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66
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THE
I8 STORYTELLING
1 p\
PULP ACTION!
It is the Dawn of a
New Age ...
A new era begins in the 1720s - an era of
excitement and imagination, when men are forth-
right and women are courageous. An era of
globe-trotting exploration and mad science. An
era in which excitement awaits in the lofty sky-
s
scraper penthouses of New York City and the
squalid slums of Hong Kong, in the frigid wastes
of Antarctica and the sweltering jungles of the
Congo. It is the era of Adventure!
www.white-wolf .eom
ISBN 1-56504-6084 W 9 3 5 0 $25.95 U S
t
Richard De Remer (order #1312575) 67.236.105.66
UNDER THE
MOON
- transcribed by Warren Ellis from
An Ron Society Adventure
trailer hooked behind the beaten, un- of its roots and threw it into space was
painted car parked beside them; a large powered by 2-rays.
pile of strange metal things with no obvi- In the basement of Dixons laboratory,
ous function. He lifted out three fat spi- the troubled professor scrawled glowing
der-like devices wrought from black steel, diagrams and equations on his massive
each trailing long cables. Dixon screwed light-board, a small incandescent valve
the free ends of the cables into the side of taking the place that chalk would have with
a metal box the size of a dresser, studded an ordinary blackboard. His voice was
with dials and crowned with a view-screen. practically a whisper, low and urgent, as
He threw a lever mounted on the boxs top, he explained what his detectoids had un-
and the thing began to rattle and shudder. covered.
Red eyes lit up on the steel spiders, and Z-rays are an almost perfect power
their legs started an alarming fidget, sharp source. They appear to be unlimited in
ends tap-tap-tapping on the sidewalk. supply, a small quanta of them do a mas-
Detectoids, Dixon muttered, as if that sive amount of work, and they are essen-
explained everything. tially clean. Except for one thing. They
He screwed a large, radio announcers leave trace radiation, and they eject heat.
microphone into a free port next to the So you can see where theyve been, and
detectoids connectors, took it by its stand you can see where theyve come from. Just
and backed over to Max and me. I finally look for the radiation on impact and follow
cracked the voice-recognition system, he the heat trail back.
said. If I speak clearly and loudly, they Max glowered over steepled fingers,
understand and obey. Max couldnt help leaning forward in the heavy wooden chair
but smile. provided. Where does t h e trail lead,
Begin analysis procedure, Dixon mut- Franklin? Max was focusing, becoming
tered into the microphone. Open all de- powerfully intent on the job at hand.
tection devices. Proceed into event area. Dixon turned, blinked. Into o u t e r
The detectoids hesitated for a moment, space, Max. Into space, traveling an arc.
making small a n g r y hops, and t h e n I couldnt help but laugh. Spending all
scuttled into the gaping pit left by the sto- your time down here in the dark has sent
len skyscraper. Dixon watched the dials on you batty, Prof. Your brains finally gone
the big control box. Theyre fitted with funny. I always said it would. Why would
every kind of detection apparatus I could the man in the moon suck skyscrapers out
think of. If theres any trace of whatever of New York City?
caused this singular event, theyll find it, Dixon looked a t m e a s if Id been
boys. dropped on the head repeatedly as a baby.
The detectoids spidered their way into New York City has been attacked by an
the pit. Dixon watched his dials obses- anti-gravity ray, Whitley. The ray-projec-
sively, looking for the invisible clues that tor would be mounted on an artificial moon
had to be present - radiations, fields, in- in low Earth orbit. It projected the beam
tangible residues from whatever process onto Manhattan while it tracked over us.
there could exist that might pull a sky- It only took one building because it can-
scraper out of the ground and fling it into not stay still - to maintain orbit it must
space- continue revolving around the planet at a
The needle of a center dial jerked into steady speed. And, personally, I think it
life and then whipped across its arc to bury took the wrong building.
itself in the red. Explain, Max snapped. His marvelous
Z-rays, Dixon hissed. mind was gearing up t o its intense full
*** speed.
Z-rays! The mysterious energy emis- Following the arc and the relative po-
sions that, when harnessed, could con- sition of the missing building, Max - I
found the laws of physics themselves. think they were aiming at the Chrysler
Whatever yanked this building clean out Building and missed. This was probably
Max and I trotted across the compound already knew the questions. So I confined
toward what looked to us like a laboratory. myself t o watching and looking around the
The main doors were heavy and decorated strange laboratory: something like a rifle
with a panoply of strange-looking locks. All there, something like a clockwork foetus
of which were disengaged. The doors stood here ....
open. Struck by presentiment, Max drew He turned the Machinatrix over. There
his Hell-pistol and twisted the fire control was a bullet hole in her tight steel-gray
to Wide-Range. coverall, over her breast. Blood around it.
Inside the main lab, under walls en- But under the hole - bruised skin. And,
crusted with technology so advanced as to within the bruise, an effect like chrome
s e e m alien, under blue light, t h e cobweb, apparently knitting the flesh to-
Machinatrix lay in a pool of blood. get her.
Get the televisor camera, Jake, said My God, Whitley. She has machines in
Max, quietly. Tell Franklin his ex-wifes her that will heal injuries! And shes
been attacked. adapted her own blood to act as the fuel
*** that operates them. Someone shot her
Dr. Hephaestia Geary-Wexler had under- with the intention of execution and left her
gone a short, passionate, intense and vio- for dead, and shes lain here from then to
lent marriage to Benjamin Franklin Dixon, now, unconscious and healing. What engi-
which ended explosively with them both neering audacity!
wishing virulent death on each other. Two He ran his hand around the back of her
genius-level engineers under the same neck, under her hair. Not like she was a
roof was never going to work - particu- person. Like she was a machine. I sus-
larly when Franklin was an obsessive and pect the healing process required for such
Hephaestia had questionable ethics. Max a major wound may have left her without
had known them both through the late Dr. enough energy to return to consciousness.
Hammersmith and didnt take sides dur- I suspect application of kinesis to her
ing the inevitable dissolution. Hephaestia chakra structure may boost her into wak-
did that for everyone, by leaving. She in- ing.
volved herself in a number of esoteric sci- I saw Max hand flex, under her hair -
entific pursuits in the years that followed. as if he were flipping a switch. And the
Yet only now, seeing her lying before us, Machinatrixs eyes snapped open. Frozen,
did I realize just how far afield shed gone. for a moment. And then swiveled around.
T h e respected Dr. Hephaestia Geary- Her mouth curled into an ugly grin.
Wexler was also the Machinatrix, a mys- Max Mercer. Im in Hell, then.
terious underworld figure who sold her Nice to see you too, said Max, sitting
inventors gift to the highest bidder. back and smiling openly. Whats t h e
It appeared that, this time, someone had story?
paid her in bullets. T h e Machinatrix looked down at her
Max was down on one knee by her, ex- bullet wound - and then sharply across
amining her. Very still, opening his senses, at Max.
taking in everything about the scene. Im not giving you the secret, Max.
The scent is wrong, he said, quietly. I could have ransacked the place and
He touched a finger to the thin pool of stolen it and two dozen other pending pat-
blood around her prone form. Paused, tak- ents while you were laying on the floor in
ing in the sensation of the liquid on his a pool of your own engine oil trying to
skin, nerves exquisitely sensitive. work up the bio-energy to lift your little
Theres oil in her blood, he whispered. finger. If I wanted it, Id have it. But what
And the blood is old. Theres some chemi- I need is in your head.
cal in it, keeping it fluid when it should Jake appeared, lugging the televisor sys-
have crusted. tem.
I wondered but did not speak. Questions Dont look at him, look at me, Max
would only hamper Maxs detection. He snapped when Hephaestias attention wan-
Annabelle Lee
to the rescue!
hefting the Z-ray rifle and hooting and the air as it blazed from rifle t o tower -
hollering: Annabelle Lee Newfield. The -which went up in flames as Annabelle
single best shot on Earth. Pretty as a pic- Lees shot perfectly cored the massive Z-
ture, mad as a hatter, and, right now, all Ray engine within.
that stood between Max and me living and Rex Mundi shuddered and groaned and
Max and me dying in a vacuum. rested. Max and I fell a little way, not re-
The Hawk began to buck and judder as alizing that we too had lifted a full 12
it entered the moon projectors growing inches into the air.
field of influence. I could feel the island The Hawk overshot us, and we heard
straining against its geologic underpin- Annabelle Lees mad laughter pealing.
nings. I could feel it start to tear free of We were alive. But we knew nothing of
the Earth. our new enemy; only that he was still at
Annabelle L e e narrowed h e r e y e s , large after killing hundreds. Max glared up
twisted her hands around the rifle, took a at the bright sky.
breath -held it - Bad things happening to bad people. If
- fired - only that were the way of it, Whitley. If
- an eye-stinging beam of light boiling only that were the way of it.
out of the rifle muzzle, cutting a wound in
Entered as Second-class MatterJuly 29, 1922,at the Post Offce in New York,N. Y.under Act of Congress bf
March 3, 1879. Yearly Subscription, $1.00. Single Copies, 10 cents. Subscriptions to Canada, Cuba, Dom.
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We do not accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.
To facilitate handling, the author should inclose a selfuddressed envelope with the requisite postage attached,
and artists should inclose or forward return postage.
Welcome to
Advent ure!
Call me Max. Were through with formali- new dark ages come. Mr. Nietzsche would have
ties for now, so lets leave them outside and us make a world where supermen herd the rest
talk about the interesting part now. o f us like so many cattle. Mr. Poincar6 thinks
What time is it? all will be well iF we just do what the lords and
No, its not a trick question. And 1 dont diplomats tell us to. 1 want to offer you a dif-
mean what a timepiece says. 1f you move those ferent vision.
experimental aviator goggles over its a - Have you ever been t o Europe? Oh, of
design Danger Ace is tinkering with, and Im course, you were there in the Great War and
sure hed be glad t o explain it when he gets afterward; we didnt meet up in the relief ef-
back -you can look at my desk calendar and fort, but you knew some of the same heroic
confirm that its the first day o f June, 1424. men and women 1 did. Im not here to remi-
Behind me, with the Great Bone Spear from nisce about the good work o f the past, though,
Borneos gorilla people on one side and a gear even though 1 think that what we did to end
from a Sanguine Promethean robot heart on famine and rebuild wrecked countries is right
the other, is a clock that will tell you its just up there on the list o f good works for this cen-
after 1 PM. But thats not the kind of time Im tury. 1 wanted to ask if youd ever seen the
talking about. Roman roads. Yes, those are the ones, some of
Mr. Einstein showed that time is relative. them still in use every day, nearly 2,000 years
If you went o f f to the stars fast enough, you after the empire fell apart.
couldnt count on that clock and calendar any- Theyre magnificent, but theyre also lim-
more. Well, the tide in human affairs flows very ited. The imperial roads only take you where
fast these days, and the real question is, what emperors and their servants thought people
is it time for you to do? should go. 1F it didnt appeal to the emperor,
We live in an extraordinary age. Just in the then youre out of luck, no nice road for you.
years youve been alive, weve all gone through Contrast that with, well, with the autogyro we
countless technological and industrial upheav- flew in this morning. It goes from anywhere
als, global war and a complete reworking of theres a pilot to make it take off, to anyplace
maps and the societies within the new borders. the pilot can land. Thats freedom, for those
You know from watching the world that we who can afford it - like lcarus but with sturdy
human beings are capable of greater good and steel and plastic that wont melt like wax.
greater evil than almost anyone ever imagined. 1 want to give humanity wings. No, not real
And its not stopping. Were all racing into the ones. Im not out t o be my generations Dr.
future along roads we build as we go, and youre Moreau, and 1 dont need you t o be your
as much a part of that as everyone else. The generations Or. Frankenstein.Im talking about
future isnt just built in mirrored halls and uni- a liberty inside to think and feel freely, instead
versity laboratories, but in the dying and re- o f only thinking and feeling what the authori-
newing hearts of cities, in farms and towns, ev- ties say is okay. I n the R o n Society, we aim
erywhere people imagine a future and act t o toward an age where everyone is master of
make it happen. You build it with each step you their destiny.
take and every word you speak. Youve done enough flying yourself to
Mr. Veblen and Mr. Spengler say its all up know that you need more than a machine that
for us, and all we have left is carnivals until the can hold you up. You have t o know how t o op-
erate it. You need charts of the land and tools good scrap, and some of us dont find it all that
to measure what the air is doing. A successful much fun but are pretty good at it anyway. lts
solo flight works because of a great many an adventure in its own way, even if fighting
people, most of whom youll never know, all would-be villains is more like preventative
doing their part at each step along the way. maintenance rather than curing a disease or
Well, setting a societys worth of people free breaking open new territory. lts necessary,
to master their destiny is much like that. To too.
choose for themselves, they need to know Were not the only ones out there doing
whats happened in the past, what the world is this kind of work, you realize. Talk to Whitley,
like now and how to evaluate all that and make and hell be glad to tell you more than you ever
wise decisions for the future. wanted to know about our friends and rivals;
One way of thinking about what we do in he knows the files probably better than 1know
the R o n Society is this: Were mapmakers for the backs of my own hands. 1 dont mean to
tomorrows free fliers. We dedicate ourselves suggest that you have to join us or that have
to charting the world as it is right now, in all no chance of helping the world in any other
the places people dont otherwise think to look. way. 1 do say that we do more good work, more
We head into jungles and war zones, haunted thoroughly, than anyone else 1 know of and that
sewers and empty deserts, wherever there are we do so in large measure because were more
mysteries to explore, and we bring back the flexible about who we take in. You met Enkidu
stories of what we find. In our files, theres the this morning. He and his people are as much a
raw material people will need t o make the next part of the f u b u l C nc I c miianiiiy a d the rest of
decade, the next century, the next thousand us.
years the best it can be. 1 want you to join us, too. While you think
Along the way, we deal with some of the it over, lets look around. Let me show you what
people who want to chain the rest of us, cut youd be getting into. Im confident that, when
the wings, yoke us up. Some of us here relish a you see it all, youll make the right decision.
-transcribed by Greg Stolze from could strangle without a mark, but some-
the journals of Whitley Styles, one that talented would attack the jugular
published 1924 to starve the brain of oxygen. Its a fast
The sprawl of dead men made me un- kill. These men died much slower. You can
comfortable. It brought back memories. see it in the posture and in the blue lips.
My eyes were immediately drawn t o Something was keeping air out of their
their blue lips, hands clutching throats as lungs altogether.
if to somehow draw forth breath. Theyd Primoris raised his eyebrows. Yet how
smothered, clearly. The question was... could one attacker - or even a number -
how? perform this hypothetical slow kill on
I knelt and reached out t o close a dead several would-be drug purveyors without
mans eyes, but Primoris stopped me. disturbing the lab? Other than spilling a
Leave them, Styles, he said. Leave quantity of yellow dust on the floor, that
them just as they died. is.
But common decency, man! What do you mean would-be drug pur-
Any detail might be a clue - even the veyors?
position of their eyes. I suspect these men He gestured at the extensive lab equip-
would prefer us to find their killers, inde- ment. They were trying to make artifi-
cent or not. That is, assuming theyre in a cial opium, he said. Isnt that right, Pro-
condition to prefer anything. fessor?
I was silent a moment, looking around Sorry? Dixon looked up from the yel-
the laboratory. Primoris and Dixon could low smudge on the floor. He had put a
probably read the tangle of tubes and pipes small sample in a petri dish and was gin-
and flasks like a book, but it was Greek t o gerly dripping something on it from an
me. For a moment, I let myself wonder eyedropper. He frowned at the result.
why Id been sent. But I knew. For a sci- The dead men, Professor. They were
entific mystery, Mercer sent his great trying to synthesize opium?
minds. For a puzzling asphyxiation, he sent He glanced around, shrugged. Looks
me. like it.
They were smothered, I told Primoris, Is such a thing even possible? I asked.
j u s t t o say something. Hed know, of Oh certainly, Primoris said. I expect
course. That restless mind of his had someone will make artificial opium within
surely fallen on every detail like a hawk 10 years. Fifteen, if theyre lazy.
on a hare, tearing it apart t o suck out ev- But ... thats monstrous! If a criminal
ery last bit of information. could simply make opium in a basement lab
As expected, he nodded impatiently. A instead of importing it or growing it ....
magnificent deduction, he said sarcasti- Primoris nodded, a sardonic smile creas-
cally. But now, can you tell me the color ing his lips. I suspect I now know why
of the sky? these men were killed. But the question
Smothered, I repeated, gritting my of how remains.
teeth. but not stranded. There are no Gods wounds! Dixon muttered.
marks on the throat.-A skilled assassin Have a look at this, Primoris. Hed pre-
One of tf le most distinguished members of capacitors or the batteries; we may never know.
Londons scic:ntific community, albeit one of Fire swept through the lab in seconds and spread
its most eccentric, is no more. Dr. Sir Calvin to the rest of the manor in mere minutes. Curiously,
HammersmitlI perished in a fire at his Bushy a peculiar ripple effect created a pocket of calm in
Park home late last night. He was in the pro- which some of us sheltered, but those so unfortu
cess of demoiistrating a new scientific appara- nate as to stand outside were incinerated instantly
tus to the sort of cosmopolitan, eclectic audi- Dr. Hammersmith s
ence so familiar to those ugranted the ouuortu-
1 1
desneratelv
_ _ _r-- --4
attemntine
- --- to a
nity to participatein his salons. This time, how- safety measure
ever, something went tragically wrong.
AEO
22
Dacambar. I923
Max just returned from Macao. and already, he's thrown together an impromptu meet-
ing. Somehow. he knew t h a t everyone had just made i t back into Chicago, and somehow, he
was already on top of the question everyone was going t o ask. "Whit, I should have thought of
i t before. We're not the police, but we've got t o do something w i t h the people w e stop." he
said t o me almost as soon as he came through the door. I guess some of my mail reached him.
There are already many suggestions being thrown around. Professor Dixon suggested
w e set up a psychiatric facility. t o study the nature of the people we're up against. Tallon has
offered one of his remote compounds in East A f r i c a o r Arabia as a location. Stefokowski
asked why not just t u r n them over t o the police, so I pointed out that many o f these people
aren't guilty of any local crimes. How do you charge someone f o r developing a "death r a y
before they use it?
Mercer's given the go-ahead on the psychiatric facility, saying " i t 6 not enough t o u n d e r
stand the wonders of our world, w e must understand the people who experience them."
January. 192'f
Mercer's idea of having us spend Christmas together was perfect. I t was like a second
family. We're all committed t o this cause, driven by Mercer's dedication. It's infectious I -
even saw Jack crack a smile or three. We're doing something good here, and I'm p a r t o f it. I
can hardly w a i t t o see what's next.
I
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24
67.236.105.66
shapes the patt
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AEON SOCIETY
for Gentlemen
Annabelle's lnformation
The Operator Annabelle rescued never did give her his name. Instead. he referred t o
himself as Operator B1. We can guess t h a t there is a t least one other Operator, likely titled
AI. I t seems equally likely t h a t there are others. w i t h similar titles, though how many is
impossible t o tell. Based on what BI revealed, though, the number of Operators in the United
States is quite small.
Branch 9 exists outside normal government operations. The Branch$ powers f a r exceed
those of the US Marshals, the G-men. the Justice Department or the Attorney Generali
-
office. The Operators report directly t o the President not even Congress is aware of their
existence. The Branch owes its existence t o Teddy Roosevelt. who approved its creation as a
means t o deal w i t h increasing international and interstate crime. I t s mandate has expanded
since then, t o include dealing w i t h crimes not yet on the books. I t is a specialized arm of law
enforcement designed t o work where local and federal authorities have their hands tied.
And i t is very good at w h a t i t does.
The Operators of Branch 9 focus their attentions on the kind of crime t h a t doesn't make
i t into the daily newspapers, the kind we've become familiar w i t h in the E o n Society. Things
t h a t most people would be better o f f not knowing. Branch 9 makes a point of uncovering.
When a scientist develops a death ray and begins testing i t on cattle in Nebraska. Branch 9
gets involved. According t o Operator BI. there was an agent on the way t o Kansas C i t y t o
deal w i t h Dr. Zorbo's balloons,until Stefokowski's friends dealt w i t h the problem (see the A i r
Circus files).
Operator BI seemed t o take pride in the f a c t t h a t one agent is often all the Branch
needs t o send t o deal w i t h any problem. Operators are highly trained and well equipped t o
deal with the strange and unusual things they encounter on nearly every mission. Their
training includes Asian fighting styles, firearms, engineering and sciences, languages and
lessons in the use of the special gear handed out f o r missions. M o s t of the Operators have
wartime experience. though some civilians find their way into service as well. According t o
Annabelle's information. the Branch won't recruit from law enforcement, t o avoid complica-
tions about its extra-legal status.
-
A final note f r o m Annabelle apparently Operator BI had a license t o kill, though he
was reluctant t o exercise w h a t he called "extreme sanction."
E o n Society's Analysis
A secret organization operating beyond the bounds of the government seems t a i l o r
made f o r trouble. However. f r o m w h a t w e can tell, Branch 9 operates w i t h restraint and
professionalism. Since Annabelle's encounter, other members of the Society have crossed
paths w i t h the Operators. The meetings have uniformly been on good terms and have helped
US build a better picture of Branch 9's activities.
AEON SOCIETY
for Gentlemen
Recovered Correspondence
The following was recovered from the ruins of a villa in Argentina by Sarah Gettel. The
original was in Chinese and has been translated.
- translation o f racovarad Iattar f r a g m t .
...continues without interruption. At the current r a t e of replacement. the entire opera-
tion will be ours in another t w o years.
No one suspects. The confusion here is great. and w e can expect tremendous success.
However, I must w a r n you t h a t Operator F3 has reported on recent activities in the South
China Seas. She is asking permission t o investigate further. I need your guidance on this
matter. Master.
You faithful Servant,
Qui-Ju
In the margin o f the fetter, in red was w r i t t e n "Kill"
Addendum
There's some reason t o believe t h a t the head of the Chinese version of Branch 9. Jiao
Qui-Ju. is actually an agent of the Ubiquitous Dragon. Recent events in China have l e f t the
Branch ripe f a r this kind of infiltration. We urge members of the E o n Society t o avoid
contact w i t h Operators of this Branch.
the Old Yan, I have noted these thefts in the attached document.
While it is not impossible that
Once more, I muet urge caution upon you, Irregular. The individual you pursue is
dangerom beyond measure. Do not make any missteps, and be certain t o report a l l your
then leapt from the London Bridge. He leaves behind no next of kin.
number of t h
vene in local
c
gentlemen of the press gathered in this city been in progress for some time and that
that the expedition will attempt to estab- there were mutual influences extending
lish the preexistence of a highly refined back to the Ponatowskis work with some
society in the Eastern marches. It is our
hope, he declared, to show that, in fact,
Addendum
Speaking with other E o n members in the field and piecing together f u r t h e r anecdotal
evidence. I believe w e have a decent working hypothesis regarding t h e Contedorri. Not t h a t
w e can prove any of i t . of course.
As long as there have been societies large enough t o support professional criminals a t all.
would-be masterminds have organized criminals. 1t.s possible t h a t some cells w i t h i n the
Contedorri run back in continuous or nearly continuous lines t o ancient Roman and Etruscan
gangs. However, the overall organization dates t o the religious w a r s of t h e Renaissance. A
band of a dozen professional mercenaries set up a home base f o r themselves in the Alps of
northern Italy in the 1650s and. thanks t o luck and determination. managed t o last long
enough t o pass on a network of contacts t o their heirs. The second generation nearly lost i t
all. since most of them lacked their parents' ruthless ambition and talent f o r careful
t back t o the group's founding - de Winters a t the court of Louis XIV w e r e among the
Contedorri's f i r s t regular clients. calling on the mercenaries f o r hit jobs and harassment o f
court rivals. A f t e r the French Revolution. a handful of de Winters escaped t o Italy and met
up w i t h the Contedorri again, For more than 50 years, up until the revolutions of 1848, de
Winters provided the Contedorri w i t h bookkeepers and other administrators. all the while
stockpiling funds f o r a glorious r e t u r n t o nobility and power. I t didn't w o r k once again, nearly
all the de Winters perished. The last of her line, the lovely Lady Argentine de Winter is
somehow involved w i t h the Contedorri; we're just not sure in what capacity.
Southland over the last two mont water while the youths slept; police sus-
that the answer itself raises fresh pect that there may have been regular ad-
as many more.
Perhaps most troubling of all the information uncovered about the Rational xperimen-
tation Group is t h a t i t may well be the product o f an alliance between the Machinatrix. the
Ubiquitous Dragon and M i s t e r Saturday. I t seems evident t h a t each benefits from the prod-
ucts of the research. Unfortunately. they're all too slick t o leave any hard evidence connect-
- -
ing them t o anything. The final question just why does the REG do w h a t i t does? is the
Despite appearances, the Order no longer resorts t o murder. The bodies i t uses in its
disappearances are the result of a cellular duplication process the Order developed w i t h the
aid of a Dr. West in the late 1800s. This procAs produces a nearly perfect body double but
t one lacking intelligence or f r e e will. I suspect the Order produces these doubles in its head-
quarters and laboratory. located under a brownstone in London.
The three highest-ranking members of the Order go by the titles L o r d Scrope. Lord
Cambridge and Lord Northumberland. in t h a t order. Currently. Reginald Farshingham (an
Englishman supposedly slain a t Khartoum) holds the position of L o r d Scrope. while Genevieve
St. Cyr (wife of a wealthy frenchman. believed murdered in her bed in Paris) is Lord Cam-
bridge. The position of Lord Northumberland is currently open, as the last titleholder passed
away from old age.
While E o n does not involve itself in personal vendettas, I will be pursuing this one on my
own (I suspect t h a t various governments Branch 9s are also expressing an interest). One of
the things t h a t worries me is this: what happens t o the offspring o f the Orders members?
A r e there whole families, generation a f t e r generation, living secretly out there somewhere,
thinking of themselves as the ones who really run the show? The world suffers enough from
the schemes of visible nobles and lords; there could be real trouble i f there are unknown
princes and kings trying t o steer things their way.
Possible Revenge A
--
AEON S o c m for Gentlemen
HOPE
The Inquiry
- from thajournals o f Whitley Sty1.r
This entry began as a note about the absence of something. rather than its presence. In
-
the summer of 1922 before the founding of the Society itself, though a t this point several
-
of us w e r e regularly working together my mathematician acquaintance David Aramissian.
then completing his PhD. a t the University of Chicago, did an informal study comparing the
distribution of income changes among graduates of his college and others over the last
decade. (There's some complicated argument I don't really understand going on around such
things. w i t h diatribes about whether this o r t h a t level of income is socially detrimental o r
something.) While studying the data he'd acquired, David noticed something odd The careers
of the graduates who got involved w i t h postwar diplomacy and reconstruction were, on the
whole, significantly stunted. They didn't get promoted as fast, they w e r e more likely t o run
into office politics problems. they were even more likely t o have serious accidents.
He mentioned i t t o me on one of our visits. and i t sounded interesting enough t o w a r r a n t
follow-up. A f t e r all. w e of the Society have a particular interest in the fortunes of people
out t o build new worlds. I passed along his information t o some of our scholarly associates
and let them go t o it. Three months later. I heard from David again, and now, he sounded
worried. "Whitley." he said, there's something going on here that isn't just accidental."
I t took him most of t w o days t o summarize the evidence f o r Mercer. Primoris and
myself. I'm not even going t o t r y t o repeat all of it: you can consult the appendices yourself
f o r the details. W h a t i t boils down t o is p r e t t y straightforward: People who took p a r t in
w a r efforts, both during the w a r and a f t e r , are suffering. The tricky p a r t is t h a t they're not
3
suffering in really big. dramatic ways. The murder r a t e is up a little, and the disappearance
r a t e is up more, but mostly, it's a matter of cumulative minor misfortunes. The really tricky
-
p a r t is that the targets aren't people a t the t o p not heads of state or even ministry heads
-
nor chairmen of the board but the often-anonymous people several rungs down the ladder
of command. The people behind this w e r e and a r e aiming a t chiefs of staff, heads of file
departments, interoffice liaisons and the like. the people most often involved in interpreting
I called him up. and w e met the next day. He looked haggard. He said t h a t someone had
been mailing him a copy of the article once a week f o r the last month. And I didn't have t o
ask: he confirmed that the arrested professors w e r e the ones he'd consulted about t h i s
problem. ' I don't know why they didn't include me." he said. " B u t I got the message. I'm
through." He's s t i l l willing t o talk w i t h me about other matters. but as f a r as he's concerned,
that inquiry is over and done w i t h forever.
I
Richard De Remer (order #1312575)
AEON SOCIETY
for Gentlemen
"HOPE" 49
67.236.105.66
Richard De Remer (order #1312575) 67.236.105.66
Richard De Remer (order #1312575) 67.236.105.66
52 .)..)..)..)..)..)...1..).~..1...1..)...1..)...1...1..)..)..).TALES OF THE AEON SOCIETY
THE MYSTERY
OF VOLCANO
ISLAND
-transcribed by Greg Stolze from the
journals of Whitley Styles, published
An Ron Society Adventure
Eurme
France
No less venerable a state than Britain, France has had less
success with its overseas olonies, and its lengthy - - and
costly - - campaigns againa! the former Ottoman Empire in North
Africa at the turn of the century were not as profitable as the
French had hoped. France suffered the most of any of the Allies
during the Great War and remains a staunch opponent of German
reconstruction.
When Germany recently announced that it would be forced to
default on its war reparations, France and Belgium sent troops to
occupy the Ruhr Valley eizing the coal mine
industry. Poincare vow to keep troops in th
thousand years'' until many relented and fo
The standoff was only averted with imp1
Plan, though there are still French and
ing the area, continuing to exacerbate
tion, it is well known that the French govern
s a separatist movement among the peoples
eland, providing both financial support and protection from
aliation by hindering the efforts of the German police in the
Despite the titular protection of the League of Nations and
the Geneva Protocols banning warfare, the French government
recently sought additional protection from Germany in the form o
a mutual defense pact with Britain. Germany was naturally out-
raged upon learning of the French efforts, likening them to a
return to the disastrous web of alliances that brought about the
Great $ar. Surprisingly, support for the German position came
from the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Winston Churchill,
who argued that such an alliance could serve no purpose other
than to make a war between Germany and France inevitable.
Churchill's arguments were successful in sidelining the treaty,
but the initiative could be revisited in the future, something
that concerns both British and German diplomats.
France's economy suffered heavily after the war, and the
price to get its daughter back, though no ransom demands have been made as yet.
Italy was unified under the House of Savoy in 1870 and entered
the 20th century as a constitutional monarchy with grand ambi-
tions of becoming an imperial power. Efforts at empire building
in Ethiopia in the 1880s and 9 0 s ended in the slaughter and
withdrawal of Italian troops, and industrialization at home
brought the same mix of general prosperity an
among some classes that-was already familiar
itical reform proceeded erraticall
irst year of the Great War conduct
ides, in search of the best deal.
h an appealing offer, Italian troops ma
nd into a series of crushing defea
ions tried different strategies, b
ant victories until the very last days of the war.
he Versailles negotiations granted Italy its desired claims
g its northern border, territories that had belonged to Aus-
, but Italy did not get the lands it sought along the Adriatic
t of the Balkans. Private armies mounted illegal campaigns of
their own to secure what they felt Italy deserved,n and the last
of them fought on for two full years after the war officially
ended. With a huge wartime debt and more than half a million dead
show for their effort, many Italians felt that their
gains had scarcely been worth the price.
ated on all sides, Italy was consumed by social unrest
and economic depression. The political process broke down fur-
ther, with the powerful Socialist Party at odds with a breakaway
Communist faction and a bitter right-wing Christian Democratic
Party. A s the country teetered on the edge of anarchy, Benito
Mussolini, a war veteran and the son of a blacksmith, saw his
opportunity. Though ill-educated and politically inexperience
Mussolini nevertheless understood one thing clearly: t
o f violence.
ussolini gathered bands of former veterans into pa
ps known as the Black Sh whose job was to disrupt the
t political organiza through threats, arson and .
By 1921, Mussolini c d 300,000 members in his Fascist
Party and grew so bold as t o send his Black Shirts marching on
Rome itself. By intimidating or eliminating any opposition, his
party won a majority in last years elect
Mussolini as the ruling power in the coun
is still ostens ruled by King Victor
House of Savoy, monarch is nothing mo
hands of Mussol nd his thugs.
Despite his reprehensible and barbari
nevertheless enjoys a certain amount of
and middle-class
and the answer t
mains, however, that the fascists rule by terror and crush any
attempt at democracy through the ruthless application of vio-
lence. If the fascists are allowed to continue their rampage
unchecked, the future of the country looks bleak indeed.
The Allies did their best to strangle the Soviet Union in its
dle. Britain, France, America and Japan all lent as much
power and materiel as th ar-weary nations would allow to
pro-tsarist revolts from 19 late 1918. Russia had already
lost Poland, the Ukraine, F d and the Baltic provinces to the
Germans in 1917; so-called White Russian armies drove toward
Moscow from all directions, their supply lines protected by
foreign militaries. Fortunately for the communist leaders, the
end of the Great War left the battle-weary Allies with little
choice but to pull back their forces and Russian
armies founder wn. The leaders e pro-
tsarist armies own agendas, and with victory in sight,
they turned upon on her in the struggle to see who w ould
divide up the spoils. Lenin and the rev0lutionary leaders used
the grace period to call up more troops an L - L V ~ tl W C W ~ between
their enemies, then defeat them one at a t . In 1920, the
Polish attacked the Ukraine, then an indep ent White Russian
republic, and gave the Red Army the excuse to counterattack, not
only retaking the province but pushing some 300 miles into east-
ern Poland. Later that year, he last White Russian army was
defeated in the Crimea, and the future o f the Bolshevik govern-
ment was assured.
e will step through the resonator into a world both like and unlike our own
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Canada
In the turmoil following the Great War, the Dominion of Canada
chose to pull away from tbe dynamically changing international
scene, limiting the power, of its federal government in favor of
the provinces. The nation turned inward, struggling with public
anger over wartime conscription policies and widespread fears
about economic and social stability in the face of communist
agitation in Europe and elsewhere. The mandate from the people,
particularly the rural farmers, is for a "New National Policy''
geared toward social welfare and economic recovery in the wake of
the depression of 1920.
most of the PO ceded to the
ring the hostilit d are taking
improve their economies and push deeper ildernes s
llow explorers an pectors to
the Northwest Territory i
the federal government is
t of an overall plan to cr
ic system of transport that can stimulate expansion and trade
addition, the opening of the Panama Canal has made Vancouver a
Jor shipping port for international trade, providing the dominio
th access to markets previously out of reach. In a few short
ars, Canada has transformed itself from a moribund subject of the
and of opportunity, luring adven-
urers and opportunists from the United States to seek their for-
tunes in the far north.
Witkprohibition in full swing in the States, there is also a
brisk business smuggling liquor across the border, and border
towns are the scenes of raucous parties hosted by gangsters on
the lam. Canada's famed Mounted Police are thinly spread over
vast territory, and their professional pride forbids them from
turning to the American authorities for assistance. There have
been recent calls for upstanding citizens to lend a hand in ap-
prehending these lawless individuals, and like the vigilante
bands that have recently taken to the streets of Chicago some
rough-and-ready Canucks will rise to the challenge of b
these crooks to justice.
Africa and
the Middle, East
North Africa
The rugged land and trackless deserts of Morocco and Algeria
offer little to the worldas empires, but their coastal ports are
invaluable gateways to t46 Mediterranean and beyond. France and
Spain took the region from the Ottoman Empire in the early 1900s
and partitioned it as a joint possession. Unfortunately, neither
government reckoned on the fiercely independent spirit of the
Berber people. Only moderately passive under Ottoman rule, the
Berbers vehemently refused to accept the European infidels and
rose up in revolt. The tribes of the Rif, led by the charismatic
and ruthless Sheik Abd al-Karim, embarked on rills war for
independence that continues today. Spain and
tal reprisals. Spain, in particular,
arning international disdain for its
natives. But the Rif rebellion continue, and l o s s
e Spanish Foreign Legion commanded by Francisco Fr
to mount.
1-Karim and his guerillas struggle amid the un
ainst the hard-bitten souls of the Le
rench Foreign Legion. Despite its hardships, the Legion
is popular both with Frenchmen and adventurous souls worldwide,
for it will accep recruits no matter their nationality or previ-
ous record. The t dition in the Legion is that every recruit
begins a new life in the ranks, all past sins forgotten. In re-
turn, the Iegionnaires man lonely forts isolated by unforgiving
sands and march countless patrols through enemy-infested terri-
tory, and the Berbers have no pretensions about fighting a "civi-
lized" war. No quarter is asked, and none is given. Many are the
tales of lonely Legionnaire outposts surrounded and overwhelmed
by the enemy, their defenders slain to the last man. Yet, the
Legion never lacks recruits, and its motley collection of crimi-
nals, idealists and would-be heroes keep the roads open and the
frontier forts manned against the best that al-Karim can muster.
At this stage, the struggle seems at a stalemate, but a bold
stroke from either side, such as an all-out attack on the capital
of Fez or the severing o f one of the strategic trade roads could
change the situation overnight.
South Africa
Britain's interests in t ion began commercially, with
mining of the region's vast a1 deposits. This action brought
the British into conflict with the Dutch and German Afrikaners,
and that brought British troops into the region to secure impe-
rial interests. Since then, the administration of South Africa
has placed an increasing burden on British resource
expense of controlling such vast territory current1
amount of profit to be had from its expl The League of
Nations gave German South West Africa to ain as a League
mandate, straining taxed resources still
In addition, a recen prising by the nti underscored the
need for a transition t oca1 governmen some form of au-
tonomy for native Afric . But many regions contain sizeable
numbers of white settlers who have no intention of turning over
their authority to the majority Africans, not to mention the
areas owned by mining corporations whose activities would suffer
from a change in the current government. The British and their
agents face a daunting challenge of diplomacy and statesmanship
rari JWk
- -
your .iudF?nent, nor listen t o his fear that we
&e jwt like-the evil tribe of our Mnd he
f-t in Africa. We are the descendants of
exiles from that realm and wish the mrld
well.
I y u vvuly uujs,Miss Gettel -but I dont think it will take that long. Do you?
China
The relationship between China and the West is a long, sordid
tale of greed and reckless self-interest going back as far as the
16th century. England, Fnance, Portugal and Spain were the first
European nations to seek trade with the vast Chinese Empire, and at
first, the Manchu emperors could dictate severe restrictions on
where and what could be traded to the foreigners. China exported
large amounts of silk, porcelain and spices but imported nothing;
items were purchased with silver alone, and Western merchants were
often at the mercy of authoritarian Chinese officials.
The balance of power shifted last century
Americans discovered an item for trade that
resist: opium. In 1839, the Chinese moved to
and the emboldened British declared war. war ended
e Treaty of Nanking, which allowed th
Chinese ports and gained them the is
um trade continued, and in 1844, Fran
secured similar treaties, opening up
estricted trade. It was an enormous l o s s of face for the
inese emperor, and as the emperor's authority waned, more and
more countries moved in to secure their own territorial conces-
sions. At the same time, regional governors saw a chance to take
advantage of the current decline, and the countryside fell prey
to ambitious warlords who cruelly mistreated their subjects.
Britain and the United States tried to prop up the Manchus but,
at the same time, moved to protect their own lucrative trading
right%*. The entire country was opened up to foreign merchants,
who were no longer subject to Chinese law and could go and do
whatever they pleased. In the late 1800s, Britain took control o
Burma, while France took Tongking and Japan conquered Korea in a
lightning military campaign. Even Russia entered the fray, cast-
ing hungry eyes toward Manchuria and Port Arthur.
Chinese resentment reached the boiling point i
nating in the brief but savage Boxer Rebellion. Secret societies
of Chinese nationalists demanded the removal of all foreign
influence from their sacred land. Foreign missions were burned,
and rioting claimed the lives of European men, women and chil-
dren. Troops from the Western powers arrived to restore order in
1900, and the rebellion w ed, but the proverbial genie had
been let out of the bottl that point onward, the spirit of
revolution was loose among hinese people.
The last imperial dynasty didn't fall all at once. General
Yuan Shih-Kai, strongest of the imperial commanders, spent years
negotiating deals with allies and enem
break them before he could be betrayed
o r Nationalist Party, claims t o lead a c with Yuan
as president, but depending on his moo
to call himself supreme warlord o r eve
socialist groups fight f o r attention a
inces with Soviet adv
emperor to the throde
The Nationalist Party is too weak and torn by internal dispute to
offer unified leadership. Anarchy and lawlessness remain the norm
outside Peking and the coastal cities. Matters got particularly
bad during the Great War, when European troops were busy else-
where, but didn't improve much once peace returned to Europe.
Greenfield briefly halted the ceremony to see what was ha]3pening. The next thing we knew
Black Mandarin Tong were surging through the front and siide doors. They seized me, the piiests and the
other nuns and began barricading themselves inside. We CE)uld ..hear .gunshots outside as the
~
ith the Dragons Coil. Father Murdoch was incensed, demanding that the tong leave at on
andarin killed him with a single blow.
SG: Then what happened?
CM: The police began shouting for the Black Mandarin to surrender. He told the
didnt back off and let his men escape. He carried Father Murdochs body to the bell tower and flun
at them.
S G How did you ever persuade him to let you go?
CM: It wasnt me. Not entirely, anyhow. This was not my first.. . encounter with the Black Mandarin.
I know how he thinks, and I knew he would never listen to us. But the congregation -the Chinese poor we
were helping -they could convince him. The Jesuits say I saved them, but those peasants were the ones
who saved us all.
SG: Again, I have to ask.. . how? I mean, isnt the Black Mandarin the man who said Christianity is
opium for the soul?
CM: Yes, he said that. But when they told him about the clinic,
released me as a favor to them. Then, I convinced the police that he c
go if they retreated and let him escape.
SG: How did you know he wouldnt
C M He is a cruel man, and utterly men:
dishonor a vow.
SG: Would you say the same about
C M I have never met the Ubiaui
adds to a 1itany of infamy, greed andself-interez. Both he &d t ck Mandarin are crimi
are as difff :rent as night and day. CommissionerMaddington wiis a foc11 to treat them as if th
same.
SG: * - -. .. i who would
C M mauuingron rnougnr me macK ivlanaann long was righting me mgons ~ o iover
control the illegal opium trade to the United States. Nothing could be farther from the truth,and if the
British had been smart enough to send a policeman who spoke Chinese, theyd know that. The tong wants
to eradicate the opium trade in Honn Konn, as a Drelude to runnine the British out. The Black Mandarin has
Y
French Indochina
While Britain and the United States remain focused on China
proper, the French devote considerable energy to exploiting the
southeastern portion of e Asian peninsula, the region now
referred to as French In china. The countries in this region - -
Laos, Cambodia, Annam, Tonkin and Cochin China - - are organized
into an administrative zone called the Union Indochinoise, an
arrangement that cares far more for harvests of rubber and manga-
nese than the welfare of the native peoples. French rule in
Indochina closely resembles the current Belgian administration in
the Congo, providing security for French corporations and planta-
tion owners who keep their workers in condition
There is no justice for the peoples of
s brutally repressed. Unlike the Congo,
f the Belgians attracted international scru
a is an obscure backwater where the Fre
colonial practices largely unobserved. French colon
istrators are notoriously corrupt, and many rule over
ns like petty emperors.
vertheless, the ancient ruins of Cambodia hold an uncounted
knowledge waiting to be tapped, not to mention the prom-
ise of mineral and botanical riches hidden deep in Indochina's
jungles. Currently, however, there is a serious problem with
piracy in the South China Sea, likely abetted through bribes
French officials, a situation that cries out for stalwart souls
to see justice done.
Japan
When Commodore Perry and his fleet arrived in Japan in 1853
and ended almost two centuries of government-enforced isolatio
the American initiative discovered a country tired of the repres-
sive hand of the military-ruled shogunate and eage
Unlike the Chinese, who fought Western ideas tooth
Japanese took a more pragmatic view, realizing that unless they
instituted immediate changes to their industry and society they
would be no match for the more modern European powers. In less
than 50 years, they did just that, transforming their essent
feudal system of government into a parliamentary system and
deposing the shogun in fav restored imperial family.
Meiji emperor is a figureh sorts, similar to the Western
monarchies, but his positi 1 holds enormous influence with
the Japanese people. Real governmental power lies in a small
oligarchy of ancient families who were the driving force behind
modernization, supported by the powerfu i and
Sumitomo families, who together control ntry ' s
industry and finances. By 1900, Japan i ible
currency and compulsory education and i e of
sending its brightest students overseas ern indus-
trial techniques.
Not everyone supported the ide nized Japan. The
country's warrior class which had dominated the country f o r the
200 years prior to the iji restoration, was resentful at the
erosion of its power base and the threats to Japan's cultural
identity. Consequently, it pressed relentlessly for Japan to adopt
an aggressive foreign policy that would make the country equivalent
to the great powers of Europe and broaden Japan's control over the
Pacific Rim. Their efforts led to conflict with Russia over the
as a unified commonwealt
shape itself from a collection of depen-
-sufficient, prosperous member of the
at War was a grim coming of age for th
vided a quarter of a million men to th
Allied cause and suffered terrible losses on the fields of Eu
and the Middle East. The long years of bloodshed severely tes
Australian loyalty to Great Britain and sparked an ardent nation-
alist iwvement dedicated to increasing the Commonwealth's au-
tonomy and broadening its power base in the Pacific Rim. Politi-
cians and visionaries have turned their eyes to the nation's vast
and empty interior, where they believe that, with guts, determi-
nation and a steady influx of capital, the outback can be tamed
into productive farmland and sites for heavy industry.
"Men, money and markets" are the watchwords of Australia's
Nationalist government, devoting considerable funds to lure
settlers to the Commonwealth and drive deeper into the
A million people inhabit Sydney, with immigrants arrivi
ver the Empire and other rts of Europe. Raw exports to
Britain and elsewhere i he form of wool, wheat and other
resources provide the sh to pay for settlement and
The government goes t reat lengths to entice foreign
nt and promote trade.
Not everyone in the Commonwealth is happy with the arrival of
s o many state-supported settlers. Rural farmers and landholders
resent having their spreads appropriated by the state and handed
out to foreigne not to mention the inc
their goods. Ra 1 tensions are on the r
earliest days o ustralia's settlement,
the land from the aborigines was characte
superiority of white civilization, and th
white Au s tralia I' s,still strong. Non-wh
hostility, even v lence, and what remains of the land's native
peoples are relegated to isolated reservations.
, We've seen no si
- -interdew by Sarah Gettel with leader of the APRA spunrer racaun alum
Huiiscar, granted on the condition of anonymity.
Sarah Gettel: Thank you for allowing this in
APRA:Yes, he is a valued ally to our cause. He is our king once again made fle:
Gettel: Hes reincarnated?
APRA: That is your word for it. Long ago, the two brot!hers Huhscar and Atahuz
...+Le AAdC.1 L A -
chasing them every step of the way. We realized that we could work together.
Gettel: Thank you for that clarification. Please, tell me more about Huhscar.
APRA: He is not just royalty, but a divine being. His power radiates from him, like the
electricity in the air before a storm. One cannot help but look at him and know that he carries
the blood of gods and kings in his veins. His voice commands an m y . His strength is that of
the hurricane. With his aid, Peru will be free.
Gettel: What does he want to do with Peru once its free?
heading home. The miles of the journey caught up with me, and I
paused to enjoy the European luxury of this most wonderful train.
Soon after we stopped in Budapest to add a few more passen-
gers, I saw a familiar fa e. Doctor Woodrow Roman of London. He
is one of the world's for'emost experts on folklore. However, when
I saw the good doctor, I almost didn't recognize him. His once
dark hair was whiter than the teeth of Doct
"What happened, Woody?" I asked.
Dr. Roman started when I called his name
moment the good doctor would faint. He whipped around, reaching
into his coat pocket. He paused when he saw me and quickly
hustled me into his st m. "Dear God, Sarah, he was right."
He smiled and shook my I felt something cold in his palm
ked down. Befor uld blink, he held mgi. palm up to his
y. In his hand, I saw the small crucifix he'd palmed.
God, he breathed.
t is going on?"
"Just a moment," he said.,"I will te everything
watched, Dr. Roman hung a crucifix e doorknob an
ed a wreath of garlic cloves from his satchel across the
ack at the base of the door. He slumped into his seat. "Safe,
for now." He pu his pocket-watch from his waistcoat and
tapped it. "We be off," he whispered as if in prayer. With a
lurch, the trai bered forward. "Thank y o u , God.
"Very funny, Woodrow," I said. "Who told you I was coming?
This is a grand joke."
"Oh, Sarah, I wish to God it were a joke."
"BuCbapest. Crosses. Garlic. Hair turned white. Let me guess.
You've met a Walachian prince named Vlad who wants to purchase
some land in London. If
"It is no joke!" he hisse "It is only by that devil's leave
that I am still alive."
"Very well. Tell me your story. I have seen many amazing
things in my journeys of the past year. I am ready to believe
you.1'
"That is the devil's greatest trick," he aid. "Nobody will
believe me. They think I am mad, having read too much Stoker as a
youth. They say that I've come t o believe the legends I study."
He turned to look at me, an the conviction of the certain
o r the mad, he said, "Vampi lk the earth.
"I was preparing a book ing the historical Vlad Tepes to
the fictional Dracula. With my research complete, I was ready for
fieldwork. I had been to Transylvania during the War and knew
enough of the local polyglot of languages to get by. My first
stop was, naturally, Castle Dracula, in the Borg
falling, so I made to the nearby town o rit
evening. The town was locked up tight, e l
not open, no matter how hard I rapped o door. Dejected, I
returned to my car and resigned myself ther evening of
sleeping in the back seat.
"Day broke, and Itrealized why no one answered the door.
The town was deserted. I wondered what economic hardships had
caused this little hamlet to fold up. I also confess I wondered
how I would find people to interview with nobody home. I decided
to travel to the castle to at least get some photographs. As I
walked the streets, something in the air raised the hairs on the
now. I see that you will soon meet an o l d friend. She is collect-
ing s tories. Tell her... Tell her that e:rs are
not w They should stay awa S't o r y .
Tell ight and the things 1low, a
fast - . .__ o u. will
-.
_ _ _i e_ t h i s ___
_ _ _ _n_ o_ -t d
promise further mercy.' The man gesture me to rise. On shaky
limbs, I did as ordered.
"That night, I ran because the devil s chasing me.
That night, I saw things in the woods. They chased me but never
attacked. I fear, had I slowed for even an instant, I would have
been killed. The things I saw. Horrific creatures that were'half
man and half something else. Naked beast-women covered with bushy
black hair. Hungry tree roots reached for my feet, tripping me
and slicing my legs. I could only think that the smell of blood
would drive the beasts beyond their dark master's control. Thank
God that the dark prince's will was strong.
"Every creature that e er shambled through my nightmares. They
were there, Sarah. Every ingle one of them!
"As dawn broke, I found a small church. As I entered, I heard
the man's voice again. It told me: 'Don't believe everything you
read, Doctor Roman.' I slammed the d o o r shut and fell to the
floor. In the morning the priests coming in for morning Mass
found me. My hair was hite and my story mad, but I was alive.
And now that I have seen my old friend collec
my usefulness may be at an end. I can only ho
has forgotten about me."
corted Dr. Roman the club car. He r
tories o f that horrific night but watc
ated by pale moonlight.
Later that night, Woodrow left for the head. I did n
, though I had the train stopped and searched from
se. To this day, I do not know if I beli
that walks like a man rules the Borgo P
the other wild adventures I have had, is a realm of monsters less
incr edibl e?
Adventure Era, Forthevery energy Hmmenmith hoped to Adventure is designed for play around a table. You
Captrreradlatesaound - even thrul#l -the Earth.For needlittle besidesthis book, some 10-sideddice (also called
t h e m o s t ~ t h ~ ep a~s s w l t h n o e f f e d . dlOs), photocopiesOF the character sheet in the back of
Some small portiomofthe g k h ae affeded, hiddenpockets the bock, pencils and paper For taking notes... and, of
course, your imagination.
bansformed into places lost to the mists of timeor lodes only
eyer acpenenced in the imagination. Rare individualsare ako Other props can make the roleplaying experience
affected, -f changed by their cposwe to 2-rays - more vivid. Mood lighting, music (soundtracks from the
thoughmanyneverrealizewhatFacehastouchedthem.~ hdianajones films, The Rocketeerand the like are par-
peopleoftenbecomeadventuws,heroesandvillaimonagb ticularly appropriate), pictures from history books or
bal scale. They we the Inspired. NationalGeographic, scribbled notes or sketches - a11
The aftershocks OF the Hammersmith event con- can help make the game seem more real. Remember that
tinue rippling subtly across the globe. Most people who props are just that; its the storythat matters.
know about the resultingchanges it inspiresare still strug-
-
Dont Touch: Players may never actually strike
Live-action roleplaying is a natural outgrowth of or grapple one another. No combat should ever be per-
the tabletop storytelling described above. Live-action formed - thats what the dice are for. If anyone gets
is even more like improvisational theater. You dont just too rambunctious, the Storyteller should call a timeout
describe your characters actions; you are that char- and remind everyone of the rules. Repeat offenders
acter. You actually do what the character does (within should be asked tdleave, or the action should be returned I
reason -obviously, you shouldnt try swinging across a to a tabletop roleplaying forum.
chasm on a rope or lifting the back end of a hick). No Weapons: No props can be used if they must
Whether its simply walking across a room or facing down touch another player to be effective. No real weapons or
an enemy atop the Empire State Building, you are physi- realistic-looking props (such as guns, swords or whips)
cally involved in the action. Imagination is still important, o f any sort are allowed at any time during live-action
and the Storyteller may still interrupt events to describe sessions.
objects and special situations. Respect People Who Arent Playing: Play in a
You dont use dice in live-action games. Alternate private area where only the players are around (your
rules (like those in White Wolfs Minds Eye Theatre game house, a reservedroom on campus or a rented hall). Never
products or simply the result of the Storytellers judg- perform live roleplay if passersby may be confused or
ment) replace dice. The method of adjudicating actions frightened by the event. If non-players are around, un-
itself isnt important, as long as its consistent, fair and derstand that they probably have no idea what youre
fun for everyone. doing. Be discrete and considerate; respect their space,
Rules of Live-Action and dont Force them to participate. Pausing to explain
You must follow a few essential rules to ensure that that youre playing a game is also a good idea.
live-action roleplaying is safe and enjoyable for all. These Know When to Stop: Remember: ltsjustagame!
rules must be obeyed in any live-action activity; safety is When anyone calls for a timeout, all action must cease
always the primary concern. immediately. If the game gets too intense for someone,
its time to stop.
Personality Traits
Certain Traits - Backgrounds,Willpower and In-
spiration -dont relate to physical or psychologicalca-
pability and have no linked Abilities. You seldom make
rolls based on Background ratings and usually roll Will-
power and lnspiration as their own dice pools.
Willpower and lnspirationhave permanent and tem-
So that you dont have to add up the two Trait rat- porary ratings. The permanentrating(designated by dots
ings each time you roll, use the square next to an Ability on the character sheet) usually stays the same. The
to record the total of its rating and its matching Attribute. characters temporav rating (noted by the squares un-
The dice pool is the total number of dice you roll for a der the permanent score) can fluctuate during a story.
single task. Characters usually perform only one action Dice actions using Willpower and lnspiration are based
in a turn, although your character may try for more (see on the characters permanent score (the dots), not the
Multiple Actions below). temporary rating (the squares). Chapter Three: Traits
Each dice pool derives from a single Ability + At- discusses Personality Traits in more detail.
tribute total and defaults to the appropriate Attribute if
the character has no rating in an Ability. Dice pools fig- Success and Failure
ured from Personality Traits are the only exceptions (see When you roll your characters dice pool, you want
below). each die t o match or exceed the target number.
-
Now, you decide precisely what your characters Purchase heroic Knacks. Cost 2 transformation
Inspiration changed within her. This metamorphosis is points for each heroic Knack. This option is restricted to
handled by spending transformation points. A beginning daredevils.
character aets 13 transformation points; you can use these
to improve nearly any aspect oFthe character, including
Purchasepsychic Knacks. Cost 1 transformation
point for a level one psychic Knack; 2 transformation
Attributes, Abilities, Backgrounds, Initiative, Willpower, points for a level two psychic Knack; 3 transformation
Inspiration, Knacks and super-science inventions! points for a level three psychic Knack. You do not have to
Always remember that Adventure characters are buy a lower-level Knack before buying one of higher level.
not four-color superheroes by any stretch of the imagi- This option is restricted to mesmerists.
nation. Admittedly, they have capabilities that no ordi- Purchase dynamic Knacks. Cost 1 transforma-
nary person has, and they can do some pretty fantastic tion point for a level one dynamic Knack; 2 transforma-
things, but they are still fundamentally people. They suc- tion points for a level two dynamic Knack; 3 transforma-
ceed because of their grit, determination and ingenuity, tion points for a level three dynamic Knack. You do not
not because of some list of super-powen. have to buy a lower-level Knack before buying one of
Certain restrictions apply, depending on the higher level. This option is restricted to stalwarts.
characters Inspiration type. The Storyteller has final Example: Ellen wants Lady Lead to be exception-
approval over all transformation point expenditures. ally strong andresilient, so she spends one transforma-
Transformation Point Options: tion point to give the stalwart Strength 5 andStamina 4.
. lncrease normal Attributes to a maximum of 5. She wants to raise Stamina to Fivepoints - Rachelis,
Cost 1 transformation point for 2 Attribute points. This after all, now partly made out o f lead - but since one
increase will change relevant dice pools and may impact transformation point gives two Attribute points, Ellen
Initiative, movement and soak ratings. must raiseanotherAttribute also. EllendecidesLadyLead
lncrease normal Abilities to a maximum of 5. Cost: is fairly likable andputs the other point into Charisma.
1 transformation point for 5 Ability points. This increase Ellen then spends one transformation point to get
requires recalculatingrelevant dice pools. five points in Abilities. She raisesRachels Brawlby two
Purchase Ability mastery. Cost 1 transformation points, Athletics and Resistance each by one point, and
point for 1 dot of Ability mastery, purchased once on no gives one point to Rapport (having hadnopoints in Rap-
more than three separate Abilities. This mastery will port previously).
change the relevant dice pool; the character must already Ellen spent three transformation points on Abili-
have five dots in the Ability. ties andAttributes; she has 10left. She looks at Knacks
lncrease Backgrounds to a maximum of 5. Cost 1 next. Since Lady Lead has been changed into a some-
transformation point for 4 Background points. what metallic form, she doesnt require the same envi-
Purchase Background enhancement. Cost 2 ronment that ordinary people do to survive. Ellen buys
transformation points. The character must already have the level one dynamic Knack Man for AllSeasons (which
five dots in the Background. she notes as Woman for All Seasons>, the level two
lncrease Willpower Trait to a maximum of 10. dynamic Knack OptimizedMetabolismandthe level three
Cost 1 transformation point For 2 permanent Willpower. dynamic Knack Body o f Bronze (to simulateLadyLeads
Each additional permanent Willpower also gives the char- metallicphysique). n e s e cost six points in total, leaving
acter one temporary Willpower point. her four. Ellen spends one to boost Rachels Willpower
lncrease lnspiration Trait to a maximum of 5. by two; LadyLeadis strong- willed. The remainingthree
Cost 1 transformation point for 1 permanent Inspiration. are spent to give her character lnspiration 4.
This Trait is rated on a 1 to 10 scale, but a character may
not start with lnspiration higher than 5. Each additional
permanent Inspiration also gives the character one tem-
Phase Three:
porary Inspiration point. Last Details
Add temporary Inspiration points to pool. Cost 1 Once the numbers are crunched and the dots filled
transformation point for 3 temporary Inspiration. Each in, its tempting to leave the remaining questions about a
point purchased adds to the characters temporary pool characters background and personalityto chance or ran-
and increases the pools capaciq by the same amount. dom decisions in-play. You may leave some questions
By definition, this allows the character to have a total about a characters life unanswered or deliberately add
pool higher than her permanent Inspiration score. (The in new bits of history or personality in reaction to events
base lnspiration pool is 10, so two transformation points during the game. But if you want to make sure your
adds six temporary Inspiration to the characters start- characters background is internally consistent and
.
her eyes. Fine, she mutt&. Welljust take it with us. tive.
f i a t said, she jerked the heavy iron safe out o f the wall Qualities Quick, Graceful, Balanced, Accurate
and went back toward the door, carrying it like a baby. Poor: You spill your milk. Often.
The Strength Trait measures physical power, pure
0. Average: You can sink the
and simple. A high score equals mighty muscles. Not only eightballwithout scratching, usually.
..e Good: Your putts are like butter.
is it good for toting, lifting and jumping, it also deter-
mines the base damage of most hand-to-hand attacks. ...e Exceptional: You started juggling
.
base soak pool.
Qualities: Hardy, Tough, Unyielding, Healthy Intelligence measures your ability to apply logic,
Poor: You really should quit smok calculate, remember and learn. Its not necessarily how
ing and drinking and eating those Fast you react - thats Wits. Rather, its a measure of
Fried butter biscuits. how thoroughlyyou think.
.
Qualities: Logical, Abstract, Mathematical, Well-
...
0. Average: You can run to catch a
cab without panting. Informed
Good: You can dance all night and Poor: Shut yeryap. lmthinkin.
work the next day - but not ev Average: You probably have some
....
0.
.....
Exceptional: The ladies call you
Everlastin. Good: You read Shakespeare
....
0..
Mental Attributes
Perception Wits
..... your pocket aint just For show.
superb: Yw are a bona M e genius.
Daphne simpered as Or. Konrad Schiltz leaned in Ever been in a song, sweet thing?
to kiss her. She reachedin her purse to grab... Nothing.
...nothing! Im a blues musician - MississippiSlim?
Looking for this? Konradasked, holding up her She gave him a sidelong glance. Sure you aint
icepick. Mississippi Ugly?
bat.how. didyou. ..? Naw, thats my cousin. He startedrapping his heel
Oh, please. You claim to be from Alsace, butyour against the barstool and sang. Oh, Mississippi Ugly/he
accent is pure Provengal. That made me suspicious hada galto hugshe/lef him at the altar/and no one round
enough to notice the bulge inyour handbag. His eyes could fault her,.. He broke o f f to call after her Hey,
narrowedas he put the needle tip to her delicate throat. come back and mistreat me some more! Its inspirin?
Now ... who sent you? Not Serrantino, I think. Lord Anyone can come up with a good response, given
Sheffield, perhaps? enough time. But Wits are what you use when you dont
This Trait determines the acuteness of your Five have any time at all. Everything From producinga timely,
senses. snappy comeback to diving for cover when you see the
-
...
Qualities: Keen Eyed, Sharp Ears, Alert, Detail- bomb Falling its all Wits. Wits combineswith Dexter-
Oriented ity to produce Initiative.
Poor: Wha...?
Average: You notice when a co-
worker gets a haircut.
.
Qualities: Clever, Alert, Crafty, Calm
Poor: Yeah? Well... uh... sos yer
old man!
0.. Good: You spot typos in the news Average: You can get out of the
...
0.
.....
Exceptional: You notice when a Good: Yw can often come up with
co-worker gets a manicure. a plausible sbxy in the time it
Superb: You can identify dimer
ent types OF bats. In Flight. On a .... takesto say Waif let mescpiain....
Exceptional: One more drink,
Intelligence
moonless night.
.....
00.0
yourlookscancausecaraccidents.
Superb: The only word for it is
unforgettable.
Manipulation
This sure is fonny cigarette, the police chieF
giggled in his heavily accented English.
Well, I roll my own, Slim smiled, waiting.
YUI a formy m,Shm. You stillptojail &you
psyfine,butyoufonny..7he~~f~~~~m~~
gqgkdagain. hM .h y o u h o q y , Shm?
No, but dont let me stop you.
As the chief stumbledout of his office looking for a
snack, Slim waited, waited, then ransackedthe mans desk.
By the time the chief returned with a gigantic beetroot
sandwich, Slim hadfound enough money for the bribe.
The ability to convince people that what they re-
allywant to do is what you want them to do is called Ma-
nipulation.lt doesnt have to involve a callous willingness
to treat people like expendable pawns - but it often
does.
Qualities: Reasonable, Persuasive, Dishonest,
Charming
0 Poor: what you see is what you get.
0. Average: Man, that bass 1 caught
was this big!
0.0 Gwd:Your bwyer has(admiringly)
calledyouadevious,treacherous
Social Attributes
.... S&.
Exceptional:People line up to take
Appearance
I
I m sorty, Sister, Craig said, peeking out the
7
..
to throw around. Example: An
a body hidden, shell realize the real basis of the rela- army sergeant.
tionship.) Friendship is a two-way street, and the chum Youve got a stable post with a
who bailedyour character out last week may be the chump secretary, acolyte, staff sergeant
who needs his help right now. or other gofer to help you keep
Its important to definethe relationshipbetweenthe your underlings in line. Example:
character and each ally. Are they all members OF the same A section editor at a major met-
Masonic group? Childhood playmates? Did some time on
the same cell block?Definingthe connection gives the Sto-
ryteller a much better chance to put your characters allies
... ropolitan newspaper.
You enjoy a poorly defined
middle-management post and can
in the story the way you envisionedthem. do whatever you want as long as
An ally is most oFten a normal person; if the situa- you dont make waves. But if you
tion calls For a write-up, the Storyteller followsonly Phase do make waves, you can catch it
One of character creation(see Chapter Two). An Inspired from both directions. Example:
character may be an ally, but one whos less powerful than
....
Vice-president in Charge of
the players character (For starting characters, give the Long-Range Planning.
ally only seven transFormation points). The higher the You have a position OF some au-
rating in this Background, the more capable the ally. So thority and privilege, with con-
as to not to overshadow the players character, the Sto- siderable trust From your organi-
ryteller should Focus more on the Allys own Backgrounds zation. You would have to make a
- connections and assets - rather than creating a major mistake to get in trouble.
powerhouse. Example: Catholic Archbishop.
You may have Friendsbut no one
.
X .e... Youre a mover and a shaker, on a
truly close. First-name basis with anyone in
.....
One non-lnspired ally of moder- the organization who could take
ate ability. your power away. Example: 33rd-
Two allies, or one Inspired ally. DegreeFreemason.
Three Friends, or Fewer of greater
power or influence.
.....
plicates one level two Knack or
two level one Knacks. When your characters dealing with animals from his
The item is rare and powerful be- menagerie, you never have to make Animal Handling rolls
yond comparison, with a reputa- to convince them to do what your character wants. Rolls
tion that overshadows that of its for riding in dangerous or tricky situations may still be re-
owner. In super-science terms, it quired: The animal wants to obey, butyour characters skill
is an Advancement with up to 15 may not be up to snuff. At the Storytellers discretion, this
options or an lnnovation that du- Background may be used to call wild animals to perform
plicates one level three Knack, the characters bidding for the scene.
two level two Knacks or three X None;you may have apt, but dl
level one Knacks.Alternatively, it it doesKeat, Sleepandcrap
has some other unique and very
significant capabilities. . (w notnecessailyinthat&).
One special animal (such as a
highly trained attack falcon), or
Influence a small number of regular animals
A few words inthe rightears and lm sure we can
(such as a pack of a half-dozen
work this out to everyones satisfaction.
hunting dogs).
lnsteadof concrete authority -with its limits, its
Two exceptional animals (say, a
clear definitions and its threats of enforcement - your
0.
.
X
erFulandtotdtyuniquedl+
far as anyone knows.
in-fashion.(Ladiidgentie-
Oh, theres no need for you to
men... the+& wonder ofthe
wait in line, Madame. Your ce-
world... King Kong!)
lebrity is mainly local.
0. Youre a regional or state influ- Mentor
ence, such as a mayor or news- Thank you, Master. Your insight is as illuminating
paper editor. as the rays o f the morning sun.
0.. Can 1 have your autograph? In Your character hassomeone lookingout for her, guid-
your area of expertise, youre in- ing her along her path and providing protection, training
ternationally renowned. Alter- and the benefits of experience. The mentors reasons for
nately, you have a broader influ- offering these benefits may be obvious and noble (Hes
.... ence in a smaller area. my daddy!) or less of both (Hes just this mysteriousman
who shows up with advice when 1dial this code -way too
.....
Everyone in the country knows
your name, if not your face. many numbers - into the phone and trill like a bird).
Your opinions have broad inter- Whatever motivates him, your mentor is a powerful figure
national power. who can do a lot for your character.
Althoughyoudeterminethe mentdsbasr concept and
Menagerie relationshipwith your charader, the Storytdler handles all
Akla! Uriel! To me!
.....
them, you have your choice of
cars and possibly a private plane. your character Legions enhancementgive him thousands
You are a bona-fide millionaire, of soldiers, while another might limit him to only 100: It
capable of buying just about any depends on what sort of game she wants to run and what
thing that catches your eye. En- sorts of challenges your character is going to encounter.
joy your jewels, minks, cham- After all, if your character can simply use his In Charge
pagne and fine art. status to solve every problem, the story will be a dull one.
The enhancements are listed below, with the requisite
Sanctum Background for each noted in brackets.
Welcome to my humble abode.
Just as a Gadget represents a unique machine or Artifact (Gadget)
possession, Sanctum represents a unique location. This &h&l %ultimate&evmwtofsc~tjf~genbY
location could be an Antarctic Meditation Mansion, a This enhancement reflects ownership of a signifi-
private island, an underground headquarters, a secret cantly powerful super-xience apparatus. The Inspired
valley - whatever. In any event, it belongs toyourchar- machine is something of truly stupendous proportions.
acter, free and clear. Your characters rating in this Back- The possibilities are great indeed, with the restrictions
ground determines how exotic her sanctum is, how use- mainly being common sense and the scope of the series
ful it is to her and how diFficult it is For her enemies or the Storyteller wants to run. As a general rule, an inven-
simply the curious to discover and infiltrate it.The Sanc- tion of this scale may duplicate the effects of any Knacks
tum score provides your characters lair with a Cipher that total the Backgrounds level of six - so it could
rating of equal level against any attempts to discover its have six level one Knacks, three level two Knacks, two
existence and location. This Background may be taken level three Knacks or any combination thereof. Instead,
more than once for multiple sanctums. the invention might provide up to five Advancement op-
tions per dot in the Background. You can combine Knack
.
X No secret lair, but at least your
place is clean, right? effects and Advancementoptions any way you like as long
A place thats either particularly as the respective points dont exceed the total Back-
ground rating - so the invention might have one level
A
7
-
trouble striking you if you knew it was on the way.
Man for All Seasons System: The character gains a permanent +3 bo-
Come along, gentlemen. Its o n k the Sahara. A
nus to Initiative.
little sun never hurt anyone!
I
Who needs a campfire or a canteen?You can endure Level Two Dynamic Knacks
the utmost extremes of climate without batting an eye or
losing a drop of sweat. Whether its a hike in Death Valley Aetheric Vision
in a parkaor aswimsuit-clad snowball fight in the Himalayas, I sense a powerFu1electrical charye emanatiny
youre always dressed for the occasion, so to speak. From that panel. Perhaps we shouldstep back.
System: The character suffers no damage or pen- You can transform the delicate structure of your
alties for heat less than 150 C or cold above -30 C. eyes to perceive portions of the electromagnetic spec-
She is immune to heatstroke, hypothermia and similar trum that are completely inaccessible to normal people.
ailments. She can survive for triple the usual times with- This power allows you to see heat, infrared and ultravio-
out water or Food. This Knack provides no protection let radiation and even magnetic fields or strong electri-
against actual fire- or cold-based attacks. cal charges. If you are ofa mystic bent, you may consider
these energies to be auras and ley lines. If you have ad-
Powerlifter vanced scientific training, glowing schematics may su-
Looks like the safe is cemented into the wa/l. perimpose themselves over your normal vision.
Shhhraaaack! There we go! System: The player spends an lnspiration point to
You can win iron man competitions merely by enter- activate Aetheric Vision for the scene. While this Knack is
ing - your opponents take one look at the steel cables active, the character takes no penalties for low light -
you call musclesand quietly shrinkaway. While your casual even in complete darkness, she can see as if she had the
strength may be no greater than that of anyone else with benefit of Full daylight. With a successful Engineeringroll,
your build, your focused might is truly awesome to behold. she can visually trace the path of active electrical circuits,
System: Whenever a character attempts a Might- up to locating live wires inside walls. Other applications of
related task (such as encumbrance, lifting or opening/ this power are left to the Storytellers discretion, but may
closing; see p. 188), the player rolls Might normally. In include such feats as seeing a concealed assassins body
addition to the successes from the roll, your character heat through a curtain or a thin door, tracking an airplane
gains a number of automatic successes equal to her De- by the atmospheric ionizationit leaves or detecting an area
structive facet score (no lnspiration expenditure is of dangerous radiation by its unnatural glow.
needed). If trying to lift a target with more mass than Remember that Adventure-era scientists dont know
the characters Might dice pool, the automatic successes nearly as much about the electromagnetic spectrum as
apply as Willpower successes needed to advanceher lift- modernphysicistsdo. Accordingly, charactersmay see what
ing capability up the chart (seep. 188).This Knack pro- they expect to see rather that what science dictates they
vides no bonus to close-combat attack and damage rolls. shouldsee. They may also witness phenomena for which
Sex Symbol modern physics has no rational explanation....
Yowza!
Blazing Speed
Simply irresistible! You exude raw sexualii from every How in the world did you Fend off those three
pore.Amerephotographofyouisenoughtod~of soldiers while entering the proper code to turn off the
theappropriatesexualorientation intoholmoMlfrenzies,while doomsday device?!
~adualpraencelmpireseventhemoststaidandd When seconds count, you havetwice as many as ev-
adults to youthful pursuits. Youre never lacking for compan- eryone else - at least from your perspective. With an
iomhipifyou want it In Fa&your biggestfKoblem maybeget- instants expenditure from your reserves OF energy, you
ting an uninterrupted nlgMs sleep.... can superchargeyour nerves, movingat blindingspeeds to
System: Whenever the stalwart attempts a seduc- devastatingeffect. However, the concentration required to
tion, the player rolls the appropriateTrait dice pool nor- keep your body from Hailingout of control does make you
mally (see p. 192 for specifics on seduction). In addition consider your actions more carefully, which may result in a
to the successes from the roll, your character gains a num- momentary hesitation before you spring into motion.
ber of automatic successes equal to her lntuitive facet System: At the beginning of a combat turn, before
score (no lnspiration expenditure is needed). the lnitiative roll, the player spends an lnspiration point.
Superhuman Reflexes The stalwart can take one additionalaction at the end of
lve never seen anyone move so fast! the turn, after every other character has taken his nor-
Your hands are faster than striking cobras, flickering mal action. This additional action can be used just like a
at the edges of human perception. It may be possible to regular action - split into multiple actions, used to go
less, darkness holds few secrets for you -an advantage Belisarius when discussing your tactical prowess. What-
that you can apply to lethal effect in combat situations. ever the label, the effects are the same: You have an in-
System: The character suffers no penalties for tuitive flair for the geometry OF battle. With a single
movement or close combat in low light or darkness. glance, you can assess a tactical situation involvingthou-
Ranged combat and perception rolls related to anything sands of men, and a moments reflection tells you where
exceptspatialawarenesssuffer the normal penalties. The best to exert pressure to break the enemys forces. Be-
character can perceive shapes out to a radius of twice ware hubris, however - knowing what orders to give is
her lnspiration in meters. However, she cant sense them not the same as knowing how to give them....
precisely enough to aim or dodge ranged attacks, nor System: The character has an innate sense OF strat-
can she sense surface details such as color or texture. egy and tactics that surpasses those of many trained gen-
erals. When analyzinga battles progress, developinga plan
Optimized Metabolism
for an assault, finding the best way out of an ambush or
Yourealmost 60?Youcantbeserious;youdont
performing any other military- or tactics-related analysis,
look a day over 30!
the player rolls the relevant Trait dice pool normally (typi-
Methuselah was a pretender. You may not be set up
cally Command). Inaddition to the successes From the roll,
to live forever, but for all intents and purposes, you just
your character gains a number of automaticsuccesses equal
may pull it off - so long as none of your enemies get
to her Reflective facet rating (no Inspirationexpenditure
you. Your body requires only trace amounts of nutrients
is needed). This Knack gives no bonus to actually issuing
to function, as you derive the majority of your suste-
orders, only on figuring out what orders to give.
nance from etheric radiation and other forms of pure
energy. It also refuses to process anything that it cant Touch of the Muses
use, which makes you immune to many poisons. Another masterpiece?You flatter me. 7hIs isjust
System: Once the character reaches physical matu- something 1whippedup before breakfast.
rity, she ages approximately one year for every [Stamina x The gods smile upon your artistic efforts - or
101years that pass. She can hold her breath for f i e times maybe the Devil inspires you to greatness. Whatever the
as long as a normal human with the equivalent Endurance, source, you can achieve a level of aesthetic creativity to
needs only one meal a week and takes no damage from which most people can only aspire in vain. Your original
ingested poisonsor allergic reactions. She is immune to all vision is nigh-perfect, and your ability to execute it in
known diseases. Alcohol and most other drugs have no ef- paint, ink or stone is not far behind.
fect on her whatsoever. Chemicals that physically damage System: This Knack applies to any physical creative
her, such as acids, have their normal effects. endeavor, be it sculpting, painting, choreography or the
like. Note that this Knack focuses on arts with a primarily
Piledriver
physical aspect; pursuits such as writing or poetry dont
The guy wasnt human, boss -hepunchedright
count. The player rolls the relevant Trait dice pool (typi-
through the brick wall and draggedme outside!
cally Arts or Perform). In addition to the successes from
Some men break hearts; others break laws. You
the roll, your character gains a number of automatic suc-
prefer to break bones... and bricks... and the occasional
cesses equal to her Intuitive facet rating (no Inspiration
steel girder. Whether its From a special diet, cosmic ra-
expenditure is needed).
diation, years of meditation or an inexplicable telluric
At the Storytellers discretion, the player pays only
energy pattern in your bones, you can strike with inhu-
half the normal experience cost when purchasing Back-
man force. Your kicks and punches can shatter stone, and
grounds that are directly related to the characters ar-
anything short of an armored car is vulnerable to you.
tistic endeavors. The Backgrounds most likely to be af-
System: Add the characters Destructive facet to his
fected by this are Resources (from the sale of works of
Strength rating when calculating any damage effect based
art) and Allies, Contact, Mentor and Followers (individu-
on Strength, whether for punching a mobster or a metal
als who seek out the character because of her genius).
-
sume his research. regardless of whether the research is ultimatelysuccess-
ful - the inventor may be brilliant, but hes not neces-
Research Assistants
sarily correct in his hypothesis.
The Adventure Era is a time of tremendous scien-
-.
tific excitement. Boundaries are beinq pushed in every
direction, and many scientists will stop at nothing to b,
Knacks
Characters with the Gadgeteer, Scientific Prodigy
the First to break new ground. For every upstandingand or Mad Scientist Knacks are singular individuals among a
ethical researcher, there is a diabolical scientist who will field of already impressive inventors. The lnspired with
break laws and ethics to achieve his goal...includingsteal- one of these Knacks can design and create inventions
ing designs and prototypes from fellow scientists! Not more easily and in less time than your average lnspired
surprisingly, most inventors guard their research jeal- inventor. See each Knacks description for details on how
ously, a great number of them working alone even though it can assist a character.
an extra pair of hands would help their work tremen-
dously. Other inventors are not quite so paranoid and are Step Two: Construction
willing to bring aboard skilled lab assistants. Yet even the Once the research is complete, the character must
most optimistic inventor understands that the possibility build his invention. This requires four things: time, fund-
of betrayal exists in this environment. That new lab ing, facilities and a copy of the completed plans for the
worker may have impressive credentials, but whos to say invention. Yes, this means that a rival can steal an
hes not spying for the sinister Machinatrix? inventors only blueprints - or vice versa!
Some inventors are willing to take the risk for the Construction time is left to the Storytellers dis-
sake of science. If nothing else, splitting the work among cretion but should reflect the complexity and size of the
multiple people helps speed things along. The trick is get- invention in question, as well as the amount of super-
ting assistants trained in the fields the inventor needs. If science that went into it. A handgun that fires shotgun
the inventor offen a lucrative wage andlor is working on a shells will take less work than a heavy-duty mineral min-
project that would get even the most jaded researcher ing submarine. The following table provides a general
frothing at the mouth, its not hard to get good help. guide to construction time as a function of the total time
A research assistant gives the inventor additional spent on successful R&D:
dice for the R&D attempt, thereby adding to the chance R&D Time ConstructionTime
of success on the project (and potentially reducing the one to five days four hours
time spent on research and development). The player up to IO days eight hours
gains bonus dice depending on the composition of the up to 15 days 12 hours
characters researchteam, as shown in the following table: up to 20 days one day
Bonus Dice Research Assistant up to 30 days two days
1 has three or more dots in the ap up to 60 days two weeks
propriate Ability up to 120 days one month
1 has three or more dots in one or up to 180 days two to three months
more related Abilities up to 270 days three to six months
1 is lnspired over 270 days six to 18 months
These dice pool bonuses are cumulative. If the re- Particularly intricate super-science may require a
search involves developinga new rapid-fire machinegun, a great deal of funding - while some scientists can build
research assistant with Engineering (the primary Ability) their hardware out of spit and baling wire, most would
4 and Firearms(a relatedAbility) 4 adds two bonus dice; if prefer to use freshly forged steel. The Storyteller is ad-
shes also Inspired, she adds another die. An inventor can vised to set whatever financial requirements she sees fit,
have a maximum number of non-Inspired research assis- but getting Funding should be an occasional plot point
tants equal to the sum of his lntelligence and Charisma. rather than a constant irritant (unless the player insists
Other lnspired characters do not count toward this total. on constantly devising expensive and unbalancinginven-
tions). In general, the higher the inventors Resources
Inspiration rating, the less of an issue funding becomes. Super-sci-
Inspiration is essential when creating devices, or-
entific success can even lead to more Resources, if the
ganisms or compounds undreamedof by modem science.
scientist markets his product properly.
The player must spend one lnspirationfor each new R&D
In addition, most construction above the level of
attempt his character makes. Inspirationmay also be used
during research and development to speed the process
personal equipment requires a dedicated facility - a
garage workbench isnt sufficient for zeppelin manufac-
along. Each point of Inspiration spent (beyond the initial
ture. This is a common-sense ruling. Assume that vehicu-
one for the research itself) reduces the total R&D time
-
handas if an extensiiof his body, and their cuttingedgesand
The Followingtables list the various options avail- sbiking sufaces are so petfedy honed and shaped as tode-
able to Advancements. A given invention may have a single l i more energythan would seem possible for something of
option or may be equipped with multiple options. (An theweapon'ssizedwght. It'samazingwhat you canaccom
I inventionthat has options and a Knack effect is consid- p l i by impmvingonthe basiiof thek.
ered an Innovation.) The more options a proposed Ad- A device may include no more than six personal
vancement has, the more difficult it is to design and the weapon Advancement options in total.
longer it takes to create. The R&D column For each Ad- R8D Option
vancement category shows the number of days the in- 3 +1 accuracy (up to three levels)
ventor must spend in research and development. An Ad- 7 +1 damage (up to three levels)
vancement can only be applied once unless a given op- 3 +SO% ammunitioncapacity (up to
tion explicitly lists that multiple levels are possible. The two levels)
time listed is cumulative For all options and levels. So, a 5 +50%range (up to Four levels)
single level one option requiring seven days has an initial 10 -1 conceal rating (Jto P,etc); no
one week R&D time; increasing that option to level three smaller than P
and adding another level one option that takes 10 days 7 disguisetrue appearance (sword-
shoots the initial R&D time to 31 days. cane, umbrella pistol, etc.); +2
Each level beyond the First for a single option adds difficulty to Awareness to pierce
+1 difficulty to all related R&D rolls (cumulative). This the disguise
penalty applies even if the inventor adds one level, then 15 change damage type (bashing to
enhances the invention with another level at a later date. lethal, lethal to bashing)
Refining something gets trickier the Further you go, no Vehicle Weapons
matter the time taken in between steps. Unlike the suc- Generally, Achranced d i d e weapons are just like Ad-
cessive refinements of higher levels, working on differ- vancedfireams:m"modem,"man~2kt-cenhrysense.
ent options does not add to difficulty (unless specifically While they don't incorporatedectroni targebng, some "y
indicated otherwise). It does increase the basic research have verysophistii mechands i i n g aids.
and development time, however. A device may include no more than six vehicle
'The options listed are by no means definitive. While weapon Advancement options in total.
the most common Advancements are to weapons or ve- R&O Option
hicles, virtually anything is Fair game For super-xientific 5 +1 accuracy (up to three levels)
improvement.Storytellers shouldallow playersto introduce 10 +1 damage (up to three levels)
newenhancedweirdness- withapproval,ofcourse! Bear 5 +SO% ammunitioncapacity (up to
in mind that the systems in this chapter (as with this book two levels)
as a whole) are meant to provide a streamlined, fun and 7 +50%range (up to four levels)
easy to use framework by which playerscan give their char- 10 disguise true appearance (sup-
acters neat things. The point is not to give players an ex- port beam, smokestack, etc.); +2
cuse to make the most devastating creations imaginable, difficulty to Awareness to pierce
then run roughshod all over their opponents. The Story- the disguise
teller shouldn't hesitate to say a proposed invention is too
powerful or simply is not suitable For the game.
Vehicles
Aeroplanes, steam trains and touring automobiles! As
Personal Weapons with the previous lists, assume each Advancement option
Guns lend themselves prominently to enhancement, is restricted to one level unless explicitly stated otherwise.
but other weapons such as crossbows and melee weapons The total vehicle options possible in a single inven-
may also be improved.Advanced guns tend to incorporate tion depends on its size. A one- or two-person convey-
improvements that a modem-day gunsmith would recog- ance can have up to 10vehicle Advancement options; up
nize. Improved accuracy can come From ported barrels, to a 12-passenger invention can have up to 20 vehicle
ergonomic grips or even gyroKopic recoil compensation Advancement options; anything larger can have up to 30
spheres. Advanced damage can be reflected in better am- vehicle Advancement options.
munition or more efficient use of the chemical energy re- R&D Option
leased by existing ammunition. Increased ammo capacity 1 +1 passenger *
and rangeand reduced size are just factors of a more effi- 2 +25% cargo capacity *
cient, streamlined and refined mechanical design. 10 +25%speed (safe and max) (eight
level limit)
Each defensive maneuver uses the same basic sys- applies the weapons base damage plus the parrys extra
tem: The defensive action is a resisted roll against the successes as a damage effect against the attacker.
opponents attack roll. Unless the attacker gets more to- Block, dodge and/or parry can be performed as
tal successes, she misses. If the attacker gets more suc- part of a multiple action - punching, then blocking;
cesses, those that she achieves in excess ofthe defenders shooting, then dodging; parrying, then striking; and the
successes, if any, are applied to the damage effect. So like. Using a multiple action to act and defend is advanta-
even if the defender has fewer successes than the at- geous because your character can still accomplish some-
tacker does, the defenders maneuver can still reduce the thing in a turn besides avoiding attacks. Your character
attacks effectiveness. may also combine different defensive maneuvers in a
Block: A Brawl or Martial Arts maneuver using multiple action -blocking, then dodging; dodging, then
your characters own body to deflect a hand-to-hand parrying; blocking, then blocking again; and so on.
bashing attack. Lethal attacks cannot be blocked unless Example: Max Mercer wants to punch two thugs,
the defender is wearing armor. then be ready to dodge two attacks. This is considered
Dodge: An Athletics or Martial Arts maneuver four separate actions using his MartialArts dice pool o f
useful for avoiding attacks of all types. Your character 4 for the strikes andhis Athletics dice pool o f 4 for the
bobs and weaves to avoid close-combat attacks (if theres dodges. The first punchloses four dice (leaving Max five
no room to maneuver, he must block or parry instead). In dice in his dice pool) because heb taking four actions.
firefights, your character moves at least one meter and The secondpunch loses five dice (four actions plus an
ends up behind cover (if theres no room to maneuver additional cumulative penalty), giving Max four dice to
and/or no cover available, he can drop to the ground). IF strike. The first dodge has a dice pool o f three (losing
your character remains under cover or prone thereafter, six dice as per the multiple-action rules). The final dodge
cover rules apply against Further ranged weapon attacks uses onk two dice (reducedby seven dice cumulative!y).
(see Cover, p. 204). Fully Defensive: Rather than make defensive ma-
Parry:A Melee maneuver using a weapon to block neuvers partofa multipleaction,you may declare that your
an Archery, Brawl, Martial Arts or Melee attack. If a char- character spends an entire turn doingnothingbutperform-
acter makesa Brawl attack and the defender parries with a inga single type o f defensive maneuver!Going fully de-
weapon that normally causes lethal damage, the parrying fensive does not use the normal multiple-action rules. In-
weapon may actually damage the attacker! IF the defender stead, you have a full dice pool for the first defensive ac-
rolled more successes than the attacker did, the defender tion but loseonedie, cumulatively, For each subsequentde-
-
polymath is a valid pulp archetype. the series. Fortunately, its possible to minimize or avoid
this problem with simple preparation.
One option is to ask players to write a short per-
Whether they work for a government, a newspa-
-
you. have them just be wrong. Remember, although simi-
You can find lots of description of the game world lar in many ways, the /Eon Continuum is not our world.
Maybe its Heisenbergscat and the Schrdinger uncer-
earlier in this book. Below is some reference meant to
tainty principle. You should only need to do this once or
provoke ideas in players
. . and Storytellers in formulating
I their series. twice to get the players attention back on the game rather
than the Dseudo- historical exercise.
The Real World
T h e k o n Continuum(that is, theshared setting for
Adventure, Aberrant and Trinity), although similar to our
reality in many ways, is nonetheless demonstrably dif-
ferent. While our world had plenty of explorers and ad-
venturers - from Amelia Earhart to Perry and
Amundsen and beyond - none of them experienced
quite the kind of larger-than-life adventures that your
team is sure to undergo. But that doesnt mean you cant
use the real world to your advantage.I n the broad sweep
of things, the worlds are mostly the same (at least until
1998).The Adventure Era is very much like our own early
20th century. Theres still a Great Depression, and a Sec-
ond World War looms on the distant horizon. Real world
people, places and events can serve as character inspi-
rations and can add to the excitement of your game.
Historical Characters
The following individualsmade news on the national
stage between 1925 and 1928 alone: Chinese nationalist
Chiang Kai-shek, Indian activist Mohandas Gandhi, pilot
Charles Lindbergh, author Virginia Woolf, expressionist
filmmaker Fritz Lang, surrealist Salvador Dali and physi-
cist Erwin Schrdinger. This isnt even a complete list;
its not even an attempt at one! Search the Internet or hit
your local library and skim microfichedor digitizednews-
paper headlinesof the day for plenty more.
Characters could easily encounter any one of these
individualsor, at least, wade through the aftermath of their
activities. Chiang Kai-shek is sure to run afoul of the Ubiq-
uitous Dragon (or perhaps the two are allies...); Ghandis
protests against British Imperial rule in lndia will certainly
reach the attention of heroes visitingthat country in search Real Places and Historical Events
of ancientruins; Lindy might be a friend or rivalto any hero While a certain amount OF flexibility with history
with a bent towardaviation; and soon.Lettingplayerschar- must slide into every Adventure episode, a Storyteller
acters rub elbows with famous historical figures can be lots should be able to wrap her own stories around the places
of fun. It helps ground the characters in the setting and and events of the world at large. This helps the players
gives the players a much better sense of what is going on get a better feeling for the game world in which their
around them. And minor changes to the settings charac- characters exist. Real places are easy to research, and
ters as a result of your teams actions are great. Adventure theyre fun to use. The players and the Storyteller alike
isnt a time-travel game; there arent any Continuity Police can grab a few old maps and guidebooks and note high-
wandering around who will get on your case if Lang makes lights and significant places. With a little advance plan-
a few changes to Metropolis after seeing a characters ning, a team of down-home heroes visiting 1924 Chicago
Thermal Ram in action. can look over actual headlinesfrom the Tribuneandpho-
You should handle actual historical figures with some tographs of the lakefront and various neighborhoods to
degree of care. You probably dont want some wiseguy get a sense of the places reality. The Storyteller could
wandering to Austria and springing Hitler early. Caution even have the names of actual businesses on hand for
players who obviously want to disrupt the setting by us- when the characters want to go shopping or find a res-
Previous Material
The L o n Continuum-the shared setting of Trin-
ity, Aberrant and Adventure - has hundreds of thou-
sands of words in print across dozens of sourcebooks,
with more on the way. You dont need any of it.The only
thing you really need is the book you hold in your hands
(and you can even change any of it that you want). Pub-
Inventing Places lished material is great; it has tons of plot hooks, powers
Some earlier sectwsreference places that nevw were and abilities and setting material that the Storyteller and
StorytdlersareencouragedtoimAntmorehKklenlaxkThese players may find very useful. Sourcebooks give players
mlgMbeforbKklenlsldmonarch-, hbaln a t mintheheart and Storytellers a common ground to work from.
of A b or SouthAmwKa. broodingEastenlEuropnuropeanpnncl- &It the stuff isnt biblical canon. If a Storyteller reads
pallties2nd many more beslde A Storyteller probably M t wmething in Adwnhm that just doesnt fit with her concep-
want to get dowmgM silly wth thls -dont drop a 100-klc- tion of thegame, she should &e a minute and fyre cut what
meter diameter lsland inthe m d l e &Lake Supenor and pre- theimplicatiomofthmwingthatthi~cutwillb
tend its beenthereall a k q-but m moderatm, ltcanbefun mentsofthegame.lfthatdoesntappeartoousefurtherprob-
Player;shouklfed free to jump in, too If adlaradeisongin IS lems, sheshould feel Free to tossit.This yes double for mate-
yeat but doesnt qukematch hlstoncdd i t y , theplaver m$tt rialfrom Trinity and Aberant Those twogames areonly p-
susgestanI& pkceasthecknchshcmehd The Sto- s&futuresforAdvdure. NoStorytelleror playershouldfed
rytdlerhasveto powerhere, but inrentinga newplaceormodi- comtrainedbymaterialfoundinthosetwogameswhenitcomes
fymg a red one my bejust as d e a sdutlon as asking to their 1920s adventures.
theplayertochangethechaadeishistory
A
-222
28 m
Richard De Remer (order #1312575) 67.236.105.66
venture series. Inmany ways, without a villain there would companies or even small nations. A villains resources
be no story at all. He (or she - women can be just as determine what his plans must be - does he need to
wicked as men) is the hub around which all things rotten knock over the First Federal Bank to get the money to
in a given episode must revolve. The next chapter in- hire goons to enable phase two of his scheme? Or can he
cludes descriptions of villains already influencing the Ad- simply authorize some of his lieutenantsto commit a crime
venture Era. Feel free to add your own Fiends to your on his behalf?
stories. This section contains tips on creating and prop- It certainly isnt necessary to delineate how the vil-
erly using villains... and on keeping them alive to cackle lain spends every dollar. As you write up his game statis-
maniacally another day. tics, you will want to consider his Resourcesand Follow-
ers Backgrounds and what they represent beyond the
Creating a Villain dots. See The Villains Tools below, for more discus-
Planningyour episodeor series does not have to be- sion of this topic.
gin with the villain (or villains), but you will have to con-
sider the teams antagonistsbefore you get too far. It may
Plans
A villains plans may be mathematically preciseand
be easiest to ask three simple questions about your villain
scheduled to the second, or they may be haphazard and
at this point What does he want? What does he have to
more a restatement of the villains goals than anything
help him get it? And how will he go about getting it?
else (My plan is to becomefantastically wealthy!). The
Motivation sort of plan depends on the other factors described
Many classic pulp villains have suitably wicked mo- above, as well as on the villains personality and, if ap-
tivations: They want to rule the world, destroy the world, propriate, Inspiredabilities. A super-intelligent mesmer-
become fantastically rich or avenge themselves on Our ist will do things differently than a former Mafia thug,
Hero and his works. These motivations work very well even if both of them have the same general plan (elimi-
for villains in Adventure: Its one of the tropes of the genre nate the Gambiosi crime family...) and motivation (...so 1
that some people are just unrepentantlybad guys. (Still, can take over their territory and get rich).
this doesnt mean thats all they are. Just because a char- It may prove useful to consider the villains plans in
acter has a clear motivation doesnt make him a two- terms of conflict with the playerscharacters: What would
dimensional caricature.) this guy be up to that would get the teams attention?
The 1920s and 30s also had plenty of mundane Certain Storytellers will actually start at this point and
villains to choose from: mobsters, nihilists, Fascists, an- work backward into the villains resources and motiva-
archistsandradicals. Many crusaders for the public good, tions. There is nothing wrong with building your own sto-
some of whom were very popular, would have added ries in such a fashion. If this is your preference, work out
blacks, Jews, Catholics, communists, atheists and foreign- a few interesting scenes where the team might run into
ers of all stripes to that list. To slap such a label on a the villain or his minions.
Storyteller character and assume that that alone makes
him a villain is almost never sufficient - few, if any, The Villains Tools
members of those groups were villainous in the really As noted above, any good villain has numerous tools
wicked pulp-villain sense. on hand with which to accomplish his fiendish goals. Here
The villains means - his plans (see below) - are just a few suggestions to get you started.
must be the sorts of thing to bring him into conflict with
Thugs
right-minded adventurers. But his motivations dont nec-
Thugs come by many names - guns, mooks, but-
essarily have to be. Many villains crusade for what they
ton men, goons, rabble, assassins and so on. They are
see as a greater good -elevating all humanity, reclaim-
typically interchangeable; most of the time their names
ing a lost homelandor redistributing the money of the
involvethe phraseThe One With ___ (The One With
wealthy. Villains with believable motivations of this kind
The Big Sword, The One With The Strange Accent,
are great to throw into an Adventure series because their
etc.). There is seldom a need to individualize them be-
actions come from a reasonableroot cause. Most of these
yond this, though you are free to do so. Thugs serve as
types genuinely do feel that the end justifies the means
cannon fodder; they help show off how tough the heroes
and are guilty primarily of lackinga sense of proportion.
are, and they slow the team down long enough to allow
That doesnt excuse their crimes; in the end, the best
the villain to make his getaway.
they deserve is a sock in the jaw and a drag to the near-
Thugs come from all walks of life: The most com-
est police station.
mon ones are mobsters, cultists, mercenaries or (in the
Resources wrong cities) the police. They are considered extras (see
Villains resources run the gamut; some live very p. 244); generally all you need are their physical At-
Spartan existenceswith only enough luxury to allow them tributes, type of attack and noteworthy combat skills.
to rest between crimes. Others control vast multinational Mooks and Monsters, page 244, has a few sample
- \,
it
AS happened, the Dragons Father had been-the -
warlordsadvisor but fled withoneoF hisconcubinesyean
before The warlord took the boy and taught him every-
thing he knew in an effort to make the son the antithesis
The Curse of Many Dragons
of his honorable father The warlord taught that all people
(Level Three Dynamic Knack)
were victims of vice and corruption He taught that no
To defeat you. I need only myself
With this power, the Ubiquitous Dragon
one was innocent and that everyone had a price. He taught
that knowledge was power and that only the strong de- can spontaneously generate multipleversions
of himself These duplicates resemble the
served to rule In the end, the warlord succeeded beyond
his expectations The young Dragon marked his passage Dragon in every way, though they are not as
durable or as permanent as the original His
into manhoodby spillingthe blood of the second man hed
duplicates are the only people the Dragon
called father The Ubiquitous Dragons influence spread
trusts
quickly throughout the East. He is now absolute master
of the Chinese underworld and has loyal servants, who
System Spend a point of Inspiration,
Fear Failure more than death, across every stratum of and roll Endurance I F successful, a duplicate
society in the Pacific Rim manifests and is ready to act on the next turn
On a botch, the Dragon takes a level of bash-
ing damage for each I rolled A duplicate
lasts a number of days equal to the successes
rolled The original Dragon may sustain a du-
plicate in the Field by spending one Inspi-
ration per day before the duplicates time is
up (The duplicate may not spend Inspiration
to sustain itself)
A duplicate may be created anywhere
up to 500 kilometers times the Dragons In-
spiration rating, though the original must be
intimately Familiar with the site (typically, he
must have spent at least one straight week
there) If created in direct contact with the
original, the duplicate appears after one turn,
otherwise, it takes one hour to manifest Once
created, a duplicate may travel any distance
From the original The Dragon and his dupli-
^C-r-l-r-I,.----L.------r---.---4 - -- - --- - _ _ cates enjoy no telepathic contact, any com-
muntcationmust Follow standard means (tele-
Its unclear if the Dragon was Inspired by phone, letter, telegraph) The Dragon can re-
Hammersmiths event or IF he was always this way Re- absorb a duplicate in person, thereby gaining
gardless, he already controlled much of the Eastern un- all of its memories and experiences
derworld by the early 1920s His hand can be Found in A duplicate is identical to the Dragon,
everything From drug trafficking and the theft of pre- but Falls under the rules For extras (seep 244)
cious artifacts to assassinationsand government coups and has half the originals Inspiration score A
He seduces the seemingly incorruptible with promisesof duplicate has only one health level prior to Fi-
power, wealth, fame - whatever is dearest to their nal manifestation If a duplicate Falls to Inca-
hearts and most likely to awaken the weakness within pacitated or hasnt recombinedbefore its time
them Along with his most loyal followers. members of is up, it dissolves into noxious goo, and the
the dread Dragons Coil Tong, he has been spotted in ev- Dragonsuffers one level of lethal damage (this
ery comer of the globe, personally overseeing opium may not be soaked)
.
item as long as he has enough money on hand.
Item Cost Price Range stunts such as whipping around corners. Also, the wielder
$1 - $10 can entangle the target rather than inflict damage; each
$11 - $75 success on the damage roll becomes the equivalent OF a
....
0.
.....
0..
265
i
t
Richard De Remer (order #1312575) 67.236.105.66
Order of Murder - 43-45 Storytelling - 215,220-230
Organism- 176 Strength - 135
Styles, Whitley - 232-233
P succenes - Ill-112
Perception- 136
Super-Science - 176-186
PersonalityTraits - 111,151-154
Backgrounds - 119,144-144 7
Inspiration - 152-154 Tallon, SafariJack -234-235
Willpower - 151-152 Target Number - 111
Physical Attributes - 135-136 Teamwork - 113
Physical Feats - 187-140 Telluric Energy - 25-31
Points Telluric EnergyCrystals - 184-185
BonusPoints-119 Throwing - 1'70
ExperiencePoints - 124 Time - 110
TransFormationPoints- 122 Tirmidhi, ImamKhwarazmiibn Abi - 240-241
Poisonsand Drugs - 258-25'7 , Traits - 128-154
Alcohol - 258 -
Trinity 108
Amphetamines and Cocaine - 258 Turk - 240-241
Opium and Depressants- 258 Turn - 110
Hallucinogens- 258-254 U
Nerve Gas - 259
Tear Gas - 259
UbiquitousDragon -235-237
V
PonatowskiFoundation- 38-39 Vehicle Damage - 255-256
Prologue- 123-124 Vehicle Table - 254
Q Vehicles - 253-256
Quality - 134 Vice - 12'7
R Virtue - 129
RangedCombat ManeuversTable - 205 W
RangedWeapons Table - 231 Weapons- 249-253
Ratings- 110-Ill Grenades- 252-253
RationalExperimentationGroup - 41-42 Heavy Weapons- 252
RechargingTelluric Energy Sources- 185 -
MeleeWeapons 24'7-250
ReflexiveActions - 110 RangedWeapons - 251-252
ResistedActions - 113 Willpower - 114,151-152
S RegainingWillpower -
152
Salon desFemmesNouveaux- 45-48 UsingWillpower - 151-152
Scalper Dutch- 238 Wits - 136
Scene - 110 2
SecondChances - 113-114 Zero-Point Energy - 25-31
Soak - 200,208 Z-wsve~ -25-31
SocialAttributes - 137-138 Zorbo, Doctor Manfredvon -242-243
SocialFeats - 141-192
Sourcesof Injury - 209-210
Disease - 209
Electrocution - 209
Falling- 210
Fire - 210
-
Material Strengths 210
Radiation- 210
SuFfocationand Drowning - 210
TemperatureExtremes- 210
Specialty - 138
Stafford, Uriah - 232-233
Stalwart - 26
Stamina - 135-136
Staynskaya, Ivan Boris Vladimir - 238-239
Stefokomki, Jake - 233-234
Storyteller - 107,215,220-230
Storyteller Characters- 229-230