GURPS 4th - Monster Hunters Encounters 1

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The document provides brief scenarios for vampire and werewolf encounters that can be used in GURPS Monster Hunters campaigns.

The document aims to fill the need for encounter descriptions featuring monsters from GURPS Monster Hunters by describing two opportunities to engage with vampires, werewolves, and cultists.

The two encounters described are 'The Midnight Bordello' involving vampires, and 'The Moon Clan' involving werewolves and cultists.

Monster

Hunters
Encounters
TM

1
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.
Some artwork © 2015, 2020 Dean Spencer, used with permission, deanspencerart.com. All rights reserved.
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purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

STEVE JACKSON GAMES


Stock #37-0360 Version 1.0 – July 2020 ®
Contents
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

Introduction
GURPS Monster Hunters offers the tools needed to run
a modern-day urban-fantasy campaign centered on hunting
19: Incantation Magic, with Antoni Ten Monrós, and
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;

Using This Supplement his family (especially his mother); and Elizabeth “Archangel
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.

About the Author


Christopher R. Rice has been published in Pyramid
many times. He co-authored GURPS Dungeon Fantasy

Contents and Introduction 2


Chapter One

The Midnight
Bordello
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.

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The Midnight Bordello 3


The Hunt The county where the bordello is located is also the last
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-
The GM might also invoke a GM-facing disadvantage such cess Notes: Success by 0-2 tells the PCs what county the bor-
as Compulsive Carousing, Divine Curse (Monster Magnet), dello is in. Success by 3-4 gives the same, plus a starting point
Duty, Enemies (Monster of the week), or Lecherousness. to track down its location. Success by 5+ or a critical success
reveals the bordello’s exact address.
Investigation
Beatrix’s House of Delights is a known location in
the county it’s in (+1 “where” clue after a “what” clue is I believe that sex is one of the most
discovered, and it gives the name of the owner). It’s a
place which wives accuse their husbands of going (or beautiful, natural, wholesome things
husbands accuse their wives). Searching the Internet
reveals the website for the bordello; if the PCs sign up
that money can buy.
for a cam girl session, they’ll note the movements are
almost inhumanly smooth (+1 “what” clue).
– Steve Martin

The Midnight Bordello 4


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.

The Midnight Bordello 5


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
eatrix s ampire ricks T 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
tricks up her sleeve. Chief among them is Mind Control (Based on right amount of elegant jewelry. One of her girls
Will, Own Roll; Conditioning; No Memory); this allows her to con- does her hair, nails, and so on. Beatrix primps con-
trol most normal victims and make them her servants. She also has stantly to ensure a flawless appearance.
Elastic Skin (Glamour, Will-5), allowing her to shape her features For Beatrix’s stats, use the mature vampire
into any appearance she wishes. (The Enemy, p. 11) as the base. Increase DX to 20,
Her bite has a side effect: Victims must roll against the lower of IQ to 14, Will to 18, Extra Attack to 3, Vampiric
HT or Will, at ‑1 per 2 points of bite or Vampiric Bite damage dealt Bite to 8 HP/second. Replace Night Vision 9 with
(whichever is higher). Failure leaves the target in Ecstasy (p. B428) Dark Vision. Add Appearance (Very Beautiful),
for minutes equal to (20 ‑ HT), minimum of 1 minute. Charisma 3, Smooth Operator 2, Voice, and the
She can enhance her mind-controlled servants, granting them traits listed in Beatrix’s Vampire Tricks (above).
+3 ST, +2 HP, +2 DX, +2 HT, +2 FP, +2 Will, and +2 Per (the Will Add the following skills to her list: Acting-20,
bonus does not apply to resisting Beatrix). This only works on liv- Body Language-20, Detect Lies-20, Diplomacy-20,
ing beings, cannot be used on her vampire progeny, and requires Fast-Talk-20, Intimidation-20, Professional Skill
her to have shared her blood with them. (Courtesan)‑16, Savoir-Faire (High Society)‑16,
and Sex Appeal-23.

Aftermath
Important NPC 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-
tistics from the mature vampire entry in The Enemy (p. 11), Camille first sends her other progeny after the PCs; she only
but – through turnover and luck – all have a Beautiful/Hand- gets directly involved if that fails.
some or better appearance. They also have Sex Appeal and If Beatrix manages to survive the hunters, she tries to take
Professional Skill (Courtesan) at 14 or higher. Finally, remove shelter with one of her many mind-controlled locals – starting
the Blood Agent limitation on their Mind Control, add Elastic with the sheriff. If those avenues are closed, Beatrix quickly
Skin (allowing them to tailor themselves to individual clients), leaves the area to regroup.
and give them the same ecstatic bite that Beatrix has (see Her next moves depend on how many of her progeny sur-
above). There’s a reason they can charge what they do and get vived. She’s not particularly skilled at tactics and prefers
away with what they’ve gotten away with! to operate behind the scenes. If at least half are still alive,
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.

The Midnight Bordello 6


Chapter Two

The Moon
Clan
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
the woods and only return to “town” when called by Father or The Hunt
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.

The Moon Clan 7


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.
Who (‑6): No one in the Moon Clan makes any attempt Pursuit
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

The Moon Clan 8


The GM can narrate a fast montage of thorns, poison ivy,
and soaked boots, or let the group banter and roleplay, per- Important NPCs
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.

The Moon Clan 9


rudimentary form of lunar worship, and his devoted,
passionate attempts to free the moon’s spirit intrigued
The Traitor Son 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.

Aftermath
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

The Moon Clan 10


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