Episode 1

The heroes have been tasked with throwing a Spirit Gem into a magical rift that will appear over Century Tower in Huruistan at midnight of the Three Dark Moons. Century Tower is located at the highest point of the fortified city built onto a hillside. Their mission is complicated by the fact that Huruistan is under attack by the forces of the Masked Hunter and must make their way through the embattled streets before the rift disappears.

Running “the City”

The layout of the city is really not that important, as the heroes are moving from one set piece to another. Describe the situation (flaming building, exploding ordinance, refugees, enemies and Huruistan forces shuffling by at a distance, etc), and let the heroes get into their own trouble. I wouldn’t even worry about the time crunch, unless the heroes dawdle. What should be visible throughout the adventure is the play of lights as the rift begins to manifest over the city. Hopefully this will be enough to keep them moving to their goal.

Encounters in the City

The following encounters can be run in any order and are meant to give the heroes a view into the situation in the city, the disposition of the enemy, and the hopelessness of the cause, in general. I suggest that you run the first encounter “in media res”… as in, in the middle of the action.

Encounter 1 - Dwarven Artillerists and Hunting Rats

A small group of dwarves is attempting to right a heavy mortar and return fire on the forces of the hunters. They are positioned in a cul-de-sac surrounded by ruined buildings. The rat men have been tracking the heroes in the shadows, and take refuge in the ruins around the dwarves, as the heroes approach. One rat-man crawls out with a bit of showmanship and flourish. When questioned as to his intentions, multiple clicks are heard as the other rat-men charge their pistols. The rat-men fire on the dwarves first, then charge out to engage survivors with their rapiers. The dwarves beg the heroes to hold off the rats while they right the mortar and begin returning fire. It takes the dwarves 1d6+1 rounds to right the mortar, load and fire.

Hunting Rats (8)

Dwarven Artillerists (4)

Event - Bombardment

Halfway through the battle the Hunter's artillery takes a pass at the area. The cul-de-sac area is 60x60. Shells hit the area at a rate of 1 per round with the following results:

3d6 damage within 2” – Target must make an Agility check or be blown 6-10” and fall prone

2d6 damage within 4” – Target must make an Agility check +1 or be blown 3-6” and fall prone

1d6 damage within 6”

Shells fall in the following areas:

30% ruined buildings

40% in the cul-de-sac (roll randomly for square)

20% miss the area

10% direct hit on the mortar - 5d6 damage within 2” (exploding gunpowder stores), 4d6 within 4”, 3d6 within 6”, 2d6 within 8”

Encounter 2 – Grocs and Refugees

The heroes directly encounter the grocs assaulting a group of refugees that are desperately trying to defend themselves and escape. As the heroes approach, they can choose to help or avoid the encounter.

If they attempt to avoid the encounter (duck into a side alley or whatever), they must succeed in a Stealth check. If noticed, the grocs take them for Huruistanian troops and pursue.

If the heroes defend the refugees, they should each receive a Benny.

Grocs – 2 per Wild Card

Event: Feel free to insert any Extras or other helper types in with the refugees.

Encounter 3 – Rashnu Witchhunters

The Masked Hunter employs a group of fanatics that seek to destroy arcane spellcasters. Regardless of whether such a hero exists in the party, the rashnu end up on the party’s trail. They start out by tracking/trailing the group, perhaps drawn by the power of the Soul Gem. They then set up an ambush at an appropriate place, utilizing their guns, mancatchers and arcane manacles to effect.

Rashnu Witchhunters (1 per Wild Card)

Encounter 4 – Century Square

Century Square is a huge marketplace, typically, though the heroes find a chaotic melee of fleeing refugees, outmanned Huruistan soldiers and soldiers of the Masked Hunter amid smashed stalls and huts.

The heroes have a few options. If they attempt to cross the square without engaging, there's a Notice chance per round that a group of unoccupied enemies spots the party and attacks. When the heroes reach the gates of the Century Tower, they find them smashed open, but guarded by a group of grocs.

If they attempt to assist the hard-pressed soldiers, there are ample, though dwindling options. A typical skirmish in the square has a handful of soldiers facing off against a replenishing force of enemies. For every group of soldiers successfully assisted, 1d4 are able to continue, and fight with the heroes. If any survive to the end of the scene, they accompany the heroes to the top of Century Tower.

If they attempt to assist refugees in escaping the square, there are four groups of refugees each harried by a group of grocs. For every group of refugees escorted to shelter, award the heroes one benny each.

Groc Group: 2d8 + 1 per wild card

Ratmen Group: 2d8+1 per wild card

Masked Hunter mercenaries: 2d8+2 per wild card

Huruistan Soldiers: 2d8 armed with swords (STR+d8)

Refugees: 10-40

Encounter 5 - The Pinnacle

Once the heroes reach Century Tower, they must climb the steps to the roof where Li Cheng instructed them to await the opening of the magical rift. Unexpectedly, the tower steps are unguarded, though when they reach the platform, they find a dark hunter and his wyvern awaiting them. The dark hunter's objective is to capture the Spirit Gem and take it back to his master. He cajoles the heroes at first, attempting to determine who carries the stone, and then concentrates his attacks on that character, attempting to capture and/or incapacitate the hero. Once done, he grabs the hero, jumps on his wyvern and flies away.

The wyvern is particularly cowardly, and spends the battle flying, choosing to attack only when it deems its position advantageous enough to drop a hero or knock him or her off the tower.

Above the battle (about 20’ due north of the tower’s pinnacle), the rift continues to grow, changing from a dull white glow to an intense blue-green disturbance.

Dark Hunter (WC)

Small Wyvern

Encounter 6 – The Rift

As the battle is winding down, the rift begins ejecting glowing blue-white light. This disturbance grows into a mauve and green conflagration that knocks everyone on the tower prone before "popping" a massive rift into existence. A Throwing success allows a hero to fling the Spirit Gem into the rift, where it seems to burst into a small fireball. If the throw is missed, the stone falls onto the Century Tower platform and the dark hunter makes every effort to grab it and fly away.

Regardless, after the first throw, the prow of a vairubi ship bursts through the rift, slams into the side of the tower, dislodging stones from its sides, and then executes a boarding maneuver (pulls around parallel with a side). A horde of undead Nai shocktroops disgorge from the ship, followed by vairubi slavers. This battle should be particularly overwhelming, especially since the heroes are probably battered from the previous encounter.

Once incapacitated, the heroes are bound and dragged onto the ship…and all goes black.

Nai 5 per wild card

Vairubi Slavers 2 per wild card

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