Dark Continent Redux: Riot/Afterward

Dark Continent Redux

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Dark Continent Index

Home Station and Central Station Index

Riot

2 XP for clearing out the native thieves.

There is a native worker strike occupying the diamond quarry in the hills just outside of the city.  It’s not actually part of the general uprising.  They’re protesting pay and working conditions.  Management has been angry over repeated thefts of the merchandise, which was part of the uprising.  After a tense negotiation, the workers have fingered the thieves, who are, indirectly, working for Kurtz and helping to bankroll his revolt.  The workers have agreed to abandon their protest line at a given time and let the authorities have them in return for concessions. 

The authorities are wary though.  The native thieves are holed up in an underground area.  They are shrouded in supernatural darkness (beyond just underground darkness).  Further, a previous effort at force was repulsed by a “swordsman of extraordinary ability.”  And this is everything Captain Crane, of the colonial military, tells the group after they find him and present their introduction papers.  At a signal from the Captain, the native protest leader acknowledges it, and the native protesters leave their picket line.  A native leads the Characters inside and to the area where the thieves are holed up.  Captain Crane will tell the Characters to “make an example of them,” and that they will wait for their signal to enter.

Kurtz’s natives have stolen quite a bit (even beyond diamonds), so it wasn’t unexpected they were eventually caught.  The recriminations against the workers was also not unexpected, but the native strike was.  Kurtz sent one of his Demon Host and a couple of Witch Doctors to reinforce his men.  They’ve been working non-stop to dig out whatever else they can and prepare it for immediate teleportation transport.  Again, the secret deal with the workers and troops caught them unaware.  The natives and the Demon Host will be trying to delay the Characters, while the Witch Doctors prepare a teleport spell for their booty.  

The native guide leads the group to a rough, branch passage.  There are a few bodies of dead soldiers littering the outside of the area.  In the Ambush cavern, 4 Natives firing blowgun darts will attack them at the entrance.  Inside the chamber is also an Elder Native. 

In the Passage behind them, any torches or mundane lighting will immediately extinguish.  The Demon Host, Blind Swordsman will then attack.  Only some form of supernatural lighting will work in this passage, and even then only within a 5’ area (the immediate, personal area around the Character).  Without some lighting, the Characters are in the dark (To Hit goes to +0, and their AC goes to 10, unless they have infravision).

In the Teleport chamber, the lighting returns to normal.  2 Witch Doctors are present, along with a pile of rough diamonds and gold and other goods.  One will defend while the other will be working the ceremony spell.  It will take 2 rds for the spell to go off, unless disrupted (he’ll try again, unless prevented), otherwise the Witch Doctors will escape with the treasure.   

This encounter could leave the group in the room with a bunch of diamonds and gold.  Troops will not come inside until given an all-clear by the Characters.    They could conceivably hide a good deal of riches, since they won’t be searched on the way out, unless they’re very stupid. 

Blind Swordsman

HD 5 (d10), Hp 50, AC 14 (None), Enhanced Init +4

Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +1

Melee: 2 x Katana +9 to hit 1d10+4

Ranged: Light Flash from Sword against all opponents in S range, once per encounter, DC 12 Con Sv or Blinded for 2 rds.

Special Weakness: He has tremorsense and enhanced hearing, but he is blind.  Anything that interferes with his other senses will confuse him.  While he generally has great situational awareness, he can be surprised in certain situations since he can’t see.

Description: A swordsman in loose clothing wearing a blindfold.

Afterward

Back at the hotel bar, Mrs. Babbin is there to greet the Characters and tells them their request now has special status.  In the meantime, she offers to buy them all a round of drinks and hear their story.  And another round, and another, and . . . Mrs. Babbin parties hard.  The Characters awake the next morning.  Some are missing undergarments and may feel somewhat violated.

The Baron arrives at their room bearing gifts.  First, he gives them an elixir for their hangovers.  Then, he hands them their Interior travel permit.  It includes a lengthy handwritten “thank you” note from Mrs. Babbin with a few highly unprofessional, but complimentary, anatomical references.  The Baron drops the name of a recommended caravan company making for Central Station, which is leaving later this morning near the docks.  He gives them a bag of coins to cover their transit costs.  Lastly, the Baron hands them a sealed note, which he has not read, “Guffey, Owner of the Dagger Inn at Central Station.  Destroy this note in a fire and do not talk about it.”  This is their next contact. 

The Baron walks them out and points to down the docks to the caravan.  As the Baron finishes, two people stick their heads out the Baron’s carriage on the street, “Baron, come on!  The horse races won’t wait for us!”  It’s the fat man from the docks and Mrs. Babbin.  If asked, the Baron will say that he put Horace in his debt by getting him out of jail for that affair on the docks, and that Mrs. Babbin had wished to thank him for recommending the Characters to her service.  (Or this was all a test.  Or an elaborate con-job.  The Characters will never know for sure.)  “Baron!” they call for him again.  “Well gentlemen, I must be going.  Good luck on your errand.”  At least the Characters will be very happy to leave town at this point.