
  tence. The sleeping area is covered in hides, furs, rotting 
  cloth, and woven mats of rush and bracken. About 30 or so 
  individuals share this area, emerging into the main temple 
  for the rituals or when Oora summons them for some other 
  purpose. Most of the individuals are too old, frail or scared 
  to fight, but 1d4+3 of the savages are prepared to take-up 
  weapons against intruders if needs-be.
  9. The Store
  This cool, dark cave is reached via a narrow, twisting 
  passage and is hidden from view by a hide curtain separat-
  ing it from area 8. The stench is vile: a sweet, rotting smell 
  that grows stronger as one moves further inside.
  In the cave are half a dozen human bodies that have 
  been strung-up and butchered by the savages. These were 
  criminals or the very old who have recently died. The sav-
  ages let the bodies cure after flaying them, rubbing salt 
  across the exposed flesh. Despite the attempts at preserva-
  tion, the stench of rotten flesh is overwhelming. The cave 
  is unlit too, so the characters may not, at first, realise what 
  is held in here. It requires a Formidable Endurance roll to 
  remain in the cave without retching violently, sustaining 
  the equivalent of a level of Fatigue in the process.
  Any characters put to death face the same fate as these 
  wretches: being flayed, hung and then steadily eaten over 
  the course of several months…
  Events on Reaching 
  the Temple
  The whole purpose of the scenario is to get Trimostones 
  to the temple so that he can attempt to placate Sariniya, lift 
  the curse from his bloodline, and prevent his own, untimely 
  death. Oora’s purpose is to continue to offer sacrifices 
  to her goddess, take revenge on the dimly remembered 
  
  RuneQuest:﻿  Sariniya's Curse
  ﻿13﻿﻿
  persecutors of her ancestors, and feed her tribe with the 
  remains.
  Trimostones is determined to do whatever he can to 
  placate the goddess, but it may soon become apparent to 
  both the ageing merchant and the characters that Oora has 
  little intention of accepting what Trimostones offers and 
  letting them go. She is barbaric and vengeful: she sees Tri-
  mostones as an old fool and all-too gullible sacrifice.
  Trying to capture the characters gives Oora the oppor-
  tunity to sacrifice them to Sariniya in the traditional ways 
  and so reinforce her power in the eyes of the savages. The 
  savages enjoy toying with captives and playing-out their 
  old, murderous rituals. For the characters, this becomes 
  a matter of escape and survival. If they use their wits, it  
  should not be a massacre: the savages are easily awed and, 
  if Oora is killed, they soon become compliant. Indeed, if 
  the animated statue of Sariniya is destroyed then the sav-
  ages may even begin to question Oora’s power and turn on 
  her, as easily as they can be made to capture the characters.
  There should be lots of opportunities for secretive 
  entrances, desperate captures, cunning escapes and, of 
  course, the chilling sight of the statue descending its plinth 
  to dance and then battle the characters. The characters 
  should be given chances to bargain with Oora, impress the 
  savages and, eventually, fight for their lives. If they escape 
  the temple then the savages may give chase for a little way, 
  but ultimately they do not stray too far from their home.
  Killing Oora is the main way to lift the curse. However, 
  if the pre-generated characters are used, then Kara can use 
  Dismiss Magic, cast against the statue’s plinth, to coun-
  teract Sariniya’s curse. If the Dismiss Magic Miracle suc-
  ceed, then the plinth collapses, the statue disintegrates and 
  Oora’s powers are broken.
  Another way of ensuring there is no pursuit, when the 
  characters escape, would be to trigger the Earthquake Mir-
  acle in the Elephant God's shrine: left to run, it will even-
  tually collapse the whole of Fist of Gods onto Sariniya's 
  temple.
  Concluding the 
  Scenario
  The ideal conclusion is that Trimostones, aided by the 
  characters, survives and manages, somehow, to break the 
  curse. If he does so, Oora's power over the savages is also 
  broken and all being well, the party returns to Meeros. 
  Trimostones rewards them with a further 100 SP each and 
  allows them to keep any treasure they have found on Iaxos.
  If Trimostones dies, or is mortally wounded, then the 
  characters will have a great deal of explaining to do to 
  his family when they return to Meeros. They will have to 
  explain about the curse, the priestess and the island of sav-
  ages. This may spur Hermestone, Trimostone's daughter, 
  to launch a second expedition to Iaxos to avenge her father. 
  She pays whatever the characters were promised by her 
  father, but no more: she also holds the characters respon-
  sible for her father's death or injuries.
  Investigating 
  the Island
  Characters may, of course, want to investigate the island. 
  We haven’t created a whole list of creature encounters in 
  the interests of space, but there is no reason why Iaxos can-
  not live up to its reputation for being a dreadful place, and 
  include some of the following (statistics for all these crea-
  tures can be found in RuneQuest - both the main rules 
  and Essentials)…
  The Cyclops
  In the north-eastern hills, perhaps 3 kilometres from 
  the coast, is the cave home of Ghouroo the Cyclops. Ghou-
  roo feeds on the local mountain goats, some of the savages 
  when he can catch them, and large fish caught out in the 
  sea. He is small by Cyclops standards, but no less vicious. 
  In his caves are stacked a variety of treasures looted from 
  wrecked ships and murdered sailors.
  Iaxan Monitors
  These large, territorial lizards inhabit the south western 
  coast. They bask on the rocks when the sun is at its high-
  est and then retreat to the woodlands to hunt. They are 
  dangerous carnivores when riled, and superstitious mari-
  ners have often confused them with baby dragons. Use the 
  statitsics for Giant Lizard.
  Giant Scorpion
  Found all over the island, giant scorpions occupy hidden 
  burrows and lurk under fallen trees, in small caves and the 
  gaps created by rockfalls. They aim to sting their prey into 
  submission before dragging the inert victim back into their 
  layer for a ghastly, protracted, painful feast…
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿ Characters
  ﻿14﻿﻿
  Characters
  Characteristics
  Attributes
  1d20
  Location
  AP/HP
  STR: 10
  Action Points: 2
  1–3
  Right Leg
  0/5
  CON: 12
  Damage Modifier: +0
  4–6
  Left Leg
  0/5
  SIZ: 10
  Magic Points: 12
  7–9
  Abdomen
  0/6
  DEX: 9
  Movement: 4 metres
  10–12
  Chest
  0/7
  INT: 14
  Strike Rank:13
  13–15
  Right Arm
  0/4
  POW: 12
  Armour: None
  16–18
  Left Arm
  0/4
  CHA: 14
  Abilities: None
  19–20
  Head
  0/5
  Skills: Athletics 35%, Commerce 93%, Customs 85%, Deceit 40%, Endurance 35%, Evade 30% First Aid 46%, Influence 70%, Insight 54%, Language (Meerish) 
  100%, Navigate 82%, Oratory 54%, Perception 40%, Ride 55%, Seamanship 80%, Survival 73%, Unarmed 48%, Willpower 47%
  Magic: Folk Magic 56%; Spells, Appraise, Calm, Find Tradable Goods
  Combat Style: Meerish Merchant Venturer (Buckler, Dagger, Shortsword) 58%
  Weapon
  Size/Force
  Reach
  Damage
  AP/HP
  Shortsword
  M
  S
  1d6
  6/8
  Buckler
  M
  S
  1d3
  6/9
  Dagger 
  S
  S
  1d4+1
  6/8
  Trimostones the Gold
  A thin, distinguished man of 64 years, with a full head of silver-grey hair, a well-trimmed beard (worn in waxed ringlets, 
  an older style still found in people of his generation) and sad, brown eyes. Trimostones is very successful and very wealthy; 
  he commands much respect throughout Meeros and is known for his shrewd mind, keen wit and an eye for a bargain. He is 
  easy to talk to, likeable, and respectful of others. He looks older than his years: the result of the curse that has visited many 
  ailments and constant fatigure in recent months. He moves slowly and must pause frequently to catch his breath, but he 
  never lets this stop him from what he wants to get done. As an initiate of the Illustrious Guild of Merchant-Venturers, he 
  knows a few Folk Magic spells which may be of use during this expedition.
    P 
  
  RuneQuest:﻿ Characters
  ﻿15﻿﻿
  Attributes
  1d20
  Location
  AP/HP
  Action Points: 2
  1–3
  Right Leg
  0/4
  Damage Modifier: None
  4–6
  Left Leg
  0/4
  Magic Points: 9
  7–9
  Abdomen
  1/5
  Movement: 6 metres
  10–12
  Chest
  1/6
  Strike Rank: 11
  13–15
  Right Arm
  0/3
  Armour: Leather Girdle and Tunic
  16–18
  Left Arm
  0/3
  Abilities: None
  19–20
  Head
  0/4
  Skills: Athletics 38%, Brawn 25%, Endurance 36%, Evade 28%, Locale 40%, Perception 41%, Seamanship 70%, Survival 31%, Unarmed 38%, Willpower 22%, 
  Stealth 39%, Swim 50%
  Combat Style: Meerish Sea Salt (Club, Dagger, Buckler) 50%
  Weapon
  Size/Force
  Reach
  Damage
  AP/HP
  Club
  M
  S
  1d6
  4/4
  Buckler
  M
  S
  1d3
  6/9
  Dagger 
  S
  S
  1d4+1
  6/8
  Typical Crew Member of The Axeneya
  Weather-beaten, over-worked, tough and with brine in their veins, these sailors are usually loyal to Trimostones but 
  are superstitious, fearful, and easily awed by displays of magic and the supernatural. Like most sailors they are terrified by 
  certain legends and the island of Iaxos and its cannibals features highly in things that terrify them. A few are prepared to 
  mutiny in order to save everyone from the inevitable carnage that will befall anyone setting foot on Iaxos. The others are 
  reluctant sailors who just want to get paid and go home.
  If you need more player characters than the pre-generated examples provided later in this section, then you can use crew 
  members who opt to accompany the party rather than remain on the ship. They have STR, CON, SIZ and POW of 9, and INT, 
  DEX and CHA of 11. Skills that may be needed bit not listed are at 40%.
  Attributes
  1d20
  Location
  AP/HP
  Action Points: 3
  1–3
  Right Leg
  0/5
  Damage Modifier: +1d2
  4–6
  Left Leg
  0/5
  Magic Points: 11
  7–9
  Abdomen
  1/6
  Movement: 6 metres
  10–12
  Chest
  1/7
  Strike Rank: 11
  13–15
  Right Arm
  0/4
  Armour: Animal Furs and Hides
  16–18
  Left Arm
  0/4
  Abilities: None
  19–20
  Head
  0/5
  Skills: Athletics 40%, Brawn 40%, Evade 40%, Endurance 50%, Stealth 35%, Survival 40%, Swim 35%, Willpower 45%
  Combat Style: Iaxos Savage 55% (Spear and Sling)
  Weapon
  Size/Force
  Reach
  Damage
  AP/HP
  Spear
  M
  L
  1d8+1d2
  4/5
  Sling
  L
  -
  1d8
  1/2
  Savages of Iaxos
  A range of sizes, the savages are hairy, thick-browed, hunched and dim-witted - a result of constant interbreeding over 
  the past two centuries, and being kept that way by Oora who know that a dim savage is an obedient savage. They are not 
  especially brave. Any savage suffering a Major Wound to any location must succeed in a Willpower roll to keep fighting; 
  otherwise, he or she flees, howling, for safety.
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿ Characters
  ﻿16﻿﻿
  Weapon
  Size/Force
  Reach
  Damage
  AP/HP
  Stone Dagger 
  S
  S
  1d4+1
  4/6
  Characteristics
  Attributes
  1d20
  Location
  AP/HP
  STR: 10
  Action Points: 3
  1–3
  Right Leg
  0/5
  CON: 9
  Damage Modifier: +0
  4–6
  Left Leg
  0/5
  SIZ: 11
  Magic Points: 16
  7–9
  Abdomen
  0/6
  DEX: 13
  Movement: 6 metres
  10–12
  Chest
  0/7
  INT: 15
  Strike Rank: +14 
  13–15
  Right Arm
  0/4
  POW: 16
  Armour: none
  16–18
  Left Arm
  0/4
  CHA: 14
  19–20
  Head
  0/5
  Skills: Athletics 44%, Customs 85%, Dance 90%, Deceit 55%, Endurance 40%, Evade 42%, Insight 75%, Influence 80%, Perception 49%, Willpower 65%
  Magic:
  Folk Magic 57%; Spells: Befuddle, Cleanse, Coordination, Fanaticism, Light, 
  Theism: Devotion (Sariniya) 86%, Evoke 76%; Devotional Pool 8. Miracles: Awaken, Consecrate, Harmonise, Propitiate
  Combat Style: Mad Priestess (Dagger) 46%
  Oora, Priestess of Sariniya
  Oora is a formidable presence: a large woman with long, lank, greying hair. On each side of her face are tattoos of smaller 
  faces, resembling those of Sariniya’s likeness on the statue. She wears many necklaces of bones, teeth, shaped stones and 
  the occasional precious gem. On her ankles and wrists are bangles of silver and jade, totalling 200 SP in value. Her eyes are 
  accentuated with soot, daubed around the sockets and across her lids. She wears her breasts uncovered and they, like her 
  cheeks, are tattooed but this time with many peculiar runes and sigils, revealed to her in dreams by the goddess. She can 
  use her Folk Magic spells of Befuddle and Coordination to attempt to control those who might attack her, while Fanaticism 
  is used on one or two favoured savages to make them fight harder. Her most potent magics are her Miracles: Awaken, to 
  bring the statue to life; and Harmonise to command others to do her bidding like puppets. If killed, all magic associated 
  with Sariniya fails and withers.
  Statue of Sariniya
  The Goddess is depicted in her aspect of Avenging Mother: a six-armed she-demon with 
  a face on each side of her head, ensuring that she sees all injustice and is equipped to deal 
  with it. She has four breasts, and her powerful legs are wrapped in ankle bracelets of real 
  silver (worth 150 SP each, if they can be hacked from the ankles). Each of the six hands car-
  ries a weapon: two carry shortspears; two carry shortswords and two carry battleaxes. The 
  arms are arrayed in a defensive posture with the shortswords crossed over Sariniya’s lower 
  body, the battle axes crossed over her head and the spears levelled towards her enemies. 
  The statue is carved from granite brought from elsewhere on the island, and is highly pol-
  ished so that every surface is smooth and gleaming. The eye sockets of each face are blank, 
  with no pupils, lending the goddess a terrifying, merciless appearance. The statue is three 
  metres tall, from head to toe. When animated, it moves jerkily and the stone joints creak 
  and grind. However it can be quite graceful and when made to dance, it does so at the same 
  level of skill as Oora. 
  
  RuneQuest:﻿ Characters
  ﻿17﻿﻿
  Characteristics
  Attributes
  1d20
  Location
  AP/HP
  STR: 25
  Action Points: 6
  1–3
  Right Leg
  10/9
  CON: -
  Damage Modifier: +1d10
  4–6
  Left Leg
  10/9
  SIZ: 23
  Magic Points: 0
  7–9
  Abdomen
  10/10
  DEX: 4
  Movement: 4 metres
  10–12
  Chest
  10/11
  INT: 15* (This is Oora's channelled INT)
  Strike Rank: 14 
  13
  Right Arm 1
  10/8
  POW: -
  Armour: Granite
  14
  Right Arm 2
  10/8
  CHA: -
  15
  Right Arm 3
  10/8
  Abilities: Intimidate, Multi-Limbed, Multi-Headed (provides additional Action Points)
  16
  Left Arm 1
  10/8
  17
  Left Arm 2
  10/8
  18
  Left Arm 3
  10/8
  19-20
  Head
  10/9
  Skills: Athletics 44%, Customs 85%, Dance 90%, Endurance 88%, Evade 28%, Perception 25%, Willpower 65%
  Combat Style: Vengeful Goddess (Spear, Axe, Sword) 46%
  Weapon
  Size/Force
  Reach
  Damage
  AP/HP
  Shortsword (x2)
  M
  M
  1d6+1d10
  6/10
  Axe (x2)
  M
  S
  1d6+1d10
  3/6
  Shortspear (x2)
  M
  L
  1d8+1+1d10
  4/5
  Guide to Pronounciation
  The names used in this scenario are inspired by Greek 
  names and places. The stress is usually on the first syl-
  lable, and each syllable is sounded. So Trimostones is 
  pronounced TRY-moss-tone-eez and not Trymo-stones
  Akretes: AK-ra-teez
  Anathaym: AN-uh-thaim
  Axeneya: AX-en-ee-ah
  Eurastonos: YOU-rast-oh-noss
  Hephastane: HEFF-as-tan-ee
  Hermestone: HER-mest-uh-nee
  Iaxos: EYE-ax-oss
  Kara: CAR-uh
  Meeros: MEER-oss
  Mju: Muh-Yoo
  Myceras: MY-seer-uss
  Oora: OO-ruh
  Sariniya: SAH-rin-AYE-uh
  Trimostones: TRY-moss-tone-eez
  Zamothis: Zam-OH-this
  Pre-Generated Characters
  On the following pages are four pre-generated char-
  acters, complete with character sheets, descriptions and 
  equipment.
  If you use these characters, give the players some 
  time to read through them and become familiar with the 
  skills, abilities and spells. Especially where Kara and Mju 
  are concerned, explain what each magical talent does, 
  perhaps showing the player the appropriate descriptions 
  from the rules.
  If you wish, you may also give each player 100 Skill 
  Points that can be used to customise their character. 
  This gives the players a little more investment in the 
  character they are playing, but there are some limits to 
  how these Skill Points can be spent.
   
  ҉ Only Standard and Professional skills can be raised. 
  Combat Styles and magical skills are excluded
   
  ҉ No skill can be raised by more than 20%
   
  ҉ No skill can be raised above 70%
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿ Characters
  ﻿18﻿﻿
  
  RuneQuest:﻿ Characters
  ﻿19﻿﻿
  Anathaym, Warrior, 
  Member of the 
  Scarlet Spears
  The daughter of a famed general of Myceras, Anthaym 
  is following in her father's sandals as a member of the elite 
  Scarlet Spears – one of the royal household companies of 
  Meeros. Anathaym is quick-witted, quick-tempered, and 
  prone to acting before thinking sometimes, but is loyal, 
  brave, kind-hearted and a passionate champion of her 
  home.
  Her sister is Kara, the priestess of Myceras, and Ana-
  thaym has recently been initiated into the cult of War God 
  of Meeros. She is keen to show her devotion to her god, 
  her love for the city, and to protect those who request and 
  require her help. Trimostones is an old family friend and 
  so it is natural for Anathaym to want to travel to Iaxos with 
  him as a bodyguard: she does not care about the rumours 
  and legends of cannibals: she is eager to prove her spear 
  and sword against any who wish to try their luck.
  Her good friend and mentor is Master Zamothis, the 
  warrior who trained her and taught her everything she 
  knows. She loves her sister dearly, but she loves and admires 
  Master Zamothis as much as she loves and admires her 
  father. Indeed, she listens to Zamothis more than she lis-
  tens to either her father or Kara.
  Anathaym knows two Folk Magic spells: Bladesharp and 
  Coordination. She usually casts Bladesharp on her both her 
  weapons if she has time before entering a battle. If time is 
  short, her favoured weapon is her spear and so she tries to 
  cast Bladesharp on that, first.
  Equipment
  Armour
  Weapons (Spear, shield, sword, sling, plus a puch containing 50 sling stones)
  Satchel (worn on the shoulder)
  Waterskin
  Rations for 7 days
  Spare tunic
  Bedroll
  Fish hooks
  Flint and Tinder
  Game Snares
  Rope (30m)
  Cooking pot (for travel)
  First Aid kit
  Lodestone
  Mirror (hand glass)
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿ Characters
  ﻿20﻿﻿
  
  RuneQuest:﻿ Characters
  ﻿21﻿﻿
  Kara, Priestess of Myceras
  The daughter of a famed general of Myceras, and sister of 
  Anthaym, Kara is, like her mother and grandmother before 
  her, blessed by the gods. The oracle of Meeros decreed that 
  Kara would one day be the greatest priestess of the cult of 
  Myceras, and even though she is only young, Kara is on her 
  way to fulfilling that prophecy.
  Lithe, graceful and thoughtful, Kara is, nevertheless, 
  easy company and has a mischievous sense of humour. She 
  abhors suffering of any kind, but does not shirk from pro-
  tecting those she loves.
  These include her older sister, Anthaym; Zamothis, who 
  taught her how to use a dagger; and Mju, the young barbar-
  ian thief that she hopes to rehabilitate. She has known Tri-
  mostones all her life and would do anything in her power 
  to help him. Kara suspects that Trimostones is afflicted 
  by Sariniya's Curse after reading the history of the rebels 
  in the archives of the Myceras temple. She has therefore 
  prayed to her god and been blessed with the following Mir-
  acles which should help in this quest:
  Backlash
  Dismiss Magic
  Heal Wound
  Steadfast
  Kara has a Devotional Pool of 4 points.
  Equipment
  Armour
  Weapons (daggers x2)
  Satchel (worn on the shoulder)
  Waterskin
  Rations for 7 days
  Spare tunic
  Bedroll
  Healing kit
  First Aid kit
  Mirror (hand glass)
  Various herbs to help with first aid
  Oil flask
  Flint and Tinder
  Rope (15m)
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿ Characters
  ﻿22﻿﻿
  
  RuneQuest:﻿ Characters
  ﻿23﻿﻿
  Mju, Thief of Meeros
  Hailing from the nomad lands north of Meeros, Mju 
  went to find fame and fortune in the big city and soon 
  found it easier to cheat and steal than gain honest work. The 
  civilised people of Meeros frown on the simpler nomads 
  of the north and Mju, despite being clever and charming, 
  found it tough to make his way honestly. He did find that he 
  had a talent for sneaking around, watching and listening, 
  and, most of all, not getting caught.
  It was all going so well until the night he decided to 
  rob the great Temple of Myceras. Spotted and chased by 
  the vigilant Scarlet Spears, he hid in a small room which 
  just happened to be the private chamber of Kara, priestess 
  of the cult he was trying to burgle. He was struck by her 
  beauty, and Kara, struck by his cheek and charm, promised 
  not to tell the guards if he promised to try to leave crime 
  behind him. She gave him money for food and, although 
  Mju has not yet managed to lead an entirely crime-free 
  life, he is doing his best, and Kara helps him with tasks and 
  errands for the temple now and again.
  He has now been asked (or, rather, told) to help an old 
  friend of Kara's – a wealthy merchant called Trimostones. 
  He cannot refuse: and besides, he is curious to see more of 
  the worlds beyond Meeros. This is an opportunity to repay 
  Kara's kindness and visit places that, until now, have been 
  only stories...
  Equipment
  Armour
  Weapons (daggers x3, chain, bow, plus a quiver of 20 arrows)
  Satchel (worn on the shoulder)
  Waterskin
  Rations for 7 days
  Spare tunic
  Bedroll
  Fish hooks
  Flint and Tinder
  Game Snares
  Lockpicks
  Grapnel
  Rope (30m)
  Door jams (x4)
  Tacks (50) - can be scattered to slow-down pursuers, like caltrops
  If you are using the full RuneQuest rules, Mju has the 
  following Mysticism Talents:
  Meditation 60%, Mysticism 48%
  Path of Shadows: Augment Perception, Augment Stealth, 
  Invoke Adhesion, Invoke Dark Sight.
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿ Characters
  ﻿24﻿﻿
  
  RuneQuest:﻿ Characters
  ﻿25﻿﻿
  Zamothis, Weapons 
  Master
  A grizzled old warrior, long-retired from service in Mee-
  ros's army, Zamothis is now a weapons trainer and arms 
  master. He has taught the very best of Meeros's warriors 
  how to fight and his reputation as a hard – but fair – task 
  master is legendary.
  Zamothis trained Anthaym and she is one of his best 
  pupils. She still spars with him regularly and he continues 
  to point-out her mistakes and reward her with cuts and 
  bruises when she fails to pay attention. Nevertheless he 
  sees in her something special and is schooling her towards 
  becoming one of the greatest champions Meeros has seen.
  Zamothis has known Trimostones for a long time: the 
  wily old merchant was able to get hold of certain supplies 
  Zamothis needed that weren't available (or legal) in Mee-
  ros. He therefore owes Trimostones a debt of gratitude 
  and, although he is wary of the rumours surrounding Iaxos, 
  Zamothis relishes a challenge and this will be an opportu-
  nity to potentially fight alongside his favourite pupil (and 
  see just how well she has been listening during their train-
  ing sessions).
  Equipment
  Armour
  Weapons (shortsword, shield, longspear, bow, plus a quiver of 30 arrows)
  Satchel (worn on the shoulder)
  Waterskin
  Rations for 7 days
  Cloth for binding and bandaging wounds
  Spare tunic
  Bedroll
  Fish hooks
  Flint and Tinder
  Game Snares
  Knife (not suitable for combat)
  Wax block
  
  RuneQuest:  ﻿ Characters
  ﻿26﻿﻿
  8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 z y x w v u t s r q p o n m l k j i h g f e d c b a
  a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  Credits
  Written by Lawrence Whitaker
  Editing: Alexandra James
  Artwork: Sarah Evans, Lee Smith and RF123
  RuneQuest is a trademark of Moon Design Publications LLC. Used under License by The Design Mechanism. All rights reserved. This 
  edition of 'Sariniya's Curse' is copyright © 2014. This scenario is offered free of charge and may be distributed without additional permis-
  sion. Reproduction of the material in this book for the purposes of personal or corporate profit, by photographic, electronic, or other 
  methods of retrieval is strictly prohibited.
  For details of the RuneQuest Gateway license, please contact The Design Mechanism  
  (designmechanism@gmail.com).
  www.thedesignmechanism.com
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Runequest and Glorantha (d100)/Runequest 6th Edition/RuneQuest 6 - Fantasy Adv - Sariniya's Curse.pdf