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The Mission

Marshal: 4
 Chapter One:
The Mission

Howdy, Marshal. As you may have guessed But we don’t care about all that. Leave the
from the cover, this Wasted West adventure has heavy stuff to the theologians. What we care
to do with a sword. Of course, this is not any about happened after the First Crusade, when
old, rusted hunk o’ metal, mind you, but a the Knights Templar were formed. These “monks”
powerful relic with a long history. This pig- were, by and large, genuinely devoted to
sticker’s so special it’s even got a name—Evanor. protecting European pilgrims who wanted to
In the right hands it can be a great help in visit the Holy Lands traveld by Jesus Christ.
turning the tide against the Reckoners. In the Later, at least in the world of Deadlands, the
wrong hands, well, it’s actually just another knights also found themselves in a role similar
pointed stick. But the bad guys would love to to that played by the Agency and the Texas
make sure no goody-two-shoes hero-types get Rangers in pre-war America. They were monster
their mitts on it. hunters.
For now, just sit back, relax, and we’ll fill you Few knew this, of course, because the Knights
in on all that’s happened before your posse did a good job of smacking evil around like a
arrives on the scene. You nosy player types had red-headed stepchild when they weren’t wasting
best clear our before we count to three. their energy on so-called Saracens. Like their
1…2…Okay, let’s go. modern-day counterparts, the Knights kept most
of this secret so as not to cause panic and
doubt in the masses. It also would not help
The Story So Far relations between Arabs and Europeans, and
most of the Grand Masters of the Temple
Evanor’s story begins long ago, during the
knew this war was not only an unfortunate
Crusades. That’s right—this is a real honest-to-
situation, it also fed the evil that grew in
God Templar’s sword. As in the kind carried in
the arid deserts and labyrinthine cities of
the Holy Land and wielded by the original
the region.
Knights Templars. (See The Last Crusaders, or
If you’re paying attention, Marshal,
better yet, a real history book if you want to
we’re telling you the Old Ones who
know more about the Crusades.)
banished the manitous so long ago must
The Crusades themselves may not have been
have accomplished this feat sometime
all that holy—the Christian knights who invaded
after the Middle Ages. That’s not important
the Middle East were of dubious intent, and
to this story, but we know how sharp you
perpetrated many horrible deeds their own
guys are.
chroniclers cannot deny.

Marshal: 5
 The Mission
Sweetwater had numerous clients across the
Hey, What About the Sword? USA and CSA, and Eliot’ work frequently took
Oh, right. Evanor. Back to that. him away from his home in Jarrett, Wyoming.
At some point in the “real” crusade against When he was present, he was active in the
evil, when the Knights were truly as pious community, even serving at one time as Master
and holy as they claimed, a few of their most of his district Masonic lodge.
dedicated brothers imbued their weapons with Remarkably, Eliot, his town, and even his
their spirits, creating very powerful magical immediate family survived the bombings. In the
relics. Of course, this kind of thing didn’t lawless chaos that followed, the former salesman
happen often, and it usually involved the joined Jarret’s militia and was assigned a
ultimate sacrifice of the wielder. Northern Alliance assault rifle. He served well
One such sword was called Evanor by its for several years, but then tragedy struck. A
owner. This noble knight, Sir Gregory Barnes, rogue mutant band hit the town and penetrated
died fighting a scourge of demons that erupted its defenses. The humans won, but in the
from hidden culverts during the infamous “Siege resulting firefight, a massive fire broke out,
of Jerusalem.” His sacrifice, which saved swept through the town, and killed scores of
hundreds of Arabs and misguided European civilians. Eliot’ family was among the dead.
attackers as well, filled Evanor with holy might
and made it a weapon to be feared throughout That Which Does Not Kill Me…
the history of humanity’s then-secret war Eliot simply walked out of town the next day,
against the Reckoners. taking only his rifle and a few weeks worth of
When the Old Ones trapped the manitous and milrats. No one expected him to return, and most
locked out the Reckoners during the Great Spirit thought he’d be dead within the month. Imagine
War, the sword became more or less dormant. In their surprise when Eliot Ritter returned just
1863 however, when the Reckoning began, over a year later wearing the bright tabard of a
Evanor surged back to life, ready to strike at the Templar. In his hand was one of the many
dark forces that returned to the world. It would swords Grand Master Simon Mercer had
be a few years before someone picked up the scavenged and bestowed upon his new
relic and realized its powers, however. wasteland warriors—Evanor.

Dillenger Like a Moth to a Flame

Eliot used Jarret as his base of operations and
A European with too much time and money
maintained a small home in the town’s former
on his hands decided to come to the “colonies”
church. As with most Templars though, Eliot
and teach us “Yanks” some culture. This fellow’s
roamed the region, sharing his protection and
name was Rutherford Ellington Dillenger. He set
healing touch with many survivor settlements in
up a small museum on a railroad car and
the area.
traveled the West showing off his many prize
During his wanderings, Eliot happened to
possessions. One of these treasures, was, of
venture near the town of Rock Springs. He
course, Evanor. (Those of you who play
discovered something sinister there—and that
Deadlands: the Weird West may remember
secret drew him like a moth to a flame. The
Dellinger from the adventure “Abra Cadabra,
danger in Rock Springs was not an immediate
Arab Cadaver,” in Hucksters & Hexes..)
threat, but it was one that was growing daily.
Evanor had many adventures after that,
Eliot investigate and observed the strange events
ending up in the hands of some of America’s
there for several more months before he was
greatest heroes through the years. But those
ready to strike.
stories are for another day. For now we are
only concerned with the relic’s last owner,
Eliot Ritter.
Enter the Doombringer
A Doombringer named Malias was rallying
mutants in the area when he also happened
Eliot Ritter upon Rock Springs and the strange secret there.
Before the War, Eliot Ritter was a happily He had little affinity with the strange creatures
married family man, with three children and that dwelled there, but given time, he felt he
a marketing/sales consultant job for a could bring the bizarre community into his
datacomm firm, Sweetwater Technologies. community of doom.

Marshal: 6
 The Mission
the sword that both shielded it from
Rock Springs arcane detection and destroyed it if the
So what is Rock Springs’ insidious secret? case was not opened with the proper key.
Hang on to your hat, Marshal. This is a weird He had two keys made. One he left with
one. Burke, the other he took with him. His key
Before the war, a company named Apfeltech was rigged to self-destruct if it did not
made robots here. Their speciality was sense his life-presence.
integrating advanced artificial intelligence into After the battle with Malias and the
their machines. Though they had not yet robots, Ritter crawled into a basement,
revealed this to the public, Apfeltech had locked his sword in its case, and died. The
actually successfully merged cloned human key self-destructed and Evanor was secured.
brains with machinery.
Yup. They were just asking for trouble. Post- Has Anybody Seen My Templar?
Reckoning, the biorobotic survivors were quickly The locals all know and love Eliot. They also
inhabited by manitous and turned to evil. They know he often must wander on some mission or
have been gathering forces, building new robots, another and can disappear for weeks at a time.
and improving their offensive capabilities by But everyone also knows there’s a Doombringer
scavenging metal and weapons from Rock in the area lately, and they’re starting to get
Springs—a process that has taken over a decade. worried. Few knew of Eliot’ discovery in Rock
Now they have almost exhausted the little town Springs. They know only that this Doombringer
and are about to march on the surrounding appeared a short time after their favorite world-
communities. saver disappeared.
Hopefully, the heroes want to find out what
Oops! Wrong Evil! happened to Eliot and save him if possible. If
Eliot Ritter had carefully watched these not, they’re bound to want that incredible sword
creatures for some months, and knew there was everyone claims he carried…
a centralized control unit somewhere in the old
Apfeltech base. He had returned to Rock Springs
to destroy the “master” when he ran smack into
Malias.
Malias the Doombringer had a mutie army
ready to go in and “negotiate” with the Rock
Springs master. Whether he captured the
technology by guile, an alliance, or brute force
was of little consequence to him.
As Malias’ troops and Ritter clashed, the
bases “combots” were attracted to the action
and joined the fight, wiping out most of the
mutants and mortally wounding Eliot.
Malias was killed, but being a Doombringer,
returned to unlife a few days later. Now the
angry radiation priest is rebuilding his mutant
hordes so that he can return and put the Rock
Springs biotechnology to work for the Cult o’
Doom.

Nobody Touches My Sword!

By this time, Eliot was well aware he’d hit the
“sword lottery” with Evanor. He feared it ever
falling into the wrong hands (unaware the sword
would not function for those of evil intent), and
shortly before his trip to Rock Springs, took a
very special precaution against it. The Templar
paid a visit to a junker he trusted named Burke.
He had the techno-wizard construct a case for

Marshal: 7
 The Mission

The Setup
How To Use This Adventure Now that you know what’s going on, it’s time
to get your heroes on board for the fun. There
are two basic ways you can get your posse
hooked into this adventure.
Hey Marshal. We realize some of you
are new to the way we publish our Scouting Party
adventures, and some can always use a While the posse is in the Wyoming area, they
refresher. Because we love ya’, we come across a recon/hunting party headed by
thought we’d give you a quick refresher Old Arnold, the leader of the Jarret militia (see
on how things are supposed to work. below). He’s a rough-looking sort, wearing a mix
of camos and dripping with bandoleers full of
The Story So Far is the shotgun shells, knives, and even a grenade. The
backstory that sets up the events rest of his group (3 men) are carrying assault
in the adventure. In Something rifles. They’re all dressed for stealth and armed
About a Sword, a lost Templar for a fighting retreat should they encounter
and his magical sword, as well as something they can’t handle. Interestingly,
the actions of a Doombringer and Arnold is carrying a Geiger counter as well. He
a new terror growing in the ruins thinks it might help him locate the mutants.
of Rock Springs, provide the Once approached and everyone’s weapons are
trouble the posse is about to find eventually lowered, Arnold tells the group that
themselves mixed up in. there are mutants, maybe even a bad Doomsayer
The Setup tells you how to in the area (he doesn’t know the difference
get the posse involved in the tale. between Doomsayers and Doombringers), and
The promise of a major goody— the militia is attempting to scout them out.
Eliot Ritter’s sword—should be If the posse is cordial, Arnold also asks if
enough for most characters. Real they’ve seen a Templar named Eliot about. Read
heroes might join in to keep the following when you’re ready:
Malias the Doombringer from
getting his glowing, undead mitts You sure? He’s about 6 feet tall, short dark hair,
on it. carries a magic sword. Yup. I said magic. Calls it
Chapter
Chapters s are the major scenes Evanor. Thing can cut through a rattler with one
and locations that make up this swipe. Aw geez, I’d sure hate to think what might
epic drama of the Wasted West. happen if that Doomsayer got his hands on it.
In this adventure, each chapter Well, if you ain’t seen him…
features a separate town or ruin
and the events that happen when The bit about the sword should catch most
the heroes go there. hero’s interest. If they ask for more details,
Bounty awards are listed at Arnold tells them he should get moving now, but
the end of each chapter. Chip if they want to meet him and some others back
awards should be given to each in Jarret, he’d be happy to accomodate.
character who participate in a
particular event. Other awards,
such as contacts made, loot, and To Jarret
so on, should be awarded as Jarret is just a few miles down the road. The
you see fit to those characters posse should have little trouble getting there.
who deserve ‘em. Along the way, however, they do find signs of
the mutants’ presence. A lone traveler has been
slain and robbed. His skin is charred and
popped—a sure sign of the atomic blast miracle
used by Doomsayers. The corpse clicks like a
kitchen timer if someone uses a Geiger counter
on him. The traveler isn’t known by the people
of Jarret.

Marshal: 8
 The Mission
Old Arnold (or Militia Member)
Jarrett Arnold, as well as most of the other
Fear Level 3 gate guards, are known for giving
Once the posse gets to Jarrett, they find that newcomers a hard time. It doesn’t do to let
it’s not an unusual town—it’s no different than a just anyone in. Still, when times are tough,
hundred other places that survived the bombs. the militia members are a fairly competent
However, it is the first step on the trail of the bunch.
relic they seek. Nobody’s likely to be sneaking in, There are usually three on gate duty at
as a high barbed-wire fence surrounds Jarrett, any given time. The stats below are for
and its town guard is alert and suspicious. In Arnold. For other militiamen, use the same
fact, the community is fairly insular, and doesn’t stats minus the brave and tough as nails Edges.
see many strangers. That’s one of the reasons Corpor
Corporeal: eal: D:2d6 N:2d6 Q:1d6 S:2d8 V:3d8
Eliot settled here. Climbin’ 3d6, dodge 3d6, fightin’ 3d6, shootin’:
If it’s daylight, the Marshal can use the rifle 3d6
following description as the posse approaches: Mental: C:2d6 K:3d8 M:1d10 Sm:2d6 Sp:3d8
Area Knowledge 3d8, guts 3d8, leadership 2d10,
A weathered sign near the guardhouse scrutinize 3d6
says "Welcome to Jarrett, Wyoming" with E d g e s : Brave 2, tough as nails 1
several population numbers scratched out. Hindrances: Obligation: Jarrett -3, stubborn -2
The current figure is 130. Pace: 6
A high fence made out of barbed wire Size: 6
protects the town. There is a gate with a Wind: 18
makeshift guardhouse on the main road Gear: NA assault rifle, 2 bandoleers of ammo
leading into it. As you come closer, dogs (strapped across the chest). hunting knife.;
bark, and several gun barrels appear on leather jacket, and pants.
the gate. You can hear the sounds of
weapons being cocked.
A voice shouts, “Who's there? Identify Da Mayor
yourselves or taste lead!”
Assuming no one starts World War Four with
the militia, the gate guard comes back a short
while later with a tall, red-headed woman
If you used the setup we gave you, the voice
wearing a cowboy hat and chewing on a twig
belongs to a generic militia member. If not, this
like nobody’s business. This is Mayor Reese, or
is where the heroes meet Old Arnold, the leader
Linda as she likes to be known. Linda has been
of the town guard. Arnold enjoys giving people
mayor for over a year now, and has tried her
the third degree when he’s working the gate, so
best to keep things together here in Jarrett.
the heroes had better be on their toes.
After asking a few questions, Linda offers to
show the posse around Jarrett. She is suspicious
Getting In at first, but if the posse represents itself well,
Once the posse identifies itself, the gate guard she may be convinced to provide information. In
wants to know why the heroes have come to particular, if there is a Templar in the posse, she
Jarrett. Have the posse members talk with the mentions the name of the town’s former
guard a bit. After he’s satisfied, the guard opens protector, Eliot Ritter.
the gate and lets the posse in. He then tells the If the posse members ask about the
posse to wait at the guardhouse while he gets missing Templar, it should quickly become
Mayor Reese. obvious that Eliot Ritter is held in some
If things don't go well, or someone in the reverence by the mayor—as well as anyone
posse gets the guard riled up—which isn’t all else the posse should meet in Jarrett. If
that difficult—he starts shooting. His first round the posse encourages her, Linda has
is a warning shot that sails harmlessly overhead. several tales to tell about the Templar, his
Other posse members can make Onerous (7) exploits, and of course, his sword.
persuasion rolls to calm the guard down. If these Everyone in the area knows it is magical,
rolls are successful, he still lets the posse in, but but Eliot never revealed any specific
demands to know which member of the posse powers.
backtalked him.

Marshal: 9
 The Mission
mutants, but she’d really rather have Eliot back.
(How’s that for an insult?) The offer isn’t much,
maybe $500 in trade goods and ammo for the
whole group, but Reese hints that the heroes
would likely wind up with Eliot’ sword as well.
The heroes are also welcome to the town’s
hospitality for the duration of the search.

Exploring the Town

The posse is now free to move about the
town on its own, and the heroes may make their
way to any of the spots detailed in the next
section.
The people of Jarret are wary to strangers at
first, but if the posse acts friendly, they open up
quickly. Even if the party doesn’t initiate the
topic, Eliot Ritter comes up fast and often. The
people of Jarret are full of incredible tales
revolving around this stoic hero and his mighty
sword. A cruel Marshal can have a little fun
here, especially if there’s a Templar in the posse.
A little professional jealousy never hurt anyone.
Most everyone is aware the Cult o’ Doom is
about, and they’re more than a little worried
about it, especially with “their hero” missing for
nearly a month now. They respect Mayor Reese
and Old Arnold, but don’t think the militia is any
match for a Doomsayer and his army of
mutants.
If the party wants more information, Mayor
Reese mentions that a few of Eliot Ritter’s
closest companions still live in Jarrett, including
Jarret Locations
an ex-gunfighter that Eliot rescued in the Jarrett, Wyoming was never much of a town,
wilderness. even before the bombs came down. People were
If the members of the posse don’t tell the leaving because the only major employer, a clay
mayor anything about their business in Jarrett, processing plant, had closed up and moved on.
she figures the heroes are just another bunch of But because Jarrett wasn’t that important, the
glory hunters resting up before their next town didn’t get hit with the bombs of the Last
shootout. She points out the main features of War. The townsfolk decided to stay and make
the town: the Oasis Bar, Henderson’s General the best of it. That means the buildings here are
Store, the junkyard, and the church. She makes in a little better shape than most places, but
sure the posse knows Jarrett is a quiet town, and those that aren’t being used may have sat empty
that anybody who starts trouble will be on the and neglected for more than twenty years.
road out of town before the sun goes down. The town holds important clues the posse
Afterward, she bids everyone a good day and needs to find before they head off into the
heads back to her office. wastes. Use the descriptions below to help you
Assuming the heroes do mention Eliot, point them in the right direction.
Linda is quick to ask them for help in
finding him. She’s afraid of what may The Oasis Bar
happen with the Cult o’ Doom about and is The bar is located near the center of town, on
anxious for the town’s defender to return the ground floor of what was once a hotel.
If the heroes seem competent but When the posse enters, the first thing they see
unwilling to find Eliot out of the goodness is a big sign that says “LEAVE ALL WEAPONS AT
of their heart, Mayor Reese offers to hire the THE DOOR”. Inside, there’s a large bar with many
heroes to find its missing guardian. Failing tables set up around the room. Behind the bar is
that, she’ll take their help in wiping out the Mel, the owner and barkeep for the Oasis. He’s a

Marshal: 10
 The Mission
tall, friendly man. He’s somewhat wary of posse for as long as they are in Jarrett.
strangers, but despite this he tries to make them Room rates are $25 a day with grub, $15
comfortable. without. If the group presses Mayor Reese,
Mel makes several kinds of local hooch: she agrees to cover their tab for a “few
Cinzing, Strawkill, and the strongest, Tutti-frutti days.” That means she’ll cover the tab as
Kablewy. Each of these is pure grain alcohol long as it seems the heroes are genuinely
mixed with various fruit juices. It costs $2 a shot doing their job.
and $50 a bottle if the posse wants to buy some
of his concoctions. One-Eyed Jack Calhoun
Drinking with Mel is the best way to talk to One-Eyed Jack was “just passin’ through”
him. He often samples his own wares, Jarrett a few years ago, but he had a chance to
particularly if the sun is descending over the sample the hooch at the Oasis Bar and he hasn’t
yardarm. If a member of the posse makes a Fair left since. This is where the party is most likely
(5) persuasion roll, Mel provides some additional to meet him as well.
information about the Templar. Still, there aren’t too many who answer the
Mel says that when the Templar defeated call to defend Jarrett quicker than Jack. Despite
some evil, he’d come back to the Oasis and tell having lost an eye, he’s as sure a shot as there is
everyone the tale in his calm, almost surreal in Jarrett, and he always puts himself in the
voice. His stories were plain, sincere, and thick of things whenever there’s a fight.
downright good for business. And the next day, His view of Eliot was based strictly on the
everyone present positively radiated hope. respect of one warrior for another—he doesn’t
Mel also says that Eliot traveled a lot, but hold much with the faith angle. Eliot told him
usually stayeded in Jarret for a day or two out of there was something strange going on nearby,
every week or so. It isn’t like him to go missing and he had been studying it for a few weeks.
for an entire month. Then he left Jarrett and hasn’t been back since.
Since the heroes are strangers, Mel is quick to A quick character might notice that the
point out that he rents rooms in the hotel above. timeline doesn’t match up. The Doombringer
He has three rooms that he can rent to the wasn’t noticed until just about a month ago.

Jarrett, Wyoming
1” = 10 yards

Junkyard

The Oasis
Bar

Henderson’s General
Store

Old Stone Church

Marshal: 11
 The Mission
Henderson's General Store Junkyard
Henderson’s is really not much of a In the northeast corner of the “downtown”
store—Jarrett doesn’t see enough travellers to area sits a fenced-in junkyard full of rusted cars
make a real store worthwhile, but its and thousands of ruined appliances. The
proprietor, Rick Henderson, does his best for “owner” is known only as Willy. He’s not a
the folks in the town. He makes what profit he junker, but he is fairly handy with electronics. He
can selling and trading items with prospectors sells components to junkers at the standard rate,
and people who go into the wastes. and buys them for half that.
Henderson’s is the only place in Jarrett for the Willy also has a few vehicles he’s fixed up for
posse to get new supplies and equipment. sale. Allow your posse to buy any normal
While Rick doesn’t have much fancy stuff, he vehicle (motorcycle, car, pickup) you feel fits
does keep a stock of food (mostly scavenged your campaign. Willy can also do repairs and
milrats), clothes, survival gear, and some types modifications should your road warriors’ own
of fuel. He doesn’t sell weapons. Those he trades rigs be a little worse for wear.
for go into the town’s arsenal. Marshals should Willy is another of Eliot’ admirers, but knows
feel free to tailor what Rick has in stock to little else about where he might have gone. The
make things interesting. only clue he has is revealed if a character asks
Rick can do some armor repair, and given about the parts the Templar sold to Rick
time, can even make bullets. His prices are high Henderson. When that occurs, Willy offers the
(the prices from Hell on Earth should be upped following:
by 25% or more), but he’s the only game in town,
and he doesn't like to haggle much. Fortunately, Yeah, Eliot brought those doflojits to me
the quality of his goods makes trading with him first, but they didn’t do me no good.
worth it. They’re nothing I’ve ever seen before.
If asked about Eliot, Rick says the following: Batteries I can use. Some kinda high-tech
electronics chips don’t do me squat.
He was a good man. Do anything for us.
And I reckon we’d have done—I mean ‘will If asked about Burke, Willy adds the following:
do’—anything for him.
Hmm. There was a fella named Burke
Embarassed at admitting his fear of Eliot’ who used to come around a few years
death, Rick quickly changes the subject and back. I think he was from some hoighty-
points to an odd mix of electronic parts in a toighty place Back East. Best I can
bucket behind his counter. remember, he scavenged some o’ my
salvage for electronics. Real high-tech
He, uh, brought these in about two stuff. I didn’t have no use for it. Kinda like
months ago. Some kinda electronics parts what Eliot brought around recently. I ain’t
or somethin’. I guess Willy didn’t have any seen him in a few years though. Figured
use for ‘em. I don’t either, but I didn’t want the monsters got ‘im.
to tell Eliot that. ‘Sides, he’s brought me
plenty of stuff over the years that I made Willy
good trades off of. So I gave ‘em $100 Corpor eal: D:2d8, N:2d6, S:2d6, Q:2d8, V:3d8
Corporeal:
credit for it. Figures. He told me to spend Climbin’ 4d6, dodge 3d6, fightin’: brawlin’, knife
the credit whenever folks came in who 4d6, shootin’: shotgun 4d8
couldn’t afford what they needed. Mental: C:2d10 K:2d6, M:2d6, Sm:2d8, Sp:3d6
Area knowledge 3d6, guts 2d6, search 3d10,
If the heroes want these components, they scroungin’ 6d8, tinkerin’ 6d8
cost $400. An Incredible (11) science, tinkerin’ Edges: Light sleeper 1
or related roll reveals that they are some Hindrances: Big ’un -1
sort of prewar experimental electronics Pace: 4
never seen before, but little else. Size: 7
Rick drops one other important clue as Wind: 14
well. He says “I don’t know why Eliot Gear: Double-barrel shotgun, 12 rounds of 12
brought those parts to me. I guess Willy gauge quail loads (4d4 damage), big knife,
didn’t want ‘em.” If asked, Rick says that assorted hand tools.
Willy is the “junkman across the street.”

Marshal: 12
 The Mission
The Old Stone Church
The church in Jarrett stands at the south end,
visible from everywhere in town. Somewhat the
worse for wear, it’s windows have been smashed
and the grand wood doors have been stripped
from their hinges. Still, even in its state of
disrepair there is still a quiet and tranquil feeling
in the air as the posse enters.
This was Eliot’ home, and it literally feels like
a sacred place. In truth, the belief and
admiration of the locals has made it sacred
ground. See the Hallo
Hallowwed Gr ound section
Ground
below for details.
Eliot truly did live a simple life. He has an old
but relatively clean mattress in one corner, a few
old couch pillows, a kerosene lamp, several
scavenged books on the Crusades, and, curiously,
two books on electronics. One of the books is a
high-school textbook, the other is an advanced
electronics text that might have come from a
graduate college course. An Onerous (7) search
roll reveals Eliot dog-eared the latter to a section
on electro-magnetic pulses and their devastating
effects on electronics. (He had hoped to find a
way to create an EMP besides a nuclear
explosion, but had no luck.)
Have each player make a Fair (5) search roll as
they poke around the place. Whoever makes it
finds a pre-War highway map laying in a corner
amid some rubble. Eliot used this map a few
years back to navigate the area around Jarret, On The Trail
but hasn’t needed it in a long time. The map is When the group has gathered all the pertinent
stamped with the legend “Last Chance Gas N clues, it’s time to move on. This is your chance
Go,” a mile marker, and the Lincoln Highway to make the heroes care a little about the people
logo. The map itself has the Last Chance of Jarret. Assuming they haven’t been total jerks,
marked clearly upon it—it’s about 30 miles from many of the townsfolk gather at the gate to see
Jarret. Near the Last Chance, in pen, is written a them off and wish them luck. The posse isn’t
single word: Burke. If the posse hasn’t spoken Eliot Ritter, but they seem heroes just the same.
with Rick Henderson at the General Store, they
may not know that this is the name of Eliot’
junker friend. It’s the only clue they have in any Bounty
case, though, so they should likely start packing Reassuring the people of Jarr et and not
Jarret
up and following the map. acting like total jer ks: 1 white chip each.
jerks:
Learning who Bur Burkeke is fr om Hender
from son: 1
Henderson:
Hallowed Ground white chip to the character who elicits the
The extreme faith the people of Jarret have for response.
Eliot Ritter has made the entire church sacred Finding out about Bur ke fr
Burke om W
from ill
Willy: 1
illy:
ground. Evil supernatural beings, including white chip to the nosey character.
Harrowed, must make an Incredible (11) Spirit roll Finding the highw
highwa ay map: 1 red chip to
every round (every 5 seconds if not in combat) the posse member who finds it.
spent inside the church. If the roll is failed, the Friends: The people of Jarret are truly
being’s flesh begins to burn and he takes the one of the bright spots of humanity in
difference in Wind. On the plus side, “good” the Wasted West. If the party acts truly
characters may add +2 to their faith rolls for altruistic and concerned about them,
their faith in hours after visiting this shrine. Jarret and its citizens become permanent
allies.

Marshal: 13
Last Chance

Marshal: 14
 Chapter Two:
Last Chance
The posse heads out of Jarrett traveling Over the next few nights of campfire
southwest, in search of the gas station depicted conversation, Glory revealed that she was a
on the map found among Ritter’s belongings. As former scientist who had quit her profession
they approach, the posse finds the station is cold after Hellstromme Industries invented the
actually the center of a tiny settlement occupied city-buster bomb in 2063. Ever since, she
by a group of bikers—though not, as it turns out, searched to find another means of unlocking
your typical biker gang. Unless the posse comes the creative powers of her mind. In the years
in guns blazing, there‘s a good chance they are before the Last War, she traveled abroad and
invited to share the hospitality of the studied ancient Eastern religions. When the
inhabitants. ghost rock bombs started dropping, she simply
The bikers are a mostly friendly lot who can despaired for a time, then accepted humanity’s
provide the posse with assistance (in the form of doom as the inevitable consequence of its folly.
information, supplies, or even transportation) to Then one night Glory had a dream, an
aid them in their quest. However, the bikers are inspiration clearer than she had ever
also expecting trouble of their own, in the form experienced before. A new hope could only be
of the twisted minions of Malias. If the posse built from the power of a shared vision. Unlike
agrees to help the locals out, or simply stays in the mad scientists who toiled alone, she would
Last Chance too long, they wind up smack dab create a haven that would welcome all comers,
in the middle of a nasty firefight. and together they would gain the strength to
fight the Reckoners and reclaim the Earth.
Tom found himself profoundly affected by
Easy Riders Glory’s dream. As he’d wandered from town
Back in 2089, Tom Weir and Myra Crosby were to town, Tom had learned to do a little
part of a posse of cycle-riding adventurers. They tale-telling about his posse’s exploits. He
had just struck it semi-rich after recovering a started because it was a good way to earn
small cache of ghost rock from the ruined himself a hot meal and a warm bed. It
workshop of a junker incinerated by his own didn’t take him long, though, to notice
arcane device. The two were joyriding through how good the stories made the locals feel,
Wyoming with their share of the profits when and how they seemed to give them hope.
fate crossed their path in the form of a Tom liked being a source of hope even
hitchhiker, a rather matronly, gray-haired woman more than living the life of a wandering
named Glory Dupre. adventurer.

Marshal: 15
 Last Chance
So when the trio pulled into the Last Since that time, Eliot has disappeared but the
Chance Gas N Go, Glory leapt to the Doombringer has not. In fact, the Doombringer’s
ground in wonder, saying “This is the place I patrols have come ever closer to the commune’s
saw in my dream.” Tom shocked both women lands, roaming the nearby wilderness and
by declaring that the deserted rest station waylaying parties of travelers on the nearby
would be their new home. Myra had some roads (like the one the party likely discovered in
misgivings, but Glory’s unshakable belief in Chapter One.
her dream eventually convinced Myra to give Malias’ true intent is to prove the ferocity of
the plan a chance. the mutant hordes so that other mutants will
flock to his side. Now that the Templar is dead,
he believes a new horde can help him capture
The Last Chance Commune the Rock Springs master and learn its secrets for
While Myra and Glory cleaned up the Last the Cult o’ Doom. At the very least, the horde
Chance, Tom hit the road to call on contacts might distract the robots while he slips into the
from his adventuring days. He told his biking Apfeltech complex.
buddies that they now had a spot to call home, All the people at the Last Chance know is
to repair their hogs and tend their wounds. He that the area is crawling with muties lately—the
found a couple of road warriors he’d helped out violent sort. An assault on Last Chance itself
in the past and convinced them to add Last seems inevitable. That’s true, for Malias believes
Chance to their routes. He told anyone who was destroying this well-known norm bastion will
interested that they were welcome to find their attract scores of new mutant followers to his
own destiny by joining the community. side.
Over the intervening five years, Last Chance
has grown into a small settlement. It has a
permanent population of about forty men and
women, and another 25-30 road warriors and
Getting There is Half the Fun
adventurers treat it as a base of operations. In The posse can approach Last Chance either
addition to the gas station (which sells home- by the direct route of following the Lincoln
brewed alcohol) and garage, the commune has Highway that runs between Jarrett and Last
added another lucrative source of commerce—a Chance, or they can cut cross-country. Each
small, but relatively elaborate laboratory that approach offers a different possibility of
manufactures toothpaste from natural encounters, as detailed below.
ingredients grown on-site.
It has also followed through on Glory’s vision The Roadway
of a free community of ideas. Though Tom and
The Lincoln Highway is obviously the most
Glory remain its leaders, no one in Last Chance
direct route to the posse’s destination. If the
has a title, and all important decisions are
posse is traveling by any kind of wheeled
reached through public debate. At the moment,
vehicle other than an ATV, it may be their only
the debate is focused on the question of how to
real option.
defend themselves against the forces of the
Doombringer that have been encountered nearby.
Ambush Sites
The highway runs through the foothills and
The Doombringer some other pretty rugged terrain. There are
About a month ago, stories began to circulate many spots which would make ideal ambush
that a Doombringer had moved in west of locations. In a number of spots burned out
Last Chance, somewhere in the vicinity of vehicles and bodies stripped of all possessions
Rock Springs. For the first few months he litter the highway.
and his army of mutants and Doomsayers If your posse chooses to proceed cautiously
seemed content to control that area, which through these areas have them make Fair (5)
was inhabited by a handful of human trackin’ rolls. Those who succeed find signs that
survivors. Then Eliot Ritter passed through some of these areas were indeed occupied by
Last Chance and heard about the ambushers. Most of the tracks look to be at
Doombringer. He said he was headed out least a week old or more. These ambushes were
toward Rock Springs anyway, and he’d take the work of the mutant patrols Malias sent to
care of this menace while he was there. harass the inhabitants of Last Chance.

Marshal: 16
 Last Chance
No Hitchhikers!
Around mid-morning, the posse hears the
unmistakable sounds of a heavy vehicle
rumbling toward them from behind. They turn to
see the following sight:

A tanker truck is heading down the

highway straight toward you. Even from a
distance, you can see that the truck has
sheets of armor plating along its sides and
a gun mount on top of its cab. The driver
is red-balling your way at a good clip,
stirring up quite a cloud of dust.

If the heroes attempt to halt the vehicle with

anything short of a full-scale roadblock (which
could be difficult to assemble in the few minutes
they have), the driver continues on without
stopping. If any of the brainers try to stand in
the roadway to block its path, the driver gives
one warning blast of her air horn and barrels
straight ahead without slowing down.
Anyone who abandons position immediately
suffers nothing worse than the indignity of
brushing some dust and dirt off their clothes.
Anyone who stands their ground must make an
Onerous (7) dodge roll, or wind up as a hood
ornament for a few yards before being hurled to
the ground for 14d6 massive damage. The driver
extends the posse the universal finger salute of
greeting and continues on down the road.
If your heroes get their panties in a bunch
over this rudeness and bullets start flying, check
out page 18 for the stats of the truck and its
driver. Any attack now might provoke some
tense negotiations later, when both parties wind
up at the Last Chance.

Cross-country
A posse that doesn’t want to draw attention
to itself may decide to stay off the roads and
approach their destination via a cross-country
route. The surrounding terrain is rugged but by
no means impassable. It slows the posse’s pace,
but doesn’t pose any dramatic tests of
navigational skill.
Not long after they set out, however, one or
more posse members gets the feeling they’re
being watched. Make a hidden Hard (9) search
roll once per half hour of game time for each
member of the posse until one or more gets an
inkling that the group is being watched—then
leave it up to the group to decide what to do
next.

Marshal: 17
 Last Chance
Of course, sensing you’re being
shadowed and actually finding out who’s The Commune
on your trail are two entirely different things. Fear Level 4
Locating the pursuers involves an opposed The posse’s arrival time at Last Chance varies
roll. Have all the heroes roll their search according to its route. If the heroes come by
aptitude. Apply the highest roll against the road and don’t waste too much time
enemy’s sneak of 3d6. investigating nonexistent ambushes, they reach
Allow one roll each ten minutes and keep the gas station slightly before noon. A posse
track of the raises achieved on each roll. If the traveling cross-country can arrive anywhere
posse gets two or more raises ahead of the between 1 and 5 PM, depending on how much
muties, they spot their quarry, a mutant patrol time is wasted dealing with the mutant patrol.
(described below). If the enemy gets two or more Either way, the scene the heroes observe upon
raises ahead, the posse believes they lost their their arrival is pretty much the same. The posse
pursuers. The process may begin anew later if comes over a small rise and sees a compound of
their presence is noticed again. buildings up ahead, including a gas station with
If the posse retraces its own path, a Fair (5) a large overhead sign that reads “Last Chance
trackin’ roll reveals the tracks of their pursuers Gas N’ Go—Last Gas for 50 miles”.
(with additional successes adding details about The station consists of a pair of gas pumps in
the type and number of tracks), which the posse front of a concrete block repair garage. Two
can then attempt to follow at an Onerous (7) TN. other buildings flank the garage along the
If the patrol sees the posse approaching its roadside. Parked out in front of these buildings
way from a distance, it turns and flees into the are a dozen motorcycles and a tanker truck.
wastes. They can be pursued and hunted down, Behind the station, a level piece of land
but it may take several hours to do so. If the contains some well-tended fields of growing
heroes engage the patrol in close quarters as the crops. There are several other structures, ranging
result of an ambush, switchback, or other clever from tents and tar-paper shacks to a large, two-
tactic, the mutants stand and fight. story, wood-frame building in the center of the
If any of the patrol members survive an complex and a windowless concrete building.
encounter with the posse, they immediately Barbed wire fencing surrounds much of the
head for Malias. The Doombringer immediately compound’s perimeter and people can be seen
dispatches fresh patrols to keep an eye on the putting up more. There are crude barricades at
heroes, but doesn’t attack again. He can’t afford both edges of the compound bordering the
to lost another army just yet. highway. Both are manned by two armed guards.
By making Onerous (7) search rolls, the posse
Mutant Patrol can observe other details about the scene.
There are eight muties in the patrol. They Reveal one fact for each success rolled, whether
have no way of contacting Malias and no idea by one or several characters:
the posse members are anyone important. They Smoke and the grinding sounds of machinery
just follow the norms to see what they’re up to. are emanating from the windowless building.
Corpor eal: D:3d6, N:2d6, S:3d10, Q:2d8, V:3d10
Corporeal: There are small children playing happily in
Climbin’ 3d6, fightin’: various 4d6, sneak 3d6, the vicinity of the wood frame building.
throwin’: unbalanced 4d6 Signs in the windows of the roadside
Mental: C:3d6, K:1d4, M:2d8, Sm:1d6, Sp:2d6 buildings read “Free Air With Fill-up”, and “Try
Area knowledge: region 3d4, guts 3d6, scroungin’ Our New Low-Fat Veggie Burger”.
4d6, survival 3d6, trackin’ 3d6 One of the guards in the barricade nearest the
Hindrances: Ugly as sin 1 posse looks like a syker (the bald head and
Edges: Thick-skinned 3 tattoos give it away).
Pace: 6
Size: 6 The Checkpoint
Wind: 16 There is minimal cover between the posse’s
Gear: The mutants are armed with a position and the checkpoints, so nobody is going
variety of makeshift weapons. Roll a d8: 1-2 to get close to the complex without rousing the
axe (STR + 1d8), 3-5 large club (STR + 1d6), 6- guards at the barricades. This shouldn’t cause a
7 pair of hatchets (STR + 1d4, or thrown at hardship, however, as the posse doesn’t look
speed: 1, ROF: 1, Damage: STR+1d4), 8 bare anything like the mutant army the commune is
hands (STR). on the lookout for.

Marshal: 18
 Last Chance
As soon as the posse comes within a hundred deeper scars on his soul. He seldom
feet of the checkpoint, a long-haired man with a speaks at all, and when he does, he often
headband pokes his upper torso up over the appears surprised by the sound of his
barricade, levels a rifle at the closest hero and own voice.
calls out, “State yer business, stranger”. As soon Phoenix and Clifton are an odd couple
as a posse member offers any reasonable story to say the least, but they make a pretty
to explain his presence (whether or not it’s the good team. They pulled in to the Last
truth), the guard lowers his weapon. “Well, come Chance for gas about three months ago
on in, then. We got gas and grub, and a few and have stayed on because the commune
other things you might like, too.” Posse members gave Phoenix the first real sense of belonging
can either talk further with the guards, or head he’s had since his Legion days. The Sergeant is
toward any other part of the compound. looking forward to using his special talents to
repay the group for its past hospitality.
Billy Clifton
Clifton, 38, is a long-haired rebel without a Profile
cause, an ex-CSA soldier who doesn’t care much Corpor
Corporeal: eal: D:2d6 N:3d8, Q:1d12, S:3d10, V:4d12
for authority—particularly “those damn Law Climbin’ 2d8, drivin’: motorcycles 4d8, fightin’: ax
Dogs who think they know what’s best for 3d8, shootin’: rifle 3d6, sneak 2d8
everybody.” He’s made his way through the Mental: C:1d10, K:2d10, M:1d12, Sm:2d8, Sp:4d4
Wasted West as a hired gun—and a very good Academia: occult 2d10, area knowledge 2d10,
one—but he doesn’t consider himself a hero by blastin’ 5d10, guts 3d4, medicine: general 2d10,
any stretch of the word. Billy is highly overawe 2d12, survival: desert 3d8, trackin’ 2d10
superstitious, and all the omens tell him E d g e s : Arcane Background: Syker 3, brave 2,
something ugly is about to go down (a fact he fortitude, sand 3
shares with anyone who listens). If it were up to Hindrances: Bad ears: mild -1, loyal (Billy
him, he’d have moseyed on down the road before Clifton) , oath: Unity sykers -2
stuff hit the fan. For the past two years, however, Pace: 8
Willy has followed the lead of Sgt. Phoenix (see Size: 6
below), and the Sarge has no intention of leaving Wind: 16
the commune in the lurch. Gear: Motorcycle helmet, lever action rifle with
40 rounds
Profile Syker po wer
pow s : Arson, brain blast, fleshknit,
ers
Corpor eal: D:4d12, N:4d10, Q:4d8, S:2d6, V:4d10
Corporeal: mindwipe, slow burn
Drivin’: motorcycles 3d10, fightin’: brawling 3d10,
filchin’ 3d12, shootin’: pistol, rifle, SMG 4d12, Getting Acquainted
sneak 3d10, speed-load: pistol, rifle 3d12 Once Billy decides the group is OK, he shoots
Mental: C:3d6, K:1d10, M:2d4, Sm:2d10, Sp:1d4 the breeze with anyone except a Law Dog. He
Area knowledge 3d10, demolition 2d10, scroungin’ can tell the players what the various buildings in
3d10, search 4d6, streetwise 2d10 the complex are (see descriptions below).
Edges: Eagle eyes 1, light sleeper 1, the Voice: If the posse asks to meet the commune’s
grating 1 leader, Billy directs them to Tom in the cafe. If
Hindrances: Bloodthirsty -2, intolerance: law asked about a map, Clifton shrugs and says
dogs -3, superstitious -2 “Don’t take a map to see that yer in the middle
Pace: 10 a’ nowhere, boyo.”
Size: 6 Though Billy is the talkative one, Sgt.
Wind: 14 Phoenix has the more useful information to
Gear: Motorcycle helmet, .50 caliber pistol with impart. If the posse asks about the
12 rounds, SA assault rifle with 8x scope and Templar Eliot Ritter, the Sergeant suddenly
20 rounds interrupts. “Ritter was a good man. Came
around here a lot. If you want to know
Sgt. Phoenix more, I suggest you ask that crazy old
Phoenix is a tall, lanky syker with haunted junker Burke out in the wastes. Ritter
eyes and a bald head resplendently tattooed visited him all the time I think they were
with a crimson dragon. His experiences on friends, long ago. Maybe even before the
Faraway left him partially deaf, and with even War.”

Marshal: 19
 Last Chance
scavvies, and demands either reparations (if they
Inside the Commune actually did any damage to the truck) or the
group’s ejection from the premises. Tom listens
Once past the checkpoint, the posse to the posse’s explanation; if they are properly
members are free to investigate any of the apologetic to Allie, he lets them stay. Allie turns
Last Chance buildings. The sections below away sullenly, however, and if not later bribed or
briefly summarize what and whom the posse cajoled into a better mood, looks to gain
may encounter in each area. vengeance on her attackers at the first
opportunity.
Gas Station/Garage
If the players have the need and the barter to Profile
pay for it, there is alcohol available in the Corpor eal: D:3d12 N:4d10, Q:2d8, S:2d6, V:2d10
Corporeal:
pumps. Two bikers are working on their cycles Drivin’: wheeled vehicles 4d10, fightin’: sword
in the garage itself. 3d10, shootin’: rifle, machine gun 3d12, ridin’
In addition, a tanker truck is parked just 2d10, sleight o’ hand 3d12
outside the garage, and someone is leaning Mental: C:3d10, K:3d8, M:1d8, Sm:4d6, Sp:2d6
under its hood. If the players have come by the Area knowledge 3d8, bluff 4d6, gamblin’ 4d6,
Highway, this truck looks very familiar. As soon guts 3d6, scroungin’ 2d6, streetwise 3d6,
as anyone comes within 50 feet of the truck, the survival: desert 2d6
driver stands up to check out the intruders. Her Edges: Belongings: tanker truck 15, sense of
reaction depends upon whether she has direction 1, veteran of the Wasted West 0
previously encountered the posse on the road. Hindrances: Ailin’: chronic -5, mean as a rattler
-2, stubborn -2, vengeful -3
Allie Worthington Pace: 10
Size: 6
Allie is a tall, raw-boned frontier woman with
Wind: 16
broad features and sun-bleached auburn hair.
Her deep, husky voice is frequently punctuated Gear: Kevlar vest, .30-.06 rifle with 15 rounds,
by a chronic hacking cough. She’s an and a big knife.
independent road warrior who has seen (and
survived) her share of the Wasted West’s horrors. Allie’s Rig
The Last Chance is a regular stop, where she If you’re using the basic vehicle rules from
drops off fuel or other goods in exchange for the Hell on Earth rulebook, assume Allie’s
crates of tooth powder that she sells elsewhere. tractor/rig combo has a Durability of 100/20. If
Her big rig, with its armor-plated sides and roof you have access to the Road Warriors book, her
mounted machine gun, is her pride and joy. truck is a standard cab-over tractor and tanker
Truth be told, it’s fortunate Allie works alone. trailer which have been given an AV of 3 in all
She’s loud, argumentative, stubborn, and just locations.
plain mean-spirited. She’s also got a long The rig has a NA SAW mounted in an
memory about anyone she believes has done her articulated mount on the roof of the cab.
wrong, and won’t rest until she’s evened the
score. Tom and Myra’s House
If she has not seen the group before, she
The middle structure of the three roadside
acknowledges them warily with a nod.
buildings is a small unassuming residence. Its
If she saw the group on the roadway and they
doors are unlocked, but no one is inside. The
did no damage to the vehicle, she snorts
furnishings are rustic, and there’s nothing here
“You, again.” She is unrepentant about
worth filching or even examining more closely.
refusing to stop, but otherwise reacts the
same as outlined above.
If the posse fired on the truck, Allie is The Cafe
livid, and rushes the nearest posse member This building contains a lunch counter with
screaming vengeance. She wrestles with eight stools along one side and a food
him until the two nearby bikers pull her off, preparation area on the other. There is a glass
then struggles to get free until a long, evil- display counter with a few traveler’s essentials
sounding coughing fit brings her to her for sale (your discretion as to the pickin’s
knees. By this time, Tom arrives on the scene. available) and a manual cash register. The east
Allie denounces the posse as ambushing

Marshal: 20
 Last Chance

Last Chance
1”= 20 yards

Laboratory

Cafe

Tom &
Myra’s
Meeting Hall

Gas
Station

Gap

wall of the building is covered by an enormous exactly what he wants to do. He has found a
map of the surrounding region, which contains a way of life that he would die to defend, and has
yellow area noting “You Are Here”. This map is the ability to make others feel the same way.
identical to the one found in Eliot’ home, though Tom admired Ritter greatly, and would like to
the locals have marked all the roads and bridges know what has befallen his friend. Once he gets
that were destroyed in the war. an inkling of what the posse is seeking, he
A slender well-tanned man in a work shirt offers them assistance, but he withholds
and jeans stands behind the counter. He asks if revealing too much until he decides the heroes
the posse wants lunch. If they do, they learn are suitable successors to the Templar.
meat is not on the menu. (“Too hard to come by
out here. Not to mention what that stuff does to Profile
your colon . . .”) Instead the fare consists of soy Corpor eal: D:2d6 N:2d12, Q:2d6, S:4d10, V:4d6
Corporeal:
burgers, turnips, garden salads, fresh baked bran Climbin’ 3d12, dodge 2d12, drivin’: motorcycle
muffins, etc. Tom takes any ribbing or criticism 3d12, shootin’: pistol 3d6, swimmin’ 2d12
about the food in stride, and maintains a Mental: C:3d6, K:4d6, M:3d12, Sm:3d6, Sp:4d12
friendly demeanor toward the group regardless Area knowledge: local 3d6, guts 2d12,
of the attitude they take toward him. leadership 2d12, persuasion 3d12;
scrutinize 3d6, tale tellin’ 3d12
Tom Weir Edges: Fleet footed 2, nerves o’ steel 2,
Tom is the sort of man many people tough as nails 2
underestimate at first. He is unassuming Hindrances: Loyal -3, lyin’ eyes -3,
physically, and his quiet voice retains a bit of a yearnin’ -3 (preserving Last Chance)
Maine accent from his boyhood days back East. Pace: 12
However, anyone with an ounce of Spirit soon Size: 7
notices that he exudes an extraordinary Wind: 20
presence. Unlike many who wander the Wasted Gear: Motorcycle helmet, duster, 9mm
West, Tom Weir is where he wants to be, doing pistol with 25 rounds.

Marshal: 21
 Last Chance
Friends in Need The Fence Brigade
If the heroes ask any questions about
Ritter, show Tom the map overlay in their About a half dozen men and women are
possession, or simply pay enough attention busily adding to the barbed wire fencing that
to the map to suggest their intentions, Weir surrounds most of the perimeter of the
uses the knowledge he possesses to bargain compound. If the posse has not already
for their aid. He tells them just enough about encountered Tom Weir, he is among the workers
the Templar’s visits to Last Chance (see Tom’s here (and acts just as described in The Café
Story later in this chapter for details) to make above). If at least two members of the posse lend
it clear that he knows a lot more, then says a hand in putting up this fencing, the project is
that he can’t speak further now due to some completed by dinner time. If not, a small gap
pressing problems. remains along the east side of the compound
He briefly outlines the commune’s situation, and provides a second point of entry for the
and asks for the posse’s help. After the group attackers later in the evening.
decides, he excuses himself to help put up
fencing outside. Anyone who wishes to may join The Meeting House
him, the remainder of the posse is left to
The front door of this barn-like structure
continue its inspection of the commune grounds.
opens into a large central chamber with several
Even if the posse gives no indication of their
long wooden trestle tables and a podium at one
interest in the deceased Templar, Tom still asks
end.
for the group’s help by playing up the danger of
At in a corner at the far end of the room, two
the situation and the innate goodness he senses
women are laboring over a large pot of boiling
in them (hopefully, there’s actually some in
water on top of an old wood stove. On a table
there). In either case, the posse is free to say no,
nearby is a pile of old, torn sheets. As the posse
and to leave at any time thereafter.
enters, one of the women uses a large stick to
pull a wad of sodden rags out of the pot. She
places them on a clean sheet on a second table.
Once the women notice the heroes, they
introduce themselves as Myra and Blossom.
They explain that they are boiling rags to use as
bandages in case the mutants attacks as
expected. The pair are more than willing to talk
to the posse about life at the commune or Eliot
Ritter (although they have very little information
to offer on that subject). The two fold bandages
as they talk. They also flirt shamelessly with
any of the male heroes in the group.
If the posse engages the women in
conversation for more than twenty minutes, they
finish folding the last of the bandages, then
announce that they need to go get some more
water from the spring. With a wink, they invite
the heroes to come along.
If any posse members take the ladies up on
their offer, the trip consumes the rest of the
afternoon. The pool lies almost due south of the
commune at the base of a rocky ridge. Everyone
sets off with a complement of containers
(canteens, ten-gallon jugs, etc.) in hand. The
afternoon is sunny, the view is picturesque, and
it almost seems like you can hear “Born to be
Wild” echoing in the distant breeze. What
happens next depends on the maturity of your
group, but let’s just say it’s time for a little R&R
before the fight begins in the next chapter.

Marshal: 22
 Last Chance
The bad guys are not in evidence on either Hindrances: Clueless -3, randy -3
the trip out or back, however. What the posse Pace: 10
does see, on an Easy (5) search roll, is a solitary Size: 6
building off in the distance that appears to be Wind: 20
hewn out of the very rock face and surrounded Gear: Pair of pearl-handled .45 pistols
by a high barbed wire fence. If asked about this with 20 rounds, and a bandolier with
place, the women tell them Burke the toy-maker four throwing knives.
lives there. If pressed for details, they offer the
following information: Blossom
Blossom is a slender, athletic, young, dark-
Burke’s a crotchety old coot who wants haired savage who Tom found lying injured on
little to do with other people. He lives the roadside near the outskirts of Rock Springs
alone, waited on by a bunch of nearly four years ago. She awoke with amnesia,
automatons that he dresses up in fancy and has not recovered her memory to this day
costumes and has programmed to perform (although she is haunted at times by ominous
household duties. Burke maintains dreams of mysterious creatures that look like
minimal contact with the commune; he machines).
contributed some of the equipment for
Glory’s lab. In exchange, Last Chance Profile
trades him food and other basic supplies Corpor eal: D:2d10 N:4d8, Q:3d6, S:4d10, V:4d8
Corporeal:
on a regular basis. Burke has a rather Climbin’ 2d8, fightin’: brawling 2d8; filchin’ 3d0;
lethal security system set up to keep out shootin’: pistol 2d8, sneak 3d8
unwanted intruders. Mental: C:2d8, K:2d6, M:3d8, Sm:4d6, Sp:4d6
Area knowledge 3d6, guts 2d6, scroungin’ 3d6,
Myra and Blossom have made deliveries there trackin’ 2d8
and know how to get past the first two parts of Edges
Edges: Purty 1, thick-skinned 3
Burke’s three-tiered security system. They Hindrances: All thumbs -2
provide this information if the heroes have been Pace: 8
very friendly and make a successful persuasion Size: 6
attempt with a raise versus the women’s Smarts. Wind: 14
They know Burke doesn’t like uninvited guests Gear: .50 pistol plus 12 rounds.
and he’ll be furious with them if he finds out
they compromised his security.
The Laboratory
Myra Crosby As the posse approaches this windowless,
Though Myra originally joined both the cycle cinder-block building, it hears the loud whir of a
gang and the commune because of her long- fuel-powered generator and a variety of strange
standing relationship with Weir, she is far more clinks, clanks, and rattles. A small but neatly
than just Tom’s “old lady.” She’s a two-fisted, tended, herb garden stands to the north, giving
pistol packin’ mama, a voluptuous blonde who is off a pleasant aroma of fresh spearmint leaves.
also the commune’s best crack shot. She enjoys The door to the building is unlocked. A silver-
raising Hell and a good fight as much as she haired woman wearing jeans, a work shirt, and
enjoys making love. While she’s happy enough at pilot’s goggles is inside, tightening a conveyor
Last Chance, she does miss the open road, and belt. All around, a variety of other machines
loves to hear the stories of the adventurers who grind, heat, and mix various ingredients into a
pass through. lumpy mass of whitish paste that also
smells of mint. The woman turns and says,
Profile “I’ve been expecting you. Take that pail
Corpor eal: D:4d12 N:4d10, Q:4d6, S:4d8, V:2d12
Corporeal: full of powder over to the table and start
Drivin’: motorcycle 3d10, fightin’: knife 2d10, quick putting it in the tins for shipping. Allie
draw 3d6; shootin’: pistol 4d12, throwin’: wants this batch all loaded on the truck
balanced 2d12 before dinner, so that she can leave
Mental
Mental: C:1d8, K:2d8, M:3d12, Sm:1d10, Sp:4d8 tomorrow at first light.” She turns back to
Area knowledge 3d8, guts 2d8, language: Spanish her repairs and totally ignores the posse
2d8, persuasion 2d12; performin’: singing 2d12 for 10 to 15 minutes (except to glare at
Edges: Purty 1, Two-fisted 3 anyone who doesn’t follow her instructions).

Marshal: 23
 Last Chance
The tins in question are embossed Profile
with the legend “Tom’s Back East Tooth Corpor eal: D:4d6 N:3d4, Q:1d10, S:2d12, V:3d6
Corporeal:
Powder”, and each hold about two ounces of Climbin’ 2d4, lockpickin’ 3d6
the paste. There are a number of small tools Mental: C:4d6, K:4d10, M:4d6, Sm:3d10, Sp:3d8
on the table that can be used to pack and Academia: occult, area knowledge 3d6, language:
smooth the paste into the tins. If none of the Spanish 2d10, medicine: general, surgery 3d10,
posse members have done any work by the ridicule 3d10; science: chemistry 4d10, search
time her repairs are done, the woman mutters, 2d6, tinkerin’ 3d10
“If you can’t follow simple instructions, what Edges: Gift of gab 1, mechanically inclined 2
good can you be to us?” She stalks out of the Hindrances: Cautious -3
room, and refuses to talk to the posse again Pace: 4
until after the night’s attack. Size: 5
If at least some of the posse does as they are Wind: 14
told, Glory’s face slowly brightens. When her Gear
Gear: Set of surgical knives, and a collection of
repairs are finished, she responds more small useful tools.
cheerfully, “I think you’ll do after all.” She stops
long enough to answer a couple of the posse’s
questions, then gets back to work. Topics she
has information to contribute about include the
Dinner and Entertainment
following: As dusk approaches, the aroma of cooking
The T emplar: Glory last Eliot about a month
Templar: food begins to emanate from the meeting house
ago, about the time the Doombringer showed up. and the residents begin to congregate there. Even
Eliot spoke to Burke the junker just before he if the posse has not agreed to help defend the
vanished. commune, it is invited to stay for dinner and left
The junker
junker,, Burke: Burke’s robot servants
Burke: to eat in peace. If the heroes have agreed to
are former military automatons he has refit, but help, some of the commune members
they remain highly lethal. Glory has never been encountered during the day join them at their
inside Burke’s compound, but knows it is heavily table and press the group for any knowledge
guarded. Nonetheless, Burke once told her that they possess about Doombringers and their
getting inside his front door was “easy as pie”. ways or other news of the West.
The meal is hearty and filling enough for
Glory Dupre anyone without a hankerin’ for fresh meat. After
Glory Dupre is as close to a true scientist as the meal is over, Tom goes up to the podium. He
you’ll find in the Wasted West. She knows the welcomes Allie and the posse to Last Chance,
old techniques of the mad scientists, and and if the posse has agreed to lend a hand, he
understands the methods of junkers like Burke, announces this fact (which earns a round of
but rejects both approaches. She has found her applause from the residents and a derisive snort
own inspiration out here in the desert, in the from Allie). The group then discusses what
form of a sixth sense fueled not by ghost rock tactics they should use in fighting off the
but by the spirit of this tiny community. And Doombringer’s forces. The posse is free to join in
that sixth sense warns her that Last Chance is the discussion as it pleases. Let the scene play
about to become embroiled in the greater out for a few minutes, introducing any major
struggle between good and evil. extras the posse has not already met, then cut
Dupre is a true visionary, and like many to the following:
visionaries, does not suffer fools lightly. She Glory suddenly stands up and motions for
speaks her mind, and relies on Tom to keep silence. “They’re coming”, she says. “Go quickly,
the commune’s strange mix of inhabitants before the sentries are overwhelmed.” Just as she
working together. Her recent dreams have finishes speaking, a lone shot rings out in the
brought her premonitions that a group of night.
outsiders is coming to play a role in Last The people of Last Chance spring into action.
Chance’s defense, but she dislikes the idea Glory directs the noncombatant members of the
of relying on people she doesn’t know or commune into the storm cellar on the south
trust. She remains skeptical of the posse side of the meeting house. Tom, Myra, Blossom,
until the group does something to prove its and three other bikers grab their weapons and
worth. head toward the roadside where Willy and
Phoenix are already posted along with two other

Marshal: 24
 Last Chance
men. (Treat the five generic bikers as having
Tom’s physical stats, shootin’ skill of 2d8, and .45 Tactical Considerations
caliber pistols with 15 bullets each.) Marshal, you can conduct the attack
Allie also runs out of the building and heads how you please based on these
straight for her truck. The posse is free to parameters. However, there are a few
position itself as it pleases. The attack matters of special interest that should be
commences 2 minutes after the warning is given kept in mind:
above. If any posse member reaches the south The roadside portion of the commune
sentry station before the attack begins, he finds contains a number of vehicles that might
Willy peering through his scope into the night. come into play. Either side may attempt to
He declares, “I saw a bunch o’ muties movin’ jump-start and drive the motorcycles present.
thisaway up the road—maybe a dozen or more. You can use the basic vehicle rules in the Hell
They ducked down into the wash when I fired on Earth rulebook or you can use the more
on ‘em.” detailed rules in Road Warriors to keep track of
Within a matter of seconds, however, the bad these vehicles.
guys are through ducking…
No Smoking, Turn Off Engine
In addition, the fuel tanks of all the vehicles,
And For Dessert, a Slavering Horde as well as the gasoline pumps and underground
The bad guys mount their primary attack by storage tanks beneath, are all highly flammable
advancing up the west side of the road. The and carry some risk of exploding in the midst of
force gathered there at the outset of the assault the hail of gunfire and blasts of irradiated
consists of two squads of ten mutants, each led energy that is likely to erupt around them.
by an overseer and a Doomsayer. Whenever there is any weapon’s fire in the
In addition, a second force consisting of one vicinity of the gas pumps use the innocent
squad of mutants and an overseer has bystanders rules to see if any round connects
approached Last Chance from the rear. If the with the pumps. Pull a card every time a round
fencing around the commune’s perimeter has not hits one of the pumps. If the card comes up a
been completed, these forces attack through the Joker, the pump explodes, showering the area
gap in the defenses; otherwise, they circle with flaming alcohol. This does 6d20 damage
around to the road and enter the fray later as with a Burst Radius of 10 yards and burns for
reinforcements. 1d6 rounds thereafter. On the plus side, if a
The mutants think their task is to wipe out pump blows, assume it wipes out 1d10 mutants
the humans. In truth, Malias would love that, but and causes the rest to flee as well. Blowing up
his real goal is to raise an army by striking the Last Chance counts as a victory in their
against a well-defended norm settlement. If the book.
muties win, other mutants will flock to his side. Allie cares solely about protecting her truck
If they lose, that’s okay too as long as the norms and only spends her own bullets to fire on those
suffer some fairly serious losses and the horde who are directly attacking the vehicle. If she is
doesn’t. still carrying a grudge against one or more
The rad-priest isn’t keen on mixing it up with posse members from earlier in the day, and the
the norms himself—he feels it’s too important to fued between them has grown volatile enough,
capture the Rock Springs technology for Simon she may even attempt to gun one of them down
Rasmussen and the Cult of Doom. So he sits during the confusion of the melee if nobody is
back in the treeline and casts nukes at the watching. Allie’s not above murder if she gets
strongest points of the norm’s defense, then angry enough. Especially if she thinks she
retreats. His mutants have orders to retreat if the can get away with it. If so, this might be a
battle is going badly for them. Malias knows good time for Tom or Glory to give the
that’s a risky order—letting the horde decide for hero a quick warning.
themselves when to run away—but it’s a risk he Sgt. Phoenix’ syker powers are best held
has to take. Besides, this band is pretty violent in reserve in the event the defenders run
and he has little doubt they’ll put their tails into serious trouble during the fight.
between their legs (some literally) before the Assume the attackers don’t know there’s a
situation is truly hopeless. syker present (though if any attackers
Malias is also paranoid about Templars now. If survive, that fact will be reported back to
there’s one in the party, he gets the first nuke. Malias if he couldn’t see it himself).

Marshal: 25
 Last Chance
Mutant Grunts (30) Size
Size: 7
Corpor eal: D:3d6, N:2d6, S:3d10, Q:2d8,
Corporeal: Wind: 20
V:3d10 Gear: Double-barrel 12 gauge shotgun with 10
Climbin’ 3d6, fightin’: various 4d6, sneak 3d6, rounds, and a great ax (STR+2d10).
throwin’: unbalanced 4d6 Special Abilities:
Mental: C:3d6, K:1d4, M:2d8, Sm:1d6, Sp:2d6 Mutation: Leathery skin (-2 to all damage
Area knowledge 3d4, guts 3d6, scroungin’ 4d6, rolls)
survival 3d6, trackin’ 3d6
Edges: Thick skinned 3 Doomsayer (loyal to Silas)
Hindrances: Ugly as sin -1 Corpor eal: D:2d6, N:2d6, S:3d8, Q:3d8, V:3d10
Corporeal:
Pace: 6 Climbin’ 3d6, dodge 3d6, fightin’: brawlin’ 3d6,
Size: 6 sneak 2d6
Wind: 16 Mental: C:4d6, K:3d10, M:2d6, Sm:1d12, Sp:3d10
Gear: The mutants are armed with a variety of Academia: occult 4d6, area knowledge: Vegas
makeshift hand weapons. 3d10, faith 4d10, guts 2d10, science: physics
2d10, scrutinize 3d6, search 2d6, survival 2d12
Mutant Overseers (3) Edges: Arcane background: Doomsayer 3
Corpor eal: D:3d8, N:2d8, S:4d10, Q:2d8, V:3d12
Corporeal: Hindrances: Intolerance: non-mutants –3, self-
Climbin’ 3d8, fightin’: axe 4d8, sneak 2d8, righteous -3
shootin’: shotgun 3d8 Pace
Pace: 6
Mental: C:3d6, K:1d6, M:2d10, Sm:2d6, Sp:2d8 Size: 6
Area knowledge 3d6, guts 3d8, leadership: 2d10, Wind
ind: 20
scroungin’ 3d8, trackin’ 3d8 Gear: Doomsayer robe (green), knife, Geiger
Edges: Brawny 3, thick-skinned 3 counter, military radio
Hindrances: Ugly as sin -1 Po
Powwer s: Atomic blast, doomstones, EMP, mutate,
ers:
Pace
Pace: 8 nuke, sustenance, tolerance

Marshal: 26
 Last Chance
some kinda box on on the back of the
Tom’s Story bike. Two boxes, actually. One was long,
Presuming the combined efforts of the posse about the size of his sword, though his
and commune members are enough to turn back sword was strapped on his back as
the enemy, the survivors return to the meeting usual. The other box was about the size
house. Glory assists in patching up the wounded, of a milk crate. He was real careful
while Tom relates what he knows of the with it. Borrowed some bungee cords
Templar Eliot Ritter: from me to secure it on his seat. I didn’t
ask what was in it. I figured if he wanted
Eliot Ritter was a regular Joe before the me to know, he’d have told me himself.
bombs fell—a salesman, marketing hen he left, he took the access road—the
specialist, somethin’ like that. We talked Point of Rocks Bridge got bombed early
quite a bit about life and the war. He was a on in the War, so you can’t get to the
thousand miles from home on Judgment Lincoln Highway ’til almost Thayer Creek.
Day. He made it home somehow. Even But he was headed to Rock Springs all
found his wife and kids, but that didn’t right. I knew where he was goin’.
last long. They all caught one of the I know in my gut that Eliot is dead. I
plagues a year or so later. have a sixth sense about these things. But
That left Eliot all empty inside. He I also know he didn’t quite finish
packed up what he held precious and left whatever it was he was up to. The
town, headin’ west. Folks in Jarrett figured Doombringer’s still around, of course, and
that was the last they’d see of him—but he that’s part of it, but I got a feelin’ there’s
came back a year later with a Templar somethin’ worse out there.
tabard and that magic sword of his. Then of course, there’s that damn
Folks actually laughed at him at first— sword. Someone ought to find it before
you know how people are—but then they the muties do.
saw him use that sword against the things
that came outta the Wastes. After a while, Once Tom finishes his story, he looks the
the bad guys—at least the smart ones— heroes right in the eyes and says, ”Eliot did a lot
stayed away from Jarrett. The pickin’s were of good for the people in these parts. You people
easier elsewhere I guess. did us a good turn tonight fighting off those
Eliot didn’t stay hidin’ in Jarrett all the muties. We wish you the best of luck in finding
time though, no sir, we saw him out here that sword and pray that you don’t meet the
at the Last Chance from time to time, and same fate I fear Eliot did.”
he knew Burke pretty well from before the With that, Tom solemnly shakes the hand of
War, so he’d go visit up there. Like most each of the posse members and wishes them
folks, he went scavengin’, though luck on their quest.
everything he found he gave away.
The last place he went was Rock
Springs. He went out there a lot. Most
Bounty
folks think that’s where that damn Def eating the mutant patr
Defeating ol earl
patrol y in the
early
Doombringer is holed up. That may be, but chapter: 1 white chip.
if that’s the truth, he’s been there longer Playing a major rrole
Playing ole in sa ving the
saving
than most people think. See, Eliot was commune: 1 red chip.
pokin’ around Rock Springs for a few Transportation to Rock Springs: If one or
weeks before any of us heard about the more posse members makes a genuine
Doombringer. He went out there a few contribution to the defense of Allie’s
times, quiet like, to check things out. He truck, she is amenable to giving the
had some kind of hidey hole where he posse a lift to the outskirts of Rock
stashed supplies and caught a few winks. Springs, virtually eliminating any
I reckon we’re the last folks to have chance of creature encounters during
seen him since he disappeared. He passed that leg of the trip. If the group has
through here about a month ago on a decided to first visit the toymaker
borrowed motorbike. He fueled up here, Burke, she agrees to wait until noon the
paid a quick visit to Burke, then strapped next day before leaving, but no longer.

Marshal: 27
Burke the Hermit

Marshal: 28
 Chapter Three:
Burke the Hermit
If the posse has talked with enough members junker on a full-time basis. He pursued his new
of the commune, they should have learned that avocation so single-mindedly that he neglected
Ritter visited the hermit junker Burke, who lives his family and alienated most of his old friends.
in the wastes south of Last Chance, before he When he was drafted into the Northern Alliance
set out on his mission to Rock Springs. Based army in 2080, no one mourned his departure,
upon what they have learned, the posse should and his family did not move with him to his
feel that a brief detour to visit Burke is in order. posting in Washington, D.C.
In truth, a trip to the hermit is absolutely Burke’s military service came to an abrupt
essential to their successful recovery of Eliot’ end after the Last War with the coming of the
sword, and likely their ability to survive this Reckoners. He gradually made his way back
adventure as well. west, only to find his hometown reduced to
Unfortunately, Burke is not exactly anxious to rubble and his family dead. Burke was overcome
receive unannounced visitors, and keeps his with grief over the fact that he had failed to
residence fortified with a bunker, lethal protect them and that his self-absorption with
automatons, and junker devices. The commune his new abilities had blinded him to the things
members know how to circumvent most of this that were truly important. Even most of his
security network, and share this information former friends and neighbors treated him like a
freely if asked. The final barrier, however, pariah, a madman whose powers derived from
requires the posse’s own deductive powers to the very ghost rock that had devastated their
solve. lives. Only one man, an old college buddy named
Eliot Ritter, believed Burke’s remorse was real,
and took him into his own home in Jarrett for
The Toymaker a time as a boarder.
Thaddeus Burke was a local schoolteacher In the end, however, there seemed little
who loved mathematical puzzles, and designed reason to remain in Jarret amidst all the
and built mechanical toys in his spare time. He memories and the smoldering hatred.
lived happily with his wife and two young sons Burke moved away into the wastes and
until 2077, when he met Carl Colton, a colleague built his own solitary little world. For
of Ridley Velmer. Colton introduced Burke to the companionship, he took several military
science of technomagic, and found Burke a most automatons he managed to scrounge—from
apt pupil. Soon, Burke had constructed his own Apfeltech’s showroom ironically—and used
G-ray collector and taken up the craft of the his twin talents to convert them into

Marshal: 29
 Burke the Hermit
household robots with limited AI and Two months ago, Eliot asked the junker to
communication skills. To protect himself, make him two special devices. One was a
he kept their destructive capacities intact, protective “lock box” for his sword that could
and built walls and other defenses to keep only be opened with a key. One key would be
out predators. carried by Eliot and set to destroy itself should
For five years he lived alone, until Tom and Eliot’ heart stop. The other, Burke would hold
Glory took over the Last Chance and the onto for safekeeping. The junker thought the
commune began to spring up around it. Templar’s paranoia was laughable. Just how
Eventually, Tom came to see Burke, and despite powerful could one little sword be anyway. In
nearly being killed by the complex’s defenses, the end, he did it anyway because it was a
somehow convinced him to come to the Last challenge and another project to let him exercise
Chance for dinner that night. Although he no his considerable talents.
longer felt comfortable in the company of other The second device was an electro-magnetic-
humans, Burke still recognized the group’s pulse generator. Eliot needed to generate an EMP
uncommon kindness and decency, and found but obviously didn’t want to detonate a nuke.
himself agreeing to help build the equipment This one was easy. Burke whipped up such a
required for Glory’s toothpaste production line. device in only a few days.
Since that time, he has retained minimal but Now Burke is feeling a little guilty. He gave the
civil relations with the commune members. devices to his friend a month ago and laughed
A few years ago, Burke received another at his paranoia and altruism. Eliot hasn’t been
shocking visitor: Eliot Ritter appeared on his seen since, and Burke wishes he could have told
doorstep wearing the tabard of a Templar. Given his friend goodbye.
Burke's own distaste for humanity in general, the
hermit snorted derisively at Ritter’s
transformation into a do-gooder and scoffed at
Getting There
the “magic sword” he had belted around his Burke’s place is just a few miles south of the
waist. Last Chance. It’s an easy trip by vehicle and only
a little more dangerous on foot. If the heroes
have had an easy time of it, feel free to let them
run into a small band of muties heading to join
Burke’s Place Malias’ gang. Otherwise, let ‘em be, Marshal.
1” = 15 yards
Getting In
As the posse approaches Burke’s, read them
the following description:

Burke’s complex sits on half an acre of

land, located at the base of a jagged rock
outcropping that towers 150-200 feet above
it. The focal point of the complex is a
small structure cobbled together out of
scraps of wood, stone, and tin, along with
part of the rock face itself.
Beyond the building is a tiny oasis of
lush growth, with cacti, flowering shrubs,
and even a small vegetable garden. The
Junk guns property is surrounded on the other three
sides by a 6-foot high chain link fence
with triple strands of barbed wire across
the top. A single metal door stands in the
southeast corner of the fence. Several
figures are moving back and forth across
the grounds of the property; upon closer
inspection, they seem to be a group of
four automatons performing a variety of
gardening duties.

Marshal: 30
 Burke the Hermit
A visual inspection of the rock outcropping Posse members may recognize the
reveals it to be impossible to ascend without symbols as letters of the Greek alphabet.
mountaineering gear. Anyone who attempts to Three of the symbols, Alpha (the first
climb the fence (or to cut through it with wire letter of the alphabet, located at the east
cutters) finds the gardening robots moving point of the rose), Omega (last letter of
rapidly in his direction and replacing their the alphabet, located at the south point),
gardening implements with submachine guns. and Delta (the mathematical symbol for
They open fire on anyone who crosses over the change, located at the northwest point),
barbed wire or sets foot on the grounds, and form the answer to Burke’s riddle. To change
fight until destroyed. Conversely, they allow first to last, one must press the symbols in
those who withdraw to pull back unharmed. the sequence Delta-Alpha-Omega.
Pressing any of the eight symbols causes it to
“Gard”-Bots light up and initiates the “entry sequence”
Corpor eal: D:3d8, N:2d6, Q:3d8, S:4d12, V:2d12+4
Corporeal: (although pressing the same symbol again
Climbin’ 2d6, dodge 4d6, fightin’: brawlin’ 3d6, immediately extinguishes the light, and cancels
quick draw 2d8, shootin’: SMG 4d8 the sequence). Once three symbols have been
Mental: C:3d6, K:3d4, M:—, Sm:3d10, Sp:— pressed, either the door opens (if the correct
Scrutinize 3d6, search 4d6 solution is entered), or the lights click off. On a
Pace: 6 failed attempt, the door itself begins to vibrate
Size: 8 and hum with energy, which increases in
Terror: 5
error: intensity with a second failure. On a third
Special Abilities: successive failure, the door discharges a burst of
Armor: 3 electrical energy, doing 4d12 massive damage to
Fearless anyone in direct contact with it. The process
Gear
Gear:: Commando SMG, with two 30-shot clips then repeats itself until a resolution is reached.
If any of the posse members made friends
The Door with Myra and Blossom, they might have been
This leaves the posse with the door in the told the answer to this puzzle in purely
southeast corner. The door is made of solid steel mechanical terms: press the NW, E, and S points
and mounted flush against the fencing around it. on the compass in that order to open the door.
It bears no obvious indication of a lock or latch. Posses who have not received the solution from
The center of the door is embossed with eight the commune and can’t reason it out on their
buttons in the shape of Greek symbols placed own may make an Incredible (11) Knowledge roll.
around a compass rose in the following pattern: Those who succeed recognize what each of the
Greek letters symbolize. The players can take it
from there.
If the posse decides to blow up the door, they
are welcome to do so, though this is unlikely to
make the hermit at all cooperative.

The Garden Path

When the correct solution is finally entered,
the door swings inward, opening onto a
flagstone path of gray, red, and brown stones.
The sides of the path are lined with cacti,
Just above the rose is a plaque engraved with brambles, and other brush that prevent the
the following message, in fancy block print: posse from wandering off track.
If the heroes made friends with Myra
This door has neither lock nor key and Blossom, they have been forewarned
in hopes that you will let me be. to “stay on the gray stones”. Although
If you must enter, make it fast. there are a couple of spots where this
Press three times, Change First to Last. requires a short leap, anyone making an
But if three times you are mistaken, Easy (5) Nimbleness roll can accomplish
It’s hard to say when you’ll awaken! this with ease. Posses who lack this
information, however, are likely to learn the
pitfalls of the other stones the hard way.

Marshal: 31
 Burke the Hermit
Building Entrance
Finally, the posse reaches the door to the
residential structure itself. There are no more
guns, bombs, or hostile robots in the vicinity—
just a final puzzle for the posse to solve.
At the door, the heroes see the following:

Beneath the engraved symbols are five dials,

each of which has ten settings from 0 to 9. The
dials can be turned in either direction.

Bye, Bye Miss American Pie

If the posse talked with Glory Dupre on the
previous day, they may have heard about Burke’s
comment that the front door is as “easy as pie.”
What he actually meant, of course, was “easy as
Pi”, as the symbols depict the mathematical
If the posse makes no attempt to avoid the
formula for that measure. The solution to
red and brown stones, or one of the heroes fails
unlocking the door is to input the mathematical
his Nimbleness roll, draw a card for each hero
value of Pi, 3.1416, into the dials below.
who has strayed from the gray stones. If the
Again, if the players can’t come up with the
brainer pulls a Deuce or a Joker,
solution on their own, the posse may attempt to
congratulations! She just avoided the dangerous
deduce the answer, either by making an Onerous
stones through sheer luck. Any other other
(9) roll versus any science Aptitude, or an
result means the hero put her foot down in the
Incredible (11) roll versus Knowledge.
wrong place. A red card means she stepped on a
Whatever the means of their inspiration,
red stone; black means she got a brown stone.
when the right combination of digits is finally
Red stones activate two junkguns (Speed 1,
entered, the door swings open, setting off the
ROF 3, Damage 3d10 AP2, Ammo: 30, Range
delicate tinkle of wind chimes. Before the posse
Increment 10) placed along the path as shown on
is a hallway that slopes downward in elevation
the map. The guns swivel to face the target on
and gently widens as it extends north.
the stone, fire a burst, and deactivate. Attacking
the guns causes them to activate and fire
continuously until no targets remain. Each
Jeeves
Within moments, a robot decked out in formal
gun has a Durability of 9/2 and an AV of 2.
butler’s livery putters up the hallway toward the
Each gun has a shootin’ Aptitude of 2d8
players. If they have made it through the security
and a Quickness of 4d6. Targets may dodge,
system unscathed, he welcomes them in a clear
but risk triggering additional stones by
mechanical voice:
doing so. Make a Hard (9) Nimbleness roll. If
failed, the brainer hit another stone while
Good day to you all. If any of you wish
dodging. Draw another card.
refreshment, we have fresh fruit and clean
Brown stones are set atop small explosive
spring water on hand in the day room. If
charges. These do 2d10 damage with a Burst
not, the master awaits you in his study.
Radius of 5.

Marshal: 32
 Burke the Hermit
If one or more heroes have been injured If the posse has resorted to violent
however, the house-bot takes quite a different entry, Burke is seated in the armchair,
tack: with a 12-gauge shotgun cradled in his
arms, pointed at the door. He tells the
Dear me, look at the blood and dirt posse to state its business and then get
you’re tracking in here. You shouldn’t see out.
the master in this condition. Come with If the posse has been harmed by the
me to the kitchen and we’ll see if we can’t traps in the entryway, Burke may be either
get you cleaned up a bit. amused or hostile. The posse has about 60
seconds to explain themselves before he
In either event, the robot’s appearance and definitely goes over to hostile.
patter should strike most of the posse as quite If, on the other hand, the posse has arrived
ludicrous. If anyone actually makes a joke or relatively unscathed, Burke is somewhere in the
rude comment out loud, the automaton does not room, tinkering with one or another toy. He
respond and continues herding the group down looks up as they enter, and ambles over to his
the hall. chair, still holding whatever he was adjusting,
The butler and other servants of the house and addresses the posse:
provide refreshment or bandages as appropriate.
Posse members should note that all of the If you’re selling something, I’m not
robots are armed in one fashion or another, but interested. If you’re looking for money, I
they only fire if attacked. Naturally, if the posse don’t have any. Nothing’s for sale, and I
harms any of the robots, they are unlikely to get don’t take commissions.
any cooperation from Burke. There are six Now what is it you want?
house-bots inside the bunker ready to fight if
the posse abuses their host’s hospitality.
The Hermit Speaks
House-bots (6) The posse should not come to Burke unless
Corpor eal: D:3d8, N:2d6, Q:3d8, S:4d8, V:3d10
Corporeal: they are hot on the trail of Eliot Ritter’s
Dodge 4d6, fightin’: brawlin’ 3d6, quick draw 2d8, adventures or his sword. Their approach to
shootin’: pistol 4d8 getting information, and Burke’s perception of
Mental: C:3d6, K:3d4, M:—, Sm:3d10, Sp:— their relationship to Ritter, the Templar Order, or
Scrutinize 3d6, search 4d6 even the town of Jarrett or the Last Chance
Pace: 6 commune, determines his response to their
Size: 5 questions.
Terror: NA
error: Burke does not respond to threats, and uses
Special Abilities: his equipment and robot supporters to whatever
Armor: 2 extent necessary to protect himself. He does not
Fearless respond to bribery, either, though offers of
Gear: 10mm police pistol, 9 rounds of ammo. equipment or components by scavengers or
junkers in the posse improve his reaction. In no
The Study circumstance does Burke offer to leave his house
Assuming the posse behaves, they are or accompany the posse anywhere—particularly
presently shown into Burke’s study. Rock Springs, which he is loathe to discuss.
This room is part sitting-room, part library, Burke’s speech consists of short sentences,
and part toy store; other than a comfortable largely devoid of elaboration or digression. He
armchair and two straight-backed wooden talks like a man who has little to say and
chairs, every surface, shelf and flat surface is few people to say it to. He gets right to the
arrayed with objects of various descriptions. point. When playing Burke, try to answer
Most are made of metal, but there are wood, only the question asked—no more, no less.
glass and ceramic items: figurines, toys of Burke is condescending, gruff, and rude,
various kinds, clockwork mechanisms. In short, but he does value Ritter’s friendship. If
this place is a junker’s dream. Though chaotic, the posse seems sincere in its desire to
Burke’s possessions look meticulously kept. As find out what happened to his friend, he
the posse enters, some of the mechanisms turn, eventually opens up and gives the heroes
whirr, or move about. the information they need.

Marshal: 33
 Burke the Hermit
Burke If asked about why Ritter went to Rock
Corpor eal: D:4d6 N:2d8, Q:3d6, S:3d6, V:2d6
Corporeal: Springs, Burke has the following to say:
Climbin’ 2d6, dodge 3d8, drivin’: car 3d8,
shootin’: junkgun, shotgun 4d6, sneak 2d8 I don’t know exactly. He didn’t talk
Mental: C:4d8, K:3d12, M:4d6, Sm:3d10, Sp:3d8 about his heroics to me much because I
Academia: occult 4d12, science: occult didn’t want to hear them. I’ve heard about
engineering 5d12, area knowledge 2d12, search the mutants, but I don’t think that’s why
2d8, scrutinize 3d8, scroungin’ 4d10, tinkerin’ he went to Rock Springs. He’s been doing
5d10 something out there for well over a
Edges: Arcane background: junker 3, month—a few weeks before the DNA
mechanically inclined 2 challenged showed up.
Hindrances: Cautious -3, intolerance: strangers He had a hideout in Rock Springs, in a
-3 water tower, I think. Ask those hippies
Pace: 8 down at the Last Chance. Or the idiots in
Size: 8 Jarret. They yap about what a hero he was
Wind: 14 constantly. Eliot this, Eliot that. You’d think
Junker Po wer
Pow s: AI, ammo, commo, gunsmith,
ers: they believed he was the Messiah, Himself.
sensor, shield That may sound nice to you, but that’s a
Gear
Gear: 12-gauge shotgun, 24 rounds of 12-gauge lot of responsibility to put on one man’s
ammo, kevlar vest, and a collection of small shoulders! How would you like it if people
useful tools. were always asking you to save the
world?

Getting Information From Burke When asked about the devices Burke made,
Provided the posse can gain Burke’s trust. This he answers only if the heroes seem trustworthy
should involve some roleplaying and a few hefty and make a persuasion roll with at least 2
persuasion rolls. The TN for these is up to you, raises. Until that time, he simply answers “That’s
but should be based on the posse’s behavior in Eliot’ business. Piss off!” When they finally win
gaining entry to the place. As long as the heroes him over, he reveals the truth:
don’t do anything further to honk him off, Burke
can provide the group with some valuable Eliot believed that sword of his was the
information about the goal of their quest. next Excalibur. Thought he could save the
When asked about his relationship with Ritter, world with it. I never saw him use it, but
the grumpy junker tells the heroes: the locals all talk about it like it was the
true cross itself.
Eliot and I went to school together and The last time he came here, he said he
we’ve been friends for a long time. He was afraid it would fall into the wrong
came up here from time to time, both hands if he were to…die. He wanted me to
before and after he started wearing that build him a special case for it, one he
ridiculous tabard of his. could put the sword in if he were about to
He put me up in his house in Jarret die. If someone tries to open the case, and
when I was going through some tough they don’t have the key, it destroys the
times after the War. He was a good man. sword. Eliot, of course, had one of these
Maybe the only good man. But he was keys. His was set to melt down should his
stupid. heart stop.
Eliot elected himself the defender of I have the other key. Mine has a locator
this part of the West. I told him that in it as well. I’ll give it to you if you’ll go
painting a target on his head was just out there and find that fool.
plain foolish, but he wouldn’t listen. He
said he had a higher calling he had to Assuming the party presses for more
follow. Plain foolish if you ask me. information on the second device, continue with
He was always welcome around here. the following:
No one else is. Now, if you’re finished,
you can show yourselves out the same The other device? It was an EMP
way you came in. generator. That stands for “electro-
magnetic pulse” students. I suspect Eliot

Marshal: 34
 Burke the Hermit
ran into some kind of robot out near Rock Marshal, apply whatever modifiers
Springs. Maybe it’s one of the Combine’s seem appropriate, but bear in mind the
automatons. Or a cyborg. Or maybe it’s key only pulses for 15 seconds once an
something entirely new. There was an hour, so only allow one Cognition roll per
experimental lab there before the war. person per pulse.
Apfeltech. I know, because I scavenged a Once in Rock Springs, the posse has to
few parts from there when I got back to achieve a number of successes with the
Wyoming. Eliot brought me some parts key to get close enough to activate it fully.
from there, too. Had Apfeltech stamped See Chapter 4 for details.
right on the circuit board. But I didn’t want
them. All the parts I got before burned up
my robots. They don’t seem designed for Key Location
normal electronics. Don’t ask me anything
more about them ‘cause I don’t know Location TN
anything else. They were experimental. I’d In Jarrett, or farther north or east 13
need documents and design specs to learn At the Last Chance or Burke’s house 9
anything else. Between the Last Chance and Rock Springs 7
In Rock Springs 5
If the heroes ask Burke to make another EMP,
he says he used all the rare and necessary parts
in Eliot’ device. The party really doesn’t have
Bounty
time to wait around another 3 days either. If Solving the puzzles: 1 red chip per puzzle to
they insist, you’ll need to find a way to get their whoever figures it out.
keisters in gear. Maybe a lone traveler is Getting inf ormation fr
information om Bur
from ke: 1 white
Burke:
captured by Malias, overhears his plans, and chip.
somehow escapes to the Last Chance. When the Getting the ke y and instructions ffor
key or its
party hears this, they should be given only a few use: 1 red chip.
hours to get to Rock Springs.

The Key
Assuming the party agrees to find Eliot,
possibly playing on Burke’s guilt, he gives it to
them with instructions for its use. It is concealed
in the back of a small windup toy, a metal man
adorned in Templar garb, sitting on the
mantelpiece behind his chair.
Burke explains how the key works. At the top
of each hour it emits a low, beeping tone for 15
seconds. This tone becomes louder and more
rapid when pointed in the direction of the box.
To determine the right direction, the key
should be held away from the body with the
point outward. The wielder can then make a
Cognition roll to discern the direction. The TN
for this roll depends on the distance to the box.
Check out the Key Location Table. Once the
posse gets within 100 yards of the box, the key
pulses continuously.
If the roll succeeds the wielder is pointed in
the general direction of the box. Traveling in this
direction without losing one’s way requires a
Hard (9) survival: any roll. Heroes with the sense
o’ direction Edge get a +4 to this roll. Failing the
roll means the posse is pointed the wrong way,
and won’t come anywhere near the sword.

Marshal: 35
End of the Trail

Marshal: 36
 Chapter Four:
End of the Trail
This is it. The last stop on the posse’s trail The bunker bigwigs would have changed that
and the big climax to Something About a Sword. assessment if they had known what was hidden
Hopefully, the heroes possess the key to Eliot’ beneath the streets of this out of the way place.
lock box and the information that the Templar’s An innocuous brick building in downtown
hiding place was in a water tower somewhere in Rock Springs served as the headquarters of
Rock Springs. If they don’t, they might well be Apfeltech, a small-time computer hardware
doomed. The fight they’re about to get into is developer. At least that’s the appearance it gave
nasty. If they don’t have the EMP device, and to the outside world. Behind the shabby lobby
probably Evanor as well, they’re likely screwed. and offices with threadbare carpets was a state-
of-the-art electronics and robotics laboratory.
Hitting the Trail Apfeltech was a division of Home Electronics
Before the heroes set out for Rock Springs, Industries, which in turn, through a series of
they might want to ask some of the Last dummy corporations, was a subsidiary of the
Chancers some questions. If they ask about bio-engineering giant Pentacorp (for more on
Apfeltech, they just get blank stares. No one here Pentacorp take a look in The Wasted West).
(except Burke) has ever heard of it. About Rock Just prior to the war, the scientists at
Springs, the locals think the danger comes from Apfeltech had been hard at work on a neural
the growing mutant horde. They have no idea of network computer that could be used to boost
the true dangers there, though they don’t recall its user’s mental capacities. The system was
hearing of anyone ever living there, even though developed with military applications in mind. A
it wasn’t nuked in the War. single operator hooked to one of these
computers would be capable of controlling
dozens of remote combat robots.
Rock Springs The heart of this system was a climate-
Even as the second largest city in Wyoming, controlled room far beneath the main
Rock Springs didn’t exactly qualify as a first- laboratories. This room was filled from
strike target for the Apocalypse. Southern ceiling to floor with racked jars. In each
Alliance planners had the city near the bottom jar was a single human brain. All of these
of their list of follow-up targets, but since the brains were wired together into an
world went to Hell on a rocket sled once the enormous mass mind which could be
bombs started dropping, they never got quite accessed by anyone hooked to the neural
that far down the list. interface in the labs.

Marshal: 37
 End of the Trail
Fresh Meat Chop Shop
What made this use of human brains for Large clouds of radioactive fallout from the
computing power different from similar detonations of other towns and targets nearby
attempts by Hellstromme Industries was that forced most of the population of Rock Springs
these brains weren’t zombified. They were to move away in the days shortly after the war.
living brains harvested from clones vat-grown Those who didn’t leave were quickly
by Pentacorp. Since the clones had never been overwhelmed by the mechanical monstrosities
awakened, the brains had no memories or which swarmed up from below the city streets.
structured thoughts—they were blank slates The robots’ victims were hauled back to the
ready for use by the computer. robotics lab. There they were dismembered, and
Unfortunately, this also meant the brains had their body parts used as components in the
no natural defenses against spiritual predators biomechanical abominations being assembled in
like manitous and the like. The chamber housing the Apfeltech basement. The brains of most
the brain banks was heavily warded and victims were added to the brain bank. This has
shielded against intruders from the spirit world. been the fate of all who have run afoul of Rock
Springs’ mechanical inhabitants since the war
Meet the New Boss ended—all except Eliot Ritter.
On Judgment Day, the founder and lead
researcher at Apfeltech, Rosalita Apfel, was On the Move
hooked into the computer’s neural interface. She The number of robotic creatures in Rock
was using it to run through some training Springs has grown in the years since the Last
exercises with the practice robots in the War. So much so that they have nearly
basement. exhausted the resources available in the city.
Although Rock Springs wasn’t high on the They’ve still got plenty of bulk materials like
Rebs’ target list, the US missile silos outside of scrap metal, but the delicate electronics needed
Flaming Gorge were. This area was blanketed to create more robots are scarcer than hen’s
with ghost-rock bombs. The supernatural shock teeth. The city’s supply of TVs, radios, and home
wave from these weapons was felt in Rock computers was used up long ago—soon the
Springs. One of its many effects was to collapse metallic horde will need to expand its territory
the arcane wards protecting the Apfeltech brain to gain new sources of electronics.
bank. Manitous which had been trying to If the posse fails to destroy the evil growing
penetrate these defenses for years swept in and in Rock Springs, the countryside will soon be
possessed the brains. crawling with the mass mind’s mechanical
This sudden onslaught of malicious spirits shock troops.
sent Rosalita into a coma. She awoke days later
to find that the manitous had taken over the
system and had already begun redesigning the
The Knight Templar
practice robots into harvesters which in turn Eliot Ritter had been a Templar for nearly
could gather the resources needed to build even three years when he made his final journey to
more robots. Rosalita immediately tried to shut Rock Springs four months ago. During the time
the system down, but found that the spirits had he wore the tabard, he investigated every
already dismantled most of the computer’s built- crevasse, scrub forest, and urban ruin within a
in safeguards and—to her horror—had even hard- few days’ ride or walk of his home town of
wired her into the system. Jarrett. The survivors of the Last War knew Eliot
There was one defense mechanism that the Ritter well, as did the shadowy creatures that
manitous hadn’t been able to get around: the the War had spawned. The first group welcomed
deadman’s switch. Rosalita had installed this him whenever he came through, and the second
system for just such an emergency. If the group knew to stay out of his way.
user of the neural interface ever flat-lined, Eliot knew he was just one man; he had no
the computer was hard-wired to dump great resources he could count on—no army like
gallons of acid into the brain bank; Throckmorton, no legion of rad-priests like
destroying the brains. It was a stand-off: she Rasmussen. But he also knew that as a wearer
couldn’t escape, and the manitous couldn’t of the Templar cross, his duty was to push back
kill her without destroying themselves. the power of the Reckoners wherever he was
able. He picked his battles carefully, and like
most people, largely avoided Rock Springs.

Marshal: 38
 End of the Trail
Two months ago, in pursuit of a raiding band
that had made an attempt against the Last
Chance, Eliot Ritter found himself approaching
the abandoned city.
He quickly lost the trail of the raiders, but like
most who entered Rock Springs, they never
emerged again. Eliot did find huge blood stains
and leftover “parts” of the raiders, however. His
subsequent investigations in the area told him
there were bizarre metallic creatures—robots
mostly but with grisly human parts either stuck
or attached to their frameworks. There were too
many of them for him to fight, even with Evanor,
but fortunately, it seemed the creatures were
content to stay in Rock Springs. For a while, at
least.
So Eliot establish a hideout on the outskirts
of the city and studied them. That’s when he
decided he needed an EMP to take the robots
out and get to whatever was controlling them.

Welcome to Brainville
Fear Level 5
Once the posse determines that it must go to
Rock Springs, there are a number of ways in
which it can approach the city. How the
characters make their approach depends largely
on what they know, and what they’ve obtained.
If they possess the acetate map, and have Eliot Ritter’s Hideout
successfully located the hideout on it, they After his first visit, Ritter realized that to
know where to start in Rock Springs. There is remain in the city for any length of time, he’d
further information there, including the rest of need a bolt-hole to rest while performing his
Ritter’s journal. reconnaissance. He chose an abandoned water-
If they possess the key (but not the map) and tower in the Blairtown section of the city
know how to use it and what to look for, Ritter’s overlooking the rail yards. The party should be
hideout is not on their itinerary, but they can able to spot it easily enough by climbing to a
use the key to approach the hiding place for the high place and making a Fair (5) Cognition roll.
box that holds the sword. During each foray into Rock Springs, Eliot
made his way to this tower and used it as a
Approaching Rock Springs base, a wall against which he could put his
Use the following description for the city: back, and a vantage point to view the city and
its bizarre inhabitants.
From the outside, Rock Springs does It was Eliot’ belief that he had made these
not appear to have been nuked. There is a visits without attracting much attention. In
ghost-rock storm to the south, but it does fact, the Apfeltech mass mind had taken
not hover over the city itself; many multi- notice of his comings and goings, but had
story buildings still stand, and there is an been prevented from killing him by
extensive railyard to the southwest. The interference from Rosalita Apfel. Rosalita
city is divided by a narrow river that flows doesn’t have the strength to continuously
northwest to southeast. fight the mass mind, but she can cause
problems for it when she puts her mind
Regardless of their direction of approach, the to it. The scientist is basically a virus in
city appears the same—a sprawling ruin scarred the system which the computer can’t
by conventional bombing and fires. It is eradicate.
abandoned but most buildings still stand.

Marshal: 39
 End of the Trail
The Water Tower a set of metal shutters. A person standing on
The water tower, originally part of the the platform can unlatch the shutters and view
Wasatch rail yards below, is a tank twenty Rock Springs.
feet in diameter and thirty feet in height on The sleeping area has a bedroll and a few
the top of a framework forty feet in the air. It days’ supply of dried food. There is also a
can be reached by means of a single ladder on whetstone and a small bottle of oil. Judging by
the southwest corner attached to one of four the dust, nothing appears to have been disturbed
support pylons. The ladder extends to the roof for several months.
of the tower, and gives access to a trap door.
There is a similar ladder on the inside of the The Cache
tower, extending to the floor of the tank. If the heroes search the immediate area of the
The tower itself is long since empty of water. platform, have them make a Hard (9) search roll.
During Eliot’ trips to Rock Springs, he gathered Anyone who succeeds locates a sliding
scaffolding material and sheets of scrap metal, mechanism in the floor of the platform. A Fair
which he has used to build an interior structure (5) lockpickin’ or tinkerin’ roll is sufficient to
around the inside walls. open the compartment. More action-oriented
Climbing the tower requires a Foolproof (3) heroes can bash it open with 10 pints of damage.
climbing roll for each member of the posse. Inside, the posse finds $200 in NA silver and a
Make a single Incredible (11) search roll for the cardstock envelope. The envelope contains Eliot
mass mind, using a scavenger bot’s search score Ritter’s notes on the creatures of Apfeltech.
(see page 41), to notice something happening at
the tower. If it’s successful, the brain sends out a The Notes
patrol of four scavengers which arrives within Eliot was no dummy. He knew it would take
an hour. an army or a really clever plan. The trouble with
The following description can be used when the army was that it would not only get people
the posse gains admission to the water tower: killed, it would provide the robots with more
“people parts” if they were defeated. So he opted
The inside of the tank is a maze of for the “clever” angle. That’s where Burke and
scaffolding, catwalks, and makeshift the EMP device came in. (The EMP device can be
platforms. In the dim light from outside found on Eliot’ body. See page 42 for the details,
from the open trapdoor and your Marshal.)
flashlights, the view is of a frightening Note: June 23, 2094 is an arbitrary date for
place, with lurid shadows cast by the Eliot’ departure from Jarrett. Choose any date
haphazard furnishings. Every step you that fits your campaign, but the timing of Eliot’
take is echoed like the pounding of a travels should be maintained.
hammer.
25 June. Reached Last Chance midafternoon.
Tom knows where I’m headed, and he says that I
What’s In The Tower won’t come back if I go. He’s weird like that.
Other than the place Eliot slept, the tank Still, I can’t let the creatures spread out of Rock
contains little of value. Various junk and Springs.
scavenged material from Rock Springs, perhaps 25 June. Later. Spent the day with Burke. He
meant for Willy’s junk yard in Jarrett, or for the was happy with the sensor array, but overjoyed
hermit Burke, is stored in semi-organized with the four model train cars. Funny thing for
fashion on the various platforms and most people, but not for Burke—what he needs
scaffolds. Junkers can make Fair (5) is far different from what he wants, or doesn’t
scroungin’ rolls to find structural or want. We talked about Rock Springs. He’s dead
mechanical components. set against it. He called me a martyr, a damn
Ritter’s sleeping space in the tank is fool, and a dozen other things. He even said that
located on a platform a man’s height below I was throwing my life away because I had
the roof of the tank. It is in the northeast nothing left to live for. I should’ve knocked him
corner of the tank, facing the town, and can on his ass for bringing up Val and the children.
be reached by a counterclockwise walkway He has no right.
attached to the interior. A section of the At least he made the box for me. And the
tank wall has been cut away and replaced by generator. Hope it works.

Marshal: 40
 End of the Trail
27 June. On the road. Took lunch near Point me following the scavengers on my last
of Rocks. Bitter Creek is running more clear trip here. It was like a spider, or a
than I remember. It doesn’t taste as much like segmented worm, all made of metal and
aluminum. I refilled the canteens, and when I plastic—although I saw some human parts
come back—if I come back—I’ll let Tom know. mixed up in its innards. Its weapons
27 June. Later. At Rock Springs. Tired, not looked like big dental drills. It was plated.
much to say. The cache is undisturbed. Bullets would have bounced right off.
29 June. After watching these machines for Thank God I had Evanor. I took the parts to
the last few weeks, I’ve noticed there are two Burke but he didn’t want them. Said they
distinct types. were defective. Willy didn’t want them either.
The first type is some sort of scavenger, like a Too high-tech for him. Sold them to Rick instead.
rug cleaner or a vacuum. There doesn’t seem to Later. I was just getting some shut-eye when I
be any regular schedule for this type, they just swear I saw a pack of metal crows flying over
move around the city, picking up anything in the water tower.
their path. There was a group of three that 30 June. The creatures must be controlled
passed near the water tower late this morning. from somewhere. Some sort of “mass mind.”
They clamped on to the rails and cleared off Burke said there was a high-tech company here.
some debris that was left by a storm. They don’t Apfeltech. That’s got to be where the central
look too heavily armed. mind is. If I can EMP the bots, or maybe the
The second type is more dangerous. These mind itself, I can probably hack them to pieces
things are one-of-a-kind, some kind of combat with Evanor.
robots. Some have sets of claws or pincers. Later. Spotted ten men on foot. Look like
Some have guns. Some have wheels, some walk mutants. There was a Doomsayer with them. Or
like huge men. Every one is different, and they’re maybe a Doombringer. Could they be in league
all dangerous. with these things? Good God. I hope not. If the
I’d better describe one of them, in case Cult of Doom gets this technology…
something happens to me. One of them caught I’d best strike tonight.

Marshal: 41
 End of the Trail
Searching The Town Fighting In The Streets
The heroes have two objectives: find the As your heroes set out into the city to find
sword and find the Apfeltech mass mind. The the sword, give them the following description to
first task is relatively easy. See Using the set the mood:
Key, below. The second task is a little harder.
Apfeltech can be found by simply roaming the The city of Rock Springs is never quiet.
city and scoring 10 successes on a Hard (9) As you travel through the streets, empty of
search roll, attempted once per hour. This is life, there is the constant hum of
dangerous because the party must dodge robot machinery. Shapes and figures are picked
patrols all the while (see The W elcoming
Welcoming out in stark shadows and it seems as if
Committee
Committee). An easier way of finding Apfeltech nothing is ever quite where it was when
is to look in an old phone book and scan the you last looked. It is as if the city is one
steet address. It takes a single Hard (9) search vast machine—a living entity; a malevolent
roll to find a phone book that hasn’t been thing watching your every move.
ruined by the weather.

Using The Key The Welcoming Committee

If the posse has the key (and God help them As the group moves about the city, they are
if they don’t), they can use it to find the location sure to encounter some of Rock Springs’ unique
of the lock box. If the posse hasn’t yet figured denizens. For the most part, the heroes should
out how to make use of it, it’s time to clue them avoid them as much as possible. Even though
in somehow. Make the sound more obvious or they can likely win an encounter or two, the
add a vibration or some other behavior to draw more they fight, the more they’ll be worn down
the attention of whichever character is carrying for the big finale. And they really want to be as
it. (“What’s that in your pocket?) fresh and full of Fate Chips as possible when
In order to locate the box, the posse needs to they run into Malias and his mutie horde.
accumulate 5 successes on the wielder’s search Make a 1d10 roll once every half hour as the
rolls. Only the person carrying the key can make posse moves around Rock Springs. If they are
the roll, and he may only do so at the top of just gallivanting around making no attempt to
each hour (until the key gets within 100 meters hide themselves, add +1 to the roll. If they
of the lock box). For instance, if the hero gets a actively try to use sneak skills or special
success and raise on his first attempt, and then abilities, have them make Onerous (7) rolls. Each
a success and two raises on his second, the success and raise on the roll lowers the
heroes have accumulated a total of five encounter roll by –1, but use the lowest total in
successes toward this total. Use only the highest the group to determine this. In addition, add +1
search total in the posse to figure this. to the roll for every encounter the posse has yet
Anywhere within Rock Springs, the TN for these had. If they’ve fought three bands of robots, it’s a
rolls is 5. +3. The more they meet, the worse it gets. There
The key goes on full automatic with the fifth are no other modifiers to the roll. The robots
success, indicating that the box is within 100 can see in the dark, for example, so there is no
yards of the key’s present position. At that point real difference between day and night.
the heroes have to use the old Mk I eyeball to
spot the sword.
If the character holding the key goes bust, it Patrol Encounters
means the posse has gotten way off track in
finding the box. Cross out all of the Roll P a t rro
ol
successes the posse has already achieved. If 1-3 The posse encounters nothing.
they mess up their very first search roll in 4-6 A group of 1d4 scavengers.
Rock Springs, they’re out in left field 7-8 A single combot.
somewhere. Require a TN of 9 for the next 9 A group of 1d4 combots.
roll in searching for the box. 10+ A group of 1d6 combots.
If the heroes play a hunch and head
straight for Apfeltech, they’re in luck. The
key starts buzzing up a storm as soon as
they enter the complex.

Marshal: 42
 End of the Trail

Ritter’
Ritter’ss
Corpse

A p ffeltech
eltech
Factory

Contr
Controol
Booth

Factory Interior

Rock Springs

Marshal: 43
 End of the Trail
Scavengers The Hiding Place
Scavengers are small gatherer robots.
They scurry around the city scrounging for Ritter reached the Apfeltech headquarters
raw materials used in the robotics factory in because the mass mind was distracted wiping
the basement of Apfeltech headquarters. They out the last of Malias’ mutant horde. Badly
are built for climbing and equipped with injured, he managed to break into the factory’s
mechanical blades and cutting torches. boiler room through a busted window. With
fading strength, he wrapped his sword in a
Profile length of silk and placed it in the lock box. Then
Corpor eal: D:3d8, N:3d8, Q:3d8, S:4d8, V:3d8
Corporeal: he say quietly and tried to heal himself, but
Climbin’ 5d8, dodge 4d8, fightin’: brawlin’ 3d8 failed. Within minutes, the Templar passed on.
Mental: C:3d6, K:3d4, M:—, Sm:3d6, Sp:— The key to Evanor’s lock box melted down as
Search 4d6, scroungin’ 4d6 soon as his noble heart stopped.
Pace: 6 Assuming the posse uses the key to find the
Size: 4 sword, they’ll be led directly to the busted
Wind: NA window in the basement of Apfeltech. Read
Terror: 3
error: them the following description of the scene:
Special Abilities:
Armor: 2 The key leads you to a battered office
Damage: Blades (STR+1d8), torch (3d8 AP2) building. The street-level windows are all
Fearless broken, and the basement level visible
Summoning: When the scaventers detect an through them appears to be a large
enemy, they automatically summon a single storage room of some sort. Cartons of
combot that arrives within 2d20 rounds. molding stationery, boxes of leaky pens,
Wallcra wler: The scavengers can cling to
allcrawler: and assorted other office supplies litter
nearly any surface with a combination of the room.
hooks, cables, and suction cups.
When they crawl inside, continue with the
Combots following:
These are the foot soldiers of the mass mind.
After a brief search, you find a male
They can vary greatly in shape and size, but the
corpse half-propped against a wall. The
most common ones are bipedal and roughly
dead man wears the tabard of a Templar
humanoid in shape. The stats for these are
and a Masonic ring. What’s left of the
provided below. If you want to throw in a few
body has been badly mauled, singed, and
variations on this type, have fun Marshal. Nearly
beaten.
anything is possible.
Beside the body are two boxes. One is
long and thin, the other square and taped
Profile shut.
Corpor eal: D:3d8, N:2d6, Q:3d8, S:4d12, V:2d12+4
Corporeal:
Climbin’ 2d6, dodge 4d6, fightin’: brawlin’ 3d6,
shootin’: machine-gun 4d8
Mental: C:3d6, K:3d4, M:—, Sm:3d10, Sp:—
The Lock Box
Burke’s lock box is just a bit longer than the
Search 4d6
sword itself, with a handle on one side like an
Pace: 6
instrument case. The lock is electronic and
Size: 7
cannot be picked or circumvented by any
Terr or: 5
error:
normal means. Eliot had Burke build the box to
Special Abilities:
prevent any but the most determined from
Armor: 4
opening it without the special keys.
Damage: Claws (STR+1d8), machine-gun
If the key is used, Evanor sits within it,
(4d8, Speed 1, ROF 6, Range Increment 20)
wrapped in a length of silk. The pommel is still
Fearless
wet with Eliot’ blood.
Summoning: If a combot or group of
Without the key, opening the box is a much
combots senses defeat, one member of the
more difficult proposition. The characters must
group sends a summons that is answered
either take the box back to Burke, or invent
in 2d20 rounds by 1d4 more combots.

Marshal: 44
 End of the Trail
some sort of incredible device (most likely a
junker device) that can decode the IR pulses that
trigger the lock (it works something like the
remote control to a television).
Trying to force the box open triggers the
booby-trap inside. Explosives lining the case
cause 4d20 damage with a burst radius of 5
yards. An incendiary device is also triggered. It is
supposed to melt the sword, and in fact, could
melt the engine out of a hover tank. Evanor is
magical, however, and the incendiary device
won’t actually hurt it. Neither Eliot nor Burke
ever suspected it was this tough.

Evanor
Finding the sword might not be the most
important goal of this epic tale, but it is very
likely the greatest treasure some lucky character
is going to gain before he joins a thousand other
heroes in Boot Hill.
Evanor has the following statistics: Defensive
Bonus: +5; Speed 1; Damage STR+3d12. The
weapon’s basic statistics work for anyone who
wields it. However, its true advantages are only
present when in the hands of a Templar or
others who are divinely inspired by the forces of
good. Good Doomsayers can also use it, as can
old-fashioned blessed (such as those from the
Weird West). Such characters can call upon
powers of the sword simply by spending a Fate Legend: If a Legend Chip is spent while the
Chip. The color of the chip determines the user is facing an evil supernatural being, the
sword’s effect. sword begins to glow with an unearthly white
White: Each white chip spent increases the light. This takes 2 full rounds, ending on the
sword’s AP by 1 and adds +2 to the damage total. same segment in which it began 2 rounds later.
The user may spend as many white chips at During this time, the wielder can do nothing
once as he wishes, up to his faith level. These other than issue a litany of offenses to the
may be spent after the sword has hit its target. damned creature. This means the sword-bearer
Red: The wielder can move the sword with can make an overawe roll on each of his actions
lightning speed, allowing him to make two of those two rounds but nothing else.
attacks per action. It also makes it hard to The next hit on the fiend that causes even a
defend against. Lower any opponent’s effective single wound automatically kills it (even if it
skill by –2 when figuring TNs. This effect lasts would otherwise be immune to this kind of
for a number of actions equal to the character’s damage).
faith. This is very tiring, however. When the effect The only catch is that the moment the hero
ends, the user suffers 2d6 Wind. starts uttering his curse, the fiend knows the
Blue: The sword can heal by transferring the sword’s power and that it is doomed if it is
vitality of any opponent it has wounded to the hit. Most such creatures open up with their
wielder. To use it, the sword-bearer must first most devastating attack, and if that
strike a wound on a living creature. Undead and doesn’t work, run like Hell.
machines have no life-energy to siphon. Once The power only lasts for one
wounds have been determined, the wielder can “encounter,” up to an hour or so. If the
spend a blue chip and heal that number of evil entity truly gets away (not just evades
wounds to his own body (not someone else’s— the hero for a while during a chase), the
this is an instantaneous effect). He may spread power no longer works. The hero could
the vitality out among multiple wounded areas if spend another chip if he manages to catch
he wishes. the creature again, however.

Marshal: 45
 End of the Trail
The Second Box That’s it! I’m Outtie!
The second box contains Burke’s EMP What’s left of Rosalita Apfel’s good side is
generator. It looks like a miniature World War about to lure the hero’s to the factory so that
II sea mine—a basketball-size metal globe they can kill her, thereby destroying the mass
covered in metal prongs. Tough wires run mind and freeing her from a decade of mental
between the prongs in an indecipherable slavery.
pattern. If the posse decides they’ve had enough and
In the center of the globe is a big red decides to leave, remind them that the evil here
button. When activated, it sends out a will spread soon. And if the Cult of Doom finds
tremendous EMP that fries all lesser electronic a way to replicate this incredible technology,
devices (watches, calculators, pacemakers) well, let’s just say the Wasted West is going to
within 100 yards. get a lot more Wasted in the future.
It automatically shuts down all other In any event, if your posse is Hell bent on
electonics in the same range for 2d6 rounds. leaving, navigate them by the Apfeltech HQ
Electronics covered in military-grade shielding anyway. There they’ll see several trashed
are safe unless they’re within 5 yards of the combots and a pile of dead mutants. Malias is
bomb. Then they’re fried, too. already inside and preparing to make a deal
with the mass mind. If the posse won’t go in
now, it’s time to find a new bunch of heroes,
Showdown! Marshal.
We’re almost at the end, Marshal. The big
showdown where everything comes together in Apfeltech HQ
one big fight to the finish. But first we have to As the heroes approach the factory, read the
get the posse to Apfeltech HQ and the mass following:
mind. Fortunately, Rosalita Apfel herself helps us
do just that. The combot limps down the street—it
As the heroes emerge from the building seems to have been wounded prior to
where the sword was hidden, read the following: your meeting. It’s metallic head pans right
to left as it hobbles along, obviously
As you crawl out of the window, you looking for danger. None appears, and
see a combot standing directly over you. within minutes, it points to an old fenced-
You freeze, then watch in surprise as it in factory. The fence has long since been
turns its head slowly as if to say no. It’s demolished, but the building within seems
arms reach down toward you, palms up, as in good shape. Ominous clanging comes
if offering you assistance. from inside.
Suddenly, a shoulder-mounted gun of Near the large entrance are several piles
some sort pivots left and fires! To your of smoking slag, burning scrap, and
shock and relief, it blasts a scavenger charred body parts. Mingled among the
emerging from a nearby alley. The combot junk piles are the bodies of mutants. It
then steps backward and motions for you seems the Doombringer you’ve heard so
to follow it. much about is already here…
Give the heroes roughly twenty seconds of
real time to decide. If they are still dithering Pact of Evil
around when time’s up, the combot sputters It’s time, Marshal. Break out the battle mat
violently, as if fighting some internal bug and the miniatures. The heroes are about to
(Rosalita is fighting off a legion of manitous, engage in one Hell of a fight.
after all!), and then turns its shoulder-gun As they enter the factory, whether they sneak
on the party. Before a fight breaks out, let in or not, they see Malias and his mutant horde
Rosalita regain control. The ‘bot reaches up standing in the center of the factory floor. Before
and bends the barrel of the gun, ruining it, them is another smoking combot. Surrounding
then runs in the direction of Apfeltech HQ. them are four more combots, all poised to strike,
With any luck, the heroes follow it into the but curiously holding their attacks. Malias has
final encounter. proven his strength (via the nuke spell) and
gained the attention of the Apfeltech mass mind.

Marshal: 46
 End of the Trail
Describe this scene to the heroes, then allow
them to overhear the following before they take The Bad Guys
any action: The mass mind keeps its best combots
on duty in the factory. The first four the
From the center of the factory floor party encounters are these beefed-up
comes a raspy voice. It can only be that of versions. If you allow additional robots to
the Doombringer. show up in time, use the stats we gave
“…and spread your minions all over the you on page 42.
West! That is the deal I offer you, Apfel.
Else, my own minions and I will nuke Profile (Guard Combots)
your factory and everything in it!” These bad boys are humanoid with shoulder-
A thousand groaning computer voices mounted guns and claws fitted with tungsten
respond from speakers placed in the blades (hence the AP value).
corners of the building and the combots Corpor eal: D:3d10, N:2d6, Q:3d8, S:4d12, V:2d12+4
Corporeal:
themselves. “We sense the truth in what Climbin’ 2d6, dodge 4d6, fightin’: brawlin’ 4d6,
you say, Doombringer. Now prove your shootin’: machine-gun 4d10
loyalty to Apfeltech by destroying these Mental: C:3d6, K:3d4, M:—, Sm:3d10, Sp:—
intruders.” Search 4d6
At that, the combots spin directly Pace: 6
towards you! Size: 8
Terr or: 5
error:
Special Abilities:
The Fight Armor: 5
The whole gang turns to face the heroes now. Damage: Claws (STR+1d8; AP 2), machine-gun
There are four combots, a pack of mutants, and (4d8, Speed 1, ROF 6, Range Increment 20)
the Doombringer. If the heroes defeated the Fearless
mutant horde at the Gas-N-Go, there are only a Summoning: If a combot or group of
dozen. If they did not, there are 24 (a dozen combots senses defeat, one member of the
healthy survivors plus a dozen new recruits). group sends a summons that is answered
If you feel this is too much for the party, see in 2d20 rounds by 1d4 more combots.
The CaCavvalry?, below. If this force is too small
(that’s one tough, posse, Marshal!), allow another Mutant Grunts (12 or 24)
couple of combots to arrive on the scene to These grunts are terrified of the combots.
protect their master. They had no idea what they were getting into. If
At any rate, once the combots are destroyed, Malias is put down (whether he’s killed
four more arrive. This continues until the heroes permanently or not), they break and run for the
figure out how they need to get to the control nearest exit.
booth where the mass mind oversees the Corpor eal: D:3d6, N:2d6, S:3d10, Q:2d8, V:3d10
Corporeal:
creation of its minions. A Hard (9) Cognition roll Climbin’ 3d6, fightin’: various 4d6, sneak 3d6,
during the fight can spy a dark mass behind the throwin’: unbalanced 4d6
one-way glass of the control booth. Mental: C:3d6, K:1d4, M:2d8, Sm:1d6, Sp:2d6
Area knowledge 3d4, guts 3d6, scroungin’ 4d6,
The Cavalry? survival 3d6, trackin’ 3d6
Rosalita Apfel is doing her best to override the Edges: Thick skinned 3
system. She’s been practicing for a decade, and Hindrances: Ugly as sin -1
by now can control one combot at at time for Pace: 6
about 5 minutes, before the legion of manitous Size: 6
living in the Apfeltech brains overwhelms her. Wind: 16
When the fight starts, have one of the Gear: Malias has armed his mutants a
combots shudder then turn on its companions. It little better this time around. All of
blasts whoever seems to be doing the most them have sledgehammers for
damage to the heroes. destroying robots (STR+2d10), and
If it is destroyed, it takes Rosalita another 1d4 pistols with AP rounds (damage 3d6; AP
rounds to gain control of another. 2; Speed 1; ROF 1; Range Increment 10).

Marshal: 47
 End of the Trail
Undead
Weakness: Only a Doomsayer can
permanently destroy Malias. (Or Evanor, of
course.)
Coup: The character gets 1 point of Armor
when resisting radiation-based attacks,
including spells of the Cult o’ Doom.

The Control Booth

Once, before the Last War, the Apfeltech
control booth had a great view of the floor as
well as a tremendous panoramic view of Rock
Springs itself. When the windows were here, it
looked out over the up-and-coming industrial
center of Sweetwater County, and the beautiful
Uinta Mountains to the west, which turn purple
and indigo as the sun set beyond them.
The view today is somewhat different. Rock
Springs is a nightmare of machinery, and the
climatic changes caused by the War make the
sunsets much less spectacular. Even so, the
president of Apfeltech might enjoy a look out
those windows…if she could turn around. That
and the scavengers have long since boarded over
the window with slabs of metal.
Steel stairs lead up to the control booth. It
takes one entire round to climb them. The door
to the booth itself is locked, but it is a simple
one designed to keep roaming employees out. A
Malias bullet to the lock, a Strength-based damage roll
Malias wants to win at any cost. He fights to of 10 or more, or a quick lockpicking roll gets it
the death, targeting troublesome Templars first. open in a jiffy.
Corpor eal: D:2d10, N:2d6, S:2d6, Q:3d8, V:2d12
Corporeal:
Climbin’ 1d6, drivin’: car 4d6, fightin’: brawlin’ 4d6, Steel Medusa
shootin’: SMG 4d10, sneak 4d6 On the west side of the office, framed against
Mental: C:3d8, K:2d6, M:2d8 Sm:4d8 Sp:3d10 the eerily lit walls, is a complex console. In front
Academia: occult 6d6, area knowledge Las Vegas of it is an old computer chair, now wired to the
3d6, faith 6d10; guts 5d10, leadership 3d8, floor and the console with dozens of tubes and
overawe 4d8, science: nuclear physics 3d6, wires. Its occupant, Rosalita Apfel, was, and is,
scrutinize 2d8, search 4d8, survival 2d6 the brains behind Apfeltech; but now she is
Pace: 6 more a prisoner of her company’s technology
Strain: 24 (he’s already used 10 for two nukes) than its master. Metal and plastic interfaces
Size: 6 connect her to the chair, the desk, and assorted
Wind: NA equipment scattered around the room. Conduits
Terr or: 7
error: connect these machines through holes bored in
Special Abilities: the office walls. These lead to the brains buried
Extra Strain: Rasmussen’s latest crop of deep in the Apfeltech corporate offices across
Doombringers have more energy than the town (they die quickly when Rosalita is slain
average Doomsayer. Their Strain is equal to and so aren’t detailed in this adventure).
twice their Vigor. Have whoever sees her make a Hard (9) guts
Invulnerability: Doombringers can be check as they realize the horror this poor
“killed,” but their atoms reassemble in 1d6 woman has been through.
days. As the posse enters, a female voice whispers
Spells: atomic blast, fission, globs, ICBM, from the pale face of Rosalita. She says only
mutate, MIRV, nuke. “kill me.” It has been a long time since she has

Marshal: 48
 End of the Trail
spoken aloud. Her lips are stiff, her jaw muscles
have atrophied, and her eyes are blinded by Mercy Kill
whatever light slips in from the open door of When the heroes finally defeat
the control booth. everything we’ve thrown at them, the
The sound comes from all around, though centipede raises its head in a groaning,
the human figure’s lips do seem to move in sync screaming death throe and falls
with the speech. backwards off the factory roof. It falls to
the street below in a massive crash that
Oh No You Don’t! rattles the city and shakes the remaining
Before the posse transforms into a debating windows from the factory walls.
society, the group’s junker begins sizing up how The control booth is trashed, but Rosalita still
to disconnect her chair, or someone takes a shot breathes. As the party approaches, she tries to
at Rosalita’s noggin, the mass mind sends a whisper one last message before she passe on:
surge through its human host, stunning her.
She’s cooked for the rest of the encounter. “You have no idea the good you’ve done
If she still controlled a combot, it turns on the this day. Now quickly, finish me before
party now. In addition, the back wall of the more of the robots come.”
control booth is suddenly ripped apart by the
biggest combot the group has seen yet! This one Any attempts at removing Rosalita from her
is shaped like a giant centipede with spikes for chair kill her. After thirteen years, her nervous
legs and a head the size of a Volkswagon. It rips system is too inter-connected with that of the
into the control booth and seems to actually mass mind to survive separation.
swallow Rosalita whole! In fact, it’s using its Regardless of how she dies, any robots in
head as a shield to protect her. This keeps it contact with the group freeze up and can be
from biting, but it still uses its two spiny easily dispatched. Read the following:
forearms to impale any characters who happen
to be present. Rosalita gives you one last smile as the
To get to Rosalita, the party must defeat this life fades from her frail body. As she
thing. It’s head completely covers her otherwise. slumps back into her chair, a mind-
Remember that shots can penetrate the head numbing metallic din rises up through the
and hit Rosalita, though. Use the standard rules building and from the streets outside. A
for cover found in the Hell on Earth rulebook. horrific metal shriek shakes the building
to its very foundation, then echoes from a
Profile (Giant Centipede) dozen sites around the ruined city. You are
Corpor eal: D:3d10, N:2d6, Q:3d8, S:4d12+4,
Corporeal: listening to a metal cacophany directly
V:2d12+4 from Hell. It ends with a crescendo of
Climbin’ 2d6, dodge 4d6, fightin’: brawlin’ 4d6, collapsing metal that nearly deafens you.
shootin’: machine-gun 4d10 When your ears finally stop ringing, all is
Mental: C:3d6, K:3d4, M:—, Sm:3d10, Sp:— silent.
Search 4d6
Pace: 6
Size: 14 Bounty
Terr or: 9
error: Hang on, Marshal. We’re going a little nuts
Special Abilities: here, but the group deserves it for finishing
Armor: 5 this adventure.
Damage: Forearm spikes (STR+2d10; AP 2; Just Surviving: 1 red chip a piece.
each spike may attack independently), bite Reco
Recovvering Ev anor: 1 Legend chip to
Evanor:
(STR, though it can’t use this attack in this each Templar, squire, or Companion in the
scenario), grenade launcher (4d12; Shots 5; group. Blues to everyone else.
Speed 1; ROF 1; Range Increment 20; the Defeating Malias: 1 Blue chip to
Defeating
centipede obviously can’t use these in the everyone who (in your opinion) helped
control booth, but might chuck a few down put him down.
onto the factory floor if characters are Destr
Destrooying the Mass Mind: Another
firing at it from there.) Legend chip (woohoo! Time to party!).
Fearless

Marshal: 49
 Welcome to the Funhouse.

Monsters, Muties & Misfits

128 pages of the worst abominations the Wasted West has to offer.
Available July `99
Deadlands, Weird West, Wasted West, Hell on Earth, the Deadlands: Hell on Earth logo, the Hell on Earth sublogo,

the Pinnacle Starburst, and the Pinnacle logo are Trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. © 1999 Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.