WH1-01-StormTide_v1.1

WH:DP1-01 Storm Tide of 24

Credits

Author: Brian Schoner

Editor: Gail Reese

Thanks to all the playtesters!

Introduction

Storm Tide is an introductory adventure, intended

for a group of three to six players and a judge. While

the players need never have played Witch Hunter before, the judge should be familiar with the rules

and setting as described in the Witch Hunter core

book. Judges should also have some familiarity with the Witch Hunter: Dark Providence Campaign

Guide, though it is likely that players have not

played many (if any) Dark Providence adventures

before this one.

Since the players are probably new to the game, the

judge should be prepared to spend some time teaching the basics of the rules to new players. Time

should also be allotted for character creation,

although having pre-generated characters for players who would prefer that route is recommended. The

adventure itself is relatively short by convention

standards, so players should be able to learn the rules

and create characters and still finish the story.

While the players are creating or choosing their

characters, it's a good idea to give them a basic idea of what Witch Hunters are and what they do. Feel

free to do so in your own words; if you need ideas,

here is a sample.

Witch Hunters are ordinary people who have

had a brush with the supernatural and decided to

fight against it. Perhaps your village was attacked

by werewolves, or your child was abducted by

fairies, or you were haunted by a vengeful spirit or

cursed by a malicious neighbor. But instead of

running away or giving up, you stood your ground,

and ever since then, you have been working against

the evil plans of the Adversary and his minions.

Signs and omens seem to lead you where you need

to go, and your courage and faith have seen you

through your trials so far; but just as you know evil

when you see it, the servants of the Adversary can

recognize and target you as well.

While working on your character, think about

what kind of supernatural encounter might have

led your character to take a stand against evil, as

well as what kind of omens or portents might have

led you to board a ship for Port Royal, in the

English colony of Jamaica.

Having some extra ten-sided dice for players to borrow is also a good idea.

Adventure Summary

Storm Tide begins with a group of Witch Hunters

meeting in the city of Port Royal, the capital of the

English colony of Jamaica. Each of them has been

drawn to the city by some strange omen, vision, or simply a sense of urgency, and all of them have

come across a handbill in which Sir Henry Morgan,

the Lieutenant Governor of Port Royal, is asking for brave individuals to deal with an unusual series of

pirate attacks that have been devastating local

shipping recently. Scene 0 brings the characters to Port Royal, shows them the handbill, and lets them

meet one another as they await their audience with

the Lieutenant Governor.

In Scene 1, they meet Sir Henry, who introduces

them to William Penney, the only known survivor of

one of the recent attacks. Penney proclaims that the pirate in question is none other than the infamous

Roc Brasiliano, who apparently performed some sort

of ritual at an Indian village in Central America twenty years ago. Penney gives rough directions to

the village, but as he does, a bizarre and obviously

supernatural transformation kills him and threatens

the characters and Sir Henry.

Having dealt with that attack, the Witch Hunters

travel to the Indian village in Scene 2. The journey itself is uneventful, but once there (Scene 3), the

characters must negotiate with the local shaman,

whose predecessor performed the ritual that gave

Brasiliano his immortality by removing and burying his soul. If they can get the shaman's consent, he will

tell them precisely where the soul is buried and how

to bypass the magical curse on it. If not, they must find the soul themselves in a rising storm, and risk

an unpleasant Indian curse by digging it up.

In Scene 4, the characters reach the small island

where Brasiliano's soul was buried, but upon

reaching the burial site, it has clearly already been

dug up. The explanation of this is immediately


apparent, as Roc Brasiliano himself appears and

smugly announces that he beat them to it. Brasiliano and his undead crew then attack the PCs as the tide

floods in, threatening to overrun the entire island.

The Witch Hunters must survive the cadaverous

crewmen and the rising waters while trying to destroy Brasiliano's soul – and thus the pirate – once

and for all.

Scene 0:

Setting the Hook

Once you are ready to begin play, start by asking

each of the players, one at a time:

Tell me a little bit about your character –

where you're from, what you did before becoming a

Witch Hunter, and what drew you to Port Royal.

This should help new players get into character, and start getting a feel for the Witch Hunter universe; it

will also help you adapt the story you tell to the

characters present. At a minimum, you should know where each character is from (what county/colony, at

least) and what they did in their "mundane" life (in

game terms, their Background).

You should also help the players determine what

sort of omens or signs brought their character to Port

Royal. God (or whatever higher power the character believes in) has obviously brought them here for a

purpose…but how do they know that? If the players

are stuck for ideas, here are some suggestions:

They dreamt of a port town being flooded in

tides of blood; investigation revealed that

the town in their dreams exactly matched the

description of Port Royal.

Walking along the docks in another port,

they saw a ship named Divine Salvation, or

[character's first name]'s Calling, and felt a

strong urge to book passage aboard her; they did, and this was the ship's next port of call

While looking at a map of the Caribbean,

they noticed a wisp of smoke rising from the

dot marking Port Royal; moments later, the smoke spread into a fire, which quickly

consumed the entire map.

An envelope was delivered to them

wherever they were; it contained only a

single bloodstained coin. The return address

was simply, "Port Royal, Jamaica."

Whatever you and the players work out is fine; it

should be clear, however, that their characters have

been called here for a reason, albeit one that they do not yet know.

Once you have an idea of who the characters are and why they're here, read or (preferably) paraphrase the

following:

Port Royal, Jamaica, has been called "the

wickedest city on Earth" and "the Sodom of the

New World," but as you look at it from the deck of

your ship, it looks much like any other colonial

seaport – grimy, run-down, and smelling of fish.

The pirates, thieves, and prostitutes who gave this

city its reputation in decades past are nowhere to be

seen. Perhaps the strict anti-piracy laws of

Lieutenant Governor Sir Henry Morgan – himself

a former pirate – have driven them off, or perhaps

they are merely sleeping off the previous night's

drunken debauchery and waiting for evening to

come before they emerge again into the streets,

alleys, and gutters of Port Royal.

Regardless of the reason, the wide sand-

covered streets are calm and quiet this afternoon –

perhaps a bit quieter than you would expect in one

of the busiest ports in the Caribbean Sea. The

rising winds and darkening skies suggest that a

storm is brewing; perhaps that accounts for the

quiet. As you make your way off the ship that

brought you here, seeking a place to shelter from

the impending rain, one particularly brisk gust of

wind snatches a printed handbill from the wall

where it was tacked. The breeze blows the paper

across the street until it wraps around your leg,

fluttering gently in the wind.

Give the players Handout 1. If none of the characters can read English, they can certainly find a

local resident who will read it to them. For your

convenience, it reads:

Lieutenant-Governor Sir Henry Morgan seeks

Individuals of stout Heart and abiding Faith to

undertake a Task of grave Importance to the Colony of Jamaica and its Citizens, and to all good

Christians dwelling in these Lands and Waters. Any

Man or Woman desiring to render Service to the Crown in this matter, which promises both great


Danger and corresponding Reward, should present

themselves at the King's House on Thames Street no later than Three of the Clock on Wednesday, the

22nd of March, to discuss the Deeds requir'd of

them..

As it happens, it is about two o'clock in Wednesday,

March 22 when the characters arrive in Port Royal.

It should seem obvious to them that this is somehow connected to whatever brought them here, but if they

don't seem too interested, you may need to nudge

them a little.

Presumably, the characters will ask directions and

head towards the King's House; if they make any

stops to ask questions, shop, arrange, lodgings, etc., handle them with the information in Appendix 1.

Once all the characters have decided to go to the

King's House, read or paraphrase the following:

Like the other streets of Port Royal, Thames

Street is wide and paved only with sand. There is a

steady stream of traffic between the ships docked

on one side and the warehouses on the other, as

sailors rush to finish loading or unloading their

ships before the storm hits.

The King's House is certainly the largest

building you've seen in town, a three-story manor

house surrounded by a brick wall. As you look

closer, however, it is apparent that the building has

not been well maintained; the paint is peeling and

more than one window-pane is cracked.

A young serving-man opens the door at your

knock, and politely escorts you to a large but

slightly dingy parlor. He says, “His Honour will be

with you presently,” and then excuses himself. An

open bottle of Madeira wine and a pitcher of

lemonade sit on the side-board beside several

glasses.

Several other individuals are in the room as

well, all apparently here to learn about Sir Henry’s

mysterious task…

At this point, go around the table and have each player describe their character’s physical

appearance, and then give the players a few minutes

to roleplay with each other. Once they’ve gotten a

feel for it – or if it looks like they’re going to get carried away and derail the adventure – proceed to

Scene 1.

Scene 1:

A Curse Comes Home

Read or paraphrase the following:

A church-bell begins to strike three o’clock in

the streets nearby, and before it has finished, the

servant you met earlier is back. Opening the double

doors on the far side of the room, he leads you into

a cluttered study, dominated by a large oak desk

and the man sitting behind it, who the servant

unnecessarily announces as "Lieutenant-Governor

Sir Henry Morgan."

Sir Henry is a large man, both in height and

girth. In his youth, he was doubtless a formidable

fighter, but he is now over fifty, fat, and showing

the effects of a lifetime of hard drink. Still, he has

an aura of command and intelligence about him,

and you can see traces of the renowned captain he

once was. He looks you over thoughtfully, then

speaks.

"Right, then," he says. "Thank you for

coming. If I might have the honour of your

names?"

Once the characters have introduced themselves,

Morgan continues:

"I'll get right to the point," Sir Henry says.

"My men hunt pirates; it's their job, and they're

good at it, if I say so myself. We've hung enough

men at Gallows Point that the rest think twice

before coming near Jamaica. But in the past few

months, there's been one rogue we haven't been

able to catch. He strikes like a snake and vanishes

like a phantom, and he's plundered and sunk

enough ships that now honest captains are

thinking twice about coming to Jamaica – and if

the trade-ships stop coming here, Port Royal is like

to dry up and blow away. And to top it off, he's just

taken the Assistance, the largest English warship

in the Caribbean, and one of the few Navy ships I

had."

He takes a mouthful of wine before

continuing. "Now, I'm not the sort of man who'd

gather a bunch of strangers together to take on a

task that the Navy can't manage. But I had a…"

He trails off, looking slightly embarrassed. "A

dream," he says, "and if you're the right sort of

people, mayhap that won't sound as mad to you as

it does to me. But I dreamed that if I asked for aid,


it would come; and so I posted those hand-bills,

and here you are.

"And this very morning, I got word from a

sailor, a survivor of the Assistance, who says he

knows who our phantom is, and mayhap how to

stop him, if I can find a few folk with the courage

and faith to see it through. I'll warn you, though; if

what he says is true, it's a problem of witch-craft as

much as one of piracy. If you're still willing to

listen, I'll bring him in and he can tell you what he

told me. If not…well, best that you be on your

way."

He looks levelly at your group, waiting to see

if anyone intends to leave.

If any character does show signs of leaving, you may

want to remind them of the very omens that brought them to Port Royal; surely this is the very purpose

for which they were called here! If they insist on

leaving after this reminder, thank them for playing and give them their Adventure Record (which will

have no rewards on it – such is the price of

cowardice!).

Once it is clear that everyone who remains is willing

to proceed, read or paraphrase the following:

Sir Henry nods, satisfied, and rings a small

brass bell on his desk. When the servant reappears,

Sir Henry simply says, "Fetch Penney." The

servant nods and withdraws, returning a few

moments later with a wiry man in the clothes of a

common sailor. He looks to be perhaps forty years

old, though his hair is the stark white of a much

older man. He seems nervous and jumpy, bowing

awkwardly as he enters the room.

"This is Seaman William Penney," Sir Henry

says. "Go on, tell them what you told me."

"Aye, sir," Penney replies in a cracking voice.

He's obviously uncomfortable speaking before a

group, and spends most of his time looking at the

floor.

"We was hunting pirates on the Assistance,

three days out of Port Royal. We hadn't found

nothing but the flotsam of a Spanish galleon, but

then one night – a week ago last night – I wake to

cannon-fire, and hear the mate calling out to

prepare for boarders. So I grab my hanger and go

up on deck, and we're already being boarded…but

there was somethin’ wrong with the men coming

over the gunwales.

"They didn’t move right, all slow and stiff.

Their eyes were all flat and dead, and it looked like

they all had their mouths sewed shut. The

Assistance's crew managed to take a few down, but

they didn't seem to feel no pain, and they wouldn't

stop coming. “Some o' the crew tried to fight 'em off, but

most just ran, and I'm not ashamed to admit I was

one of the runners. Some jumped overboard; I hid

under the foredeck stairs and watched the fight –

or the massacre, I should say. I was getting ready

to jump overboard myself when a shadow falls

across my eyes and I hear a voice say, 'Well, if it

ain't Bill Penney.'"

"I looked up, and it was the captain of the

other ship – and I knew him. It was Roc

Brasiliano, that I hadn't seen for near twenty

years, and he wasn't like his crew…but he was

changed. His skin was almost black, like old

leather, and scarred from head to heel; and his

eyes had gone yellow.

"Well, at the sight of him, I screamed and ran

without a thought in my head. I heard him yell, 'No

man leaves my service, Penney!', but somehow I

got to the rail and overboard before any of them

grabbed me. Sharks and storms be damned; I'd

sooner swim back to Jamaica alone than face those

yellow eyes again.

"The next morning, the crew of a trader

hauled me out of the sea and brought me back

here, and as soon as I touched land, I figured Sir

Henry here needed to know what I seen. And, I

guess, he figured you need to know too. So now

you know."

Characters who make a D3 Myth and Lore or a D3

Occult Knowledge check may recall hearing that dead men who have been brought back to life

sometimes have their mouths sewn shut to keep their

souls (or other spirits animating their bodies) from escaping.

At this point, Penney will try to answer any

questions the characters have.

Can you identify the ship that attacked you?

"I never got a good look with the dark and the

fighting…but I'll wager it was the Storm Tide, the

ship Roc had when I sailed with him. She was a 14-

gun brig."


What can you tell us about Roc Brasiliano?

"I sailed with him for a bit almost twenty years

ago, when I was a lad. He was just a man then,

though the cruelest one I ever met. Especially to

Spaniards; more than once he roasted a Spaniard

alive, on a spit over a fire, like a pig." Penney

shudders at the memory.

"He was a Dutchman by birth, lived down in

Brazil for a while before the Portuguese kicked all

the Dutch out; that's why they call him

'Brasiliano.' Never did learn his real name – I

don't think any of the crew knew it. Anyway, I

sailed with him for about two years, until…"

Penney trails off, then simply says, "I left."

How many of the attacking crewmen were there?

"I'm not sure; twenty or thirty at least, I'd

think."

Were they hurt by swords or musket-fire?

"Well, it looked like they were; they went

down if you shot them, at least, but a few times I'm

sure I saw one get up again."

What kind of ship is the Assistance?

"A two-deck, fifty-gun frigate; not quite a ship

of the line, but I'd put her up against any ship in

the Caribbean. Or I would have, anyway."

If the characters run out of questions, Sir Henry will

ask, "You said earlier that you might know how to

stop Brasiliano. What was that all about?" When

this happens, continue with the boxed text below. You should also proceed to this section if the PCs

ask any questions about why Penney left Brasiliano's

service, or if he has any ideas about how Brasiliano became whatever he is.

NOTE: There is a rather bloody and grotesque event at the end of this passage, in keeping with the horror

theme of Witch Hunter. When describing it, bear in

mind the age and maturity level of your players; if

there are young players (or observers) nearby, or those who might be offended, tone the description

down appropriately. Suggest the horrific elements,

but do not state them outright.

"It all started one day in seventy-one, when we

caught a slave ship out of Trinidad. One of the

slaves – Guinee Tom, they called him – knew some

Dutch, and started talking to Roc in it, and he said

something that made Roc real interested. They

went below-decks for a long time, and then Roc

came up and had us set course south and west.

There was nothing to be found there – no ports, so

no ships, so no plunder – but we all knew we'd be

feeding the sharks if we argued with Roc, so we did

as he said.

"When we reached the coast, we anchored

offshore of a little Indian village. Roc had us wait

until dark, then he rowed in. He had us light two

torches on the starboard side of the gig-boat, and

one on the larboard side…he was real particular

about that. Said he might be gone a day or two, and

we should just stay put and wait for him. Then they

rowed in to the village…just Roc, and Guinee Tom,

and Bowen, the first mate.

"A while after that, a big fire springs up in the

middle of the village, quick enough that I thought

Roc might have torched the place, but it was just a

bonfire. Couldn't see much, but there was folks

dancin' around it for a while, and sometimes the

fire would burn blue or green for a spell.

Eventually it died down, and it was quiet for the

rest of the night.

"The next day Bowen comes back to the

Storm Tide, and he says Roc will be gone longer

than he thought, and we're to sail back to Jamaica

for supplies, and then come back for him. Well,

there was some grumbling at that, but Bowen said

Roc would have all of our heads if we didn't do as

he said…and I could see in Bowen's face that he

was terrified. He'd never been afraid of Roc before,

crazy as he was; but I could tell that the thought of

Roc coming after us then scared him to the bone.

"So we sailed back to Port Royal, and I

jumped ship there; something about that little

village didn't sit right with me, and I didn't relish

the idea of going back. Most of the crew stayed

with the Storm Tide, though, and I never saw any

of them again…until they climbed over the

gunwales of the Assistance, all stitched up and

stiff.

"So I figure whatever Roc did at that little

Indian village might be what made him into

whatever he is now, and if there's any way to find

him and stop him, them Indians might know it. I

don't know exactly where that village was, but I

remember it was right on the fifteenth parallel, so

if you go due west on that, you should…y-you

should…"

Abruptly, Penney's head jerks back as though

he had been grabbed by the hair. His eyes grow

wide with terror, and spots of blood, like tiny


wounds, begin to appear all over his body. He

coughs thickly and then speaks, but the voice that

issues from his throat is not his. "I told you no

man leaves my service, Penney…at least not alive."

Penney screams as his skin begins to rip open; his

blood seems to be forcing its way out through his

flesh, oozing out and flowing over his body. In

seconds, he is literally covered in blood from head

to toe, and you can see it already beginning to scab

over. It covers his eyes and begins to flow into his

mouth, choking off his agonized screams.

"My God," Sir Henry bellows, "do

something!"

The characters have a few moments to react here,

although there is unfortunately nothing they can do

to save Penney. If they try to help him, all it will do is get them closer to the creature that has taken over

his body; if they attack, either to put Penney out of

his misery or to destroy his supernatural attacker, they will gain a round of free attacks before

initiative is rolled. Either way, once they have taken

a round's worth of actions, read or paraphrase the following:

Suddenly, an enormous spasm shakes

Penney's blood-covered body. For a moment, he

remains absolutely still. Then he lurches forward,

clawing at [nearest PC]'s face. Despite the fact that

his eyes are scabbed over with dried blood, Penney

– or whatever he has become – strikes with

unnatural accuracy.

Combat ensues. The blood creature that was once

William Penney will attack without fear or tactics until it is destroyed.

Blood Creature (Accursed)

Init Def Melee Ranged Extras

5 NP+3* 6 (8) 5 (7) 5 Faith Damnation HP Cost

0 6 0 405 Health Track: 7/6/4/4/3 Attack: Claws (8d, DM +4) Powers: Armor (3), Fury (1), Monstrous Form (2) (included above in parentheses) Prices: Damage (alcohol), Vulnerability (cold iron), Weakness (sacramental wine) Talents: Attack Focus: Claws, Attack Specialist: Claws, Claws *NP=Number of Players at the table; +3 means the creature gets 3 automatic success in addition to the dice (due to its Armor power)

Sir Henry will stay out of combat unless things look

desperate (for example, if one of the heroes drops); if that happens, he will pull down a cutlass from the

wall and attack the creature. Sir Henry Morgan (Mortal)

STR 2 EDU 3 COU 4

AGI 2 REA 4 INT 3

TOU 2 WIL 3 PER 4 Health Track: 4/3/2/2/1 Attack: Cutlass (3d, DM +3) Skills: Command 3, Dodge 2, Endurance 1, Firearms 2, Hand-to-Hand 2, Notice 2, Parry 2, Reflexes 1, Resolve 1, Throw 1 Initial Disposition: Responsive

The blood creature is dangerous and hard to hurt, but the characters have the advantage of numbers, so

they should be able to destroy it before they take too

much damage. If it ever fails a Toughness roll to remain conscious, it collapses to the floor and drains

away, leaving no body behind.

When the creature dies, read or paraphrase the

following.

One last blow seems to stop whatever drives

the blood-creature; it totters for a moment, then

collapses to the floor in a huge splatter of blood.

There does not seem to be any of Penney's body

left, just a large pool of blood draining slowly away

through the floorboards.

Sir Henry looks both frightened and angry as

he surveys his blood-drenched study. "I no longer

have any doubt that Penney was telling the truth,

God rest his soul," he says quietly. "If Roc

Brasiliano – or whatever he's turned into – can do

that to a man, then he has to be destroyed."

He turns to face you. "I've one Navy ship in

port today, the Drake. She's small but sturdy, and

her captain's a good man. If you're willing, I'll

have him set sail in the morning to take you to this

Indian village Penney spoke of. I've no idea what

you may find there, but if there's anything that

might stop Brasiliano, do it. Otherwise, no ship in

the Caribbean will be safe, and I expect it's just a

matter of time before he comes here."

The study door creaks open, and the

frightened face of his manservant peers around the

edge. "It's over now, Collins," Sir Henry says.

"Though I'm afraid there's a good bit of cleaning

up to do."


Sir Henry will answer any additional questions the

PCs have, though he has little more information to give them.

What do you know about Roc Brasiliano?

"I know him by reputation, though he never

sailed under me. As Penney said, he was a cruel

and vicious man, but a successful captain for all

that. He'd gladly sail against the Spanish under a

letter of marque if he could, but if not, he'd just as

gladly turn pirate."

What will you give us if we manage to stop him?

"Port Royal is hardly rich, particularly with

the ships we've lost. Still, I can find twenty pounds

apiece for you, I should think. And the good will of

the Governor of Jamaica, which is not to be sniffed

at."

Sir Henry will go up to twenty-five pounds per

character with a successful D3 Charm check. He

will not pay any of the money in advance, saying,

"There's no point in giving you coins that may well

end up at the bottom of the sea if you fail. But I'll

have the money for you if you return and are

successful; you have my word on that."

If Sir Henry is asked to provide equipment or

supplies, a D2 Charm check will convince him to give the characters a letter of credit for up to half the

promised payment, which Port Royal merchants will

accept as readily as cash. Sir Henry will receive an

account of anything bought in this fashion, and will subtract the price from the reward the characters

receive at the end of the adventure.

Once negotiations are complete, Sir Henry tells the

characters to meet Captain Spragg of the Drake

tomorrow morning at dawn at the King's Wharf. Then, wishing them Godspeed and good luck, he has

his servant escort them out.

At this point, the PCs have an hour or so for shopping before the stores close for the night. They

can buy anything from the "Goods and Gear" section

of the Witch Hunter rules except for vehicles, animals, and archery weapons. They can also amuse

themselves in the various taverns and brothels in

Port Royal; characters with appropriate Sins can find opportunities to indulge in them if they so desire.

The characters can sleep in any of several taverns for

a farthing each.

Unless you have a lot of time and enthusiastic

players, it's best to gloss over the evening quickly and move on to the rest of the adventure. When

morning comes and the characters are ready to meet

Captain Spragg, proceed to Scene 2.

Scene 2:

A Heading and a Prayer


The morning dawns overcast and gray as you

approach the wharf where the Drake's longboat

waits to take you out to the ship. Before long, you

are aboard and meeting Captain Charles Spragg, a

wiry middle-aged man who is obviously not happy

about this mission.

"God send that you and Sir Henry know what

you're doing," he says sourly. "I have only a

heading and a prayer, and sixteen guns. The

Assistance had fifty, and this pirate, whoever he is,

either sank it or captured it. I'll take you where

you're bound, by Sir Henry's orders; but I'll not

risk my ship if we're so badly out-gunned.

"We'll be three days sailing to the fifteenth

parallel, and who knows how much longer from

there. I'll send for you when we see land, or a ship

that might be hostile; until then, just stay out of the

way of my crew."

The PCs will be sailing for a total of six days before

reaching the Indian village. Depending on how

interested the PCs are in the journey and the ship, and how much time you have available to play, this

can be role-played out extensively or glossed over in

a few sentences. Further information on the Drake,

its captain and crew can be found in Appendix 2.

On the first day of sailing, a few other ships are seen

heading to or from Port Royal. After that, however, the seas seem empty; the Drake is clearly headed

away from civilized lands, and into the little-known

and less-traveled waters of the western Caribbean.

The crewmen are clearly used to long journeys with no sign of land, but they begin to grow nervous the

farther west the Drake sails; they are approaching

Aztec waters, and none of them relish the idea of meeting those bloodthirsty heathens.

In the late afternoon of the sixth day out of Port Royal, read or paraphrase the following:


Finally, nearly a week after leaving Port

Royal, the look-out's cries signal that land has

been sighted. The crew crowds the rail to see, but

once Captain Spragg sets them back to work with a

few sharp commands, you can see that the Drake is

approaching the end of a long, wooded peninsula.

A few small huts can be seen in a cleared area

along the shore; whether or not it is the village

Penney spoke of remains to be seen.

"Well, if that's where you’re bound, I'll have

my men row you ashore when you're ready,"

Captain Spragg says. "We'll be here keeping an

eye out for other vessels, pirate or otherwise; fire a

pistol when you want us to send the boat back for

you."

The PCs have a few decisions to make here. They

may decide to immediately row in to the village, in

which case you can immediately proceed to Scene 3.

However, if they remember Penney's story, they may wait until nightfall and/or light a few torches on the

boat in a particular configuration. If they remember

that Penney said something about the torches, but not exactly how they were to be set up, a successful

D1 Reason check will enable them to remember that

Penney said Brasiliano had them light two torches

on the starboard (right) side of the boat, and one on the larboard (left) side. PCs who remember and

duplicate this signal will have an advantage in

negotiating with the Indians in Scene 3.

Captain Spragg himself has no intention of coming

ashore, nor will he risk more than a minimal number of his crew on what he considers to be a "fool's

errand." He intends to send four sailors with the PCs

to row them ashore, and then have the sailors

immediately return to the ship until they are needed. A D3 Charm check can convince him to have the

boat and the oarsmen stay ashore with the PCs.

If by chance the characters do not have any firearms

to signal for the boat, Captain Spragg will

begrudgingly loan them a single pistol and two shots worth of powder (which he will immediately reclaim

when they return to the Drake).

Once the characters are ready to head ashore, proceed to Scene 3.

Scene 3:

Spirits of the Past

If the characters row ashore during the day, read or

paraphrase the following:

As your boat approaches the shore, several

brown-skinned natives stop their fishing to watch

you from their long reed boats. Their expressions

are unreadable, but they do not appear to be taking

any hostile action. As you pass, they gather in their

fishing gear and begin to paddle in to shore behind

you. Are they trying to surround you, or merely

curious about strangers?

Once you reach land, you are the focus of

many dark eyes, though few of the Indians are

willing to come close to you. They are short of

stature; their skin is a reddish brown, their hair

black and straight, and their clothing consists of no

more than simple loin-cloths. As you get a closer

look at them, many of the savages appear to be

recently wounded, and you realize that there are no

children or young adults among them. Most of the

huts look as though they have been severely

damaged, perhaps by storms, and the people here

are apparently trying to rebuild them. All of their

activity stops as they watch you, however.

After a few minutes, two men emerge from one

of the more intact huts, carrying a third man

between them. His body shows signs of a terrible

beating, recently given, and his face is puffy and

swollen. Despite this, he speaks with an air of

command, and although you cannot recognize his

language, his tone and expression suggest that he

has asked you a question.

If the characters row ashore at night, read or paraphrase the following:

The crewmen row the boat towards shore in a

nervous silence, broken only by the slap of oars

against water and the lapping of waves on the

shore ahead. The grinding of the boat against the

sand of the beach seems intolerably loud as you

finally reach land.

The sleeping village is quiet, though it is

clearly still occupied, or has been very recently.

The dim moonlight reveals that many of the huts

are badly damaged, perhaps by a storm, although it

appears that someone has been trying to repair

them.


After a moment, you see torchlight

approaching. A small knot of short, dark-haired

savages in loin-cloths approaches you warily. Most

of them appear to be wounded in some fashion or

another. In the midst of the group, several of the

Indians are carrying another, and even in the

flickering light, you can see that he has been badly

beaten.

Despite this, he speaks with an air of

command, and although you cannot recognize his

language, his tone and expression suggest that he

has asked you a question.

Regardless of when they arrive, the players have just met Aiwanisa, the shaman of this Miskito Indian

village. He initially addresses them in the Miskito

language, which is almost certainly unfamiliar to all the characters. If he does not get an answer, and is

not attacked outright, he will try a few words of

Nahuatl (the Aztec language), Spanish, then Dutch,

and finally English. He does not speak any of these other languages very well, but can probably get his

point across. His initial question is, "Who are you,

and why have you come here?"

Aiwanisa's village has suffered a great deal at the

hands of its neighbors, for reasons that will be

explained below. That said, he is not willing to bend his knees to Europeans or anyone else, even though

his people could probably be wiped out by the PCs.

Aiwanisa (Mortal)

STR 2 EDU 2 COU 3

AGI 2 REA 3 INT 4

TOU 3 WIL 4 PER 3 Health Track: 6/5/3/3/2 (currently at 12 wounds) Skills: Concentrate 3, Empathy 1, Grapple 1, Heal 1, Intimidate 3, Myth and Lore 2, Notice 1, Pantomime 1, Perform (Singing) 3, Resolve 3, Speak Dutch 1, Speak English 1, Speak Miskito 3, Speak Nahuatl 1, Speak Spanish 1, Stealth 1 Initial Disposition: Indifferent (but see below)

The remaining villagers (about a dozen of them) will

generally follow Aiwanisa's lead in dealing with

strangers; they will be shy and uncomfortable at first, and quick to repay violence with violence, but

will accept strangers readily if Aiwanisa seems to be

friendly with them.

Miskito Tribesman (Mortal) Minions, TR 2

Once he has received an acceptable answer to his initial question, Aiwanisa will be willing to discuss

the past with the PCs. Here is a list of the ways in

which the PCs can make Aiwanisa more (or less)

cooperative, as well as a summary of the information he knows and may be willing to share.

Changing Aiwanisa's Disposition

By default, Aiwanisa's Disposition starts at

Indifferent.

If the PCs approached at night with the

correct torches lit, Aiwanisa's Disposition will improve by one level. This is a signal

used by those few European traders with

whom the Miskito have had good relations,

and Aiwanisa assumes that those using it have peaceful intentions.

If the PCs attempt to intimidate him, or treat

him or his people with disrespect, it will

worsen by one level (or more, if the PCs' actions are particularly severe).

Gifts may improve his Disposition by one

level, but they must be presented as gifts,

not bribes or payment for information. Money and firearms are worth little or

nothing to the Miskito, but good-quality

tools, hand-to-hand weaponry, or clothing

will be well received.

Working to help the Miskito rebuild their

village, heal the wounded, etc., will improve

his Disposition by one level. Significant

work in this regard (e.g., a day or more of labor by all the PCs) will improve his

Disposition by two levels.

Offers to go rescue the village's young

adults and children will be gratefully

declined; Aiwanisa feels, but will not say, that this is a just punishment for what

Kaikisa did. (OPTIONAL: If you have

enough time in the slot, you may wish to play out a rescue mission (see Scene 3A). If

so, Aiwanisa will gratefully accept any

offers of help, and successfully rescuing the Miskito will raise his Disposition by two

levels.)

The Charm skill can be used to win

Aiwanisa over as usual.


The Command, Deceive, or Intimidate skills

may also work, but treat Aiwanisa as if his

Disposition were one level worse for purposes of these skills.

Dislike or better:

His name is Aiwanisa, and he is the spirit-

talker of this village.

The people here call themselves Miskito;

there are many other Miskito villages near

here.

Eighteen years ago, he was young and still

not a man. The shaman then was Kaikisa, Aiwanisa's teacher.

Kaikisa is dead now; he died several full

moons ago.

The village has recently been attacked by

other Miskito villages, and most of the young men and women have been taken

away.

Indifferent or better:

There was a time, eighteen years ago, when

two pini (white men) and one siksa (black

man) came to see Kaikisa.

The strangers talked to Kaikisa for a long

time, and there was a lot of bargaining.

One of the pini was called Rak (Roc).

After the bargaining, Kaikisa performed a

great ritual for Rak.

Rak was sick for almost a month afterwards,

then got better.

Responsive or better:

Rak wanted to live forever and not die.

Kaikisa could do this, but it was very

dangerous and required much power.

The ritual involved taking Rak's soul from

his body and sealing it in a pottery jar, which would then be taken and buried in a

safe place. After that, Rak could not die

unless his soul was released from the jar.

The jar was buried on a small, empty island

known only to the spirit-talkers.

The price of the ritual was for Rak and his

men to serve Kaikisa until Kaikisa died.

When Rak told his men, they did not want to

pay this price. They tried to kill Rak, but he could not die, and so he killed all of his men.

Kaikisa still demanded their service as part

of his price, and he used his magic to make

the dead men walk again.

With Rak and the dead men serving him,

Kaikisa became very powerful, and soon he

ruled all of the Miskito for several days'

travel in all directions.

Aiwanisa does not know the ritual that

Kaikisa used to make Rak live forever, or the one he used to make the dead men walk.

Friendly or better:

Aiwanisa and the other villagers did not

want all the dead men in the village, but they

were too afraid to speak against Kaikisa.

After the rituals to raise the dead men,

Kaikisa became crazy and did many evil things with his power.

When Kaikisa finally died, Rak and the dead

men took their ship and went away, and the

other Miskito came and attacked this village

to punish them for the things Kaikisa had done.

Aiwanisa can lead the characters to the

island where Rak's spirit was buried.

There is a curse placed on the island so that

the unworthy cannot go there, but Aiwanisa can lift the curse temporarily so the PCs can

retrieve the soul jar.

Affectionate or better:

Aiwanisa killed Kaikisa himself when he

could no longer stand the horrible things

Kaikisa made his dead men do to the other

Miskito.

Hopefully, the Witch Hunters will have a peaceful

conversation with Aiwanisa and convince him to lead them to where Brasiliano's soul is buried. When

this happens, proceed to Scene 4. However, players

sometimes make poor decisions.

If interactions with Aiwanisa go poorly enough that

his disposition slips to Enmity or below, he will

simply break off negotiations and return to his sickbed. Hopefully, the PCs will realize that he

represents their only lead, and will approach him

again later with a more humble attitude.

If the situation devolves into a fight, let the dice fall

where they may. In all likelihood, the PCs will begin

soundly defeating the Miskito. If this happens,


Aiwanisa will beg them to stop before they wipe out

his tribe, offering to tell them where Brasiliano's soul is. He will live up to his end of the bargain;

however, he will not tell them about the curse on the

island, nor will he free them from its effects.

If Aiwanisa is somehow killed before leading the

PCs to the island, a search of his hut will reveal

some unusual drawings. A D2 Navigation check will indicate that these are directions to an island;

this will enable the PCs to complete the adventure,

but they will be subject to the full effects of the curse.

When the PCs are ready to go to the island, proceed

to Scene 4,

Scene 3A:

Rescue (OPTIONAL)

This Scene should only take place if there is enough

time in the slot for an extra combat, and the PCs decide to go rescue the captured Miskito Indians

from Aiwanisa's village.

If the four oarsmen from the Drake have remained

ashore with the PCs, a D3 Charm check is required

to convince them to go along on the rescue mission. If they do so, use the statistics found in Appendix 2.

If the PCs contact Captain Spragg for assistance, he

will not provide any, nor will he let any sailors

accompany the PCs; he won't risk any of his crew for what he calls "damnable savages."

The Miskito who raided Aiwanisa's village live about two hours' walk to the west along the coast.

There are about fifty Miskito in the other village,

although only half of those are warriors; the others are either non-combatant women or too young or old

to fight effectively. Use the statistics for the Miskito

tribesmen in Scene 3, except that these are not

wounded. The non-combatants will flee immediately if a fight breaks out. If more than half of the warriors

are killed or taken out of combat, the remainder will

stage a fighting retreat, leaving the prisoners behind.

The PCs may wish to try a diplomatic approach

rather than an attack. If that is the case, these

Miskito start with a Disposition of Enmity, since they do not want to give up their new slaves. To get

the prisoners released, the Disposition will need to

be brought up to Friendly either through Charm,

Intimidation, or Deception. The chief who is leading

the negotiations has the following statistics: Lapta, Miskito Chief (Mortal)

STR 3 EDU 1 COU 4

AGI 3 REA 3 INT 3

TOU 3 WIL 2 PER 3 Health Track: 6/5/3/3/2 Attack: Club (6d, DM +2), Spear (5d, DM +2) Skills: Dodge 1, Grapple 1, Hand-to-Hand 3, Reflexes 2, Speak Miskito 3, Speak Spanish 1, Stealth 2, Survival 2, Swim 2, Throw 3, Track 1 Initial Disposition: Enmity

Once the rescue is resolved, either through combat

or diplomacy, return to Scene 3 to resolve the

interaction with Aiwanisa.

Scene 4:

Storm Tide

Presumably, the PCs will signal Captain Spragg once they are ready to head to the island where

Brasiliano's soul jar is buried. Returning to the ship

(with Aiwanisa, if applicable) is a simple matter,

though Spragg is not pleased by the idea of following a "savage's" directions.

If the Drake sets off for the island with Aiwanisa aboard, read or paraphrase the following:

For several hours, you sail south and east,

propelled by gusting winds that promise a storm

before long. Aiwanisa sits in the bow of the Drake

watching the waters and singing quietly in his

strange language. Occasionally he directs you to

have the ship change course slightly, which the

captain grudgingly does.

As sunset approaches, the look-out signals

that land has been seen, and indeed the ship is

approaching a small, flat island that looks more

like a half-submerged copse of trees than actual

land.

"There," Aiwanisa says. "Jar buried there, in

middle of island."

Captain Spragg eyes the island sourly. "Tide's

rising," he says. "The whole thing will be

underwater in a few hours, even if the storm holds

off. If you have something to fetch off that island,

best be about it now; I'll have the lads row you

over."


If the Drake sets off for the island without Aiwanisa,

read or paraphrase the following:

For several hours, you sail south and east,

propelled by gusting winds that promise a storm

before long. The Indian's directions are vague and

difficult to decipher, and you do no small amount

of backtracking and sailing in circles to find the

proper landmarks. Captain Spragg is obviously

getting frustrated as nightfall approaches.

However, just before sunset, the look-out

signals that land has been seen, and indeed the

ship is approaching a small, flat island that looks

more like a half-submerged copse of trees than

actual land.

Captain Spragg eyes the island sourly. "Tide's

rising," he says. "The whole thing will be

underwater in a few hours, even if the storm holds

off. If you have something to fetch off that island,

best be about it now; I'll have the lads row you

over."

The island itself is basically a cluster of mangrove

trees around which a thick clump of soil and sand has gradually accumulated. The whole thing is no

more than eighty yards long and perhaps forty wide,

and the "land" is nothing more than thick mud even

at low tide. It is, in short, a small, barren, and miserable spot in the middle of nowhere.

Captain Spragg has no intention of providing the PCs with more than the minimum number of men

needed to row them to the island and back. He plans

to keep the Drake safely in deep water, making preparations to ride out the storm and sail away as

soon as the PCs have returned. He will urge the PCs

to make their preparations quickly and be on their

way, since he would like to be underway before the storm hits.

Aiwanisa is in no condition to accompany the Witch Hunters to the island due to his injuries (and even if

he has been magically healed, he will not set foot on

the island; it is forbidden for him to do so). However, if he is on good terms with the PCs, he

will sing a song over them before they head over to

the island; this will render them immune to the

effects of the curse while on the island (see below). He will also tell them that the jar should be buried

beneath a flat white stone near the middle of the

island.

Once the PCs have made all their preparations and

are ready to set off, read or paraphrase the following:

The wind whips at your cloak as the sailors

row you over to the miserable little island. The

rowboat, and then your boots, sink into the thick,

mucky soil between the countless mangrove roots,

and each step produces a loud sucking sound as

you wrench your feet free from the clinging mud.

As the first drops of heavy, warm rain spatter over

you, and distant thunder rolls from the sky, you

begin your search.

The Curse: Characters who have not received Aiwanisa's blessing are subject to a curse placed on

this island by generations of Miskito spirit-talkers.

While these characters are on the island, each roll of 1 on any action roll subtracts one success from their

total. For example, a roll of 1, 3, 5, 7, 7, 9 would

result in two successes instead of the usual three.

Note that the oarsmen from the Drake will remain

with the boat, and will not participate in the search

or the combat that follows.

See GM Aid 1 for a table summarizing the process

of the search. Each character should make a Notice

check; the cadre needs a number of successes equal to the number of PCs to find the burial site of

Brasiliano's soul jar. If they do not find it after the

first set of rolls, they have spent half an hour in fruitless searching; the water level has gone up

slightly, and the storm has gotten worse. They may

roll again, adding their new successes to any previously obtained, but this time each character's

first success is ignored (i.e., a character who rolls 3

successes only adds 2 to the total). If they still have

not succeeded, they may make one more set of rolls, this time ignoring the first two successes for each

character. If they still have not accumulated enough

successes, proceed to Brasiliano's attack, but treat the PCs as if they had been successfully ambushed

(Brasiliano's men have had enough time to surround

the PCs while they searched fruitlessly for the jar).

If and when the characters have accumulated enough

Search successes, read or paraphrase the following:

As the tide rises and the rain grows stronger,

your search becomes increasingly difficult.

Visibility is almost nonexistent, and the roots and


mud make simply moving around the island a

painfully awkward process.

Suddenly, [name of PC who made the best

Search roll] slips and nearly falls as his/her boot

skids on a piece of smooth white stone, almost

completely buried in the muck. Perhaps this is the

goal you seek…

After a moment, though, you realize that the

stone slab is resting next to a deep hole in the mud,

which appears to have been very recently dug. A

flash of lightning reveals that what you thought

was an unusually straight mangrove root is

actually the handle of a broken shovel, discarded in

the muck.

Give the players a moment to realize that they have

been beaten to the punch; perhaps they may reach down into the hole, or dig further, in the vain hope

that their prize is still there. Once they realize that

the jar is gone, continue with the following:

"Looking for something?"

The voice, thick with menace, somehow cuts

through the noise of the rising wind and waves.

Another flash of lightning reveals the tall figure of

a man, with skin as black as old leather, and yellow

eyes that seem to glow with an unnatural light.

Behind him, a line of sailors heft their cutlasses,

their lips sewn together and their eyes flat and

lifeless.

"Lucky for me I beat you to it, eh? I should

have known those damn Indians couldn't keep

their mouths shut," he hisses. "Should have killed

them all before I left. Well, there's time for that yet;

I have all the time in the world. But your time has

run out." He raises his voice in command. "Kill

them, lads!"

Naturally, combat ensues. Roc's Crew (Undead) Minions, TR 2

Roc Brasiliano (Accursed)


8 2+NP 8 8 5 Faith Damnation HP Cost

0 8 0 530 Health Track: 20/8/6/4/4/2 Attack: Cutlass (7d, DM +5), pistol (7d, DM +2) Powers: Durability (5), Regeneration (1), Weather Control (2) Prices: Obvious Appearance, Soul Outside, Vulnerability (Bone) Talents: Attack Focus: Cutlass, Attack Specialist: Cutlass, Night Vision, Veteran Warrior (included above)

There are five undead crewmen per PC, plus Roc

himself. The crewmen will mindlessly attack until destroyed. Roc, on the other hand, is quite cunning.

He will wade into close combat, knowing that he

cannot be killed, and will attack recklessly, with no thought for defense. Roc's Durability and

Regeneration powers mean that he can take an

enormous amount of damage before falling.

However, all is not lost. Any character that is in a

melee involving Roc should make a D1 Notice

check (-2 dice for darkness and weather) each round. Success means that they notice a bag, which appears

to have something large and heavy in it, hanging

from Roc's belt. This, as the characters may guess, is the pottery jar containing Roc's soul. (Any character

that spends an action specifically looking for the jar

can make the check without the -2 dice penalty).

Once they have spotted the jar, characters may

attack it. This can be done using the Break action in

melee (2 successes will break the jar), or by hitting it with a firearm or thrown weapon. In either case, Roc

is trying to protect the jar, so Roc can spend his own

defense successes to defend the jar. Once he realizes that the characters are attacking the jar, Roc will

abruptly begin to retreat in a defensive manner,

leaving his crew to deal with the PCs.

Imaginative characters may attempt to grab the jar

off Roc's belt. This requires a D3 Subterfuge check

which Roc can use his Defense successes to counter. If the attempt succeeds, Roc will attack the character

with the jar in a desperate attempt to retrieve it. If a

PC with the jar threatens to break it, Roc will call off

the attack and begin to parley; he knows that the jar is the only thing keeping him alive, and he will

literally promise anything within his power to get it


back. However, he has no intention of keeping his

promises, and if the Witch Hunters try to leave with his soul jar, he will launch a desperate (and probably

doomed) attack in order to get it back. (Note that this

means the PCs cannot get their own personal

immortal pirate captain slave, a crew of undead sailors, an English war frigate, etc. Sorry.)

Circumstances: Note that the flooded terrain, heavy winds, and rain give a -1 die penalty to all combat

rolls (this affects both sides). Also, the water reduces

all movement to half normal speed. While the water is not deep enough to swim in, characters that climb

the trees, swing from branches, or clamber across

exposed roots will not suffer any movement

penalties. Such characters need to make an appropriate skill check (Acrobatics, Climb, or

Jump) each round; if they score no successes, they

have fallen down, and must spend their action standing up.

After the first round of combat, read or paraphrase the following:

Above the wind and the sounds of battle, you

hear what sounds like thunder, but much louder

and closer than before. In the waters near the

island, you see blasts of cannon-fire – far more

cannon than the Drake carries.

In the next flash of lightning, you can see a

much larger ship looming over the Drake, which

has been badly damaged by the other vessel's

broadside attack. The attacking ship is manned by

dozens of stiffly-moving sailors, and the name on

her stern is clearly visible in the momentary flash

of light – Assistance.

Roc has indeed captured the Assistance and taken it as his new flagship. His undead crew have done

significant damage to the Drake; however, they are

very slow at reloading the cannon, and do not fight well without Roc there to personally direct them. If

the PCs can finish off Roc in a timely fashion, the

Drake will emerge battered but intact.

If and when the jar is destroyed, read or paraphrase

the following:

The crunch of breaking pottery is barely

audible over the sounds of the fight and the storm,

but its effects are dramatic. A cloud of what

appears to be gray smoke emerges from the sack at

Brasiliano's belt and hangs in the air before him,

seemingly unaffected by the wind and rain.

Somewhere near the center of the cloud is the tiny,

misty figure of a man.

Outside the protection of the jar, Roc's soul is defenseless and can take only 1 hit before being

destroyed (which also destroys Roc). Once the jar is

broken, Roc will desperately attack anyone who

appears to be threatening the soul.

When the soul is destroyed, read or paraphrase the

following:

The tiny, smoky figure offers no resistance at

all to your attack, breaking apart like a cloud on a

windy day. Roc Brasiliano stares at you in horrified

confusion for a moment before the glow in his

yellow eyes fades and he collapses face-down in the

mud. One by one, his undead crewmen follow suit,

both on the island and on the Assistance, while the

cloud of gray smoke wafts away on the wind. After

a few moments, the only sounds are the rain and

thunder.

Go to Conclusion A.

If Roc manages to escape with the jar intact, he will return to the Assistance and flee, enabling the PCs to

return to the battered Drake and limp back to Port

Royal. If this happens, go to Conclusion B.

Conclusion A:

Victory at Sea


With Brasiliano and his crew now truly dead,

you return to the battered Drake. Captain Spragg

is clearly shaken as you climb aboard. "My God,"

he says, "I've never seen the like. I'm sorry I ever

doubted you," he says, as he looks upon you with

newfound respect.

"Now, let's see what's left of the Assistance;

we may need her to ride this storm out and get

home."

The Assistance is drifting now, with no crew to man

her. A boarding party is swiftly sent over (including the Witch Hunters if they wish). All of the undead

are dead now, but the party quickly discovers two


dozen members of the Assistance's original crew

barricaded in their quarters below decks. (Roc intended to take them back to the Miskito village

and have Aiwanisa turn them into more undead

crewmen, assuming that Aiwanisa had the same

powers that Kaikisa did.) The grateful crew will quickly move to secure the Assistance from the

storm, and both ships will be able to get back to Port

Royal without further incident (with a stop at the Miskito village to drop Aiwanisa off, if necessary).

The crew of the Assistance will be amazed that the PCs and the Drake managed to find them in the

middle of nowhere, and will ask how the characters

knew where they were. If any of the PCs mention

William Penney, they will be met with blank stares and confusion; none of the Assistance's crew have

ever heard of Penney, nor do they recall a man

matching his description serving aboard their ship.

The crewmen from the Assistance do not know what

happened to the Storm Tide after their ship was captured.

The return to Port Royal will pass without incident.

Sir Henry will be troubled by the news that Penney was an impostor, but will still be grateful to the

Witch Hunters for their destruction of Roc

Brasiliano. He will give each character the payment he promised (less any supplies purchased on his

letter of credit), and will also write them a letter of

gratitude that may be useful if presented to figures of

authority in other English colonies.

Conclusion B:

Delaying the Inevitable


Brasiliano and his undead crew have fled, but

for how long? He is at the helm of the largest

English warship in the Caribbean, and he still

cannot be killed; whatever the significance of the

pottery jar he unearthed, he will certainly be able

to conceal it somewhere safe now.

As the Drake limps back to Port Royal, you

have one small consolation; Captain Spragg no

longer believes that your mission was one of

superstitious nonsense.

The return to Port Royal, though slow, is uneventful.

Sir Henry will be very disappointed at Brasiliano's escape, though if the Witch Hunters explain what

they were up against, he will find it difficult to

blame them for failing. He will not offer any

monetary rewards, though he will also not make the characters repay any expenses they incurred before

leaving Port Royal.

The End

SP Rewards Characters who survive the adventure receive 1 SP

for defeating William Penney, 1 SP if they gain

Aiwanisa's support, 1 SP if they destroy Roc

Brasiliano, and 1 SP if they role-played well, for a possible maximum of 4 SP per character.

Possible Treasure Up to £25 depending on how the Witch Hunters

negotiated with Governor Morgan and what they

spent on supplies and/or equipment. This money will be paid upon successful completion of the mission

only.

No, the PCs can not keep Roc’s soul or any of the ships.

Possible Contacts Sir Henry Morgan, Lt. Governor of Jamaica.

Whether the Witch Hunters succeed or not, Lt.

Governor Morgan will be grateful for their attempt.

Adventure Codes

Adventure Codes represent things which the

characters did that may impact them in the future, though the PCs are not aware of exactly how. Circle

the appropriate codes on each character's Adventure

Journal according to the guidelines below; not all characters will necessarily have the same codes. Do

not tell the players what the codes mean!

If the players parted from Aiwanisa on good terms, circle Adventure Code 1 on their Adventure

Journals.

If they parted from Aiwanisa on unfriendly or hostile

terms, circle Adventure Code 2.

If they killed Aiwanisa, circle Adventure Code 3.


If they rescued the Miskito captives in Scene 3A,

circle Adventure Code 4.

If they defeated Roc Brasiliano, circle Adventure

Code 5.

For characters who personally destroyed Roc's soul

jar and/or his soul, circle Adventure Code 6.

Appendix 1 – Port Royal

Port Royal is the capital of Jamaica and the most important British city in the Caribbean. Its current population is

approximately 6,000, roughly one-third of whom are black slaves. The free population is about evenly divided

between men and women – unusual in New World colonies – and there are a surprising number of children being raised in the town. Port Royal itself does not produce much of anything; its importance is as a center of trade and

a defensible port.

Places of Worship: Despite its reputation as a rowdy and sinful city, Port Royal has no shortage of churches. In

addition to a large Anglican church under the ministry of the elderly Dr. Joseph More, the town also includes a

Roman Catholic chapel (under Father Thomas Churchill), a Presbyterian meeting-house (under Francis Crow), and a Jewish synagogue (under Jacob Lopez Torres). Several dozen Quakers meet regularly in the home of one

John Pike, but like all Quaker groups, they have no fixed pastor or preacher.

Taverns: A wide variety of taverns and ale-houses, ranging from the quiet and respectable to the raucous and rowdy, populate the streets of Port Royal. The Three Crowns is the largest tavern in town, and has a dedicated

space in the yard for bull- or bear-baiting; cockfighting is popular in smaller establishments such as The Windmill

and The Catt and Fiddle. Those inclined to quieter pursuits may prefer The George or The Feathers, both of which have dedicated billiards-rooms. The Sign of the Mermaid and The Sign of Bacchus are taverns that double as

brothels.

Food: A wide variety of foodstuffs is available in Port Royal, though most of it is very expensive (since almost all of it needs to be imported). The central market on High Street sells fruits, vegetables, and poultry, while another

market at the west end of High Street sells beef, veal, mutton, pork, and turtle flesh. A third market, on the

northern edge of town, sells both locally-caught and imported fish.

Drink: Madeira wine, brandy, and various alcoholic punches are the most popular beverages in town. Lemonade

and various drinks sweetened with sugar or molasses are popular in the warmer months. Fresh water is hard to obtain and often of dubious quality.

Goods: Many craftsmen ply their trades in Port Royal, including three blacksmiths, two gunsmiths, and a half-

dozen tailors. More sophisticated goods and fine quality clothes are regularly imported from England for the wealthy merchants of the town.

Services: Two chirurgeons, Dr. Thomas Trapham and Dr. Nathaniel Doggett, tend to the town's ill and injured, and one William Mathews compounds medicines for them as required.

Law Enforcement: Provost Marshal Brian Kelly is in charge of keeping order; while he has no standing watch, he can call on any of the city's volunteer infantry (nearly a quarter of the city's population) to help arrest

miscreants. Prisoners may be taken to the Marshallsea prison if male or Bridewell if female, or deposited in the

stocks, pillory, or other public places of punishment. For the most extreme crimes, hangings are conducted on

Gallows Point.

Appendix 2 – HMS Drake

The Drake is a small frigate of sixteen guns, with a crew of fifty men (not counting the PCs). It is nearly forty years old (built in 1652), and is showing its age, though it is still quite seaworthy.

Captain Charles Spragg (Mortal)

STR 3 EDU 3 COU 3

AGI 3 REA 4 INT 3

TOU 3 WIL 3 PER 2 Health Track: 6/5/4/4/3 Attack: Cutlass (5d, DM +3), pistol (4d, DM +5) Skills: Balance 1, Climb 1, Command 2, Firearms 1, Hand-to-Hand 3, Navigation 2, Parry 1, Reflexes 1, Row 1, Sail 1, Speak Dutch 1, Speak English 3L, Speak Spanish 1, Swim 3 Initial Disposition: Dislike

Captain Charles Spragg is not a bad man; he is an excellent sailor and a loyal servant of the Crown. However, he believes that this entire mission is a fool's errand that Sir Henry came up with in a drunken stupor (though he

would never say so). His sole purpose is to complete the mission with as little risk to his ship and crew as

possible. If anything arises which seems to indicate that the mission cannot be accomplished, he will use it as an

opportunity to suggest turning back to Port Royal. That said, he is not a coward, and will fight bravely when the situation calls for it.

Drake Crewman (Mortal)

STR 3 EDU 3 COU 3

AGI 3 REA 4 INT 3

TOU 3 WIL 3 PER 2 Health Track: 6/5/4/4/3 Attack: Cutlass (5d, DM +3), blunderbuss (4d, DM +4) Skills: Balance 3, Charm 1, Climb 3, Firearms 1, Gamble 1, Hand-to-Hand 3, Parry 1, Row 3, Sail 3, Speak Dutch 1, Speak English 3, Speak Spanish 1, Swim 3 Initial Disposition: Indifferent

GM Aid 1

The Search for the Soul

1. All searching PCs make a Notice + Intuition check; count total successes.

2. If total successes equal or exceed the number of PCs at the table, STOP; the search is successful. Otherwise:

3. 30 minutes pass; tide has risen and storm has worsened. Make another set of Notice + Intuition rolls, but each

character must discard his or her first success. Count total successes and add to those gained in Step 1.

4. If total successes from BOTH searches equal or exceed the number of PCs at the table, STOP; the search is

successful. Otherwise:

5. 30 more minutes pass; tide has risen and storm has worsened. Make another set of Notice + Intuition rolls, but

each character must discard his or her first two successes. Count total successes and add to those gained in Steps 1

and 3.

6. If total successes from ALL searches equal or exceed the number of PCs at the table, STOP; the search is

successful. Otherwise, the search still succeeds, but Brasiliano and his men ambush the PCs (villains get +2 dice to initiative rolls, heroes are at -2 dice and have 0 Agility for first-round Defense rolls).

Note that the penalties assessed for failing the early Search rolls ONLY apply to the search, not to any other

actions on the island.

GM Combat Tracking Sheet

Scene 1 Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Blood Creature (Accursed)


5 NP+3* 6 (8) 5 (7) 5 Faith Damnation HP Cost

0 6 0 405 Health Track: 7/6/4/4/3 Attack: Claws (8d, DM +4) Powers: Armor (3), Fury (1), Monstrous Form (2) (included above in parentheses) Prices: Damage (alcohol), Vulnerability (cold iron), Weakness (sacramental wine) Talents: Attack Focus: Claws, Attack Specialist: Claws, Claws *NP=Number of Players at the table; +3 means the creature gets 3 automatic success in addition to the dice (due to its Armor power)

Healthy Light Mod Hvy Dying

0000000 000000 0000 0000 000

Scene 3 (Only if combat ensues)

Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Aiwanisa (Mortal)

STR 2 EDU 2 COU 3

AGI 2 REA 3 INT 4

TOU 3 WIL 4 PER 3 Health Track: 6/5/3/3/2 (currently at 12 wounds) Skills: Concentrate 3, Empathy 1, Grapple 1, Heal 1, Intimidate 3, Myth and Lore 2, Notice 1, Pantomime 1, Perform (Singing) 3, Resolve 3, Speak Dutch 1, Speak English 1, Speak Miskito 3, Speak Nahuatl 1, Speak Spanish 1, Stealth 1 Initial Disposition: Indifferent (see Scene 3 for detail)


000000 00000 000 000 00

Miskito Tribesman (Mortal) – 12 warriors Minions, TR 2 □□□□ Group 1 □□□□ Group 3 □□□□ Group 2

Scene 3A (Optional) (Only if combat ensues)

Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Lapta, Miskito Chief (Mortal)

STR 3 EDU 1 COU 4

AGI 3 REA 3 INT 3

TOU 3 WIL 2 PER 3 Health Track: 6/5/3/3/2 Attack: Club (6d, DM +2), Spear (5d, DM +2) Skills: Dodge 1, Grapple 1, Hand-to-Hand 3, Reflexes 2, Speak Miskito 3, Speak Spanish 1, Stealth 2, Survival 2, Swim 2, Throw 3, Track 1 Initial Disposition: Enmity


000000 00000 000 000 00

Miskito Tribesman (Mortal) – 25 warriors Minions, TR 2 □□□□□ Group 1 □□□□□ Group 4 □□□□□ Group 2 □□□□□ Group 5 □□□□□ Group 3

Scene 4 Init:

Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Init: Undead Crew Minions 5 per PC Threat Level 2 □□□□□ Group 1 □□□□□ Group 4 □□□□□ Group 2 □□□□□ Group 5 □□□□□ Group 3 □□□□□ Group 6 Roc Brasiliano (Accursed)


8 2+NP 8 8 5 Faith Damnation HP Cost

0 8 0 530 Health Track: 20/8/6/4/4/2 Attack: Cutlass (7d, DM +5), pistol (7d, DM +2) Powers: Durability (5), Regeneration (1), Weather Control (2) Prices: Obvious Appearance, Soul Outside, Vulnerability (Bone) Talents: Attack Focus: Cutlass, Attack Specialist: Cutlass, Night Vision, Veteran Warrior (included above)

Durability Healthy Light Mod Hvy Dying

0000000000 0000000000

0000 0000

000 000

0000 0000 00

Tactics: There are five undead crewmen per PC,

plus Roc himself. The crewmen will mindlessly attack until destroyed. Roc, on the other hand, is

quite cunning. He will wade into close combat,

knowing that he cannot be killed, and will attack

recklessly, with no thought for defense. Roc's Durability and Regeneration powers mean that he

can take an enormous amount of damage before

falling.

However, all is not lost. Any character that is in a

melee involving Roc should make a D1 Notice check (-2 dice for darkness and weather) each round.

Success means that they notice a bag, which appears

to have something large and heavy in it, hanging

from Roc's belt. This, as the characters may guess, is the pottery jar containing Roc's soul. (Any character

that spends an action specifically looking for the jar

can make the check without the -2 dice penalty).

Once they have spotted the jar, characters may

attack it. This can be done using the Break action in

melee (2 successes will break the jar), or by hitting it with a firearm or thrown weapon. In either case, Roc

is trying to protect the jar, so Roc can spend his own

defense successes to defend the jar. Once he realizes that the characters are attacking the jar, Roc will

abruptly begin to retreat in a defensive manner,

leaving his crew to deal with the PCs.

Imaginative characters may attempt to grab the jar

off Roc's belt. This requires a D3 Subterfuge check

which Roc can use his Defense successes to counter. If the attempt succeeds, Roc will attack the character

with the jar in a desperate attempt to retrieve it. If a

PC with the jar threatens to break it, Roc will call off the attack and begin to parley; he knows that the jar

is the only thing keeping him alive, and he will

literally promise anything within his power to get it back. However, he has no intention of keeping his

promises, and if the Witch Hunters try to leave with

his soul jar, he will launch a desperate (and probably

doomed) attack in order to get it back.

Circumstances: Note that the flooded terrain, heavy

winds, and rain give a -1 die penalty to all combat rolls (this affects both sides). Also, the water reduces

all movement to half normal speed. While the water

is not deep enough to swim in, characters that climb

the trees, swing from branches, or clamber across exposed roots will not suffer any movement

penalties. Such characters need to make an

appropriate skill check (Acrobatics, Climb, or

Jump) each round; if they score no successes, they

have fallen down, and must spend their action

standing up.

Player Handout 1

Lieutenant-Governor

Sir Henry Morgan

ƒeeks Individuals of ¥out Heart and abiding

Faith to undertake a Taƒk of grave

Importance to the Colony of Jamaica and its

Citizens, and to all good Chri¥ians dwelling

in theƒe Lands and Waters.

Any Man or Woman deƒiring to render

Service to the Crown in this matter, which

promiƒes both great Danger and

correƒponding Reward, ¬ould preƒent

themƒelves at the King's Houƒe on

Thames Street no later than

Three of the Clock

on

Wedneƒday, the 22nd of March

to diƒcuƒs the Deeds requir'd of them.

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