Dark Continent Redux: Portage

Dark Continent Redux

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Dark Continent Index

Home Station and Central Station Index

“Once a white man in an unbuttoned uniform, camping on the path with an armed escort of lank Zanzibaris, very hospitable and festive--not to say drunk. Was looking after the upkeep of the road, he declared. Can't say I saw any road or any upkeep, unless the body of a middle-aged negro, with a bullet-hole in the forehead, upon which I absolutely stumbled three miles farther on, may be considered as a permanent improvement.”—Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

[Forgive me.  As much this diverges from the source material, I’ve stayed away from using quotes from the book, but this one works pretty well here.] 

Portage

The Africannes River is not navigable to Central Station, so a week of portage is in order.  The road is well trod, but was dangerous even before the revolt.  Travelers seldom go alone.  The group needs make its way to Central Station and then hire a boat to get up river.  The revolt has made it difficult to find caravans willing to take a fare at any price. 

Caravan

The recommended service is run by the no-nonsense Captain Alexandra Raye (ret.  8^th level Fighter, but she’s really just a plot device here), which is just mounting up to leave as the Characters approach them. 

Their travel permit papers will be asked for right up front.  Alexandra is immediately suspicious, noting that they’re dated today, and tells them she doesn’t have room for any more travelers.  The Baron’s generous funds won’t be accepted for such a late arrival.  If they try to bribe her with plundered diamonds and gold from the quarry, she’ll tell them to get lost.  “I figured you were a bunch of fugitives and thieves.  I don’t know you, and I don’t want to.  Who sent you to me?”  Name dropping the Baron will make her reconsider.  “Oh, you’re friends of the Baron.  I’ve heard what you did for Mrs. Kurtz.”  “Okay, you can keep your fare money.  I really don’t have room for any more passengers, but I did have a couple of guards back out at the last minute.  As long as you can follow orders, you all can take their place.”  

Twenty oxen-drawn wagons and over a hundred people are in this resupply train for Central Station.  While there are other mercenary guards, Captain Raye will be inclined to use the totally expendable Characters to do any dirty work.  The caravan will go by several large estates and native villages.  Some are bustling with activity and well-guarded.  Others are abandoned.  The Characters will hear, or perhaps from interacting with others, that everyone seems to be talking in glowing terms about Kurtz.  His successes in the field are giving everyone hope that this nasty uprising business will soon be put down.

If you are inclined, there could a multitude of random encounters on the “road” (well-traveled dirt path) or out in the jungle.  All sorts of colonists, such as prospectors, foreign agents, bandits, soldiers, traders, and missionaries ply the road.  Native work gangs travel from town to town, while “unfriendly” native assassins and raiders may be setting ambushes or stalking groups.  Any number of dangerous animals and insects may cross the path or have it staked out.  Anyone wandering into the jungle may run into their lairs or disturb dangerous herd animals, such as warthogs, elephants, hippopotami, and rhinos.  Certainly people separated from a group will be targeted by large predators, like leopards and crocodiles.  Listed here are some possible encounters.       

The Characters may be out on point a lot.  As such, they could run into a Bandit Ambush.  These highwaymen are motley collections of colonial miscreants, native thieves, and even a few foreign nationals on the run from other colonies.  They will flee from stiff resistance.  Finding their jungle cave hideout (DC 18 Tracking) might be lucrative, or recovering the treasure and turning it over to the authorities in Central Station, along with the head of the Bandit Captain, would be worth a commendation from the Station Master (which isn’t worth anything except free drinks at the Dagger Inn).  (1 XP)     

  

Bandit (x20)

HD 1+1 (d8), Hp 5, AC 11 (None)

Fort +1, Ref +3, Wis +0

Melee: Short Sword +1 to hit 1d6

Ranged: Short Bow +3 to hit 1d6, M (20 arrows)

Stealth: +2 (DC 14 to Detect)

Bandit Captain

HD 5+1 (d8), Hp 20, AC 12 (None)

Fort +2, Ref +6, Wis +1

Melee: Long Sword +7 to hit 1d8+2

Ranged: Light Crossbow +7 to hit 1d8, M (10 bolts)

Stealth: +4 (DC 16 to Detect)

Intimidate (Physical) +4

Horse-mounted Raiders from the Hegemony partition of Africannes often strike at unwary travelers on the flat Savannah that borders the jungle.  They will also break off, if they encounter stout resistance.  DC 12 Tracking to follow, but only if the pursuers have horses (which the caravan doesn’t, unless the Characters can get some from the Raiders).  Finding their camp, which is across the river at a fording point and technically in Hegemony territory, and perhaps some evidence that these raiders are actually sanctioned by the Hegemony (which they deny) would earn the group the gratitude of the caravan and perhaps a commendation at Central Station.  (1 XP)   

Hegemony Raiders (x10)

HD 2 (d8), Hp 9, AC 14 (Leather)

Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2

Melee: 2 attacks/rd Scimitar +3/+2 to hit 1d8+1

Ranged: 2 attacks/rd Short Bow +4/+3 to hit 1d6 (20 arrows)

Hegemony Raider Captain

HD 5 (d8), Hp 25, AC 14 (Leather)

Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +4

Melee: 2 attacks/rd Scimitar +7/+4 to hit 1d8+2

Ranged: 2 attacks/rd Short Bow +7/+4 to hit 1d6 (20 arrows)

Any stop at a Waterhole is potentially dangerous, especially if the wildlife has been stirred up by a Demon Host member (see below, he will be seen by the Characters, but won’t engage here).  A single stealth attack on the livestock by a Crocodile, suddenly turns into a swarming attack against the whole caravan while by the river.  Their eyes will have a curious red glow.  They’ll retreat after about 6 rds of attack and their eyes will return to normal.  (1 XP)   

Crocodile (x10)

HD 3d8+9, Hp 22, AC 15 (Natural)

Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2

Melee: Bite +6 to hit, 1d8+6 + DC 12 Will Sv or Energy Drain 1 negative Hp

Grapple: Once it has successfully bitten a victim, it will attempt to grapple the next rd, DC 18 Str or Escape Artist to break.  The victim will take automatic damage and need to make a DC 12 Fort Sv to avoid drowning.  However, the Croc cannot attack anyone else while engaged in the act.  It will release the victim if successfully hit. 

Stealth (in water): +3 (DC 15 to Detect)

Captain Raye does allow herself one pleasure on any business trip.  She loves the native melons and always makes a personal side trip to a certain village to purchase their particular variety.  Unfortunately, this habit has been noted by others.  She’ll order the Characters to make a “melon” run, when the caravan stops nearby.  When coming upon the village, it’s completely destroyed without any signs of life.  Native bodies are scattered about.  They were clearly attacked and resisted.  All of them have been punctured by spiny, sharp quills. 

There’s the blast of an Elephant trumpet and then another.  Out of the bush, 6 Elephants charge the group.  Their eyes all glow red.  The mammoth creatures will attempt to trample the group.  After their charge, they’ll continue on back into the bush.  “Who are you!” shouts a strange, fur-matted man in Common, “Have you been sent after Kurtz!”  Suddenly, his “fur” stands up into sharp quills.  Porcupine Man attacks the group to the death (probably his).  His last words to the group are, “He knows who you are.  This was just a test.  He’ll put a bounty on you.  Nowhere will be safe.”  Even though the mad Elephants attacked the caravan and Captain Raye will believe their story of the Porcupine Man, she’ll still be angry that they didn’t get the melons.  (1 XP earned the hard way.) 

Elephant (x4)

HD 10 (d8), Hp 80, AC 15 (Natural)

Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +6

Melee: Gore +14 to hit 2d8+8

Trample: +10 to hit 2d8+10 + knocked prone + Stunned 1 rd, requires a mad charge at victim

Porcupine Man

HD 5 (d8), Hp 40, AC 14 (None, See Below), Enhanced Init +4

Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1

Melee: Needle Punch +9 to hit 1d6 x 2.  The barbs will have to be removed causing 1 hp damage.

Spiked Roll: PM can tuck into a ball and roll at enemies. 2d6 and can hit up to 4 adjacent opponents.  PM can’t attack or move the next rd, but can still defend himself.

Ranged: Needle Fire +9 to hit 1d4 x 4, S, fires 4 needles from arm at the same target.  The barbs will have to be removed causing 1 hp damage.

Special Defense: Anyone attempting to grapple for some reason, automatically takes 2d6 damage. 

Special Weakness: Getting splashed with water ruins all of his attacks until he dries.

Description: PM has a thick matting of quills, which stand up when combat begins.