Thursday, April 14, 2016

Dark Continent Redux: The Interior

Dark Continent Redux
A Fantasy Core Adventure
© Jerry Harris 2016
(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)




The Interior


General Description
Commonwealth civilization is small dots and a thin line here in the jungle.  Settlements out here have a very tenuous existence.  The on-going native attacks are becoming progressively bolder.  Belatedly, colonial authorities have become convinced that even Inner Station may be at risk.  And if it falls, everything east of the Central Station goes with it.  Reinforcements are on the way, but Kurtz is going to make his move first.  However, other powerful forces are now getting involved and will make their plays.






Interdiction
1 XP for eliminating Croc Man and the Natives.

The trip to Inner Station should take about a week by riverboat.  Along the way, there may be some light river traffic and some native villages and colonial camps by the river.  You’re free to generate all the random encounters you want for the trip, but I’m only listing one planned travel encounter. 

A day out from Inner Station, the group’s riverboat will start to come under attack by natives.  It begins with simple potshots from the riverbank by 4 unseen native assailants.  They’ll break off if one or more are killed.  That night, there is a stealth attack by 8 Native assassins in 2 Canoes.  (DC 15 to Detect, the Ship’s crew at least will be keeping a watch here in hostile waters.) 

In the morning, two canoes overloaded with natives appear, coming from up river.  These are “friendlies” and take no hostile action.  Hailed by the Captain, their story is that they are fleeing an attack on their village.  It was a rival tribe led by some unidentified creature.  Maddox knows the village well and decides to stop there to check it out and get some supplies (cheaper than Inner Station).       

The small dock at the river is deserted.  Suspicious, Maddox asks the Characters to accompany him, instead of the crew, whom tells to stay alert.  The Players may or may not be okay with the Captain ordering them around (and this will cause a major problem in the near future).  If there’s any dissention, Maddox asks if the group wants to walk to Inner Station from here. 

A short walk up a dirt path through the jungle leads to a native village surrounded by a wooden stockade and also deserted.  The area is littered with debris from a raid.  There’s colonial office there flying a tattered Commonwealth flag.  Inside the empty, ransacked office is a scrawled, unfinished note asking for help from Inner Station.  Disturbed, the Captain wants to get back to the ship.  There’s 2 full Healing potions lying out on the floor, that natives didn’t notice.  An unscrupulous party member might think to grab them while Maddox isn’t looking.    

There’s already sounds of conflict by the boat.  The party will be ambushed by 8 Native Warriors attacking from both sides of the path (4 each side).  They can hear Crew men calling out from the ship for help.  3 canoes with 2 Native Warriors each are heading towards the boat from the opposite shore.  It’ll take them another 2 rds to get to ship (and exposing them to ballista fire).  When they do arrive, Croc Man of the Demon Host suddenly appears from out of the water to jump on the ship.   

After the battle, the Captain will want to get on to Inner Station immediately, which they should reach by noon.  Raiding parties and sniping attacks are fairly standard river travel hazards.  This attack was done as part of an effort to clear out the area around Inner Station in preparation for a large attack on Inner Station, as the Characters will soon find out.

Croc Man
HD 5 (d12), Hp 60, AC 14
Fort +8, Ref +1, Will +1
Melee: 2 x Claws +9 to hit 1d6+4, if both hit same opponent, add Bite 1d8+4
Tail Sweep: If facing 2 or more opponents at C range, will swing tail, DC 12 Ref Sv or knocked prone.
Special Weakness: Cold-based attacks to double damage.
Description: An anthropomorphic crocodile. 

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