The Monsters

This is another, 1st Edition WFRP scenario that I ran for my son and his three friends. This one did not follow on immediately from the last (‘The Inheritance’) as I ran a couple of scenarios based on the specific consequences of the PCs’ particular actions. This does, however, work as a stand alone adventure which any GM can run. With a change of names, it could also be set anywhere in the Old World.

Notes: If the text or information repeats in places, it is due to the fact that these notes were originally written for me. I tend to write a background overview of the general scenario, at least the starting situation, and then a break down of a possible or likely sequence of events, which can repeat of the same information or ideas. I see a scenario as a working-document, an ongoing guide for the GM during play. I have put pictures of some of the figures I used in the scenario. Because I use figures I tend not to write descriptions of many NPCs, instead describing the figure as is!

The Monsters

(A scenario for a group of fighters, rogues and/or rangers.)

Background

The small town of Torrigna and its Morrite monastery of Rovata, have been suffering mysterious losses. Several people have gone missing, including the town’s signore, Gonzaga Mazzotti, who had been leading a search party to look for the first people to vanish. The town militia have become fearful, believing that the culprit is a vicious but cunning monster that feeds upon human flesh, consuming every part of its victims, even their bones. Or worse, a whole band of such monsters.

The town council and abbot of Rovata monastery, Dom Endrigo Guercio, have jointly asked the arch-lector in Remas to send a suitable party to find the monster, then help the militia to kill it, promising that the town will house and assist the party in any way they need.

The PCs might be chosen because of their proven loyalty, obvious abilities &/or recent experience, or simply because they seem tough enough. The arch-lector’s agent tasked with recruiting the PCs is the priest Fr. Vedasto Ambrogia, who may well already know the PCs. He will warn them that the abbot Dom Endrigo is an unpleasant, overly haughty man, thrice before having been accused of cruelty, bordering on despotism. Nothing, however, was ever proven, and apart from being an unlikable man, he may well be guilty of nothing more than having enemies (and who isn’t?) Vedasto admits to being quite surprised that Dom Endrigo requested aid, such is his pride and arrogance. Perhaps his hand was forced by the fact that the town council begged him to send for help?

The disappearances began with a small party of monks from the monastery, followed (mostly) by older children and women. Dogs were used to scent trails and so discovered their shoes and other items of clothing, bloody, in the forest. The signore then led a mounted hunting party, which became split up when discovering a number of different trails, planning to rendezvous later. The signore and the two servants accompanying him never returned, and have not been seen or heard of since. Their horses were found wandering the woods.

Rumours concerning the cause of the disappearances vary. Could it be ravenous wolves or bears, a band of goblins, trolls or beastmen, or even slavers leaving false clues as to the deaths? As no bodies have been found, just bloodied rags, then most folk assume whatever is taking them is devouring them whole!

The Truth

Dom Endrigo, after his close shaves over previous criminal behaviour, recognised that his days as an abbot were most likely coming to an end, probably when he at last failed to wriggle out of trouble. So, lured by promises of security, wealth and power by a dream-whispering / mirror-inhabiting demon, he turned to worshipping chaos powers. The demon, Olvomoch, has not only convinced the abbot it is an aspect of a chaos god, but that Dom Endrigo needs to summon it fully into the real world so that it can properly serve the abbot, to both satisfy his greed and keep him from all harm. For this to happen, the demon needs human sacrifices (two dozen for a full strength manifestation!) as well as the correct performance of specific rituals.

Olvomoch simultaneously convinced several of the other monks to serve him (some through promises, but more through fearful visions and nightmares). These then confessed or reported their experiences to the abbot, and were told by Dom Endrigo that the demon was a nightmare aspect of Morr, the god of dreams and death. He convinced them that they should bow to it, serve it and join him in conjuring it into the waking world, for this aspect of Morr had holy work to do, punishing the wicked so that they might correct the error of their ways before dying.

There followed the death of a growing number of sacrificial victims. The monks were told these had already been judged as too sinful to be saved, and that their sacrifice was the only way to grant them passage into the garden of Morr (the afterlife).

Of course, those few monks who refused to serve the demon &/or the abbot were either killed or imprisoned (as potential sacrifices!). Some became so terrified by the visions (in mirrors and nightmares) that they went mad or committed suicide. A handful attempted to escape but were caught and killed by the (now) evil monks. The story was put out that they had been attacked while out together gathering herbs and berries, and some of their clothing and possessions were left lying around as if their bodies had been dragged away to be consumed by ‘the monster’.

The summoning ritual requires living sacrifices, so the already dead monks were of no use and were buried. Only two are now held as prisoners, gagged so that they cannot speak. The evil monks are now busy capturing more people for sacrifices, whilst leaving ‘evidence’ (clothes smeared with pigs’ blood) to make it look like the victims were attacked and dragged away by the same wild, monstrous thing that took their fellow clerics.

When the signore went missing (actually killed in an ambush by crossbow-armed monks) the town council decided they must send for aid. Dom Endrigo managed to convince the councillors that it would be best for him to appeal to the arch-lector personally, which allowed him specifically to request mercenaries, soldiers, hunters, rangers &/or scouts. He could not risk having priests, wizards or academics sent, for they were surely more likely to become suspicious of the monastery and monks. Instead, he wanted outdoors types who would wander around the woods for days, befuddled by what they find. He told his servants to stamp some bear prints in the ground using a carved tool. He presumed that any tracks left by the evil monks’ would be lumped in with those of the victims and the townsfolk who came later to investigate (wandering all around the ‘murder’ sites). For extra precaution, all the sites chosen were close to streams, which allowed the tracks left by the evil monks to end as they continued along the waterway.

When the PCs arrive, the abbot will no longer risk sending his servants out to lay false evidence. By then, he will probably have nearly all the victims needed for the full sacrifice. The last few victims will have to be captured even more sneakily, while the evil monks wait for the astrologically perfect evening for the ritual to be performed.

Likely Events’ Sequence

Instructions

These are delivered by Fr. Vedasto Ambrogia, who has a paper with the following words:

“You are to travel by means of a ship to Urbimo, and from there to the town of Torrigna. The abbot of the neighbouring monastery of Rovata, Dom Endrigo Guercio, as well as the honourable members of the town council, have asked for assistance to be sent, specifically for soldiers, hunters, rangers and scouts. The town has suffered a number of mysterious losses, believed to be the work of a monstrous beast or beasts lurking in the nearby woods and wilderness – vicious and cunning in nature. The losses include even the town’s signore, Gonzaga Mazzotti, who led a party to search for the missing people, but never himself returned. Everyone in Torrigna is afraid, and the town’s militia have proven so far incapable of hunting down the monster. Do what you can to find the monster, so that, with the help of the militia, it can be killed and if any of its victims are still alive, they can be saved.”

Fr. Vedasto’s further thoughts on the matter

If Vedasto is the PCs’ friend, or if they make him feel free to speak his mind, he will add the following warning …

“I know Dom Endrigo, the abbot at Rovata, of old, and I do not like the man. Be warned, he’s an unpleasant, haughty fellow, who has been accused of cruelty, bordering on despotism, on three separate occasions. Nothing was ever proven, and so it is possible that apart from being unlikable, he may well have been innocent. Perhaps he is only guilty of having enemies?”

“I am surprised Dom Endrigo sent for help, such is his pride and arrogance. But I suppose, as the town council also asked & the monster has yet to be successfully hunted down, his hand was forced.”

(Optional NPC) Brother Agapito Faenza

This young initiate (priest-in-training) can be instructed to accompany and ‘advise’ the PCs, as he grew up in Torrigna. He is not there to lead them, but to act as a liaison between them and the locals.

Brother Agapito                                                  (Robes, religious symbol, blanket, bag)

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	29	24	3	3	6	37	1	32	29	39	34	36	35

Read/Write. Scroll Lore (p.55), Classical Language, Theology (knowledge of the full pantheon of dieties, and considerable knowledge concerning Morr & his church) He is secretly carrying a grenade (!) which a friend got for him when he heard Agapito might come face to face with a monster.

Character: Quiet, thoughtful, cautious. Devout and brave. Takes his faith and duties seriously, but has a humorous side to him, and enjoys little jokes. He took the grenade in a jokey mood, but has since decided he might just need it.

———————————————————————

(Optional event). Ship Journey

Short, uneventful. Can learn of brother Agapito. If wish to, could learn from sailors. 

Note: Your PCs might make alternative travel arrangements, certainly if you have set the adventure elsewhere.

———————————————————————

Arrival at Urbimo (or the nearest major town)

As the PCs walk along the dock from the ship they notice a group of armed men. These are some militia from Torrigna who were sent to escort the PCs to the town. They are keen to see who has been sent to help them. They have no officer to command them, although Big Giotto tends to boss them about as if he is one.

Depending on your PCs, these militia might begin mocking the PCs, a behaviour arising from their feelings of inadequacy because they have failed to deal with the monster themselves. If the PCs are tough hombres, however, the guards will probably just mutter and complain under their breaths. 

Possible jibes:        

“So, these are our saviours!”

“This is the best that Remas has to offer?”

“They’ll be inside the belly of the beast before the weeks is out!”

Brother Agapito will quietly advise the PCs to ignore the insults, but the PCs might have other ideas.

Militia Basilio, Polidoro & Pasquale               (Armed & armoured as the figures, with halberds)

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	41	28	3	3	7	35	1	29	29	29	29	29	29

Strike mighty (+1 damage), Strike to stun (+20 to chances to stun, no -20 WS, see p.57 & p.125) Specialist weapon – halberd (+10 I in 1^st round or if winning, +2 damage.)

Big Giotto                                                                                                             Skills as above

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	43	28	4	4	8	37	1	29	29	29	35	32	25

————————————————————-

At the town of Torrigna, while on the way to meet with the councillors

Some town children (Orio and Senifonte) run up to the PCs to claim that their friend, a boy called Regolo, witnessed the monster attack, and he said it was a giant, green bear. If the PCs go with the children to question Regolo, his story will soon fall to pieces, full of contradictions, under any sort of scrutiny. The details of where he was (the little stream or the gnarled tree), where he was going (home or to nonna’s house) and why, etc, will keep changing.

The argument could end like this … [Regolo:] “I think it was a wolf” [Orio:] “But you said it was a bear!” [Regolo:] “I meant a wolf as big as a bear!” [Orio] “A green wolf as big as a bear, that’s stupid.” [Regolo] “You’re stupid!” The boys then begin to fight.

Meeting the Councillors

Men

Valeriano Abbate (Chairman) Bald, tall, thin, cranky

Barnaba Busalacchi Oversized moustache, beer belly, confiused

Fr. Evaldo Pirozzi (Morrite priest) Gaunt, sharp nosed, stern and serious

Averardo Short, grey haired and bearded, slightly drunk

Women

Marianna Modica (Matriarca) Wizened, squinting, quick witted

Ombretta Lonero Wild eyed, tense

Delinda Ucci Pale, thin lipped, untrusting

Emilia Licursi Large teeth, opinionated

Concerning the disappearances, a tumble of conversations, theories and suggestions could ensue …

“We are most grateful that his holiness sent you to us to help, for the monster that is preying upon the people is almost impossible to find.”

“It leaves very little evidence of its passing, at least to the eyes of those who have no skill in tracking.”

“One might assume that it is a giant bird of prey, except such a thing must surely be noticed in the skies, and no such creature has been spotted.”

“It cannot be a burrowing beast, for the ground is not disturbed.”

“I have said before, it may well be an arboreal creature, akin to a Southlands’ ape.”

“I’d say a troll, for such is its ravenous hunger, eating every part of its prey and spitting out the clothes.”

“If hunger is the measure, then why not a brute ogre? They are renowned maneaters, with a greed for human flesh.”

“We do not know whether the victims are indeed eaten. Their blood was found, and the things they dropped, but they themselves are entirely removed.”

Eventually, Valeriano will say:

“Good sirs and gentleladies, pray peace. These men are here to answer these questions for certain. So,” he turns to the PCs. “I take it you would like to see where the monster last struck?”

The PCs are thus introduced to Reggy, who is instructed to show the PCs the last site of attack.

If the PC’s ask more questions, or seek further more conversation, then even more contrary suggestions will be forthcoming …

• A ravenous pack of wolves – beasts well known to be light on their feet
• A bear of unusual size and strength, able to leap great distances
• Goblin raiders, cunning enough to conceal their tracks
• Kidnapping slavers, smuggling the poor souls to the Border Princes’ markets
• Foul beastmen, half men, half animals, whose tracks are indistinguishable from the wild creatures in the woods

Scouring the Forest

A local trapper, Regolo ‘Reggy’ Pennella, will be assigned to the PCs to show them the evidence found thus far. He will be amused by the prospect, even in a laughing mood, because he knows what they are going to find (the tracks of a one legged bear!) and can’t wait to hear what they make of it.

Regolo ‘Reggy’ Pennella   Crossbow & quarrels, 10 yards rope, rowing boat, animal traps

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	31	38	3	3	8	40	1	32	26	29	45	29	39

Concealment rural, Orientation, Row, secret language – Ranger, Secret Signs – Woodsman’s, Set Trap, Silent Move Rural, Spot Trap

Character: Friendly, like Pete Martell in Twin Peaks!

The site

Reggo leads them to the last place people went missing from, where only a shoe was found, and a bloody shirt sleeve.

Suitably skilled PCs will discover the one-legged bear tracks (a hopping bear?!) and human footprints all around. (If the PCs do not have such skills, Reggy will enjoy showing them the one legged bear tracks).

If people were involved in snatching the victims then their tracks would likely now be lost amongst the tracks left by the townspeople who came later to search all around. The tracks prove little, as all tracks go in similar direction (to and from town, then all around attack site). Some tracks end at a stream.

If the PCs want to see other sites, Reggy will say they are all much the same, but is willing to show them if they insist.The GM could summarise the afternoon by saying they visit several, similar sites. If the PCs do not specifically mention look for a stream, then any trackers (or ranger types) with them who pass an Intelligence test will realise all the sites are fairly close to a stream.

Finding Bear Track (If/when the PC’s go hunting) → A Bear Fight!

If the PCs go looking for a bear, either hopping or one legged, it won’t take too long for a hunter, tracker or trapper type to find fresh bear tracks. If tracked, the PCs should come face to face with the bear – but it has two legs, and there will be no evidence of it being the killer.

Bear

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	34	0	5	4	11	30	2	–	24	10	24	24	–

Two claw attacks. Subject to frenzy if wounded. Cause fear in creatures ≤ 10’

Reggy’s conversation

During the above events, or perhaps on the way back to town, Reggy will happily wax lyrical with the PCs …

“The first to go missing were monks from the monastery, and after that the townsfolk started to disappear – all told nearly twenty have gone! That was when the signore and his guards went out looking for a monster. But only some of them came back, not the signore. They split up, see, went different ways. The council ordered a curfew – no one to be out of their houses after dark, apart from the militia. Then they sent for help – for you!

“Right from the start, the monastery gates were shut, like a besieged fortress, and the abbot won’t let the townsfolk in. The only time Dom Endrigo came out of the monastery, to attend the council meeting. He was scared, and had monks carrying crossbows with him. Apart from that, none of the monks have come to the town – not even to pray for dead and dying. That leaves Fr. Evaldo, the only priest in town, to say all the prayers – too many prayers for too many souls. One man can’t do it, not properly anyway!”

Reporting to the council (or to some of them)

When the PCs return from the forest, they will be called to report to the chairman, Valeriano Abbate, the priest Fr. Evaldo and the Matriarca Marianna Modica.

Valeriano: “If it was not the bear doing the killing, then what? Nigh upon twenty souls are missing.”

Note: List of the missing people

Gonzaga Mazzotti, signore and his two servants, Ruggero and Tristano La Scala, brothers
Fazio Arco, a little boy
Nunzio Scipio, a fisherman
Fernando Simonelli and his twin sister Esterina, aged 15
Acacio Cocuzza, the old hermit
Clarenzio Blanda, a visitor from Urbimo
Marita and Priscilla De Martino, two very old sisters who live in a hovel
Sofia Sposito, Ermenegarda Grima and Edelberga Alaimo – three young girls
Sabrina Alagna the washerwoman
Mafalda Baccaro, Cuzia Romeo and Euridice Vittone, three maidservants
Marzia Toto, an old wise woman
Dina Daniele, an orphan looked after by Nunzio Scipio

Valeriano’s Conclusion

Not much can be done now, as it is growing dark. He suggests the PCs rest for the night, & tomorrow go hunting again. Meanwhile, the curfew will remain, and all townsfolk should be in their homes by nightfall.

(In the evening) Meet the Rock Witch!

The ‘rock witch’ is a mad, old lady, who possesses a rock that tells her things. She is, however, genuinely clairvoyant.

The culprits: “My rock saw them who took the missing folk. Not monsters, and not just one, but many, with sour souls growing more wicked by the hour.”

The missing: “Those they took lie in a cauldron of stone, but the cook has yet to ring the dinner bell.”

If asked about the ‘cook’:   

“My rock says he is greedy. And the more he eats, the bigger he’ll grow.”

“Blood red flesh. Great white fangs. Wings, claws and a forked tail. All sharp, all cruel.”

“He cannot be sated.”

If pressed further: “My rock says the cauldron is down, down in the dark. The cook’s minions are scratching at the ground so they can paint it with blood.”

If asked re: ‘minions’:  “Their faces are in the dark.” (The monks’ hoods.)

That night

The mirror: One of the PC’s (determined randomly, unless the GM knows which PC is the most ‘sensitive’) catches site of an evil, red face in a looking glass. But there is no such thing in the room. It was only a glimpse, but it was snarling, revealing two, long fangs dripping blood.

A Nightmare      (Recount this like horror film.)

This is apparently an action episode, but it turns out to be merely a (randomly determined) PC’s nightmare.

The PCs are are entering their bedchamber. PC ‘X’ is the first to enter the room, the other PCs behind. As X steps in, the floor crumbles away, as if the wood was dry and rotten, and they drop into a large, black stone pit. (Describe all this to player of PC X, but if the other players ask, tell them they are looking from the doorway.) X sees a hunched red-fleshed creature in the middle of the pit, only half a dozen yards away, with wings upon its back. X realises they have has lost their weapons in the fall – they can’t see them anywhere!  

(Here the GM can give a suitable ‘horror’ description of the demon – like the image.)

Suddenly, the demonic creature is attacking PC X, tearing their flesh and breaking their bones.

(The GM can pretend to be referring to stats while rolling dice.)

If the other PCs try to help, they will all end up struggling. (They are not actually present, as this is just X’s dream.) Any PCs who jump down will get stuck in gluey stone. Any arrows shot from the doorway will arc strangely around the pit and possibly endanger the shooter as they come around! Etc, etc.

As the dreaming PC is torn apart, perhaps believing they need to spend a fate point to survive (?) they suddenly wake up! Cold sweat, screaming etc. They can describe the nightmare to the other PCs, although the players will already know!

“We need witnesses, clues, something to go on”

The next morning, the young initiate, Brother Agapito, suggests …

“We need to find real witnesses, not just those who think it might be this or could be that. Merely speculating. And if there are none, then maybe we can learn something from those who last saw the missing people.”

“Maybe the monks of Rovata can tell us something useful concerning the first to go missing. Or family, friends, even neighbours in the town might tell us something useful about the people who went missing.”

Questioning the Townspeople

At first, little useful can be learned from the townspeople.

• Most recall that the victims were upon some errand – visiting someone, tending animals or vines (etc), collecting firewood, etc.
• One NPC says he found a crossbow quarrel in a tree near where his missing friend was supposed to be going. But this was not the same place his friends bloody hat was found.

Nighmares

• Many NPCs suspect a demon is involved. If asked why, they will say they have dreamt of it. The demon is luring people into the wilds to devour them whole!
• If the PCs press people regarding the nightmares, a theme emerges: The demon watches from shadows, then points at a victim and suddenly shadowy, robed men swoop in and tear the victim away, while the demon laughs.
• If PCs ask people about why the monks are not allowed to leave the monastery, someone will say that is a lie – the monks have been witnessed leaving in groups, presumably they are also hunting for the monster. If pressed, will say that the monks were armed with crossbows.

A new development – a girl has gone missing from the town itself!

Now that the monks cannot risk continuing their previous ‘modus operandi’ (i.e. taking people from the woods and leaving fake evidence, etc) they must obtain their victims by another means. Three monks crept into the town last night and kidnapped Dolores Moriconi, a girl of about 15, from her room at the back of her house!

An NPC: “Whatever took people from the woods is visiting the town now, in the darkness. Last night it took Dolores Moriconi. Snatched her from her bed.”

The PCs can learn more about this by investigation…

The mother: If the PCs speak to Dolores’ mother, Ilaria, she tells them her daughter went to bed, was always a good girl, and was taken in the night. She heard nothing all night

The room: If the PC’s investigate Dolores’ room and window, they may find a little piece of torn-off grey, woollen cloth caught on a thorn bush outside her large open window. (Search tests.)

The grey cloth: If the PCs do not recognise this for what it is, Brother Agapito will look shocked, take it from them and hold it against the sleeve of his grey woollen habit so they can see the similarity.

Visiting the Monastery

Important Note: If the PCs choose to visit the monastery earlier in the adventure, then Dom Endrigo and all the monks will be very welcoming, polite (however strained), even quite ‘boring’, although the abbot is a bit brusque. All say the monks say they want to help. The PCs will learn a simple story: A party of monks went out, went missing, after which the monastery has been guarded and no monks have been allowed to leave, apart from when Dom Endrigo visited to town councillors.

Finale (at the Monastery)

This should occur after much of the above has happened. The demon Olvomoch has tired of waiting, & Dom Endrigo knows he cannot risk sending any more monks out to take the last few victims. The demon planned on taking two dozen victims to feed the ritual – the more he has, the larger and stronger he will be – but now he wants to manifest as soon as possible, before something goes awry with his plans!

The monks currently have 18 still living victims, and one by one, they are working through sacrificing them to fill the ‘geotic’ circle’s grooves with human blood!

Note: Perhaps unusually, there are several looking glasses in the monastery. A random PC catches terrifying glimpse of an evil, red face. If the PC has had the dream, then recognises the demon from their dream.

On Arrival

A monk will attempt to refuse entry:

“The abbot’s orders” … “This is not an appropriate time” … “The order is at prayers and cannot be disturbed” … etc

If players insist, perhaps reminding the monk that they have authority from the arch-lector, or that the matter is urgent (etc) the monk will be forced to relent and allow them inside.

If the PC’s don’t insist, Brother Agapito will remind the monk of their authority!

Inside the Monastery

The PCs will be led to the refectory, where they are to await the abbot, who the monk promises to fetch immediately. The door is closed (and locked) behind them. Hearing tests (double the initiative stat as the clunk of the key is quite loud). The monk wants them held until he can gather some armed monks to deal with them.

The door is fairly strong, so it will take some bashing down. When the PCs get through the door, some armed monks will be waiting in the Chapter House, ready to take them on.

Monks                                                                    Armed with melee weapons as on the figures

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	28	24	3	3	6	32	1	34	25	30	36	28	30

Read/Write. Scroll Lore, Classical Language, Theology

If the fight goes badly for the monks (as it surely will?), one will run to warn Don Endrigo & the monks below, so that they can prepare a defence of the passage to the cavern. The PCs will notice his flight and so it should be easy for them to follow his path and thus find the way to the passage.

The fleeing monk will run to the dormitory, at the far end of which is the entrance to the passageway is – a trapdoor, leading to stairs, leading down to the passageway.

(Possible encounter) The Dormitory

One crossbow monk awaits at the far end, behind an upturned bed, hoping to shoot the PC’s while not getting shot himself. His goal, at the least, is to slow them down.

Crossbow Monk                                                                       Armed with crossbows and knives

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	28	27	3	3	6	34	1	36	25	28	38	28	26

Read/Write. Scroll Lore, Classical Language, Theology

The Passageway

It is very dark down here, but there is a flickering light coming from the other end (cast by torches carried by the monks in the geotic circle cavern).

Several crossbow armed monks will try to use the nooks and crannies of this underground, rocky passageway to their advantage. (A GM determined number of them.) Due to their prepared position in a narrow passageway, these monks have +10 to hit bonus if they aim at the PCs as a group rather than at an individual (the GM can randomly determine who is hit between those at the front). If the monks aim for a particular PC when the PCs are together, then if they miss they have a 10+ chance on 2D6 of hitting another PC instead!

Crossbow Monks                                                                      Armed with crossbows and knives

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	28	27	3	3	6	34	1	36	25	28	38	28	26

Read/Write. Scroll Lore, Classical Language, Theology

The Prisoners

Near the end of the passageway is a caged area with the last 6 people yet to be sacrificed. Boy, will they be pleased to see the PCs! A monk is guarding them, with a key to the cage door.

The Cavern

This large, almost perfectly round area of black stone has a geotic circle carved into the floor, in the grooves of which is human blood. In the very centre of the circle is the demon Olvomoch, still ethereal in form. With the last six sacrifices he would get even bigger, but now the PCs have interfered with the ritual he is likely to be as big as he is going to get. Nothing can hurt him while he is ethereal, and he cannot move from the centre of the circle or hurt anyone himself. BUT if Dom Endrigo says the last line of the ritual at anytime (“Intra hunc mundum”), Olvomorch will manifest in physical form (just a bit weaker and smaller than he intended).

12 people have already already sacrificed and the 6 other prisoners were about to be, their blood being used to fill the channels of the geotic circle & markings. (Note: The GM can change these numbers, and the demon’s stats, if the PCs get there earlier, or later.)

The cavern contains one or two monks with burning torches, a pile of corpses, Dom Endrigo & ethereal Olvomorch.

Note: On first entry, the brightness of the torches conceals Dom Endrigo.

Torch Bearing Monks                                                             Armed knives & burning torches

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	30	27	3	3	6	34	1	35	24	30	35	27	26

Read/Write. Scroll Lore, Classical Language, Theology

Torches: Fire (p.80) Str 3 + D4 damage (armour & wards do count). If roll a 4 on D4 = 10% chance of further damage (D4), then reroll on further D4 rolls of 4, adding damage until 1-3 is rolled.

Dom Endrigo  (Effectively on the path to becoming a demonologist!)

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	33	25	3	4	8	42	1	45	45	47	42	39	26

Skills : Arcane Language – Demonology; Demon Lore (He has learned no spells as yet, having only been taught the summoning ritual by Olvomoch)

Possessions: Amulet of Thrice Blessed Copper (p. 183 Suffers 1 less wound from mundane weapons. See rules for effects vs poison). Magical dagger  +1 A

End Game

When Olvomoch realises his summoning could fail, he orders Endrigo to complete the ritual immediately, using the classical tongue.

Olvomoch: “Nunc finire”

Dom Endrigo: “Domine, intra hunc mundum”

Olvomoch (A little better than a Lesser Demon)

Mv	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Dex	Ld	Int	Cl	WP	Fel
4	50	42	5	5	18	56	2	89	89	89	89	89	14

Fly as a swooper (climb or dive +/- 20 yards per round)

Immune to non-magical weapons

Becomes subject to instability if reduced to less than 9 wounds. (see p.215, and interpret as GM prefers)

Olvomoch is ecstatic to have material form, but annoyed that he is not as powerful as he would have been if the full sacrifice had been made. He will attempt, in his arrogance, to TOY WITH the PCs, taking slow delight in killing them all.

Important Note:

If he is still with them, Brother Agapito can bless the PCs’ weapons with a simple prayer (even his bomb) to make them temporarily count as ‘magical’. If he is aware of what is going on, he will shout a PC over to him to offer to bless their weapon.