The Lost City of the Ancients

t h e l o s t c i t y o f

t h e a n c i e n t s

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c o n t e n t sIntroduction 3 The Rivals 3Reel One: Busy Days in Kolpith 7 Scene One: Preparations 8 Scene Two: Strolling Through Kolpith 12Reel Two: Racing Through the Highlands 14 Scene One: Highland Dangers 15 Scene Two: The Realm of the Yellow-Red Chanari 21Reel Three: In the Gorge of the Walking Ghosts 22 Scene One: Ghostly Guardians 23 Scene Two: The Lair of the Robobrain 25 Concluding the Adventure 28Appendix One: Ancient Martian Control Crystals 28Appendix Two: Devil Vulture 29

c r e d i t sLine Developer: Ken Spencer

Creative Director: Dominic McDowallArt Director: Jon Hodgson

Writing: Ken SpencerCover Art: Paul Bourne and Jon HodgsonInterior Art: Jon Hodgson and Scott PurdyLayout and Graphic Design: Paul Bourne

Editing: Andrew KenrickPublisher: Dominic McDowall

Playtesters: Cory Fink, Jeremy Hedge, Nathan Hire, Moxon Julian and Sam Parish

Published by Cubicle 7 Entertainment LtdRiverside House, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0ES, UK

Reg. no 6036414© 2013 Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd.

Any unauthorised use of copyrighted material is illegal. Any trademarked names are used in a historical or fictional manner;

no infringement is intended.

Find out more about Rocket Age and our other games at www.cubicle7.co.uk

Printed on Mars

3

the lost c i t y of the anc i ents

t h e l o s t c i t y o f t h e a n c i e n t s- r o c k e t a g e -

i n t r o d u c t i o nThe Lost Cities of the Ancients is a Rocket Age episode designed for three to six players. Characters should be early in their careers with a maximum of 15 Story Points. A good mix of academic, rugged outdoorsmen, social, and combat characters will be useful, but the Gamemaster can adjust the scenes to suit their party as needed. A truncated version of this episode was run at GenCon 2013, thanks to all who participated in the event and to Cory Fink, playtester and Gamemaster extraordinaire.

At several points throughout this episode the full results for a roll are detailed. As with any roll found in an episode, a clever player should be permitted to come up with his or her own attributes or skills that can be applied to the roll. Also, the Gamemaster is free to vary the results of the roll to fit the current situation.

Our episode opens with the discovery of an apparently intact Ancient Martian ruin deep in the Western Highlands. Such a find would draw treasure seekers and archaeologists from across Mars, but this one is even more of an attraction. It lies in territory unclaimed by any faction or nation. This makes it free for the taking and, despite the harshness of the Western Highlands, the need to travel through territory held by the Blue Chanari and the stiff competition, three other expeditions are already kitting out in the French held city-state of Kolpith.

t h e r i v a l sOur heroes are not the only people who want to get to the lost city; three other expeditions are vying to be the first to stake a claim. Getting to the lost city first will be a challenge, and drives much of the plot for the first two reels. How the player characters manage to beat their rivals to the ruins is up to them. Some might just be the fastest travelers, other might attempt sabotage to varying degrees.

The rivals themselves, with the exception of Dr. Desprée, are themselves not above a little sabotage and murder.

The Gamemaster should keep track of any changes to the rival expeditions' timelines given below. There is no need to roll for encounters or other events that might befall the rivals, though if the Gamemaster desires to do so, she may. The episode as presented assumes the rivals will make the occasional appearance, but it is the threat of them making it to the lost city first that is the greatest motivation for our heroes, even if that threat never materializes.

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Obersturmbannführer Henning of the AhenerbeHenning is a person with clout; at least he thinks he is. As a member of the Nazi SS and the Ahenerbe, he feels he is entitled to a great deal of respect from lesser mortals (in his mind this includes nearly everybody else). While not a gifted leader of men, his attitude annoys even the staunchest SS soldier; Henning is skilled at wilderness survival and fighting. His leadership of this expedition will be noted by feats of daring, bloodshed, and feats of endurance that would kill most men.

The Nazi expedition is well equipped, with plenty of supplies and bahmoot transports. In addition, Henning has acquired two war walkers, of the small Panzerspähläufer class. These wondrous machines will be kept in their packing crates until well outside of Kolpith, at which point they will be assembled and used as scouts. Characters spying on Henning's men might discover the two neural interface-equipped pilots.

Nazi ExpEditioN timEliNE• Averages20km/daybybahmoot• June1DepartsKolpithfortheWesternHighlands• July10SkirtstheedgesofTalam• August20Arrivesatthelostcity

Dr. Yvonne Desprée of the French Académie des SciencesDr. Desprée is a noted engineer, not an archeologist or explorer. However, she is one of the most accomplished

SS StormtroopErS

AWAreneSS 2 PreSence 1

coorDinATion 3 reSolve 2

ingenuiTy 1 STrengTH 2

SkillS: Athletics3,Fighting3,Marksman3

traitS: Friends(Minorlevel,squadmates),FightingMan,Quickreflexes,Tough

mook damagE thrEShold: 6

EquipmENt: Karabiner987.92mmboltactionriflesorBergmannMP35/i9mmSMgs,grenades,andpistols

Story poiNtS: 2

obErSturmbaNNführEr hENNiNg of thE ahENErbE




SkillS: Fighting4,Marksman3,Survival4

traitS: FightingMan,Friends(DeutschesMarskorpsSupplyofficer)(minorgood),Tough

EquipmENt: lugerpistol,uniform,ridingcrop

Story poiNtS: 4

5


French engineers involved in the reconstruction of Ancient Martian technologies. For the past six months she has been working to get Kolpith's ancient communications system working again, and is annoyed to be pulled off this important assignment in order to lead an expedition into the Western Highlands. Unfortunately, there is no one else available on such short notice.

The French expedition is well equipped, but has been slow to get moving. Despite the ease with which it acquires bahmoots, supplies, and other necessities, its leader keeps pushing back the start date in order to get a few more hours with his communication system. This causes all manner of consternation and confusion, especially with the 1e Legion Martien detachment that has been assigned as guards.

frENch académiE dES SciENcES ExpEditioN timEliNE

• Averages20km/day• June2DepartsKolpith for theWesternHighlands

byplane• June4ArrivesatTalam• June6DepartsTalamforthelostcity• June10AttackedbyBlackScorpion• July22Arrivesatthelostcity

The Sons of SolThis, the most current incarnation of the infamous Sons of Sol freebooter band, is just as vicious and untrustworthy as its predecessors. A scarred veteran of the Kalond Canal Valley Wars named Eli Foster leads the band. He is ruthless, racist, and misogynistic, about normal for this iteration of the most feared freebooter band on Mars. Foster runs his band much like any bandit leader does, through force of personality and random violence.

dr. yvoNNE dESpréE




SkillS: Knowledge3,Technology4(Aoe:AncientMartiantechnology)

traitS: Friends(fellowengineer)(minorgood),ManofScience,TechnicallyAdept

EquipmENt: Tools,clothes,AncientMartiandatapad

Story poiNtS: 4

1E légioN martiEN lEgioNNairES





traitS: Friends(Minorlevel,squadmates),FightingMan,Quickreflexes,Tough


EquipmENt: FusilAutomatiqueModèle1917rifles,Modèle18928mmrevolvers

Story poiNtS: 2

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The Sons of Sol have no interest in archaeology, they simply want to loot the lost city of all its riches and make for the horizon. They also do not bother with things such as permits or permission from the natives. In fact, they often do not bother to pay for the ramshackle equipment and supplies they manage to accumulate. Highway brigandage is far easier, and the Sons will wait until the last expedition leaves, and then follow that one, using it as a canary for any dangers and a possible source of supplies.

SoNS of Sol ExpEditioN timEliNE

• Averages20km/day• June8DepartsKolpith for theWesternHighlands

byhorse• July1ArrivesatTalam• July5DepartsTalamforthelostcity• August5Arrivesatthelostcity

Story Point PoolsRocket Age does not track beans and pennies, it just isn't heroic. However, resource management sometimes is needed to drive part of the plot. When resource expenditure needs to be tracked a Story Point Pool is used. Basically, the pool is a bundle of extra Story Points that the Player Characters can either use to gain fixed bonuses based on the quality and quantity of their equipment and supplies, or saved for use as Story Points that any player character can draw from. This represents the difference between relying on preparation and planning (fixed bonuses) and raw luck (saved Story Points).

Eli foStEr




SkillS: convince3,Fighting3,Marksman2,Survival3

traitS: FightingMan,Friends(artifactbrokerinKolpith)(minorgood),voiceofAuthority

EquipmENt: rAypistol,clothes,knife

Story poiNtS: 4

SoN of Sol thug





traitS: FightingMan


EquipmENt: conventionalpistols,rifles,andoccasionalsub-machineguns

Story poiNtS: 2

note:thisrepresentsthestandardthug,someSonsofSolmaybeMaduri,venusian,europan,ornearlyanythingelse.

7


In The Lost City of the Ancients, our heroes have a pool of Story Points they can use to prepare themselves for their expedition into the Western Highlands. The number of Story Points depends on the size of the party, as seen on the table below. These Story Points can be spent on various pieces of equipment and resources, as described below, or saved. Any Story Points not spent during Reel One Scene One: Preparations become part of the party's general pool. These Story Points cannot be saved after the episode, any unspent in either preparation or pool are lost. Player Characters can also spend their personal Story Points during preparations.

Story poiNt pool allocatioNthE party haS Story poiNt

pool modifiErBaseStartingPool 10

lessthan3playercharacters

+10

3–4playercharacters +5

5–6playercharacters +3

AnyplayercharacterwiththeWealthytrait

+3

Anyplayercharacterwiththeimpoverishedtrait

–3

PerplayerwithappropriateFriendstrait

+1forMinor,+2forMajor

gamemasterfiat +/–3

r e e l o n e : B u s y d a y s i n K o l p i t h

iNtro moNtagEThrilltotheadventuresofrocketAge.Starring(playername)as(charactername),(playername)as(charactername), (player name) as (character name), (playername)as(charactername),inlostcityoftheAncients.WerejoinourheroesastheyarriveintheFrenchheldcity-stateofKolpith…

The characters arrive in Kolpith on May 15th (or another similar date that matches the group's campaign timeline). The first of their rivals will leave Kolpith for the lost city on

June 1st, giving our heroes a limited time to prepare their own expedition. Scene One: Preparations deals with how to do this. In addition, there are several events that might occur in the city that will effect both the preparations of the expedition and how the journey through the Western Highlands plays out.

kolpithTheme:Martiancity-StateunderdirectFrenchrule.Complication:Theinfluxofstrangerslookingtooutfitexpeditions,thoseseekingtoselltotheexplorers,andearthlinggovernancehavecreatedanopenfreeforallofeconomicandsocialsystems.Personality:ShadySusan

Shady SusanSusan does not talk about her past, but by her appearance and accent she likely hails from the American Upper Midwest. A purveyor of questionable goods and services, Susan does not seem to care much about the finer points of the law, especially property rights (other than what currently is hers). While not a thief herself, Shady Susan is more than willing to deal with thieves. She prefers barter to money, and operates out of a handcart and whatever abandoned storefront, market square, alleyway, or wherever she happens to be found.

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The staging of these scenes is not in a linear order. While Scene One is underway, events from Scene Two should intervene. The Gamemaster is encouraged to use his best judgment in when to stage each scene and how to pace the entire reel. For example, if the players are getting bogged down in the minutia of planning and preparing their expedition, spring an event from Scene Two on them. If they are getting restless or some of the players are getting bored or left out of the planning, go to Scene Three. When all the preparations are finished and the expedition is ready to head out, on to Reel Two: Race Through the Highlands.

you have arrived in the French controlled city-stateof Kolpith, the closest city to the location of the lostcity.Due to its location in the foothillsof theWesternHighlands, earthling governance, and open policy,Kolpithhasbecometheplacetoorganizeexpeditionsinto the surrounding areas. The city is thronged dayand night with native Martians and off-worldersbuying, selling, renting, and fighting. you quicklyfind lodgings andbegin to formulate your plans andmake your preparations. it is well known that threeother expeditions arealsopreparing themselves, onegerman,oneFrench,andonecomprisingmembersoftheinfamousfreebooters,theSonsofSol.

s c e n e o n e : p r e p a r a t i o n sProper preparation prevents poor performance. This holds true for nearly any endeavor, and more so for an expedition into the harsh Western Highlands in search of a

lost city of the Ancients. In this scene, the player characters have an opportunity to perform a classic montage scene. There is equipment to purchase, supplies to assemble, transportation to arrange, medical needs to attend to, information to gather, permits to arrange, and whatever else our heroes might think of.

Play out each part below as much as needed and allow the players to come up with their own ideas. The table below lists how many Story Points each activity costs. Each character can perform one preparation activity per day.

Characters might want to bargain for the best deals. To do this they need to use the Haggling expanded roll below. There is some risk, and a poor performance while haggling might cost more than the item did to begin with.

HagglingRoll: Presence + ConvinceDifficulty: 12Results:• Fantastic: The character wins over the merchant, and

word spreads of this dashing and charming explorer. Any future haggling attempts by this character are at +2.

• Good: The cost of the item is reduced by 1 Story Point. • Success: The cost of the items to be purchased is

reduced by 1 Story Point, but the expedition acquires a reputation for hard haggling, no other haggling rolls may be attempted this day.

• Failure: The list price is the price, but it does not go up.

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• Bad: The merchant is offended and the price increases by 1 Story Point.

• Disastrous: The merchant is angered and refuses to deal with this character. The day is lost, and in further attempts by any expedition member to perform this preparation costs 1 extra Story Point.

activity coStDesertProofing 0–4

equipment 0–5

gatheringinformation 0

Prophylactics 1

Spyingontheotherexpeditions

0

Supplies 1–4

Transportation 1–7

Documentation 0–2

Tradegoods 0+

Desert ProofingThe sands of Mars seem to get into everything and the heat bakes electronics, softens rubber, glues and laminates come loose, and causes all manner of trouble. Most equipment made or purchased on Mars has already been desert proofed. Items characters are bringing with them need to be proofed against the ravages of sand and heat. This costs 2 Story Points for the whole set of equipment, plus 1 Story Point for any items that are of unusual technology (such as Europan tech), plus another for any Ancient Martian artifacts (they were designed when Mars was not an arid wasteland).

Proofed equipment will not misfire, falter, or fail as readily as unproofed items. Any item that has been proofed can have one Disastrous result upgraded to a Bad result. This can be used once this episode.

EquipmentAn expedition needs a lot of equipment, and the player characters are going to have to assemble a sizable amount of rope, clothes, shovels, tents, and other necessary items. Instead of tracking these things individually, it costs 2 Story Points to purchase the basic necessities. This allows the use of the Survival skill in the Western Highlands without a penalty. Anything less than the basic necessities and all characters will suffer a –2 penalty on Survival rolls.

For every 1 Story Point spent improving this equipment (both in quality and quantity) the party as a whole will get a +1 bonus to Survival rolls during this episode, to a maximum bonus of +4. The amount of Story Points spent on equipment plus supplies must be less than or equal to that spent on transportation.

Gathering InformationA character can go about town talking to people, reading the local newspapers, or even bribing government officials to gain access to documents. This information gathering will bring in a fair amount of data, how that is assessed and used is up to the player characters. The player character gathering the information makes a roll based upon the method they use. The player should come up with the needed components for the roll, Presence +Convince if they are talking to people, Awareness +Subterfuge if they are eavesdropping on conversations, or possibly Awareness + Ingenuity if they are researching information in newspapers and other reference sources. Whatever the method, the Difficulty is 12, and one rumor is gained per level of success (and none with any degree of failure). It is up to the player to assess the veracity of the rumor (rolls may be made if the players can find a justification).

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ProphylacticsBizarrely, there are not many diseases on Mars that can jump from Martians to other species. In fact, there is little disease in general. However, the Western Highlands are home to a particularly virulent germ, the Walking Rot. This horrible wasting disease is similar to Earthling leprosy, only much faster acting and more contagious. The good news is that there are inoculations for it. The bad news is this treatment is only available to the French government. To acquire some requires a fair amount of bribery or black market dealing. It costs 1 Story Point to find enough for the party and their livestock (plus any hangers on they attract). Yellow-Red Chanari are immune to this disease, other Martians, even other Chanari, are not.

Spying on the Other ExpeditionsThe player characters might want to check up on the other expeditions. This may involve sneaking around, poking

through garbage, spying on them using telescopes, or the time honored method of suborning one of the lower ranked expedition members. The player character spying makes a roll based on how she is doing so. The player should come up with the needed components for the roll, Presence + Convince if they are talking to rival expedition members, Awareness + Subterfuge if they are spying from the shadows, or possibly Awareness + Ingenuity if they are researching information in newspapers and other data sources.

Whatever the method, the Difficulty is 12, and one piece of information is gained per level of success (and none with any degree of failure). For each level of success the player may ask one question about one rival expedition, such as nature of equipment, numbers of men and beasts, transportation, rough plans, or anything else from the description of the rivals above.

rumor truE or falSE?TherearebandsofbanditsintheWesternHighlands. True

Theyellow-redchanariareknowncannibals. False

TheSonsofSolarereallySovietSpies. False

Theysaythatthedomeofthelostcityiscappedinpureradium. False

ThelostcityisinavalleythechanaricallthegorgeofWalkingghosts. True

Theysaythecityishauntedbyblooddrinkingfiends. False

Dr.BoucherhashiredarocketshiptotakehimtotheBluechanarifortressofHastachit. True

ThePrinceoflascaonthassenthisownpersonalMasteroftheHunttolootthecity. True

itissaidthatnoonehaseverreturnedfromthegorgeofWalkingghosts. False

ThistimeofyeartherecanbesuddenrainsquallsintheWesternHighlands. False

Bewaretherogueyellow-redchanariknownastheScorpion,forheisamurderer. True

obersturmbannführerHenninghasacrated-upwarwalker. True

recently,severalAncientMartiancontrolcrystalswerestolenfromaBritishexpedition. True

ThechanariofTalamaresellingbahmootsathalftheusualprice. True

TopassbeyondTalam,expeditionsmustpaytributeintradegoods. True

thE WalkiNg rot•

NamE vEctor SpEciES immuNE difficulty damagE total NumbEr of SuccESSES

TheWalkingrot infectedinsects yellow-redchanari 12 4 4

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SuppliesThe party will need food and water, not to mention oil, spare parts, and other necessities if they have any hope of reaching the lost city. At a minimum they should spend 1 Story Point in supplies, this will see them through with no margin for error. Additional Story Points put into supplies will give bonuses on rolls later in the episode, and provide a safety net for lost supplies, up to a maximum of 4 Story Points. The number of Story Points spent on transportation must equal or exceed those spent on supplies plus equipment.

Trade GoodsThe Yellow-Red Chanari of Talam are used to expeditions moving through their area and even stopping at Talam to purchase supplies. While they are more than happy to sell food and water to passing aliens, they also expect to receive tribute in the form of Earthling manufactured goods. These goods do not take up much room, and thus do not count against the total amount of Story Points worth of transport needed to carry them. When negotiating passage with the Yellow-Red Chanari, each Story Point worth of trade goods will give a +1 bonus to the roll, and a total lack of trade goods will yield a –4 penalty.

TransportationThe expedition will need to cover 1500 km to reach the site of the lost city. This is a rough 1500 km over difficult terrain under the baking Martian sun. Their route passes through the territory of the Black Vulture tribe of the Yellow-Red Chanari. 800 km from Kolpith is the Chanari fortress of Talam, a place where the expedition can rest and resupply, unless they have angered the Chanari. However, Talam requires a detour, and from there to the lost city is 900 km away.

Unless the party has its own means of travel or is intending to hoof it on foot through the Western Highlands, they had best spend some Story Points on transportation. There are a lot of options available in Kolpith, expeditions out into the Western Highlands and the open desert are common. The table below lists the various options, their costs, and their average daily speed. Keep in mind that transportation expenditures must equal or exceed that spent on supplies plus equipment. Daily speed is calculated based on an eight hour travel day (which gives time to break and make camp, take a few rests during the day, and not overtax people, beasts of burden and machines). When calculating speed for transports not on the list below, pick the most appropriate approximation and keep in mind that the terrain is very rugged, speeds will at least be halved.

form of traNSportatioN coSt daily SpEEd

Foot 0 20km

FootwithPorters 1–4 20km

FootwithMuleTrain 2–5 20km

Bahmoots 3–8 40km

Horses 4–10 30km

Automobiles 5–10 40km

Airplanes 8+MakeittoTalam

FortressinTwoDays

rocketShip 10+MakeittoTalam

FortressinoneDay

• Foot: The old shoe leather express.• Foot with Porters: As above, but with Julandri laborers

rented to carry heavy burdens. They must be fed, and consume 1 Story Point worth of supplies on their own.

• Foot with Mule Train: As foot above, but with mules to carry heavier burdens. Mules are fairly hardy and can eat the scrub grasses and drink the spring water of the highlands.

• Bahmoots: These animals are bred for travel in the arid regions of Mars. They make excellent mounts, are fast and sure-footed, but they cannot carry heavy loads.

• Horses: Expensive and rare, horses are slower than bahmoots but can carry heavier loads. Their fodder and water needs are great, but a string of pack horses and some light grazing make up for it. Horses will consume 1 Story Point worth of supplies.

• Automobiles: Gas is a rarity on Mars, and any automobile equipped expedition must spend 1 Story Point worth of supplies on fuel and spare parts. There are no roads and the terrain is not suitable to auto travel, thus slowing progress.

• Airplanes: There are no airfields beyond Kolpith, however a plane could land at the Chanari fortress of Talam and the expedition can proceed from there using other means. This means that enough airplane transport must be purchased to carry any additional means of transport.

• Rocket Ship: There are no rocket ports beyond Kolpith, however a ship could land at the Chanari fortress of Talam and the expedition can proceed from there using other means. This means that enough rocket ship transport must be purchased to carry any additional means of transport.

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DocumentationBefore any expedition can leave from Kolpith, it must visit the Ministry of Martian Affairs offices and apply for the necessary permits. These include health checks of all expedition members and livestock, fingerprinting and identification checks, travel permits, archaeological resource permits, weapon permits, and other assorted mundane paperwork. Someone will have to go down and see that the proper forms have been filed with the offices.

Any licensed doctor can perform the health screenings (or a veterinarian for the livestock), but the identification and fingerprinting must be done in person. This means that each expedition member will have to stop by, but only that the person completing the paperwork needs to dedicate a day doing so.

Normally this costs 0 Story Points, but the process does run the risk that the expedition will be delayed or ruled unfit. A certain amount of haggling, bribery, and careful form filling is in order. The character taking care of this preparation needs to make the roll below, Form 32b in Triplicate. Of course some player characters might want to forge their documentation, requiring a Difficulty 14 Ingenuity + Subterfuge roll.

Form 32b in TriplicateRoll: Resolve + ConvinceDifficulty: 12, +1 per player character who does not submit health and identification checksSpecial: A character may spend up to 1 Story Point to gain a +1 per Story Point bonus on this roll. This represents special administrative fees (bribes). If the character filing the paperwork is French she gains a +1 on the roll.Results:• Fantastic: The permits go through speedily and without

any problems. The administration is thoroughly impressed by the player characters and their plans, so impressed that the expedition is offered sponsorship in return for a share in any profits. If accepted, the party gains 5 Story Points for the pool, but have to share half their proceeds with the local government.

• Good: The permits go through with no problems and arrive in time for the expedition to leave on its planned day.

• Success: The permits and paperwork arrive the expedition is allowed to proceed. However, they arrive the day after the expedition plans to leave.

• Failure: The permits do not pass, but the whole affair can be cleared up with two days spent meeting with various bureaucrats.

• Bad: The permits are not approved and will not be without starting the whole process over again. Unfortunately no one bothers to tell the party this until three days after they plan to leave.

• Disastrous: The permits are refused and the police come to bring the Player Characters in for questioning. All their equipment, supplies, and other expedition gear (as well as personal items) are impounded. The player characters are held for a week before they are cleared of any wrongdoing. However, they must resubmit their permits.

s c e n e t w o : s t r o l l t h r o u g h K o l p i t hThis scene can be played alongside the previous scene, Preparations. Indeed, it would be best to throw some of these events in as the player characters are going about their business in Kolpith. The Gamemaster is advised to use these in moderation; too much harassment would be a bad thing. Also, the Gamemaster should keep in mind the amount of time she has to run the episode, each one of these events might add more than a few minutes to the playtime. Events can be chosen or rolled on the table below.

roll EvENt2 Sabotage!

3 QuietDay

4 TerroristAttack

5 WouldyouliketoBuyA…

6 rivals

7 Bahmootsontheloose!

8 religiousProcession

9 Anti-earthlingProtest

10 losteuropan

11 expeditionreturns

12 MarketDay

Sabotage!: One of the player characters returns to the warehouse where they are storing their equipment and supplies to find that someone has broken in and ransacked the place. The damage was not total, but the expedition has lost 1 Story Point worth of both equipment and supplies. If the party made took any precautions regarding their warehouse then this event is negated. Alternatively, it can be played out as an assault by a group of thugs (use the thugs statistics from the Sons of Sol, above).

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Quiet Day: There is always the option of nothing much going on. Useful if the Gamemaster is rolling randomly. Keep in mind that too much of a good thing can destroy the pacing of the reel.

Terrorist Attack: With a loud boom and a cloud of dust a 31st Seal terrorist detonates herself in the market place. A character might be caught in the blast, which can be avoided with a Difficulty 14 Coordination + Athletics roll (damage: 2/4/6). The market closes and no business can be conducted today.

Would You Like to Buy A…: One of the characters is approached by a rather seedy looking Pilthuri. He explains that he is Porill, and he represents the Grand Vizier of Halstadith, a principality far from the Western Highlands (there is no such principality). His master wants to sell some rare radium crystals, a special form of radium that is not radioactive and can be used to power rocket engines for much longer than regular radium fuel. For only 1 Story Point worth of money (roughly US$200), he will part with three of these crystals, enough to power a rocket ship to the edge of the Solar System and back.

These crystals are not what Porill says they are, and there is no such thing as crystallized radium. The rogue Pilthuri, a victim of the Ebb Revolution cast out into the wider world, found a scatter of these pretty crystals in the desert. In truth, they are Ancient Martian control crystals (two yellow and one black) and would be of use later in the episode.

Rivals: While purchasing equipment, supplies, transportation, or black market medicines, one of the characters finds that a rival expedition is trying to acquire the same thing. This can cause a bidding war, as both parties look to spend Story Points to ensure they acquire the needed provisions.

Bahmoots on the Loose!: This event would be best for characters arranging transportation. While at the livestock pens, the character hears a yell in the local dialect of "Run, they're loose!" A stampede of Martians begins, and when they pass a small herd of bahmoots can be seen milling about outside their pens. These mounts are also vicious carnivores, and once they get their bearings there is the potential for a bloodbath. If the character helps corral the rogue beasts, the happy Pilthuri will grant the expedition a discount on any bahmoots they need (reduce the cost of bahmoots by 2 Story Points).

Religious Procession: the character's excursion is interrupted by a Martian religious procession. French governance has allowed for fringe sects to form, and this one believes that a messiah will come from the stars to save all of Mars. Today, that messiah is the player character out shopping. She is swooped up into the procession, carried aloft on a palanquin, garlanded with flowers and jewelry, and carried through the streets by the cheering crowd to a scratch built temple. The day's preparations for this character will be lost, but she will get to live out a life of worshipful adoration, at least until a doctrinal schism that evening causes the cult to split up, and the character left standing

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out in the cool Martian night. Good roleplaying may turn this into a boon, or a curse, depending on how this event plays out.

Anti-Earthling Protest: Angered by the changes brought by the French conquest, a large number of Martians have gathered to protest Earthling rule. Goaded on by Silthuri and Kastari troublemakers displaced by the French, the crowd of Talandri and a few Maduri are in an ugly mood. They march into the marketplace and overturn a few stalls, threaten a few merchants who deal with aliens or who are working outside their caste, and in general cause havoc.

There is a chance one of our heroes will be drawn into this mess. Aliens will be targeted with insults and threats, but not actual violence unless provoked. Martians acting out of caste will also be targets, but these are more likely to draw a few tossed cobblestones (Difficulty 12 Coordination + Athletics, damage 1/2/3). However, an upper caste Martian will be asked to join in the fun.

If the character manages to get out of the situation without resorting to violence, he simply loses the day's preparations dodging away from the protest. If he resorts to violence or joins in the protest, the police arrive shortly afterwards to disperse the disturbance and make arrests. Without some quick thinking the character might spend a night or two in jail. If a player character manages to disperse the protestors without bloodshed they will be well received by the merchants, and this grants a +4 bonus on any rolls by that character to bargain for supplies, equipment, or transportation.

Lost Europan: While in the marketplace, one of the characters hears a wave of Martian laughing, the titters of Julandri courtesans, the barks of Maduri, and the snickers of Talandri. A Europan is spotted walking through the square stark naked, stunned, and confused. Pinkish blood trickles from a gash on its forehead, and its body has several large, angry yellow bruises. If approached it will mumble something about ”Only wanting to study and help out.” Once calmed down (by getting it some clothes, food, and medical attention, or a successful Difficulty 14 Presence + Convince roll), it will reveal its name is Tava'lak and it is an emissary on its first assignment. Tava'lak was tasked with studying Earthling freebooters on Mars, but unfortunately the first group it approached was the Sons of Sol. These bigots beat and robbed the Europan, and left it lying in a back alley. It is very upset that the Earthlings have its pain baton and disintegrator.

If the player characters help Tava'lak to recover its lost possessions, it will thank them and be on its way. As a reward, as Tava'lak understands other species give gifts in thanks, it will offer them a small plastic box full of plain gold disks. It apologizes for only having these to offer, but it simply cannot part with its Europan technology. The gold disks are worth 5 Story Points for the Story Point Pool.

Expedition Returns: With much fanfare, a Soviet expedition into the Western Highlands returns. As Kolpith's economy has become flush with cash from the many expeditions that set out from the city, this provides a reason to celebrate. An impromptu parade forms at the city gates, snaking its way through the streets to the former palace, now the Ministry of Martian Affairs offices. The streets become clogged with natives and aliens alike as everyone wants to see what was brought back and the condition the expedition is in. No further activity can be conducted today, but the whole city puts on a spur of the moment party that lasts long into the night.

The expedition, as would be expected from a Soviet endeavor, is being very tight lipped. However, some rumors have floated about that they discovered a rare Ancient Martian roboman in some ruins in the southern extent of the Western Highlands. The good news for our heroes is that the Soviets are selling off used equipment, left over supplies, and extra bahmoots. Any purchase of these in the next few days will gain a bonus Story Point worth of equipment, supplies, and bahmoots.

Market Day: Today is market day in Kolpith! In addition to the normal merchants and vendors, the squares are crowded with people coming in from the surrounding area. A greater variety of goods and services are for sale than normal, but prices tend to go up on market day. Any player character that attempts to haggle will find more opportunities to do so, and thus gains a +2 bonus on any such rolls.

re e l two : rac e through th e h i gh landsOnce the expedition gets underway, they must still face the dangers of the Western Highlands. This reel contains two scenes, the first a series of events that can be thrown at the expedition as it makes its way through the rugged hills of the Western Highlands, and the second a stopover at the Yellow-Red Chanari fortress of Talam. Both scenes need to be played out, though the first one can go on for as long as the Gamemaster feels fits the pacing of the episode and the time limit he has.

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s c e n e o n e : h i g h l a n d d a n g e r sThe Western Highlands are not as harsh as the open desert of Mars, though this is not saying much considering how deadly the open desert is. Occasional rainfalls grace these dry, red hills, turning the tracks to mud and flooding the deep valleys. The valleys and mesas form a twisting labyrinth that can trap the unwary in box canyons and dead ends. The native flora and fauna are deadly, and relish the opportunity to enjoy a tasty snack of unwary traveler.

Depending on the mode of transportation chosen, the expedition might take days or weeks to cross the Western Highlands. While it might seem like fun to have them constantly rolling to determine if the expedition has strayed off course or stumbled into a hazard, this would drag out the pacing to the point where most people would not longer be having fun. Instead, have the expedition make two rolls per full or partial week of travel, one to Navigate the Maze, and the second to Make Their Way. Each character must take turns attempting a Make Their Way roll, for the least hardy character might hold the others up or cause some accident to happen. Only one Player Character should make the roll, though others may assist. Finally, the expedition may choose to push themselves in order to gain a +25% increase in travel speed, though this increases the Make Their Way roll to a Difficulty 16.

Depending on the results of the Make Their Way roll, the expedition might experience one of the events listed below. The beneficial ones are rewards for decent planning or just simple good fortune, the hazards are the results of failure of both planning and luck. If the party is in dire straits, out of supplies, terribly lost, and likely near death, then

the Gamemaster should feel free to have them encounter friendly Chanari, find an oasis, or stumble across their more gentlemanly rivals. A handful of events can go either way depending on how the party handled itself during Reel One and what they do during the encounter.

Navigate the MazeRoll: Awareness + SurvivalDifficulty: 16, + bonus from Equipment, minus penalties from the Navigational Errors event belowResults:• Fantastic: A short cut is discovered and the expedition

manages to cover an additional fifty kilometers this week.• Good: The expedition finds the right route and makes

average headway.• Success: The expedition finds a route through the

maze of valleys, but is starting to veer off course. The next Navigate the Maze roll is at –1.

• Failure: The expedition is off course, but can correct this on the next roll, though they will need to cover an additional fifty kilometers to do so.

• Bad: The expedition is lost and wastes the entire week wandering back and forth. This week's travel does not count against the total distance that needs to be covered.

• Disastrous: The expedition is horribly lost, far off course, and does not realize it until it has traveled one hundred kilometers off course. It must somehow find its way back on course with a –2 penalty to the next Navigate the Maze roll, and even then it loses this week's travel and must make up the course correction. 1 Story Point worth of supplies is used up during this time.

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Make Their WayRoll: Strength + SurvivalDifficulty: 14, see note aboveSpecial Note: a Story Point worth of equipment or supplies may be burned in order to gain a +2 bonus to a single Make Their Way roll. Results:• Fantastic: Not only is the party making good time

(increase daily travel by +25%), but also they get to experience one of the beneficial events below.

• Good: With keen foresight, stamina, and a little luck the expedition manages to not only avoid hazards, but also receive one of the beneficial events below.

• Success: The expedition makes average speed and experiences a neutral event or no event at all (Gamemaster's choice).

• Failure: The expedition stumbles into some sort of hazard, but still manages to make average speed.

• Bad: Fatigue and bad judgment saps the expedition's strength, causing it to consume a Story Point of supplies, and then walk right into a hazard.

• Disastrous: The expedition makes poor time (reduce travel speed by –25%), consumes a Story Point of supplies, and walks into a hazard. A bad week to be an explorer.

Beneficial EventsAn Ancient Discovery: A scatter of plastic shards, the potsherd of Ancient Martian archaeology, is spotted. If the expedition decides to halt for a week, and thus burn either a Story Point of supplies or equipment, they may excavate this find. Roll or choose from the artifacts below.

1. A box marked TAVROST DISTRICT MILITIA is found. Inside are several broken and useless Ancient Martian RAY rifles and a sealed plastic container. Inside are three control crystals in soft padding: two yellow, and a red.

2. Amongst shards of glass and half melted plastics is a broken data pad. This device can be repaired with a Difficulty 21 Ingenuity + Technology roll, though it will still need a power source. Its contents are largely short movies of various Martians experiencing humorous accidents, falling down stairs, getting startled by their fellows, or being the victims of various pranks. However, amongst all the random data is a map of the Western Highlands labeled TAVROST DISTRICT MAP. Using this map gives a +2 to any Navigate the Maze rolls, and reveals that the lost city was called the CENTRAL TAVROST ILLUMINATION RESEARCH CENTER.

3. Two Ancient Martian skeletons are found with signs of having been caught in some sort of mudslide. They are found clutching each other, their clothes and most of their belongings long since rotted away. However, each has a protected plastic case containing a still-functioning remote communicator with no power.

4. Beneath the red sand lies a pile of broken and scratched portable solar arrays. These shards of reflective material are useless except as curiosity pieces (and a large number of them could prove valuable). However, a Difficulty 16 Awareness + Technology roll will reveal enough useable pieces to be patched together to make a complete foldable array.

5. A cracked and sand-filled Freeze Ray pistol is found. Even if repaired (A Difficulty 21 Ingenuity + Technology roll), the device is not stable and will explode on a Disastrous roll to use it, inflicting its damage on all within a five-meter radius. However, it is a working Freeze Ray, so players may be willing to take that risk.

6. An Ancient Martian Radium Rifle is found, however it is in poor condition. It can still be used, but its power supply and magnetic coils are leaking radiation. Just

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carrying it around causes 1 level of damage every day, and firing it causes it to gain the Radiation Leakage trait. However, proper shielding for carrying it can be devised with a Difficulty 12 Ingenuity + Technology roll.

Lost Cache: A cache of supplies and equipment left behind by a previous expedition is found. This expedition was from past years, and could have been one of several that returned successfully (the Werner Expedition, the American Expedition of 1937, the French Académie Expedition of Summer 1937, or the Imperial Japanese Martian Expedition of 1935), or one that failed to return at all (the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation Expedition of 1937, the Soviet Expedition of 1935, or the Handsome and Grace Expedition of 1937). Whoever left it, they do not need it anymore, and the cache has a Story Point worth of equipment and supplies in it.

Oasis: The expedition comes across an oasis tucked into a side canyon. This spring fed paradise of green and red plants, wild animals, and water is a rare find on Mars. The party can spend three days here and gather 1 Story Point worth of supplies.

Short Cut: A short cut is discovered and the expedition manages to cover an additional fifty kilometers this week.

Wise Old Man: The expedition comes across a bizarre sight. Sitting on a bluff, stark naked to the sun and elements, is an elderly Kastari male. This Martian, Transcendent Jhavit the Pure, is a member of a fringe Martian sect, the Society of Eternal Bliss. He has retired to the wilds of the Western Highlands in order to further his meditations and the scourging of his body. Despite the bahmoot leather whip he carries and often strikes himself with, his flesh is unscarred and unmarked. Although vague and confusing in speech, he will happily assist the expedition in their endeavors, telling them of hazards that await them, secret springs and hidden foods, and finally directions towards the best paths to take through the highlands. All he asks in return is the chance to psychically join with a member of the expedition, a very intense and intimate experience. His advice, some of it implanted into the player character's subconscious, gives a +2 bonus to either the next Navigate the Maze or Making Their Way rolls.

HazardsBlack Scorpion: The dreaded rogue Chanari, a Yellow-Red warrior named who calls himself Black Scorpion, has caught wind of the expedition. First, his men will scout out

the opportunity here; they can be spotted with a Difficulty 16 Awareness + Resolve roll. If the expedition does not have much in the way of obvious firepower, or if his scouts are attacked, Black Scorpion himself will lead a dawn attack on the expedition. He comes thundering down from the slopes on the back of a howling bahmoot, leading a horde of screaming Chanari warriors similarly mounted.

black ScorpioN




SkillS: Athletics4,Fighting3,Marksman4,Survival5

traitS: Adversary(yellow-redchanariofTalam)(MajorBad),FightingMan,Friends(tribemates)(Majorgood),KeenSenses(sight),Tough,Quickreflexes,unattractive

EquipmENt: Bonebow(3/7/10),waraxe(2/5/7)

Story poiNtS: 4

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Navigational Errors: Strange magnetic properties of the rocks in this portion of the Western Highlands make navigation difficult. The next Navigate the Maze roll is at –2.

Rockslide!: The expedition has strayed into an unstable section of the canyons, and a rockslide is imminent. As the first stones begin to tumble down the canyons walls, everyone must make a, Escaping the Rockslide roll, below.

Escaping the RockslideRoll: Coordination + Athletics to dodge or run away; Awareness + Survival to spot it in time and get clear. Difficulty: 14Results:• Fantastic: The character escapes the rockslide and is

in a position to aid someone nearby (either rescuing a minor non player character or giving a +4 bonus to one person's roll to escape).

• Good: The character escapes the rockslide cleanly and in good order.

• Success: The character avoids the bulk of the rockslide, but is now lost somewhere in the valley.

• Failure: The character fails to get entirely clear of the rockslide , but does not get badly injured by debris or buried under the rubble. However, he is trapped by the rocks and suffers A Stun damage result. Unable to free himself, he must await rescue.

• Bad: The rockslide overwhelms the character, inflicting 2 levels of damage and trapping her under the rocks. Worse, she inhales enough dust to give her a –2 on Strength rolls for the next two days.

• Disastrous: The character is unconscious and buried under pile of rocks after suffering 4 levels of damage. If he is not found in the next hour, he will begin to suffocate.

Salt Flat Valley: The expedition proceeds down a narrow canyon and then over a steep razor back ridge. On the other side lies a wide dead basin, once a lake but now a salt flat of immense proportions. Crossing it is a risk, while it allows for automobiles to move at great speed (increasing travel by +50% for three days) it provides no forage or water for livestock.

This, when combined with the incredible heat of the sun's rays baking off of the white salt, means that to cross it would eat up a Story Point worth of supplies. However, going around would add eighty kilometers to the journey.

Staked out to Die!: As the expedition rounds the bend of a canyon, they find five 1e Légion Martien soldiers staked out naked in the sun. Most have expired from exposure and the depredations of wild animals, but one still clings to life. If given water, he croaks out a warning about scorpions striking form the shadows, Chanari on the warpath, and something about a girl named Yvette. The young man, far from his home on a distant planet, then dies.

Stalked by Wild Beasts: The party is stalked by one of the wild animals native to Mars. The Gamemaster can choose from the box sections on the oposite page, or include an alien beast of her own invention.

raNgEd WEapoNSWEapoN damagE raNgE iNcrEmENtS

(mEtErS)traitS ammo WEight

(kg)coSt

(Story poiNtS)

Bone Bow 2/4/6 150 Fragile,Quality,Strength 1 2 1

chaNari WarriorS





traitS: Adversary(yellow-redchanariofTalam)(MajorBad),Friends(tribemates)(Majorgood),KeenSenses(sight),Tough,Quickreflexes,unattractive


EquipmENt: bow(3/6/9),waraxe(2/5/7)

Story poiNtS: 2

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Neutral Events1e Légion Martien Patrol: A patrol of the 1e Legion Martien spots the expedition and hurries over to see if they need any help or directions. If the party has the proper paperwork, the patrol is happy to point them towards the right path to take through the maze of canyons. Should the expedition be operating without authorization, they will be arrested and escorted back to Kolpith to stand trail. Use the stat block for the Legionnaires under Rivals above.

Passing Chanari: A group of Yellow-Red Chanari from Talam pass by the expedition. The Chanari can be spotted before they are close enough to see the expedition with a Difficulty 14 Awareness + Resolve roll. They are friendly and willing to help those in need, as well as trade supplies for trade goods on a one for one basis. However, if the expedition is past Talam, and thus in Chanari territory, and has not paid tribute and received passage from the Hedak

arthur'S dragoN




SkillS: Athletics3,Fighting4,Subterfuge(Stealth)3,Survival3

traitS: Additionallegs,Fast,KeenSenses(hearingandsmell),naturalWeapons(3/7/9),Quickreflexes,Tough

Story poiNtS: 4

Wild tESSEloN




SkillS: Athletics4,Fighting4,Subterfuge4,Survival4

traitS: AlienSense(trackbyscent),PackTactics(Threeormoretesseloncansurroundatargetandattackitinanunrelentingseriesoflungesandslashes.Allattacksbythepackareat+2tohitanddeal+2damage),Brave,naturalWeapons(3/6/9),KeenSenses(eyesight,Hearing,Smell),nightvision

Story poiNtS: 4

dEvil vulturE




SkillS: Athletics3,Fighting3,Survival4

traitS: Additionallimbs(AdevilvulturemaymakeanextraattackwithitsforelimbseachActionround,inflicting2/4/6damage),claws(3/6/9),Fangs(4/8/12),Flight(Speed12),KeenSenses(eyesight),Tough

Story poiNtS: 2

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of Talam, these Chanari will attempt to round up the party and bring them to the fortress for judgment. Use the stat block under Black Scorpion above.

Mad Man of the Mountains: While making their way through the maze of canyons, the expedition hears a high-pitched scream from the cliffs above. Searching, their eyes partially blinded by the sun, they see an Earthling male clad in rags dancing back and forth from foot to foot on a rock ledge above. His hair and beard are long, and hang down over his emaciated shoulders. The man is Yuri Kozlov, the last surviving member of the Soviet Expedition of 1935. He has spent the last three years scraping a life out of the desolate red hills, avoiding bandits and rogue Chanari, as well as wild animals and, apparently, hygiene. His sanity has long gone due to isolation and depravation, but a careful approach might just coax him down from his ledges and caves.

A Difficulty 18 Presence + Convince roll will get him to come close enough to talk, and accept some food or water. He does not want to go back to civilization, convinced the Europans killed everyone, which is why there never were search parties out looking for him, and the expedition are simply ghosts, like in that valley over yonder.

If treated kindly over a few days he might divulge that he has been to the Gorge of Walking Ghosts, and that he knows a few things.

vaguE muttEriNgSThey hate yellow, fear yellow rocks above all else.TheyalsotastelikemarshmallowsandareallstaunchTrotskyites,andthussuspect.Theghostswalklikemenbutthinklikedogs.Theromanovsarebehinditall,andhowimissmypoorlostgrandmother.

Should the party be cruel, or simply ignore the poor stranded explorer, he will set upon a campaign of harassment, albeit a minor one. Excrement and rocks will occasionally be flung down from shadowed crevices in the canyon walls, small objects will begin disappearing, natural water sources will be found fouled, and small dangerous animals will be found in sleeping bags and backpacks.

Meeting with Rivals: One of the rival expeditions is traveling near the Player Characters. It can be spotted with a Difficulty 12 Awareness + Resolve roll. The nature of the encounter depends on the relationship with the rivals, and can range from cordial, to guarded, to downright hostile.

Warlord Camp: The expedition comes across a patrol of mounted Maduri loyal to Tal-Matruth, one of the leading warlords who has set himself up as a local ruler following

yuri kozlov





traitS: AnimalFriendship,eccentric(MajorBad),PsychicTraining

EquipmENt: dirtyrags,bitsofbone,collectionofdesertsandratdroppings

Story poiNtS: 6

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the chaos of the Ebb Revolution. The Maduri are far outside their normal range, and not looking for a fight. Indeed, they will be willing to swap news, trade food items (not to gain anything, just for variety's sake), and otherwise have a friendly (for the irascible Maduri at least) visit with strangers. They are on their way to Talam to scout out its defenses, but will not reveal this information. Any news about Talam will be greatly appreciated. Use the stats for Maduri under Rivals above.

Wild Bahmoot Herd: As the expedition makes its way down a series of switch back ridges, they spot a herd of wild bahmoots in the valley below. Wild bahmoots can be dangerous predators, but they also afford an opportunity; it is possible to capture and tame them. If the party desires, they can attempt to round up and break as many of the dozen adults as they desire keeping in mind that wild bahmoots do not take kindly to that sort of behavior. To break a wild bahmoot, the creature's resolve must be worn down with Resolve +Athletics rolls, and once broken they can be added to the expedition's bahmoot train. It takes one day for one wrangler to break a single bahmoot.

Storm!: One of those rare events on Mars, and one almost always limited to the Western Highlands, a rainstorm sweeps by. Clouds build on the horizon and move towards the expedition, bringing cool winds, rain, and a bit of thunder and lightening. However, this means the lower canyons will soon flood, presenting a danger. A Difficulty 12 Awareness + Survival roll will inform the expedition that danger is on the way in time for them to reach higher ground. If containers are available, 1 Story Point worth of supplies can be collected from the rainwater.

s c e n e t w o : t h e r e a l m o f t h e y e l l o w - r e d c h a n a r iTalam is a Yellow-Red Chanari fortress high in the Western Highlands. Its mighty walls stand atop a steep sided bluff that can only be accessed by a narrow causeway that attaches it to a nearby mesa. Chanari gliders soar from the battlements and swoop down across the valley below, giving the impression that the natives are some sort of

Wild bahmoot




SkillS: Athletics5,Fighting3,Survival(Deserts)3

traitS: Brave,Fast,naturalWeapons(4/8/12),Tough

Story poiNtS: 2

notes:Tamebahmootsgainloyal(SpeciesMinorgood).Theloyaltyofawelltrainedbahmootislegendary,andtheywillgotoanylengthstopleasetheirmasters,evenattheriskoftheirownlives.Thisgivesthema+2toresolvewhenworkingfortheirmasters,aswellasgivingtheownerofatamebahmoota+2toconvincerollstohandlethem),and2StoryPoints.

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winged creature, for surely only something that can fly would live in such an unreachable locale.

The mesa connected to Talam provides a large open, flat area for expeditions to gather. The people of Talam, led by a council of elders called the Hedak, have permitted this location to be used by aliens passing through their territory. Traders come from the Chanari citadel to sell foodstuffs, water, and bahmoots, as well as trinkets and handicrafts. One end of the mesa is left clear of tents and livestock, and this can be used as a rough airfield or rocket port.

The expedition can resupply here if they desire, and at a cheaper price than in Kolpith. Bahmoots can be purchased at half price, meaning that two units of bahmoots can be bought for 1 Story Point. Supplies are available at the usual cost, though these take the form of hardy fare such as dried bahmoot jerky, candied red cactus fruit, and powdered nine winged locust husks. The Chanari love negotiating a good deal, and the Haggling expanded roll from above must be used. Information can also be gathered at Talam, using the same rules and table as Preparations above. Just as with that earlier scene, each player character can spend a day attempting one activity, here they would be purchasing supplies, purchasing bahmoots, spying on rivals

(if any rivals would be present), gathering information, and paying tribute. The Hedak expects that those wishing to pass through their lands must pay tribute, and the shortest distance between Talam and the lost city is through the lands of Talam. At least one member of the expedition needs to take trade goods with them to the Hedak and offer it as tribute. However, the Chanari also expect the supplicant to present themselves and the cause of their expedition and to in some manner justify the incursion. All must be done with the proper respect paid to Talam, the Hedak, and the Yellow-Red Chanari in general.

Before the Hedak of TalamRoll: Presence + ConvinceDifficulty: 20, +2 bonus to the roll for every Story Point worth of trade goods given in tributeResults:• Fantastic: The Hedak of Talam is pleased with the

tribute and the manner in which it is presented. In fact, they are so pleased that they have decided to sponsor the expedition (refusal of this would be an insult). The expedition is given 3 Story Points of supplies and the bahmoots to carry them, as well as an armed guard of five Chanari warriors.

• Good: The expedition is allowed to pass and may do so immediately.

• Success: The Hedak decrees that it needs time to discuss the proposal, and the expedition will have to wait. Three days later they grant permission to pass through their territory.

• Failure: The Hedak decrees that the tribute is insufficient, but the expedition is allowed a second chance, provided they can increase the amount of tribute.

• Bad: The expedition is refused the right to pass through the territory of Talam, and the offered tribute is confiscated.

• Disastrous: The expedition is barred from passing through the lands of Talam, and furthermore they are escorted two hundred kilometers to the edge of Talam lands (back the way they came if they traveled overland from Kolpith).

r e e l t h r e e : i n t h e g o r g e o f w a l K i n g g h o s t sThe lost city is located in a narrow valley that the local Yellow-Red Chanari call the Gorge of Walking Ghosts. This valley is only fifty meters across at its widest, a kilometer and a half long, and is shaped more like a deep crack in the surrounding plateau than a normal valley. Midway down

23


its length, and at its deepest point of three hundred and forty-five meters, lies the remains of the lost city, or as the Ancient Martians called it, the Central Tavros District Illumination Research Center, or CTDIRC.

The CTDIRC was a small laboratory complex that originally produced holographic entertainments. The increase in Erisian raids led to the laboratory being tasked with creating holographic security systems for the Ancient Martian defense systems, however this research did not produce much in the way of useful results. As the war with the Erisians intensified, the need for large numbers of trained soldiers increased and the facility was then directed to develop holographic training programs based on the limited utility security systems. Unfortunately, an earthquake caused a fissure to swallow the facility and the project was forgotten.

Millennia passed, and the facility sat dormant and forgotten. A trickle of power from the site's energy converter and a small crew of maintenance robomen kept the systems on standby, waiting for the next set of instructions to restart. Two centuries ago, dust and vermin in the facility's robobrain finally caused a system error that awoke it with the simple order, provide holographic training and testing of site security. The robobrain is using its original entertainment data files, those produced during the short lived failed security research, and the training programs. Since that time it has been busy, and the area has gained its reputation of being haunted by vengeful spirits.

This reel is divided into two scenes, one set outside the facility proper, and the other within. The expedition will

have to brave the guardians, either deactivating them or talking their way past them. Once in the facility proper the surviving robomen, further holographic protections, and the precarious nature of the facility itself must be negotiated. Finally, they must contend with the robobrain itself. The rewards of such daring and ingenuity can be great, a working robobrain, several robomen, and advanced holographic and encryption technology.

s c e n e o n e : g h o s t l y g u a r d i a n sThis scene takes place in the Gorge of Walking Ghosts, and possibly in the surrounding area. If the party’s expedition is the first to arrive at the site, they have the area all to themselves. Should a rival have beaten them there, let the rival's smoldering corpses and ruined camp be a warning to our heroes of the dangers of disturbing Ancient Martian ruins.

The Gamemaster needs to keep track of the number of days the expedition spends at the site. Rival expeditions may be close on their heels, and might arrive while the Player Characters are busy in the ruins. As there are a great deal of variables involved, it is up to the Gamemaster to determine, based on the nature of the rivals and way they have interacted with the player characters, how any encounter at this point will play out.

The valley is narrow and strewn with fallen rocks, the canyon walls rising steeply up to an average height of three hundred meters. Getting down into the canyon will be tricky, the climb is not easy and without equipment it is likely there will be an accident or injury. Each player

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character descending into the gorge will need to succeed at the Down into the Depths expanded roll.

Down into the DepthsRoll: Strength + AthleticsDifficulty: 16, equipment bonus from preparations modifies this.Results:• Fantastic: The character zips down the cliff with ease,

and may give a +2 bonus to the next person to attempt the descent.

• Good: The character makes it down the cliff in good form and without incident.

• Success: The character makes it down the cliff side, but along the way knocks loose enough rocks and other debris to create a small rockslide that imperils those below. Anyone already in the gorge must make a Difficulty 12 Coordination + Athletics roll or suffer 1/2/3 damage.

• Failure: The character slips and falls, but catches himself partway down. He now hangs precariously from a ledge and needs to be rescued. The rescuer must make a Down into the Depths roll, only with a Difficulty of 20.

• Bad: The character slips off the rock face, but is most of the way down when that happens. She lands in the gorge, suffering 4 levels of damage and is Stunned.

• Disastrous: The character falls as above, but also pulls down an important part of the climb, perhaps the ropes, pitons, part of the rock face, the top of the cliff, or something else of critical importance. It will take a day's work to find a new area to climb down and rebuild the climbing rig. Also, any below must make a Difficulty 12 Coordination + Athletics roll or suffer 3/4/6 damage.

Once in the valley, the expedition can move towards the ruins of the facility. Most of the ruins are underground, buried under rock and sand, but two floors and the domed roof stick out of the lower part of the canyon walls at a steep angle. Before reaching these, the party will be met with a series of holographic defenses intended to scare away intruders. Begin with Defense Level One and proceed from there. Defense Level OneOnce the expedition is within a hundred meters of the facility; it activates the first layer of defense. Armed Erisians warriors appear from nowhere and instigate a firefight with the Player Characters. These warriors appear as overly large Venusians with fur dyed in bright colors, ridiculously large fangs and claws, pointed horns,

and armed with strange looking rifles. As holograms, the Erisians are immune to normal attacks and have no minds or physical bodies. They are not programmed to speak other than in howls and growls, and the robobrain manipulating them will not speak through them. Their programming does include tactical knowledge, and so they will use fire and movement to full effect.

When struck, the holograms become pixilated around the point of the 'wound', thus giving a clue as to what they are. They also do not impact the ground, nor are they programmed to engage in hand-to-hand combat (they simply ignore these attacks). Any Bad or worse result by one of these guardians means that the programming has failed, and the guardian walks through a solid object,

EriSiaN hologramS

AWAreneSS 4 PreSence -

coorDinATion 4 reSolve -

ingenuiTy 1 STrengTH -

SkillS: Athletics5,Marksman3

traitS: FightingMan,Quickreflexes

EquipmENt: erisianrAyrifle(actuallyaprojectedelectrostunner,range30,(–/S/S)

Story poiNtS: 0

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appears a meter off the ground, or some has other obvious imaging fault. A successful Difficulty 12 Awareness + Technology roll will deduce these are not real things, but perhaps images projected by some device.

s c e n e t w o : t h e l a i r o f t h e r o B o B r a i nAfter the first line of defense has been breached, the robobrain steps things up a notch with a full immersion hologram. The rocky terrain of the Western Highlands disappears to be replaced by a coniferous forest of alien looking pines (pine trees with spiky bark, blue needles, and yellow flowers along their trunks), chilly mists, and strange sounds in the distance.

This hologram includes vision, sound, touch, and smell (the programmers never suspected that anyone would want to lick it and thus there is no taste). The purpose was to recreate conditions on Eris in order to train for a counter invasion.

However, the entertainment programming has corrupted this image, changing it from a training exercise into a scene from a popular Ancient Martian action drama, The Adventures of Group Commander Tahcailk, specifically "Group Commander Tahcailk and the Forest of Perpetual Woe". Group Commander Tahcailk favorite lover is being held captive by the Erisians, tied up in a cave deep in the mist filled forest. A rabid shalvak has been turned loose, and our heroes (who have been assigned the roles of Group Commander Tahcailk and his companions) must rescue him. If they can pass this test, they gain access to the facility.

The Forest of Perpetual WoeThe forest has little underbrush, but is choked with shifting fogs and mists. Sounds echo strangely (largely due to the robobrain recording and replaying sounds). A howling roar is heard in the distance, accompanied by the sound of pounding feet. From a different direction comes a high-pitched scream for help (in Ancient Martian of course).

The shalvak will stalk and then pursue the expedition. Attempts to spot it are hindered by the program actively observing it, or in some cases rendering the image as shadows, moving blurs, or other indistinct sights.

Shalvak hologramS



ingenuiTy 1 STrengTH -

SkillS: Athletics5,Fighting6

traitS: FightingMan,Quickreflexes

EquipmENt: Horrificteethandclaws(actuallyaprojectedelectrostunner,(S/2/4)

Story poiNtS: 8(theprogramispartiallydesignedtobeareactivesimulation,partiallyactiondramaentertainment)

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rocket age

The shalvak will not be visible until the Gamemaster chooses the right dramatic moment to reveal it, usually just as it attacks. Normally a hologram cannot inflict lethal damage, but the combination of errors in the robobrain and the security system has dialed up the projected electro-stunner settings, thus enhancing the damage.

The Cave of Infinite SorrowOnce the expedition has defeated the shalvak, the entrance to the Cave of Infinite Sorrow will open. This is actually the main entryway into the facility and leads into a large foyer. The hologram that is projected over this is of a damp natural cave, complete with dripping water, stalactites and stalagmites, and the occasional six winged bat like creature. Chained to the wall across from the entrance is an alluringly beautiful male Ancient Martian, looking much like a Silthuri. He is clad in long loincloth that reaches to the ground, and his skin is oddly shiny, as if oiled. When the Player Characters enter he says (in Ancient Martian):

thE thrEE tEStS of thE cavE of iNfiNitE SorroW

"groupcommander Tahcailk, my one true love, youhavecomeforme,butdonotriskyourpreciouslifeanyfurther.Know,oDeartoMyHeart,thatthiscavehasbeen enchanted by those Demons of the Fifth Planetandyoumaynotsavemebutforpassingthreestrangeand wicked tests. i dare not watch if you brave theFiresofgazar'tak,riskyourfabledfleshtoretrievetheSacredemeraldofHilfathirk,orbattleapairofogre-demonsfromthepitsofAstarliie!

The robobrain will replay this speech over and over and answer all questions with this canned dialogue. If any Player Character crosses the threshold into the caves (and thus into the facility), the three tests listed below will be activated. Although two of these tests are actually holograms, all are dangerous, even deadly, as the robobrain is putting all the power of its electro-stun projectors into the scene.

Behold the Fires Of Gazar'tak!: With a rumble and falling holograms of stone, a chasm opens in front of our heroes. Flames roar up out of the depths below and a thin metallic rope can be seen stretching to the other side. To proceed to the next challenge at least one player character must cross over the chasm. Once someone has, the hologram vanishes as suddenly as it appeared and the next challenge begins.

Across the ChasmRoll: Coordination + AthleticsDifficulty: 16Results:• Fantastic: The character crosses with such speed

and aplomb he has moved quicker than the program is ready for, forcing the robobrain to compensate. Whoever attempts the next challenge does so with a +2 bonus.

• Good: With a firm and steady stride the character crosses the chasm on that thin string of wire.

• Success: Although he makes it across, the character is jolted for 2 levels of damage by the electro-stunner.

• Failure: The character stumbles and falls, but catches himself on the wire. He may attempt to cross again, but at a Difficulty of 18.

• Bad: The character falls into the chasm and is shocked for 4 levels of damage. He can climb out of the chasm up to the edge he started from and may attempt to cross again.

• Disastrous: Not only does the character fall into the 'fire' and receive a nasty shock, she also falls onto something solid hidden under the hologram, taking a total of 6 levels of damage. She can climb out of the chasm up to the edge she started from and may attempt to cross again.

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Snatch the Sacred Emerald of Hilfathirk!: The chasm dissolves to be replaced by a large stalagmite that rises a meter and a half out of the floor of the cavern. There are several openings leading into the center of the stalagmite, each roughly hand sized and spaced around the entire surface of the stone. Peering into an opening reveals scuttling bugs of various sizes milling about in a maze of stone tunnels. One player character must reach inside the stone and feel around for a large emerald. However, the various passages are home to a variety of crawling, biting, and stinging insects. A brave heart and steady hand will be required.

A Brave Heart and a Steady HandRoll: Coordination + ResolveDifficulty: 16Results:• Fantastic: The character reaches in, grabs the emerald,

and draws it out safely, and the emerald hologram was also hiding a yellow control crystal.

• Good: Success, the emerald is in the character's grasp and none of the insects or other hidden dangers was disturbed.

• Success: The character gets a hold of the gem, but still has to withdraw it, but now with a Difficulty of 12. A result of Success or above on this second roll allows them to withdraw the emerald successfully, a result of Bad or Disastrous is as below, with the character dropping the gem. A Failure means the character has to repeat the test.

• Failure: Although she did not reach the gem, the character has a good idea which holes are not safe and do not lead to the emerald.

• Bad: This hole is not safe; the character is stung by the elector-stunner for 4 levels of damage.

• Disastrous: The character gets zapped and when suddenly withdrawing their hand manages to get zapped again for a total of 6 levels of damage.

Fear the Ogre-Demons!: Two seven meter tall forms come out of the cavern wall, each a mound of muscle and shaggy tie dyed fur. Their eyes burn with fire, their breath is like rotting meat, and their bestial heads are surmounted with a blood soaked spiral horn. Each ogre-demon carries a tree trunk like club in one hand. With a snarl they move to attack.

These holograms are masking the facility's pair of surviving maintenance robomen. When the hologram is struck it ripples into digital blocks that reveal the rusted and bashed metal beneath. If the hologram is dissipated, the two-meter tall metallic bodies of the robomen are visible. They are

bulky and square in design, each with a single red sensor band across their box like heads. Their left arms end in a mass of tool tipped metal tentacles, and their left arms are forked heavy lifting rigs. They fight until disabled.

tWo maiNtENaNcE robomEN




SkillS: Technology5

traitS: AlienAppearance(SpeciesMajorBad),Armor(AP5),BytheBook,clumsy,DataStorage,enslaved(SpeciesMajorBad),naturalWeapon(liftingarm),networked(SpeciesMajorgood),robot,Scan(Full),Slowreflexes,Transmit

EquipmENt: liftingarm(5/10/15),weldinglaser(4/8/12)

Story poiNtS: 4

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rocket age

After the RescueThe drain on power, not to mention the strain on the robobrain, has proven to be too much. It shorts out, sending arcs and sparks throughout the complex. Unless they act quickly with a good plan, the entire facility might catch fire. At the very least, the data banks will suffer severe damage. How the player characters react to this and the efforts they take to save the ruins is up to them, but creativity should be well rewarded.

c o n c l u d i n g t h e a d v e n t u r eDepending on the success of their efforts to save the facility, the expedition may be rewarded with a stunning find. The robobrain itself is priceless, and even a damaged one can be repaired, reprogrammed, and/or resold. The robomen are also valuable, assuming they were not too badly damaged. Finally, the facility itself is filled with holographic projection devices, studios, data pads, paintings, statues, personal effects, and other knick-knacks. There are several cases containing control crystals scattered around the facility, with at least one of the cases containing three of each type of crystal.

However, the expedition might have to defend its find against its rivals. Henning and the Sons of Sol will not hesitate to use violence to secure the 'lost city' even if they discover that it is only a single ruined building. Dr. Desprée will be disappointed she lost the race, but would also be willing to share the find with others. If the player characters performed well and with appropriate heroics, they should be awarded Story Points as seen on the table below.

Story poiNtS achiEvEmENt

1Helpedarival,themadman,orthedyinglegionnairealongtheway

1recoveredtherobobrainlargelyintact

a p p e n d i x o n e : a n c i e n t m a r t i a n c o n t r o l c r y s t a l sThese rare, but very useful, pieces of Ancient Martian technology modify the beams emitted by RAY weapons. A control crystal is a fist sized or larger (crystals large enough for heavy weapons such as RAY cannons are very rare) translucent crystal with a metal fitting at one end.

Each crystal is color coded to a desired effect, making them easy to use once they are understood (Difficulty 14 Ingenuity + Knowledge to identify control crystals, Difficulty 16 Ingenuity + Technology to figure out how to use them). Ancient Martian RAY weapons were designed with a fitting for the crystal at the end of the barrel; modern Earthling RAY weapons must be modified to take a control crystal (Difficulty 14 Ingenuity + Technology).

There are six different colors of crystals, red, yellow, blue, green, black, and purple. Each changes the color of the beam produced by RAY weapons to match the color of the crystal, making the use of a control crystal an impossible

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thing to hide. Red crystals render the beam useless against living tissue, any living creature hit with the beam suffers no damage, but non-living substances take regular damage. Inert organics, such as leather, act as armor against red beams. Yellow beams were developed for training purposes; they have no effect on material objects, but dissipate any holographic projection they strike. Blue crystals are the opposite of red crystals, they do not damage inorganic substances, but do regular damage to organics, with inert organic material acting as armor.

Black control crystals produce an electronically active beam that damages the delicate circuits of advanced technology, and only do their damage to devices with electronic circuits (they produce a localized EMP beam). Green control crystals produce a healing beam that stimulates the repair of damaged organics, healing the weapon's damage rating in levels of physical damage. Finally, purple crystals were designed to combat powerful psychics. They do limited damage to any non-psychic hit, at most a Stun result, but do higher levels of damage against psychics and render them unable to use their abilities for a time.

Control crystals are fragile and can crack without proper care and maintenance, especially considering they were made millennia ago. Any Bad result in their use (including analyzing them and fitting them to modern RAY weapons), causes the crystal to crack and become useless.

A Disastrous result when using one (but not analyzing or fitting one) causes the crystal to explode, inflicting the weapon's base damage on all within three meters (resisted by a Difficulty 14 Coordination + Athletics roll).

a p p e n d i x t w o : d e v i l v u l t u r eDevil VultureThe highlands of Mars are home to some of the most diverse ecologies on the planet. Their elevation provides a break from the heat of the desert, as well as encouraging an increase in rainfall from scant to sporadic. Hoppers, gazelle, galantalopes, bahmoots, and other large animals can be found in abundance, and above all this bounty is the devil vulture, one of the largest flying mammals in the Solar System.

The devil vulture is similar in shape to a flying wolf, albeit one with two leathery wings, a long membrane covered tail, and four legs. It has large ears like those of a terrestrial fox, a long narrow muzzle filled with sharp backward pointing teeth, and a broad nose that allows it to pick up scents from kilometers away. Its four legs are disproportionate in shape, the front pair being shorter and weaker, while the hind legs are strong and tipped with sharp retractable claws. The front pair end in clumsy manipulative digits, and devil vultures are known to use these to help reach into carcasses to get at the tasty bits, and even using rocks crack open bones in order to suck out the rich marrow.

Devil vultures are primarily carrion eaters, and their large size and fearsome appearance is more a means to intimidate other scavengers and drive them away rather than to bring down large prey. However, they are very curious and opportunistic, and a pack of devil vultures will swoop low to investigate strangers in their territory, or to carry off man sized or smaller prey that look weak or sick. Larger prey are immune to devil vulture attacks,

color of cryStal EffEct

BlackcausesanyelectronicdevicehittopauseforoneActionroundonSuccess,ceaseworkingonagoodresult,andarerenderedbeyondrepaironaFantasticsuccess.

BluePassesrightthroughinorganicmatter,damageslivingorganicmatter,inertorganicsactasarmor.

green Healsweaponsdamageratinginlevelsofphysicaldamage

Purplechangesdamageratingagainstnon-psychicsto0/0/S(1d6minutes),damagetopsychicsincreasedby+4levelsandthepsychic'sabilitiesarerendereduselessfor1d6ActionroundsonaSuccess,1d6minutesonagoodresult,and1d6hoursonaFantastichit.

red Passesthroughlivingorganicmatter,damagesinorganicmatter,inertorganicsactasarmor.

yellow effectsholographicprojectsonly,dissipatingthem

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rocket age

but if any sign of weakness is spotted, a pack will glide high above the future meal, waiting for an opportunity to fly down and feed. They are not too picky about the difference between dead prey and immobile though still living prey, nor are they above using their intelligence and crude hands to engineer an accident that further moves the prey towards death.

dEvil vulturE Story hookSWhiletryingtomovestealthyacrossthewildsofMars,thepartyattractstheattentionofaflockofdevilvultures.These high flying animals soar in circles above theparty,whichshouldalertanywhoknowanythingaboutMartiandesert survival that somethingor someone isbelowthedevilvultures.

Adevilvulturetakesaninterestintheplayercharacters,stalkingthemfromtheairandusingitslimitedabilitytomaketrapstocreatedeadfalls,ripapartropebridges,andinotherwayshampertheparty'sadvance.

Tales told by the chanari speak of a devil vulturegraveyard.Somewhere in theWesternHighlands liesavalleywherethesegreatflyingbeastsgotodie.itisalsosaidthatthosedyingofoldagearecompelledbysomestrangeinstincttocarrywiththemsomethingshinyto linetheirgraves.This, togetherwith therecent theftofthe167-caratJewelofHiranthfromitsdisplayatopthe tallest spire in Kostrast, present some interestingpossibilities.

dEvil vulturE




SkillS: Athletics3,Fighting3,Survival4

traitS: Fangs: Adevilvulturehasafang-filledmouththatismorethancapableofcrackingboneinordertogetatthesweet,juicymarrow.Theirbitesinflict4/8/12damage.Claws:Thehindlimbsofadevilvulturearetippedwithcurvedtalonsthatarecaneasilygrabprey,piercingthoughfleshtolodgeinthebone.clawattacksinflict3/6/9damage.Flight:onthewing,adevilvulturecanmoveatSpeed12andhasnoknownflightceiling,thoughmoststayclosetotheground.Tough:Withhardy,muscularbodiesandathickhide,thedevilvultureisafairlysturdybeast,andreducesalldamageittakesby2points.Additional Limbs:AdevilvulturemaymakeanextraattackwithitsforelimbseachActionround,inflicting2/4/6damage.Keen Senses:Thedevilvulture'seyesightismuchsharperthananearthling's,anditgainsa+2bonustoperceptionrollsinvolvingeyesight.

Story poiNtS: 2

The Lost City of the Ancients

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