RIFTS_TDF_Campaign_Book

MAJOR ANGELA CABOT 49 ROUND ONE In the first round the CS wants an end to Simvan raids on their settlements. To accomplish this requires the Psi-Stalkers to concede territory to their hated rivals so that the Simvan can withdraw to the west. Thus, the heroes must make their arguments while being opposed by Dusty Rider. ROUND TWO The Comanche want the CS to respect their sovereign borders, which is in direct conflict with the Coalition’s twenty year plan of expansion. However, the area the Coalition wants is currently being swallowed up by Muuc’gek, so they may agree to slow down expansion until the area is deemed safe. If Captain Riley is alive he interjects this option if no others present themselves. For this round, the heroes are opposed by Major Cabot. ROUND THREE With everyone’s cards on the table it is time to commit. For this round the heroes make their final plea to each leader, opposed by their Spirit, each success gains a Token while failure costs a Token and Critical Failure results in a horrendous breakdown in the talks. A distant niece of General Marshal Cabot of CS High Command, the Major is a loyal defender of humanity. However, growing up inside the CS elite, she knows the difference between patriotism and propaganda. In fact, she shares some of Col. Joseph Prosek's more open-minded views. She wants to reclaim the frontier for the CS but also knows how to make judicious decisions. For stats use CS Junior Officer in Empires of Humanity with a d10 in Spirit, Battle, Persuasion.

50 FULL CIRCLE Whether a bloody battle is underway or the heroes bought some time, the clock is ticking and Muuc’gek’s arrival is very near. The group must go to the epicenter of its power to stop it. Comanche spiritualists sense a massive burst of dark mystic energy in eastern Kansas, and psychics find that their dreams and nightmares are intensifying. Captain Riley’s data indicates this next breakthrough is “the big one,” Muuc’gek is coming through! Using data gained from the Coalition research station reveals the next outbreak point is centered on the small town of Cherryvale—the same one where the heroes saved mutants from the CS in their very first encounter! Small Town Horror Returning to Cherryvale the heroes are beset with a gruesome sight—a fresh battlefield littered with dozens of corpses lining the streets of the town. In the twilight the team can examine the area before continuing the pursuit of their quarry. With a successful Notice roll they decipher one side in the conflict was armed with modern firearms, while their opponents were armed with a mix of stone clubs, stone axes, and flint arrowheads; with a raise they figure out the bodies of the fiercest combatants were carried away by the victors. The heroes must make a Fear check for Nausea at −2 due to the grisly scene. Using Survival (tracking) the heroes can pick up the trail of dozens of Worm Wraiths and villagers that have dragged the captives off to the east. Any heroes able to sense ley lines can make a Notice roll at −2 to detect Muuc’gek’s place of power, adding +1 to all rolls to Support the Survival check.

51 After picking their way through the dense forests, just as night falls, the heroes can see their destination in a clearing ahead. In the forest clearing a fifty foot tall stone pyramid rises up into the starry night, surrounded by the subdued glow of channeled ley line energy. Esmae Black oversees a throng of Worm Wraiths and mutant villagers surrounding the pyramid as they pass bound captives up the steps to the top—the captives are the missing townspeople of Cherryvale! At the peak of the structure is a pointed stone inlaid with twisting ugly runes and flanked by a horrendous tentacled demon covered in slick, slimy mottled skin. The evil thing squeezes the head of a captive with unholy strength causing their life blood to flow over the short obelisk. The mortal blood unlocks primal magics, and the nexus point erupts with a terrific squall of ley line energy. A torrent of slugs and mucous rain pelts down. Esmae Black turns towards you, an unnaturally wide grin stretching across her face as she proudly declares, “Muuc’gek, master of slithering things, eroder of worlds, I’ve brought the interlopers. Now we shall consume their flesh, too, as a feast celebrating your arrival!” A battle for survival erupts. The important details: „ Check Fear: Facing this weird threat, the heroes must check for Fear at −4 or suffer the effects of Terror. „ Initiative: No Surprise, draw Action Cards as normal. „ The Disruptive Storm: The artificial ley line storm causes arcane, Techno-Wizard, and electronic devices—including vehicles and weapons—to completely cease functioning. Cybernetics and power armor remain minimally functional but suffer a −2 penalty to all associated Trait rolls. Magic users and psychics may activate powers at a −2 penalty, but with a simple failure they’re subject to Dynamic Backlash. „ Decoding the Ritual: As an action, a successful Occult check decodes the evil plan; each turn the creature at the top of the pyramid sacrifices another hostage until something “very bad” happens; a raise reveals that when it has ritualistically killed five more victims the demon will transform into a true fragment of Muuc’gek. „ Defeating Esmae and Muuc’gek: Esmae Black only suffers half damage from all attacks, except those made of stone (+4 damage)—this Weakness can be revealed by checking either Occult at −1 or Smarts at −2. Killing the demon ends the ley line storm, but the remaining Worm Wraiths become Frenzied (per the Berserk Edge). All fight to the death. „ Punk Rock: On the third turn of combat a group of villagers arrive and join the battle. If the heroes haven’t figured it out, they explain the enemy’s vulnerability to stone and point out the area is strewn with stones of all shapes and sizes (usable as Improvised Weapons). „ Shoot Carefully: Attacks against foes within 1" of the captives are subject to the Innocent Bystanders rule. MUUC’GEK’S BROOD E Avatar of Muuc’gek: This shard of the alien intelligence is treated as a Greater Demon, but replace it’s Weaknesses with the following: „ Resistance: Those linked with Muuc’gek suffer half damage from all non-stone attacks. „ Weakness (Stone): Such attacks inflict +8 Mega Damage to those linked with Muuc’gek and Wounds caused by such attacks cannot be regenerated.

52 „ Final Form: If the ritualistic sacrifices at the evil pyramid are completed, the shard of Muuc’gek becomes a Gigantic Raging Monster (see Savage Foes of North America) with the above Resistance and Weakness (Stone). The terrible being immediately heads towards Fort Comanche with an army of Worm Wraiths in tow, destroying settlements and homesteads in its wake! Begin a Mass Battle with the Heroes, Comanche, and Coalition Forces. Major Cabot or Taabe can be the leader of the forces if the heroes lack sufficient Battle skill. E Esmae Black, Servant of Muuc’gek: Half damage from non-stone attacks, vulnerable to stone (+4 damage). „ Children of Muuc’gek (3 plus 3 per hero): Half damage from non-stone attacks, vulnerable to stone (+4 damage). As Bandits (see Savage Foes of North America), but their assault rifles are firing Ramjet Rounds, see Empires of Humanity, for a total of (Range 24/48/96, 2d10+1 Mega Damage, RoF 3, AP 6, 3RB). One per hero also carries a salvaged M72 Law (see Savage Worlds). The heroes recognize these mutants as the people they saved from the CS on their last visit to Cherryvale. „ Worm Wraiths (1 plus 2 per hero): Wielding their Big Bore shotguns unhindered, see Terror on the Dark Frontier Creature Manual. THE AVATAR OF MUUC'GEK

53 „ Cherryvale Abductees (12): Bound and gagged, as Civilians, see Savage Foes of North America. „ Uncorrupted Villagers (2d4): Half armed with stone clubs, half armed with bows and stone-tipped arrows, as Civilians, see Savage Foes of North America. Healing Waters Pouring water from the Healing Horn over the obelisk (no PPE required as the cup draws from the nexus point itself) severs the connection between Muuc’gek and this world. If this is done before the demon and Worm Wraiths are killed it stops the storm, causes the demon a Wound, and sends all remaining Worm Wraiths and other acolytes of Muuc'gek into a Frenzied rage (per the Berserk Edge). Healing water from the cup flows over the obelisk, down the walls of the pyramid, and absorbs into the ground. The storm of slugs begins to abate and the nexus point pulsates with gentle blue light sending a mystical shockwave across the plains. If during combat: The remaining worm creatures writhe in agony and turn on you in a frenzied state. With no connection to Muuc’gek they are untethered, mindless devourers. When the battle ends, and the water is poured, the pyramid slowly crumbles into dirt and plants begin to sprout up from the ground turning the pyramid into a small mound similar to those seen at other Native American sites of power. ALTERNATE ENDINGS Failure to defeat Muuc’gek plunges the region into a bloody quagmire. The Coalition Expeditionary Force undertakes a brutal “pacification operation” to drive back Muuc’gek. If it can even succeed, this is a costly battle as CS forces take back ground inch by inch from the firmly rooted alien intelligence. After containing it the Coalition permanently occupies eastern Kansas, treating it like Old Chicago or the Devil’s Gate. With the Coalition at their doorstep some Comanche bands step up raids against CS military forces and settlements, escalating towards war. If there is a bloody battle between the Coalition Expeditionary Force and the Comanche the healing magic may take months, or even years, to wash the blood from the land and drive out the alien infestations. The Coalition declares the area unfit for humans and slows the progress of settlement—buying some time before their full expansion into the region. However, they also make plans to build a massive military base to “cordon off the threat”— drastically increasing tensions with the Comanche.

54 NEW NORMAL Dispeling Muuc’gek from this dimension has more positive repercussions across the New West. The Coalition The alien growths in eastern Kansas slowly begin to recede—although the region is permanently plagued by electrostatic interference. The Coalition remains suspicious of the affected area and begins construction of a new Rifts Control Study Group scienctific base to study the area and determine future viability of settlement. The science base is a thinly veiled military outpost that extends the border of CS Missouri to the new mound near Topeka. If he survived, Captain Riley is tasked with commanding the new science base and his experiences lead him to turn a bit of a blind eye to the activities of the Tomorrow Legion and the Comanche Preserve. The Comanche As expected, the Comanche are furious with this Coalition incursion into their proximity. Knowing they can’t take the Coalition Army head on, they try to increase their influence by creating closer ties to the Tomorrow Legion and independent communities in eastern Kansas. A few renegade bands of Comanche take an aggressive stance and start raiding Coalition settlements and outposts—ratcheting up tension in the area once more. The Simvan The Simvan are decimated from their aggressive actions under Brokhna and retreat westward away from the Comanche and Coalition. Unfortunately, this puts these ruthless canibals in direct conflict with the PsiStalkers clans and 1st Apocalyptic Cavalry patrols. Slowly but surely, the Simvan are driven away with each subsequent defeat at the hands of these two ascendant factions.

55 The 1st Apocalyptic Cavalry Many of the outlying settlements in the region turn to the 1st Apocalyptic Cavalry for assistance. General Sprite obliges and begins to take more settlements under his wing, creating a loose federation of Cavalry aligned towns in the northwest part of the region. Sprite suddenly finds himself becoming more of a warlord than a General as the territory under his influence expands into a fledgling independent federation. The Psi-Stalker Clans With the retreat of the Simvan tribes and experiencing the fruits of cooperation with local human communities, the Psi-Stalker clans have come to value their neighbors. Their troupes are seen much more frequently throughout the Frontier, and much to the delight of the local settlers, these skilled monster hunters help to make the region that much safer from supernatural threats of all kind. The Black Market With no one really watching, the Black Market takes control of New Dodge City and begins to exploit the resources of the Labyrinth for its own purposes in earnest. The Refugees Thanks to the actions of the heroes, the Tomorrow Legion is granted safe passage for refugees through Comanche territory. The Comanche use their influence with independent city-states in eastern Kansas to take in some refugees and even offer land to those who agree to adopt the Comanche way of life.

56 SAVAGE TALES OF THE DARK FRONTIER The following pages contain a series of Savage Tales set around the Dark Frontier. While these stories are not linked to the arc of the Terror on the Dark Frontier campaign, they serve as excellent distractions and side plots. As your players plan their exploration of the Dark Frontier, drop these adventures in as needed to introduce new characters, locations, and situations outside the main storyline. Each Savage Tale starts with a subtitle to identify the region it takes place in, and some have additional information if they are location specific or require a particular setup or timing. COMANCHE PRESERVES „ The Walk (see page 56) „ Black Death (see page 58) BORDERLANDS „ Blood and Branches (see page 60) „ Druid Feud (see page 63) COALITION COLONIES „ Food for Thought (see page 66) HIGH PLAINS „ Dead Dead Boys (see page 68) „ Root of all Evil (see page 73) „ The Knackers (see page 82) „ Twisted Labyrinth (see page 82) PROSPECT „ Grateful Dead (see page 86) SAVAGE TALE: THE WALK Region: Comanche Preserves Location: Crystal Bluffs Set-Up: Run this adventure at any time. Likely on a journey near the Crystal Bluffs SLEEP WALKING One of the heroes is visited in a dream by the Hollow One, whispering for them to abandon their pursuits and end it all. Succumbing to the Hollow One’s sway causes the hero to drop everything and start toward the Medicine Bluffs. If the hero fends off the creature, or the others in the group help them snap out of it, they are left with a wisp of a dream. “The dream fades quickly, but you can remember standing at the edge of a precipice, the whole world before you. All your dreams, hopes, and desires swirl about in the mists. They are within reach. You can almost touch them. It is just a matter of taking that one last step over the edge, and your deepest desires are yours.” GHOST STORIES After the dream, the heroes find out there is a story in the Comanche Chronicle about a rash of suicides at the Medicine Man’s Walk on the Crystal Bluffs. The article has a few interviews with family members who report disturbingly similar dreams. Using Research, Occult, or Networking to talk to shamans and elders will uncover the story of the Hollow One and the Medicine Man’s Walk: The Medicine Man’s Walk is named for the Hollow One. He was human once, a medicine man from even before the days of settlers. The shaman enjoyed the power of the spirits but was jealous that they guarded

57 their most potent gifts. He wanted it all for himself and began to learn rituals to trick the spirits into giving up their secrets. Eventually, the shaman learned to intercept souls before passing to the Great Beyond. One of his favorite tricks was to torment people in their dreams, driving them to capture or kill their loved ones to use for his bad medicine and then steal their spirits. After a ruthless murdering spree, a group of warriors chased the Hollow One to the edge of a cliff on the Medicine Bluffs, where he plunged to his death. Game Master Note: The Hollow One did not die. His mangled body remained at the bottom of the chasm for centuries until the Great Cataclysm reinfused it with magic, and he walks the lands of the living once again. Maddened further by the time of waiting, he is obsessed with revenge and uses dark arts to lure the people into leaping from the same cliff he fell off ages ago so he can steal their spirits as they take the plunge. NARROW IS THE WAY The journey up the bluffs requires a narrow, winding path only large enough for a person. Anything Size 1 or 2 is jammed in tight suffering −2 to all Athletics, Fighting, Shooting, and Piloting rolls. The path is impassable for anything Size 3 or larger. The Hollow One has summoned a variety of spirits to do his bidding. They haunt the trail to prevent unwanted visitors. Midway up, the heroes come across a plateau with a breathtaking view of Medicine Bluff Creek below. Two rock piles mark the trail upward. Two Tectonic Entities haunt these piles (use Rubble Construct, but Size 0, see Blood and Banes) and animate the rocks to attack anyone who enters the plateau. The entities will continue to reanimate rocks, stones, and sticks (Scree Constructs, Size 0) until they are defeated. Tactics: The entities use their rock forms and havoc power to try and force the heroes to tumble into the creek 200 feet below (see Falling into Water in Savage Worlds). CLIFF HANGER Eventually, the trail leads to the top of the second bluff, with a deep chasm separating it from the third. Blue ley line energy lights the entire area. The abyss looks deep and dark, and the inky blackness below makes it impossible to see the bottom. A rocky outcropping marks where many have taken “the walk.” Anyone who saw the Hollow One in their dreams will recognize the spot. A quick search reveals evidence of recent activity and handholds in the cliff face, and it appears something uses them to descend to the bottom. Climbing down using the footholds without proper climbing gear is dangerous, requiring an Athletics (Climbing) roll at −4 with failure resulting in a 300-foot fall to the rocky bottom of the gorge—see Falling in Savage Worlds. Flying down is also possible, but the unnatural darkness makes it hard to tell up from down—flying-related rolls are at −2 even with instruments and sensors. A failed Piloting or Arcane skill roll results in bumping into the cliff face or an outcropping and taking a level of Fatigue from Bumps and Bruises, while critical failure results in 1d4 Wounds from the impact! VALLEY OF DEATH The bottom of the gorge is dark with no daylight or ley line light (treat it as Pitch Darkness, see Illumination in Savage Worlds). The smell of rotting flesh is evident and pervasive. Bodies and bones squish and crunch underfoot. Make a Fear (Nausea) check, at a −2 penalty for the stench if not using environmental body armor. As the Hollow One speaks, a blue light pierces the darkness, revealing the glow of spirits inside his body, “Your power will be a

DARK POWERS 58 welcome addition to mine.” Bones and gristle quiver as Skeletons and Zombies emerge amidst the generations of corpses that litter the valley floor. SCENE NOTES „ Illumination: Pitch Darkness „ Terrain: Rocks and bodies make the valley floor Difficult Ground. „ Tactics: The Hollow Man uses deflection and intangibility while Testing the heroes to help the Zombies and Skeletons attack (don’t forget their likely Gang Up Bonus). Each round it creates more Zombies and Skeletons, or attempts to drain PPE from spell casters and fire magic bolts and occasionally materializes for an attack of opportunity with its bone club. DARK FORCES „ The Hollow One: A Spirit Monster, see Terror on the Dark Frontier Creature Manual. „ Skeletons (4, plus 1 per hero): Half have a CR-1 Rocket Launcher, see Savage Foes of North America. „ Zombies (4, plus 2 per hero): See Savage Foes of North America. SAVAGE TALE: BLACK DEATH Region: Comanche Preserves Silas Green (see page 15) is concerned about an expedition into the ruins of Oklahoma City; not for the people themselves but because they owe him money! Green knows the Tomorrow Legion by reputation and figures telling them about a group in trouble in cursed ruins might get them to take a look for free—which is good because its' overbudget. He outfitted the expedition with Northern Gun gear, and the group, Adventure Incorporated, agreed to pay the debt out of recovered salvage. If necessary, Green sweetens the pot with promises of Northern Gun goods, repairs, or equipment to help support the work of the Legion. Once the heroes agree he gives up the expedition’s travel route, radio frequencies, and a sketch of the ruins with some potential dig sites marked. ADVENTURE INCORPORATED Asking around via Networking uncovers that Adventure Inc. is an experienced group of relic hunters and ruins recovery specialists who struck it big in the Labyrinth (see Region Guide) and wanted to tackle the ruins of Oklahoma City; a place where previous expeditions have failed due to a so-called curse. Many people expected that if anyone could beat the curse, it would be these legendary prospectors. Shoeless Joe (see Region Guide) sold them some horses, but he remembers most that they also bought all of his salt licks for way more than salt is worth! A successful Common Knowledge roll reveals the basics about the ruins, mainly news and rumors but nothing substantive. Weather events leveled the original city during the Great Cataclysm. It remains a weather hot spot known for tornadoes, The gorge is a place of dark power. Creatures with the “Undead” Monstrous Ability gain +2 Toughness while Necromancers and those with an “evil” manifestation of Arcane Background (Miracles) treat it as being a ley line nexus. Other miracle workers, including Cyber-Knights, suffer the equivalent penalties instead! See Ley Lines in the Tomorrow Legion Player’s Guide.

59 earthquakes, dust storms, and flash floods, burying much of the pre-Rifts city. The few prospectors who visit the ruins swear the place is cursed. Equipment mysteriously fails, things go missing at crucial moments, or the weather acts up at the most inopportune times. With a raise, the heroes recall stories about rings of laughter on the wind like the ruins themselves are mocking you. STONE CIRCLES The ruins look nothing like a former human city. Instead, surreal stone structures dot the landscape. The stacked slabs and pillars jut out at impossible angles giving the ruins an alien feeling. A successful Occult roll at −2 indicates that Spriggans made the structures—a type of obsessive builder faerie. Pockets of rusted tools, grown over dig sites, and bleached skeletons dot the stone jungle providing evidence of failed expeditions. Searching the remains produces some usable foodstuffs. FINDING ADVENTURE The ruins are considered an elemental Place of Power (see Places of Power in Arcana & Mysticism), known for highly erratic weather patterns. Bad weather makes tracking almost impossible as it constantly wipes and washes away any indications of movement. Even following the map is complex, requiring a Challenging three-round Dramatic Task using Survival to navigate the ruins. Each Token represents a surviving member of the Adventure Incorporated expedition. The task is made even more difficult by mischievous faerie folk who pull pranks and disrupt the effort. The suit of each Action Card represents the mayhem caused by the faerie folk. Heroes with Occult or Survival notice that these faeries look hard done by— they are missing wings or limbs, have scars, and seem more angry than mischievous. JOKER—NO CHANGE CLUBS—NO CHANGE SPADES—PUCKS & SPRIGGANS 1–10 Jinx: Using Skills or Abilities with technological devices requires a roll on the Technical Difficulties table; the result lasts until the end of the task. J—A Curse: As above, however, the result is permanent until proper repairs are made. DIAMONDS—LEPRECHAUNS 1–10 Fool’s Gold: Your hero spots an illusory treasure too good to ignore out of the corner of their eye. Yet, when you turn to look, it’s gone. Make a Smarts roll or be Distracted this round. J—A Taunts: One of the wee folk harasses and Tests your hero with taunts and cruel jokes (roll Taunt d10+2 opposed by Smarts). HEARTS—FAERIE DANCE 1–10 Music and Laughter: Pixies, sprites, and other common faeries flit and flutter about laughing and singing. Make a Spirit roll or be Distracted for this round. J—A Faerie Dance: Your hero is caught in the entrancing music of the faeries and feels compelled to dance! Make a Spirit roll at −2. Success means your hero is only Distracted by the music. Failure means you spend this round dancing and cannot act, treat as being Entangled using Spirit to break free each round. Critical Failure totally entrances the victim, who is considered Bound, and adds a level of Fatigue from the intense merriment!

TALKING IT OUT 60 SAVAGE TALE: BLOOD & BRANCHES Region: Borderlands The heroes become embroiled in recovering stolen goods from a supply convoy while visiting a small town in the Borderlands. While the heroes visit the town, they discover some sort of alien flu, colloquially called the Xenovirus, is impacting the townsfolk. A medical caravan from Missouri is on the way with some muchneeded vaccines. CONVOY Not long after the heroes arrive in the small town of Tanglewood, a convoy comes rolling in from the east—or at least what’s left of it. The lead driver is yelling, his voice hoarse. “Help, help, we got injured!” The bodies of those who didn’t make it protrude from one cargo vehicle, other vehicles are shot up, and many of the members are injured. Those with Healing abilities can save people but will have to triage. Start with two Bleeding Out victims (see Bleeding Out in Savage Worlds) plus one additional victim per hero. Let the heroes use skills, powers, and ingenuity to stabilize as many injured people as possible. Any heroes not wearing medical protective equipment who touch bleeding people or their blood (it is everywhere) must check Vigor at −2 or contract the Xenovirus themselves; treating victims while wearing sealed and gloved Medium Environmental Body Armor imposes a −1 penalty, or −2 penalty for anyone wearing Heavy EBA. After doing their best, the heroes can get the story from the lead caravan driver, Theo Donner (a Civilian from Savage Foes of North America with Riding d6). BLACK SITE The faeries run away afraid when the heroes get close to the expedition site. It doesn’t take long to see why, the site is in shambles with equipment, debris, and even bodies strewn about. Some shell shocked survivors remain (1 per Token earned in the Dramatic Task) huddled together in a large circle of salt as a swarm of ugly black creatures pester those inside. Night is falling and rain begins to drop—threatening to wash the salt away. As the heroes arrive on scene the swarm swirls and shifts toward them. BLACK FAERIES E Gnarlywood: This Black Faerie Wild Card takes Support from the others to use slumber and stun and carries a wooden TW Mage Staff, see Arcana and Mysticism. „ Black Faeries (6, plus 1 per hero): Swarm using Gang Up and Support. REWARD Defeating the faeries earns the gratitude of Amy Hardisty (see Nomads & Drifters in Region Guide), the expedition leader, and opens up the ruins for exploration. Adventure Inc. will try to recover their gear and get what they can before returning to Fort Comanche to pay back Silas Green. Use the Relic Salvage Operations rules from Empires of Humanity to determine the reward but double the values. Trying to communicate with the Faeries is not very productive; they are angry and irate. However, they do give cryptic clues about the Black Faeries that have been terrorizing the area using sing song taunts.

XENOVIRUS 61 This virus is a Debilitating Disease (see Disease in Savage Worlds) from another dimension. People who contract the virus experience weakness, fever, chills, and other effects. Healthy people can usually shake it off, but those who are compromised (e.g., have the Anemic or Elderly Hindrances) must treat it as a Lethal Disease. The virus is airborne and fast-spreading. Heroes should make a Vigor roll for each day in town to avoid contracting the Xenovirus. “We were jumped on our way here by a bunch of bandits. Didn’t even stick us up, just started shooting, took everything they could and ran off. We tried radioing for help, but all we got was static. Damn anomaly acting up again, cost good people their lives. The worst part is we had vaccines on board.” Donner looks wistfully at the dead and injured caravan members, then at the town. “A whole lotta people are gonna die without that medicine.” Pressing Donner on the make-up of the bandits reveals they are high-tech, with modern weapons, armor, and a Big Boss ATV. He thinks they may have a psychic or magic-user too since some “weird stuff happened, but maybe that was just ‘the anomaly’ acting up.” ROUNDING UP A POSSE With so much at stake, it doesn’t take long for a mob of poorly armed townspeople to form and prepare to go after the bandits. They are ill-equipped to handle the forces Donner described, but many of them have family members who need that medicine, and desperation is overriding their common sense. Donner looks to the Tomorrow Legion for help. “Those folks mean well but they ain’t equipped to handle what we saw out there. Can I convince yall to take a look? We got nothing to give ya but gratitude.” When the heroes agree to help, Donner and the posse lead them to the site of the bandit attack. A pack of Infested coyotes (see Infested in Terror on the Dark Frontier Creature Manual) have come to pick over the remains of caravan members. Emboldened by the fell winds, they attack the party! It quickly becomes clear that the effects of the Anomaly are powerful here—roll on the Dimensional Instability Effects table (see Region Guide) for each scene of the adventure from this point forward. Use a combat-based Dangerous Quick Encounter (see Quick Encounters in Savage Worlds) to drive off the coyotes. In addition to the normal effects, each failure per player results in the death of one posse member. The coyotes have messed up a lot of the evidence, but the Big Boss ATV leaves distinctive tracks, and following them is no problem. REDWOOD Note: Make a new roll on the Dimensional Instability Effects table for this scene The tracks lead toward a forest with distinctive blood-red leaves, even on the evergreens (see The Blood Wood in Region Guide). Psychics and Mystics feel unnerving darkness emanating from the forest. Donner and the posse members become very nervous at the sight of the Bloodwood. They refuse to enter, and Donner warns the group.

COALITION RANGER 62 “If the bandits went in there, they are already dead, and recovering our medicine is damn near impossible. No one who enters the Bloodwood comes out alive.” Sure enough, venturing into the forest leads to an empty Big Boss ATV with the windows smashed out. One of the massive balloon tires lies askew on the forest floor. Disturbingly, no bodies are visible, but the stolen goods sit abandoned on the ground. Dried blood on the ground accentuates all the trees’ blood-red leaves, which feel like they are watching. As the heroes look around, they see signs that the bodies were dragged deeper into the forest. Have the heroes make a Notice roll to avoid Surprise (see Surprise in Savage Worlds, don’t forget to check for Edges like Danger Sense or Sixth Sense) as a pack of enraged Forest Wardens at tac k s f rom the treetops! „ Forest Wardens (4, plus 1 per hero): see Arcana and Mysticism. After defeat ing the Wardens or grabbing the supplies and running, the crew discovers Donner and his people were taken into the forest by the same beings that attacked the heroes! Faint screams emanate from the forest as the Wardens drag the posse deeper into the Bloodwood! FOREST RUNNERS Note: Make a new roll on the Dimensional Instability Effects Table for this scene Use simple mobility skill checks (Athletics, Piloting, Driving, Riding, etc.) or run a Chase to catch up to the Forest Wardens and the posse. If the heroes succeed at the skill checks or catch up to the Wardens before they reach the last Chase card, the group bursts into a clearing dominated by an ugly, black, barren tree. Blood and gore from bandits adorn the trunk of the tree. The tree’s evil psychic emanations and grisly display of sacrifice force everyone to make a Fear (Nausea) check at −2. If the Wardens escape, then the heroes enter the clearing to find the Wardens sacrificing the Posse members at the base of the tree, “watering” it with blood as they dance around with savage glee.

63 DARK DANCE Note: Make a new roll on the Dimensional Instability Effects Table for this scene As the group enters the clearing, a pack of Forest Wardens attacks. The Dark Tree thrives on violence. Each time blood spills (a posse member or Forest Warden dies), a gnarled wooden tree warrior “grows” out of the ground, see below. The tree is Invulnerable to regular attacks and can only be damaged by Fire (including Plasma). Destroying it requires using Fire to exceed its Hardness of 20 (see Breaking Things in Savage Worlds). Burning the tree down will stop the warriors from appearing, and normal color will begin to return to the Forest. Any surviving Wardens will run away. „ Forest Wardens (3 plus 1 per hero): If the Chase wasn't successful, add three more Forest Wardens, see Arcana and Mysticism. „ Tree Warriors (special, see above): Use the Mindless Minion stats from Savage Foes of North America, but with the Undead special ability from Savage Worlds. „ Dark Tree: Invulnerable to anything but fire (including Plasma), Hardness 20, see above. FOLK HEROES Delivering the medicine back to town garners a hero’s welcome. News of the Bloodwood travels fast, giving the group local folk hero status. Reaction Table results are one level higher for any interactions in the Borderlands region (this stacks with any abilities or Edges that already raise reaction levels). If Donner survives, the group gains him as a Connection, and he can update them on happenings in the Borderlands as he makes regular trade runs from eastern Kansas to Fort Comanche. SAVAGE TALE: DRUID FEUD Region: Borderlands An outpost of peaceful druids is attacked by a rival nature cult. Now the Tomorrow Legion is the only hope for twins taken prisoner for ritual sacrifice. It Begins Josina, a representative from Medella, asks the Legion for help. They’re a small druidic community in the Borderlands—small but growing due to Tolkeen refugees. A month ago they discovered a reliable rift to a pristine jungle world and set up an outpost on both sides, manned by druids learning to commune with its alien nature. Two days ago, that split outpost was attacked by “Porovit and his Wild Nature cult”; just one survivor escaped to warn the others. Conflicting Cults After meeting the heroes and making sure they have simple but comfortable accommodations, Josina explains that her community is in conflict with a dangerous faction led by an occultist named Porovit. Porovit’s cult worships the concept of Wild Nature, “red in tooth and claw.” This isn’t the first conflict between the two groups, but it’s by far the bloodiest. While his minions massacred nearly the entire outpost—rites are still being performed for many dead— Porovit focused on capturing “the twins.” He bragged he’d watched the druids for days and they’d brought him exactly the sacrifice he needed. The men captured, Kiernan and Cullen, are identical twins in their 20s with heterochromatic eyes — one blood-red, one green as grass. Josina can’t think of anything special that justifies their capture; they don’t

64 even have arcane potential. As refugees, they joined Medella three months ago. The heroes can head straight to the rift or spend some time in Medella preparing. Medella is a modest community with a few shops; the Economy Modifier is −2 for standard gear, or +0 for magic items, survival supplies, and wilderness tools. Good roleplaying or a successful Persuasion check convinces some druids to join as temporary allies in addition to Josina — these Druids want revenge for their fallen comrades. ALLIED EXTRAS „ Medella Druids (1 per hero): As Civilians with Faith d6 and Survival d6. Half (including Josina) have Arcane Background (Miracles), 10 PPE, beast friend, elemental manipulation, and healing—see Savage Foes of North America. The Outpost The location of the rift (currently closed) is on the side of a steep mountain. Simple wooden buildings (which provide Medium Cover) are arranged in a semicircle up against the mountainside, extending about 20” from the rift. Past the buildings is another 20” of clearing, and then dense forest. The heroes thus have tree cover as they approach the cult-occupied outpost, but only up to the clearing. The acolytes fight hard, but if the battle turns soundly against them and High Priest Yurik is killed, they consider demands to surrender. Upon interrogation, an acolyte insists Kiernan and Cullen aren’t twins, but a single man named Holden who was part of their cult until he usurped the power of Peraun, a personification of Wild Nature. This somehow split Holden into two men! No Tolkeen refugee, he/they were instead fleeing Porovit. Sacrificing the thief is just a way to reclaim this lost power. The acolyte argues this cause as just, though his moral argument falters if asked about the outpost massacre (“Well, they harbored a criminal!”). Josina flat-out doesn’t believe the acolyte, pointing out how normal the twins are. Either way, she emphasizes the cult needs to pay for murdering those druids… and certainly shouldn’t get to kill two more. OUTPOST FORCES E High Priest Yurik: As a Shaman, but with Toughness 13 (5), Faith d12, Elan, 25 PPE, and Medium Enchanted Armor. See Arcana & Mysticism. „ Shaman (1 per hero): See Arcana & Mysticism. „ Spirit Warrior (1, plus 1 per hero): Remember their Danger Sense, see Arcana & Mysticism. Through the Rift The rift is periodic (it opens 1d4 hours after the battle), dimensional, stable, and too small to permit most vehicles — see Nexuses and Rifts in the Game Master's Handbook for more information on rift details. Upon crossing over to the dimension on the other side of the rift, the vast scale of this new world makes everyone wonder if they’ve shrunk. The trees are two miles tall, with alien life flying and leaping between branches. The canopy is so thick it blocks the sky, yet a rainbow of sunshine filters through the crystalline leaves. The outpost buildings on this side are unoccupied. A successful Survival (tracking) roll picks up the cult’s trail right away. Failure means the heroes find it only after stumbling into trouble; the Game Master can choose a monster encounter, run a Dangerous Quick Encounter, or just assign Bumps and Bruises. After six hours of walking, the Legionnaires see a butte rising amid the trees. A successful Notice roll (at +2 if they can gain height) reveals Porovit’s cult has created natural-seeming shelters from the

65 rock; a raise spots Kiernan and Cullen held in separate stone “cells.” A pathway allows easy access to the top of the butte, but it’s watched; Stealth to remain undetected is at −2. The butte can be climbed; it is 50” high and requires two Athletics checks, one at 20” and one at 40”. Or the heroes can use abilities, gear, or powers providing flight, teleport, wall walker, etc. Once Porovit starts the “ritual of reclamation,” he focuses on it exclusively, stopping only if a twin is freed or he takes a Wound (at which point he joins the fight). The Game Master must adjudicate the ritual’s timing—give the heroes a chance to stop it, but keep the pressure on. POROVIT'S FORCES E Avatar of Peraun: Appears if the "ritual of reclamation" is completed or the twins are freed, see below. E Porovit: See below. „ Shaman (1 per hero): See Arcana & Mysticism. „ Spirit Warrior (1 per hero): Remember their Danger Sense, see Arcana & Mysticism. If the Ritual Succeeds: Porovit draws the power into himself, slaying the twins, and becomes the Avatar of Peraun. It then turns on the heroes, who must decide whether to fight or run. If the Twins Are Freed: They embrace, crying, then merge into one figure, becoming the Avatar of Peraun. Blinded by rage at the outpost massacre, it attacks everyone except Medella druids. Social skills and roleplaying may convince it to stop fighting, upon which it leaps down and disappears into the jungle. Afterward, the Medella druids thank the heroes and agree to a formal alliance with the Tomorrow Legion. If they retained control over the rift, they even let the Legion use it (with supervision). E Porovit A D-Bee resembling a grizzly bear with a furry elephantine head. Porovit doesn’t consider his group a cult, much less an evil one; they are defenders of Nature who promote survival of the fittest. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6−1, Spirit d12, Strength d12+1, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Faith d12, Fighting d10, Healing d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Occult d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d8, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 19 (6) Hindrances: All Thumbs, Arrogant, Bloodthirsty, Ruthless (Major) Edges: Adept (boost Trait, protection, smite), Arcane Background (Miracles), Counterattack, Dodge, Elan, Master of Magic, Woodsman Powers: Banish, beast friend, bolt, boost/lower Trait, burrow, deflection, detect/conceal arcana, dispel, healing, protection, relief, shape change, smite. PPE: 40 Gear: Heavy Enchanted Armor (+6 Armor, +3 Toughness); owl spirit mask (as Magic Optic System); Hierophant’s Amulet (see below). Special Abilities: „ Fur: +4 to resist Cold, and −4 damage from cold-based attacks. „ Hierophant’s Amulet: When casting a Miracle power, one willing ally in Spirit range can suffer Fatigue (24 hours to heal, no relief, etc.) for +2 to the Faith roll. „ Size 3 (Normal): 11’ tall, 800 lbs. „ Tusks/Claws: Enchanted with special runes to do Str+3d6 damage, AP 6.

66 E The Avatar of Peraun A massive humanoid made of blood, leaves, dirt, and animal horns. Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Spirit d12+2, Strength d12+6, Vigor d12+2 Skills: Athletics d10, Common Knowledge d8, Faith d12+2, Fighting d12, Intimidation d12+2, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Survival d8+2 Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 31 (12) Special Abilities: „ Armor of Faith: +12 Armor, +4 Toughness. „ Environmental Immunity: Cold, Disease, Heat, Poison, Suffocation. „ Fear (−2): Opponents must check Fear at −2. The Avatar is immune to Fear. „ Horned Swipe: Strike for Str+2d6 Mega Damage, AP 12, Reach 2. „ Size 6 (Large): 18’ tall. Attacks against it are at +2. It has a fourth Wound level. „ Claw Swat: Strike for Str+d6 Mega Damage, AP 6, Reach 1, Anti-Personnel. SAVAGE TALE: FOOD FOR THOUGHT Region: Coalition Colonies Clarissa Wayne lives in a lonely village on the Frontier, but she is no ordinary young woman. She is a strong psychic, but her emerging powers have gathered the attention of a Psi-Stalker tribe. Null, the leader of this tribe—the Nighthowlers—is obsessed with feeding on Clarissa’s intense energies. A CALL FOR HELP While traveling or resting in the Coalition Colonies, the heroes all have the same dream: As you fall asleep, you begin dreaming, but this is no ordinary dream. Everything seems vivid, sharp, and focused. You see the night sky, and hear the howls of distant wolves. You feel yourself taking flight, and you watch as the plains and grasslands of the Frontier pass quickly beneath you. You feel drawn toward a lonely light on the plains—the glow of a lantern in the window of a house on the edge of a small village. It seems very lonely there, very quiet, and very vulnerable. In the window you see a blonde-haired young woman staring at you through the glass. “Please help me,” she says, her voice clear and soft, even though you sense she is speaking to you from a far distance. The wolves howl again, closer, their voices sounding hungry and aggressive. The blonde girl looks frightened. “They’re coming for me. They want to eat me,” she says. “Please, find me. They’re coming soon.” You see a glimpse of a map of the Frontier, as if seen from the air, and you sense the location of the village from where you went to sleep. One final time, the wolves howl, and the girl covers her ears, crying out in fear. You glimpse narrow, yellow eyes in the darkness, and hear a sinister voice: “I hunger!”

67 In that moment, you wake up, sit bolt upright, and are breathing heavily. It was just a dream… or was it? A successful Occult roll reveals they were seeing a psychic vision, and the young girl must indeed be powerful to transmit images over such a distance to strangers. The map in the vision showed a village a few miles south, not far from the Texas Freelands border. CLARISSA’S DANGER The girl in their dreams is Clarissa Wayne. She and her extended family live in the tiny village of Wayne’s Hollow, where she’s been all her life. Even as a child, Clarissa knew she was different. She barely knew what a psychic was, but as her abilities grew, she learned more from the minds of her family and a few travelers who came to the village. Clarissa has just begun testing her psychic limits. She is a kind, good-hearted girl who is normally very careful and prefers not to use her abilities on others unless there is no choice. However, her growing psychic energies attracted the attention of a small Psi-Stalker tribe. One night, as Clarissa was psychically projecting her senses out into the plains, the Nighthowlers tribe was camping not far away. Null could sense Clarissa’s psychic presence, and tasted just the faintest hint of her psychic “scent,” but it was enough to give him something to track. Clarissa knew she was in danger, and could sense the Psi-Stalkers coming closer to finding her home. In a panic, she reached out for help, finding the heroes. However, the rest of the Wayne family are more concerned over their safety than hers—”that strange girl”—and plan to hand her over to Null at nightfall. TREACHERY IN WAYNE’S HOLLOW The heroes arrive in Wayne’s Hollow after a half day's journey. Sunset is not far off as they come upon three houses in a small, picturesque valley; one looks very familiar from their vision—it is where Clarissa lives. The group encounters three members of the Wayne family here: Alice (Clarissa’s mother), Barret (her brother), and Annabeth (her cousin). They're all standoffish and reluctant to discuss anything with outsiders. With any questions about Clarissa or mentions of visions, the Waynes all get very tense and ask the party to leave immediately. Once the heroes have had a few minutes to talk to the Waynes, Clarissa tries to psychically warn them her family is not to be trusted. Time seems to slow down, and each hero sees an image from their past. This scene is an interlude (see Interludes in Savage Worlds). Each player should describe a moment when their hero was betrayed or lied to. At the end of the interlude, mention that each of the Waynes they’ve spoken to seem to resemble the people who betrayed or lied to them in the past. If the heroes wish to use any skills such as Persuasion or Intimidation (this may also include any magic, psychic powers, or similar abilities) to learn the truth, a success causes Annabeth to burst into tears: “The girl you’re looking for is my cousin Clarissa! Ever since she got those weird psychic powers, the others have treated her like a freak. Grandpa Alan took her out into the woods. I think he’s gonna turn her over to the Nighthowlers!” Annabeth explains the Nighthowlers are a group of local Psi-Stalkers and their leader— ”A big, scary guy named Null”—came to the village looking for food. She also points out that Null was supposed to return at nightfall, and the sun is minutes from going down! SILENCING THE NIGHTHOWLERS The heroes get to the forested meeting place just in time to see an old man in farmer’s clothes holding the arm of the young blonde woman in their dream—they are Grandpa Alan and Clarissa Wayne. Emerging from the woods about fifty feet away, they see

68 the sinister forms of black-armored, pale humanoids who are tall, lean, and have tattoos or metal studs marking their faces: The Psi-Stalker leader snarls as he sees you, his gaze darting quickly to Clarissa and her grandfather. “They won’t be able to help you, and once they’re gone, my tribe will feed on your entire family.” “That wasn’t the deal, Null!” The old man calls out, even as Clarissa angrily tries to yank her arm from his grip. “Too late.” The Psi-Stalker replies, activating his vibro-blades with a threatening hum. Several wolves emerge from the woods nearby, lining up next to the Psi-Stalkers as they draw weapons. The Psi-Stalkers begin the attack by targeting the heroes. Null has instructed them not to harm the Waynes, and especially Clarissa. Clarissa will help if the heroes look to be overwhelmed, but will spend most of her time trying to convince her grandfather he’s made a terrible mistake. E Clarissa Wayne: A Mind Melter with no gear, see Savage Foes of North America. E Null: See Terror on the Dark Frontier Creature Manual „ Nighthowlers (1 per hero): Coalition PsiStalkers, see Savage Foes of North America. „ Wolves (2, plus 1 per hero): See Dog/ Wolf in Savage Worlds. A Broken Family Once the Nighthowlers are defeated, Clarissa asks the heroes not to intervene with her family. Now that she knows just how bad things are, Clarissa feels certain she can mend the bonds with her grandfather and the rest of the Waynes. At least she’s going to try. Clarissa promises to see the heroes again someday, perhaps once she’s old enough to journey out on her own. SAVAGE TALE: DEAD DEAD BOYS Region: The High Plains Set-Up: This Savage Tale is structured differently than the others. Rather than a single night of adventure, these events should play out across several sessions. Summary: A Coalition Vendetta Squad fell to a large group of Two-Faced Star People. The Star People gained operational knowledge and equipment by consuming the human supremacists. Operating in concert with a greater network, this group now stalks the Plains as a pop-up enclave and kills under Coalition guise, kidnapping vulnerable sentients and eating whoever resists. After collecting enough captives, they head to the Chalk Pyramids and leave Rifts Earth behind. Unblinking Eyes What begins with rumors and Comanche patrols' reports grows to gossip, leaping to the Comanche Chronicle’s headlines: vicious marauders haunt the High Plains. Grisly scenes are found at outlying settlements, homesteads, and mining camps, but the usual suspects won’t take credit for the killings. Survivors’ stories share one commonality: the attackers wore new-style Dead Boy armor. Not an uncommon sight in the region. One such survivor currently warms a cot in New Dodge City’s Lock-Up. The Tin Star on warden duty, Jamie Jepson, tells you the witness’s name is Simeon Voth and he stumbled into town covered in blood with a vibro-knife. Jamie leads the Legionnaires back to Simeon’s cell if they want to interview him, but Simeon isn’t keen on visitors. Aimlessly dragging a fork through his macaroni for the 100th time, Simeon gives curt, one-word answers to any questions

TWO-FACED STAR PERSON TRUE FORM 69 unless they coax him from his shell. A little warmth and kindness go a long way. Simeon lived on a small farm with other Tolkeenites. If confronted with a new-style Coalition helmet, Simeon panics. Simeon knows: „ The killers dressed and fought like Coalition; he was at Tolkeen when the city fell. „ They spoke Comanche and took trophies like the old horror stories said they would. „ They ate nearly everyone except several children and a doctor. „ After slashing one of them with a vibroknife sheathed in his forearm, Simeon got away. The corpse’s face melted. The Kansas Vibro-Blade Massacre The perpetrators travel across the High Plains beneath the facade of smiling faces. When night falls, the knives come out, leaving no one to tell the tale. With no discernable pattern beyond hunger for human flesh, rather than linearly presenting these scenes, the Legionnaires should stumble across these crime scenes in their travels across the High Plains. Bacchanal: A pop-up’s cored-out husk obscures a diorama Caligula would be proud of. They are pinned in place by wires and sharpened steel stakes. Skulls grimace in the air, and eyes gone jammy track witnesses. Faces glued to wagons’ sides form a grotesque audience watching their bodies with disembodied disinterest. A Notice check spots a severed hand with four fingers terminating in heavy nails. Potluck: Tattered tents flap in the wind, and a guttering campfire smells woody, chemical, and fatty; something akin to pork fat on a stove burner bubbling and charred. Skulls scraped clean and barren long bones litter campgrounds. Tooth marks scar their

70 off-white veneers. Ulysa, a Grackletooth Vagabond from New Dodge, piles thousands of credits in prospecting equipment in a wheelbarrow. If questioned, she tells the truth: “They came out of the grass after dark. The other prospectors got excited cus they saw a pop-up out there,” she generally motions to the east, “but the caravan never got any closer. I had a bad feeling, so I slipped down into the deepest part of the hole as soon as I saw red eyes glowing at yay height out at the light’s edge,” she motions towards her collarbone, “surefire sign of Coalition trouble. Stayed down there all night listening to teeth grinding on bone.” Ulysa lets the Legionnaires know her usual comms channel. If they need help, they can call her, and she’ll come running. She wants revenge for her dead friends, but she’s just one Grackletooth. Red Trails: A decent-sized family lived in this homestead once, 7 people if you did the math right. Fourteen soles curl in on themselves across the dinner table. Their trail of sticky, red footprints heads out into the tallgrass then peters out. Crushed stalks and blood-dappled blades betray wherever they fell, but no bodies or bones linger. The Pretenders: A pop-up caravan on the move, the wagons’ painted sides proclaim "The Hopey Haws," a comedy show, but a film of dried blood renders the smiling faces ghoulish. Everyone wears new-style Coalition helmets, and security wears full body armor. Their silence continues as the wagon train pushes past the Legionnaires. If pushed, a one-handed gentleman pulls his helmet off and smiles, his face looking down from the wagon’s sides. He provides glib, friendly, noncommittal answers. Berserker Mode If the Legionnaires let the caravan continue on its way, there are 1 or 2 more massacres, and then the attacks just stop as the killers vanish from the face of Rifts Earth. If they shadow the caravan, the showmen and travelers set up at an encampment in the evening, with expansive barriers and fortifications. Songs of joy and wistful fiddle ride the winds. Check Notice at −2 to spot a small squad in new-style Dead Boy armor leaving the celebration and heading towards a neighboring farmstead. If the Legionnaires intercept or intervene in any way, combat starts. Otherwise, the cannibalism starts on the fringe and chews its way to the celebration. Note: When 2 or more Star People fall to Legionnaire weapons, the rest of them change identity. They all adopt the form of Kenny Hale, a Coalition soldier with Major Psionic abilities, see entry below. THE HOPEY HAWS „ CS Armored Two-Faced Star People (4, plus 1 per hero): As Two-Faced Star People, but with the gear of a Coalition Grunt (New Gear) granting them Toughness 18 (8), see Empires of Humanity. „ Pop-Up Enclave Two-Faced Star People (3 per hero): In medium cover, see below. When the Legionnaires subdue half the Star-People, the caravan calls in Coalition fire support. They have the codes and know the protocol—the sky rains fire. A Coalition unit is in range and assists with a barrage of 4 Medium Missiles (HE Warheads) supporting the “Vendetta Squad” via indirect fire, but then must leave the region to rearm. Place all four Medium Blast Templates and then have the Legionnaires check Agility at −2 to find some bare semblance of cover. Wildfires spread out from the missiles’ impacts.

71 Shadow Flesh and Bone As the missiles rain down, the Star People abandon the caravan and run for it on foot. One stays behind and detonates a series of linked fusion blocks to destroy all their evidence. Resolve this as a Chase; place the fleeing Star People in the middle and the bomber one card towards the Legionnaires. The Two-Faced Star People have extensive knowledge regarding their people on the High Plains and will not allow themselves to be taken alive, choosing to kill themselves with the standard-issue frag grenades rather than allow the Legionnaires to capture and interrogate them. If the Legionnaires successfully prevent the bomber from destroying the caravan, they find the homesteaders alive but unconscious in a heap. The Star People dosed them with an aerosolized anesthetic, and it will take them 3 – 4 hours to rouse. In the wagons, the Legionnaires find all the stock necessary to maintain the pretense of a traveling show, including a wagon for selling medicines and elixirs. In addition, they find an improvised kennel full of children, a meat locker of human torsos, and a Cyber-Doc missing her left arm and leg. TWO-FACED STAR-PEOPLE An other-dimensional race of maneating shapeshifters, the Two-Faced Star People have persisted across Rifts Earth in substantial numbers for centuries. Trapped behind human faces, like flies in amber, the Star People secretly cohabitated with humanity. Since ancient times, the Star People have fought against North America’s indigenous peoples until magic ebbed away, causing them to fade into the background. With magic’s return, they peel off their smothering human guises and revel in their monstrousness. Several of their clan's number still remember old stories of a lost homeland beyond the thunderclouds. These few have organized their community to band together and go on one last reign of terror as they make the pilgrimage back to the stars. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Battle d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Psionics d10, Riding d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 14 (6) Hindrances: Arrogant, Bloodthirsty, Mean Edges: Arcane Background (Psionics), Nerves of Steel Powers: mind reading, telepathy, warrior’s gift ISP: 15 Gear: CA-2 Light EBA (+6 Armor, +1 Toughness), C-18 Laser Pistol (Range 15/30/60, Damage 3D6, RoF 1, AP 3), Vibroknife (Str+d6, AP 6, Mega Damage), 2 × frag grenades (Range 5/10/20, Damage 3d6, LBT, Mega Damage). Speical Abilities: „ Changing Faces: The Star-People may instantly shape change into the form of any humanoid they have consumed via You Are What You Eat, below, without Power Point cost as an Innate Ability. „ Fear (−2): Cause a Fear check at −2 when the truth is revealed. „ You Are What You Eat: The Star People may perfectly duplicate any single humanoid creature they've devoured, recalling all of the creature’s DNA, skills, Edges, and knowledge at the point of death. Magical abilities are not copied, but psionics and other intangible qualities are. The TwoFaced Star People need only a mouthful of flesh to establish the mystical connection. Once they abandon an identity for a new one, the old one is lost forever.

72 KENNY HALE, COALITION SERGEANT Just a good old boy from Lone Star sent north to raise a little hell. After terrorizing a few villages, the frontier demons found and carved Kenny's squad members into ham hocks. The infinite seconds stretched on and on as the monsters passed his heart around, each taking a delicate bite. His awareness of the awful situation finally ended when they cracked his skull and spread his brains like butter. When the Two-Faced Star People take the form of Kenny Hale they gain the following profile adjustments. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Battle d8, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Psionics d10, Riding d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 18 (8) or 14 (6) Hindrances: Arrogant, Bloodthirsty, Mean Edges: Arcane Background (Psionics), Arcane Resistance (Imp.), Danger Sense, Major Psionic, Marksman, Nerves of Steel Powers: Armor, bolt, blast, detect arcana, mindreading, puppet, telepathy, warrior's gift. ISP: 35

73 SAVAGE TALE: ROOT OF ALL EVIL Region: The High Plains Location: Prairie Rose Pit Set-Up: Wild Vampires attack the heroes after midnight. The moon casts a pale glow over the flatlands. The wind shakes the tallgrass to a low bass rustle. Murderous howls cut through the air, high and keen. Glowing red eyes on the camp’s periphery foreshadow Wild Vampires breaking from cover and charging the camp! VAMPIRE ATTACKERS „ Wild Vampire (1 per hero): Pronghorns rise from one’s brow. They all wear jumpsuits with serial numbers. If the Legionnaires immediately begin tracking their defeated foes (roll Survival at −1), they lead back to a hole torn in the perimeter fence surrounding the Prairie Rose Pit. Security guards in old model Dead Boy armor with a yellow rose emblem patrol just inside the fence line. If the heroes are spotted (Notice vs. Stealth), an alarm goes off, and the guards rush them. Bristling gun barrels aim for the heroes, and they demand the heroes retreat. Escalating to violence draws additional Prairie Rose Pit security in surplus Coalition Mark V APCs. PRAIRIE ROSE PIT SECURITY PATROL „ McDonough Security (10, plus 2 per hero): As Militia, but with CA-1 Heavy EBA granting them Toughness 15 (7), see Savage Foes of North America. Jimmy Crack Corn Assuming the heroes return in the morning following their lead, describe the Pit as enormous bones jutting from a massive hollow in the earth’s flesh. They find the Pit in an agitated state. Quick questioning reveals someone found a corpse on the premises this morning. Any mention of Tomorrow Legion affiliation gets them immediately ushered to the crime scene or the body. On the way to the reservoir, a Notice check reveals miners descending into the dark under armed guard. Isatai, a Comanche foreman, hangs around the maintenance shed, which currently serves as a makeshift morgue. When the heroes approach, he introduces himself then says: Timeline: You might choose to build up this adventure in the background of your campaign. If you choose to do so, or the Legionnaires don’t return in the morning, here is a timeline of events: 1 week: Several prospectors and Goblintown residents go missing. 3 weeks: A mob of Wild Vampires attack a pop-up enclave. More crushed bodies are found in the Pit; mostly Comanche. 2 months: The Prairie Rose Pit stops communicating. Patrols sent to investigate go missing. Increase all repair costs by 50%. 3 months: Goblintown comes under siege. Increase the price of all magical goods by 50%. 4 months: Goblintown falls. At night, all random encounters with humanoids are vampires. TIMELINE

74 “The murder victim is Hank, one of the heirs to the Pahnaixte’s claim over the Pit. I found him by the reservoir and got him out of the elements with a trike and trailer as soon as I could, then sent for a shaman to perform the funerary rites. The McDonoughs sent over a 'doctor' (Isatai spits) to do an autopsy. He’s a butcher with fancy paper. I told him— no cutting open Hank. He better listen.“ Inside the maintenance shed, Marion Sims McDonough, the Pit’s medic, looms over the body with a scalpel poised over the corpse. Even if the Legionnaires stop him from cutting into the body, he’s delighted they’ve arrived, especially if none of the team are D-Bees or Comanche. He puts the knives away with little fuss and aids (+1) any Healing checks the heroes make to ascertain the cause of death. He quickly cites BlackWinged Devil People as likely culprits or maybe an Ukt Water Serpent, but both of those would have mutilated the body further. Whether this is the first or the fifth body the Legionnaires investigate, the corpse looks the same: found lying face up, crushed like a coke can, the eyes bulged with agony and the sputum of life stains the victim's clothes. A Healing check identifies extensive bruising, upper arms shattered, and ribcage crunched. Hank's heavy body armor provided little protection against whatever pulverized him. Scavengers and predators left the body alone. A Survival check around the reservoir is difficult (−2) because of so much foot traffic. With a success, the tracker notices hoof prints belonging to horses. After both the Tomorrow Legion and Marion finish examining Hank’s corpse, Isatai curses: “My shift started, I gotta oversee a demolition. You Legionnaire fellows have the run of things I guess. Anyone questions you, send them to me and I’ll sort ‘em out. And Marion? Get off my property.” Beating the Pavement Isatai’s word holds true. The heroes may freely move around the mine, ask questions, taste the dirt, and generally be nuisances. The only place off-limits is the office. The Prairie Rose Pit descends in multiple rings surrounding several enormous skyscrapers long buried. The heroes see other structures on the Pit’s periphery; all the tunnels leading below loop around a central spire. Minecarts laden with Golden Age electronics and dirt queue up to one side, and their contents are fed into an industrial sifter. Diggers push other carts, marked with a red X, into seemingly abandoned tunnels before knocking out supports and burying the contents. Academics: The work schedule shows no graveyard shifts for the past 2 and half weeks. The detect arcana power: Palpable evil wafts up from the mine’s mouths. It tastes tarry. Electronics or Hacking: The security cameras reveal the previous night’s surveillance is missing, but previous recordings show an unidentified individual in repainted CA-1 Heavy Body Armor with the yellow rose emblem leaving and returning from the depths but never leaving the mine premises. Intimidation: This isn’t the first murder, just the first Pahnaixte victim. Notice (−2): A band of horsemen shadow the edges of the Pit. A raise identifies them as Psi-Stalkers from the Red Legs band. Examining the hole in the fence reveals a collapsed tunnel. Occult or Common Knowledge (−2): Some of the miners currently working bear the signs of vampire bites. Persuasion: The mining crews all bunk on the McDonough compound. The demolition

75 crews are locals. The guards won’t allow them to mix. Stealth: Lose your security detail and slip into the tunnels. Survival: A shift of beleaguered miners all load up into a decommissioned Coalition APC and depart the Pit. Repeated vehicle tracks wear ruts in the ground. Thievery: Break into the McDonough’s office. Abigail McDonough is there. If any of the heroes enter the tunnels, after about 10 minutes, they find a small stack of bodies at the bottom of a red X mine cart filled with dirt. Further investigation reveals they are dormant Secondary and Wild Vampires. If they confront a dig team foreman, they learn it’s Abigail McDonoughs’ orders and they can find her at the McDonoughs’ compound. With a raise on Intimidate, the foreman spills more information: “Her eldest, James McDonough, got caught in a cave-in. When we dug him free—he’d changed. We’re just following orders. You wanna do something about this? Talk to Abigail.” The foreman seems shaken but unwilling to defy previous orders. Feeding on their Comanche allies may prove to be a bridge too far. Prison Blues The heroes find the McDonough compound—a sizable fort built to Coalition specifications with Coalition materials not far from the Pit. Anyone who sneaks over or peeks over the high walls spots a small prison barracks inside its walls with tall, inward curling, barbed wire fences surrounding 3 bunkhouses. Watchtowers maintain a sightline between them, and obvious symbols of faith adorn the armor and fortifications. An idling CS tank points its main gun toward the prison camp. Signs of collapsed tunnels also pockmark the ground inside the compound. When the Legionnaires have sniffed around the Pit long enough, Abigail McDonough confronts them with a beer in hand. Persuading Abigail seems impossible. Her love for James conflicts with deeply ingrained beliefs regarding creatures of magic and personhood. Any mention of the Pit’s rightful ownership touches a nerve, a Feverish glint in her eye. A hand communicator in her pocket squawks, calling for Abigail’s immediate presence. Anyone else possibly on the lookout sees a large cloud of dust—the Comanche band arriving at the Pit sets security on edge. Wild Water Abigail and her personal security head out to the Pit in a repainted CS Mark V APC, arriving at a tense standoff between the “renegade” Comanche and the Pit’s security forces. Just as the two leaders begin to talk, a fourth party arrives. A band of Psi-Stalkers sweeps out of the tallgrass. Their distinctive red shins warn everyone: the Redlegs are here, and no one is safe. Common Knowledge reveals the Redlegs are a small but incredibly aggressive band of Psi-Stalkers carving their territory wherever their rivals feel safest. Their leader, Warface, suffered under Coalition hands and now bears a grudge against them. A face like raw hamburger and bio-comp tell a clear story. Abigail sees this as her chance and shoots at Tabemohats, the Comanche Shaman. The APC aims at the Legionnaires. The Redlegs sweep through the whole scene, mainly concerned with liberating the dig team and rooting out the vampire infection right now while it’s still daylight. Note: The following forces are from Savage Foes of North America unless listed otherwise.

76 COMANCHE TEAM „ Big Boss ATV (1): With a Mini Rail Gun, carries the Comanche, see the Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide. „ Tabemohats, Comanche Shaman and Hank’s father: As a Shaman, see Arcana & Mysticism. „ Tech Warriors (2). See the Creature Manual. „ Wilderness Scouts (4). PIT SECURITY „ Abigail McDonough, Overseer: As a Vagabond. „ Abigail’s Personal Security (4 plus 1 per hero): As Commandos. „ Mark V APC (1, another arrives every other turn): The first one carries Abigail and her personal security detail, above. „ McDonough Security (2 per hero arrive at the end of every turn, reinforcing Abigail’s position): As Militia, but with CA-1 Heavy EBA granting them Toughness 15 (7). REDLEGS WARBAND E Warface, Redleg War Leader: Treat as a Juicer with the Psi-Stalker Race profile traits, plus the Luck and Iron Jaw Edges. „ Red Legs Psi-Stalkers (4 per Hero): As Coalition Psi-Stalkers; each riding a horse, see Savage Worlds. The whole scene devolves into chaos. The Pit security seem keen on killing the Comanche and the Legionnaires. The Redlegs carve up anyone in reach but avoid obvious Tomorrow Legionnaires. The Legionnaires can use the confusion to deal with the vampire infestation. Possible tests could include: Academics or Science: Knowing where to run hoses from a nearby water pump to flood out the vampires. Driving: Using heavy machinery to tip the red X carts like dominoes. The vampires buried within catch fire. Electronics or Thievery: Set explosives to collapse entrances so the water doesn’t spill out. Repair: Reverse the pumps and fill the Pit with running water from the reservoir. The McDonoughs and their security forces retreat back to their compound as soon as Abigail dies. The Comanche stand and fight, refusing to fall back in the face of this brazen assault. The Redlegs emancipate all the diggers and execute all the McDonough overseers they find. Warface prepares himself for a descent into the dark with lamps, stakes, and crosses. Turn Off the Dark Running water and sunlight may be enough to ensure the Wild Vampires meet their end, but if a Master Vampire turned James McDonough, then the group needs to descend into the night below to make sure the deed is done. Run this short journey as a Deadly Quick Encounter as a Pit foreman runs for the tunnels, screaming fit to wake the dead. Obstacles may include vampires rudely awakened by running water, dig team foremen taking fortified positions to delay pursuit, and tunnels washing out. The group finds James waiting for them in a dead end with his entourage. Deal Action cards as normal. On any Clubs dealt to the heroes, James detonates a hidden load of MDC Dynamite (3d8+6 MD, LBT), which can be Evaded. The third detonation caves in the room, burying James, the Wild Vampires, and the heroes—who then fail the mission. E James McDonough: As a Secondary Vampire (see Blood & Banes) but repainted

77 CA-1 Heavy EBA granting him a total Toughness of 21 (7). James carries a detonator on his belt, as well as a TW Katana and a TW Whip of Pain, see Arcana & Mysticism. „ Wild Vampires (3 per hero): See Savage Foes of North America. Epilogue: Amidst their fight with James, the flood waters drown whatever clues the group might have discovered about the Master Vampire who stalks the Labyrinth. The eldest McDonough son, James always felt entitled to his heart’s desires; a jealousy inflamed by the Fever and his family’s subservient position to the Comanche. Two weeks ago when James was caught in a cave-in, an unearthed Master Vampire offered him salvation. James accepted the offer and the Master suffused his fractured form with unholy vitality. With a might unknown to him in life, James dug himself free just as the rescue miners dug towards him. They all died in a vain attempt to fill his gnawing hunger. Now, the McDonough family has suffered multiple deaths and setbacks, and the Prairie Rose Pit is severely damaged. Make sure this is reflected during further adventures in the region, even if only in small narrative details. SAVAGE TALE: THE KNACKERS Region: The High Plains Location: New Dodge City Set-Up: Run this adventure after the heroes accrue a reputation for heroism. Civic Duty One morning, before the sun rises from its bed, the heroes are roused by knocking on their room’s door or shaking of their tent. Anika, a desi Headhunter in full armor, waits outside their quarters. The six-pointed star on her chest plate signifies her membership in the Tin Stars, New Dodge City’s ersatz peacekeeping force. Bowie, a jowly Dog Boy in a cowboy hat and Urban Warrior armor, stands just behind. Anika continues making a ruckus until the Legionnaires acknowledge her: “The name’s Anika, I’m with the Tin Stars. Sorry to impose like this, but I find myself shorthanded. You good folks wouldn’t mind acting as my deputies for a day or two, would you? I’ll brief you over breakfast.” If the Legionnaires balk, Anika sweetens the pot depending on their needs and predilections: 100 chips from the Crazy Diamond, 40 labor hours of maintenance on their equipment, 2 free meals from a local restaurant of their choice, a bottle of fine whiskey, etc. If they remain persistently uninterested, local goods and services rise in cost becoming two then three times as expensive over the next two weeks. Assuming they accept her request, Anika brings them up to speed over egg and bacon burritos from a local chuckwagon: “Typically we turn a blind eye to the occasional petty theft or hijacking. It goes down outside town? Not our problem. But when we see a pattern? It becomes our problem. All the early scores become practice; just dress rehearsals for the big enchilada: New Dodge. Caution and self-restraint don’t mesh with bandit life. Over the past month, a gang of bandits have been knocking over—" ~***SQUAWK***~ Anika touches her earpiece, listens for a moment, then speaks to you again. “Showing you will do more than talkin’ about it. Come on! You can ride with me in Petunia if you don’t have your own wheels.”

78 Orange Blossom Special After a long drive across the plains, the ten foot high tallgrass yields as if cut down by a massive scythe, accompanied by enormous gouges in the black Kansas sod. The culprits lay scattered across a mile: the two smoking remnants of a TW Ironhorse locomotive, train cars, reinforced crates, two or three irreparably dismembered SAMAS suits, and corpses twisted all wrong. A loose cordon of Bandito Arms enforcers huddle in cover as a gaunt Greater Demon feasts on the monstrous carrion of its own kind. Petunia’s arrival draws the demon’s attention, and, with an enormous femur in one hand (Str+2d8 MD), the Demon hurls half a shattered train car (4d8 damage) with the other. Deal Action Cards for combat. E Búrzgâsh: A Greater Demon with 2 Wounds left. Tornado Alley’s effect on the arcane reduces his Toughness to 34 (20), his Fast Regeneration to only once per day, and his PPE to 20. See, Savage Foes of North America. E Anika: A Headhunter, see page 81. E Bowie: A Dog Boy Operator, see page 82. „ Petunia: Anika's ride, see page 82. If no one mans the Starfire Pulse Cannon, then Bowie does (Shooting d8). „ Bandito Arms Black Market Enforcers (2 per hero): See Savage Foes of North America. After all the excitement, Anika motions for all survivors to begin inventorying everything to find out what was missing, and the Legionnaires may assess the scene. The Legionnaires might apply the following skills to yield clues: „ Academics: Typically, Ironhorses run along leylines. This one didn’t. Something else kept it aloft. „ Battle: Surveying the devastation, you see how the bandits engaged the Ironhorse in a series of terrifying strafing runs. „ Healing: Some passengers died from the impact, others were torn apart by railgun fire. None seem to be killed by the demon. „ Notice: A humanoid outline was drawn in railgun holes on a railcar’s side. „ Occult: Greater demons powered the Ironhorse. Their binding took some time to completely fail, but they eventually got loose. The pair fought, the victor dined. „ Piloting: From atop Petunia, you see the telltale contrail marks in the air of SAMAS suits flying low and fast just recently. „ Psionics, etc.: The psychic tang of dispel hangs incredibly thick in the air. „ Repair: Something hit the inside of a railcar’s door with tremendous force, bursting it open. „ Survival: With careful observation, you see the trace of broken blades of tallgrass heading into the distance. „ Thievery: Stumbling over half a man in a SAMAS suit, you notice a booby trap. Bowie’s Psychic Sense will detect the use of psionic powers on the Ironhorse. If the heroes need a clue, a Bandito Arms Enforcer sets off an incendiary booby trap left behind, resulting in a

79 quick, “Hey! Look what I found!” followed by a wildfire quickly spread by the Kansas winds. Suppressing the fire is a Dramatic Task with skills like Athletics, Survival, and Repair. Each failed result consigns another clue to the fire. Roll a d10 to determine which ones are lost. Acquiring 3 clues puts together the general elements of the big picture together, with Anika saying: The bandits cruised in under the grass line, hitting the Ironhorse by surprise. They seized up its TW engine with some supernatural power. The out of control “bullet” collided with the Earth and killed everyone inside. This time though, there was a variable, and the bandits lost several of their number. The tracks hint at northward movement. If someone else can drive Petunia, Bowie will guide them with his Psychic Sense, and Anika will take the gunner seat. The Bandito Arms Enforcers stay with the wreckage, waiting for a TW salvage crew to show up. High Plains Drifters Following the bandits’ trail, the Legionnaires encounter dropped loot and signs of struggle—a patch of grass scorched from a SAMAS take-off, and a swathe mowed short by railgun fire, lightly dusted with limegreen blood. This is an opportune time to ask about Big Man Plans (see Region Guide) if you haven’t done so. If you already have, you might also ask how their plans may have changed since last discussed. The trail ends at a small rise overlooking a broad waste. In the distance, the Legionnaires see thin tendrils of smoke. If they use binoculars or enhanced vision they see four individuals gathered around a tall, spindly tower of girders; three are heavily armored. They all have the icon of a red vulture’s head and black wing emblazoned on their shoulders. Common knowledge identifies the group as the Grim Buzzards, who are led by Octavian Cross (see Region Guide). The tower ends with a broad platform which four individuals stand on. One scans the horizon. Two struggle with the fourth until a hard shove over the edge frees them from their burden. A rope snaps taut. A body swings. Then three leave. Petunia is not a small or discrete vehicle. Unless the heroes break off to scout ahead, a lookout stares back at the Legionnaires and issues a distant warning call, which is followed by jet engines roaring from off to the west as the Grim Buzzards take flight. The Bad Guys: The three visible Commandos at the tower are joined by their comrades who were prowling out of sight at its base. Additionally, their main strike force in Bandito Arms SAMAS flies in from the west arriving at the outbreak of combat if they issued a warning call, or the second round otherwise. The Sidewinders circle the Legionnaires at different altitudes in opposing circles around 100 mph; −2 to hit them due to the Relative Speed Modifier (see Savage Worlds). The bulk of the SAMAS prioritize armored vehicles, like Petunia, while the Miller Twins suppress any powers. The Variable: Going by “Lady Inglenook,” this Flame Wind Dragon Hatchling in human form rode the Ironhorse and survived the wreck. She’s never been hanged before; the Buzzards’ shoddy knotwork definitely fails to snap her neck. Recently arrived from another dimension, she is driven by curiosity and wonder. After 2 rounds, Lady Inglenook grows bored with mid-air strangulation and resumes her true form, see below. The Flame Wind Dragon proves a ready ally but also a liability—every gout of dragon’s breath sparks a wildfire. Anyone without EBA must check Vigor (−2) or suffer a level of Fatigue from smoke inhalation, and the smoke provides Cover for the Grim Buzzards. The End Game: As soon as one of the Miller Twins or Octavian fall, the Buzzards scatter in different directions. In 1–2 months

80 multiple bandit gangs calling themselves the Grim Buzzards pop up across the New Frontier. Whether this creates a new syndicate of high speed banditry or a shooting war remains to be seen. THE GRIM BUZZARDS „ Grim Buzzard Troopers (6 total): As Commandos from Savage Foes of North America. „ Grim Buzzard SAMAS (1 per hero): As Coalition SAMAS Pilots from Savage Foes of North America wearing Bandito "Sidewinder" SAMAS from Empires of Humanity. E Octavian Cross: The leader, piloting an advanced Wild Weasel, see below. E The Miller Twins (2): Techno-Wizards piloting Sidewinder SAMAS, see below. ALLIES E Lady Inglenook: A Dragon Hatchling, see Savage Foes of North America. E Anika: A Headhunter, see page 81. E Bowie: A Dog Boy Operator, see page 82. „ Petunia: Anika's ride, see page 82. If no one mans the Starfire Pulse Cannon, then Bowie does (Shooting d8). Rest in Peace After the Legionnaires take care of the Buzzards, Lady Inglenook may stick around and claim some of the spoils, but she is just as likely to fly away and take up residence in New Dodge City. If the Legionnaires choose to scour the area for any fallen Grim Buzzards or clues, they discover a large hatch leading to a bunker buried deep in the soil. The hatch is locked but not impregnable to force or finesse. The bunker contains a bunk room for all the Grim Buzzards, an impromptu repair shop, and a treasury where they stashed everything unsold. The crates in the treasury still have identifying tags, revealing heists from a variety of high risk moving targets for the past 3 months across the New Frontier. A detailed catalog of shipping manifests reveals both a Black Market fixer and a Coalition quartermaster sold the Buzzards information. The treasury includes but is not limited to: „ Poor Yorrick—a lost artifact from fallen Tolkeen, see the Rifts® Siege on Tolkeen series by Palladium Books® for details. „ 2 disassembled suits of CS SAMAS armor. „ A full set of new MOM Implants. „ Humankind's Rise from Chaos by Erin Tarn „ A crate of 4 Type III fusion blocks. Topside, Anika does everything she can to stabilize the downed Buzzards and prepares them for transport via Petunia. Once everything and everyone is strapped in, she drives off into the sunset. POOR YORRICK A bad nickname for a priceless relic from Tolkeen’s treasure vaults, Poor Yorick’s true name as an otherworldly wizard is lost to the sands of time. Now, the gray granite skull speaks of petty prophecies for its present owner. Once 20 PPE is channeled into Poor Yorick, the eyes spark with an arcane glow and a knowing voice echoes from the jagged jaw. Yorick spouts a heady mix of condescension and mockery with flecks of foresight shot through. Yorick’s owner may use the Social Conflict rules (see Savage Worlds), rolling Persuasion, Occult, or Taunt, against Yorick’s d10 Spirit. The skull will yield information about the future based on the number of Influence Tokens they obtain (a lesser result may always be chosen): 0: The skull’s delight for conversation quickly grows cold. All present gain a level of Fatigue and Yorick will not speak again for a month. 1– 3: Yorick foretells minor events on the verge of happening. Everyone present gains the benefits of the Danger Sense Edge until the end of the next game session.

BANDITO ARMS WILD WEASEL SAMAS 81 4 – 6: The skull provides detailed instructions to its otherwise doomed owner. Yorick’s owner ignores 2 points of penalties on Dangerous Quick Encounters and Dramatic Tasks until the end of the next game session. 7+: Yorick details the owner’s destiny in great detail. While subject to the whims of fate, this foreknowledge fills them with courage and purpose. The owner gains a point of Conviction the first time this effect is granted, or a Benny thereafter. EBOONE AND ELVIRA MILLER, A.K.A. THE MILLER TWINS Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d4, Driving d4, Electronics d10, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Piloting d8, Repair d10, Shooting d10, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d6, Survival d4 Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 19 (9) Hindrances: Curious, Loyal, Stubborn Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Ace, Combat Ace, Dodge, Power Armor Jock Powers: detect/conceal arcana, dispel, protection PPE: 20 Gear: Bandito Sidewinder SAMAS, Wilk’s 237 Laser PIstol (Range 15/30/60, Damage 2D6+1, RoF 1, AP 4), vibro-sword (Str+d10, AP 10, Mega-Damage), TW Heavy Arcane Disruptor (see below). Special Abilities: „ Gizmo, Heavy Arcane Disruptor: A TW rifle-like—it Shoots dispel with Power and Range modifiers, Range 20, 3 PPE per shot. „ Gizmo, Arcane Sensor Suite: An extra sensor pod attached to their suit—check Electronics to detects arcana with Exalted, Presence Sense, and Range modifiers at Range 20 for 5 rounds, 5 PPE to activate. „ Gizmo, Armor of Ithan: Crystalline field projectors studded along the suit —check Electronics to activate protection with the More Armor and Toughness modifiers granting +4 Toughness (+6 with a raise). EOCTAVIAN CROSS, GRIM BUZZARDS LEADER Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d8, Battle d8, Common Knowledge d6, Driving d6, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Piloting d4, Repair d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 15 (5) Hindrances: Big Mouth, Code of Honor, Greedy (Minor), Loyal Edges: Ace, Combat Ace, Command, Dodge, Power Armor Jock Gear: Bandito Wild Weasel SAMAS, Wilk’s 237 Laser Pistol (Range 15/30/60, Damage 2D6+1, RoF 1, AP 4), vibro-sword (Str+d10, AP 4, Mega-Damage). EANIKA TAHERRI, TIN STAR SHERIFF As a Headhunter Techno Warrior in Savage Foes of North America, but with Ambidextrous, Two Gun Kid, carrying dual Colt 1911 and dual NG-57 Heavy Ion Blaster pistols, wearing Bushman EBA; Toughness 17 (6). PA-09-AVT Wild Weasel SAMAS: Size 2 (Normal), +11 MDC Armor, +5 Toughness, Strength d12+4, Pace 14 + d8 (60 MPH) Notes: Nimble, Flight (VTOL, Handling +3, 220 MPH), Black Box (a Signal Booster, may Test with Electronics as an Innate Ability). Weapons: „ Dual-linked Plasma Cannons (Forearm Mounts).

82 EBOWIE, PSI-OPERATOR As an Operator in Savage Foes of North America, but with the Dog Boy and PsiOperator abilities listed in The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide, wearing Bushman EBA; Toughness 13 (6). “PETUNIA” A Mountaineer Mk1 ATV, see The Tomorrow Legion Players Guide, with a TW Starfire Pulse Cannon (3d10+6 MD, AP 30, ROF 1, +1 Shooting), and extra Armor; Toughness 36 (18). SAVAGE TALE: TWISTED LABYRINTH Region: The High Plains Location: The Labyrinth Set-Up: Run this adventure when the Legionnaires go down into the Labyrinth. Everyone who’s gone down into the Labyrinth knows about LEGENDS: a mythical plaza proclaimed across entire walls down in the depths. It’s a vast array of plunder second to none in the Midwest. After much trial and error, tenacious prospectors finally found the outlet mall turned legendary treasure house, isolated from the bulk of the Labyrinth by a wide fissure. Early attempts to cross were difficult and eventually deemed a folly given the costs of defending a subterranean claim this large. But then a week ago, something painted the Banasiewicz family's underground bivouac red with the family members' blood. And now someone, or something, dropped a bridge across the fissure. You Are Here Anyone pursuing LEGENDS’ treasures will gather materials and personnel in Goblintown, a Tolkeen refugee settlement in the Labyrinth; it serves as the first and last stop for supplies and barter before pressing deeper into the dark. Abraxas, a ley line walker and scholar, contacts the Legionnaires with his suspicion LEGENDS is tied to the Banasiewicz massacre. Similar attacks have occurred on Goblintown’s fringes. He offers to guide the Legionnaires down to LEGENDS and provide mystical assistance should it be needed. „ Abraxas: A Ley Line Walker per Savage Foes of North America. Hot Gossip Roll 1d10 for the rumors circulating through Goblin-town. You decide their veracity. Let’s Go to the Mall An able guide, Abraxas leads the team down into the moldering palace of consumerist splendor. Some lights still gutter, bathing the outskirts in a sickly golden haze. MAP NOTE An outlet mall of Golden Age proportions, LEGENDS contains more than we can D6 RESULT 1–2 A tribe of human mutants call LEGENDS their territory. They demand tribute for passage. 3–4 The Banasiewicz family provoked something old and evil lurking in the depths. Maybe an earth spirit. 5–6 Slavers corral their wares nearby and engage in husbandry. Some children never see the sun. 7–8 The bridge isn’t the only entrance. Just the easiest one. 9 Leftover robots from the Golden Age will attack interlopers if you don’t have a talisman. 10 You may find a secret entrance to a new dimension deep in LEGENDS’ bowels.

83 present to you on the page. Feel free to find a shopping mall’s floor plan on the internet and embellish accordingly using the Labyrinth Encounter tables found in Terror on the Dark Frontier Region Guide and the Relic Salvage Operations rules from Empires of Humanity. DEMONIC DANGER Whenever a club is drawn while traveling underground, a member of the Triumvirate should menace the heroes either with tricks or outright violence. These three Thornhead Demons serve as the mall’s principle enemy, able to navigate the meandering passages and strike the heroes unawares from any angle with clever use of their Metamorphosis ability, see The Triumvirate below. LEY LINE FOULED A ley line runs through LEGENDS, fouling attempts to detect arcana. 1. Entrance: A parking lot rolled up like a burrito, with cars smashed flattish by previous explorers allowing some degree of access. Passage through the space proves difficult (Athletics −2 or lose equipment as bags snag on jagged metal, spilling things). Signs show two people camped here overnight. 2. Empty Foyer: The remnants of an ocular prosthetics shop and some kind of bakery coat the floor in powdered glass and spoiled flour. Footsteps betray others’ presence deeper within. 3. Near Bridge Room: More shattered glass on the floor. Ceiling tiles hang by teetering brackets and expose ductwork. A small pile of hollowed bones foreshadows the prospects’ fate. 33 Orborus Slitherers (see the Creature Guide) nest overhead and will ambush anyone crossing the bridge who doesn’t lay an offering of human limbs on the bridgehead. They Leap and Wild Attack, ultimately confident in their abilities to survive the fall. 4. The Bridge Over Nothing: An enormous escalator stretches across the chasm. The escalator itself is sturdy enough, but the moorings are slipshod at best. Moving on the makeshift bridge requires quarter

84 Pace and only in a single file line. Greasy stains similar to the far side of the bridge stain the tilework. An overhang conceals Brik'gumoz, a Triumvirate Thornhead Demon behind a large deadfall trap (Agility −4 to avoid, 4d6 MD hits the victim’s head). If any damage dice explode, the escalator tumbles to oneside, prompting another Agility check or risk getting dumped into the Yawning Abyss. Brik'gumoz prioritizes dropping the trap on any full conversion cyborgs before metamorphing into a fly and flitting into the labyrinthine ductworks. 5. The Yawning Abyss: Heroes in freefall find the bottom after plummeting for about a minute into a shallow underground lake (10d6+10 Mega Damage). Who can say what horrors dwell in these lightless depths? What people and things have met their end at the bottom of this massive pit? Survivors must check Athletics to clamber back up the sides. 6. Far Bridge Room: The heroes may Notice movement in the gloom ahead (Dark Illumination). A Ley Line Walker lurches into view before falling to the ground with the thud of meat and the crack of glass. A Healing check at −1 confirms he’s been injected with a paralytic agent. His breathing stills completely in a matter of seconds as life leaves him with a sigh. 7. Ritual Chambers: Simeon Coven, an arcanist with delusions of being a legendary Shifter, and his acolytes entered into a pact with the Thornhead Demons. Here, in what looks to be the center of an ancient food court, they work their magic. Occult sigils and lumpy candles dot the floor. Many of the symbols ward the vaulted chamber from the other-dimensional entities stalking LEGENDS. The Triumvirate can easily pass by the area without any problems by sticking to the tunnels snaking overhead and around. The Shifter’s "personal chambers" lie off to the side in a repurposed sunglasses kiosk. Anyone literate may examine his journals to reveal he was banished from Goblintown for wanton summoning and made a pact with a notorious trio of Thornhead Demons called The Triumvirate. THE RITUAL COVEN E Simeon Coven: A Shifter, see Savage Foes of North America. „ Coven Acolytes (6 plus 1 per hero): As Mindless Minions with Vibro-Blade Vambraces and NG-56 Light Ion Pistols, see Savage Foes of North America. 8. Staff Only: The rear door of the kiosk acting as Simeon's personal chambers is marked "Staff Only." No one has entered this room since the Cataclysm, the door frame and door are jammed together in a way rendering the whole thing incredibly difficult to dislodge for someone lacking great physical strength or the right tools; using explosives terribly damages the loot beyond (reduce to 10% of listed value). Peeling the aperture open reveals a run-of-the-mill breakroom with several highly valuable electronics— once appraised by the right buyer they are found to be worth 6d6 × 100,000 credits! A door labelled “Storage” lies further in. No tunnels lead into this room. 9. Haunted Gallery: A multi-floor department store densely packed with garbed mannequins and display cases. Anyone messing around in here provokes the ire of several entities who have taken up residence. At first the Poltergeists scare and harass the interlopers, but as soon as psychic, magic, or weapon attacks are made the others attack as

85 the Tectonic entities attempt to peel off armor and wishbone interlopers. HAUNTED GALLERY „ Possessing Entity (1): Attempts to possess the most physically powerful member of the party, see Blood & Banes. „ Tectonic Entities (1 plus 1 per hero): Form debris bodies from the mannequins and shattered displays. The tangle gives them a free re-roll on any Grapple checks, see Blood & Banes. „ Poltergeist Entities (2 per hero): These whimsical spirits will escape through walls and retreat into the depths of the Labyrinth once one of their number is destroyed, see Blood & Banes. 10. Gutterball: Rows on rows of human height cabinets promising adventures beyond the stars block sightlines to narrow avenues. Deeper in and to the right, awkward piles of heavy, multi-hued balls break up the otherwise open, hardwood floor. A pack of Grig Leapers attempts to Surprise the heroes as they leap out of hiding from on high, bursting through ceiling tiles. They then scamper and pounce at Legionnaires among the amusements (generally granting them Medium Cover). GRIG LEAPER BROOD „ Grig Leapers (3 per hero): They will use their Leaper ability whenever possible, especially against tough targets, see the Creature Guide. 11. The Cavity: Brackish water swallows the bottom of this enormous worship space. Rows and rows of pews stick up from the waterline like shark fins. Hanging from the ceiling, swaddling organ pipes, is a stelae made of spackled corpses (Hardness 25, MDC—remember that damage dice cannot ace, see Breaking Things in Savage Worlds). If the Legionnaires manage to push into this space, the Thornhead Demons converge to protect their magnum opus. The Triumvirate use their Metamorphosis ability to skulk around LEGENDS unobserved as flies. These Demons bound their essences to the stelae in the Cavity and defy death. If slain within 6 miles of the monument they are resurrected after an hour if the stelae is still intact. THE TRIUMVIRATE E Er'gumoz: A Thornhead Demon with Spirit d10 and Hardy, see Savage Foes of North America. E Jal'gumoz: A Thornhead Demon with Smarts d8 and Hardy, see Savage Foes of North America. E Brik'gumoz: A Thornhead Demon with Strength d12+5 and Hardy, see Savage Foes of North America.

86 SAVAGE TALE: GRATEFUL DEAD Region: Prospect Sequence: Run this anytime after the Our Ways adventure in the main Plot Point Campaign, see page 6. While passing through the wilds of Prospect the heroes can hear the snarl of monsters and the din of battle in the distance. Taking a closer look reveals a pitched battle between Simvan and Comanche warriors. Fighting is fierce, and the outcome is uncertain. If the heroes don’t join the fight, the Native American warband faces inevitable defeat. The heroes tip the balance; this fight can be resolved as a Dangerous Quick Encounter (see Quick Encounters in Savage Worlds). A Great Secret Upon seeing the heroes’ Turtle Shell Necklaces and having heard of their actions in Fort Comanche, the war chief and shaman, Taabe Penateka (see page 36), shares their purpose for being in the area. “We have a place where the most honored among our people are taken to be buried. We have come with the remains of the warriors you found in Fort Comanche so they may have final rest. Our history is rife with Taibos who treat our burial grounds like treasure troves. To protect ourselves and our ancestors, this place remains a secret. The burden of that secret is on you now as well.” She motions to the fallen members of her group before continuing. “Those who fell in this battle will receive the same honor. We will carry them to the grounds to be buried with our greatest ancestors.” Taabe invites the heroes to join the procession and witness something not normally seen by outsiders. Dead in their Tracks Taabe sends the heroes out to ensure there are no Simvan counter-attacks while the Comanche war band prepares the dead. Heading back to the scene, the group sees no Simvan bodies, and a confusing mess of tracks litter the area. A successful Occult roll indicates the bodies were raised in place, most likely via necromancy. Following the tracks, the group encounters a rearguard of undead Simvan. One of the assailants is still living, an acolyte of a darker power. UNDEAD REARGUARD E Ukkarnit, Dark Acolyte: As a Necromancer from Savage Foes of North America. „ Zombies (3, plus 1 per hero): See Savage Foes of North America. If captured, the Dark Acolyte raves: “You cannot threaten me even with death! My master overcomes the grave, and soon his army will be upon you!” Searching her (dead or alive) uncovers notes for a ritual to mass raise the dead. Successful Occult rolls indicate the dead warriors and chiefs of the Burial Grounds would be supercharged undead forces, not just your typical zombies! It looks like “the Master” is truly creating a powerful undead army. Grave Stakes Racing back to Taabe reveals the Comanche defenders in a pitched battle with a hoard of living Simvan and undead zombies. This encounter is a Mass Battle (see Savage Worlds) with the following conditions: „ Undead Victory: The master and its Acolytes advance and complete the dark ritual. „ Comanche Victory: Forces the Master to retreat.

SPIRIT SPEAR 87 Whether they win or lose, Taabe sends the heroes to track it down and destroy the Master. Fight to The Death THE MASTER'S BODYGUARD E The Master: A Fiend from Arcana and Mysticism. Reduce PPE by Half and add a level of Fatigue if the heroes win the Mass Battle. „ Acolytes (2): As Necromancers from Savage Foes of North America „ Ghouls (3 plus 1 per hero): see Arcana & Mysticism. „ Zombies (Special): Add 1d4 per hero if the Comanche lost the Mass Battle, see Savage Foes of North America. Warrior’s Bond Defeating the Fiend and saving the Burial Grounds earns Taabe’s respect. Her reaction level will be two levels higher when they reencounter her (see Blood on the Plains page 35 and Expeditionary Force page 48). “You have fought and bled with the Comanche. Our ancestors thank you, and I thank you. Take my spear as a sign of the gratitude of the Comanche people.” She presents the group with a simple spear adorned with feathers and a sharpened stone tip. Examining it with detect arcana reveals it is a powerful magic weapon—a sacred Spirit Spear, see Arcana & Mysticism. GRATEFUL DEAD MASS BATTLE MODIFIERS CIRCUMSTANCE COMANCHE UNDEAD Battle Skill d10 d6 Force Tokens 5 10 Tactical Advantage +2 Fighting for the honor of their ancestors +0 Mindless frontal assault Wild Cards Heroes 1 Acolyte per Hero

88 INDEX Abraxas ..........................................................82 Amy Hardisty ...............................................60 Anika Taherri ...........................................77, 81 Ardyn ............................................................. 11 Aric Johnsonv .......................................... 21, 26 Bandito Arms ......................................... 15, 78 Brokhna .........................................................34 Captain Bill Riley .........................................36 Cheevix ..........................................................34 Cherryvale ................................................ 7, 50 Clarissa Wayne .............................................66 Cooper ........................................................... 21 Crystal Bluffs ................................................56 Dorothy Price ................................................43 Dusty Rider ...................................................44 Erin Tarn .......................................................... 7 Esmae Black .............................................. 9, 52 Fort Comanche ............................................. 11 General Kenneth Sprite ...............................36 Head Dress .................................................... 47 Horn of Healing ........................................... 47 Isatai ...............................................................73 James McDonough ....................................... 76 Janet Windham .............................................23 Javier Darden .......................................... 21, 29 Jonah Darden ................................................24 Josina ..............................................................63 Junction ..........................................................33 Labyrinth Beast ............................................45 Major Angela Cabot .....................................49 Malecito ......................................................... 21 Marion Sims McDonough ........................... 74 Mark IX EPC ...................................................8 Mua Wa’ipu ...................................................18 Mukwooru ....................................................12 Mupitsukupu ..........................................12, 13 Muuc’gek ..............................................5, 32, 51 New Dodge City ............................... 43, 68, 77 Old Owl. See Mupitsukupu PA-09-AVT Wild Weasel SAMAS .............. 81 Paruuku ......................................................... 11 Porovit ............................................................65 Prairie Rose Pit .............................................73 Prospect .........................................................86 Shoeless Joe ...................................................58 Silas Green .........................................15, 19, 58 Sir Winslow Thorpe ....................................... 7 Skeimotha .....................................................10 Stone Knife .................................................... 47 Taabe Penateka .......................................36, 86 Tabemohats ...................................................75 Tamu .............................................................. 16 The Labyrinth ...............................................82 Titan Fall ........................................................39 Turtle Shell Ornament .................................20 Ulysa ..............................................................70 Wesi Tsaatupi ................................................ 14 Worm Behemoth .......................................... 31 Wormrot ..........................................................5 Worm Wraiths........................................... 5, 21 Xenovirus ...................................................... 61