Pyramid. Fears Of Days Past

38 Pages·2011·1.951 MB·English

by  Steve Jackson

Stock #37-2632
C
ONTENTS Experiencethefearofyesterday...
I T
N HIS
FROM THE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CREATURES FROM THE PIT . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
I
byStephenDedman
SSUE
DOMINION DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
byJ.EdwardTremlett
Wecan’tletbygonesbebygones–especiallywhensomany
EIDETIC MEMORY: PENANGGALAN . . . . . . 18
bygoneerasoffersomuchfrighteningfun!Withthismonth’s
byDavidL.Pulver
theme of Fears of Days Past, we go from the dawn of the
THE TYPEWRITERS OF TERROR . . . . . . . . 20 atomiceraallthewaybacktothefirstfoundfungus.
Ourfirststopbackintimeisthe1950s,whenCommunism
byStevenMarsh
wasalmosteclipsedbyanotherinvisiblemenace:radiation.Can
DRIVING US MAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 youhelpcontaintheCreaturesFromthePitbeforetheytakeover
byMicheleArmellini the world? Written by GURPS Martial Arts Adventures co-
authorStephenDedman,thisarticleprovidesGURPSstatsfor
THE AIR LOOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 thekeyparticipants–includingthetitularterrors!
byGraemeDavis Before the Cold War came the Great War. Unknown to
most,thistragedyopenedthewayforthedenizensofHellto
RANDOM THOUGHT TABLE: more freely walk the earth. The era that followed hides the
THE APPEAL OF THE PAST . . . . . . . . . 35 preparationsforthesecretwarbetweenAngelsandDemons.
byStevenMarsh,PyramidEditor There’snothingquietabouttheRoaringTwentiesinthissys-
temlesscampaignframework;willyouhelporhinderthecom-
ODDS AND ENDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 ingofDominionDay?
In his latest Eidetic Memory, GURPS Fourth Edition co-
ABOUT GURPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 author David Pulver presents a testy terror from Southeast
AsiaandOceania.AmidabackdropofVictoriancolonialism,
learnmoreaboutthedreadfulsecrets(anddangerousGURPS
stats)ofthePenanggalan.
®
What’s more perilous than a unique tome of terror?
Multiple copies. Pyramid Editor Steven Marsh presents an
adventure framework suitable for any era where QWERTY
conquersall,inTheTypewritersofTerror.
Adventurers need not fear only otherworldly threats.
GURPS WWII: Grim Legions author Michele Armellini
reminds us that Nature herself delights in Driving Us Mad.
Article Colors Discover one such danger (including GURPS effects) that
heroescouldencounterduringtheirnaturewalks–orvillains
Each article is color-coded to help you find your couldserveintheirstew!
favoritesections. During the Age of Reason, not everyone was in his right
mind.Todayweblamementalillness,butit’sremotelyfeasible
PaleBlue:InThisIssue
thatsinisteragentswereusingTheAirLoomontheirvictims.
Brown:InEveryIssue(letters,humor,editorial,etc.) GURPS VikingsauthorGraeme Davis delivers the details on
DarkBlue:GURPSFeatures this device, including adventure ideas and suggestions for
Purple:SystemlessFeatures usingitinGURPS.
Whatistheappealofthepast?StevenMarshoffershisrea-
Green:DistinguishedColumnists
sonswhyheprefers“periodpieces”overmodernstoriesinthis
COVER ART month’sRandomThoughtTable.
Onceyou’rewoundupwithfear,catchyourwindwiththe
IgorFiorentini
usual humor and itty-bitty ideas of Odds and Ends. The
PyramidplaneisfueledandreadyforitsFrightCheck!
Editor-in-Chief(cid:2)STEVEJACKSON GURPSLineEditor(cid:2)SEANPUNCH PageDesign(cid:2)PHILREEDand
ChiefOperatingOfficer(cid:2)PHILIPREED EditorialAssistant(cid:2)JASON“PK”LEVINE JUSTINDEWITT
ArtDirector(cid:2)SAMUELMITSCHKE ProductionArtist(cid:2)NIKOLAVRTIS MarketingDirector(cid:2)PAULCHAPMAN
e23Manager(cid:2)STEVENMARSH PrepressChecker(cid:2)MONICASTEPHENS DirectorofSales(cid:2)ROSSJEPSON
P M 2 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
F
ROM THE
E
DITOR
T ’ N P throughtheperiodsofpain,but–asmodern-dayobservers–
HERE S O RESENT
itcanhelpwithourownjourney.
LIKE THE PAST Horror gaming relies on hope of a possible (even if futile)
attempttoovercome;thereisn’tmuchofamarketforpredes-
Ioffersomeno-doubtlife-changinginsightaboutthebene- tined can’t-affect-an-outcome gaming. (“Let’s play the You Are
fitsofmixinghorrorwithhistoricalgamingelsewhereinthis On Death Row RPG!”) Some settings – including Infinite
issue(pp.35-36,tobeexact).Soforthissection,IthoughtI’d Worlds–encouragesseeingwhat-ifsandwhat-might-bes...all
givesometangentialwordsonthesubject. withaneyetowardpossiblymakingthingsbettersomewhere.
When you think about it, horror in a bygone time can be Hopefullythisissuewillgiveyousomefoodforthoughtas
almostcomforting.It’shardtoenvisionmanyeraswherethere your body travels in the present and your mind wanders to
wasn’t fear and uncertainty about the future. Even generally thepast.
optimistic periods such as the Victorian era (when it seemed
thatenoughscienceandingenuitycouldovercomeanyobstacle)
W H , W N
haddarkerorconflictedsides.Sure,humanitymightsomeday RITE ERE RITE OW
buildacannontoshootshipstoMars...butwhatifthereare
Didyouenjoyyourotherworldlyvacationforsixdaysand
beingsonMarsalready,lookingforanexcusetocomehere?
seven frights? Did you not care for the I-scream social?
Still,regardlessofthedarktimestheworldfaces,humanity
Send your innermost thoughts to [email protected],
endures. It’s one of the continuing messages of my own
or scream from the asylum for the world to hear at
beloved Doctor Who (itself often a mix of hope and horror).
forums.sjgames.com.
That’s not much consolation for the folks who have to go
Pyramid,GURPS,MonsterHunters,Warehouse23,andtheall-seeingpyramidareregisteredtrademarksofSteveJacksonGamesIncorporated.e23andthenamesofallproducts
publishedbySteveJacksonGamesIncorporatedareregisteredtrademarksortrademarksofSteveJacksonGamesIncorporated,orusedunderlicense.
Pyramidiscopyright©2011bySteveJacksonGamesIncorporated.Allrightsreserved.
Submissionofyourphotos,letters,humor,captions,andmarginaliaconstitutespermissiontoSteveJacksonGamesIncorporatedtousetheminallmedia.
AllsuchsubmissionsbecomethepropertyofSteveJacksonGamesIncorporatedandwillnotbereturned.
Thescanning,uploading,anddistributionofthismaterialviatheInternetorviaanyothermeanswithoutthepermissionofthepublisherisillegal,andpunishablebylaw.Please
purchaseonlyauthorizedelectroniceditions,anddonotparticipateinorencouragetheelectronicpiracyofcopyrightedmaterials.Yoursupportoftheauthors’rightsisappreciated.
P M 3 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
C
REATURES
F P
ROM THE IT
S D
BY TEPHEN EDMAN
This adventure deals with three of the obsessions of the toinstinctivelyfindhidingplaces.Itisn’tparticularlydanger-
1950s B-movies: monsters, nuclear waste, and cars. GURPS ous unless it finds a suitable weapon, such as a handgun.
AtomicHorrorwillbeuseful,butisnotessential.Invaluable Amid the rather cluttered lab, finding the hand requires a
informationindecidingonthetoneandthemesoftheadven- Quick Contest of Vision (at -4 for size) against the hand’s
turecanbefoundinGURPSHorror,especiallyp.117. Stealthskillof11.Makethehuntassuspensefulaspossible
The adventure is designed for 100-point characters who withthesoundofsomethingscramblingaroundthefloorbut
havetieswiththeAtomicEnergyCommission(AEC).Itisset remainingunseenasitretreatsunderfurniture.
in the mid-1950s, but can easily be adapted to any setting Oncethehandhasbeencaptured,Dr.Tamblinreturnsto
whereweirdsciencemightbeexpected. examiningit.After24hours,shereportsthatwhilethefun-
gushasformedintotheroughshapeofahand,ithasalmost
G W none of the internal structure. Biochemically, though, it is
LOWING IN THE IND
very similar to human flesh, though contaminated with
Whiledrivingtoanothercityonadarkdeserthighway,one radioisotopes.Asnearasshecantell,theowlhadeatenpart
of the heroes sees a luminous blue-white object flying over- of the decayed hand of a person who was suffering from
head.Ifsomeoneshootsatit(-3forsize,-2forspeed,-2dfor severe radiation poisoning. When she’d placed the fungus
range) and hits, the UFO – an irradiated owl – is killed fromtheowl’sstomachontoirradiatedmeat,itabsorbedthe
instantly.Ifhemissesby3orless,theowldropsafewlumi- food and regenerated back into the shape of the hand – or
nousradioactivefeathers.Ifnotshot,theowldiesofradiation enoughofthehandforittoescapefromthedish.Therestof
poisoning before sunrise, and anyone investigating the sight- its bulk, she suspects, came from absorbing dust (mostly
ing should find the corpse without difficulty (especially if he decayed skin cells) from the lab. As long as it’s kept in a
hasaGeigercounter). sealedcontainer,itwon’tgrowafteritfinishesabsorbingthe
Anexaminationoftheowl’sstomachcontentsrevealsthat availablenutrients,andwilldiewithin24hours.
thesourceoftheradioactivityisaheavilycontaminatedfun- Justaftersunset,amessagecomesinfromtheAEC.They
gus.RollBiologyat-4toidentifyitasavariantstrainof“ghoul thinkthey’vefoundthesourceoftheradiation.Themostprob-
fungus,”Hebelomamcgurkae,whichgrowsonorneardecay- ablesourceoftheradiationisanabandonedmineshaftinthe
ingvertebrateflesh.Thestomachalsocontainstwohumanfin- desert,nowusedasadumpfordrumsoflow-levelradioactive
ger-bonesandaYaleclassring. waste. One or more of the drums may have ruptured in the
WhiletheAECsearchesforthesourceoftheradiation,one recentearthtremorsinthearea,butthey’vesentateamtoinves-
oftheirbiologists,Dr.CharityTamblin,culturesthefungusto tigate.Unfortunately,theinvestigatingteamhasn’treturned.
examineitmoreclosely. Theyrequestthateveryonekeepquietabouttheowland
the possibility of a radiation leak until they’ve located it. As
A C no one lives within many miles of the mine, there’s no need
LIEN ULTURES
topanicthepublic.
Overthenextfewdays,allofDr.Tamblin’sattemptstocul-
turethefungusfail.Thoughprovidedwithplentyofcarrionas E M
NEMY INE
agrowthmedium,thefungisoondie.Onlywhenshethinksof
growingitinahighlyradioactiveenvironmentwillshebeable Thelostinvestigatingteamcomprisedtwomembers:
togetthefungitothrive.
• BobHolt,aminingengineerfromAugeus(thehazardous
WhenshereturnstothelabonMonday,shefindsthatthe
waste disposal company that had been using the mine as a
fungihasnotonlythrived,butescaped.Thedoctorseeksout
dumpingground).
theheroesandasksfortheirhelpinlookingforit.
• JimAdams,anAECtechnician.
The mutated fungus seems to have remembered that it
waspartofahandandregeneratedintothatform.Thehand Both had been wearing radiation suits and safety helmets
has DX 10, Move 5, Dodge 8, Brawling-10, and can grapple and carrying Geiger counters, climbing gear, and other sup-
andstrangleatST11;becauseofitssmallsize,itis-4tobe plies.Theydrovetothesite24hoursagofromAugeus’office,
hit,andhasHP3.Thoughblindanddeaf,itissomehowable about90milesaway.
P M 4 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
A second investigating team has secured the site by the leaking tanks or pools of contaminated mud, but nowhere
timetheheroesarrive.Thisteamismuchlargerandincludes below 1/rad hour). Those who make a Vision roll at -2 also
experienced cavers and miners, search-and-rescue experts, noticethatonecanisterhasbeenpriedopen.
armyengineers,medics,staffersfromAugeusandtheAEC,a TheonlysignsofHoltandAdams’attackerareintermittent
fewotherscientists(includingDr.Tamblin),andaselectfew footprints on the passage’s muddy floor. Investigators who
scientificjournalists.Feds,police,andMPsarealsothereto makeaTrackingrollat-2discovertwosetsoffootprintslead-
maintainsecurity.Theinvestigatorsareamongthoseonloca- ing down the sloping cross-shaft (three yards wide). These
tion, but to join their first small search party, they need trackscontinuedownahorizontalshaftthatbranchesoffthe
Climbing-12+ and some other appropriate skill, such as main cross-shaft, then around several corners. Radiation in
Physician, Engineer (Mining), Survival (Radioactive Waste- these passages is only 1d-5 rads/hour; the footprints are
land),orNBCSuit. slightlymoreradioactivethanthesurroundings,andgive+1to
AllsearcherswearNBCsuitswithairmasksandone-hour TrackingtoanyonewithaGeigercounter.
tanks(40lbs.)andhelmetswithlights(DR4;4lbs.).Theyare
issuedawalkie-talkie,aGeigercounter,andafirstaidkit.The B B
ATTLE ENEATH
verticalshaft,threeyardswide,descends130yards.
Thefirstpartysoonstumblesacrossatwocorpses:oneshot E
THE ARTH
inthechestwithashotgunatcloserange;theotherwithhis
face blown away and stripped down to his underwear. The About 150 yards from the down-shaft, the party encoun-
searchersthencallforasecondpartywithweaponsandmore tersaslimeball,perfectlycamouflagedasastretchofslightly
scientific equipment; any investigator not in the first party moreradioactivemudaswideastheshaft(threeyards)and
shouldbegivenaplaceinthesecond.Thosewithouttheirown aboutsixyardslong.(Seep.9forstats.)Ifanymemberofthe
weaponsareofferedachoiceofguns,aswellasmedicaland party with Danger Sense successfully uses it, the slimeball
scientificequipment. failstotaketheteamtotallybysurprise;itrisesuptoforma
AGeigercounterandheavyflashlightliebesidethecorpses. wallacrossthepassageoneturnbeforetheteamwereabout
If the heroes examine the bodies, a roll on Forensics or tosteponit.
Physicianestablishesthatthemenhavebeendeadforatleast EachpersonshouldmakeaFrightCheck,andtheleader
12hoursbutlessthan48,anddiedalmostinstantlyafterbeing oftheteamshouldrollforinitiative.Theslimeballthentries
shot.ThemanshotinthechestresemblesphotosofAdams. topickoffvictimsonebyone,bygrapplingandthenabsorb-
Theonlythingsvisiblefromthebottomofthedown-shaft ingthem.
are several 44-gallon canisters marked with a radiation sym- IfnoneofthePCsmakesasuccessfulDangerSenseroll,the
bol. Some mushrooms grow on the ground around them slimeball attacks while they are walking across it, with the
(mutantmushrooms:rollagainstBiology,+/-Visionmodifiers, advantageoftotalsurprise(seep.B393).Thefirstattackisto
totellitapartfromghoulfungus).HeroeswhomakeanIQroll grapple each person’s feet. If this succeeds, it attempts to
realize that some of the canisters could not have rolled into absorbeveryoneithascaptured–upto900lbs.total–while
thosepositionsandhavebeendeliberatelymovedsincebeing lettingtheothersgetaway.
dropped from the top of the shaft. If they look behind two Anyone “absorbed” by the slimeball but wearing an NBC
upright canisters about 9’ from Holt’s body, they will find a suit with air tanks can survive unharmed inside the creature
sawed-off shotgun with empty shell casings; a roll on Smell for40minutes(theslimeballtakesthatlongtodigestthesuit’s
andForensicsshowsthatithasbeenfired(butnotreloaded) nonporous inorganic material) or until his air runs out,
inthepast24hours.IftheteamusestheGeigercounter,they whichevercomesfirst.Afterithasdissolvedpartoftheirsuit,
discover that some of the tanks are leaking. The radiation itwilldigestthepersonattherateof1HPpersecond.When
count throughout the level is 1d+1 rads/hour (highest near ithascompletelydigestedsomeone,itaddsthevictim’smass,
ST,andHPtoitsown.
If some members of the search party have avoided being
captured by the slimeball, they can either try attacking it
Michael Williams: What’s (unlikelytowork),trytopulltheirfriendsout(ContestofST),
orrunforhelp.Theslimeballwillnotchaseitspreyifithas
with that slime on your absorbedmorethan120lbs.offood.Undissolvedvictims(and
theirgear)insidetheslimeballencumberit;doubletheencum-
backpack? branceiftheyareactivelyresisting.
Anyattackthathitstheslimeball,whetheritdamagesitor
Joshua Leonard: That’s not,mayinjurevictimsithasabsorbed.Piercingandimpaling
attackshavea1in6chanceofhittinganyoneinside,asdoone-
not slime; it’s just water. hexarea-effectattacks(suchasashotfromaflamethrower).
Larger area effects (e.g., explosives, falling damage) affect
No wait, it is slime! everyoneinside.Poisongaseswon’t,aslongaseveryone’ssuits
arestillintact.
– The Blair Onewaytoremovetheslimeball’sundissolvedvictimsisto
strainthemonsterthroughanylonnet,asteelmeshfence,or
Witch Project somesimilardevice.Theslimeballcannotbeluredoutofthe
mine,butitcanbedriven;itwillretreatfromafireoranything
elseitidentifiesasathreat.
P M 5 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
While heroes who have avoided being absorbed by the food.Evenpreviouslycowardlyanimalswillfightstrongerani-
slimeballmaywanttorescuetheirfriendsandcolleagues,the malsforachancetoeatthemushrooms–andcontinuefight-
investigatingteamoutsidethemineismoreinterestedinhow ing even when seriously injured. Those that died of their
thecreaturecanbekilledwithouttheriskofitescaping.The injuries(butwerenoteaten)andstillhadundigestedsporesin
AEC calls for military backup; 20 minutes later, a helicopter theirstomachsbecamefungoidzombies.Theaddictiontothe
arriveswithtwoflamethrowersandaboxofgrenades.Anhour spores only vanished once the last bones were dissolved or
afterthat,Armytrucksrollup,bearingassortedpoisongases excreted, leaving the creature as a slimeball, which matured
andNBCWarfareexperts.Iftheslimeballhasnotbeenkilled intoamassofspores.
by this time, the army flood the mine with heavier-than-air Eatingmoreofthefungihastenstheprocessofturninginto
nervegas.Anyonewhowasabsorbedbytheslimeballislong aslimeball.Moredisturbingly,ifmultipleslimeballsmeet,they
deadbythistime. mergeintoalargerblob.
Thegasparalyzestheslimeball,butDr.Tamblininsistson WhenDr.Tamblintriestocontactalocalcutting-edgeexpert
samplesbeingtakenforstudy.Ifnooneelsewillgo,she’llput onghoulfungi,Dr.IanVandermeer,sheistoldthatVandermeer
onanNBCsuitandgodownalone. hasbeenmissingforamonth.Hisassistantsaremystifiedbyhis
disappearance:Hewasenthusiasticabouthiswork,andonthe
lastdaytheysawhim(aFriday),hewaswildlyexcitedbythe
growth rate of one of the fungi he was studying in the field.
Reporter:Professor,you’veseenthese Unfortunately,hewasalsoverysecretiveuntilhewasabsolutely
creatures.Aretheyfromouterspace,are surehewasright,andnoneofhisassistantsknowwhichofhis
manyexperimentshewastalkingabout.
theyanimals?Whatarethey?
When Vandermeer doesn’t answer his home phone, Dr.
Dr.TimothyBrough:Ibelievetheyare Tamblin asks the PCs to visit him. PCs who make a roll on
aformofanimallife,butnotfromouter BiologyorCurrentAffairs(Science&Technology)willremem-
ber that Ian Vandermeer was a professor of botany at Yale,
space.
whosemostrecentpaperswereabouttheeffectsofradiationon
Reporter:Thenwherearetheyfrom? certainplants-mainlyfungi,lichens,andcarnivorousplants.
Dr.TimothyBrough:TheonesIsaw
T M D
camefromunderground,outofthe HE OST ANGEROUS
sewers. M A
AN LIVE
–The Slime People
IftheheroessearchVandermeer’shomeintheoutersub-
urbs, they will find nothing incriminating in the house; the
policeandFBIhavealreadysearchedandremovedanything
I ’ A ! theythoughtmightrevealwherehe’dgone.However,author-
T S LIVE
ities didn’t look to carefully in the backyard. They failed to
Afterafewdayswork,Tamblinreportsthatshe’sdiscovered discover the backyard fallout shelter (accessible through a
afewdisturbingthingsaboutthemutantmushrooms.First,as trapdoor in the floor of the greenhouse). The investigators
suspected, mushrooms that have grown near a corpse some- can locate it with a Vision roll at -3. Being thorough in an
timespermeatethecorpseandmimicitsstructure.Thesefun- examinationoftheplacecanhelp.
goid“zombies”aremobile,andhungryforotherflesh–dead Traysofmutatedmushroomscovernearlyeveryhorizontal
or alive. If they thenabsorb othercorpses, theymaybecome surfaceinsidetheshelter.Thetraysarelabeledwiththenames
hybridforms,butasthebonesinsidethemdissolveovertime, of different animals and body parts: rat, cat, chicken, calf
theybecomeamorphousblobsliketheonestheinvestigators brain, human lung, etc. The one marked “cat” is empty of
encounteredinthemine.Theringandfingerbonesshefound mushrooms,butafilthy-lookingandfoul-smellingcatissleep-
inthe“hand”werefromanearlyvictim. ingontopofastackofgraphsandnotes.Iftheheroescancap-
Second, the higher the background radiation, the faster turethecatandexamineit,theywillfinditisafungoidblob
the mutant mushrooms grow and reproduce, and the more thatthinksit’sacat.(Whilesmallandfairlyharmless,itiseven
likelytheyaretoanimateacorpse.Inanormalenvironment, moredifficulttocatchthanarealcat.)
theycan’tcompetewithnon-mutatedstrainsofghoulfungus. A2-lb.plasticbagofmutantmushroomspores,unlabeled
InawastedumporaroundanA-bombtestsite,though,they (rollonBiologytoidentifyasspores;otherwise,theyjustlook
wouldthrive. likecoffeegrounds)sitsnexttothepercolator.
Third,themutantmushroomscanbeeatenwithnoappar- Shortly after the heroes enter the fallout shelter and
entilleffectsatfirst–buttheirsporeslodgeinthegutandcon- encounterthefungoidcat,BuckCalhoun(p.9)descendsthe
tinuetogrow.Thehostcanlivenormallyforweeksuntilthe stairs to the shelter, brandishing a double-barrel shotgun
fungidissolvethebones,turningthehostintoaslimeball.The (12G).Addictedtothefungiandsufferingwithdrawal(treatas
fungi are also addictive: Creatures infected by the fungi are havingtheOntheEdgedisadvantage,p.B146),heintendsto
attracted to the faint smell emitted by the mutated mush- takeallthefungiandthespores,andwillkillanyonewhotries
rooms, slimeballs, and other hosts. She hasn’t fed them to to prevent this. He’s just smart enough to seek cover while
humansyetanddoesn’tintendto,butmonkeys,ratsandmice reloading,buthasn’tthoughttochecktoseewhetheranyone
that have eaten them soon come to prefer them to all other elseisinthehouse.
P M 6 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
I believe in slime and stink and every crawling, putrid thing . . .
– Lieutenant Kinderman, The Exorcist III
A few minutes after the confrontation begins, the fungi scrambletocreatearoadblockafewmilesnorth,theheroes
insideBuck’sbodydissolvehisbonesuntilhe’snolongerable haveachancetotrytoboardthetruck.Ifsuccessful,theycan
tousehisgun,andhe’llbecomea140lb.slimeballinsidebib detach the kingpin and separate the tractor from the trailer;
overalls. this requires a roll against Mechanic/TL7 (Heavy Wheeled),
Whentheinvestigatorsemergefromtheshelterandcontact and1dturnsuninterruptedwork.Ifthetrailerisdetached,it
Dr. Tamblin, they are told that someone has just hijacked an deceleratesat5mph/s,andtheinvestigatorscanattackKnox
Augeustruckcarryingtonsofnuclearwaste... andthetractorwithoutendangeringthenuclearwaste.
Toaddtothetension,Knoxisindangerofdissolvinginto
T F F a slimeball at any time during the chase, leaving the truck
HE AST AND THE URIOUS
effectivelydriverless.Iftheslimeballescapesfromthetruck
Thehijacker,GeorgeKnox,isalsothemanwhokilledHolt alive, it tries to escape, even if that means trickling down a
andAdams.Knoxhadservedtwoyearsofalifesentencefor storm drain into a sewer. If that happens, he may reemerge
fatallyshootingaguardintherobbery.Afterescaping,hewent anywhereinthecity.
to the mine to retrieve the unrecovered loot from the heist –
$26,000in$50and$100billsconcealedinadummycanister. T B E
HE EGINNING OF THE ND
WhilewaitinginthemineforhisbrotherHoward,anAugeus
employee,tobringhimcivilianclothesandothernecessities, If the heroes retrieved Buck’s wallet from his body, or
Knoxatesomeofthemutatedmushrooms,mistakingthemfor checked the registration on his pickup truck (parked in the
ediblespecies.HelaterfoundVandermeer’snotebook,butwas streetoutsideVandermeer’shouse),theydiscoverhisaddress.
notresponsibleforVandermeer’sdeath–thescientist’sbones Afterthey’vetakencareofKnox,theycancheckouttheloca-
haddissolvedwhilehewasinthemine,andapartfromthefin- tion. By the time, they reach the farm, every living animal –
ger that was scavenged by the owl, all of his body had been includingDuke(Buck’sbrother)–hasdissolvedintofungoids
absorbed into the larger slimeball there. When Holt and and merged into a 12-ton slimeball that is slowly oozing
Adamsarrived,heassumedthey’dcometoarresthim;heshot towardsthecity.Thelongertheinvestigatorswaittovisitthe
both,thenstoleHolt’ssuitandjeep. farm,thelargertheslimeballwillbewhentheyencounterit–
Addictedtothemushrooms,KnoxcalledonBuckandDuke andthegreatertheriskthatitwillslitherintothesewersys-
Calhoun; he knew they grew peyote and marijuana on their tem,makingitmoredifficulttotrackdownanddestroywith-
small,isolatedfarm.Hesoonhadthemhooked,buttheysoon outevacuatingtheentirecity...
deduced that the mushrooms only thrived in
radioactive environments. The three bought what
radioactivematerialtheycouldlegally,beforeKnox
Many Happy Returns
decided to steal nuclear waste and dump it some-
wherewherethemutantmushroomswouldfinda
Forasequeltothisadventure,justassumethatsomesporesof
goodgrowthmedium(somewherewithaplentiful
the mutated mushrooms have found a good growth medium, and
supply of fresh corpses), then release the spores
been eaten by hapless individuals. The eaters don’t need to be
fromVandermeer’slab.
human:ablobwiththeinstinctsandmemoriesofapig,abear,or
If prevented from reaching the farm with his
aratcouldbejustasnasty.
cargoofwaste,Knoxthreatenstodumpthewaste
(and the spores, if he has them) in the most I Was a Teenage Wereblob: A skinny high school student eats
densely populated area he can find. He is armed mutatedmushroomsandbeginstogrow.Thiscanbedoneasakids’
with a 12G auto shotgun (p. B279), a .30 lever- adventure,ashisfriends–thePCs–watchhimchangeintosome-
action carbine (p. B279), and his .45 auto pistol thingmonstrousandtrytofindacure.
(p.B278). TheWildRiders:AgangofbikerscalledtheBlueDevilsdiscover
The police issue an all-points bulletin for the the pain-killing effects of the mutated mushrooms and become
truck and notify the Army and the AEC; the story addicted to them. Harley-riding slimeballs are soon terrorizing
soon leaks to journalists. The heroes become smalltowns–andsowingmushroomsporeswherevertheygo.
involved in the hunt, with instructions to stop the Lab Rats. A Dr. Strangelove-type (mad scientist with military
truckifpossible,butnottodoanythingthatmight contacts)decidestocontinueDr.Vandermeer’swork,andcomesup
disrupt the canisters of waste. Each pursuing car with a drug that prevents the mushroom eaters from turning into
carriesaGeigercounter,afireextinguisher,andan slimeballs.Atleast,itworkedonallthelabanimalssofar.Nowall
NBCsuitforeachpassenger. hehastodoisfindsomehumanexperimentalsubjects...
Oncethetruckhasbeenlocated,gettinginclose
requiressomefancyDrivingrolls.Whilethepolice
P M 7 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
C C
AST OF HARACTERS
These are the main people that the investigators are most Aid/TL7(E)IQ[1]-15;Forensics/TL7(H)IQ[4]-15;Gardening
likelytoencounter. (E)IQ[1]-15;HazardousMaterials/TL7(Biological)(A)IQ[2]-
15; Hazardous Materials/TL7 (Radioactive) (A) IQ [2]-15;
D . C T Photography/TL7(A)IQ[2]-15;Physics/TL9(VH)IQ-1[4]-14;
R HARITY AMBLIN
Research (A) IQ+1 [4]-16; Survival (Forest) (A) Per-1 [1]-14;
136points Teaching(A)IQ-1[1]-14;Writing(A)IQ[2]-15.
Dr.CharityTamblinisawell-respectedbiologist,specializing
inplantsandfungi.Shealsowritescookbooksunderapseudo- GEORGE KNOX
nym. Prohibited from driving because of her epilepsy, she
(H F )
spends most of her time in the lab, but usually wears hiking UMAN ORM
boots and jeans under her white lab smock in case she has a
111points
chancetodofieldwork.She’sinherlate40s,withatannedcom-
plexion,strawberryblondhair,andhazeleyes. GeorgeKnoxbeganhiscriminalcareerasashoplifteratthe
age of seven, and was soon filching on demand for a local
ST10[0];DX11[20];IQ15[100];HT10[0]. fence.HeservedintheArmyduringWorldWarII,untilhewas
Damage1d-2/1d;BL20lbs.;HP10[0];Will15[0];Per15 caught stealing. On his release, he turned to car theft and
[0];FP10[0]. armed robbery. He escaped from jail after his third felony
BasicSpeed5.25[0];BasicMove5[0];Dodge8. arrest and hid in the mine shaft where he’d stashed the loot
5’7”;165lbs. he’dstolenfromanarmoredcar.
Knoxhasfewredeemingqualitiesapartfrombravery,soit
Social Background doesn’ttakemuchtoturnhimintoamonster.Hishumanform
has a weathered complexion, dark crew-cut hair (with a
TL:7[0].
widow’s peak), gray eyes, crooked teeth, and tattoos on both
CF:Western[0].
arms.Heusuallywearsaleatherjacket,workshirt,bluejeans,
Languages:English(Native)[0];French(Broken)[2];Latin
and steel-toed boots, and carries a .45 auto pistol (p. B278)
(Broken)[2];Spanish(Accented)[4].
withtwospareclips.
Advantages ST13[30];DX11[20];IQ11[20];HT11[10].
Damage1d/2d-1;BL34lbs.;HP13[0];Will12[5];Per12
Acute Vision 3 [6]; Night Vision 4 [4]; Reputation +4
[5];FP11[0].
(Authorityonradiation-inducedmutation;Toacademics)[7].
BasicSpeed6.00[10];BasicMove6[0];Dodge9;Parry9
(Brawling).
Disadvantages
6’1”;190lbs.
Curious (6) [-10]; Epilepsy [-30]; Gluttony (12) [-5];
Insomnia[-10];Overweight[-1];Workaholic[-5]. Social Background
Quirks: Imaginative; Incompetence (Accounting); Loves
TL:7[0].
horrormovies.[-3]
CF:Western[0].
Languages: English (Native) [0]; French (Broken) [2];
Skills
German(Broken)[2];Spanish(Broken)[2].
Artist (Drawing) (H) IQ [4]-15; Biology/TL7 (Terrestrial)
(VH)IQ+2[16]-17;Chemistry/TL7(H)IQ[4]-15;Cooking(A) Advantages
IQ+1[4]-16;CurrentAffairs(Science&Technology)(E)IQ[1]-
Fearlessness2[4];HighPainThreshold[10];NightVision2
15; Electronics Operation/TL7 (Scientific) (A) IQ [2]-15; First
[2];TemperatureTolerance2[2].
Get on your radios and sound an all points alarm. Block all
highways, stop all traffic, and call every law enforcement agency in
the state. . . . Operator, get me the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Yes, it’s an emergency!
– Dr. Hill, in Invasion of the Body Snatchers
P M 8 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
Disadvantages Advantages
Addiction (Mutant mushrooms) [-20]; Bad Temper (12) [- HighPainThreshold[10];TemperatureTolerance2[2].
10]; Bully (12) [-10]; Callous [-5]; Greed (12) [-15];
Impulsiveness (15) [-5]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Disadvantages
Reputation-3(Violentcriminal;7orless)[-5].
Addiction (Mutant mushrooms) [-20]; Appearance (Unat-
Quirks: Dislikes cats and dogs; Enjoys westerns; Horrible
tractive)[-4];Impulsiveness(15)[-5];SenseofDuty(Brother)
hangovers; Overconfident driver; Prefers stealing Fords
[-2].
becauseClydeBarrowdid.[-5]
Quirks:Distractible;Mildxenophobia;Shyaroundwomen,
exceptwhendrunk;Staid.[-4]
Skills
AreaKnowledge(City)(E)IQ+1[2]-12;Brawling(E)DX+2 Skills
[4]-13;Climbing(A)DX[2]-11;Driving/TL7(Automobile)(A)
Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-11; Current Affairs (Sports) (E) IQ
DX+2 [8]-14; Driving/TL7 (Heavy Wheeled) (A) DX+1 [4]-13;
[1]-9; Driving/TL7 (Automobile) (A) DX [2]-10; Driving/TL7
Escape(H)DX-2[1]-9;FastTalk(A)IQ+1[4]-12;FirstAid/TL7
(HeavyWheeled)(A)DX+1[4]-12;Farming/TL7(A)IQ+1[4]-
(E) IQ [1]-11; Filch (A) DX+1 [4]-13; Guns/TL7 (Pistol) (E)
10; Guns/TL7 (Rifle) (E) DX+1 [0]-11*; Guns/TL7 (Shotgun)
DX+2 [2]-13*; Guns/TL7 (Rifle) (E) DX+1 [0]-12*; Guns/TL7
(E)DX+3[8]-13;Stealth(A)DX[2]-10.
(Shotgun) (E) DX+3 [8]-14; Holdout (A) IQ+1 [4]-12;
Intimidation (A) Will+1 [4]-13; Mechanic/TL7 (Automobile) *DefaultedfromGuns/TL7(Shotgun).
(A)IQ+1[4]-12;Running(A)HT+1[4]-12;Stealth(A)DX[2]-
11;Streetwise(A)IQ+2[8]-13;Survival(Desert)(A)Per-1[1]- S
LIMEBALL
11.
Themutatedmushroomscantakeoveranycreaturelarger
*DefaultedfromGuns/TL7(Shotgun).
than an ant. The fungoids keep the same stats as their host
body–untilanyhardpartsdissolveandleaveaformless,slow-
moving blob, which uses the stats below. The real trouble
starts when multiple blobs merge into slimeballs, which can
When it comes to bugs, slime, growtothesizeofmountains(atleasttheoretically)yetooze
throughtinycracks.
crud, and compost, you’re the man.
Thestatsbelowareforthelargespecimenencounteredin
themine.SlimeballSTandHParedependentonweight–typ-
– Dr. Camille Saroyan,
ically1pointofeachforevery14lbs.IQmaystartoffhigh,but
in Bones #2.3 quickly drops as the brain dissolves. Other stats, apart from
SM,remainconsistent.
ST:65 HP:65 Speed:4.00
DX:8 Will:11 Move:2
IQ:2 Per:8 Weight:900lbs.
B C
UCK ALHOUN HT:14 FP:14 SM:+3
(H F ) Dodge:7 Parry:N/A DR:0
UMAN ORM
EngulfingAttack(8):Binding(levelequaltoST)withEngulf-
30points
ingandStickyenhancements+follow-up1dcorrosionwith
BuckandhisolderbrotherDukeliveonasmallrun-down
Cyclic(10one-secondcycles)enhancement.ReachC,1.
farmafewmilesnorthofthecity.Theykeepchickens,turkeys,
acow,andafewpigs,butmostoftheirincomecomesfromthe Traits:360°Vision;Doesn’tSleep;InjuryTolerance(Homoge-
marijuana plants hidden among the alfalfa, and the moon- nous; No Blood); Invertebrate; Metabolism Control 10
shinebrewedfromthecornandpotatoes. (Hibernation,-60%);NoManipulators;RadiationTolerance
Buckhasafreckledcomplexion,badlycutsandyhair,big 200;Regeneration(Fast);TemperatureTolerance4;Univer-
ears and big teeth, blue eyes, and a lantern jaw. He usually salDigestion;WildAnimal.
wearsfadedbiboveralls,acheckedshirt,andscuffedboots. Skills:Brawling-11;Stealth-8.
ST13[30];DX10[0];IQ9[-20];HT12[20].
A A
Damage1d/2d-1;BL34lbs.;HP13[0];Will9[0];Per9[0]; BOUT THE UTHOR
FP12[0].
StephenDedmanistheauthorofGURPS Dinosaursand
Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8; Parry 8
the novels Shadowrun: A Fistful of Data; The Art of Arrow
(Brawling).
Cutting;ShadowsBite;andForeignBodies.Hehasalsowritten
5’8”;170lbs.
a number of Pyramid articles and other RPG material, plus
morethan100shortstoriespublishedinaneclecticvarietyof
Social Background
magazinesandanthologies.
TL:7[0]. He is co-owner of Fantastic Planet, a science fiction and
CF:Western[0]. fantasy bookshop in Perth, Australia. For more information,
Languages:English(Native)[0]. checkoutstephendedman.com.
P M 9 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE
D D
OMINION AY
A G
ENERIC
R T
OARING WENTIES
A
POCALYPSE
J. E T
BY DWARD REMLETT
Chicago,1925. It was the Roaring Twenties – a gilded age. The new rich
Johncreptalongthewall,carefullylookingintothegangsters’ partied like there was no tomorrow, and spent money like
warehouse. In the half-light, he could see the shapes of things therewasnoendtoit.Peoplewerehappy,buoyedbyvictory
that were no longer men, carefully creating a horrible machine overaterriblewar.Brightnessshinedeverywhere.Thingswere
thatseemedequalpartsmetalandflesh.Heknewthatshouldit goingtobegreat.
befullyassembled,thispartofthecitywasdoomed. Orsopeoplethought.
TheenemyseemedakintothoseEgyptianmummiesevery- The truth was that there was a terrible darkness, hiding
one was so fascinated by these days: wrapped in pale, weath- underthebrightlightsandgold.TheApocalypsehadbeenlet
ered leather bandages under large, equally weathered leather looseupontheEarthduringthefiercestfightingoftheGreat
coats. Their faces were terrible – partially hidden behind War.ThegatesofHellwererentasunderinthecarnage,sothat
translucentarmorthatresembledthegasmasksthey’dallworn nonecouldresealthem.
intheGreatWar. Now, the fearsome Hosts of Heaven slowly assemble.
Thosemaskshadsavedmanylives,butnottheirs,norJohn’s. MortalsmarkedforservicebyoneoftheFourHorsemenare
Not that they’d noticed at the time. In fact, the only reason he draftedintotheFinalArmy.TheAngelscanonlyobeyasthese
wasouthere,andnotinthere,wasthathe’dbeen10minuteslate seeminglyunholymockeriesofthehumanformcarryoutfear-
tothelastVFWmeeting. somemissionsagainsttheAdversary,andtheirownkind.
Just10minutesmadethedifferencebetweenslaveryandfree- Atthesametime,HellislooseuponEarth,anditsDemons
dom–howeverdamningthelatterhadbeen.ButtheDemonwho’d walk the streets in search of souls. Monsters spawned of the
savedJohnthatnighthadknownwhattosay,justlikehe’dknown netherworldprowlthealleysandlonelyplaces,makingslaugh-
whattosaytothethreeothersherewithhim,tonight. terandsowingchaos.Thedamnedhavereturnedtokillorfor
Fourcondemneddesertersagainst14membersoftheHostof revenge–andoccasionallyredemption.
Death?Notgreatodds.ButJohnhadbeenupagainstworseones Thiswashowitwaswritten,andthisishowitshallbe,orso
atReims,whenthey’dkilledhim,claimedhissoul,andbrought saysoneprophecyabouttheendtimes.Therearemanymore,
himbacktolifejusttoturnhimintoaholysoldierlateron. andothersofferwaystoturnbacktheclock,indefinitelyfore-
He hadn’t had divine weapons and Demon blood churning stalltheconflict,orevenendthewarbeforeitbegins.Itmight
insidehisflesh,then. evenbepossibletosabotagethemusteringofbothsidestoforce
Terrywentinfirst,asagreed–bleedingblack,skeletalarmor acosmicstalemate.
untilheshriveledintoastick-likeparodyofhimself,butsucking However,thosewhowouldworkagainsttheforcesofthe
down the power of their enemies. Myra followed quickly there- HeavenandHellmustfirstmakeaFaustianbargain.Tofight
after, brandishing a large, red blade that cut through her weak- for the world’s salvation is to accept death . . . and those
ened targets. Tom stayed back, ensuring any civilians who markedbytheHorsemenrisketernaldamnationbyturning
wanderedbywouldfeeltoosicktocometooclose–savingthem theirbacksonthatcalling.
frombecomingcasualtiesofwar. BothHeavenandHellaretheenemy,andtheyareasmany
ThatleftJohn,whoslitheredwithpale,leatherstripsuntilhe andpowerfulasbravemenandwomenarefew.Butamongthe
lookedlikeaweakerinstaroftheirfoes.He’dbeen10minutestoo bloodysacrificeoftheFinalWar,andtheseemingimpotence
latetobecomeawarriorforHeaven.Butashewieldedthepower ofitscommanders,theremayyetbehopeforthegildedage.
ofHolypoisonagainsttheHost,hevowedhewouldnotbetoo Who will give their all to end the Apocalypse before it truly
latetosavethispartofChicago. begins?
WhowillrisetostopDominionDay?
P M 10 J 2011
YRAMID AGAZINE UNE