Mountain of the Mad Marquis - Session 3

Another day, another descent into the Mountain of the Mad Marquis. This time four adventurers left the camp to delve the ruins.

• Al-Hafiz, Level 1 Fedayeen
• Jack Fatherd, Level 5 Survivor
• Laguna Tempest, Level 1 Warcaster
  
• Protesilaus Poliorcetes, Level 1 Acolyte

They were accompanied by Gowonry and the centipede woman, two Mutoids recruited on a previous delve into the dungeon. Laguna had some boards to cross the broken bridge in the bone pit, and the group hoped to retrieve the duck signet ring from the Marquis' tomb so they could progress to the next level of the dungeon. They decided to go down the fast way, using the one tun barrel and the rope around the tree. They all hopped into the barrel and left the centipede woman on the surface to lower them into the pit. It was a risky move, with their combined weight she could just barely lower them into the pit without dropping them. She wouldn't be able to haul up more than a couple people at a time.

The gang saw before they got to the bottom that something wasn't right. The plants in the cemetery sinkhole were trampled and the doors of the makeshift inn were smashed open. Whoever wrecked the place went through the South door, and the gang followed their footsteps to see what was going on.

Temple of the Crying Buddha Masterpost

Temple of the Crying Buddha is an Unknown Armies oneshot inspired by a couple episodes of the 33.3 FM show. Players take the role of Imperial Japanese soldiers during the Rape of Nanking, sent to pillage an ancient temple full of dangerous secrets. A cheap trick, I know, setting the scenario during an atrocity to immediately grab the players' attention. Everyone will get what they deserve. 

• Scenario Folder including pregens and a new avatar path
  
• First Playtest
• Music Post

Mountain of the Mad Marquis - Session 2

The adventurers were not eager to spend two days hiking back to the nearest town, but they had treasure to sell and items they needed to purchase to improve their odds of survival. They descended the mountain along the old cart path, overgrown with trees and bushes.

 

An Orc came up the road, clad in garish armor, wearing rose colored glasses and carrying a muzzleloading rifle. He didn't make any special effort to stay hidden, nor did any of the mercenaries following him.

 

By me

The adventurers observed from stealth as Cortez the Orc placed an iron flask on the ground, waited about a minute expectantly, then gave it a kick. A cloud of smoke emitted from the vessel, resolving into a genie. The spirit theatrically fell on his hands in mid-air and vomited up a whole tent and market stall. Ishizaka's market was open for business.

The concept was simple. Ishizaka the Genie knew there was treasure in the dungeon, and he was the only person within a week's travel who had the capital to buy it all with currency. He'd take whatever the players brought up from the Mad Marquis' mansion, and they could use the coin they earned to buy supplies to bring up more treasure. And if they died, there would be more adventurers to take their place. All he had to do was wait, and sell useful items at market rates.

Two adventurers took him up on the deal.

• Laguna Tempest, Level 1 Warcaster
  
• Zigar Kneecapper, Level 1 Thug

They picked up rope, spikes, a hammer and a wax writing tablet for Gowonry the Mutoid, so that he could communicate more complex ideas than just "yes" and "no".

Then they went back to the ruined keep, for another crack at the Mountain of the Mad Marquis.

Unknown Armies NPC - Jamaldin

By Tim O'Brien

 

Jamaldin is a Neanderthal from the Caucasus. He escaped from a mountain game preserve where his tribe was selectively bred and hunted for thousands of years. He isn’t going back to help his tribe because he hates them. They were all cowards who never lifted a hand to fight the hunters who killed, skinned and ate them, but they eagerly ganged up to hurt him whenever they got the chance. He’s got a whole world to explore and he’s not going to waste a second thinking about people who don’t deserve his help.

Unknown Armies NPC - Peppino Spaghetti

By McPig

Serious occultists call the ‘03 conflict the Whisper War. For Peppino Spaghetti, it was the Pizza War. He was just some schlub working the kitchen at his dad’s restaurant. He wasn’t ready to take on Nico Ambrosio and his crew of Sicilian-American hoods when the Sleepers turned the Five Families loose on the mages of New York in a desperate rearguard action. He wasn’t prepared to fight his way up the Empire State Building and put the hurt on Death Wish, the last handful of Sleepers holding the line against a new generation of mages flooding into the city.

He hasn’t been right ever since.

Mountain of the Mad Marquis - Session 1

At the very edge of the Commonwealth, six adventurers made the difficult hike up to the DeCavalier estate, an abandoned ruin from the defunct Monarchy's failed colonization effort. They were hot on the tail of the  bandit Gorrister the Great, and they intended to claim the 15,000 silver piece bounty on his head.

 

The adventurers in question:

• Ivaqirax Obus, Level 1 Mage
  
• Jack Fatherd, Level 5 Survivor
  
• Laguna Tempest, Level 1 Warcaster
  
• Protesilaus Poliorcetes, Level 1 Acolyte
  
• Wakefield, Level 1 Burglar
  
• Zigar Kneecapper, Level 1 Thug
  

By Throneseeker

The DeCavalier estate was still impressive, despite its dilapidated state. It occupied a commanding position in the mountains, atop a peak that dropped right down to sheer cliffs. The road up through the hills was partially overgrown, terminating in a drawbridge that hung open without chains to articulate it. The view of the surrounding mountain range was breathtaking.

The whole thing would be picturesque if it wasn’t for the Orc crucified over the entrance.