Ubb Issue 2

The Unbound Book
Complete Issue Two - 2005

The Unbound Book Gen Con Issue - August 2004
Pages from an
The Unbound Book - Issue 2,
August 2005
The Unbound Book is an irregular
Unbound Book
magazine publishing free adventures for
Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu roleplaying
game in the Roaring Twenties.
Published by: Unbound Publishing Welcome to our second issue of the Unbound Book! Originally this issue of
the magazine was due to hit the net in October 2004, but due to a number
Editor: Marcus D. Bone of unforseen circumstances (which include the loss of my day job and the
D20 Editor: Shannon Bell arrival of Chaosium’s monograph series) it was not forthcoming.
Contributors: Brian Courtemanche, Matt & Why is this issue special? Well for one it is highly likely to be the last
Debbie Cowens & Michael Mahony. issue of the magazine, but more importantly it is a showcase of ‘what
should have been’ The Unbound Book (UBB).
Magazine Layout & Design: Marcus D.
Bone As some of you reading this might be aware, The Unbound Book is a
Cover Art: “Deep One” by Luis Corte Real small adventures magazine dedicated to Call of Cthulhu. Focusing on
what we like to call the ‘The Roaring Twenties’, UBB is produced on
Interior Art: Alan M. Clark, Rebecca a irregular basis in .PDF format and is available for FREE download
Smith-Cruz, Don Fougere, Matt Cowens on our website - www.unboundbook.org. As a fanzine, UBB relies on
All Maps: David Conyers submissions from its readers, with all art and layout undertaken by a
small group of dedicated volunteers.
Magazine Template Art: Eyal Feingersch
Although The Unbound Book is indeed small scale amateur press, that
Play-testers: Julia Blackmore, Emma Bone,
is not to say we aren’t trying to present a quality product with new new
Mark Chiddicks, Colin D’Souza, Marcus
Gustafson, Darryn Mercer, Stephen Moir. issue. While UBB may not be professional in production (although I like
to think that some of our artists are as good as, if not better than many
freelancers), we continually strive to attain a professional attitude in our
approach to publishing, hopefully gaining in quality and quanitity with
Special Tribute each issue produced.
This Issue is dedicated to one of UBB’s In this issue we have attempted to show you what it means to download
fine artists - Rebecca Smith-Cruz! a copy of The Unbound Book - what types of adventures you would
expected to find and how we go about giving you, what we think is, the
Beckie was kind enough volunteer to
best free Call of Cthulhu resource anywhere on the net.
attend GenCon as our representative
this past year, and while there handed Thanks for taking the time to read the fruits of our labours and I hope
out copies Unbound Book. In addition,
you all the best now and in the future.
she be attended the Call of Cthulhu
rallies during the Con and, with the
May the Stars be right for you!
help of her fantastically designed
flyer, assisted us in raising our profile Marcus D. Bone - Editor
amongst the CoC community.
All of us here at The Unbound Book
have an undying gratitude for Beckie
and the lengths she has gone to, not
only with her art, but also with the
dedication and time she has devoted to
this ‘fan’ magazine!
Call of Cthulhu is copyright 1981, 1983, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001 by Chaosium Inc.;
Please see our special Tribute to all rights reserved.
Rebecca’s work later in this issue - we Call of Cthulhu is the registered trademark of Chaosium Inc.
hope it goes some way to making up Chaosium Inc. 900 Murmansk Street, Suite 5, Oakland CA, 94607-5018, U.S.A.
for all the work she has given us!
All content is copyright the authors and artists and is published with their permission.
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Gen Con Issue - August 2004 The Unbound Book
Contents Page
Cover Art - “Deep One” by Luis Corte Real (www.cortereal.net).................................Cover
Pages from an Unbound Book.................................................................................ii

Contents Page.....................................................................................................iii
Adventure - “Dark Dreams of Innsmouth” by Brian Courtemanche.....................................4
with Original Art by Don Fougere & Maps by David Conyers
Map - “Innsmouth” by David Conyers................................................................................14

Fragment of Fear - “Land of the Rising Dead” by Matt & Debbie Cowens........................16
with Original Art by Matt Cowens & Alan M. Clark Maps by David Conyers
What are Fragments of Fear? -

An Introducton to Single Session Adventures by Marcus D. Bone..................................17
The Art Of Rebecca Smith-Cruz - A Special Tribute............................................29
Adventure - “Horror on the Mesa” by Michael Mahony................................................30
with Original Art by Alan M. Clark & Maps by David Conyers
Player Handouts ...............................................................................................37

Dark Dreams of Innsmouth....................................................................................37
Land of the Rising Dead........................................................................................39
Horror on the Mesa..............................................................................................41
Resources
Due to size constraints The Unbound Book is unable to hold all extras we would like to bring our readers. But
don’t fret, on our website www.unboundbook.org, we have placed all those documents we weren’t able to fit in
this issue. These include:
d20/BRP Conversion Notes - All the statistics and rules required for running all the adventures in this issue using
the alternate Call of Cthulhu system, including NPC stats, difficulties levels, experience rewards and much more.
Maps - Full scale maps in a print friendly format. All hand drawn by David Conyers, these maps bring something
special back to the Call of Cthulhu gaming experience.
Special Note -
With the release of this special issue of UBB, our magazine’s website will be going through a number of changes.
Please visit www.unboundbook.org to see how we continue to grow in our support of Cthulhu!
ii
The Unbound Book Dark Dreams of Innsmouth Gen Con Issue - August 2004
This adventure involves an imperilled friend of the Investigators,

sanity-shattering dreams, a cursed artefact and shadowy, sea-
haunted Innsmouth. A desperate friend has mailed the artefact to
the Investigators, the result of which leads the players into direct
conflict with Deep Ones of Innsmouth and their hybrid allies.
Keeper’s Background & Adventure Overview

Dr. Swanson Ames, professor of English at Salem’s Normal
School for Teachers and friend or associate of the Investigators has
recently fished up a golden crown of fabulously alien design while
fishing off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Unfortunately
for Ames, the crown is a relic of the Deep Ones that inhabit the
cold grey Atlantic waters and is used to conduct alien rites and
grisly sacrifices on Devil’s Reef. As a result, should the crown come
into the possession of an innocent human, such as poor Ames, the
effects can be disastrous.
Professor Ames, reeling in the Crown of Dagon, was awed and
baffled by his find, an exquisite headdress made entirely of gold
and crafted with fabulous and disturbing designs. The astute
scholar recalled that he had once viewed illustrations of similar
craftsmanship in a book he had once read on the town of Innsmouth
and its curious maritime lore. Ames promptly visited the decadent
settlement to learn what he could of his find, ending up at the Marsh
‘Crown of Dagon 1’ 2004 Don Fougere
Gold Refinery. Ames called upon the plant manager Jacob Marsh, a
slimy character with a ‘too-wide’ a smile and a disturbing gaze. The
refinery man slyly tried to purchase the crown from its new owner
without divulging anything of the crown’s sinister origin. Repulsed
by Marsh’s evasive, slick ways and seeming over-eagerness to buy,
Professor Ames left Innsmouth with the Crown.
However with the knowledge of the crown’s whereabouts, Marsh
set into motion a plan to retrieve the relic and silence the one and
only person who might know of its power. As a result, since his
Dark trip to the refinery some three weeks ago, Ames’ life has become
increasingly unpleasant and on several occasions he has been visited
Dreams of by sinister folk. To begin with, these strangers claim to be ‘jewellers’

wanting to buy the crown, but with Ames’ continued reticence to
sell, the visits have become more and more threatening.
Innsmouth
by Brian Courtemanche
Simultaneous with the appearance of the unwholesome visitors,
Ames began having feverish and disturbing dreams. In these
nightmares Ames visits cyclopean undersea cities, communes with
monstrous fish-like “men”, and partakes in unspeakable rituals.
Worse still, the professor began waking from these terrifying
dreams to find that he had been sleepwalking. More disturbingly,
one night he awoke to find himself behind the wheel of his Packard,
halfway to Innsmouth, the crown sitting on the seat next to him.
With his sanity dwindling from the damning dreams and damnable
visitors, Ames, in wild belt of desperation, mailed the Crown of
Dagon to his friend, one of the Investigators, knowing that they
took an interest in matters strange and occult.
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Gen Con Issue - August 2004 Dark Dreams of Innsmouth The Unbound Book
What the Investigators can do to make things unsuspecting fool, even to Marsh, the Keeper should call
right for Idea rolls. Successes recall that Ames continued to go
insane after he had mailed the crown to his friend and it
After reading the letter, the Investigators learn that
is likely the same fate awaits the Investigators.
Ames has gone crazy and has been committed to
the Danvers State Hospital for the Insane. It seems Eventually however, the dream-burdened, hybrid
that the crew of a Gloucester fishing boat hauled the harassed Investigators should come across a reference
good professor out of the Atlantic early one morning. to the crown in a book on maritime folklore. This text
Brine-sodden and chilled to the bone, the man babbled makes special reference to the Ponape Scripture and
incessantly about monstrous fish-beings and inhuman focuses on the peculiar Innsmouth jewellery and its
cities beneath the waves. Unable to locate any immediate relevance to odd superstitious practices.
family, the authorities have little choice but to commit
As the Investigators discover, this weird Ponape Scripture
the poor man to the care of an insane asylum.
reveals the horrible truth about the Crown of Dagon and
Now it is the turn of the Investigators to find out what the grim fate that awaits those who come to posses it.
power the crown holds, as they too become victims of However all is not without hope, as the book also tells of
disturbing dreams and are paid sinister visits by the a midnight ritual to disenchant the crown, thus ending
hybrids of Innsmouth. As the story progresses, the the cursed dreams. The catch being the banishing ritual
desperate Innsmouthers become an increasing menace to must be conducted on the shorefront and unfortunately
the Investigators, the horrible sea-dreams become more acts as a beacon, drawing nearby Deep Ones and hybrid
regular and eventually the players will find themselves humans to the proceedings. Nevertheless this book and
waking from dreams in their automobiles, on the lonely its odd ritual are the Investigators’ only hope if they are
roads to Innsmouth. to live through the Dark Dreams of Innsmouth.
The Investigators are bound to suffer the same miserable
fate as their friend unless they can break the curse of Involving the Investigators
the crown. Of course, should they decide to simply throw
away the crown or perhaps even sell it to some other The story begins when one of the Investigators receives
a package from their old friend/colleague/mentor,
Professor Swanson Ames. Keepers should convey to the
player concerned that Ames is someone who is counted
on as a friend and a decent person who knows something
of the Investigator’s involvement in matters arcane and
occult. The package contains two items, a letter from
Ames (see Innsmouth Paper 1) and a heavy object
imperfectly wrapped in old newspaper. Peeling away the
paper reveals a heavy headdress, crafted entirely of gold.
Strange sigils of unknowable import are worked into the
artefact.
Shortly after the package arrives and the letter is read,
hand one of the Investigators Innsmouth Paper 2, an
article from the Arkham Advertiser, the Kingsport
Chronicle, Boston Globe or other newspaper of the
Keeper’s choosing. How this is done is left to the Keeper’s
own devices, but the act of receiving the article should be
enough to prompt the Investigators to discover more of
what has befallen their friend.
The Investigators now have a number of choices open to
them; they can go directly to Danvers State Hospital for
the Insane and try to speak with Ames; visit Gloucester
Harbour and interview the crew of the lobster boat,
Divine, or travel to Innsmouth and meet with Jacob
Marsh.
5
Furthermore the Investigators might opt to conduct some

research by either visiting Ames’ home in Danvers to
locate his book on maritime folklore, or prowl established
libraries for said text. Of course those versed in the
Mythos might simply wish to make a Cthulhu Mythos
roll, or consult a selected mythos tome as reference
regarding the Crown of Dagon. If Investigators have
access to such texts, the Keeper should insist that the
tome fit the subject matter of Deep Ones. Good choices
for this would be the Ponape Scripture, the R’lyeh Text,
Unausprechlichen Kulten, Invocations to Dagon, or the
Necronomicon. If these books are not available or the
relevant Cthulhu Mythos rolls fail, Investigators may still
learn about the Crown of Dagon by the more arduous
routes previously detailed. In any event, Investigators
will face dangers to their physical and mental well being
as evil dreams invade their sleep, Innsmouth thugs drop
in for visits, and the ritual to break the curse of the
crown is learned.
The Danvers State Hospital for the Insane

A winding drive up a quiet wooded hillside and on
through a set of tall iron gates leads to the sprawling
complex known as Danvers State Hospital for the
Insane. Brooding over the multi-acre property is an
inter-connected series of towering red brick, slate
roofed wards erected in arresting neo-gothic style.
Even the completely sane are unnerved when first
gazing upon the compound’s disturbingly angular,
oversized buildings. Numerous wooden outbuildings
and small copses of elm, maple and pine trees dot the
property’s vast acreage, although they fail to soften the
hospital’s cold, formal and gothic facade. Arriving at
the Kirkbride administration building, an orderly leads
the Investigators to the ward where Ames is being held
for observation. Ames is currently under the care of a
Dr. Wade Holt, who will be summoned at the parties’
arrival. The interior of the hospital is reasonably well
lit and smells strongly of antiseptic. Inmates lounge
listlessly in hallway chairs or are locked away behind
stout metal doors with small, thick-paned windows. An
occasional shout or bark of giddy laughter echoes from
a distant hallway, punctuating the general lassitude and
silence that surrounds the hospital.
Meeting Doctor Holt

Dr. Holt is a large, kindly man in his early fifties with
chestnut coloured hair which is turning slightly grey at
the temples and who sports an enormous moustache of
the type regarded as fashionable by an earlier generation.
Holt is naturally courteous to the friends of the stricken
6
man and relates to the Investigators that while Ames is in He also warns them of Jacob Marsh: “he’s a dangerous
good physical shape, he is still vacillating between states man, with sinister connections”, before breaking down,
of delusion and lucidity. As the party is brought to Ames’ sobbing that, afraid for his life, he gave “Marsh’s hideous
room, the doctor comments that they are, in fact, the thugs” the name of the Investigator to whom he mailed
second group of friends to visit the poor man. If asked, the crown. Finally he urges the Investigators to visit
Holt explains that the first group was a “rather shifty his home, where they can find the book on Innsmouth
looking lot”, who claimed to be old friends of Ames. lore in his study. Then, with a coughing gasp, Ames
Holt almost refused them access to his patient, but falls back into a glassy-eyed stupor and can answer no
relented, hoping that a familiar face might help restore further questions, seemingly lost in another world. Dr.
his patient. He says that the group was alone with Ames Holt soon ushers the party out of the room, but thanks
only a short while before the patient became agitated, the Investigators for visiting their friend and suggests
his shouts bringing both himself, and orderlies from the that perhaps they contact Detective Russell Pierce of the
nurses’ station. Unfortunately, nothing intelligible could Gloucester Police, the officer handling Ames’ case.
be discerned from the patient, save that he seemed to be
hostile toward his visitors, who were hurriedly escorted
from the patient’s room. Thinking something “just An Interview with a Detective
wasn’t right” about the odd visitors, Holt states he called Detective Russell Pierce is a plain spoken, simple
for the police, but by the time they arrived, however, thinking man with few interests other than his job and
Ames’ ‘friends’ had left. his family. He is tall and lantern-jawed, with a slight
For the most part, Dr. Holt is very well disposed towards paunch and wispy hairs combed over his balding pate
well-intentioned Investigators and is a good contact to with generous applications of hair gel. He has recently
cultivate for future investigations. He will not initially been promoted to the rank of detective after putting in
believe in supernatural powers, Deep Ones, hybrids, years as a patrolman, and now solidly into middle age,
and the like, however if he becomes an associate of the cares little for stories of supernatural menaces or far-
Investigators he might alter his perspective. reaching conspiracies. He believes that Professor Ames
suffered an accident on his boat, which has scattered
his wits, a conclusion he intends to file in a few days.
Taking to Ames As a result, any inconvenient Investigator assertions of
At Ames’ bedside - this time with Dr. Holt just outside the monsters or cults will be steadfastly ignored.
door - the Investigators find their friend in a delusional
state. Normally a fat, jovial fellow, Ames has become
alarmingly emaciated since the Investigator(s) last saw At Ames’ Home
him. His face is thin and sunken, drawn with deep Located within walking distance of Salem Normal
lines of worry and restlessness. Unaware of his visitors, school, Ames’ domicile is a small, unobtrusive, two-
Ames shifts uneasily in his bed, as if in the throes of a storied affair, nestled in a small yard shaded by oaks
nightmare. Face half-pressed into a sterile white hospital and a stand of pine trees. A weather-worn but sturdy
pillow, he utters: three-foot picket fence with a latched (but unlocked)
“the reef...sunken city... town...no, out of ...the water... front gate surrounds the premises, while a slightly rusted
never...crown...ceremony...dead...waves”. mailbox on a leaning wooden post displays Ames’ name
painted imperfectly on its side. The front door to the
Ames will continue to babble the same phrases for a house is locked. The back door, though shut, has been
minute or two before gradually waking to behold his forced. The wood around the small deadbolt has been
newest visitors. At first Ames recoils in fear; then, split asunder. Inside the house has been ransacked, with
recognizing a familiar face or two, noticeably relaxes. the plush furniture toppled and sliced open, cabinets
Though very weak, Ames appears pleased to see his and drawers flung wide and their contents strewn
friend(s), greeting them by name. In a wheezy voice, everywhere. Though it may at first look like a typical
he asks why they are in his bedroom, and why they’ve robbery, keen Investigators will, with an Idea roll,
brought a doctor to his house. If the Investigators discern that nothing of any real value has been taken.
mention the letter, the crown, or any other aspect of the Should the police be summoned, the break-in will receive
mystery, Ames becomes lucid and grim. He apologizes front-page coverage in the Salem Evening News. ‘Home
for having involved them in all this, but says that he of Hospitalized Educator Vandalized!’ and ‘Stricken
knew of no others that could help him. Professor’s Home Burgled!’ blare the headers; the
7
articles express disgust that malcontents would ravage the book by the publisher states that author Michael
the property of a respectable citizen fallen on distressing Peabody drowned just before the publication of this, his
personal circumstances. The police will rule the break- only book.
in as just that, stating publicly that the vandals were
obviously scared off by a passing car or a noise outside
before anything of value could be taken. An Encounter with the Divine
Should Investigators take too long to visit Ames’ home, Travelling to Gloucester from Arkham or Danvers takes
the break-in is instead discovered by a visiting neighbour, less than an hour. Gloucester is the archetypical New
with much the same result as those set out above. If this England fishing town, tucked into the northern shoreline
is the case, the Investigators can either ask the police of Massachusetts. Checking in at any of the local spots
for permission to enter Ames’ home or take the riskier (the diner, post office, police office or fishermen’s
approach of entering without permission. wharves), can lead to the Investigator’s being informed
that Captain Joshua Briggs’ fishing boat, the ‘Divine’,
Sneaking into the house simply requires the nerve to heads out to sea just before sunrise and returns late each
approach and enter the house. The front door is locked afternoon. Depending on when Investigators arrive in
and the back door now sports a stout new padlock, Gloucester, they may have many hours to wait before the
courtesy of the Salem police. All the windows have Divine returns to the harbour. Even then there will be
been locked from within, and the cellar bulkhead is also the need to wait as the crew pulls up to the dock, hauls
secure. Getting past either the front or back door requires the daily catch onto waiting trucks, payments are to
a successful Mechanical Repair roll on the lock or brute be tallied, and the boats rigged for the next morning.
force (versus a STR 13). Keepers may also call for Sneak These working folk are very busy and will have no time
rolls, as the Salem police and nearby neighbours have or patience for ‘well-dressed city types’ interrupting their
increased their vigilance since the break-in. There is a business. Finally, after all the hubbub of business has
20% chance that at any time of the day the Investigators’ ceased, the Investigators may approach the crew of the
approach to the Ames property will be noticed by a Divine and speak with Captain Briggs. The Captain is
neighbour, who promptly phones the police. These events hungry and tired from a hard day’s labour and offering
can prompt any number of Sneak, Hide, Luck, or Fast him a meal at the local diner will be gladly received (+10%
Talk rolls, depending on how the Keeper wishes to handle to Persuade rolls, Credit Rating rolls, etc.).
the situation.
Captain Joshua S. Briggs is a lanky, rough-looking man,
Ames’s house, though ransacked, otherwise appears his features hardened and leathery from innumerable
quite ordinary. A small study off the front parlour is hours spent at sea in all sort of weather. His hands are
cluttered with hundreds of books, papers and personal gnarled but very strong, attached to arms of corded
effects (souvenir paperweights, brass letter-opener, muscle. His hair is a thick shock of peppery grey, turning
small globes, etc.). If the books are examined, a Spot white at the sideburns. Despite his ‘severe’ appearance,
Hidden roll will locate a small book entitled Innsmouth: Captain Briggs is a kindly man commanding discipline
Superstition and the Sea, by Michael Peabody (see on his boat by mutual respect rather than fear. He is
Innsmouth Paper 3), buried in a heap of books from an very open and matter-of-fact if asked to recount how he
overturned bookshelf. Reading the slim volume costs and his crew rescued Dr. Ames.
the Investigator 1d4 Sanity but grants 1d2 points of
Cthulhu Mythos. The book details the strange customs “The Divine was about a half hour out of harbor, when
and quaint folk practices of small Yankee seacoast towns I myself noticed what I thought was a large seal or big
with Innsmouth, Massachusetts as its focal piece. One fish or god knows what, in trouble. As we got closer, I
old Innsmouth native is quoted in the book as he speaks realized that ‘twas a man, all alone, way out here, kickin’
vaguely of a curse that lies upon his home, stating, “that and a-wavin’ his arms around. Looked like he was tryin’
the old town has lost more than its share of sons and to duck under but kept bobbing up. The boys used boathooks
daughters to the sea.” Peabody concludes his treatise and we managed to hook ‘im with a bit of trouble. Was like
with the assertion that Innsmouth’s loss of maritime he didn’t want to be saved. He was a big feller, so it took
trade in the 19th century caused its insular populace to a bit of doin’, but we managed to get him on board after
resort to superstition to restore its prosperity, forsaking a bit of a fuss. The man seemed delirious - kept yapping
healthier routes of alternate industry. In this bizarre that he had to get to “Yannalay”, whoever or wherever the
effort, the town failed, though has yet to, and may never, devil that is.”
emerge from its intense insularity. A brief endnote to
“I had the man brought below deck and warmed with
8
blankets and broth. I radioed back to the Harbormaster, In Innsmouth, the locals keep their secrets well and
and, since me and the boys weren’t that far out, brought will rebuff any attempts by the Investigators to glean
the sad feller back to land, to the authorities. Then we information from them. It is not a friendly place!
headed back out.”
(Keeper’s note: “Yannalay” is actually “Y’ha-nthlei”, the
great underwater city of the Deep Ones).
Talking with Jacob Marsh
The office of the Marsh Refining company can be found
on the northern side of the Innsmouth Town Square
A Trip to Innsmouth and is normally open during business hours. However,
Investigators wishing to travel to Innsmouth to interview before getting to speak with Marsh, the Investigators
Jacob Marsh, of the Marsh Refining Company, might must first make their way past company receptionist,
find this is a difficult and dangerous task. The Marsh clan Lucy James, an untainted but very blunt and unattractive
controls much of Innsmouth and anyone poking around young woman. Assuming the Investigators convince the
on Marsh soil had best beware. Rash Investigators may receptionist of their need to see her employer, Jacob Marsh
find themselves beaten, harassed or run out of town. admits the visitors to his office. The well-dressed man
Furthermore, the Innsmouthers may well be aware that oozes a sickly sort of charm as he continually slicks back
the Investigators now hold the Crown of Dagon, in which his dark and thinning hair. He is every bit of the ‘greasy
case this could prove to be the most hazardous episode of character’ Ames spoke of, as he smiles at Investigators
the whole scenario. with his “over-wide” grin, his bulging eyes alight with
unwholesome mischief.
Innsmouth is just a short automobile ride from any
Massachusetts town and about an hour from Boston. If Investigators ask Marsh about the dealings he may have
A daily bus service makes a route between Arkham and had with Professor Ames, he confirms that the professor
Innsmouth, and costs 40 cents. The surly, taciturn driver did indeed come to his office several weeks ago, bearing
and his ramshackle bus leave Arkham daily at 8 a.m. with him an unusual item, a crown of solid gold. The
and 9 p.m., depositing wayfarers at Innsmouth Town professor, it transpired, wanted to know if the company
Square, directly in front of the Gilman House hotel. had ever crafted such an item, a question to which Marsh
sadly said no. Marsh says he then offered to buy the
Arriving in Innsmouth, the Investigators are impressed unusual item from Ames, but the man seemed not to be
with the atmosphere of decay that pervades the neglected in a selling mood. The professor left the refinery offices
town, perhaps only in the hills of Dunwich and its environs and Marsh has given him no further thought. If pressed,
is degeneracy so physically palpable. The Gilman House Marsh indignantly denies knowledge of any underhanded
is the Square’s most impressive building, a teetering five- attempts to wrest the crown from the professor.
story structure of rotting clapboard and peeling yellow
paint. It is the town’s only hotel. If Investigators staying Of course, Marsh is a liar. He is indeed the figure behind
here prove to be a real threat to the powerful Marsh clan, Dr. Ames’ threatening callers, being the individual
the hotel is likely to be the last place on earth they’ll tasked with recovering the crown for the Deep Ones.
see. Out of town guests are conveniently quartered in As such, during the course of the interview, Marsh
the upper stories of the building, preventing easy flight; will attempt to discover if any of the Investigators
there are no fire escapes. Rooms are $2 a night and are have the crown in their possession or if they know of
in ill repair (rusted bed frames, peeling wallpaper, water its whereabouts. Hopefully the players will be bright
stained walls and ceilings, bare light bulbs, uniformly enough to not reveal such information.
inoperative locks on doors). The day manager is an After the interview, Marsh will work with zeal to discover
oldster named George Habbit, a functional yet quiet the addresses of the Investigators and will dispatch a
man, he is utterly insane due to regular contact with handful of his hybrid flunkies to scour neighbouring
Innsmouth’s loathsome populace. The night manager is communities, businesses, hotels, college campuses, etc. to
the surly Charles Gilman, son of the owner. The Town discover their whereabouts.
Square is also home to the First National grocery store,
the Innsmouth Cafe, a drugstore, a seafood distribution
company, Waite’s Variety Store, the First Unitarian A Change in the Weather
Church of Innsmouth, a small gas station and the offices
The Innsmouthers campaign to terrorize Investigators
of the Marsh Refining Company. All of these buildings
into relinquishing the Crown of Dagon should be paced
are in dire need of repair.
by the Keeper according to how quickly the group is
9
progressing through the adventure. Of course, if the crown but the sanity cost to contact these alien intellects
Investigators fail to visit Marsh, it is feasible that the is terrible: 1d10/1d100. Just as awful, psychically sensitive
hybrids manage to get their names and addresses from a persons (those with high POW ratings) who come into
fearful and bed ridden Dr. Ames. contact with the crown often trigger residual psychic
energy gathered in the headpiece, causing terrifying
Incidents begin with the hybrids’ attempts to shadow
nightmares. Sanity loss for these dreams is comparatively
Investigators to discover just who has the artefact and
low, but they are chronic; the mind being gradually lost
determine when best to strike. Next come visits in the
to terrifying visions.
night from small groups of sinister men who demand the
crown. If met with resolute resistance, break-ins follow. There is however hope for those unfortunate enough to
Finally physical assaults and kidnapping may occur, have come into contact with the Crown of Dagon. The
but the Keeper must be careful not to overwhelm the terrible books that detail the purpose and function of
Investigators. Instead, players should sense that they this horrid artefact also detail a rite for dispelling the
are at the centre of a web of occult danger. Investigator latent energy in the crown. The texts describe a pre-
violence as a first response to the hybrid goon squad is a dawn ceremony, performed where the land meets the
bad idea. The Innsmouthers can call in any number of sea. Celebrants sing complex chants to the god Nodens
replacements, summon their Deep One kindred for aid before a small driftwood bonfire and implore his aid.
and have an entire town in which to gain refuge from At the height of the ritual the appropriate verse is sung
retribution. The Deep Ones, immortal as they are, have and the crown is cast into the flames. Vulnerable to the
plenty of time to recover their crown and will continue flames, the crown writhes like a living beast in the fire,
to make the Investigators’ lives a living hell until the blackening and withering into ropy strands of charred
artefact is in their clammy claws. seaweed as its noxious fumes mix with the smoke and
rise high into the sky overhead. Thus ends the crown’s
power over the minds it has infected.
Investigations and Resources
Danger courts those who perform this rite. The dispelling
ceremony also acts as a telepathic beacon to the Deep
The Lore of the Crown
Ones and their hybrid allies. Enraged at the assault on
Investigators will likely wish to delve into the foul pages their revered artefact, it is unlikely that they will leave the
of the Ponape Scripture after learning of its usefulness in spell singers unmolested to complete the proceedings.
Peabody’s Superstition and the Sea. Lore on the Crown
of Dagon can also be found in other mythos tomes: the
Cthaat Aquadingen, Dr. Laban Shrewsbury’s Cthulhu The Dreams
in the Ponape Scripture, or perhaps chapter eight of Von
The dreams that have been haunting Dr. Ames - and
Junzt’s Unausprechlichen Kulten (“Nameless Cults”).
likely some Investigators - throughout this scenario can
Of course the Keeper may place information about the
be described to the players in vivid detail. Dreams work
Crown of Dagon in any appropriate Mythos tome to aid
to best effect when the Investigator does not realize he
Investigators in concluding this adventure.
or she has gone to sleep. Keepers can simply describe
an ongoing scene, such as the Investigator having just
The Crown of Dagon arrived home for the evening, and segue right into the
This dreadful ceremonial headpiece is worn by the Deep dream sequence. At a critical moment, describe to the
Ones as they perform bizarre and terrible rites devoted to Investigator the sensation of waking up in bed. Only
their alien gods. Human sacrifice is common; victims are then does the dream become apparent. Or do the reverse:
gathered in stormy night raids on coastal communities, tell the Investigator something has woken him up from
kidnapping sailors and other seafarers, or relying on a sound sleep and then move seamlessly into a dream
degenerate human allies to provide suitable sacrificial sequence. At a chosen moment, have the Investigator
victims. The metaphysical energies (POW) generated wake up again, and realize the first waking was but a
by the sacrificial rites flow into the Crown of Dagon, dream. Flitting in and out of dream narratives should
enabling communion between the wearer of the crown keep the Investigators on edge and give them a sense of
and the alien minds of the Deep Ones’ dread gods. A new their slipping grasp on reality. Sanity losses for these
sacrificial rite must be undertaken for each communion dreams are just 0/1d2. Despite the low cost the dreams
and no more than one deity may be contacted at a time. are repetitive, occurring again and again over many
Spells and other knowledge may be imparted via the nights, and no Investigator no matter how strong of
mind can hold out forever. The dreams originate with
10
the Crown of Dagon, containing imagery of the sea and you flee. Behind you, that-which-was-your-friend shouts
of horrific secrets concealed by the endless waves. What garbled, drooling inhuman sounds, grabbing for you
follows are some sample dream sequences that can be with a webbed claw. The sharpness of the talons shock
tailored by the Keeper to best suit his players. you awake, panting and awash in a sheen of fear.
Dream One - The Undersea City Dream Three - Tough Sacrifices

You wake from slumber and your room is unusually A sound wakes you from your slumber. Reaching for
dark. There is a thickness in the air that causes your the bedside light, you’re stunned to realize you’ve been
feet to drag and blurs vision. Your body feels cool. manacled hand and foot to a slab of cold rock. The ceiling
Shockingly, you find yourself not in your bedroom but is gone, replaced by a dark, overcast night sky. It is cold
on a bare slab in a drab, near lightless cell. Have you been and wet, and the wind smells of brine. The surf pounds
drugged and thrown in some sort of prison? There is one nearby, though you cannot rise to see its source. There
triangular window across the small room, unbarred, just is another sound, an eerie droning chant. Dark figures
large enough for a man to squeeze through. Moving to shuffle and waver rhythmically nearby, just tantalizingly
the window, you look down upon a vast, lightless city, out of your vision. It is from them that the chanting
dark towers rising in the gloom, much like the one you comes. It is a terrible sound, a buzzing, gurgling,
must be in. There is an impression of movement down choking sort of sound, full of harsh consonants and
below and among the towers, but it is too dark to make alien cadences. A dark, hooded form looms before your
out any details. After a minute or two you suddenly feel captive body, features shrouded, its bulk blocking out the
movement nearby and then something huge rises to fill inky clouds overhead. It raises its arms to the moonless
your field of vision. A massive shark, razor-toothed night, something long and wicked held in its hands. With
mouth agape, rushes in for the kill. Your scream is a final, gurgling chant, the hooded one violently thrusts
somehow muted, a torrent of bubbles rising from your is arms downwards. You wake breathless with sharp
throat. You are underwater! The shark slams into the stomach pains. The following morning an ugly bruise
wall, snout first; it cannot breach the window. It makes spreads itself across your lower torso.
several ramming attempts at the opening, probing with
its snout and dead black eyes. You are trapped while the Dream Four - It Takes a Village
shark circles without and noses at the window opening.
A splash of water across your face brings you alert. You
There is another sound, an odd songlike vibration, and
are prone, face down in shallow, choppy surf. The water is
the shark half turns. The massive fish retreats from the
salty and warm, the night is dark. Sand wriggles between
window. You get the merest glimpse of that which called
your fingers as the surf rhythmically churns the beach.
the shark. The vision is too much. You throw your hands
Ahead, beyond the surf line, beyond the beach, is a large
up to cover your eyes and wake up screaming in your
cluster of huts. All is dark there, the sound of the surf the
own bedroom, bedclothes soaked with sweat.
only sound. To either side of you, and behind you, there is
a rush of movement. Figures, prone as yourself, rise up
Dream Two - The Trouble with Friends out of the choppy surf and shamble quickly toward the
You are just finishing up some mundane work when
a friend drops by for a visit. After a little while spent
chatting, you notice that the other person looks feverish
and is sweating profusely. Your friend denies that
anything is wrong. Soon damp patches begin to soak
through the clothing, and skin starts to peel and dribble
away in large flakes. Still the friend denies any problem,
wondering aloud if you yourself feel all right. The friend’s
voice becomes watery and choked with phlegm; eyes grow
impossibly large from a swell of fluid. Hair and skin ooze
away, revealing a glistening, greenish-black lump where
a head once was. Hands become more like sickly black-
green scaly claws, while legs become mucus-covered,
scaly tentacles. Eyes finally burst from fluid, running
down green-black cheeks. Black, glistening orbs now
stare out of a once-human face. Shocked and sickened,
11
huts. You are borne up and keep pace with the others, day. In fact, you wince - the sunlight seems so bright
your heavy feet pounding the sand. You reach the huts. in your room. But what is that terrible smell? Did the
Your companions throw aside grass mat doors and enter icebox give out sometime during the night, spoiling
the little dwellings. Screams of terror and the sounds of your food? Rising from your bed, you are shocked to
fighting fill the sultry night air. You half-lurch, half are observe that your bed is a mass of ropy, half-damp
pushed into a hut where a small group, a family, are just seaweed slowly baking in the sun. The walls of your
scrambling to their feet. A small child, no more than room have disappeared; instead, all around lies a vast
four years old, turns to you as you stumble through the expanse of muck, strewn with drying seaweed and
doorway. Her mouth goes wide as her scream pierces the decomposing fish. Directly above, the sun gleams
walls of the little hut. A warped, hulking figure staggers blindingly white, baking the air into a rotting miasma of
past from behind you to meet the girl’s father in a death organic putrescence. It is deathly quiet; there is no wind,
struggle. Outside, in the night, your fellow raiders are no sound of surf. You wander for what seems hours. The
shambling back to the sea, writhing burdens slung across sun gradually sinks until it is a dull red disk absorbed
their wide, glistening shoulders. Reaching out to silence into the barren, featureless horizon of half-baked muck.
the little girl’s unending scream, your own gurgling The moon rises full, white, and cold, like a blind and
scream commingles with that of the others: your arm is pitiless eye on the desolation below. Its pale light reveals
glistening, scaly, black, and sinewy with ropy muscles. a great chasm stretched out before you, so wide and so
Bits of seaweed cling to your wrist, and your hand is a deep that it blocks your path. Far down, a silvery river
large, webbed, claw-fingered horror. You wake in your of water ribbons its way along the bottom of the canyon.
own bed screaming. Beside the river rises a stone obelisk half buried in the
ages-old silt at the bottom of the canyon, nearly concealed
Dream Five - No Man is an Island in shadow. That you can just perceive by moonlight
bas-relief carvings covering the obelisk is a testament
It’s an unusually sunny morning as you rise for the
12
to the monument’s immense size, far and below as it enmity of these foul beings. Effectively immortal, the
is. As you struggle to discern the nature of the distant Deep Ones have a lifetime to plot revenge and the Keeper
carvings, there is a sudden disturbance on the surface should rejoice in the possibilities.
of the river. A scaly humanoid, a great blasphemous
anthropomorphic form, rises from the water to throw its
great, flabby arms around the obelisk in some form of NPCs Statistics
obscene worship. That you can see the creature so clearly
from your distance is an indication of its great size. You Sample Innsmouth Hybrids
grow dizzy from the thought, lose your footing, and These hybrids can be reused as many times as the Keeper
pitch forward over the rim of the canyon! Screaming, requires.
you wake up in your own bed, your sheets soaked in
sweat. The memory of a foul miasma hangs in the air, as STR: 13 9 13 9 12 12
if something vile had just left the room. DEX: 12 10 13 7 14 13
CON: 12 10 13 7 14 13
Concluding the Scenario SIZ: 14 14 14 13 12 13
INT: 12 13 14 14 13 11
The only effective way to successfully conclude this
scenario is by performing the magical ritual to destroy POW: 11 8 14 15 7 7
the Crown of Dagon. If the crown is destroyed sans the DEX: 12 14 8 9 11 9
ritual, the horrific dreams will continue - and sanity APP: 5 7 10 12 9 10
points lost - until the dispelling ceremony is performed
HP: 13 12 14 10 13 13
or the Investigators go insane. If the players seem at a
loss how to proceed at any point during the scenario, Db: +1d4 - +1d4 - - +1d4
they can be guided by Dr. Ames during his rare lucid Weapons:
moments. Events are likely to get violent during the Fist: 60 55 55 50 60 55
dispelling ritual as Deep Ones and their hybrid allies Grap: 35 35 40 30 25 35
close in to recover the crown.
Kick: 30 25 30 30 40 30
Keepers can adjust the level of resistance offered by the Club: 25 - 25 - 40 -
Deep Ones as they see fit, from a couple of angry Deep
Ones shambling out of the waves to hordes of Fishmen Pistol: - 35 - 35 - 30
rising up from the sea and carloads of Innsmouth hybrids Club: 1d6 + db
roaring up to the beachfront. Pistol: 1d10, can impale.
The Crown of Dagon being a powerful artefact, it’s Sample Deep Ones
possible that destroying it draws the attention of Nodens
himself, who might aid Investigators; a longshot, but not These Deep Ones can be reused as many times as the
out of the range of Keeper options. Keeper requires.
STR: 14 10 13 22 12 12
Sanity Awards and Final Thoughts CON: 13 11 12 10 15 12
Dispelling the Crown of Dagon nets each participating SIZ: 18 14 12 18 13 13
Investigator 1d10+4 Sanity. Defeating the intervening INT: 18 18 16 10 13 12
Deep Ones nets Investigators an additional 1d6 points
POW: 15 8 6 4 8 10
(awarding the maximum, 6, if a group of Deep Ones
are defeated). With the breaking of the crown, Professor DEX: 12 10 10 11 10 14
Ames and any other unfortunates beholden to the crown’s HP: 16 13 12 14 14 13
power will gradually recover. If he survived, Ames can Db: +1d4 - +1d4 +1d6 +1d4 +1d4
become a staunch ally of the Investigators and in the
Weapons:
future may be able to help in conducting research etc. in
the areas that befits a man of his education. Claw 30 30 40 50 35 40
Spear - 30 - 30 - -
Destroying this artefact, so revered by the Deep Ones
and their allies, also earns the Investigators the eternal Claw: 1d6 + db
Spear: 1d6 + db, can impale.
13
14
Armor: 1-point skin and scales

Spells: none On the Unbound Book Website
Sanity Loss: 0/1d6 Sanity points to see a deep one.
Dark Dreams of Innsmouth
- D20 Stats for Dak Dreams of Innsmouth
- Large print friendly maps by David Conyers
Visit the Unbound Book Website @

www.unboundbook.org
15
The Unbound Book Land of the Rising Dead Gen Con Issue - August 2004
Editor’s Note
This adventure was originally run at KapCon, New Zealand’s largest
and most popular roleplaying convention, and is The Unbound
Book’s first ‘Fragment of Fear’ (see What are Fragments of Fear
on the next page for an explaination of this type of adventure),
Land of the Rising Dead is a prefect adventure for a night when the
Keeper or their players are looking for someting ‘a little different’.
The player characters created for this adventure are found on the
Unbound Book website in both ‘Byakhee’ and ‘jpeg’ format.
Keeper’s Background
Seth Acres, a rich ex-patriot Britain, has recently died in Japan.
During his life, Acres was the head of a Japanese Cthulhu cult, and
has made preparations in his will for his resurrection as a powerful
undead creature. Unfortunately for the players, a part of these
preparations involve the untimely death of their Characters!
In this “Fragment of Fear” adventure (see the page opposite for
further details on running The Unbound Book’s Fragments of
Fear), the players take the roles of characters somehow connected
to recently deceased Acres, either as one of his relatives or as the
result of some past interaction. As our story opens all of the
Characters have been invited (all expenses paid of course) to Japan
‘Dead Like Me’ 2003 Alan M. Clark
to collect their inheritance. However if all goes to plan for Acres and
his servants, once in Japan our heroes will be used in a ritual which
will resurrect their leader and allow his eternal life, that is unless
the players are able to unmask the deceit and defeat their crafty
enemies. In addition to the cult, a group of Japanese Priests are also
attempting to prevent the ritual. Unfortunately their plans call for
the characters to be ‘scared’ out of Japan prior to their attempts at
destroying the cultists and the zombie Seth. It looks as if the players
are between a rock and a hard place!
Land of the Adventure Timeline

The following timeline outlines the general progress of the
Rising Dead
adventure.
1907 to 1918 - Seth Acres moves to Japan and begins his worship
of Cthulhu.
A Fragment of Fear 1921 August - Seth learns of the blood ritual that will grant him
eternal life.
1922 December - The law firm of Speegle and Sayo receive
by Matt & Debbie Cowens detailed instructions from Acres regarding the recipients of his
will and the circumstances surrounding its reading.
1923 - A secret Shinto organisation learns of Acres’ cult, and
reopens the ancient temple on Kuroiyama. Shortly afterwards
they discover the identities of the Acre’s heirs and begin planning
how to stop them ever reaching Kuroiyama.
February 19th - Seth’s followers drain the blood from his body
16
Gen Con Issue - August 2004 What are Fragments of Fear? The Unbound Book
What are Fragments of Fear?

apart from the requirement to set the story during
the ‘Classic Era’ of CoC, these short adventures are
perfect chances to explore ideas of horror and gaming
One-Shot Adventures for Call of Cthulhu which could never fit a normal campaign.
Fragments Style of Play: Most Fragments of Fear will be based in

situations where it would be difficult to place a regular
Imagine if you wish, the session when key players
group of Investigators (e.g. The Western Front in
can’t make it, but the rest of your Investigators are
WW1, a group of young students at high school or as
still itching to face the Mythos or when a couple of
advisors to a British politician on the campaign trail).
old roleplaying buddies unexpectedly turn up at your
All in all each adventure is not only meant to be a fun
door and demand a session of their favourite RPG.
and exciting experience, but also allows a change of
Better yet, think of the time you didn’t get a chance to
pace from a regular Call of Cthulhu session.
organise the next session of your latest campaign. Now
think back in hindsight of what you could have done Length of Adventure: All Fragments of Fear games
if you had something ‘different’ prepared or one-shot should only take one session to complete. In play testing
adventure ready to go? this will be 4 to 6 hours (depending of course on the
decisions made by each group’s players).
We’ve all had those experiences before, when players
have decided that role-playing would be a great idea, Game Difficulty and Style of Play: No Fragment of Fear
but you, as the Keeper, haven’t got the slightest idea of will be too difficult to complete, in fact the requirement
what to run. of the adventure to be completed in such a short period
of time, is that it does limit the amount of investigation
I know sometimes we think all we really need is to
and detective work required for a successful conclusion.
prepare a simple one-off adventure – a ‘just in case’
By extension, these adventures are usually ‘pulp action’
scenario - but even then this can be a hit and miss
in style, as opposed to the traditional horror stylings of
affair. Writing a good Call of Cthulhu adventure takes
regular Call of Cthulhu stories.
time and there is never any guarantee that what you
have written will work as planned. Worse still, you Rewards: One of the limitations of one-off adventures
have to create Investigators, handouts, etc., and in the is the lack of character development. However, as the
end organising and running a one-off adventure is just players will hopefully discover, the true reward for a
as time consuming as it would have been to arrange a good one-off game is the actual game play as opposed
regular session. All that, without even guaranteeing a to the potential investigative gains. As a result, the
satisfying gaming experience. point of Fragments of Fear is to enjoy the roleplaying,
ham up the acting and get a buzz out of our hobby,
Fragments of Fear are The Unbound Book’s attempt
rather than look to any ‘on paper’ gains.
to alleviate the problems of running a quick and simple
adventure. You’ve encountered this sort of scenario Death: If there is one thing that immediately becomes
before, at your local Convention, or in publications apparent with one-off adventures, it is the way in which
like Chaosium’s Blood Brothers 1 and 2, or Pagan players are more willing to risk their Investigators in
Publishing’s highly acclaimed ‘Grace Under Pressure’. the hope of achieving the adventure’s objectives. In this
In a nut shell, Fragments of Fear are short self- type of adventure, character death can occur without
contained stories which supply the Keeper with all the fear of future repercussions, and in the experience of
handouts, Investigator stats and plots-twists they need the editor allows players to act more heroicly than in
to run a successful one-off adventure! regular game-play.
Vital Statistics Summing up

Fragments of Fear adventures include all the tools We hope our Fragments of Fear are here to stay, and
needed to run a one-off session, and usually cater for although we realise that not all of these adventures are
between 2 and 6 Investigators. going to appeal to every Keeper or their players, we
do believe that they are a vital part of keeping Call of
Setting: When it comes to Fragments of Fear, the
Cthulhu fun and vibrant.
author’s imagination is free to run wild, with strange
locations and odd encounters being the norm. In fact,
17
in the preservation ritual, resulting in Acres death

like stasis. The Other Passengers
March 1st - Speegle and Sayo learn of Acres’ There are only three other paying passengers
‘death’, and dispatch letters to the recipients of the onboard the ship during the current voyage
will (the Characters). (although there are a number of sailors, of British,
Japanese and South American origin who are of no
May 3rd - The tramp steamer ‘Kipper Maru’ leaves
interest to the characters).
London bound for Tokyo with the Characters on
board. Mike Vincenzi – an Italian-American, he has a broad
New York accent, and is always impeccably attired
June 5th - The ‘Kipper Maru’ arrives in Tokyo, the
in a pin striped suit and fedora. He habitually rolls
Characters stay at the Scherer Pension. That night,
a coin over his knuckles, and chews a matchstick,
the Shinto Priests’ contacts in Tokyo summon a
spending most of his time playing cards with the
yuurei (ghost) in an attempt to frighten off Acres’
two other Japanese passengers. If questioned why
heirs.
he is on his way to Tokyo, he simply says that he is
June 6th - The Characters travel by boat to the island on ‘business’, and refuses to disclose any more. He
of Kuroiyama. The Shinto Priests on Kuroiyama is something of a ladies man.
dispatch a pair of Kappa (turtle creatures) to stop
Hiro and Yuusuke Fukushima – Japanese brothers,
them reaching the island. The Characters stay in
heavily tattooed and wearing wooden sandals and
Kuroiyama village.
loose fitting robes. These two are very serious,
June 7th/8th - A Confrontation occurs between the and seem to speak no English although they will
Priests and Cultists, resulting in all Priests being not answer to anyone in any language. They
killed - except the aged leader, who remained at the spend most of their time playing cards with Mike
temple. The Characters reach Seth’s mansion and Vincenzi.
his spirit begins to torment them.
It is probably impossible to tell, but Vincenzi and the
June 8th/9th/10th - The Cultists attempt Acres’ Fukushima brothers are actually working together,
resurrection, using the PCs as sacrifices. their card games an elaborate system of code used
to arrange a deal to smuggle liquor to New York.
September 1st - The Great Kanto Earthquake
destroys huge sections of Tokyo, Yokohama, and the
surrounding plains. Kuroiyama itself slowly sinks lately of London, now bound for Tokyo, where the
beneath the waves. Most of the fishing community Characters have all been invited to dine at the captain’s
survive, but there are many casualties. The island table. The ‘Maru’s’ Captain is John MacWhirter, a solidly
is lost and forgotten by history. built, heavily whiskered Englishman. He will loudly ask
each of the characters whether they are enjoying the trip
Starting the Session and why they are travelling to Japan. Furthermore he
will ask what they have been doing to keep themselves
The year is 1923 and prior to the start of the game, each of occupied on the voyage so far.
the player’s Characters has received a visit, either at their
home or place of work, by a small oriental man (who it As an answer to this final question, it is up the players
seems had very limited English skills). He approached to decide what their characters have been up to while
each character by name, confirming their identity by at sea. There are a number of possibilities, including -
the simple method of asking their name in a questioning reading, playing cards, strolling on deck, studying the
manner (e.g. “Mista Johna Sumisu?”), before handing Japanese language, studying Japanese geography and so
each of them a letter, its envelop bearing the character’s on. The ship has only one text on the Japanese language;
name on the front, and the name of “Speegle and Sayo” therefore anyone opting to do so will have already become
on the reverse (see Land Handout 1). better acquainted any other player ‘students’. Likewise,
any characters who decided to gamble or play cards will
also be able to know each other better.
Aboard The Ship – The Kipper Maru
This option for introduction is a good opportunity for
The adventure itself begins with a dinner table the players to describe what their characters look like,
conversation on board the Tramp Stream ‘Kipper Maru’ how they usually behave and any interesting bits of
18
Gen Con Issue - August 2004 Land of the Rising Dead The Unbound Book
personal information that may have come to light on the as he has spent several years studying at Oxford, speaks
voyage so far. very good English. Takayuki explains that he will be
escorting them to the reading of the Will, but for tonight
The trip to Tokyo from London takes about 4 weeks by
they will be taken to a nearby Pension (hotel) to rest and
steamer and the characters arrive in early June, at the
recover from their voyage.
start of summer. Tokyo is a little hot, and very humid at
the moment and as the rainy season is about to begin, the The streets near the docks are very narrow, especially
air hangs moist, thick and heavy with the anticipation of travelling in Takayuki’s seven seater Mercedes, and the
rain. multi-story wooden buildings lining each side of the
lanes are built so close to one another that they touch.
Telegraph lines drape overhead, as do the innumerable
The Dock
signs and paper lanterns, which are covered with
Tokyo bay is bustling with activity - seaweed dries on indecipherable characters. Progress is slow, as every
large bamboo boards, fishermen go about their work, cart or car they meet must find a side road to allow the
and bentoo (or boxed lunch) salesmen scream for sales Mercedes past. Here and there, the locals stare intently
at the top of their lungs. On the docks, most people are at the car and its passengers, their faces blank slates.
dressed in semi-traditional clothing - large baggy pants, Only the children in the streets seem curious, while the
boots with the big toe separate and loose jackets adorned older citizens look mostly scornful.
with strange writing. Everywhere is a strong smell of
fish, and a sweaty aroma that seems to hang over the As the car moves further away from the docks the roads
dock. Hundreds of wooden buildings can be seen around grow broader, and at last the Characters begin to see
the waterfront – most of Tokyo’s buildings are wooden. Japanese people dressed in Western style clothing – suits
and hats for the most part. Now, all around, there is the
Once the characters have had a chance to take in the proliferation of bicycles and rickshaws, trams which run
sights they are met by a very polite Japanese man named up and down the streets and large brick buildings of false
Takayuki Nakagawa, a representative of Speegle and European design.
Sayo. He is dressed in a Western style suit and hat and
19
The Pension some kind of old wives tale, which makes no sense to him.
But, he continues, that isn’t uncommon, even after all his
A pension is a kind of Japanese hotel, a little similar to a years here in Tokyo.
European Bed and Breakfast. The Pension at which the
characters are to stay is a small 1 level wooden house,
which is nestled between 2 much taller office buildings. The Ghost in the Pension
Inside their accommodation, the floors are tatami - a That night, around 1 in the morning, any character
woven straw mat. It is forbidden to wear shoes or even making a successful listen roll is oddly awoken, although
slippers on this kind of flooring and the characters are by what they are unsure. Anyone succeeding the roll by
instructed to remove their shoes in the entrance hall 20 or more will remember hearing the faint sound of a
(genkan). woman laughing. The sound, which continues now that
some of the group is awake, seems to be coming from the
The Pension itself has a central bathroom, used by all
roof of a random character’s room. If anyone present in
guests, which includes a deep (though not wide) tub, and
the room makes a successful Spot Hidden roll, they will
a small 3 legged stool. Most rooms are separated by thin
see the translucent hem of a white Kimono coming down
walls, and allow for easy eavesdropping. While 2 pairs of
through the roof.
rooms are separated only by sliding paper doors. When
there is strong light behind these doors it is possible to As the characters watch, read the following -
view the movement and position of the silhouetted figures
A Japanese woman, ghostly pale and shimmering,
in the next room. The Pension is only large enough for
descends into the centre of the room. Her eyes are wide
8 guests, so the characters are the only people staying
and staring, without pupils. Her mouth is split from ear
here this night. The owners of the Pension are Anton and
to ear in a huge grin - her teeth small but incredibly sharp.
Misako Scherer.
She wears a triangle of cloth on her forehead. Waves of
Dinner with the hosts, which consists of raw fish, anger and malice roll out from her as she floats slowly,
seaweed, a soup that smells of old socks, and giant eerily toward you.
crabs eaten from the shell, is a light hearted and jovial
This is the ghost sent by the allies of the Shinto Priests in
affair and allows the players to experience a little of the
an attempt to scare the characters away.
Japanese culture.
As the group watches, she tilts her head to one side and
Anton and Misako (Pension O wners): Anton is originally
stares menacingly at the closest character, before drifting
from Belgium and was a champion Judo player. He came
into the next room. She continues to drift through the
to Japan 13 years ago for an international tournament,
rooms of all the characters, her eyes glowing ever redder,
met his wife, and has lived here ever since. He has not
and then, as suddenly as she appeared, she vanishes.
heard of Kuroiyama Island or the law firm (or Seth Acres
All witnesses of this event must make a San roll (0/3).
for that matter), but will direct any enquiries about such
The woman is most definitely a ghost, and nothing the
to his wife. If so asked, he can direct PCs to the nearby
characters can do will affect her.
libraries, local government offices, izakaya (pubs) and
so on. He is a loud jovial Belgian, with a great love for If the group decides to wake Anton, he doesn’t believe
Japan. their story, though his wife will appear terrified. While
characters searching the pension for secret doors find
Misako is native Japanese, with very little ability to
only cobwebs, spiders, and an occasional grain of rice.
speak English. She is short (a little over 5 feet) and very
The crawlspace above the ceiling (below the sloped roof)
pretty with shoulder length black hair. Her age is very
is particularly creepy, though it contains nothing of
hard to guess - she looks anywhere between 15 and 40.
note.
If the Characters talk to her, she will say “Velly nice
customer san. Barseloom velly kureen. Eigo o sukoshi
wakarimasen (I understand only a little English)”. Travelling to Kuroiyama Island
If any mention of Kuroiyama is made, she looks very
In the morning the group is again met by Mr Takayuki,
concerned, and will say “Abunai desu yo! Abunai! Ikanai
who is still driving his very large Mercedes. Once all is
de kudasai! Ikanai no ho ga ii desu,” which roughly
ready, he drives them back to the port, explaining that
means “It’s dangerous! Dangerous! Please don’t go! It’s
he has arranged passage to Acres’ home on Kuroiyama
better not to go”. She however lacks the ability to explain
onboard a small fishing vessel.
her concerns further. If the smart thinking characters
ask Anton what she said, he’ll chuckle and tell them it’s At the docks two hardy looking Japanese men invite the
20
locals.
The Kappa
Mr Takayuki doesn’t offer much assistance during the
Kappa are mythical Japanese water creatures. skirmish, as he is in a state of shocked disbelief. “But
They resemble four foot high humanoid turtles and they’re just fairy stories!” he insists, refusing to believe
although not evil creatures are known to attack what he has seen. The fishermen, on the other hand, are
humans. Kappa are very strong, and have some a superstitious pair, and while scared by the attack are
gruesome habits, although they are also rumoured aware of such things’ existence.
to be very skilled healers, and are said to have taught
humans how to bind broken bones. They have sharp The remainder of the trip is without incident, and
beaks, webbed claws, and hard shells and have a the boat arrives at the island of Kuroiyama late in
bone-like crown atop their heads, which they must the afternoon. Seeing the lateness of the day and the
keep filled with water if they want to move about continuing bad weather, Takayuki insists they stay in
on land. Their favourite food is cucumber and are the village overnight, before travelling to Seth’s mansion
very fond of tradition – it is said that if you meet the next morning.
a Kappa on land the best thing to do is to bow to
it. It will bow back, thus spilling the water from Kuroiyama Island
its crown, forcing it to flee back to a river, lake or
sea. At sea level the island is a very green and lush forest, but
as the viewer’s gaze looks steadily upwards the forested
slope of Kuroiyama gives way to the black and barren
group (including Takayuki) onto their vessel and into its landscape of the mountain, rising up over the island like
single cabin (although as the morning is fine, they have a dark shadow. The island itself has several important
no issue at all with characters remaining on the deck). locations which the characters are likely to visit - The
The fishermen do not speak to the group, but instead Village, The Old Temple, Seth’s Mansion, and The
gaze nervously up at the sky as they prepare to leave Mountaintop.
port.
As the evening wears on, the weather gets worse, as a
Gwillam (the player character and fisherman) soon typhoon passes near the Island and the characters are
notices that other sailors in the harbour are tying up their encouraged to seek shelter in the Inn (which is the only
boats, as if a storm were coming, although pointing out place in the village to eat anyway!).
this fact has no effect on the preparations to the two men.
Soon enough the boat sails out through the harbour and
into the sea, just as above the skies darken and the wind
The Village
increases. The fishermen nervously drape bits of dead The characters eventually arrive in the small fishing
fish (mixed with cucumber) over the back of the boat village of Kuroiyama-machi (Black Mountain Town).
and soon a few heavy drops of rain begin to fall. There are about a dozen fishing boats moored just off the
beach, plus a few others in the harbour. At its centre, the
The rain quickly grows into a deluge and about half
village has 4 large buildings - the Inn of the Pierced Fish,
an hour later, anyone who succeeds in a Spot Hidden
the Police Station, The Post Office, and The Library. In
or Boating roll notices the ship list in the water, as
addition several smallish houses are scattered about the
something heavy is at one end of the fishing vessel.
bay and the entire village is surrounded by a number of
Although the characters might believe that the boat
farms, consisting mainly of rice paddies and vegetable
is taking on water, what has in fact come aboard are
gardens.
2 Kappa (5 foot tall turtle monsters – see the sidebar
nearby), sent by the Shinto priests to stop the boat.
The Post Office
These creatures immediately attack the Captain and his
mate, and unless the characters get involved, will injure The single staff member gives his name as ‘Bob’. He is
them badly. If the Kappa succeed in mauling the crew, a very enthusiastic, fat little man who has spent the last
they take the bits of fish and cucumber, and disappear few years studying English. Originally from Tokyo, he
back into the sea, leaving the characters to sail the boat. was transferred to the Kuroiyama post office after he
On the other hand, if the Kappa are driven off, the hit a young boy whilst on his delivery rounds. He is a
fishermen are very grateful, and once on Kuroiyama Christian (as he will loudly tell the PCs) and is eager to
will take the group to the Inn and introduce them to the tell them anything he can:
21
Kuroiyama Island: “Every Spring and Fall there are of Tokyo newspapers, including some issues of ‘The
huge storms that sweep over the island, causing much Japan Times’, an English language paper. Investigative
devastation. This building is very strong, so I don’t characters may find the following information:
have to worry. The locals are very superstitious - they
Kuroiyama Island – a few miles south of the
are not Christian like me!”
Southern tip of Chiba prefecture, this small island is
Speegle and Sayo: “A lot of mail from them to Mr home to an insular fishing community. They speak
Acres, and from Mr Acres to them, passed through a dialect of Japanese unlike any other. Though trade
this office. All confidential of course!” with mainland Japan has increased this century,
there is still no electricity or gas on the island, nor
Seth Acres: “He was a very good man - I met him
any schools. In addition there is reference to ‘The
only twice, but he was a Christian, and his English
Legend of the Black Mountain’, a story involving the
was very good. He said I spoke English very well. I
drinking of blood and the secret to eternal life.
took his picture.”
Speegle and Sayo - a respectable law firm, with a long
tradition of practice. Bilingual since 1885.
The Kuroiyama Library
This is little more than a small shack, installed with a Seth Acres - he appears in island censuses from the
couple of shelves of books, and an incomplete collection late 1800s. He has donated a dozen or so books to the
22
library, including a complete set of encyclopaedias. On the outside Masao’s house looks very much like any
other in the village, but within there is considerable
difference. As part of Masao’s cult worship, his house has
The Police Station
become home to a shrine and sacrificial dagger dedicated
PCs may speak to Shinji, the island’s only police officer. to the entity ‘Dagon’. Furthermore, it seems from the
He is from Osaka, here on assignment for a 2 year term. evidence strewn around the house - clothing that clearly
He does not speak any English, but is happy to use Mr doesn’t belong to the fisherman (including items of
Takayuki as an interpreter. women’s apparel), strange stains etc., that he has been
Shinji investigated the death of Mr Acres and will tell kidnapping people (obviously from the mainland) and
the characters that Mr Acres’ body had seemed very sacrificing them to his gods. If the cultist is confronted,
pale when he last saw it. Mr Acres’ personal physician, he will attempt to flee if at all possible. Masao uses the
Kentaro Yakimoto, examined the body and pronounced same statistics as the rest of Seth’s followers (see NPC
the cause of death as ‘heart failure’. If anyone asks to see statistics at the end of this adventure).
the doctor’s report, Shinji will explain that it has been If the PCs do not follow Masao, he will return in the
sent to the record archives in Tokyo. middle of the night and will linger outside their rooms
spying on them. In this event all characters should receive
The Inn of the Pierced Fish a chance to hear him prowling around and anyone who
Takayuki will arrange the party’s rooms for the evening succeeds a Listen roll by 20 or more will be woken by the
at the Inn of the Pierced Fish, the characters placed cultist’s movements. Again if he is seen he will attempt to
in the long building adjacent to the Inn. As with the flee back to his shack.
Pension, all of the rooms have tatami floors and sliding
rice paper doors. The Trek to the Mansion
In the Inn there are some quiet fishermen, and some very The next morning the group, with Takayuki leading
quiet, eerily fishy fishermen. The innkeeper will serve way, must travel through thick forests and climb high
the characters fish, seaweed and rice with cold noodles, up the ‘green’ portion of the mountain. The path is not
and then converses with Takayuki in Japanese for a short easy, and it is hot and sticky.
while. If the players ask Takayuki what the innkeeper
After a couple of hours of travelling the hindmost person
was talking about, he says he was asking about the
in the group hears tittering noises, and the sound of
history of the island:
small creatures moving about in the trees, although
“This is an old folk tale of this island. Once there was a nothing can be seen. About the same moment the party
powerful Samurai who wanted to live forever. He came comes across a teapot in the middle of the path. It is large
to this island, and learnt how to steal the power of the and brown – and for all intents and purposes a fairly
forest. It seems that he lived on the blood of this village standard teapot.
for decades, until finally one of his great grandchildren
Of course the teapot is more than it first seems and in
decided to cut his head off. How very quaint.”
fact is a Tanuki, a kind of magical mischievous racoon
Throughout the night one particular fisherman seems that can change its shape at will. The Tanuki has been
to be watching the group, although he might just be sent by the Shinto monks to keep an eye on the party. If
drunk pretending to be drunk (a Spot Hidden roll is the characters decide to pick up the pot, it indeed seems to
required to notice this man watching the characters). If be a typical example of Japanese tea pot and the Tanuki
questioned, he speaks little English, and claims to be a will happily travel along with the party.
simple fisherman.
If nobody picks up the teapot, about 100 metres further
The seemingly drunk fisherman is in fact Masao, a cultist up the track they will come across it again, laying on the
associated with the followers of Seth Acres and watches path in front of them. This will happen again and again
to ensure the characters arrive at safely at the island. until taking the hint the Tanuki scampers off ahead
He leaves the inn at around 9pm and heads out into the (and will be waiting in one of the bedrooms of Seth’s
wild weather, leading any character following him to his mansion. If the PCs try to damage the teapot, it will yelp
odd dwelling. Here, observant characters notice huge and scamper away (though how it runs without legs the
weblike tracks (belonging to Deep Ones) beneath one the characters are unable to figure out).
buildings’ windows, which, with a successful Track roll,
As time and pacing allow, the Keeper may also want to
ltrack directly to the nearby beach.
23
include the following events:

One of the characters catches a glimpse of a 3 foot tall
cyclops in the woods, which then quickly disappears
(another Tanuki). Seeing this costs (0/1) San.
A small girl walks by the group ignoring them, and
then as she moves away her neck begins to grow and
stretch, until her head is swaying about atop a huge,
snakelike appendage. She too runs into the trees and
disappears (these are common Tanuki tricks). 0/1
San loss.
If any of the group ask Takayuki about these strange
‘visitations’, he is just as confused as the rest of the party
and unable to provide an explanation.
Monks and Cultists Battle

Once again the weather deteriorates as the party continues
its climb, and soon thunder crashes and lightning flashes
overhead. Eventually the group reaches the eastern bank
of a river, along which the path follows for a mile or so,
before they see it crosses the water by means of a small
wooden bridge. On the far bank the path doubles back to
almost where the characters now stand.
As they begin the long trip to travel, what should have
really been, a short distance across the river, they
suddenly make out the sounds of clashing steel and the
dim distant cries of men in battle across the other side of
the tumultuous river.
It takes the characters a good half hour to reach the
bridge, cross over it and cover the mile or so back to
the battle site. Here, there are many footprints but
surprisingly few bodies, all of which are priests dressed
in Shinto garb. Amongst the debris of the fight, there is
a large book, written in Chinese. Within it also contains
illustrations of Deep Ones, Byakhee, Kappa, and many
other Mythos monsters, costing the reader one point of
SAN just looking at the pictures. If the party lingers,
Takayuki urges them to press on, stating that once they
reach the safety of Acres’ mansion word can be sent back
to the police of the tragedy here.
Although there is little the characters can surmise
from the scene, it is here, in a desperate attempt to stop
Seth’s plans, that the Priests battled a number of Acre’s
followers.
The Shinto Priests’ Hideout

If any of the characters think to ask a number of tracks
lead off into the forest at a tangent to the path they were
to follow. A successful Track roll will allow the group to
24
follow the trail, and after a half hour’s march through Master Bedroom – The door to Seth’s room is locked,
the forest (there is no real path to speak of) they lead to although within there is a large 4 poster bed, a bookshelf,
what appears to be an abandoned Shinto shrine. and a large chest of drawers. The bookshelf contains
several occult tomes, including the parchments Father
Here there are 2 buildings, both made entirely of wood
Patrick is looking for. In addition, there is an enormous
built using an interlocking pattern (there are no nails).
sacrificial dagger displayed on top of the chest of drawers,
The roofs of both structures are sloped and intricately
and a pair of ornate, but working, shotguns hung on one
carved with dragon head designs.
of the walls. Despite the fact that Seth died more than a
In front of the shrine, an old man dressed in white month ago, the room still feels occupied.
and cream robes can be seen kneeling before a carved
The Dining Room – This is an opulently decorated room,
wooden statue of a many armed woman. This is the only
dominated by a long polished wood table. A portrait of
remaining Shinto priest, the headman of the sect - a
Seth dressed in a kimono hangs over the fireplace.
gnarled figure, his long thin hair and beard drooping,
his eyes completely white and unseeing. Museum – Housing Seth’s collection of artefacts
collected on his many travels, it displays items of mainly
Immediately aware of the character’s presence, he will tell
Eastern origin. Included in these are some fantastic (and
them that “Your coming is as the spark to the tinder, you
valuable) pieces - an Oni (demon) mask, oddly decadent
will burn us all!”, before lapsing into silence and refusing
Thai statues, and old parchments covered in Eastern
to speak any further. If the characters search the shrine
writings and pictures.
(the head priest will not try and stop them) they find a
list of all their names, along with a photographs of Anita Library - Seth’s library contains many classic works of
and Gwillam. English fiction - in one corner, beside a very comfortable
looking armchair, a small side table can be seen, upon
which sits the collected works of Sir Arthur Conan
Seth’s Mansion Doyle. Seth also stored a few occult tomes, and a small
Seth’s Mansion, a 3 level, Western style home, sits at the collection of Japanese books here. Each of the Japaneses
edge of the forest, where the mountain begins its final books accompanied by a notebook, detailing Seth’s
drive to the barren black peak. rough translations. For most part these books deal with
Shinto and Buddhist religions, as well as local folk lore,
Reaching the front door, the party is welcomed by 2
mythology and magic. There is also a complete account
servants, and offered refreshments after their long
of the legend of Kuroiyama (see Land Handout 2).
journey. Once they have recovered from the day’s
exertions the 2 servants, Jim and Frank (Ryuji and Yoto) Shrine - This room contains a 4 foot high Shinto shrine,
- the only two in the house – will give the group a tour complete with incense and a bell suspended from the
of the grounds. roof on a long rope. This room is scrupulously clean.
Perceptive characters may note that the floor here shows
After this introduction to the estate, they will be shown
no signs of wear – as if no one has ever used the Shrine.
to their individual rooms, and find that their baggage
(Seth was briefly taken with Japanese religion, before
has already been delivered. If nobody picked up the
converting to the dark path of Cthulhu worship)
teapot (Tanuki) on trip to the mansion, it will now be
sitting amongst one of the character’s luggage, where it Servant’s Quarters – Obviously the servants will try to
will remain until it is required. stop the group entering their rooms, locking the doors if
necessary. The quarters are sparsely furnished, without
Shortly afterwards, Takayuki informs the group that
beds, instead with futon mattresses rolled up in the
they will have the afternoon to rest - lunch will be
cupboards, along with their clothes. In the top of the
brought up to them - and that dinner will be at 6pm. He
cupboards there are several weapons, including several
asks them to dress appropriately.
vicious looking knives, swords, guns and clubs.
Kitchen – A well stocked and fairly typical 1920’s
Exploring the Mansion
kitchen.
Guest Bedrooms – For all practical purposes identical, the
guest rooms are well furnished with beds and dressing Games Room - A billiards table, card table, and a
tables. The windows at the front of the house look out telescope are to be found here. The stairs to this room
onto the forest, at those to the rear onto the steep slopes are easy to barricade, and due to the shape of the house,
of black and brown rock. it is relatively easy to jump from the windows to the roof
25
of the first floor, then down to the ground (if a hasty The Shared Dream
escape is required).
The following sequence occurs as a result of Seth’s
Basement – The door to the basement is locked and presence in the house and it advised to not let the players
constantly under watch. Although generally used for know that this is a dream. Instead ask them how they
storage - here there are 6 extra futon sets and a large are dressed for dinner, then describe the dining room
quantity of various foods - the basement is also the and meal:
current resting place of Acres. Laid out on a makeshift
“The long polished wood table is adorned with succulent
table in the Cold Store, the body of Seth is wrapped in
meats, potatoes, grilled fish, fresh vegetables, and crystal
a white sheet. If the characters get the chance to inspect
glasses filled with wine. Soft candlelight fills the room
the corpse closely, he has needle marks in his arms and
with a warm glow, as you sit down and feel the stress of
thighs, where his blood was ritually drained. He does not
your journey melt away.”
move, or breathe, but the characters get the eerie feeling
that he is somehow aware of them. There is also a locked Allow the players to make conversation amongst
door in one corner of the basement which leads into the themselves if they wish. But then notify them that they
mountain itself, through a series of caves and a long suddenly realise that they have not seen any servants (the
winding tunnel that leads (eventually) back to the beach. meal was waiting when they arrived), and that Takayuki
Inside the cave there are also manacles, bloodstains, is missing. Immediately, before anyone can do anything
robes, and all the accoutrements of ritual sacrifice. to investigate the situation, they hear heavy footfalls in
the hall outside. Moments later the door near the library
swings open, and Seth Acres walks in, smiling - those
who have met him before will recognise him instantly,
while the others take a few seconds to match him to the
portrait over the fireplace. Seth is incredibly pale, but
his eyes are bright in the candlelight. He smiles at the
characters and talks with them quite casually.
“Thank you for coming - it’s a great pleasure to see you
all here. I’m so looking forward to eating all of you,
especially...” his gaze lingers long on his blood relatives
Anita and Gwillam.
If asked whether he is alive, he will reply “Alive?
Difficult to say. My body lies still, yet here I am. I shall
be wearing my old flesh soon enough, but stronger than
ever. Whatever I am, I have most definitely not passed
into the great beyond.”
Seth is quite happy to make polite conversation,
recommending dishes from the table, and talking about
the weather on the island. As he points to the various
dishes on the table, they rot and putrefy instantly. After
about 10 minutes of Seth’s company, the doors again
swing silently open, and the 2 servants, accompanied
by 6 more Japanese cultists, enter the room bearing
weapons. They encircle the characters and attempt to
tie them up. As soon as anyone reacts with any sort
of violence or all the characters allow themselves to be
bound, the dream ends.
Instantaneously all the party wakes, dressed in their
finest dinner clothes, they lay on their beds. Outside it is
dark and all available time pieces say that it is in the early
hours of the morning. They have no memory of the real
dinner, or how they got into these clothes or into bed.
26
The Empty House clinging onto their belt, trying to look like it is tied on.
When the characters emerge from their bedrooms, the
house is eerily silent - the cultists have taken Seth’s The Ritual at the top of Kuroiyama
body up to the mountaintop to prepare for the ritual &
The climax of this adventure is a good old fight to the
Takayuki has gone back down to the village to tell the
death (or in Seth’s case re-death). The players should
police about the dead priests. If the players decide to
be able to free themselves and fight the cultists, though
flee at this point, they will have to stumble through the
their chances of surviving the fight are not good. Stats
dark house, out into the unfamiliar forest, and down the
for Seth and the cultists can be found at the end of the
mountain. If they do this, the teapot Tanuki will help
adventure.
them, moving ahead of them as a dim light on the path,
unable to be identified but providing enough illumination Upon the top of the mountain stands a circle of white
to help them stay on the path. sand, and now that all is in readiness, in the centre of
the circle lies Seth Acres’ body. The group is thrown to
The Reading of the Will the ground outside the circle and immediately the cultists
begin to chant - throwing powders and oils onto the
If the players stay in the house, Takayuki returns in the corpse of their master, and generally working themselves
early morning. He has been talking to the police about into a frenzy.
the dead priests and knows nothing of the shared dream.
Rightfully worried at the events of the previous days As the ritual reaches its peak the body of Seth begins to
and now for the sanity of his charges, he will gather the move, and the cultists pour blood from glass jars into the
group in one of the mansion’s rooms as soon as he is able. undead’s mouth. This horrible site requires a San check
He performs a head count, and once satisfied that all are from all present (1/1d6).
present, he opens the sealed will. At the same moment, With all the distraction going on it is a good time for
there is a rush of a cold breeze through the room and the the party members to try and escape. Each may try to
faintest hint of laughter carries on the air. escape their bonds (STR 18 rope) or the teapot Tanuki
The will reads as follows: will attempt to free the players.
My dear relatives and associates, As the ceremony concludes, the body of Seth Acres is once
again reunited with its life blood, and then rises to begin
I am so pleased that you could all be here, to take part in the last act of its resurrection - draining the blood from
my legacy. Long ago I learned of the secret of Kuroiyama, the characters. To being with Seth will focus on Gwillam
the black mountain. I learned how a man might devour and Anita at which the cultists get very excited and start
the spirit of the mountain god, then survive on the blood to cut themselves, offering their blood to Acres.
of mortals. Sadly, the first taste of blood I took needed to
be blood of my blood...my family. For this I had my men To give the characters more time a Keeper could have
drain the blood from my body, my corpse placed in storage, Seth kill 1 or 2 of his own cultists in his weakened state
and stage my funeral. Yes, all that simply to get you here, (in an attempt to gain strength for the attacks on his
and now, in turn, devour your essence. I must thank you ‘guests’). But eventually the battle will come down to
for travelling so far. Of course, you who are not my family, whether or not the party (and Takayuki) can wear down
you will be a most delicious second course, allowing my Seth before they are all consumed!
palate to become accustomed to a cosmopolitan diet. I thank
you all, and look forward to eating you atop Kuroiyama, Resolution
the Black Mountain.
Depending on what the PCs choose to do after the
Seth Acres dream, the game can have a few different endings. If
Immediately upon the will being read 8 Servants they fled, they can eventually find a fishing boat to take
(cultists) enter the room. The cultists do not want to kill them back to Tokyo, where they are able to book tickets
the characters, as they need them for the ritual, but they for home. The law firm Sayo and Speegle will be curious
menace them, tie them and Takayuki up and drag them as to why they are leaving, but will help them if they
up to the top of the mountain. insist. The night before the PCs are scheduled to leave
the cultists attempt to drug them and take them back to
As they are leaving the house, the character that has the the Island, where they are used as fuel in the ritual to
teapot (either as a result of picking it up or by virtue of resurrect Seth.
it choosing their room to hide in) realises that it is now
27
The Unbound Book Land of the Rising Dead Gen Con Issue - August 2004 -
If they stayed and Takayuki read the will they may pace). Costs 2 magic points per turn.
have possibly escape and overcome Seth, or they may be
killed. If the PCs succeed in defeating Seth, they regain Seth Acres’ fanatic followers.
1d8 Sanity. The following is a typical exmple of one of Seth’s
If they kill the servants and Takayuki, they will be able dedicated servants.
to escape back to Tokyo, and onto a ship. Although it is STR: 12 DEX: 10 APP: 9 CON: 12
highly likely that if they ever return to Japan, they will SIZ: 10 INT: 10 POW: 8 EDU:9
be arrested for murder. HP: 11
No matter what the outcome of the adventure is, three Damage Bonus: nil
months after the conclusion of the events of this story Skills:Punch 50% (1d4 Damage), .32 Pistol 30% (1d8
Japan is hit by a massive earthquake (The Great Kanto Damage), Sword 35%, (1d8 Damage).
Earthquake, 1st September 1923) which destroys huge
sections of Tokyo, Yokohama and the surrounding Takayuki Nakagawa
plains. As a result of the earthquake the island of An employee of Speegle & Sayo, Takayuki is tasked
Kuroiyama sinks beneath the waves, and is lost forever with taking the group to the reading of Seth Acre’s
to Japanese history. will. Highly sceptical of all ‘paranormal’ activity, he
will soon wonder why he was choosen to escort ‘such a
NPC Statistics group’.
STR: 14 DEX: 10 APP: 10 CON: 12
The Kappa SIZ: 10 INT: 13 POW: 8 EDU:18
HP:12
Four foot tall turtle-like water creatures, currently in the
Damage Bonus: nil
employ of the Shinto Priests.
Skills:Punch 50% (1d4 Damage), Act cool calm and
STR: 16 DEX: 15 APP: 2 CON: 16 collected in all situations (95%)
SIZ: 9 INT: 4 POW: 16 EDU: 4
HP: 12
Damage Bonus:+1d4
Skills:Claw/Punch 45% (2d4 Damage), Bite 45 %, (1d6
Damage)
Armour: 2 point shell (reduces all damage by 2).
Seth Acres
Recently deceased Cult leader. He will rise from the dead
in the final scene to confront the characters. He is a well
educated man, with a keen interest in the occult practices
of the Orient. His personality (and ghost) permeates his
Mansion (the site of the reading of the will). On the Unbound Book Website
STR: 17 DEX: 15 APP: 2 CON: 16
SIZ: 12
HP: 12
INT: 17 POW: 16 EDU:19 TheLandofTheRisingDead
Damage Bonus:+1d4 - D20 Stats for The Land of the Rising Dead
Skills:Punch 75% (1d4 Damage).
- Large print friendly maps by David Conyers
Spells -
- All the pre-generated characters required to
Choke Victim - (holds one hand up in a choking shape, 1 run this adventure
chosen humanoid in sight begins to choke, losing 1d6 hit
points per round). Costs 1 magic point per turn. Visit the Unbound Book Website @
Telekinesis - (exaggerated gestures with both hands, can
move a full grown man or similar weight at walking www.unboundbook.org
28
Gen Con Issue - August 2004 The Art of Rebeecca Smith-Cruz The Unbound Book
The Art Of Rebecca Smith-Cruz -

A Special Tribute
Rebecca is one of our regular volunteer artists here
at The Unbound Book. She is responsible for the
magazine’s great logo and has contributed to both
‘full’ issues published so far.
By day Beckie is the Creative Director at MSDatastep
(www.msdatastep.com) where her responsibilities
include developing the look and feel of client web sites,
and refining the company’s own corporate identity.
Her own website (www.cruzspace.com) has many
examples of her art and sketches, but we here at The
Unbound Book thought that if she going to so much
trouble for us then it was only right that we show you
some of the outstanding work she has completed for
our next issue.
29
The Unbound Book Horror on the Mesa Gen Con Issue - August 2004
Introduction
This is a short, one or two session, adventure for D20 Call of
Cthulhu. Designed for two to five novice Investigators, it is set in
Texas anytime during the 1920s, but can be adapted to any other
time or setting with relative ease.
The Investigators are hired to escort a released military prisoner
from his prison in Texas to New York. However, during his
release, the prisoner went crazy and has shot his way into Mexico,
seemingly intent on returning to the dread temple he discovered
years earlier.
Keeper’s Background
During his service in Mexico, Private Peter Hancock and the
fellows of his company discovered a mysterious and primitive
village in the desert, set atop a massive plateau. Camping on the
mesa at their Sergeant’s whim, the inquisitive Hancock discovered
a secret temple from an earlier age, dedicated to Yog-Sothoth.
Inside, Hancock discovered an esoteric book written in Spanish
“El Libro de Puertas” or in English “The Book of Gates”. With
discovery in hand, he returned to the camp and searched out one
of his fellow soldiers to translate it, eventually discovering Private
White could read its contents. What occurred during the next few
‘Halloween Man’ 2004 Alan M. Clark hours, Hancock could never really explain, but by morning White
was dead and Hancock had wandered out into the desert night. In
a crazed state, his sanity barely intact, he staggered through the
sand parched wilderness for days until, more by luck than design,
a patrol from a nearby US encampment discovered the sun fried
deserter. In the court-martial that followed, Hancock gained a stay
Horror on
of execution. His condition seen as extenuating circumstances, he
was confined to the stockades in Fort Partch, an obscure prison
camp on the Texas/Mexico border.
the Mesa
For nine long years Hancock has rotted in his prison, his obsession
with the temple and its power growing each and every day.
Involving the Investigators

The investigators should be brought into the adventure via an
appropriate contact, someone who’s good at finding the group
(A D20 Adventure) odd jobs and the like. In this case the Investigator’s contact has
been asked to find someone who can escort a particularly unstable
prisoner back East, although (s)he merely informs the investigators
By Michael Mahony
that the job is ‘simply an escort for a former prisoner’.
If the Investigators seem interested they can be told the following:
The convict’s name is Peter Hancock. He was incarcerated for
desertion while doing service in Mexico a few years ago. The
task simply involves escorting him to New York safely.
The army is offering $75 for each escort and the job should take
four or five days at most.
30
Gen Con Issue - August 2004 Horror on the Mesa The Unbound Book
They are required to leave next Saturday. Travel Upon their arrival, Captain Harris shows the
will be by train, with tickets paid both ways. Investigators where the shoot out took place (near the
gates), and shows them Hancock’s only remaining
If the players agree, the contact gives them the train
personal effects - A journal (See Mesa Handout 1) and
tickets and forwards each Investigator ten dollars. The
a map of Las Portos (A Spanish check (DC 10) will note
rest of the week is the party’s own to do as they wish and
that the name of the town means ‘The Town of Gates’), a
prepare for the trip south.
tiny settlement in Mexico a few days south. On the map
an unexplained red ‘X’ can be seen on top of a massive
On To Texas plateau to the south to the town proper. Naturally Harris
assumes that’s where Hancock is going and suggests that
The train ride to Texas is uneventful and the Investigators the party stops by the Supply Depot before heading out
arrive in the small town of Partch at around 9AM. after the prisoner, as ‘he wouldn’t want ‘em dying out in
Partch is a tiny settlement, little more than a main street the desert’.
and a few houses in the middle of the desert. It’s hot,
sun-scorched and miserable. At the train station the In any of the Investigators decided to visit the staff bar
group is greeted by Captain Welcome Harris, a genial to discuss the missing man, they find that they aren’t
Texas man who prefers to be called by his first name. particularly welcome - the wretched heat makes people
Welcome introduces himself and says that he is here to fairly unfriendly. Although the guards don’t talk much,
take the group to the prison, Fort Partch, and explain they will say Hancock ranted a lot, mainly about a ‘Gate
the ‘unfortunate’ situation that has arisen. and a Key’.
“Hancock has escaped! Yep, gone and busted himself Anyone in the camp can give the group a generic
out of Partch jus’n two days afore he was goin’ to be description of Hancock, which in hindsight is pretty
released. Lookin like he got himself a gun and shot his useless, “About six feet tall, pretty thin and very pale
way into the desert. And the damn fool is on foot. Look, with long, dirty black hair and beard”.
we when a tracking him but he made his way into Mexico The officer in charge of the Supply Depot is much more
before we could catch ‘im, and the Army can’t just go helpful. Informed ahead of time to outfit the Investigators
marching into another country unless we’re invited.” He for the rough journey across the desert, he will supply
pauses allowing you to take in what he has been saying them with horses and enough food and water for all
“See here, invites take a while and who knows where the (including Hancock once he is captured) to last the two
crazy Fella’ll be by the time we all mount up? So... we’re days journey to Las Portos. He is also able to supply the
a wondering if you all’d go after him for us... we’ll make Investigators with whatever additional supplies they may
it worth your while”. require (at the GMs discretion of course), including guns
Welcome is authorised to pay what it takes to get the and ammunition, desert survival equipment, etc.
party to accept the task of crossing over into Mexico
and tracking down Hancock, but he won’t tell the
Investigators that, of course. If the group is reluctant he
Travelling South
will state that they are on Army territory now and they Travelling to the location shown on the map is simple
have ways in which to ‘encourage’ cooperation. enough in theory; just two hard days ride south of Fort
Partch until one reaches Las Portos. However, while the
Once the group agrees (and they really don’t have an
journey may be uneventful, it’s an arduous trip on both
option not to), Harris states that the government wants
horse and rider. The days are dreadfully hot and the
Hancock back alive... otherwise he doesn’t care what
nights uncomfortably cold. While there’s actually little
condition he’s in, saying that his men have ‘business’ with
to do on the ride, GMs may wish to draw the journey out
him once he is back in custody.
to make the players feel how wretched the trip really is.
Fort Partch Odd Cacti

A satellite settlement near to the town of the same name, As the party makes camp at the end of the first day of
Fort Partch is a fairly lackluster military prison. The travel, one of the investigators notices a strange brown
base contains the normal prison arrangements (prisoner and misshapen cactus a little ways off their camp. On
barracks, warden’s quarters, stockades, etc.) as well as closer examination the succulent seems oddly deformed
an uninspiring staff bar. but in every other way normal from the outside. Should
31
anyone decide to cut it open, however, it is found to be has an overblown image of all Americans being cowboys
teeming with hordes of spiders. These range in size from and will pester the group as to why they’re not “being
a tiny half inch through to a massive 6 inches. Once cowboy enough”. Alasandro knows the best way to get
exposed to the elements, the spiders scurry off in all to the mesa and knows enough about both locations to
directions, including all over the poor Investigator who act as a decent, if over excited, guide.
attacked the cactus. Although harmless, the experience
costs the character 0/1d2 San loss. The Hotel
If the party goes to the hotel where Hancock was staying,
A Sign of Hancock there is a 25% chance he will be at the bar. Otherwise
As the party is starting out on the second day of travel, he’s in hiding in his room, paranoid that everyone knows
a successful Spot check (DC 15) espies a goat carcass off of his secrets.
to one side of their route. On closer examination it is
The bar patrons don’t have much information to supply
clear that the goat has been cut up with a knife for its
the group with, not even the woman who stands behind
meat, although now more than 24 hours later the body
the bar. What they can say is -
is filled with beetles. A sequential Spot check (DC 20)
will allow any of the Investigators to see the remains of a A man matching Hancock’s description is indeed
fire pit. Built with strips of wood placed under rocks, to staying at the hotel (or if he is in the bar they will
provide heat for cooking and reduce smoke, it is obvious point him out!)
to any Investigator with the appropriate skills that the
He is horribly sun-burned, as if he hasn’t even tried
fire is about a day old. It would appear that Hancock was
to protect himself out in the sun.
definitely travelling this way.
He is always armed, with a couple of pistols and
came in carrying an automatic rifle.
Las Portos
Finally, he is roughly dressed, wearing a tattered
The investigators arrive at Las Portos late on the second prison uniform sporting the signs of long term wear
afternoon. The village is a fairly typical example of and tear.
Mexican architecture, with many small adobe homes
clustered together, most, if not all older than any of
the residents. All show signs of wear expressed by Dealing with Hancock
dilapidation caused by the sun’s rays and sweltering heat. Hancock isn’t overly aggressive, just insane; he won’t
The locals are surprisingly disinterested at the arrival of even suspect that the Investigators are after him, the
the Investigators, and won’t even bother to acknowledge thought never crosses his deluded mind. If one of the group
them unless they’re directly approached. decides to hold a conversation with him, he just babbles
about “the mesa” or “the keeper of the key who holds
To begin with the group will be hard pressed to find the gate”. His speech is a little incoherent, and slightly
anyone who speaks English, but with perseverance (the distant, and if the Investigators bother him for too long,
use of signs etc.), any of them will direct the Investigators he retreats back to his room in a fit of paranoia.
to the hotel in the center of town.
His room is mostly empty, with just his stolen Browning
standing out. However anyone making even a cursory
Alasandro
search of the room soon sees that Hancock has stuffed
Before the group reaches the hotel, or if they are having a few pages of paper under the bed. These pages are a
a particularly difficult time communicating with the fairly inaccurate handwritten copy of the spell ‘Open the
locals, they are stopped by a teenage Mexican, carrying Deceased Gate’ from the book ‘Liber de Portos’.
an old Thompson SMG. The boy explains in broken
English that his name is Alasandro and solicits himself Anyone reading the spell (at the cost of 1 point of Sanity)
to the party as a guide. He will ask for payment for his notices that the pages describe a ceremony involving the
services, but will take whatever the Investigators offer, spilling of a considerable quantity of blood over a strange
even if the offer is next to nothing - he really just wants symbol (which some may be able to identify as the sign
to tag along. of Yog-Sothoth), and something called “a piece of the
Key”. Any investigator who is aware of or knows the
Whether accepting Alasandro’s services is a positive or spell ‘Call Yog-Sothoth’ will recognize this ceremony,
not is left up to the individual, although the young man although will be able to tell that it is different in many
32
ways to the ceremony they have knowledge of (although adobe buildings, all of a very similar age and showing
why is is so different is not immediately obvious). much wear and tear. Once the party gets closer they
do indeed see that the settlement is inhabited, although
If Hancock is left unmolested by the group he soon
its inhabitants move silently around the town, doing the
leaves for the Mesa. However, if the investigators decide
very same primitive day-to-day tasks that their ancestors
to take a direct approach to capturing their man they
were completing a thousand years ago. None of the
will discover that this is much more difficult proposition
villagers seem to want to speak to the Investigators,
then they are expecting from a crazy man.
although they do give the group disapproving glares if
Hancock is ruthlessly devoted to completing his objectives they interrupt them or disturb the focus of their current
and will NOT allow himself to be taken alive. He is task . Alasandro recommends the group goes to see the
heavily armed, especially if he can again access to the Elder, as he is the native seen most often in Las Portos
Browning in his room. Also unlike the characters, he has and speaks some Spanish.
no compunction about killing his attackers. In addition
Hancock has a strange ability to avoid being trapped and The Elder
will at the soonest possibility make for the mesa.
The Elder’s home is located on the outskirts of town and is
a building no different than any of the others. The Elder
Wasting Time himself is an ancient, pencil thin man, his appearance
If the Investigators spend too much time getting to and/ telling a story of a long, hard life. He will reluctantly
or staying in Los Portos, Hancock still makes his way to converse with either the investigators or if none speal
the temple as scripted and conducts the ritual, with the Spanish through Alasandro. He is unaware if Hancock’s
same horrible result. The village on the Mesa (see below) is nearby, although he does remember the company of
is now empty however, save for the Elder’s mummy and soldiers who stayed here ten years earlier.
the Servitors are no longer in the temple. Likewise the
If asked about a temple he will simply state that they
Liber de Portos and the Piece of Yog-Sothoth are now
have none as nobody in the village believes in anything
gone and it is pretty obvious that the Investigators have
they can’t see.
blown their mission.
Hancock’s Move
The Mesa While the Investigators talk with the Elder, Hancock
Hancock’s goal is to reach the mesa, about a mile south makes his move. Finding his way to the home in which
of Las Portos. The sun-blazed route to the plateau the entrance of the Temple lies (and where he was billetted
is extremely inhospitable and offers any number of all those years ago), he attacks and kills the buildings
opportunities to Hancock to evade capture. The mesa residents.
itself is several hundred feet high and extremely difficult The attacks are not silent however, and although the
to scale; the best way up being via the carved path at the Indian family is quickly overwhelmed by the crazed man,
rear of the mesa (i.e. the side furthest from Las Portos). the sounds of his gun firing echoes eerily off the adobe
Once atop the mesa the Investigators immediately notice walls of the town. Immediately alerted that something
a small gathering of huts scattered around roughly the is wrong, the characters, with the village Elder in tow,
location Hancock marked on his map. soon discover that a crowd of the strangely silent Indians
have gathered about the house in which Hancock has
enter, although none have ventured into the building.
The Nameless Village
The tiny village on top of the mesa has no name, at least Any Investigator making their way inside the single room
none known to Alasandro or any of the Las Portos locals. dwelling, immediately notices five mortally wounded
All anyone can say about it is that it has been at least as Indians lying about the floor, although thier attention
long as Las Portos (and in all likelihood much longer), is soon directed to the part of the stone floor that sits at
and its native Mexican Indian residents have very little an odd angle - the unmarked door to the Temple of Yog-
to do the Spanish Mexicans of the town (although on a Sothoth.
the rare occasion they are seen along the main street,
conducting some personal affair or another).
The Temple
The village itself is little more than a collection of
The temple below is a peculiar anomaly in the desolate
33
depths of Mexico. It is roughly three hundred years old

and was built by wealthy, but psychotic, Spanish followers Items in the Ceremony Room
of Yog-Sothoth. The temple at the time was known as
“The Tomb of Yog-Sothoth” and although its claim is The Liber de Portos
obviously not true, it does hold a piece of that Great Old Written in Latin, with Spanish footnotes. The
one severed during a failed ceremony many centuries Liber de Portos is a well-written, albeit confusing
previous. The plight of those first worshippers is lost in book of Yog-Sothoth. It is bound in thick leather
time, but the village now above the temple was obviously and bears a metal clasp. It refers to the “Keeper
built here by the ancestors of its current inhabitants, of the Key”, the “Keeper of the Gate” and the
in an attempt to ensure others did not stumble onto the “Keeper of Key who Keeps the Gate”. It was
terror below. written by the Spanish cultists who founded the
temple and is the only copy in existence. Handling
The Entrance Chamber the book for more than a few minutes in the Tomb
will cause the offending Investigator to hear a
The trap door leads to the Entrance Chamber, some
distant, eerie chanting (SAN loss 0/1 the first time
12 feet below the stone floor of the adobe house. This
this occurs). Examination Period - 1d10 +2 weeks
ten-by-ten foot room below is shrouded in darkness lit
(DC 20). Contains 1d6 spells in addition to Hail to
only by what light make its way through the trapdoor.
the Deceased Gate (Contact Yog-Sothoth), Open
Once inside, the Investigators can easy to make out the
the Deceased Gate (Call Yog-Sothoth). Sanity
fabulous scroll work carvings that mark the marble tiles
Loss 1d4 initial and 2d4 upon completion. Cthulhu
on the floor, walls and ceiling. These designs show
Mythos: +2 ranks.
vines, thorns and a peculiar-looking flower (which is not
identifiable). The Piece of Yog-Sothoth
The threshold to the Hallway lies on the southern wall, A dried and somewhat fragile piece of Yog-
and about it a golden plaque marks the temple’s name in Sothoth, severed in a failed summoning. It’s not
Latin. A Latin check (DC 10) or a Spanish/Italian check particularly unnatural looking, but if kept in
(DC 15) deciphers the words to read “The Tomb of Yog- one’s possession for more than 1d4 days will begin
Sothoth”. to impart onto the holder disturbing dreams of
fantastic dimensions. It is required to cast Open
The Hallway the Deceased Gate.
The hallway is about twenty five feet long and is similarly
decorated to the Entrance Chamber. Although the walls the pedestal used to rest against the wall. Moving
tilt inward at a slightly unnerving angle, there is nothing the pedestal elicits a deep rumbling at its base, as if
else of interest here. something is being dragged along inside its hollow
stand. Lifting the base reveals a small obsidian box
The Ceremony Room underneath, shut with a rusty brass lock. Breaking
the lock is easy and nestled inside is what vaguely
This huge room is completely circular. Although it looks like a half eaten cob of corn. Worse still this
is likely that Hancock is here (in which case see the ‘cob’ looks as if it has been dried in the sun and then
Conclusion below), there are a number of things that dyed with a purplish tint. Of course this is in fact a
immediately jump out at the group as they enter the piece of Yog-Sothoth and a Cthulhu Mythos check
Ceremony chamber - will readily identify it as such.
Lying against the right wall is the mummified
skeleton of Hancock’s ‘once friend’, White, his skull
caved in. Conclusion
Hancock has entered the temple for the first time in
Against the far wall is a raised platform. Once
almost ten years. Immediately he goes straight to work
covered in a red cloth, the trappings have now
consecrating the sign of Yog-Sothoth in the temple room
decayed into a pile of stinking rags. In the middle of
and spends a few minutes preparing for the ritual. Then
the platform rests a rune covered pedestal, on which
he begins the ritual, and shortly after, a heavy rain rolls
rests the Liber de Portos (see below).
over the desert.
Judging from the path left by shreds of the material,
34
The Investigators should arrive in the Ceremony room at his moment, but a few well placed grenades or sticks
just in time to witness Hancock disembowel himself to of dynamite could well be sufficient in destroying the
complete the bloodletting part of his ritual. As his blood Servitors (and, if the Keeper is feeling vindictive, perhaps
pours everywhere, the ritual is complete and a vortex collapse the temple as well).
of fantastic colours, which emits cries of terrible piping
The Servitors themselves cannot leave the temple, but
opens in the middle of the room, quickly encompassing
their horrible piping is still enough to drive those nearby
the circle and swallowing Hancock’s body (a 1/1d4 San
insane ( and God help any investigator who goes into the
loss is needed for viewing this upsetting scene).
portal).
But at this point it become obvious that Hancock has
Outside of the temple, the rain has built into a wild
performed the ritual incorrectly (not having the Key,
pelting storm and the village itself seems totally void of
the piece of Yog-Sothoth required to call the Great Old
life. In addition, and most oddly, the adobe buildings are
One), as the portal grows no further than this circle.
collapsing, as though in only a few moments the village
The piping grows louder for two rounds, at which point
is suffered through a thousand years of aging. Nobody
a protoplasmic tentacle reaches out from the void and the
can be found in the town, and if the Investigators decide
formless shape of a Servitor of the Outer God lumbers
to check on the Elder, there’s nothing him but a heavily
into the chamber (two if there are more than three
decayed and mummified corpse. Once the portal closes,
investigators).
and regardless of what has become of the Servitors,
Naturally the Servitors will attack those who have the rain stops and the sun returns bright and hot. The
desecrated their lord’s temple. The portal itself will Investigators have either stopped or at least borne witness
close naturally in ten rounds, although the Servitors to the Horror on the Mesa, and now there’s little left to do
will remain. Running away might be an advisable tactic except return home (and maybe read their new book!)
Aftermath & Sanity Rewards

The GameMaster should decide whether or not the players
get paid for their exploits. Obviously nobody in Partch
would believe the story of the Temple, although they
might be able to convince the Captain that Hancock died
resisting arrest or some such.
If the party employed Alasandro, he will want to return
with the Investigators and join them on their further
investigations, although this is a decision for the Keeper
and their players. If they decide that he can’t come along,
he’ll sadly return to Las Portos, but at least he has a
great story to tell his grandchildren one day.
As for Sanity gains:
The Investigators regain 1 point of Sanity each if
they killed or captured Hancock before he revealed
the location of the temple - it’s nice to know he’s not
out there anymore.
If the Investigators killed Hancock after he revealed
the temple, they receive 1d3 SAN - maybe there was
some truth to the journal?
If the Investigators somehow stopped Hancock
during the ritual, they receive 1d4 SAN.
If the Investigators failed to stop Hancock, but
survive, they receive 1d3 SAN.
In addition -
35
For each Servitor of the Outer Gods they defeated,

award 1d2 SAN. On the Unbound Book Website
Horror on the Mesa

For each Servitor that survived (and still remains
in the Temple), the Investigators lose 1 Sanity point
- what if someone finds them?
- BRP Stats for Horror on the Mesa
NPC Statistics - Large print friendly maps by David Conyers
Alasandro
Visit the Unbound Book Website @
Male 2nd level soldier, offensive option; HD
2d6+2; hp 10; Init +1 (+1 Dex) ; Spd 30 ft.; AC
www.unboundbook.org
11 (+1 Dex); Atk +3 melee, +3 ranged (+4 at
point blank); SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1, Str
13, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14
Skills – Bluff +3, Climb +4, Concentration
+2, Hide +4 Jump +3, Listen +5, Move Silently
+2, Ride +5, Search +3, Spot +3, Speak
English +2
Feats- Alertness, Point Blank Shot
Possessions- Thompson Barrel SMG,
Knife, Horse
SAN- 60
Peter Hancock
Drifter with a Purpose: Male 4th level
soldier, offensive option; HD 4d6+3; hp 21;
Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) ;
Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Atk +5 melee, +5
ranged (+6 at point blank); SV Fort +4, Ref
+6, Will +1, Str 14, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12,
Wis 11, Cha 12
Skills – Balance +3, Bluff +2, Climb +5,
Concentration +5, Craft (Gunsmith)+6,
Demolitions +2, Hide +5, Intimidate +2,
Jump +3, Listen +4, Move Silently +3, Ride
+4, Search +5, Spot +3, Swim +2
Feats- Alertness, Ambidexterity, Improved
Initiative, Point Blank Shot
Possessions- 2 Colt 1911s, M1918 Browning
Automatic Rifle, Combat Knife, 6 Grenade
Traps, 10 Sticks of Dynamyte, Bedroll,
Survival Blanket, 10 Days Rations
Spells- Hail to the Deceased Gate (Contact
Yog-Sothoth), Open the Deceased Gate
(Incorrect version of Call Yog-Sothoth)
SAN- 21
36
The Unbound Book Handouts Issue 1 - October 2003
Handouts for Dark Dreams of Innsmouth

Innsmouth Paper 1
Dear Friend,
I wish I were writing to you under pleasant circumstances. Sadly, nothing could be
further from that truth. I’m in trouble, of a sort I don’t understand. Only someone
such as yourself - someone who has been involved in so-called occult matters -
might comprehend. My time grows short and you must be informed of all I can
volunteer before it is too late.
Some weeks ago while fishing off the Gloucester coast, I hauled up an artifact, a
crown - that’s the item I sent along with this letter. I remembered reading about
such odd items once before, in a book I own on that old, depressed fishing town
called Innsmouth, here in Massachusetts. They do some gold refining there, and, as
I was intrigued by my strange catch, I promptly motored to Innsmouth and spoke
to a man named Jacob Marsh, of the Marsh Refining Company. I didn’t like that
fellow at all, so I left his office with my prize, though not before making the mistake
of giving that Marsh devil my name and address. Soon after I began receiving
unwelcome callers at my home in Danvers. They wanted to purchase my artifact. I
must have something Marsh desperately wants. I refuse to sell, but they’ve become
more persistant - and more threatening. Last week I came home to find my house
broken into; nothing stolen, though by that time I had hidden the crown out of the
house until I could learn just what I had on my hands.
At the same time that the visitors began arriving, I started to have awful, vivid
dreams - visions of undersea cities, peopled with disgusting fish-like men. Many
times I have awoken in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. On several
occasions I think I’ve heard people in the yard, though I’ve not ventured out in
the dark to look. But even these things have not been the worst of it. For the last
few nights I’ve awoken from my disturbing dreams not in bed, but in my Packard,
halfway down the route to Innsmouth! I’m scared. Events are happening in my life
that I do not understand. Only someone with your experience might comprehend
these things and help me.
Your friend,
Swanson Ames
37
Gen Con Issue - August 2004 Handouts The Unbound Book
Innsmouth Paper 2
Man Saved Off Massachusetts Coast

Gloucester - Local lobster fishermen rescued
a man who was struggling for survival in the
coastal waters off Gloucester early this morning.
The man, chilled and delirious but suffering
no serious bodily harm, has been identified
as Swanson Ames, a local teacher. Ames was
delivered by the crew of the lobster boat Divine
to local authorities. Ames’s car was later found
parked near the waterfront. In shock and
incoherent from his ordeal at sea, Ames has
been transferred to the Danvers State Mental
Hospital for treatment and observation. Ames is
without immediate family.
Innsmouth Paper 3
An excerpt from Peabody’s Superstition and the Sea:
“...perhaps nowhere else have declining maritime fortunes had such an adverse
social and economic effect than in Innsmouth, Massachuse�s, a once thriving
seaport now reduced to a depressed hamlet. Education and other social services are
all but unknown, leading to a rapid decline in cultural mores, despite the town’s
close physical proximity to Arkham, home of the prestigious Miskatonic University.
Arkham for its part ignores any responsibility it might feel it has as a community to
its backwater neighbor. As a result, the residents of Innsmouth have combined elder
sea lore, religion, and cultural ways into an odd mix of superstition and secretive
ritual practices unique in New England. Samples of Innsmouth superstition include
rituals to reap be�er lobster harvests, spells to a�ract and control sharks, and charms
wrought to invoke a watery doom on the unwary. Perhaps most curious are some
of the genuine golden ornaments that are incorporated into many of the rituals and
charms. Locals insist these are locally cra�ed; nonetheless they possess a disturbing,
otherworldly quality that this author struggles to convey in words. I have examined
only two such ornaments, and this under circumstances that would draw the ire of
many locals, should they know of my trespass into their affairs. The ornaments most
greatly resemble similar pieces described in ancient occult tomes such as the obscure
Ponape Scripture, a copy of which resides in special collections at nearby Miskatonic
University Library. There have been rumors circulating in academic circles for years
of similar objects and practices common to the geographically and socially isolated
peoples of the Louisiana bayou country. If proven, this could prove a fascinating
link between the cultural, moral, and religious decline of the two separate, isolated
communities....”
38
The Unbound Book Handouts Gen Con Issue - August 2004
Land of the Rising Dead

Land Handout Paper 1
Dear Sir/Madam
It is our sad duty to inform you that Mr Seth Acres, British citizen has recently
passed away. We know this must come as a great shock to you, and we offer
our deepest condolences. As executors of the late Mr Acres’ estate, we invite you
to attend the reading of his will at his former residence on Kuroiyama Island,
Tokyo, Japan.
While we cannot as yet disclose the details of the will, Mr Acres was quite
insistent that your attendance at the reading would be highly rewarding. The
late Mr Acres left meticulous instructions on the execution of his affairs and
following the terms of his will, should you not attend his estate in person, your
inheritance shall be distributed among the remaining benefactors. Your passage
to Japan and accommodation prior to reaching the Acres estate has already been
arranged. Please embark the Steamer ‘Kipper Maru’, from pier 14 on Monday,
May the 3rd, at 8 am.
A car will be in attendance at your home promptly at 6am of the day of
departure.
We look forward to meeting you.
Yours Faithfully,
Willhelm Speegle
Speegle and Sayo
1-3-7 Shinjuku, Tokyo
39
Gen Con Issue - August 2004 Handouts The Unbound Book
Land Handout Paper 2
The Legend of KuroiYama Island

Many years ago during the time of Ashikaga, a great and terrible Samurai called
Takahiro waged war on a neighbouring Samurai. As their armies were massed for battle,
in the mountains between their homes, the deceitful Takahiro and his 12 faithful retinue
set out one dark moonless night to attack his enemy’s home, murder his wife and shame his
children. The fisherman whose boat Takahiro had seized was angry at the Samurai and his
men for involving him in such a deed and he called upon the kami of his ancestors to avenge
the theft of his property and livelihood. He prayed that, although it meant the ruination of
his own family and the destruction of his father’s only ship, the kami would bring a terrible
storm and thus ensure Takahiro would not profit from his dishonourable task.
A great roar welled up from deep beneath the ocean and a huge tsunami was brought
down on Takahiro and his company. The ship was shattered to pieces by the mighty blow of
the sea kami and Takahiro’s men were dragged down beneath the crashing waves.
But not Takahiro, for he was a strong swimmer and even the biggest of waves could
not pull him down. For hours he swam and until finally, at dawn, he washed up on the
shore of a strange island. The people of the island found him unconscious on the beach that
morning, his great clothes mauled by the sea but his marvellous sword still hanging from his
strong belt. Knowing him then to be a man of power, they took the Samurai to their village
and he quickly recovered. Takahiro married the local lord’s beautiful daughter, Akiko,
and he sired many strong children. In time he came to rule the peaceful village and was
blessed with such happiness that he seldom missed his former days of battle and glory on the
mainland.
Thus for many years he ruled and until he reached a very great age indeed, old
enough to watch his children’s children grow and begin again their own families. But
Takahiro refused to accept the destiny of all who live to grow old. Surely he, the great
Takahiro, who had survived the terrible wrath of the kami of the sea, who had won so many
battles, surely he could cheat old age and even death itself. So determined, he left the village
and set out into the wild forest on the black mountain to seek out the great Boar spirit,
warrior king of the forest. After seven nights he returned, a terrible light in his eyes. He
would not speak and sat alone in his private quarters for many days. Eventually his son,
Hiroyuki, went in to see him, and never returned.
There were rumours among the people of the village - someone claimed to have seen
Hiroyuki’s hewn head on a pike in the forest, another claimed to have seen Takahiro’s great
sword soaked in blood resting against a tree, and one even said they had seen Takahiro
himself, his face and hands covered in blood with a wild fire gleaming in his eyes. It is said
that he lived on for many years, never growing old on the blood of his village. A terrible
plague befell his family, for his sons and daughters and grandchildren, once so strong and
long lived began to die. How many years he continued unnatural life it is not known. But
stories speak of a great warrior or priest, reputedly one of his own great grandchildren, who
finally put an end to his evil unlife.
But that is only rumour and heresay, so even today the legend of Takahiro and the
Kuroi Yama remains nothing but mystery.
40
The Unbound Book Handouts Gen Con Issue - August 2004
Handouts for Horror on the Mesa

Mesa Handout 1
41
Issue 1 - October 2003 Handouts The Unbound Book
Mesa Handout 1, Continued
42

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The Unbound Book

Complete Issue Two - 2005

Pages from an Unbound Book.................................................................................ii

Map - “Innsmouth” by David Conyers................................................................................14

What are Fragments of Fear? -

Player Handouts ...............................................................................................37

This adventure involves an imperilled friend of the Investigators,

Keeper’s Background & Adventure Overview

Dreams of by sinister folk. To begin with, these strangers claim to be ‘jewellers’

Furthermore the Investigators might opt to conduct some

The Danvers State Hospital for the Insane

Meeting Doctor Holt

Dream One - The Undersea City Dream Three - Tough Sacrifices

Armor: 1-point skin and scales

Visit the Unbound Book Website @

Land of the Adventure Timeline

What are Fragments of Fear?

Fragments Style of Play: Most Fragments of Fear will be based in

Vital Statistics Summing up

in the preservation ritual, resulting in Acres death

include the following events:

Monks and Cultists Battle

The Shinto Priests’ Hideout

The Art Of Rebecca Smith-Cruz -

Involving the Investigators

Fort Partch Odd Cacti

depths of Mexico. It is roughly three hundred years old

Aftermath & Sanity Rewards

For each Servitor of the Outer Gods they defeated,

Horror on the Mesa

Handouts for Dark Dreams of Innsmouth

Man Saved Off Massachusetts Coast

An excerpt from Peabody’s Superstition and the Sea:

Land of the Rising Dead

Land Handout Paper 2

The Legend of KuroiYama Island

Handouts for Horror on the Mesa

Mesa Handout 1, Continued

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