M onster 1 H unters e ncountersTM Written by CHRISTOPHER R. RICE Edited by NIKOLA VRTIS Illustrated by DEAN SPENCER GURPS System Design z STEVE JACKSON Chief Executive Officer z PHILIP REED GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH Chief Creative Officer z SAM MITSCHKE GURPS Project Manager z STEVEN MARSH Chief Operating Officer z SUSAN BUENO Production Artist z NIKOLA VRTIS Director of Sales z ROSS JEPSON GURPS FAQ Maintainer z Page Design z PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT VICKY “MOLOKH” KOLENKO Prepress Checker z NIKOLA VRTIS Reviewer: Steven Marsh Sith Editrix: Elizabeth “Archangel Beth” McCoy GURPS, Pyramid, Warehouse 23, the pyramid logo, Monster Hunters Encounters, and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are trademarks or registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS Monster Hunters Encounters 1 is copyright © 2020 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. 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STEVE JACKSON GAMES Stock #37-0360 Version 1.0 – July 2020 ® C ontents IntroductIon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Important NPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Using This Supplement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 . the Moon clan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 1 . the MIdnIght Bordello . . . . . . . . . . . .3 The Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Important NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Father Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Beatrix’s Vampire Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Traitor Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Mother Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 I ntroduCtIon GURPS Monster Hunters offers the tools needed to run 19: Incantation Magic, with Antoni Ten Monrós, and a modern-day urban-fantasy campaign centered on hunting Dungeon Fantasy Traps, with Jason “PK” Levine . His first the things that go bump in the night . It features templates for solo work was GURPS Monster Hunters Power-Ups 1. He characters, new gear, new abilities, and (of course) new mon- also wrote additional material for GURPS Monster Hunters sters . What it lacks are encounters featuring its monsters . To 6: Holy Hunters and GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual fill that need, this supplement describes two opportunities Path Magic. Of course, if he’s not writing about GURPS, to engage with vampires, werewolves, and cultists . These he’s blogging about it . Visit his site, “Ravens N’ Pennies” brief scenarios include notes using the monster-finding rules (www.ravensnpennies.com), for more GURPS goodies . from GURPS Monster Hunters 2: The Mission, and can be From Portsmouth, Virginia, he’s spinning words of dropped into any Monster Hunter campaign with little fuss . whimsy into gold . He wishes to thank L .A ., for being the This supplement assumes the reader has access to the first wonderful, amazing, inspiring woman that she is – not every three books in the GURPS Monster Hunters series . man gets his muse personified in the flesh! He also wishes to thank his gaming group, the Headhunters, for alpha testing; u t s his family (especially his mother); and Elizabeth “Archangel sIng hIs upplement Beth” McCoy, his Sith Editrix mentor . Each section of this book follows the format laid out in Monster Hunters 2: The Mission. Notes detail how to dis- cover the encounter, investigate it, pursue the monsters, con- front them, and deal with the aftermath . Each encounter is light enough to be placed within a campaign with little or no prep . Each section contains hooks for the GM to lead the group into a given encounter, information that can be gained using the Deduction rules from The Mission, pp . 9-11, and suggestions for how PCs might discover clues . The monsters in each encounter assume a party of four or five champions who are prepared enough to take on the creatures appropriate to the encounter . The GM may need to reduce the number of monsters for smaller parties or increase them for larger ones . Monster statistics are drawn from GURPS Monster Hunters 3: The Enemy and come with a page reference for that book, as well as any important alterations in stats . If the monster’s abilities change significantly, the ratio of cham- pions needed to put down a threat is also noted . The GM should use the tips in The Enemy to adjust the challenge level of these encounters to suit a particular campaign . a a bout the uthor Christopher R . Rice has been published in Pyramid many times. He co-authored GURPS Dungeon Fantasy C I 2 ontents and ntroduCtIon c o Hapter ne t M He IdnIgHt b ordello Off a lonesome highway or backcountry road sits Over the course of several months, she ingratiated her- Beatrix’s House of Delights. Once the jewel of a powerful self with the current madam, Annabelle, and convinced railroad baron, the antebellum-style mansion has been a her (with no small amount of mind control) to sell her the stop on the Underground Railroad, a speakeasy, a home business and retire. Beatrix spent some of the fortune she’d for the mentally ill, and — for the last 60 years – a bordello been saving up and added modern amenities (Wi-Fi, CCTV, promising the sweet and sweaty delights of the flesh. The etc.) to the old mansion. Internet access let her advertise eponymous Beatrix is the third madam to run the bordello obliquely and round up quite a clientele, including several . . . and the first vampire. As a young woman, she was one of powerful locals, like the sheriff who’s been enthralled into the first prostitutes to grace the newly renovated mansion. ignoring the activities of the place (and the numerous miss- Her beauty and wit attracted a charismatic patron, Camille, ing persons . . .) during his weekend getaways there. A few who enticed Beatrix to run away with her. The master vam- suites are also “cam girl” rooms, which fund a good chunk pire revealed her nature soon after they left, and turned of the place’s monthly expenses. Beatrix that night. Beatrix has turned a few of her most successful girls (and For the next 40 years, Beatrix served her master as a com- taught them her tricks, p. 6). They feed off the clients and in bination of lure and muscle. When she was finally released turn increase Beatrix’s hold on the local community. Locked from the bonds of servitude, she thanked her master and up in the basement are the failures: vampires Beatrix turned wandered alone for another two years until she found herself but who didn’t make the transition well and are now mind- back at her old place of business. She realized she was tired less bloodsuckers. of looking for prey, and wanted them to come to her instead. a GURPS bout Steve Jackson Games is committed to full sup- with #GURPShook on Twitter. Or explore that hashtag port of GURPS players. We can be reached by email: for ideas to add to your own game! The web page for [email protected]. Our address is SJ Games, P.O. Box GURPS Monster Hunters Encounters 1 can be found at 18957, Austin, TX 78760. Resources include: gurps.sjgames.com/monsterhuntersencounters1. Store Finder (storefinder.sjgames.com): Discover New supplements and adventures. GURPS continues to nearby places to buy GURPS items and other Steve grow – see what’s new at gurps.sjgames.com. 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To discuss GURPS with our staff and your Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for the fellow gamers, visit our forums at forums.sjgames.com. GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition. Page references that You can also join us at facebook.com/sjgames or begin with B refer to that book, not this one. twitter.com/sjgames. Share your brief campaign teasers t M b 3 He IdnIgHt ordello t H The county where the bordello is located is also the last He unt known location of hundreds of missing persons over the Beatrix is careful. She knows that missing persons posters years, though the local authorities don’t seem to have made attract hunters like flies, so she’s careful whom she kills. She that connection (+1 “what” clue — vampires are the only and her associates usually feed off clients and make them for- non-human creatures who can rack up a body count to those get using their mind juju. levels without tipping anyone off). There are no “why” clues (they are vampires feeding their hunger) or “when” clues (there’s no timetable unless the GM makes one). Deduction Use the clues under Investigation (above) with the list below to discern who, what, and where. The GM may establish “when” and “why” clues, if desired. Who (-6): Madam Beatrix has a human cover identity, as do all of her progeny, and she is a stickler for keep- ing up appearances. Her paranoid effort gives a higher penalty, but Very Beautiful appearance and Supernat- ural Features offset that. Appropriate Skills: Current Affairs (Regional) or Area Knowledge (Local). Success Notes: Success by 0-2 identifies Beatrix’s social position in the local county. Success Discovery by 3-4 provides further details (e.g., “She doesn’t go outside in Hunters might stumble across Beatrix’s operation because the day; guess she needs her beauty sleep, y’know?”). Success of an encounter with Camille, or after something Beatrix did by 5+ or a critical success gives all information needed to during her two years of wandering attracted the investigators’ identify Beatrix. attention. Alternatively, the PCs might arrive on her doorstep What (-8): Beatrix and her minions take fastidious care for another reason: when they feed from humans and only turn those who already work for the madam. Vampires are common, but thanks to • A local news report focuses on yet another missing per- Beatrix’s mental abilities (p. 6) and her passing that on to her son in the county. children, this adds a further penalty. Appropriate Skill: Hid- • A fellow monster hunter goes missing in the area after den Lore (Vampires). Success Notes: Success by 0-2 identifies looking for “something fishy.” the creatures as vampires. Success by 3-4 reveals information • A stranger asks the investigators to help find a missing about the standard vampire abilities. Success by 5+ or a critical sibling, parent, etc. (if the PCs are known detectives, even if success tells the PCs about Beatrix’s and her brood’s unusual they might not be known monster hunters). abilities, and also provides detailed information about their • The champions hear about the bordello from a friend or vampiric capabilities. associate who suggests they go for “untold happy endings.” Where (-7): Beatrix’s lair is the bordello, and she doesn’t • En route to another location, the hunters hit a deer or hide that fact more than necessary to avoid entanglements other large animal with their vehicle, and the bordello is the with law enforcement outside of the county. Appropriate Skills: nearest location that might have a phone. Area Knowledge (Local) or Hidden Lore (Vampires). Suc- cess Notes: Success by 0-2 tells the PCs what county the bor- The GM might also invoke a GM-facing disadvantage such dello is in. Success by 3-4 gives the same, plus a starting point as Compulsive Carousing, Divine Curse (Monster Magnet), to track down its location. Success by 5+ or a critical success Duty, Enemies (Monster of the week), or Lecherousness. reveals the bordello’s exact address. Investigation Beatrix’s House of Delights is a known location in I believe that sex is one of the most the county it’s in (+1 “where” clue after a “what” clue is discovered, and it gives the name of the owner). It’s a beautiful, natural, wholesome things place which wives accuse their husbands of going (or husbands accuse their wives). Searching the Internet that money can buy. reveals the website for the bordello; if the PCs sign up for a cam girl session, they’ll note the movements are – Steve Martin almost inhumanly smooth (+1 “what” clue). t M b 4 He IdnIgHt ordello Pursuit If the GM wants to make sure that the champions arrive at a particular time, specific scenes might need to be designed If the address for the House of Delights is known, the ensure that happens. Perhaps the champions show up just as hunters can just visit, pose as potential clients, and snoop dusk falls, and the vampires awake as the investigators are around (or drive up with guns blazing . . .). If they’re not quite searching the house . . . sure where the bordello is, the hunters need to make some If approached during the day, most of the servants are careful inquiries at bars and the like in the county (using sleeping, using beds that the vampires don’t need at the Streetwise). If they can find a ghost (the area near the bor- moment. A few burly, well-armed humans keep watch. The dello might be filled with them), the investigators could com- servants are mentally conditioned to raise an alarm if anyone municate with them to narrow down the direction. See Social tries to break into the house during the day. Engineering (The Mission, pp. 8-9) for guidelines on running The mature vampires are each in a sunlight-proof sleeping these scenes. Additionally, some of the vampiric employ- place in their room’s closet. Beatrix sleeps in a small, specially ees make “house calls.” Whether by happy coincidence or installed, windowless “safe room” concealed by a bookcase in because the group was staking out likely clients waiting for the madam’s suite. The safe room’s walls are reinforced (DR such a break, if a courtesan is discovered on a house call, use 30 and HP 47); breaking through them to let in sunlight will the rules for Following (The Mission, pp. 11-12). be difficult at best. At night, the house is bustling with activity. The vam- Confrontation pires are active and alert, receiving clients until an hour The mansion is home to 10 mature vampires (The Enemy, or two before dawn. (Between five and 20 people visit each p. 11). Additionally, 5d feral vampires (The Enemy, p. 10) are evening.) Beatrix will be in her office or entertaining in locked in the basement of the mansion. There are 3d non-vam- the main living room; one of the girls (usually a vampire) pires, who live in the mansion and act as servants and guards. takes over in the living room when Beatrix is elsewhere. t M b 5 He IdnIgHt ordello Attacking at night will force the PCs to deal with the human from sugar daddy to sugar daddy until she found herself servants she’s mentally dominated and clients availing them- working as a prostitute in a remote mansion. The work didn’t selves of the bordello’s services, in addition to the vampires. trouble her, but she soon found herself rankled by the lack of Most of the vampires attack in twos and threes, with respect a “harlot” got. At least until she met her soon-to-be mind-controlled employees assisting by using handguns master: Camille. Camille was strong, beautiful, self-sufficient, or baseball bats (treat as cultist thugs, The Enemy, p. 31). and rich – all the things a young and naive Beatrix yearned Thanks to Beatrix’s mental abilities, the mind-controlled to be. Over the days and weeks, Beatrix grew obsessed with servants are much stronger than they would appear. If bat- Camille until the latter enticed her to run away with her. tle turns against the vampires, and especially if most of her Once they were away from the mansion, the vampire revealed progeny are killed, Beatrix happily releases the feral vam- her true nature and turned a willing Beatrix into one of the pires from the basement to attack the PCs en masse. She then undead. For the next four decades, Beatrix was Camille’s flees in the chaos. bodyguard, enforcer, and occasional lure – either for a meal If the situation presents itself, she could pretend to be or to get influence over someone else (blackmail, mind con- one of the mind-controlled sex workers, suddenly “released” trol . . . whatever worked). with a vampire’s death, and flee in feigned panic. If cornered, Beatrix’s assorted skills weren’t just used against humans. Beatrix offers to strike a deal, sacrificing her undead “girls” Camille’s own master sent succubi after her, and after feeding and promising not to turn anyone else. Even if accosted by near-constantly on them, the younger vampire developed a the hunters, her high social skills and glamour are con- host of mental abilities and even a natural ability to project vincing; she might well talk her way out unless the PCs are a glamour (see Beatrix’s Vampire Tricks, above) – something exceedingly wary. Camille couldn’t do. The pair had a good relationship, and when Beatrix wanted to strike out on her own, it was with her master’s blessing. Beatrix has coal-black hair and vivid green b ’ V t eatrIx s aMpIre rIcks eyes. Her lush curves are inviting despite her too- pale skin. She wears the finest clothing and just the Beatrix may look like a standard vampire, but she has a few right amount of elegant jewelry. One of her girls tricks up her sleeve. Chief among them is Mind Control (Based on does her hair, nails, and so on. Beatrix primps con- Will, Own Roll; Conditioning; No Memory); this allows her to con- stantly to ensure a flawless appearance. trol most normal victims and make them her servants. She also has For Beatrix’s stats, use the mature vampire Elastic Skin (Glamour, Will-5), allowing her to shape her features (The Enemy, p. 11) as the base. Increase DX to 20, into any appearance she wishes. IQ to 14, Will to 18, Extra Attack to 3, Vampiric Her bite has a side effect: Victims must roll against the lower of Bite to 8 HP/second. Replace Night Vision 9 with HT or Will, at -1 per 2 points of bite or Vampiric Bite damage dealt Dark Vision. Add Appearance (Very Beautiful), (whichever is higher). Failure leaves the target in Ecstasy (p. B428) Charisma 3, Smooth Operator 2, Voice, and the for minutes equal to (20 - HT), minimum of 1 minute. traits listed in Beatrix’s Vampire Tricks (above). She can enhance her mind-controlled servants, granting them Add the following skills to her list: Acting-20, +3 ST, +2 HP, +2 DX, +2 HT, +2 FP, +2 Will, and +2 Per (the Will Body Language-20, Detect Lies-20, Diplomacy-20, bonus does not apply to resisting Beatrix). This only works on liv- Fast-Talk-20, Intimidation-20, Professional Skill ing beings, cannot be used on her vampire progeny, and requires (Courtesan)-16, Savoir-Faire (High Society)-16, her to have shared her blood with them. and Sex Appeal-23. a fterMatH I npc Mportant If the champions destroy Beatrix, they may eventually have to deal with Camille – the master vampire who created her. Except for Beatrix, the vampires in the bordello use the sta- Camille first sends her other progeny after the PCs; she only tistics from the mature vampire entry in The Enemy (p. 11), gets directly involved if that fails. but – through turnover and luck – all have a Beautiful/Hand- If Beatrix manages to survive the hunters, she tries to take some or better appearance. They also have Sex Appeal and shelter with one of her many mind-controlled locals – starting Professional Skill (Courtesan) at 14 or higher. Finally, remove with the sheriff. If those avenues are closed, Beatrix quickly the Blood Agent limitation on their Mind Control, add Elastic leaves the area to regroup. Skin (allowing them to tailor themselves to individual clients), Her next moves depend on how many of her progeny sur- and give them the same ecstatic bite that Beatrix has (see vived. She’s not particularly skilled at tactics and prefers above). There’s a reason they can charge what they do and get to operate behind the scenes. If at least half are still alive, away with what they’ve gotten away with! Beatrix starts turning human thralls into feral vampires, who attack the champions when they least expect it. If few of Beatrix her progeny escape, she uses local civil authorities to harass Born in 1929, Beatrix Lennart grew up in the Great and separate the PCs until she can pick them off one by one Depression, and it forever marked her. With her looks and at her leisure. If that doesn’t seem feasible, she attempts to charisma, she could have gone to Hollywood, but that ambi- mind control one of them, to get that person to feed her infor- tion seemed too risky. Still, she liked the easy life and hopped mation from within. t M b 6 He IdnIgHt ordello c t Hapter wo t M He oon c lan In a remote location, a clan of shapeshifters lives with end up on the menu. Regional law enforcement officers have witches who pray to the moon as their deity. Led by two people tried to find the clan’s home, but it’s deep in the wilderness who call themselves Father Moon and Mother Moon, the com- and trespassers tend to disappear . . . This has led to an “igno- munity welcomes lycanthropes of all kinds, as well as formi- rance is bliss” policy. Those who know about the Moon Clan dable spellcasters who draw power from moonlight. The clan stay out of the woods and lock themselves in on full-moon lives by a small body of water thought to have formed after nights. In return, the clan doesn’t try to eat them, instead sub- a meteorite struck the earth. Their settlement, Outer Haven, sisting on anyone foolish enough to enter their domain. has a couple dozen buildings and 30 to 50 inhabitants at any one time. Many of the shapeshifters have their own spaces in t H He unt the woods and only return to “town” when called by Father or Mother Moon. Those in Outer Haven live by the rules of the The clan comes into to town once a month to purchase clan, including that all flesh is meant to be eaten and humans supplies, remind everyone they’re still around, and see if any- are but meat. Even the non-lycanthropes practice cannibal- one is looking for them (either to hurt them or join them). The ism, and the children there are raised on a diet of “long pig” clan prefers to feed on those who they think won’t be missed. as soon as they can chew solid foods. This practice has made Anyone looking for them is in for a difficult time: Outer them unwelcome in civilized communities, and they’ve lived Haven is located deep within a thick forest, and a magic spell on their own for decades. has been set up to confuse and turn travelers around (see Those living in towns bordering on the Moon Clan’s domain Pursuit, pp. 8-9). If somehow outsiders find the village, many whisper about the wild group’s practices and hope they don’t hungry lycanthropes guard it. Father Moon is by modern standards insane, but very cautious, while his mate is disinterested in human society but manages the social structure within Outer Haven. Discovery If the hunters have had prior experience with lycanthropes or cannibal cultists, the GM can tie those into the Moon Clan. Otherwise, here are some hooks: • Rumors of Outer Haven and the Moon Clan go back decades, and the community has claimed the lives of many hunters who tried to stamp them out. Finally finishing them off might be some champi- ons’ Holy Grail. • While searching for clues for another mission, the heroes notice a tabloid report of the “Teenager’s Bermuda Triangle” – a sensationalized listing of teenagers who’ve gone missing in the area, or become lost and had to be rescued by locals after a terrifying overnight ordeal. • A hunter’s Ally, Contact, or Dependent goes missing around the area. • A PC lycanthrope hears about Outer Haven and how they can teach a young shifter to control their inner beast. t M c 7 He oon lan The GM might also invoke a GM-facing disadvantage that Father Moon is using a monthly schedule to fuel his such as Divine Curse (Monster Magnet), Duty, or Enemies spells. Success by 3-4 reveals that it’s a lunar schedule. (Monster of the week). Success by 5+ or a critical success tells the hunters that Father Moon is using the full moon and rage of his followers Investigation to invoke powerful magics. Where (-6): The Moon Clan’s lair, Outer Haven, is deep After the champions narrow their search to a partic- in the backcountry. Appropriate Skills: Area Knowledge ular county, they still need to find out specifics about the (Local), Hidden Lore (Lycanthropes), Veterinary-4, or situation. Outer Haven is known to be in the woods some- Thaumatology. Success Notes: Success by 0-2 tells the PCs where, but locals tend to stay away; those who investigate the general location. Success by 3-4 gives the same, plus a don’t come back (+1 “where” clue). Disappearances during starting point to track down its precise location. Success by the full moon are glossed over by townies, who don’t want 5+ or a critical success reveals Outer Haven’s exact location. the Haveners angry with them (+1 “what” clue). The locals Why (-6): Father Moon is using the moon, the lycan- can describe members of the Moon Clan they’ve seen (+1 thropes’ ties to it, and cannibalism to expand his magic. “who” clue), but will only do so indoors during daylight. Appropriate Skills: Area Knowledge (Local), Hidden Lore Researching the area brings up lots of strange rumors, (Lycanthropes), Veterinary-4, or Thaumatology. Success weird incidents, and odd sightings during the full moon (+1 Notes: Success by 0-2 uncovers that Father Moon is using the “when” clue). Finally, locals whisper of the cannibalism of moon to fuel his magic. Success by 3-4 gives the same, plus the Moon Clan and the “magic” they profess to have gained reveals that the moon, the lycanthropes’ rage, and the act of by doing it (+1 “why” clue). cannibalism fuel his spells. Success by 5+ or a critical success reveals the full reason behind this: Father Moon wants a new Deduction world of “eat and be eaten,” and is using his magic and the Use the clues under Investigation (above) with the list lycanthropes to enact a ritual he’s been repeating for decades. below to discern who, what, where, when, and why. Pursuit Who (-6): No one in the Moon Clan makes any attempt to hide their identities. Appropriate Skills: Current Affairs Getting to Outer Haven is itself an adventure. Nestled in a (Regional) or Area Knowledge (Local). Success Notes: Suc- forest by a very small impact crater lake, Outer Haven is fur- cess by 0-2 identifies that Father Moon and Mother Moon lead ther protected by Father Moon’s magic to bewilder and con- a small “congregation” of like-minded individuals. Success by found uninvited travelers. The magic funnels those affected 3-4 gives additional details (e.g., “He’s a spooky bastard – they by it into a nearby dry creek that leads to a ravine. This effect all are”). Success by 5+ or a critical success gives all informa- hampers search parties as well; when foolish people go miss- tion needed to identify Father Moon and Mother Moon. ing, locals who have gone searching for them have used long What (-6): Father Moon, Mother Moon, and their peo- ropes to get back out. Such a physical link when leaving Outer ple don’t really seem to care if others know what they are Haven’s area is worth appropriate bonuses to Will. Casters can (trusting “but werewolves aren’t real” to protect them from attempt to break the protective spell, but it’s worth hundreds federal-level attention), but their “religion” is convoluted and of energy and Father Moon will know instantly if someone mostly made up by Father Moon. Because the PCs are deal- tries to dispel it. ing with witches and lycanthropes, two rolls must be made. The PCs can get to Outer Haven through sheer will (Quick Appropriate Skills: Thaumatology (for witches) and Hidden Contest of Will vs. 18, with a new roll needed every mile) or Lore (Lycanthropes) or Veterinary (for the lycanthropes). by being lead through by a mysterious young man (see The Success Notes (as appropriate for the skills used): Success by Traitor Son, p. 10). Optionally, a sage or witch could cast a 0-2 identifies that the champions are dealing with witches or spell to boost the champions’ Will for this specific purpose. A lycanthropes. Success by 3-4 reveals details about the stan- physical link like rope gives +4 to rolls. dard abilities of witches or lycanthropes. Success by 5+ or The community is about 10 miles from the nearest road, a critical success tells the PCs all about the Moon Clan and through streams and thick forest. Mother Moon insists none their practices. of “her pack” make a trail that could be obvious to outsid- When (-4): Mother and Father Moon hold a “conjur- ers. (She patrols the area around one night a month, and will ing” on the three nights of the full moon, during which viciously bully anyone she decides is threatening the village’s time they also let their people run wild. Appropriate Skill: safety.) Tracking rolls to follow the trail of someone from the Thaumatology. Success Notes: Success by 0-2 identifies Moon Clan get the +6 for being in a rural area. O swear not by the moon, th’inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. – William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet t M c 8 He oon lan The GM can narrate a fast montage of thorns, poison ivy, I npc Mportant s and soaked boots, or let the group banter and roleplay, per- haps stumbling across additional clues – gnawed or butch- Father and Mother Moon are the most important NPCs ered human bones, runes carved into stones or trees, the for this encounter and are described below. The other lycan- Traitor Son (p. 10), etc. Use the lowest encumbered Move/2 thropes and cultists in the area use the standard templates of the party to determine the number of miles per hour the found in The Enemy with no changes. hunter group moves; if tracking, Move is automatically 1, unless a critical success or success by 5+ is rolled. Keep track Father Moon of the FP costs per hour of hiking (p. B351). No one knows where Father Moon comes from, but he’s If getting there wasn’t a problem enough, roll 3d every 1d over 100 years old (and looks barely 50). He’s lived in the hours of hiking. On 9 or less, the PCs have encountered one of backwoods, preaching his gospel, for at least half that. He the Moon Clan lycanthropes, who attacks if there’s an oppor- claims that when he was young, the spirit of the moon vis- tunity. Otherwise, the clan member flees to Outer Haven and ited him and told him to free it. He’s spent his entire life try- warns everyone there (which drastically changes the odds ing. His current attempt involves the years-long casting of against the champions). spell that uses the power of sacrifice, flesh, the lycanthrope rage, and even his own soul. At every full moon, he sacrifices an animal (often a goat) and a human as part of the casting. He’s not sure when the spell will be finished (the GM can decide when or even if such a spell can be completed), but The moon sings to he persists. Father Moon is kind and caring toward his followers and us at night, and only willing victims, although he has many rules that direct the behavior of the witches who live in the community. He only the blessed can hear wants the best for his followers – and the trapped moon-soul. Of the two, the moon’s needs come first. When no outsider human sacrifices are available, a cultist can be persuaded to its song. take part, convinced they will be released when the moon-soul is (whatever that means). Use the statistics for a cultist caster (The Enemy, pp. 31-32), but increase IQ to 17, Will to 20, and Magery to 10, and add Prophetic Dreams. All of Father Moon’s Path skills are at 19, as is his Thaumatology skill. He also has Religious Ritual at 17 Confrontation and uses that to conduct the ritual of the full moon. If the heroes can get to Outer Haven with- out alarming its inhabitants, there are only 1d shapeshifters (which can be any of those listed on pp. 24-28 of The Enemy), 2d cultist thugs, and 1d cultist casters (for both, see The Enemy, p. 31). If the alarm is raised, the investigators must con- tend with an additional 3d shapeshifters, another 2d cultist thugs, and Father and Mother Moon themselves. Dealing with the lycanthropes is straightfor- ward – hit them with as much silver as possible. Dealing with the casters is harder, as they use both firearms and magic. Additionally, if Father Moon is there, he buffs the capabilities of his people with charms (he has dozens prepared) and uses magic to directly attack the heroes. Mother Moon shifts into wolf form as soon as the alarm sounds; she makes straight for whomever she perceives as the leader. The other lycanthropes use pack tactics: Two or three pile on one hunter until that target is down, tiring the victim and forcing them to take penalties for repeated parrying or attacks. They repeat this strategy as long as they outnumber the PCs. (See also Multiple Close Combat, p. B392.) The villagers try to take the champions alive for the next ritual hunt-and-feast, so if the PCs get over- whelmed, the GM can give them a shot at freedom as prisoners. t M c 9 He oon lan rudimentary form of lunar worship, and his devoted, passionate attempts to free the moon’s spirit intrigued t t s He raItor on her. When she appeared to him, demanding to know more, he greeted her as a holy, moon-touched crea- Over the years, Father and Mother Moon have had many ture. The mutual lunar attraction quickly became children, but they’ve all died; life without modern medicine mutual admiration; the werewolf took the then-young takes a toll. That’s what makes their current child, Jericho man as her mate, and they vowed to free the moon- Moon, such a disappointment: He doesn’t believe the moon’s soul together. spirit is imprisoned, and even if it is, he doesn’t think anyone While Father Moon mediates with the human fol- should eat people in order to free it. Father and Mother Moon lowers and dictates how they behave outside of Outer have thus imprisoned him in the woods within a hanging cage, Haven, Mother Moon enforces discipline among the lined with magically transmuted silver, and he has a literal lycanthrope members, and keeps everyone from mak- ball and chain around his ankle. His parents bring him barely ing it easy for visitors to find their lair. Unlike a nat- enough food and water to survive, and warn the other Haveners ural matriarch wolf, she doesn’t try to control anyone to stay away, lest Jericho’s heresy “split the pack.” If found, he’ll else’s breeding, but she is extremely nosy about every- likely side against his people, though he might try to save some one’s personal business. She protects Father Moon at of them. These are whom he grew up with. all costs (he’s the only hope for the moon-spirit’s free- Use the statistics for a completely rational werewolf (The dom!), but if he’s not endangered (or not present), she Enemy, pp. 24-28) for him. He’d make an excellent Ally, should prioritizes the safety of the children of the community. the PCs manage to take down his former family and clan. Use the statistics for a completely rational were- wolf (The Enemy, pp. 24-28), but give her Magery 3, Thaumatology-15, and all Path skills at 14. She favors spells to enhance her or other lycanthropes, including a spell that reduces the damage they take from silver, making them even fiercer. a fterMatH The hunters might surprise the Moon Clan by appearing at their homestead and using lots and lots of silver. The reverse might also be true – fight- ing a group of 30+ cultists, witches, and shapeshift- ers might be more than a team can handle even with heavy firepower. Alternatively, if they can take out sev- eral shapeshifters in the woods before they bunch up at Outer Haven, it might prove to be just another bug hunt. The cultists will sacrifice themselves to ensure Father and Mother Moon escape. If that happens, the PCs will need to watch their backs, as the two will seek bloody revenge. Further, Father Moon might lay curses on the heroes before fleeing, or he might seek them with magic later. If the PCs crush the Clan, they’ll need to decide what to do with the children (there are children as young as six months in Outer Haven). Some of them are shapeshifters, but most are just normal kids raised in a bad place. If Jericho has been rescued, he’ll want to take care of his “little cousins,” who are Mother Moon hiding in one of the cabins by the lake. If he hasn’t been res- Mother Moon is an ancient werewolf, having been around cued, but the GM wants to involve him, one of the young since sometime during the late 1800s (she cares not for werewolves may have led the other children, carrying the such human concerns as dates). She found Father Moon babies, to his prison – they’re trying to free him so he can performing rituals in the night and eavesdropped on him protect them from the terrible people who’ve come to kill instead of immediately attacking. She had developed her own their parents. Killing you was the point. Living through it was just a luxury. – Trevor Belmont, Castlevania #1.4 t M c 10 He oon lan