Lucas Anderson (Order #39408018)

The 2019 Gongfarmer’s Almanac:

A Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG Zine
Written, Illustrated, Edited and Produced by the DCC RPG Communities

Dark trails Bonanza! # one

Volume five of fourteen Booklets
This product is based on the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game,
published by Goodman Games. Dungeon Crawl Classics and DCC RPG are
trademarks of Goodman Games. All rights reserved. For additional information,
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visit www.gongfarmersalmanac.com.
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 Table of contenTs
Volume 1: DCC Survive the Funnel #1

The Gig at the Wizards Tower (Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Volume 2: DCC Survive the Funnel #2

12,000 to 0 (Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cavern of the Cannibal Crone (Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Void Corpse of Amann Uur (Level 0). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Volume 3: DCC Level Up

The Heist for the Royal Jewels II (Level 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Spoils of Temptation (Level 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Sun Smith's Forge (Level 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Volume 4: MCC Apocalypse Drop!

The Desert Gardens (Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Life Finds A Way (Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Haxors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Computer Programs in DCC RPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Technological Mishaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Malicious Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Exploit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Quarantine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Volume 5: Dark Trails Bonanza! #1

A Dark Trails Primer: Funnel Quickstart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Emergent Class Abilities for Dark Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Picnic Among the Pines on the Rocky Mountain
Stage Line (Dark Trails Funnel, Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Demon Hills (Dark Trails, Level 1-2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Dark Trails Character Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

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 Volume 6: Dark Trails Bonanza! #2

Dark Trails Carousing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Trickster (Coyote, Fox) (Patron) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Mike Fink (Patron) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Dark Trails Creatures (Monsters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Dark Trails Character Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Volume 7: Third Party Special

The Handoff (Bronx Beasts Funnel, Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Wrath of a Dead God (TCC Funnel, Level 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Volume 8: DCC Patrons & Deities

The Great Ak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Aslan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Erhyta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Lady of Shadows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Baba Jędza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Midwinter's Maker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
On the Altar of Neutrality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Volume 9: Monster Mash

Beastomatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Volume 10: Monsters & Artifacts

The Skin Thieves (Monsters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Digit Demon a.k.a. “Ladyfingers" (Monsters) . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Gadgols (Monsters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fossil Anomalies (Monsters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Blood Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The Head of Aharise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Five Antediluvian Artefacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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 Volume 11: Classes & NPCs

The Anti-Cleric (Character Class) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Cambion (Character Class) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Children of the Wild (Character Class) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Godling (Character Class) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fater (Character Class) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Hirelings! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Henchmen, Hirelings, Allies & Adversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Volume 12: You be the Judge #1 (Rules & Tables)

The Known Realms Hexcrawl Starter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Making an Effort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Legacy Points - XP for Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Twist of Fate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Big Ol’ List o’ Gonzotronic Professions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Volume 13: You be the Judge #2 (Rules & Tables)

Are you entertained! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Prayer Burn, Blood Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Meanwhile - A Narrative Downtime Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Seek the Hag in the Woods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
DCC Classless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Volume 14: 2019 Master ‘Zine Index

DCC RPG Master ‘Zine Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

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 A dark Trails Primer:
Funnel QuickstarT
By Keith Nelson

For further Dark Trails information and updates, please check the
official Dark Trails RPG website at www.darktrailsrpg.com.

Dark Trails is a weird western game from author David Baity,

based on the DCC RPG system. The world changed dramatically in
the 1860’s. On top of the US Civil War, a cabal of cultists,
influenced by Nyarlathotep, used an ancient grimoire, the
Necronomicon, to open a rift to awaken and attempt to call forth the
Elder Gods. This was thwarted by a band of Texas Rangers, but not
before a great release of dark, eldritch energies (the taint) and lesser
supernatural entities into the world during what became known as
the Seven Days of Night. The elder gods were awoken and made
aware of their imprisonment, even if not released. The
Necronomicon was not captured or destroyed, but its pages
scattered to the winds, awaiting rebuilding and use by another
twisted force in the future. A direct result of this release of the taint
was an uprising of the hundreds of thousands of dead throughout the
battlefields of the Civil War. This resulted in the cessation of the
Civil War as both sides fought the revenants that still infest the
South, and also in the activation of the ancient ley lines in the earth.
The combination of the ley line power and the taint has produced a
number of people manifesting strange and mystical powers and
abilities. It’s a new western frontier, with strange beings, fragments
of elder gods, sorcery, weird science, and evil and danger around
every corner. Welcome to the world of Dark Trails!

This primer is meant to present the basic rules and outlines of the
system prior to running a funnel. Additionally, we present some
basic methods of introducing the Dark Trails character class abilities
during the course of the funnel.
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 Dice are used for attacks, damage, and threat resolution, just as in
DCC. Card decks are used for a couple of very specific purposes
during the game - to introduce a different random factor in
gunfighting and in some spell/power usage, as detailed below.
Finally, poker chips are used to represent “boons” and “hexes”,
which ebb and flow over the course of the game and can be used as
a benefit or as a detriment to players afflicted with them.

rANDOmiZATion
Poker DecK
Used for spell-like effects for the mountebank and the gambler, as
well as in all gunfights, where it’s termed the “gun deck”. Guns of
the time were black powder, often cap and ball handloaded, so
prone to potential misfires or unexpected events. The gun deck
simulates this. Specifically, each player has a shuffled gun deck for
their character (or, if playing in a funnel, one for multiple 0-levels),
including both jokers. Immediately before rolling the die to
determine the attack with a gun, the top card is flipped over from the
deck. When used for gamblers or mountebanks, the card(s) are
flipped to show the effects of their power. Each PC, unless they
never use a gun (such as Luchadores or Mystic Monks) will need a
poker deck. This is covered in further detail in the Combat section,
below.

Poker CHIpS
These should be in two colors or markings - one to represent the
“Hexes” and one to represent the “Boons”. These are used as
follows:

hexeS
Hexes are gained by any roll of a 1 on the d20 (or a 20 on a Luck
check). A hex represents the disfavor of Lady Calamity.
♦ Fumble die type is increased by +1 die step for each hex
currently in hand
♦ Interactions with non-party members are at a -1 die step for
each hex in hand

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 ♦ Those characters with high numbers of hexes will find a
black cloud of ill-favor following them around. They will be
attacked more often, random malign events will be focused
on them, stray dogs will snarl at them, small children throw
horse apples at them, etc.

BOONS
Boons are gained by any roll of a 20 on the d20 (or a 1 on a Luck
check). They may also be given for good roleplay or similar in-
game actions. A boon represents the obvious favor of Lady Luck.
They can be spent as follows (by handing them in to the judge):
♦ Remove hex chips on a 1:1 basis
♦ Add +1 die step to any roll (attack, save, damage, crit, etc.)
per boon spent
♦ Reshuffle the gun deck (thus potentially avoiding a string of
misfires)
♦ Spend two boons to allow a reroll of any die roll.

Creating the o-level Character

♦ Characters are all human.
♦ Roll 3d6 in order, for stats (Strength, Agility, Stamina,
Intelligence, Personality, Luck).
♦ Roll a d30 on the Birth Augur table, using either the version
from the DCC core book or a Dark Trails specific one.
♦ Roll 2d20 on the occupation table to determine starting
occupation
♦ Roll Hit points = 1d4+Stamina modifier
♦ Starting money = 2d4 dollars
♦ An additional stat, Grit, is derived from Personality+
Stamina/2 (round down to nearest whole number).
♦ Armor Class = 10+Reflex Save (including Agility modifier)
♦ Modifiers to saves: +0 to Will, Fortitude, Reflex saves
♦ Starting Crit die: d6
♦ Starting Fumble die: d12

Abbreviated occupation and weapons lists are given below, but I

would encourage anyone running this to make their own list as well.
Anything appropriate to the mid-1800’s would be fine.

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 tABle: Occupation
2d20 Occupation Weapon Other possession
2 Author Cane (d4) Copies of self-published
book (d6)
3 Barber Knife Shaving kit
4 Saloon keeper Club Bottle of quality whiskey
5 Lawman Pistol Manacles and badge
6 Butcher Cleaver (d6) Package of sausages
7 Carpenter Hammer Ruler and pound of nails
8 Teamster Whip (d3) Buffalo coat
9 Cook Knife Mess kit
10 Cowhand Pistol Lasso
11 Doctor/Dentist/ Knife Medical kit
Veterinarian
12 Drunkard Club Bottle of cheap whiskey
13 Farrier Hammer Horse shoes
14 Gambler Derringer Dice and deck of cards
15 Tailor/Seamstress Scissors (d3) Sewing kit
16 Hanging Judge Pistol Hanging rope and law
book
17 Farmer/Homesteader Pitchfork Mule
18 Clerk Knife Key ring, pen, and ink
19 Launderer Club Wash tub
20 Librarian Cane (d4) Stack of books
21 Livery worker Club 50' rope and sack of grain
22 Lumberjack Axe (d8) 50' rope
23 Servant Knife Cleaning supplies
24 Prospector Shovel (d6) Gold pan
25 Mountain Man/ Tomahawk (d6) Beaver pelts (d3)
Trapper
26 Outlaw Pistol $50 Bounty on their head
27 Pioneer Rifle Beaver hat
28 Preacher Club Bible
29 Railroad Worker Hammer (d4) Railroad spikes (d4)
30 Rancher Rifle Cow
31 Remittance Man Derringer Carpet bag
32 Reporter Knife Journal and pen
33 Settler Shotgun Coil of barbed wire and
wire cutters
34 Shop Keeper Club Feather duster
35 Entertainer Knife Fancy clothes and
perfume
36 Salesman Club Carpet bag with samples
37 Ex-Soldier Rifle Rucksack
38 Teacher Wooden ruler (d4) Slate and chalk
39 Undertaker Shovel (d6) Embalming fluid
40 Wheelwright Hammer (d4) Wedges

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 table: WEAPONS
Damage No. of Range in Reload
shots feet time
(S/M/L)* (rounds)
Clasp Knife D3 - - -
Hunting knife D4 - - -
Bowie knife D6 - 5/10/15 -
Hatchet D6 - 5/10/15 -
Walking stick/club D4 - - -
War club D6 - - -
Saber D8 - - -
Bow and arrow D8 1 30/60/90 n/a
Firearms – Pistols
Derringer D10 1 6/12/30 2
Small pistol (.22-.32 cal) D6 5 6/15/50 3
Colt Navy (.36 cal) D8 6 12/30/90 3
Colt Army (.44 cal) D12 6 12/30/90 3
Firearms – Rifles/Shotguns
Sharps rifle (.52 cal) D14 1 50/100/480 1
Springfield musket (.58 D16 1 25/75/150 4
cal)
Spencer carbine (.56 cal) D14 8 25/100/200 2
Shotgun D16/D12/D6 1 or 2 10/60/80 2

*Short/Medium/Long: Attacks are +1d at Short range,

-1d at Long range

“Wormfood” by Carmin Vance

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 COMBAT
Initiative
Initiative may be rolled for the whole group at once, modified for
individual initiative modifiers. Responsibility for this can rotate
from player to player throughout the game. Alternatively, each
player can roll a single initiative for their pool of zero-level PCs,
modified by the highest initiative bonus.

Firearms
The guns used during the Dark Trails time period were deadly and
unreliable. These qualities are reflected in the rules for guns.
♦ Guns are deadly, as reflected in the positive aspects of the
gun deck for PCs and the extended critical range of 19-20
for judges.
♦ Fumbles/Misfires occur when players draw Aces or Eights
from the gun deck or when the judge rolls a 1 or a 2 when
using firearms. A roll of 1 for a PC is just a miss (but
garners a hex chip).
♦ The gun deck is used to reflect the unreliable nature of the
often handloaded ammunition, powder, percussion caps,
and the gun itself. It is generally only used for players and
should be shuffled at the beginning of the game. Before
each attack with a gun, the top card should be revealed.

POKER DECK
Used in all gunfights and referred to as the “gun deck”. Guns of the
time were black powder and often cap and ball hand-loaded, so
prone to potential misfires or unexpected events. The gun deck
simulates this. Specifically, each player has a shuffled gun deck for
their character (or, if playing in a funnel, one deck for multiple 0-
levels), including both jokers. Immediately before rolling the die to
determine an attack with a gun, the top card is flipped over from the
deck. One card is flipped for each shot taken. If the flipped card is:
♦ Ace or an eight (Dead Man’s Hand), = gun misfires
(equivalent to a fumble) and there is no shot. Immediately
roll the appropriate fumble die modified by Luck.
♦ Joker = an automatic critical hit.
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 ♦ Red Face cards = Jack +1 to hit and damage; Queens +2;
and Kings +3.
♦ Black Face cards = Jack -1 to hit and damage; Queens -2;
and Kings -3.
♦ All others have no effect and the shot is taken as normal (if
a 1 is rolled, then it is treated as a miss and garners a hex
chip, but does not result in a fumble).

Fanning tHe HammeR

Any single action pistol or lever action rifle can be used in this
manner. This is an inaccurate way to fire multiple shots in one
round. The first shot is made with a normal attack die, the second
one step down the dice chain, the third another step down and so
forth. A maximum of 6 shots can be taken using this method and the
attacking character may stop at any time. A card is flipped from the
gun deck for each shot.

Cover
Cover is extremely important in Dark Trails, as most characters
have no armor and firearms are the common way of settling
disputes. Thus cover works as follows (with modifiers applied to
defenders AC):
♦ Character has at least half their body behind cover = +2 AC
♦ Character has entire body except head and shoulders behind
cover = +4 AC
♦ Character completely behind cover except for head = +6 AC

Firing into melee

Each missed ranged attack has a 50% chance of hitting an ally, in
which case the player determines the ally at random (if multiple
allies are present) and rolls to attack again. No additional draws
from the gun deck are required. Matching or beating the new targets
AC means they suffer the damage from the attack instead.

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 HORROR & MADNESS
Gut-CHecks and Grit
Gut-checks represent an attempt to face the forces of sanity-bending
darkness and master your rightful fears. Grit reflects a character’s
sanity over the course of an adventure. Failure of a gut-check leads
to the loss of Grit, which can have long-lasting negative effects,
often manifesting as psychoses and neuroses. A brief version of this
mechanic is presented here, sufficient for a funnel game.

♦ Gut-checks = Will save at DC10 + the HD of the creature

being faced.
♦ It is not necessary to continue to make Gut-checks each
time you encounter similar creatures. The judge may simply
rule that, having already mastered your fears, there is no
need for subsequent Gut checks for the same situation.
Alternatively, gut checks may be easier upon subsequent
encounters.
♦ Making a Gut-check = Success, no effect on character.
♦ Critical success on a gut check = +1 to Grit (up to max) and
+1d to attacks and spells versus this creature during this
encounter
♦ Failing a Gut-check = loss of Grit equal to the HD of the
creature. After losing Grit, the player rolls a 1d4 for each
point of lost Grit on the Madness table, immediately
applying those results.
♦ Critical failure (Roll a natural 1) on a Gut-check = loss of
Grit equal to the HD of the creature, character suffers a -1d
penalty to the next Gut-check, and rolls on the Madness
table (1d4 per creature HD). Lastly, the creature senses the
weakness in the character and gains a +1d bonus to all
attack rolls for the duration of the encounter.
♦ If a character’s Grit is reduced to zero over the course of an
adventure, there is a permanent loss of one point of Grit and
it resets to the new maximum value.

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 tABlE: madness
Result Effect
01-03 Hair stands on end, but push through fear with no ill
effects.
04-05 Chills run down spine and freeze you in place. You miss
next action.
06-08 You emit a shrill, piercing scream of horror. All stealth
attempts fail. -1 die step penalty if you attack in the
same round.
09-10 The shock and terror causes you to drop anything you’re
currently holding.
11-13 You’re jolted by fear and use your next move to run as
far away from the source as possible.
14-15 You momentarily black out from intense fear and fall to
the ground, awakening the next round prone and having
dropped anything held.
16-18 Fear overwhelms you, causing a loss of sphincter
control. You suffer a -1 die step penalty to all social
interactions until you clean yourself.
19-20 You drop to your knees and pray to a higher power to
save you. You can only pray for 1 round.
21-23 All hope is lost, you drop into a fetal position and sob
for d3 rounds. DC12 Will save to recover wits after first
round.
24-26 Madness washes over you and you fling yourself into
battle with the nearest living target. You are left with a
minor compulsion (DC12 Will save or take -1 to all
social interaction rolls and all action rolls in combat).
27-30 You are overcome with the certainty that this evil you
face now will be your end, on this day or another. You
are stunned for 1 round and develop a minor phobia
(DC12 Will save or take a -1 die step penalty while in
presence of object of phobia)
30-35 Major phobia – DC14 Will save or flee for 1 round/point
the save was failed by. If save, can remain, but take a -2
die step penalty while in presence of object of phobia.
36-40 Major compulsion – DC15 Will save or take -2 die step
penalty to all social interaction rolls and all action rolls
in combat. If make the save, then only take -1 die step
penalty.

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 EmergenT CLass AbliTies
for Dark Trails
By Keith Nelson
Illustrations by Joshua Barton

For further Dark Trails information and updates, please check the
official Dark Trails RPG website at www.darktrailsrpg.com.

In the course of a typical 0-level funnel adventure, the basic aspects

of Dark Trails and other DCC-based games are emphasized along
with emergent character development, but rarely is there an
opportunity to investigate or even showcase the features of the class
system in the game. One way to introduce this into an adventure is
to provide tangible items that trigger specific class abilities in 0-
level characters. They don’t need to continue on in these classes, but
this gives players the chance to experience some basic parts of the
class system. Optionally, the judge can either have the powers
vanish upon the character taking on another class or allow them to
retain the items/powers, adding to the individual flavor of each
character. In the standard DCC game, this could be done through
finding a magic weapon, holy relic, spell scroll, or similar item that
would trigger some advantage or class-based abilities, as has been
done in several funnels already in print. In Dark Trails, with a large
number of classes to choose from, providing specific items that give
small class-based powers to the 0-levels is an excellent way of
showcasing aspects of the post-funnel game.

This article focuses on the Dark Trails RPG, but I would encourage
Judges to use a similar system for any of the DCC-based systems,
with the goal of exposing players to some of the potential in the
post-funnel character system. Each item is matched to the Dark
Trails class. Upon finding the item, the manifestation of its power
may occur before claiming it or upon attempting to use it. A
character that claims one of these items must then meet the criteria

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 given for success, including a d20 check to beat the listed DC, using
the modifiers for the listed stat. If successful, they gain the effect
noted for that item. I would suggest that only some of these items
are introduced in any given funnel, and also that only one of any
particular given type is introduced, to highlight the unique nature of
these items.

CLassES and associaTed iTems To fInd

bedlamite
Found Item: Strange
contraption of brass, gears,
and leather
Roll for Success: INT
DC12
Manifestation:
Attempt to figure out
the use of the item
results in a brain
fever and frenzied repair of it.
Effect: Get ability to use one contraption at d16 (works as Enlarge
spell).

calavera
Found Item: Pot of bone white
face paint
Roll for Success: PER DC12
Manifestation: Paint face with
paint, then spirits begin
whispering to you as the
paint seeps into your skin.
Effect: Spellburn stamina
(2 pts) to get Face of Fear power
(as with Scare spell – roll d16).

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 gambler
Found Item: set of dice on table – pristine
in middle of moldering ruin or
in a cave or in an abandoned
saloon
Roll for Success:
Luck check at -2
Manifestation:
The dice almost beg
to be rolled. If rolled
successfully, they come up
snake-eyes, box cars, or sevens and
disappear, leaving a set of cards behind in your hand and the
knowledge of their use.
Effect: Gain limited Dead Man’s Hand ability – Once per day can
activate (spellburn 3pts) and draw 1d6 cards (black cards damaging
and red cards healing for 2HP each or 4HP for face cards).

gunslinger

Found Item: rusted, matched six-guns

Roll for Success: Lawful PER DC12
Manifestation: Guns call to the person picking them up, telling
them to commit to the gun…Rust flakes away upon bonding
Effect: Get spirit link with those guns (get +1d3 - w/ those guns
only).
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 lucHador

Found Item: Luchador mask

Roll for Success: Lawful PER DC12
Manifestation: Mask speaks to the owner, tells them to put it on
and it will grant them great power
Effect: Burn personality temporarily (2 pts) to get devil mask (+2
att/dmg vs. chaotic or unnatural adversaries) or mask armor (+2
AC).

mountebank
Found Item: Alchemical
reagents and equipment
Roll for Success:
INT DC12
Manifestation:
Attempt to
understand it
results in
breakthrough
knowledge.
Effect: Spellburn STA (1 pt) to make one potion of either healing
(1d4) or exploding (1d6 – 5’ rad).

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 mystic monk
Found Item: strange
scroll/cave paintings/tablets
with figures of unarmed
fighting men
Roll for Success: PER DC12
Manifestation: With a
flash of mystical insight,
you visualize how to call on
your inner reserves
Effect: Spellburn Personality (1pt) - Gain iron coat ability – add
1d3 to AC for 3 rounds.

Occultist
Found Item: Carved runes. An occult book. Sorcerous materials.
Roll for success: INT DC12
Manifestation: Attempts to read and understand the writings are
successful, resulting in a spell being
burned into your brain and
the occult energies now
being available to you.
Effect: Ability to
cast one spell at
d16, but must
spellburn at
least 1 point just
to cast the spell.
Extra spellburn adds
to spell result.

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 revelator
Found Item: religious artifact
(gris-gris, prayer book, prayer
beads, cross, etc.)
Roll for Success: PER DC12
Manifestation: The holy
spirit enters you as you focus
on the holy artifact and you feel
a flush of power.
Effect: Gain healing (d16 and
DC12 for 1d4 healing) or turning
(d16) ability.

Sin-eater
Found Item: ancient coin (Charon’s obol) and a raven feather
Roll for Success: PER DC12
Manifestation: attempt to read the inscription on the coin, reveals
secrets to summoning Stygian Ravens
Effect: Spellburn stamina (1pt) to call Stygian Ravens for defensive
bonus – Flock of half-visible ravens appear and cloak PC – give +2
to AC. Lasts 3 rounds.

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 Tommy-knocker

Found Item: first player that has all 0-level PCs die
Roll for Success: None
Manifestation: You come back from the dead, but you’re not
exactly alive…
Effect: Get Dark Inheritance – filled with strength from undeath,
you gain +1d3 to melee attacks & damage.

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 Picnic among the Pines
on the Rocky Mountain
Stage Line
A Dark Trails Introductory Funnel
By Keith Nelson
Illustration by Joshua Barton

For further Dark Trails information and updates, please check the
official Dark Trails RPG website at www.darktrailsrpg.com.

PLAYER INTrODUCTiON
The stage doesn’t travel in the winter through the mountains, so
folks in the small town of Finley’s Crossing don’t get much news or
commerce from the west until the spring thaw each year. However,
it’s been a few weeks since the thaw and the west-bound stage went
through over a week ago with no returning coach. While some of
you may be a bunch of shiftless layabouts, or “underemployed
gentlemen and ladies of leisure”, you’re at least capable of riding
out to check on the missing coach at the behest of the town’s sheriff,
who’s dealing with a very pregnant wife and first baby jitters. The
rest are anticipating the arrival of relatives, trade goods, mail order
brides, etc. on the coach. So, on a fine spring day, with the snow
well-melted and the sun shining, you set out to find the missing
stage. It’s a bit of a picnic atmosphere.

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 Judge’s Note: Players can turn back at any time. Those doing so
will incur 3 random encounters for each day of travel, one of which
will be the wendigo attempting to herd them towards the mesa or to
ambush a straggler to carry off. If they arrive back in town, they will
forever live with the shame of their cowardice.

This shame is heightened after the stage agents appear several

weeks later with tales of a place of slaughter near a mesa about 2
days ride from here. They’re hard-bitten men and women, carrying
their weapons like they were a part of them, but they all look a bit
shaken. The leader, a tall man with a face like leather, wearing a
black eyepatch, says “Looks like the passengers from that
stagecoach and a couple of homesteaders were all taken there up
there to that mesa. They were skinned and gutted while still alive.
There was some evil green stone altar there as well, that had their
bodies draped over it and the blood soaked into it. Can’t get it out of
our heads. Worst was the little girl. Couldn’t have been more than a
week or two ago. There was something up there, left a 15 foot-wide
trail of destruction through them pines, headed down towards the
flats. We tracked it a bit, but it petered out on some hard-rock.”

Day ONE
1 – Random Day Encounters: Ride out 1 day up into the
mountains. Roll twice on random encounter table.

2 – Stagecoach: Find stagecoach tipped over on its side near end of

first day of travel. Horses and passengers gone. Signs of blood on
the trail where the horses were, and drag marks and footprints lead
off into the pines to the north of the road. If the coach is searched,
find a random selection of items in the baggage (roll Luck checks
once per searching PC to find useful items, otherwise random
toiletries and clothing are found). It will begin getting dark in about
an hour.

3 – Skeletal Bear and Horse Carcasses: If the PCs elect to try and
follow the tracks into the woods, they can do so (DC6 to succeed)
but the tracks will scatter after about a mile, or half hour of tracking
(DC8 to continue to follow). After another mile, a scatter of skinned
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 horse meat, innards, defleshed bones, and blood spoor may be found
(being “fed on” by a skeletal bear - the bear will depart after 20
minutes if unmolested and the characters are quiet, but remember to
roll Gut Checks) after which the tracks still can be followed, but are
fainter, leading in the direction of a tall mesa in the distance.

4 – Random Night Encounters: If they elect to continue to press

on at night, they run the risk of losing the trail and will have 2
random encounters. The second of these being with a wendigo that
uses a Scare spell (DC15 Will save to resist, otherwise flee for 2d6
minutes in direction away from the source of the spell) to drive
them towards the mesa, but does not directly attack at this time. If
they camp, there will be one random encounter.

Day TWO
5 – Faint Tracks: Morning breaks after a miserable night. If they
elect to press on towards the mesa in the distance, they can follow
faint tracks and signs that there were people still in the group (a
scrap of cloth from clothing, a dropped tobacco pouch, a clear ladies
shoe print, etc.).

6 – Derelict Cabin: Mid-morning, the PCs come across a derelict

cabin, with the door broken in. If investigating the interior, they find
two rooms, with broken bunk beds and a mangled skeleton, still
with some flesh on the bones, in the corner. A small animal, like a
large rat with disturbingly human appearing features, scurries away
as they approach, disappearing through a hole in the rough floor
boards. Another defleshed skeleton lies outside the door, skull
crushed. A child’s doll is flung to one side. The walls are defaced
with scratches and painted abstract figures, featuring large spirals
and ringed circles. The paint appears to have been done in blood. A
DC12 Intelligence check will show that it’s only 3-4 days old.

♦ A cursory search of the interior will find a slightly rusted

wood ax; gold mining equipment (including a shovel and
pick); a jug of whiskey; an old, but working, rifle-musket
(with 1-3 rounds worth of useable powder and ball); and
one of the special items from the emergent class abilities
table.
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 ♦ A deeper search (Luck check at -2 or stating that they are
searching the chimney or floorboards) will uncover a small
pouch of gold nuggets with an obsidian and gold-chased
statuette of an obese, squatting frog-like humanoid.
Engraved script on the statue is in no language you
recognize, though the curling yet angular letters are
unsettling to all. Along with this is a map of the mesa,
cryptic notations surrounding a series of apparent cave
openings. “El Dorado?” is written in a scrawl on the bottom
of the map.
♦ Faint older tracks of some large biped and drag marks may
be found (DC13 tracking check) leading in the direction of
the mesa.

At the mesa
7 – Mesa and Ground Level Cave: If the group does continue
towards the mesa, they can either follow the drag marks, which
peter out in a shale slide at the foot of the mesa, or the map. Both
lead to an overhang of the mesa where numerous carved cave
entrances fill the cliff side. There are small foot and hand-holds
carved in the rock face (DC5 Agility or Strength check to reach the
first row of caves (~20’ up), DC10 for the second (~40’ up) and DC
15 for the third rank (~70’ up). Otherwise, a quick search of the area
turns up a cut lodgepole pine with rough steps carved into it that can
be used as a ladder to get from level to level with no climb check.
Ledges go between the caves on each level. There is one cave
entrance accessible from the ground.

Ground level cave: This entrance leads into a large round, domed
cave with no exits. Carved into the floor is an immense spiral. 17
small niches are carved in the walls. Small bits of trash litter the
floor, including pages torn from an old journal.

Journal: The gist is that the writer, Friar Herrera, was part of an
expedition to find the lost city of gold.
♦ They were beset by savages, but found this complex.
♦ Many gold treasures were found, but they met with
resistance from “the darkness”.
♦ Men went mad, turned on one another, were poisoned by
“the gold itself”.
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 ♦ A great treasure exists here, accompanied by great evil.
♦ The apparent final entry speaks of a great throbbing hum
filling the air and foul images of blood, a winged darkness,
and a soulless, but intelligent, void that scours the brain…

Niches: These hold the following:

♦ One item from the Emergent Class Abilities Item Table.
♦ Small cache of gold in rotting leather bag.
♦ Small obsidian blade and 3 circular jade ornaments (lip
plugs/ear plugs) – A character using the blade to pierce their
face and insert a plug loses 1HP but gains 30’ vision in the
dark and the notice of Tepeyollotl, the Aztec god of jaguars,
darkened caves, and earthquakes.
♦ Rusted helmet of conquistador vintage.
♦ Crude oil lamp, with oil dried in it.
♦ A rusty, but serviceable, Spanish military rapier (d8).
♦ Simple silver cross, tarnished with age.
♦ The other 10 niches are empty.

8 – First and Second Level of the Caves: The caves here are rough
habitations, devoid of much save simple paintings on the walls.
There is a trend leading from representations of crude animals and
people into abstract spirals, whorls, and banded circles, like crude
bullseyes. DC15 Intelligence check to realize that some of these
seem to depict constellations. Occasional pottery shards are found,
but nothing else.

9 – Third Level of the Caves: These are similar to the first and
second level, although with many caves having collections of bones
within them, some human and some animal, as if the remains of
those who once lived here. All are old and dry.

Eventually you find one cave that leads back into the darkness. This
one has signs of recent disturbance of the dust and smears of blood
along the entrance. Trodden into the dust of this cave are small gold
nuggets (2d6 x $5 worth) and a torn leather bag rests in one corner.
Some fresh pine branches, oozing sap, are piled to one side.

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 In the Cave
10 – Mi-Go Cavern: If they follow the cave back into the darkness,
it twists and turns, narrowing and expanding, for several hundred
yards, at least. It does seem to be carved out so that at most, PCs
must move in a hunched over posture and go single-file, but never
narrows further. The darkness is intense, seeming to drain your light
source. The PCs smell a distinct odor of decay and greasy metal. As
they round a final turn, the cavern opens out before them into a
50’x100’ space with a 50’ domed ceiling. A low humming sound
becomes noticeable. There is also a faint greenish-blue witchlight
glow to veins of quartz in the walls that dimly illuminates the
cavern. The cavern contains:
♦ A group of 10-15 unclothed people staring as if in a trance
at a pulsating, humming, spiral of the darkest black and inky
blues and purples. It hangs in midair unsupported.
♦ Staked out skins of animals and people along the ground
and walls.
♦ Discarded piles of clothing, offal, and belongings.
♦ A large greenish stone altar at the far end of the cavern, on
which is a child’s eviscerated body.
♦ A hole in the ceiling over the altar, through which shines a
pallid light.
♦ A man-sized, leathery-winged lobster-like creature with a
fleshy pink head covered with antennae and 5 pairs of legs
(a Mi-Go) standing near the altar smoothing body parts
together into a strange construct like a small wagon of bone
and skin and organs. Make a Gut-check with a +4 modifier.
It squeals in an almost ultrasonic wail as you draw its
attention (1 round after entering the cavern). It will actively
defend itself if directly threatened, and then only to get
away.

Mi-Go (1): Init +3; Atk psychic blast +4 ranged (1HP + Stun); AC
13; HD 4d8; hp 16; MV 20’ or 50’ flying; Act 1d20; SP Psychic
blast – stun for 1d6 rounds unless opposed Will save made at DC =
Mi-Go roll; SV Fort -1, Ref +2, Will +7; AL N.

11 – Mi-Go Construct: There is one round after the Mi-Go wails

for everyone to act. The Mi-Go will immediately begin to frantically
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 mold the construct. If it has three uninterrupted rounds to act, it will
engage the construct and ride it through the hole in the ceiling,
escaping to the stars. If it is attacked and damaged, it will fly away
(although one wing is tattered and seemingly barely functional),
leaving the construct behind and escaping through the hole.

12 – Crippled Wendigo: On the second round, the crippled

wendigo emerges and attacks the party. This wendigo is small (8-9’
tall), with one side scorched and blackened, as if by fire, with the
leg and arm twisted and crippled. It wears a battered breastplate and
has a collar of twisted glowing strands of pulsing, slick muscle
tissue around its neck. It has been trapped underground and starved
for a very long time, thus its powers are notably diminished. The
Mi-Go has enslaved it and sends it forth to capture subjects for
testing. It will flee 2 rounds after the Mi-Go, squeezing into a
narrow crack in the rocks.

Wendigo (1): Init +2; Atk claw +3 melee (d6); AC 16; HD 4d8; hp
22; MV 40’; Act 1d20 claws or 1d20 spell; SP Spells – Terror (a
wave of fear emanates from the wendigo, forcing an opposed Will
save from all within 20’ or they run away for 1 round), Stolen
Breath (the wendigo inhales and all opponents within 10’ lose 1d4
Stamina points while the Wendigo regains 2d4 hit points). Hide at
+6. Damage resistant (-5 damage from weapons or non-fire spells).
Fire damage is as normal. Regenerates 3 HP/round; SV Fort +3, Ref
+1, Will +6; AL C.

13 – Greenstone Altar: If one of the PCs touches the altar, the

humming mounts to a fever pitch, and the greenstone altar vibrates
violently. The ground seems to liquefy under it and it is drawn back
into the earth, with the cavern walls cracking and shaking down
around you. Everyone must roll reflex checks at DC5 every 2
minutes to avoid being hit by debris for 1d3 damage. The DC goes
up by 1 for every 2 minutes spent in the cavern after that time. It
will take 10 minutes to escape the danger zone of cave-in.

14 – Entranced Masses: The group of people gazing at the spiral

can be freed by removing their gaze from the spiral, which leaves
them dazed for several minutes. They docilely move with you when
you shift them. A DC5 Will save must be made to avoid looking at
it unless explicitly stated that the PC(s) are avoiding doing so.
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 Those who state they look directly at it must make a DC15 Will
save or be ensnared. In this group are several of the stagecoach
passengers and a small girl of 8-10 years of age. She remains silent,
mutely staring at the altar, clutching a small doll to her. When none
of the PCs are looking, she moves over and touches the altar,
triggering the events described above.

Those choosing to spend time searching the chamber may make a

luck check to find one of the following at no risk prior to the altar
being triggered. Further searching will result in reflex checks at
DC10, DC15, and DC20 to avoid falling debris as the altar is
triggered, either by one of the PCs or outside forces.

tABlE: WHat treasures migHt tHe mi-Go Cavern

Contain?
2d20 Item
2 Loaded double-barrel shotgun (1d16/1d10/1d6 damage)
3 Obsidian-bladed war club (macahuitl) (1d8+1 damage,
drops 1 die step on a fumble)
4 Small clay pot full of gold nuggets (worth $100)
5 Jade statue of an amorphous creature, covered in eyes
and mouths, in the act of swallowing multiple smaller
stylized humans ($50-$300)
6 Strange discarded construct of leather and weird
lightweight dull grey metals. For bedlamite has 1st level
spell effect if pass a DC14 Int check.
7 Glass globe filled with gently glowing rocks. Take 2
points of Stamina damage/day if spend more than 15
minutes within 5’ of it.
8 Halberd leaning against the wall (1d10) by the skeleton
of a man in armor (breastplate, helmet, and tall leather
boots).
9 Pile of old cloth and clothing. DC10 Fort save to avoid
being contaminated by spores of yellowish mold within
the deeper layers.
10 Heap of semi-stripped, reeking bones. Some human,
some animal, some seemingly caught between those
states.

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 11 Pot of sticky dark fluid. Burns fiercely if lit (1d6 damage
per round for 2 rounds). Burns differently if swallowed
(1d4 damage).
12 Pile of skulls formed into a crude altar. A pristine steel
cross-hilted sword (1d8+1 damage) with a silver pommel
rests on top of it, together with a stone carving of a
jaguar-headed man. Blood paints the skulls.
13 Stretched and cured skin of a human. A strange map of
numerous separate points has been drawn on it. (Star map
– DC20 to determine it points to a place well past
Neptune)
14 Flintlock rifle – loaded, but luck check to see if powder
still good (1d12)
15 Leather bag of gold in chunks of quartz ($150 worth, but
weighs 50lb)
16 Colt Army pistol in holster (4 shots remain in gun)
17 Carpetbag containing 4 bottles of patent medicine, a fine
checked suit, a gentleman’s toilet kit, and a small pistol
(1d6, 4 shots).
18 Seam of gold in the cavern walls. Chunks of quartz laden
with gold can be pried out by hand. ($2d10 per minute)
19 Tablets of beaten gold, carved with runes. Details a
summoning or binding spell for occultists who can
decipher them (DC20 Intelligence check, modified by
access to library and time spent (up to +5)).
20 Strange pistol-shaped piece of worked bone and chitin.
Firing stud on one surface. -2 to attack. d6 shots of 2d10
heat damage. Overheats on final shot, exploding for d6
damage (DC10 reflex save to avoid)

After you return to town, things are never quite the same for you.
You’ve seen the elephant and fought the things that lurk in the
shadows of this world. Those that you rescued are all affected as
well, some disappearing in drink or laudanum; one walking out into
the prairies, never to return; some losing themselves in violence or
madness. Even the strange girl disappears one night, snatched out of
her bed in the home of the people that took her in. Their bodies are
crushed and torn, as if by a bear or other wild animal. Her doll is left
in a corner of the room, seemingly thrown aside. Strange symbols,
like those seen in the derelict cabin you saw among the pines, are
painted on the walls in blood.
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 Table: random encounters
d10 Encounter
1 A rustling in the bushes and trees draws your attention and
you spend 10 minutes hunting down the very active local
chipmunk community.
2 Hoop Snakes (2d3): Init +4; Atk rolling +1 melee (1d4)
followed by +6 sting (1d3+ poison); AC 16; HD 1d8; hp
6; MV 30’ or 120’ (rolling); Act 1d20; SP Poison DC15
Fort save or begin swelling up, taking 1d3 Stamina
damage each round for 1d6 rounds. Once stamina reaches
zero, then the affected individual will explode, scattering
entrails and gobbets of flesh in a 5’ radius, expiring in the
process. If they survive that, then Stamina returns upon
resting at 1 point/day; SV Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +0; AL N.
Appearing in groups of up to 6, this long (up to 12’)
slender snake can roll itself into a hoop to go faster and
bear down on its prey, moving at speeds up to that of a
speeding locomotive (60 mph). The hoop snake can’t be
outrun short of finding an obstacle that it can’t roll over or
through, making it unroll to go around the obstacle. The
venomous sting of the hoop snake uncoils as it strikes its
prey, injecting the stunned prey with a potent venom that
causes intense swelling before death, usually due to
rupture of the prey. This allows the snake, despite its size,
to ingest prey of all sizes.
3 Giant Rattlesnake (1): Init +4; Atk +4 bite melee (1d3 +
poison); AC 15; HD 4d8; hp 20; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP
Poison - DC15 Fort save or be paralyzed with pain and
take 1d3/round for 1d6 rounds; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will
+0; AL N.
This 25’ long rattlesnake seems capable of swallowing a
man whole. It hunts at night and will come to the campsite
in search of food. The infrared-sensing pits on its head
will allow it to target the most active PC. In the day, it will
be found on the trail, either sunning itself or coiled up in a
defensive posture, if the PCs are making a lot of noise.

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 4 Rattle-wolves (1-3): Init +3; Atk wolf bite +4 melee (1d6)
and snake strike +2 melee (1 + poison); AC 14; HD 3d8;
HP 18; MV 40’; Act 1d20 wolf bite and 2d14 rattlesnake
strikes. SP Poison - DC15 Fort save or take additional
1d2/round for 1d4 rounds; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1;
AL C.
These strange versions of wolves stand 4’ tall at the
shoulder, with two timber rattler bodies emerging from the
shoulders. They work in concert to attack the group, trying
to cut out one individual and focus their attacks on them.
5 Crazy old prospector – Has 1d4 rumors of 1) strange
bands of men wandering through these parts, dressed in
weird shiny clothes; 2) Indians shunning these parts, due
to legends of spirits that catch you and remake you into
monsters; 3) lost city of gold somewhere nearby, but he’ll
stick to panning for it; 4) the critters grow big around here.
6 Zombie Conquistadors (2d4): Init +0; Atk hands +2
melee (1d6) or weapon +1 melee (1d8); AC 10 (15 if
armored); HD 2d8; hp 10; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP Release
fungal spores when hit (DC12 Fort save if within 5’ or
develop lung disease (DC16 Fort Save each week or lose 1
STA each week until cured)); SV Fort: +3, Ref: +0, Will:
+3; AL C.
These appear to be normal men, albeit raggedly dressed,
until they approach within 30’, at which point their
sunken, yellowed eyes, desiccated flesh covered in fine
yellow-brown mold, and lurching walk tell a different tale.
They have an impressive turn of speed once they near
their prey, running in jagged fits and starts to either tear at
it with hands and teeth or hack at it with rusted swords and
halberds. Some (25%) wear rusted, but serviceable,
cuirasses of ancient Spanish design. When shot or struck
by weapons, a cloud of yellow dust rises up, filling a 5’
space around them with choking fungus spores.
7 Skeletal Bear (1): Init +1; Atk bite +4 melee (1d6) and
claw +4 melee (1d4) or vampiric intestines +1 melee (1 +
1d3/subsequent round. DC12 strength check to pull
intestines off of self or other person); AC 14; HD 4d8; hp
30; MV 25’; Act 2d20 or 4d14 (intestine); SP Mushrooms

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 (2d4) growing on the bear can be ingested to heal d4 hit
points or 1 ability score point; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will
+4; AL C.
This ambulatory bear skeleton has tattered skin stretched
tight over its frame and bloated intestines visible through
rents in the skin. While it may attack with claws and bite,
it can also extend 4 of the toothed sections of intestine as a
lamprey like attack to targets within 10’. The skin has a
moist look to it and is patchily covered with fungi and
mold, with small red to yellowish mushrooms
predominating.
8 Young Santer (1): Init +5; Atk tail bash +2 melee (1d4);
AC 14; HD 3d8; hp 18; MV 70’; Act 1d20; SP DC12
Reflex check or take an additional 1d8 heat damage from
the red hot penultimate tail ball; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will
+1; AL N.
Long bodied and long-limbed, this varmint, while still a
youngling, is at least 6’ long, with a relatively slender
body covered in long reddish fur. The head is large,
rounded and bald, displaying a cunning intelligence in the
domed forehead. The tail is at least as long as the body,
with 8 iron-hard knots in it, the second-to-last of which
radiates intense heat. It attacks using the tail as a flail to
strike and knockout prey prior to devouring it. The long
limbs move at an alarming rate, propelling the santer with
great agility over the ground or through the trees at a
tremendous pace.
9 Small group of elk. Yep, normal elk. Nope, not dark elk.
They appear suddenly and the male bugling scares the
crap out of some of you.
10 Deadfall – While making your way along the trail, a gust
of wind comes up and a tree drops a large limb on your
group. Everyone make a luck check to avoid being hit for
1d4 damage. A max of 3 PCs will be hit.

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 THe DeMon HilLs
A Dark Trails, Black Powder, Black Magic, or Other DCC-
powered Western Adventure Mini-Campaign Setting
for 4-6 Characters of Level 1-2

By Eric Betts
Cover Art and Illustrations by Carmin Vance
Cartography by Shyloh Wideman

The Demon Hills is an ode to all of the crazy, low-budget, odd

plotting, high energy “Spaghetti Westerns” of the 1960s that fire my
imagination to this day.

Adventure summary
The characters are wranglers, cowboys, weirdos and drifters who’ve
been hired by a crooked saloon owner to rescue his daughter from
kidnapping banditos. The party soon find themselves tangled in the
intrigues of the town of Sour Creek and the mystery of the Verdan
(Demon) Hills. The adventure takes place somewhere in the
Southwestern United States in the 1870s.

Design: I’ve never been fond of linear adventures, as players are

gifted with the ability to derail a Judge’s best laid plans. Also, the
best westerns are ones driven as much by the hero’s choices as by
the villainous plot. So, while the adventure begins with a rescue
mission and a betrayal, the path after that is open. The adventure is
organized into Encounters and, to provide some structure, an
encounter flowchart is included for Judges to reference. While there
is a ‘main’ plot (Otomis Crowe and the demon ore), the residents of
Sour Creek have plenty of additional material to last several
adventuring sessions.

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 KeY NPCS
Otomis Crowe: A demon possessed New Orleans occultist/
gambler, currently seeking control of the demon ore in the Verdan
Hills area. He plans to have human slaves mine the ore and use it to
further enhance his own supernatural powers in our world. Tall,
dark-haired, with a thin mustache, he is always dressed in a fine
dark frock coat.

Otomis’ Gunfighters: Bret and Bart. Dark haired, sharp-featured,

deadly gunslingers that exude a palpable sense of menace, they are
loyal lieutenants to Otomis Crowe. They each wear tied down,
paired, bone handled Army Colts and obviously know how to use
them. If they know he is a demon, they don’t care.

“The Bushwhackers”: A Troop, 15th Missouri Cavalry Regiment

(Confederate States of America) – time trapped confederate
cavalrymen enslaved to Otomis Crowe. The Otomis ran into these
renegades in early 1865. The demon-possessed wizard promised to
get them away from pursuing Union cavalry. Left unsaid was that
the escape would turn the troopers into undead spirits beholden to
Otomis. There are a total of sixteen undead soldiers and undead
horses. A character with a background in the Union Army will
know of the “Bushwhackers” as a particularly cruel and murderous
band that just “disappeared” towards the end of the war.

The Bushwhackers ‘could’ be a great source of information on

Crowe, they know his background (as a wizard, not as a demon) and
if encountered in a non-combat way, will share both what they
know about Crowe, and how they are Cursed to do his bidding
(even telepathically). The Bushwhackers would love to split with
Crowe, but unless someone can break their Curse (DC 25) and
return their mortality, they are trapped as undead. If the Curse can
be broken, surviving men and horses will return to mortal and be
extremely grateful to those that broke the Curse (and willing to get
revenge on Crowe).

The Bandits: Normal Mexican outlaws raiding over the border and
looking for a wild time and quick buck at the gringos’ expense.

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 Taggart Reide: Crooked owner and operator of the Deluxe Saloon
in Sour Creek. He’s a slippery weasel with thinning red hair and a
paunch in a loud checked suit. He thinks he is Otomis Crowe’s
partner in taking over the town. He loves his daughter Tilly, but
loves himself and money more. He has no clue that there is anything
supernatural going on.

Tilly Reide: Taggart’s beautiful fiery haired daughter. She’s always

ready to love, fight or get into trouble (basically…a player
character). She is also likely to fall for the nearest heroic player
character in the party. Also known for getting kidnapped by the
villain of the moment.

“Mrs. Colonel” Mae Tucker: Hard as nails, white haired widow of

a Union Colonel, she is the only land-owner around with the guts to
stand up to Otomis Crowe. Has her own crew of cowboys.

Mae’s Crew: Cowboys working “Mrs. Colonel” Mae Tucker’s

range. They are loyal and tough, but only human.

Little Johnny Cotton: Pugnacious 11 year old orphan boy, known

for attaching himself to tough looking player characters and getting
kidnapped by villains.

Townsfolk: Sour Creek is home to approximately 70 people, other

than those named. Businesses include Gordon’s Hardware and Dry
Goods Store (complete with firearms for sale), Parker’s Livery (for
horses), the Alma Feed Store, Smith’s Blacksmithy, Otomis
Crowe’s Sour Creek Bank, the Deluxe Saloon (with 8 guest rooms
for rent), Ho’s Chinese Laundry, the Sour Creek (non-
denominational) Church and Community Hall (no priest), Paul
Smith’s Saw-bones and Barber (he’s not an actual doctor), Frank
Hammer’s Funeral Parlor (more like a fancy hearse), Casey’s
Stagecoach Stop (with four small guest rooms), the Sheriff
Office/Jail (currently vacant) and any other small business the Judge
may need.

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 OPENING
Opening: The party has been hired by Taggart Reide, the owner of
the Deluxe Saloon and self-proclaimed prominent businessman in
Sour Creek. His daughter has been recently kidnapped by bandits
from across the border. He wants the party to go to the bandit camp
and bring his daughter Tilly back unharmed. Do this, and he’ll pay
the PCs $100 in gold. {Hard negotiation will get him up to $150,
which is fine with Taggart, he has no intention to pay anyway} He
will be able to direct the PC’s to Encounter 1.

Taggart is a weasel and junior partner to Otomis Crowe, the town

banker. He does love his rambunctious daughter, but he loves gold
too. He’s told the bandits that he’ll pay for Tilly’s return, just like
he’s told the characters, but has no intention of paying either. He
has his own men, but if asked, he’ll confide they’re not as good at
this work as the PCs. He’s not above
stroking the PC’s ego with
references to their
adventures and
obvious
prowess.

Illustration by Carmin Vance

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 to the resCue
Encounter 1 – Bandit Camp: The bandits have set up a temporary
camp in the Verdan Hills. They have a circle of six wagons, with
one in the middle. Their horses are in a temporary sagebrush coral
off to one side and they have guards posted (see The Bandit Camp
map), but most are sitting around a campfire drinking tequila and
getting excited about molesting poor Tilly (in the center wagon).

Mexican Bandits w/pistol (7) Init +0, light pistol +1 missile (1d8);
AC 11; HD 1d8; hp 5; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +0, Ref+1, Will
+0; AL N.

Mexican Bandits w/rifle (on guard in hills and corral) (3) Init +1
(roll 1d16 due to 2 handed weapon), rifle +2 missile (1d12); AC 11;
HD 1d8; hp 5; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +0, Ref+2, Will +0; AL
N.

Tilly Reide (1) Init +2, +1 missile (will pick up a weapon); AC 11;
HD 1d8; hp 8; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +1, Ref+1, Will +1; AL
L.

IMPORTANT: At some point before attacking the bandits (like

sneaking around to get the drop on them), in the middle of the fight,
or after rescuing Tilly and riding off, the characters will see a
strange green glow off to the west. If asking Tilly or another
townsperson about it, they will be told that it is caused by an odd
ore only found in the Verdan Hills area. Touching it is supposed to
bring bad luck, and everyone has a tale of misfortune occurring to
folks who have done so (i.e. going broke, miscarriages, sudden
death, etc).

Tilly is in the center wagon and may be able to get loose to “help”
the PCs if the fight gets close to her. Tilly is a beautiful redhead that
is all attitude. She will “fall” for the PC that helps her out in the
fight, or that rescues her (or in pure DCC method – roll a dice for
it). The PC will become Tilly’s love interest for better or worse
(she’s hard to get rid of).

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 Ambush at the deluxe saloon
Encounter 2 – The Deluxe Saloon: After disposing of the bandits
and getting (someone) stuck with Tilly, the characters will return for
their payoff to Taggart’s saloon in Sour Creek (see The Town of
Sour Creek map), imaginatively named the Deluxe Saloon (see
The Deluxe Saloon map). Taggart will be exuberant upon the PC’s
return, leaping up to congratulate them, shaking their hands and
calling for beer.

As the beer arrives, Taggart will step to the side and embrace his
daughter. Suspicious players may make a DC 12 Intelligence check
to realize that they are being surrounded by Taggart’s men. If the
PCs confront Taggart on what is happening, he’ll call them suckers
and rubes, and try to grab his daughter and run. EXCEPT, Tilly will
fight with her father about being pulled away and the two will be
stuck in place.

If the PC’s do not fight back: Taggart’s men will pull iron, order
them to drop their weapons, then beat and rob the PCs, throwing
them out of town and telling them never to return.

If the PC’s do fight back: Taggart’s Men (6-8 depending on the

strength of the party) will start shooting. Tilly’s shouting at her
father distracts his goons, so there is no surprise (normal Initiative).

Taggart’s Goons (6-8 depending on size of the party, at least 1

per PC): Init +0, light pistol +1 missile (1d8); AC 11; HD 1d8; hp:
5; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +0, Ref+1, Will -1; AL N.

Taggart Reide (1) Init +2, light pistol +1 missile (1d8); AC 11; HD
1d8; hp 8; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +1, Ref+1, Will +1; AL N.

When the PC’s get the upper hand, Taggart will beg them not to kill
him, whimpering uncontrollably, even hiding behind his daughter’s
skirts! If the PCs look serious about hurting him, he will offer up to
double the agreed reward, paid now. Pressed, he’ll even offer up
Tilly (she’ll NOT be happy about that). If the PC’s still want him
dead, a tall, well-dressed, dark haired man appears from the back of

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 the saloon, flanked by two fancy dressed gunfighters. He introduces
himself as Otomis Crowe, the town mayor and owner of the bank.

Otomis will try to defuse the situation. He will suggest that Taggart,
unarmed, is not worth murder charges. He will also insist that
Taggart pay double the reward and chastise Taggart for trying to
cheat “these fine people” If a PC is interested, and have certainly
shown themselves as capable (of killing) Otomis will suggest the
most gunslinger/fighter type character would make a handy Town
Sheriff, and perhaps his/her friends would be willing to serve as
deputies?

Judge’s Note: The encounter can go one of two obvious ways.

Either the PC’s refuse to listen and persist in attacking Taggart, in
which case Encounter 3 (and possibly 4) will be triggered. Or, they
will allow themselves to be talked down by Otomis, at which time
they will be recruited into his sphere of influence as Sheriff and
deputies. This avoids Encounters 3 and 4 for the moment, but allows
Otomis to continue with his plans and even recruits the PCs
(knowingly or unknowingly) into his schemes.

Encounters 3 and 4 are optional, or dependent on player

character actions.

Encounter 3 – No Deals With The Devil! If the PCs do not allow

Otomis to defuse the situation and risk a shoot-out with Otomis and
his gunfighters, the banker will slip away (almost as if by magic)
and leave his two gunfighters to deal with the PCs. Brett and Bart
are better than the other gunmen in Sour Creek and the Judge is
encouraged to describe the fine gear both have, as well as their quiet
menace.

Crowe’s Gunslingers (Brett and Bart) Init +3, heavy pistols (2)
+2 missile (1d10); AC 13; HD 2d8; hp 11; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SV
Fort +2, Ref+2, Will +1; AL N.

Losing his gunfighters will anger Otomis and may lead the Judge to
implement Encounter 4 – Otomis Loses His Patience.

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 Encounter 4 – Otomis Loses His Patience: Depending upon the
character’s success and their threat to Otomis Crowe and his plans,
the demon may lose his patience and summon the Bushwhackers to
help him eliminate the characters (and the townspeople). It is not the
optimal result in Otomis’ mind as it will likely cause the destruction
of the Bushwhackers, or the townsfolk. Without the Bushwhackers
he’ll need to get his own hands dirty. Without the townsfolk, he’ll
need to find some other humans to mine the Demon Rock for him.
BUT…these things happen, and it is far better than letting his “host
body” be destroyed.

In this event, Otomis will summon the Bushwhackers, who will

appear on zombie horses at the edge of town the next round. Otomis
will make for his bank office, where he will teleport to the caverns
under the Verdan Hills, leaving things to “play out” in town.

The Bushwhackers will then ride through town, killing everyone

they can find and lighting the buildings on fire. Five will have
pistols in one hand and use the torches in their off-hand to light up
the wooden buildings, while the other ten just shoot anyone they can
see.

Bushwhackers (15) The Bushwhackers are trapped in a special

kind of unlife, having agreed to Otomis Crowe’s curse. As a result,
they are neither dead or undead but something in between, and
symbiotically linked to their mounts. Most of the time, they exist in
an incorporeal limbo, but when summoned by their master (Crowe)
they take on the physical form of rotting zombies in tattered
confederate uniforms, atop rotting horses with eyes of fire.

The Bushwhackers have no special protection from attacks and if

killed, the Bushwhacker and mount will fade away in an echoing
scream. They do not come back.

Init +2; heavy pistols (2) +2 missile (1d10); AC 13; HD 2d8; hp 10;
Dismounted MV 30’/Mounted 60’; Act 2d20; SV Fort +2, Ref+2,
Will +1; AL N.

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 There’s (Green) gold in them hills!
Encounter 5 – The Caverns Under Verdan Hills: Sooner or later
the characters will investigate the greenish glow that can sometimes
be seen from the Verdan Hills. The area is a sweet grass covered
region of low hills that are fed from the same Sour Creek that gives
the town its name. In the right light, the hills give off a sickly green
glow that can be seen for miles around. Up close the glow distorts
vision and can make characters feel ill {Fort Save vs DC14 or -1 to
all Agility skills, to include shooting until leaving the area}. If
characters search the area for an hour or more, there is a 1 in 6
chance of finding the entrance to the caverns, a 2 in 6 chance for a
character with a tracking background (examples: Army Scout,
Indian Brave, Frontiersman). The cave entrance is hidden at a bend
in the Sour Creek, behind a clump of wild bushes and sawgrass.
There are no tracks around it, as the Bushwhackers wipe away those
made by captives, and they do not make any themselves (they go
incorporeal before approaching the cave for just this reason.

Judges’s Note: Judges will need to adjust based on the sequence of

encounters. For example, if a showdown occurs with the
Bushwhackers in town and all of the zombies are slain, then there
will not be any Bushwhackers in Area 5-5 but the poor wretches
will still be chained there. Likewise, if the party comes to the
caverns first and kills the Bushwhackers in Area 5-5, there will only
be 12 Bushwhackers left to attack the town.

Area 5-1 – Otomis’ Experiment: Passage down this cavern is

blocked by iron bars set into the stone and a padlocked door.

The padlock can be picked on a DC12, or forced with a DC18

strength check. Beyond is an experiment that Otomis conducted on
some captured townspeople that died, a raise dead spell, and demon
ore. The result is an Insane Mass of mouths, arms, legs and
distorted faces that slimes its way toward any meat in a futile effort
to satisfy an insatiable hunger. While the Insane Mass only moves at
10’, every character seeing it must pass a DC14 Will check or freeze
in terror.

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 Insane Mass (1): Init +1 bite +3 (1d4); claw +2 (1d4) AC 11; HD
4d8; hp 20; MV 10’; Act 2d20; SV Fort +3, Ref -2, Will n/a; AL C.

Area 5-2 – Pit Trap: At this position is a 15’ deep pit hidden by a
thin carpet of reeds covered in dirt. At the bottom of the pit are
wooden stakes. When using light in the caverns, detecting the pit is
a DC14 Intelligence check. If the party is specifically looking for
traps, being careful, etc. there is an extra +2 bonus to detect the pit.
If the party is travelling in the dark, the DC is 16.

If not detected, the lead character will fall into the pit. A DC16
Reflex save means the character has grabbed the edge of the pit.
Without the save, the character takes 3d8 damage from the fall and
stakes.

Areas 5-3 & 5-4 – Slave Quarters and Privy: Passage down this
cavern is blocked by iron bars set into the stone and a padlocked
door.

Moving down this cavern passage, the characters encounter a barred

door as in Area 5-1 above. The padlock can be picked on a DC12,
or forced with a DC18 strength check. Beyond the door the cavern
forks; to the right is an area with ragged bedrolls and a fire pit (Area
5-3). To the right is a crude privy (Area 5-4). A DC12 Intelligence
check allows the characters to determine that between that between
4 and 6 people have been living here in wretched conditions.

Area 5-5 – The Mine: Turning down this passage, the character
will hear the sound of digging, and the crack of a whip. As they get
closer to the open area, they will see the glow of lantern light. In
this area, they see five bedraggled humans digging at the green
glowing walls of the cavern with crude tools (broken shovels,
wooden sticks and trowels) while guarded by what looks like three
Confederate soldiers! This despite the War Between the States
ending almost a decade ago!

The three Confederate soldiers are Bushwhackers. If this is the first

encounter with the Bushwhackers, the characters will each need to
pass a DC8 Willpower check or be unable to act in the first round
due to the horror of seeing rotting zombies!

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 “Demon Ore” by Carmin Vance

The Bushwackers (3) have no special protection from attacks and if

killed, the Bushwacker will fade away in an echoing scream. They
do not come back.

Init +2; Atk melee +1 whip (1d4), heavy pistols (2) +2 missile
(1d10); AC 13; HD 2d8; hp 10; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SV Fort +2,
Ref+2, Will +1; AL N.

The five ‘miners’ have been abducted and forced to mine by the
zombie confederates. They are shackled together around the ankles
(broken with a DC14 Strength check, or picked with a DC14 Agility
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 check). The miners are either ne’er-do-wells from town or travelers.
They each have only a 1 in 6 chance of knowing a Rumor (from the
table below). They do not know of anything beyond this mine area
and their wretched quarters (Area 5-3 and 5-4).

Area 5-6 – Trip Wire Trap: Located here is a very thin trip wire.
Detecting it requires a successful DC16 Detect Traps or Intelligence
check. If successful, the wire is easily avoided. If not, it is tripped
and all characters must make a DC15 Reflex save or take 2d4
damage. Characters must then roll a d2. On a 1 the character is
trapped on the Office (Area 5-7) side of the cave in, a 2 indicates
the other side (with the known exit). The passage is completely
blocked and will take 1d4 hours to clear. (The characters on the
Area 5-7 side could still escape through the bank tunnel…if they
could find it.)

Area 5-7 – Otomis Crowe’s Office: At the end of this passage, the
characters come to a fine oaken door set into the raw stone! The
finely made door is at complete odds with the rough-cut
caverns…very out of place. Trying the door, the characters will find
it unlocked.

The door opens to a finely appointed office complete with Asian

rug, large oak captain’s desk, bookshelves and padded leather
chairs.

Unless Otomis has fled here due to actions of the PCs, this office is
unoccupied. The desk and bookshelves contain some interesting
ledgers and occult books, but unless it suites the Judge’s game, there
are no grimoires or significant loot, although a skilled PC may
decipher the ledgers to uncover some of Crowe’s less savory hidden
financial transactions.

If PCs search the bookcase, a DC12 Intelligence check will discover

a concealed door. The secret door opens to a corridor some 5 miles
long that empties into a hidden basement under the Sour Creek
Bank. A ladder leads up to Otomis Crowe’s office in the second
floor. {This could be used by unscrupulous PCs to get into and out
of the bank after business hours, for robbery or to set up an ambush
for Crowe}

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 ADDiTioNAL ENCOUNTERS / SIDEQUESTS
Encounter 6 – Support Your Local Sheriff: Otomis is completely
serious about the characters becoming the law in Sour Creek. He
will invite the party’s “leaders” to his office on the upper floor of
the bank. Meanwhile, the rest of the party can explore town, perhaps
meeting with other townspeople. Obviously, any outlaw characters
will be excluded as Sheriff or deputies, but Otomis explains he is
willing to help them seek “an honest way of life” so long as no
further crimes (like robbing his bank!) occur in the town. The
Sheriff’s pay is a dollar a day and deputies make 50 cents. There is a
small Sheriff’s office – a one room brick building split 50/50 with
two desks, chairs and a two bunk jail.

Otomis will attempt to endear himself to the characters, playing up

how civilization is coming to the West and that many of the
surrounding ranchers are rustlers or worse…thieves! In fact, most
have been foreclosed on by Otomis and are unwilling to peacefully
vacate the premises. Each eviction also pays up to a $100 bounty for
the officers of the law doing the eviction.

Encounter 7 – Leave Me Alone Kid! Little Johnny Cotton, a

pugnacious 11 year old orphan boy will attach himself to the
toughest looking member of the party. A classic of the western
genre was the annoying (but loveable!) brat that would bother the
gunfighter and almost certainly get captured by villains while trying
to “help”. If the “tough guy” player plays along, he/she gets an
additional 1d3 Luck and 1d4 Rumors from the little scamp. But
should they dump or allow harm to come to Little Johnny, the
penalty is loss of 2d6 permanent points of Luck and a permanent
loss of 2 points in Personality. {Whether these come back from
‘avenging’ Little Johnny is up to the Judge}

Little Johnny Cotton (1): Init +1; slingshot +3 missile (1d4); AC

11; HD 1d8; hp 8; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +1, Ref+1, Will +1;
AL C.

Encounter 8 – Over My Dead Body! The law enforcement PCs are

charged with evicting sweet old “Mrs. Colonel” Mae Tucker, a
white haired, hard as nails widow of a Union Colonel that is the
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 only land-owner around with the guts to stand up to Otomis Crowe.
She will invite the PCs in to chat, and will be happy to fill them in
on her suspicions of “Mr. Crowe” – that he is likely a wanted man,
that he has falsified most of the deeds and mortgages he’s been
using to support his land claims, as well as a likely murderer of
anyone who stands in his way or whom he does not like. If the PCs
are willing to talk, she will show her deeds and other paperwork that
proves that she owns the ranch and that Crowe has claim to only
minor debts – which she could and has tried to pay. She also knows
1d6 Rumors.

If the PCs do not wish to talk, and are fully supportive of Crowe (it
happens), Mae has her own crew of cowboys. They will come to her
aid as needed.

If the PCs murder the old woman outright, it definitely calls for a
1d6 permanent loss of Luck.

“Mrs. Colonel” Mae Tucker (1): Init +0 (initiative dice is 1d16 for
using a 2 handed weapon (double barrel shotgun), double barrel
shotgun +2 missile (2d14 damage – both barrels) 2 rounds to reload;
AC 10; HD 1d8; hp 7; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SV Fort -1, Ref+0, Will
+4; AL L.

Tucker’s Cowboys (6-8 depending on Judge’s discretion): Init

+0, light pistol +1 missile (1d8); AC 11; HD 1d8; hp 5; MV 30’;
Act 1d20; SV Fort +0, Ref+1, Will +0; AL L.

Encounter 9 - Them Dern Noble Boys! An optional encounter for

the “law enforcement” characters if the Judge wants a longer game.
The good old Noble boys are a pack of four inbred moonshiners
who have lately been experimenting with adding some of the weird
green glowing stuff they found in Demon Hills to their moonshine.
As a result, all four are now demon-powered and quite insane. They
will ride into town on their stallions and kill, drink blood, eat flesh
or any other kind of homicidally insane depravity that the Judge
dreams up.

The Noble Boys (Roscoe, Bo, Cletus, and Luke): Init +2, heavy
pistol +2 missile (1d10); AC 12; HD 2d8; hp 11; MV 30’; Act 1d20;
SV Fort +2, Ref+2, Will +0; AL C.
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 rumors
Rumors are acquired at Judge’s discretion through interaction with
townsfolk.

1. It’s odd, but I hasn’t seen ole Bill around lately. He’s always be a
layabout bum, but when he runs out of cash, he’s a decent
laborman…when sober. I can’t believe he left town. Thar’s a few
others that’s gone missing in the last few months. Mostly the kind
that won’t be missed, ya know? (True – the Bushwhackers have
been kidnapping people that Otomis believes will not be missed as
forced labor mining demon ore.)

2. The mayor is sure busy buyin’ up or drivin’ out the ranchers

around here. Don’t make no sense either…you can tell with a look
he ain’t no herdsman hisself, an’ there ain’t no other use for that
land. Prospectors never found nothin’ of value in those hills. (True -
Otomis Crowe is busy buying up land or running the rightful owners
off of land surrounding the Verdan Hills. Once the region is cleared
out, he will start a full fledged secret mining operation to extract the
demon ore.)

3. I swear I seen ‘em! Ghosts of the Confed’racy, rising again in the

sunset! ‘n I wasn’t drinkin’ that much either! (True – this references
the Bushwhackers)

4. Old Wen Ho Chan the laundryman is one ah them chy-nee

boxers…don’t mess with him! He looks old but can do backflips!
(False, but…Wen Ho is a refugee from the Ever Victorious Army
and the Taiping Rebellion, but the only martial art he knows is with
a rifle, which he is VERY good with)

5. Best watch yer back. Them Indians are sneakin’ outta ther’
village an’ into town. Ther’ kidnapping good townsfolk fer eatin’!
(False)

6. Taggart’s the one pullin’ the Mayor Crowe’s strings! Reide is the
real power in this town! That’s why everyone’s always kidnappin’
his daughter! (False)

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 7. I’ve seen dancing glowing lights out on the prairie on nights of
the full moon! Angels or spirits, ah don’t know which! (False…he
was… probably drunk? Or aliens?)

8. Them dern Noble boys are the REAL danger ta this town! They
live out in the Western Woods mixing up white lightning…and
drinkin’ it! Ther’ gonna tear through this place and kill everyone
some day! (True)

“Solomon’s Seal Whiskey” by Carmin Vance

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 DARK TRAILS CHARACTER SHEET
Name class xp level

lucky sign occupation alignment speed

Hp Ability modifier reflex

Str
Agi
AC Sta fortitude
Per
luck
grit int will

Signature weapons
Weapon Dmg sHots range Combat
initiative:
melee bonus:
ranged bonus:
crit die:
fumble die:
 Ammo  Special 
Special abilities & spells Goods & Sundries

Arcane vault

Valuables & dinero

stable

by SHyloH wideman
5 - 55

Lucas Anderson (Order #39408018)

 Gfa twenty-nineteen
Volume five Credits
Authors
Eric Betts, Keith Nelson, Shyloh Wideman

Illustrators & Cartographers

Joshua Barton, Carmin Vance, Shyloh Wideman

Gfa twenty-nineteen Credits

Cover Art Title Page Art
Doug Kovacs Marc Radle

Editors & Proofreaders

Jose Luiz Cardoso, Jim Cox, Marc Elsenheimer, Klint Finley, Cory Gahsman,
Michael Harrington, Tony Hogard, Claytonion JP, Elizabeth Levy, Shane Liebling,
Collen McDonald, Russell Mirabelli, Jason Morgan, Keith Nelson, Marcie Riebe,
Jeff Scifert, Ian Zebarah Shears, Tim Snider, Dan Steeby, Shyloh Wideman, Chris
Zank

Printing Offset Contributors

Jason Abdin, David Baity, Julian Bernick, Eric Betts, Daniel Bishop, CeCelia
Bowden, Jen & Bob Brinkman, Marc Bruner, Todd Bunn, Ian Burgess, Michael
Carlson, Justin Choponis, Ariel Churi, Charles Couch, Jim Cox, Hector Cruz,
Thierry De Gagne, Sean Duffy, Mirko Froehlich, Fuzzbang and Hootz, Keith
Garrett, Garry M Gullett, Paul Gyugyi, Michael Harrington, James Hogard, Anne
Hunter, Justin Isaac, Christopher Jeffers, Jim Kitchen , Lucas Kuntz, Christopher
Lauricella, The Long Con RPG Convention, David Maltbie, Jon Marr, Juergen
Mayer, Cullen McDonald, Ken McLennan, Jason Menard, Ruxed LLC, Ryan
Moore, Keith Nelson, Nicolai Rerup Nielsen, Christian Ovsenik, Matthew Seagle,
James Skach, Tim Snider, Jonathan Snodgrass, Dan Steeby, Matt Sutton, Aaron
Talley, Karen Theroux, Matt Towle, Joan K Troyer, Melissa & Shyloh Wideman,
Laura & Clayton Williams, Jon Wilson, David York, Chris Zank, and the
anonymous patrons of the GFA community

Creative Vision, Project Management & Layout

Jon Hershberger, Doug Kovacs, Dan Steeby, Harley Stroh, Shyloh Wideman,
Clayton Williams, Jon Wilson

5 - 56

Lucas Anderson (Order #39408018)

Lucas Anderson (Order #39408018)