A Fantasy Core Adventure
© Jerry Harris 2016
(This link will take you to the
Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)
Riot
2 XP for clearing out the native thieves.
There is a native worker strike occupying the diamond quarry
in the hills just outside of the city. It’s
not actually part of the general uprising.
They’re protesting pay and working conditions. Management has been angry over repeated
thefts of the merchandise, which was part of the uprising. After a tense negotiation, the workers have
fingered the thieves, who are, indirectly, working for Kurtz and helping to
bankroll his revolt. The workers have
agreed to abandon their protest line at a given time and let the authorities
have them in return for concessions.
The authorities are wary though. The native thieves are holed up in an
underground area. They are shrouded in
supernatural darkness (beyond just underground darkness). Further, a previous effort at force was
repulsed by a “swordsman of extraordinary ability.” And this is everything Captain Crane, of the colonial military, tells the group after they
find him and present their introduction papers.
At a signal from the Captain, the native protest leader acknowledges it,
and the native protesters leave their picket line. A native leads the Characters inside and to
the area where the thieves are holed up.
Captain Crane will tell the Characters to “make an example of them,” and
that they will wait for their signal to enter.
Kurtz’s natives have stolen quite a bit (even beyond
diamonds), so it wasn’t unexpected they were eventually caught. The recriminations against the workers was
also not unexpected, but the native strike was.
Kurtz sent one of his Demon Host and a couple of Witch Doctors to
reinforce his men. They’ve been working
non-stop to dig out whatever else they can and prepare it for immediate
teleportation transport. Again, the
secret deal with the workers and troops caught them unaware. The natives and the Demon Host will be trying
to delay the Characters, while the Witch Doctors prepare a teleport spell for
their booty.
The native guide leads the group to a rough, branch
passage. There are a few bodies of dead
soldiers littering the outside of the area.
In the Ambush cavern, 4 Natives firing blowgun darts will
attack them at the entrance. Inside the
chamber is also an Elder Native.
In the Passage
behind them, any torches or mundane lighting will immediately extinguish. The Demon Host, Blind Swordsman will then attack.
Only some form of supernatural lighting will work in this passage, and
even then only within a 5’ area (the immediate, personal area around the
Character). Without some lighting, the
Characters are in the dark (To Hit goes to +0, and their AC goes to 10, unless
they have infravision).
In the Teleport
chamber, the lighting returns to normal. 2 Witch Doctors are
present, along with a pile of rough diamonds and gold and other goods. One will defend while the other will be
working the ceremony spell. It will take
2 rds for the spell to go off, unless disrupted (he’ll try again, unless
prevented), otherwise the Witch Doctors will escape with the treasure.
This encounter could leave the group in the room with a bunch
of diamonds and gold. Troops will not
come inside until given an all-clear by the Characters. They
could conceivably hide a good deal of riches, since they won’t be searched on
the way out, unless they’re very stupid.
Blind Swordsman
HD 5 (d10), Hp 50, AC 14 (None), Enhanced Init +4
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +1
Melee: 2 x Katana
+9 to hit 1d10+4
Ranged: Light
Flash from Sword against all opponents in S range, once per encounter, DC 12
Con Sv or Blinded for 2 rds.
Special Weakness: He has tremorsense and enhanced hearing, but he
is blind. Anything that interferes with
his other senses will confuse him. While
he generally has great situational awareness, he can be surprised in certain
situations since he can’t see.
Description: A
swordsman in loose clothing wearing a blindfold.
Afterward
Back at the hotel bar, Mrs. Babbin is there to greet the
Characters and tells them their request now has special status. In the meantime, she offers to buy them all a
round of drinks and hear their story.
And another round, and another, and . . . Mrs. Babbin parties hard. The Characters awake the next morning. Some are missing undergarments and may feel
somewhat violated.
The Baron arrives at their room bearing gifts. First, he gives them an elixir for their
hangovers. Then, he hands them their Interior
travel permit. It includes a lengthy
handwritten “thank you” note from Mrs. Babbin with a few highly unprofessional,
but complimentary, anatomical references.
The Baron drops the name of a recommended caravan company making for
Central Station, which is leaving later this morning near the docks. He gives them a bag of coins to cover their
transit costs. Lastly, the Baron hands
them a sealed note, which he has not read, “Guffey, Owner of the Dagger Inn at
Central Station. Destroy this note in a fire
and do not talk about it.” This is their
next contact.
The Baron walks them out and points to down the docks to the
caravan. As the Baron finishes, two people
stick their heads out the Baron’s carriage on the street, “Baron, come on! The horse races won’t wait for us!” It’s the fat man from the docks and Mrs.
Babbin. If asked, the Baron will say
that he put Horace in his debt by getting him out of jail for that affair on
the docks, and that Mrs. Babbin had wished to thank him for recommending the
Characters to her service. (Or this was
all a test. Or an elaborate
con-job. The Characters will never know
for sure.) “Baron!” they call for him
again. “Well gentlemen, I must be
going. Good luck on your errand.” At least the Characters will be very happy to
leave town at this point.
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