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SJG01095 GURPS - Deadlands - Dime Novel 1 - Aces & Eights (2001)
SJG01095 GURPS - Deadlands - Dime Novel 1 - Aces & Eights (2001)
GURPS Undead
You're dead - so now what? Time to
check the book of the dead .. . GURPS
Undead covers everything from undead
necromancers to the brain-eating zombies of
the B-movies. Inside you will find a history
=-
1111111
Ill
GURPS Old West
The American frontier was a legend, even
as it was happening. Gunfighters, Indians,
cowboys, miners, and mountain men ... the
"rust-eaters" who pushed the rails west .. .
the Pony Express . . . the Texas Rangers,
and the outlaws they fought . .. their
adventures made the nation what it is today!
1111111 Come west if you've got the guts for it.
=
I 1FLDOR
1
~~Nn~1L~I~
PLAN~ I.
made of, pardner ...
-
1111111
1-~~ FJ. .-~
: :::=- • ~
This set includes eight sheets depicting a
huge old house perfect for your next chilling
scenario. One side has hexes, the other
squares ... so it will work for any system!
=-
Ill
'~:.
-- .---·-----·
.
-·---- -- -
----
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-·-··-·---
---.
-·--1
----
----··--
..
:::.=::=--..;.:::.:."':::=-..:
··-----
- ~---'='"'==~-::-·:.=-.
==-~-=--=--
----·- - ·---
Ill _::j-;:,f:~~::~".:_ I
..
Also included: horror adventure seeds,
and Cardboard Heroes miniatures - intrepid
adventurers, chanting occultists, and brain-
eating zombies ... everyone you need for the
.... 2
.... 3
GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Aces and Eights,
Pyramid. and the names of all P.roductS published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of
Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. Dead/ands is a trademark of Pinnacle Entenainment Group and is used
under license. GURPS Deadlands Dime Novel 1: Aces and Eights is copyright © 2001 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated.
All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Some art copyright www.artroday.com.
ISBN 1-55634-541-0 I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 IO
fACE l\uERENCES
compiled with Kenneth Hite. He continues to live in
Chicago with too many books, very little furniture, and
Rules and statistics in this boo k are
no cat.Visit his website at www.io.com/-micahj/.
specifically for the GURPS Basic Set, Third Michael Suileabhain-Wilson can't recall when he
Edition. Any page reference that begins with began roleplaying, but remembers being indignant at
a B refers to the GURPS Basic Set - e.g.,
the recommended age on the box. As ide from gaming,
p. Bl02 means p. 102 of the GURPS Basic
his hobbies include playwriting, reading, cooking, and
Set, Third Edition. Page references that begin
with Cl indicate GURPS Compendium I.
seeking gainfu l employ-
Other references are STM for GURPS ment. He lives south
Steampu11k and VE for GURPS Vehicles. For of San Francisco with
a full list of abbreviations, see p. CI181 or the his girlfriend and
updated list at www.sj games. com/gurps/ many hypothetical
abbrevs.html. cats. This is his first
work in print.
CHAPTER 2
Up on deck, Jim leaned on the balcony rail.He could see only a little of the river on any
side of the boat, and the land was only the blackness between the river and the stars. Jim
found the river vaguely disconcerting; he thought of himself as much more of a rail man.One
thing about the riverboats reminded him of his native Chicago, though.There were always
people somewhere, and the constant thrumming of the engines meant that the Scarlet Queen
was never silent.
Acu A N D £rcnu
Off in the distance, Jim could
see a fire on the bank of the river.
He couldn't tell how many peo
ple were sitting around it, or if
they were pioneers, bandits, sol
diers, or cowboys. The fire
reminded him of the camp out
side of Denver, that last night
before his partner was murdered.
Jim always remembered Billy
the way he was that night:
perched on a stone, retelling their
latest adventure, and smoking
the tobacco-and-sumac mixture
the Indians called kinnikinnic.It
was a damn sight better than the
way he had last seen Bi1ly.
Suddenly, Jim realized the kinnikinnic smell wasn't just a memory - someone on the
deck below was smoking it. He leaned over the railing, but couldn't see who it was. How
ever, he could hear the end of their conversation.
". . .It's a coincidence." A deep, gravelly voice bubbled up through years of whiskey
and smoke.
In a thick Spanish accent, another man replied, "It's no coincidence. It can't be. He
reminds me of those Agency men we met."
"What difference does that make? Even if he is Agency, you've dealt with them before.
You didn't even get your hat dirty. They can't know. When we get a chance to act, we'll
take it. By the time we get to New Orleans, I'll have Skinner's money and you'll have
another notch on your gun. "
That was too much for Jim. He dashed along the deck and down the stairs, but when he
got there, nothing remained but an empty bottle of whiskey, a cloud of kinnikinin c smoke,
and Jim's own anger.
CUAFTEH 3
The second day of poker went much like the first. During the game, Jim sized up the
players, hoping that one of them would turn out to be associated with the men he had heard
yesterday. Skinner continued his strategy of playing very conservatively, staying in often
enough that doing so didn't signal an especially strong hand, but not throwing away any
large pots on foolish bluffs or wild chances. Professional players were a stoic lot� but Jim
doubted that Skinner would be so calm if he knew that there were people on this boat plan
ning to rob him. Marshal Terrill's play was much like Skinner's. Delacroix was more impul
sive; his bluffing was costing him dearly.Gabel simply played badly. He had lost the most
money by far, but looked well pleased at the company he was keeping. Grissom was baf
fling; his play was erratic, the stacks of money in front of him rising and falling with alarm
ing speed. There was no question that he often won the biggest pots, but he didn't show any
of the classic signs of cheating. As far as Jim could tell, there wasn't anything unusual about
Grissom's play except for his ability to win the big hands. Partly because of his mysterious
behavior, and partly because of his uncanny luck, Jim moved him to the top of his suspects
list and vowed to keep a closer eye on him.
4 A C E S A N D £ 1CHTS •••••••
Jim didn't have the cards to win the next large pot. He stood up, asking if he could bring
any of the players something from the bar. Skinner demurred, but Grissom and Gabel
accepted the offer. Returning from his errand, Jim placed Gabel's drink at his place, but
delivered Grissom's drink in a far less careful manner, giving him a chance to peek at Gris
som's cards. The older man tucked them away quickly as Jim approached, but Jim could
see that all the cards were red. Sure enough, after Jim had returned to bis seat, Grissom won
the pot. None of his cards were red.
Grissom was either the smoothest cheater Jim had ever seen, or a huckster. Jim kept a
close eye on the older man from then on. Either Grissom wasn't using any hexes, or they
were ineffective. The game certainly wasn't going his way. His high two pair was defeated
by Jim's three of a kind. Grissom 's own three of a kind lost to Delacroix's straight. Grissom
was losing his poker face, and locked his eyes firmly on his cards as the game continued.
Late in the afternoon, Grissom stared hard at his cards, brightened up, and opened for
five dollars. The other players seemed surprised at his bet, but no one was driven out. W hen
Jim caught Grissom looking at him, Grissom locked his eyes on the pot.
"One card," he said.
Skinner pushed a single card across the table. As Grissom reached out to pick it up, he
dropped his eyes to the cards in his hand. A look of shock broke his poker face, a split-sec
ond before all the cards and money flew up in the air in a miniature tornado that disappeared
as suddenly as it had arrived.
The other players slid their chairs back from the table as the cards flew out of their
hands. Jim drew his pistol and the saloon keeper produced a shotgun from under the bar;
everyone else remained unarmed. The only other player still holding anything at all was
Grissom himself, who had a white-knuckled grip on his cards. As he dropped them on the
table and raised his hands in surrender, the other players saw the black joker's menacing
grin and understood what had happened.
Gabel reached into his coat and produced a pistol. "You're a damned huckster," he
hissed, pointing the weapon squarely at Grissom. The whole saloon turned toward the table
in horrified curiosity.
"Wait just a minute," Grissom said, backing away from the table. No one else moved.
The older gambler looked around the room, but no one spoke up to help him. He ended his
scan of the room by glancing up toward �s right hand. Jim followed Grissom's eyes and
saw the cards appear in the gambler's hand. Grissom threw the cards at Gabel. The cards
caught fire as they flew. Gabel dodged to his right, and the flaming cards hit the floor behind
him, leaving a long scorch mark and causing an older woman in a gingham dress to pass
out from fright.
Skinner stepped toward the woman and bent down to make sure she wasn't injured.
Jim's gaze followed Skinner, so he only caught the flash of Gabel's gun out of the comer
of his eye. He turned back just in time to see Grissom collapse over the table. Then anoth
er shot rang out; Gabel's body jerked back and fell. His gun flew from his hand and spun
in the air briefly before clattering to the deck next to the fallen gambler. Jim whipped his
head around to see Delacroix holding a small derringer. Jim reminded
himself to breathe as he scanned the room. His gaze finally rested on
Delacroix, who calmly surveyed the room, the last wisps of smoke curl
ing up from the barrel of his pistol. No one moved.
The bartender was the first one to recover. "Fetch the surgeon," he
ordered, waving his shotgun at a few men standing near the door. He
looked around the room at the gamblers. "It's all over now. Isn't it?"
CHAFTER 4
News of the shootings traveled quickly throughout the boat. The story of Gabel having
unmasked and killed a cheating huckster, only to be killed himself, made the gamblers
celebrities as they returned to their cabins. The mood turned against them when the captain
closed the saloon until the boat docked in New Orleans the next day.
With the saloon closed, there was no game the morning of the Scarlet Queen's arrival
in New Orleans. Jim spent the time packing his bags and arranging with the boat's crew to
have a cart waiting to take him to his hotel. As he left his cabin for the last time, he noticed
Skinner's door standing open. Jim headed over, hoping to thank the man for the poker l�s
sons. He heard voices, none of which belonged to the gambler, from the other side of the
door. He pressed himself against the corridor wall and listened in.
"Needless to say, this is highly disturbing. Of course we will cooperate however we
can." Jim recognized the voice of the captain of the Scarlet Queen. The second voice was
familiar as well - it belonged to the man who had threatened Skinner's life.
"I'm sure that's true. Of course you could not have known that a Union spy would be
aboard."
"Frankly, I'm stunned, Sergeant. I spoke to that man several times, and though I knew
he was a Jonathan, he didn't seem to be the kind of man who would murder another for his
poker winnings."
"Skinner had a good deal of money on him, in several currencies, enough to run a team
of Union agents in any city in the South
for quite some time. Don't worry,
though, we'll catch him. It's only a mat
ter of time. The Texas Rangers won't let
this crime go unavenged."
If Skinner was really dead, there
was no reason to stay aboard - and plen
ty of reasons to leave. He walked quick
ly to the gangplank and didn't stop
moving until he had gone several blocks
to a local saloon, pushed open the door,
and taken a seat at the bar. The clientele
looked like local workmen and drunks,
none of whom were speaking to each
other. The bartender poured Jim a drink
and then returned to his primary task of
leaving the customers alone in their
misery.
Jim laid low in the saloon for a cou
ple of hours. When he left, he walked
north along the river until he came to
- ..... -
Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter. St. Louis Cathedral cast a long shadow
across the square. Jim entered the cathedral and knelt in front of the rack of votive candles.
He lit one and spoke a quick, silent prayer. Along with a few coins, he placed a note in the
iron box attached to the votive rack. That would give Barkley a few hours' warning that he
was back in town and would be making contact.
Late that afternoon, Jim walked up St. Anne Avenue toward the small house where
William Barkley lived. Barkley had helped him when Jim was last in New Orleans; as a
Confederate merchant, it wasn't easy for Barkley to cooperate with the Agency, but the
cause had been just. Jim mounted the porch and knocked twice on the door. A young
woman in a light blue dress and a white apron answered the door.
"Good afternoon, Ma'am. My name is James Cooper. Is Mr. Barkley in?"
"Yes, sir," she replied. "He's been expecting you." The young woman opened the door
wider and let Jim in.
Barkley was waiting in his study. He stood up from behind his mahogany desk, crossed
the room, and shook Jim's hand. Pointing Jim toward a wingback chair near the fireplace,
he poured two glasses of brandy and handed one to Jim.
"I was surprised to get your note. You know I'm not working with any of y'all anymore.
The wind changes often, here in New Orleans, and it's not blowing your way these days."
"No, I guess it isn't. Still, I was hoping an old friend would help me out." He leaned
forward in his chair.
Barkley put his snifter down on the low table and took a quick breath. "Wife won't
allow it. I almost lost her after the last time. I've still got your box, if that'll help you."
Jim nodded. Barkley returned to his desk and drew a long, flat box from a drawer. He
placed it on the coffee table between them. Jim drew a key from his pocket and opened the
box. He set aside the top and removed a gold pocketwatch, a stack of Confederate money,
and a long-barreled Colt Peacemaker. Just then, the door to the study opened and Mrs.
Barkley entered.
"What's this? Guns? William, you promised me this was over." She turned her stare on
Jim. "Sir, I must ask you to leave, and to take your Devil's tools with you." She began to
shake. Turning quickly away from the two men, she left the room.
Jim watched Mrs. Barkley close the door. As soon as she had, he said, "I'll leave. But
before I go, you should know a few things. Billy Washington is dead. So are several others.
It all started here, and it'll end here, too. Arid if I'm right, you 're in just as much danger as
I am. You and your wife."
"I'm sorry, Jim," Barkley began, "but she's right. I must go to her." He rose from his
chair.
"Of course. Is there any more help you can offer? Another contact, perhaps?"
Barkley walked to his desk and removed a small buff card. "Say I sent you. Claude can
help you find what you seek. But that's all I can do. Please don't contact me agaiJ:i. Now, if
you'll excuse me."
He pulled open the door of his study. A man in a tan duster with a badge on the lapel
strode in, walking right up to the astonished Barkley. He pushed Barkley out of the way and
pointed a pistol at Jim, freezing him to the spot. Another man, also with a badge and pistol,
followed his leader into the room. Finally, Mrs. Barkley entered. Pointing her finger at Jim
she said, "This is the man."
"Texas Rangers," the leader said. "Come with us." The smell of kinnikinnic and the
man's rumbly voice filled the room.
Barkley spoke from the floor. "Martha, what have you done?"
"You keep still," the leader said, "and I'll overlook your part in all this."
- ·�•E•. Acu A N D £ 1 D H T S 7
"Please, William," his wife pleaded, "just let them go their way. This doesn't concern us."
The other Ranger went around to the box lying open on the table and pocketed the
money, the watch, and the pistol. "A Colt. They were planning something."
The leader frowned and gestured with his pistol for Jim to lead them out of the room.
Jim took two steps forward. As he passed the leader, he shoved him hard, knocking him into
a freestanding lamp. Man and lamp crashed to the floor. Jim ran out of the door into the par
lor. Behind him two shots rang out. The first splintered the doorjamb, and Mrs. Barkley
gasped at the sudden violence. The heavy sound of a wounded man striking the floor fol
lowed the second. Mrs. Barkley screamed, "William, why did you ..." Her sentence was
cut off by two more shots. As Jim ran out into the street, he heard no more shots, only Mrs.
Barkley's wailing.
Jim expected other Rangers to be waiting outside the building, but he found only two
horses. He unhitched a piebald stallion and galloped away from the Barkley house for the
last time.
CHAPTER 5
Jim rode on for a few blocks, turning randomly to confuse his imagined pursuers. When
he felt certain he had lost them, he stopped long enough to get his horse some water and to
read the card Barkley had given him. It read "C. Bonvillian" and gave an address on St.
Peter's Street.
It turned out to be a row of small shops, specializing in supernatural goods of one kind
or another. A store called Mme. Broussard's stood immediately next to St. Cecilia's. Jim
noticed that both windows displayed voodoo and magic supplies alongside saint's candles,
prayer cards, rosaries, and other Catholic paraphernalia. Jim walked up to the address on
the card, a small shop with a shingle in front which read simply "Seer'' and bore a picture
of a hobo and a dog.
a Acu A N D £nun
Jim walked in. The store itself was another magic shop. The main room was filled with
shelves, unmarked boxes of various sizes and shapes, and free-standing cabinets. There
were objects he recognized, like a crystal ball, and others whose purpose Jim couldn't fath
om. Beyond this front room were at least two others, one concealed behind a door and one
behind a beaded curtain. Jim called a greeting. Immediately a dark-skinned woman
appeared, wearing a brightly colored beaded dress with her hair in a long braid.
"I'm looking for Claude Bonvillian," Jim said.
"That's me. Claudia Bonvillian. Everyone calls me Claude."
Jim was surprised that Barkley would send him to a woman, but he had always been
reliable before, so he went along with it. "William Barkley sent me to see you. You see I-"
"Come with me," Claude said simply.
She took him by the hand and led him behind the beaded curtain into a room that con
tained a small table covered with a multicolored cloth. She sat down at the table and shuf
fled a large deck of cards. She asked Jim to cut and dealt three cards face down onto the
table between them. Claude turned up the first card, which bore a picture much like the one
on the front of the store: a man with a bag on a stick walked with a dog down a winding
path.
"You have been on a journey." Claude looked up at Jim.
"Right. And I will find a great treasure, but not the treasure I seek." Jim looked back at
Claude.
"Please," she said, "It's not like that. I'm not like that."
Jim didn't have anyone else to ask for help, so he let her continue.
"You have been on a journey, but not a journey you understand." The middle card
revealed a picture of the moon. Claude seemed to stare into the card as she continued. "The
journey confuses you because things are not as they seem. The shape of things is designed
to mislead you."
Jim certainly felt misled. He had almost decided to get up and leave when Claude turned
up the final card. It showed a woman holding a balance. This card, though, was upside
down. "Justice reversed," she began. "The ones who are sworn to protect you do not. On
the contrary, you are in great danger." Claude stopped speaking, took a deep breath, and
focused her eyes again toward Jim. "Do you understand what the cards are saying?"
"The cards say I'm in danger, but I knew that. I'm saying I've wasted your time. What
do I owe you for the reading?"
"What did it mean that the ones who are sworn to protect you are putting you in danger?"
"I don't know. You tell me."
"You must understand the message on your own. Have you had a run-in with the law
recently?"
"The Texas Rangers have been following me."
Claude seemed unsurprised. ''That could be it. Is there anything else?"
"Wait. The ones that came for me at Barkley's were wearing badges. The Rangers don't
wear badges. They don't want bandits to know they're lawmen." Jim looked off into space.
"I don't know who those guys were, but they weren't Rangers."
Claude pushed the deck toward Jim. "Draw."
He hesitated a second, but drew a card and placed it face up between them. The picture
was of a woman standing with one foot in the water and one on the shore. She, too, was
upside down. "Temperance reversed," Claude explained. She thought for a few seconds, "I
know where they are." She stood up and reached for her shawl.
"Whoa, Claude," Jim said, "If you're right, it won't be any place for a lady,"
CHAPTER 6
They boarded a ferry to cross the river to the Algiers side. Mostly railroad spurs and
warehouses, Algiers looked the part of its pirate past. One of the waterfront warehouses
caught Jim's eye. Its riverside wall was painted with an advertising mural of an Apache war
rior, and bore the legend "Kinnikinnic Trading Company."
''That's the place," Jim said. Claude looked confused. "Trust me. You're not the only
one who gets good hunches."
He burned the location of the warehouse into his mind. Even before the ferry was safe
ly docked, Jim dragged Claude across the gangplank. He hurried along the dusty streets and
alleyways until he reached the warehouse. Going around the far side of the building, Jim
broke a window into an empty room and pulled himself inside. He opened the whole win
dow, and lifted Claude up. They neither heard nor saw any one else. They began to search
the empty warehouse.
Someone was clearly trading more than just Indian tobacco. Several of the crates were
full of weapons: Lee-Enfield and Winchester rifles, Colt pistols, even a Gatling gun. Jim let
out a low whistle as he thought about all the havoc a gang could let loose with this much
iron. Back in the comer, Jim and Claude found the makeshift office. Two sawhorses and a
door served for a desk, several mismatched chairs stood in a rough circle, and shelves full
of ledger books stood against the back wall. Most of the books were covered with dust; only
one looked recently used. Jim took it down and found the most recent entries. It was clear
ly an accounting logbook with many transactions, but Jim couldn't read the code used to
identify the parties, the goods, or the values. He replaced the book quickly when he heard
the "Rangers" returning. They shouted at each other angrily, and there were clearly more
than the two voices Jim had heard before.
Jim pulled Claude behind a large pile of crates. They ducked out of sight as the two men
Jim had seen at Barkley's entered. Two other similarly dressed men accompanied them,
leading a third whose hands were tied behind his back. He looked vaguely familiar to Jim.
"Sit down, Marshal," the leader began. That jogged Jim's memory. It was Marshal Ter
rill, from the Scarlet Queen. The fake Ranger continued, "We'll just wait for my boss to
arrive. Until then, you stay quiet."
"I've got nothing to say to you, Granos," the Marshal said.
''That's fine for now. Just sit still." He nodded at one of the guards, who delivered a
backhanded slap that was made more painful by Terrill's inability to dodge.
"We've got to do something," Claude whispered.
"Not yet," Jim sa!d. "Let's see what happens." He pulled Claude down below a pile of
boxes for better concealment.
Across the room a door opened. The entire gang fell silent immediately. Jim heard the
sound of boots clicking across the floor toward the work area. Granos spoke first.
"Here he is."
1C Acu A N D EIC H T S
"I can see that," the newcomer began. "Good work catching him. Are you sure he was
alone?"
"I'm sure. He was alone."
"He's a lawman. They're never alone."
Suddenly Jim recognized the voice. It was Delacroix, the gambler from the Queen who
bluffed too often. Jim beat his fist twice on the floor then answered Claude's questioning
look. "I've seen him before. Have you come up with a plan yet?"
"No."
"Then it'll have to be my way." He readied his pistol. Claude removed hers as well. The
two of them peeked over the top of the boxes to get the lay of the land. Delacroix delivered
an open-handed slap to the Marshal.
"Who sent you here? How many other people know about us?" Delacroix demanded.
Terrill spit at him. Delacroix brought his gloved hand to his face, wiped away the spit,
slapped the Marshal again, then removed his pistol from its holster. The only sound in the
room was the metallic click of the pistol's hammer. He pointed it at Terrill's head.
"No one else will know what you know." A shot rang out.
Jim jumped when Claude fired her gun at Delacroix. She didn't hit him, but she did
draw his attention away from the Marshal. When he peeked up above the boxes again, the
entire gang had taken cover except for Granos, who was aiming his gun at Marshal Terrill.
Jim shot Granes in the shoulder. Granes' gun clattered to the floor as he dived behind a
nearby crate.
"Cover me," Jim whispered. He crept behind the boxes toward the chair where the Mar
shal was bound. He heard a loud crash from the center of the room. Jim looked back at
Claude, but she seemed as surprised by the noise as he was. He leaned around the comer,
his pistol hand first, and then his head. This time there were no people visible except for the
Marshal, but someone had overturned the makeshift desk to provide some cover.
Jim tossed a small pry bar across the room, waited a second, then leaned out again. The
man behind the desk popped up. Jim shot at him. He saw the gang member fly back into a
chair as the bullet struck home. The chair skittered across the floor. The outlaw didn't reap
pear. Jim scanned the room again. Still no one appeared. He eased his entire body out from
behind the boxes and moved forward cautiously. He saw that Claude had popped her head
up from behind her cover and was also scanning the room for the other gang members. Jim
heard nothing, and the silence of Claude's· gun meant that she hadn't either. He walked
toward the Marshal, continuing to sweep the room with his eyes.
A man stepped from behind a stack of crates. He wore a long tan duster and a wide
brimmed hat. Jim could not see his face. Jim aimed his pistol at the man. "Show me your
. hands," he barked.
The new man extended his arms, at first straight out to his sides, and then slowly toward
the ceiling. Suddenly, cards appeared in the man's right hand, and just as suddeqly disap
peared, leaving a ball of dim white light, which shot like a comet from his palm. Jim dived
to the left, avoiding the blast, which landed harmlessly behind him.
Jim recovered quickly enough to fire his pistol. Cards again appeared in the huckster's
hand as he stepped slightly to the side, deftly parrying Jim's shot with his cards. The huckster
parried Jim's second shot just as easily. He threw another bolt of light at Jim, who wasn't able
to avoid it this time. It knocked the wind out of him as if he'd been hit with a rock.
Just then Claude fired her pistol and hit the huckster in the arm. He staggered back
behind the pile of boxes. Jim recovered from his hit and looked toward her.
"Nice shot," he said.
Aces A N D Ezauu 11
He walked carefully toward the crates where the huckster was hiding. He shouted a
warning. "I know you're wounded. Just come out and you won't be harmed any more."
The huckster stepped out from behind a pile of crates on the other side of the ware
house. Marshal Terrill saw him appear and called out to Jim, "On your left!"
Jim dropped into a crouch and wheeled around to his left. The huckster threw another
blast, but it flew over Jim's head. He fired his gun, but again the cards deflected the shot.
The huckster stepped behind the boxes again.
Jim and Claude scanned the room quickly, knowing that their foe could appear from
almost anywhere. Claude fired a shot at something, but didn't hit anything.
"Sorry," she said. "I thought I heard him."
"Keep an eye out," he said.
Jim went to the Marshal. When he reached the chair he bent down to get his boot knife.
The sharp blade slit the ropes easily. Freed from his bonds, Marshal Terrill began to rub his
hands together.
Claude shouted a warning. Jim dived at the Marshal and his chair, knocking them all
the ground. Two shots exploded. When Jim rose he saw the body of one of the gang mem
bers, half-hidden behind a pile of boxes on the other side of the warehouse. Looking behind
him he saw a large bullet hole in the box hiding Claude. He couldn't see her anywhere. He
stood up.
"Claude, are you OK?"
She stepped out from behind the boxes. "Sure," she said, "What about the Marshal?"
She scanned the room as if she had an eye on the end of her gun.
"I'm fine, ma'am. Thanks for asking." He took Jim's proffered hand and stood himself.
"What are you doing here?"
"Later," Jim said. "Let's get out of
here first."
Jim handed his spare pistol to the
Marshal. Back to back to back, the trio
scanned the crates for signs of the
huckster's hiding place. He popped up
like a jack-in-the-box and threw anoth
er blast of light, but it went wild. Jim
fired again, hitting the metal reinforce
ments on the comer of a crate and mak
ing a spark. The huckster stepped back
into the shadows. This time he reap
peared immediately, only a few feet
away. Jim squeezed his trigger just as
the huckster was gathering the light for
another blast, but the hammer fell on
an empty chamber. Terrill fired two
shots, both of which hit the tan duster
dead center. With a hoarse cry, the man
collapsed. They listened for additional
opponents, but heard only their own
breathing.
The three of them searched the
warehouse, but there was no sign of
Delacroix or any other member of the
12 Ac E S A N c E r c H T S •••••••
gang. Jim made mental notes of all the weapons and other material they found there. He
couldn't decipher the stock markings on the crates, but they were the same kinds of things
he and Billy had found on the ambush mission in Denver that had marked him for death.
Jim made several notes of a piece of scrap paper.
The Marshal rescued the two most recent logbooks from the pile of papers in front of
the desk. Tucking them under his left arm, he followed Claude and Jim back along the path
through the warehouse. They met no resistance. Indeed, the entire neighborhood seemed
deserted until they reached the waterfront. Jim and the Marshal blended in with the steve
dores in their dusty clothes, but Claude ought to have been far more conspicuous. In
Algiers, it didn't matter. They bought tickets and boarded the ferry in peace. They stared
·
CHAPTER 7
"OK. I'm a Marshal," Terrill began. "So I know what I was doing in the weapons smug
gler's hideout. What were you two doing there?"
Jim took a deep breath and thought about what to tell them. "About three months ago,"
he began, "some cowboys rolled into Denver with a lot of wild stories - about the huge fish
in the Colorado River, or the Zombie Rodeo, or whatever. They didn't pay for drinks for
about two weeks. My partner Billy and I ran into them one night at the saloon.
"When they found out we were lawmen, they thought we might be interested in hear
ing about regular shipments of ghost rock and weapons going across the Disputed Lands
toward the rebels in Deseret. I bought them another drink, and they told me they knew when
the next one was due to pass Denver.
"I don't know why, but I believed 'em. We set an ambush, and sure enough the convoy
rolled up right on time. We took it down, and every cart was full up with guns and ghost
rock.
"It got in the paper and suddenly we weren't paying for drinks. Then the 'accidents'
started. Sam was a greenhorn anyway, so nobody was that surprised when he got killed try
ing to stop some counterfeiters. But Paul and Billy were veterans - they shouldn't have fall
en like they did, not within a week of each other. Everybody wanted to tell me coincidences
like that happen more often in Denver, but I didn't believe it. I knew a few people down
here, so I told my boss to get hanged and came to check it out. This gang tried to kill me on
the boat, and I tracked them here. They murdered three of my friends. That good enough?"
"I suppose it is." The Marshal replied, flicking a bit of mud off his jacket and into the
river. "They killed five of my men. All my deputies, in fact.
"We ambushed a convoy that was booby-trapped. Everyone got killed but me. I went
· back to my office for long enough to leave a note. I was casing their warehouse down here
when the four of them jumped me from behind. You know the rest."
"No we don't," Claude broke in. "We don't know where to go from here, for one thing.
Do you know what they plan on doing next, or where else they might be hiding out?"
"I hope you know." Jim said to Terrill, just loud enough for Claude to hear. "Because if
you don't, she's going to make you pick a card."
"As a matter of fact, I do know where Delacroix lives. He has a huge mansion in the
Garden District." .
"OK," said Claude. "But I need to stop by my shop on the way. I've got all kinds of
things there. We can pick up more bullets or whatever else we need."
When the ferry docked, they followed Claude back to her shop. She removed a key from
beneath a statue of an elephant-headed man and used it to open a door.
Acu A N D £nuu 15
"OK, Delacroix. This is it." Jim kept a tight grip on his gun. "You're under arrest."
Delacroix settled deeper into his chair. "None of you have the authority to do that in
Confederate lands. You're all wasting your time . . . just as you have been all these months."
"You're the one who has been wasting his time," Marshall Terrill said. "Your weapon
shipments to Deseret will stop, and your precious rebels will be defeated."
"You don't understand. This was never about Deseret. There will always be rebels, and
there will always be someone like me to supply them with the weapons they need in
exchange for the money I want. None of the rest of it matters. You've been out west. The
world we knew is over. It's every man for himself now. Especially for the ones who are no
longer men."
Two of the poker players jumped up from the table and began to cross the room. Claude
fired her pistol and hit the lead one right in the chest. He was blasted back into his chair, but
got right back up and advanced again. The second one took another step forward. He
extended his arms as if he intended to deliver an open-handed slap. His hands ended in a
set of vicious looking claws.
"Damn," Jim said, "They're Harrowed."
The zombie with claws swung at the Marshal, who breathed out quickly and jumped
back, barely avoiding being cut. Unfortunately, he stumbled and fell to the ground. Jim
turned and fired at the undead fighter at the same time as Marshal Terrill's shot rang out.
Terrill hit the zombie in the leg. He doubled over, causing Jim's shot to strike a picture hang
ing on the wall. It came loose and crashed to the ground.
Claude fired her gun at the zombie she'd hit the first time, pushing him back another
time. He was ready, though, and he didn't fall, or get shoved back as far.
Terrill scrambled to his feet. He charged the Harrowed fighter and drove him hard
against the wall where the picture had hung. The zombie raked his claws across the Mar
shal's back, causing him to cry out in pain. Terrill pulled back. Just as he did, Jim fired
again, hitting the zombie just below his left eye. The zombie fell to the ground in a heap,
dead for the last time.
Just then, Claude shouted in surprise. Jim and Marshal Terrill turned toward the sound.
The zombie fighting with Claude had launched himself at her and knocked her down. He
had his knee on her chest and was choking her with his hands. She screamed in pain. From
across the room, Jim was afraid to fire his pistol for fear of hitting her by mistake. Delacroix
saw his indecision and began to laugh.
That was too much for Jim. He raised his pistol in line with Delacroix's head. The zom
bie on top of Claude bent down as if to whisper to her. He ignored everyone else in the room.
Claude thrashed around wildly, but was unable to free herself from the zombie's grip. Terrill
ran across the room and put his pistol directly against the side of the zombie's head. He
pulled the trigger, freeing the dead man from his manitou possessor. Claude shoved hard on
the zombie and managed to wiggle out from beneath the dead man. She clambered to her
feet, brushing off the dirt and mud the zombie had left on her dress.
Jim stared hard at Delacroix, his finger tightening slowly on the trigger. Before he could
shoot they all heard a voice shouting outside: "This is the Texas Rangers. Don't bother to
fight. Surrender yourselves now."
Claude ran to the window. "It's the Rangers, all right. They must be here for Delacroix."
"And us," Terrill added. "We've got to get out of here. Claude, do you still have that
twine?"
Jim hadn't lowered his pistol. His finger remained tight on the trigger. Marshal Terrill
put his hand on Jim's shoulder. ''There's been enough killing. Let's tie them up and leave
I8---s----�
red eights stared them all in the face. "The
dead man's hand. You deserve it." Jim
tucked the cards into Delacroix's bonds so
everyone could see them. He pointed his
\
finger at Delacroix, "But not here," he
continued. "Not now. Still, you've been
warned." Jim turned his back on Delacroix
and led the way out of the room.
As they made their way through the
tunnel, they heard the Rangers blasting
. open the locks and entering the house.
LJ,___\.._ �:::T-�
EFILCCUE
The two fugitive lawmen hid from the Rangers in Claude's shop. She set up pallets in
the storeroom and brought them food and newspapers. One afternoon Claude returned to
the shop upset. "Someone stole my sign," she called out as soon as she entered.
"I've got it in here," Jim replied. Claude came into the room and saw the two men bent
over the sign, repainting it. "What do you think?" Terrill asked. At first she couldn't see any
thing different. Then she saw that they had added an "s" to the word "Seer," and had given
the hobo a gun belt and a badge.
•
"We can't go home, so we've decided to stay," Jim explained. The three of them went
outside and hung up the sign. The badge flashed in the light of the setting sun.
Acu A N D £ 1 a H T S 17
,,..-
ACES��
'
2 2 2
•
I
I
E!CHTS
• I
'-
-
i ii
- -
'-- -- - "j-
THE ADVENTURE
Now that you've read the story, Marshal, it's brought to justice. When they developed leads
time to tum your posse loose in the Big Easy! pointing to New Orleans as the shippers' base of
"Aces and Eights: The Adventure" is designed for operations, they set their sights on the Bayou City.
a party of 4 to 6 100-point heroes, although of
course an existing Dead/ands posse can be used
just as well - all you need are the conversion rules THE SETUP
from later in this very book! This adventure will All that needs to happen for a posse to be
probably take y'all at least two game caught up in this adventure is for them to
sessions to complete. be traveling to New Orleans aboard the
Scarlet Queen. They could be doing
1a Acu A N D EIGHTS: T H E A D V E N T U R E • • I •
he may win or lose, he doesn't seem to notice and
There's only so much sightseeing to be done a prospector in the Black Hills of South Dakota,
on the Memphis to New Orleans run. There's his work as an expressman, and the time he ran
some pretty country, to be sure, but a lot of it has for Governor of Mississippi. None of these sto
been damaged by war and has lost its natural ries, though entertaining, are particularly believ
beauty. Eventually, most everyone tires of the able. Mostly he tries to keep the other players
endless trees and water and goes to the saloon, from noticing that he is a cheating huckster.
with all that implies. Many of the passengers avail Feel free to fudge rolls allowing Grissom to
themselves of the opportunity to join a poker win the big hands, or drop other hints that Gris
Feel free to let one or more of the PCs get caught using his sleight of hand to conceal the
manitou's cards, or mentioning to a PC that he
into the "big game." If someone is taking the
seems especially winded after a big hand. If any
place of Jim or the Marshal, he is invited to join
one begins to suspect that Grissom is cheating, he
in. If not, a successful Fast-Talk check earns him
stops - until he loses a sizeable sum of money and
a place at the table.
becomes desperate.
During the game, the actual hands can be
simulated with opposed Gambling rolls, but the
table talk should be roleplayed as much as possi THE CCNVERSATICN
ble. Skinner is a professional gambler and doesn't If there are several investigators in the posse
say much about the game. At the same time, he is and they are not all in the poker game, the GM
a gentleman, and isn't so rude as to ignore con might choose to intercut this scene with the pre
versational gambits. He isn't actually going to vious one to keep everyone at the table interested
New Orleans, but just riding the Scarlet Queen and active. If not, this scene should follow the
for the gambling. He'll be riding her on the return first poker game.
route as well. One or more of the players overhears two
Marshal Terrill is another quiet one. Whereas men threatening to kill Skinner and an Agency
Skinner's cool demeanor comes from his gambling · man. The reason they give for killing Skinner is
skill, Terrill is just preoccupied. He, too, responds that he has a lot of money; they don't seem to
to questions, but seems distracted. He doesn't want need a special reason to kill an Agency operative.
to talk about what's on his mind. If asked why he's If they know or suspect that Wright is with the
going to New Orleans, he admits to being on the Agency, they are able to make that connection.
· trail of lawbreakers, but says nothing more. They also discuss their reason for being aboard
Gabel is more forthcoming. He gladly tells of the Scarlet Queen . . . to escort several crates for
his exploits in the war, highlighting his bravery their boss. They do not describe the crates or
and that of the 33rd Louisiana, whom he had the reveal their contents.
honor to command. He doesn't say why he isn't If the posse is able to identify the men visu
in command of them now, nor does he offer any ally, they discover that they are Granos and his
thing other than the party line regarding the Con henchman. If, like Jim in the story, they cannot
federacy's chances at winning the war. He is not see the speakers, they still get the hint that Granos
a good poker player, and he plays worse (-2 to his smokes kinnikinc
ni , a mixture of tobacco and
Gambling rolls) while he's distracted. sumac popular among the Indians. If anyone is
Delacroix is even more effusive. He is from the Disputed Lands, or has Indian Lore, they
wealthy and plays like it. He bluffs frequently, can identify the smell; otherwise it is just a dis
even when it isn't appropriate. He claims to be a tinctive odor they can use to recognize Granos
merchant in New Orleans, specializing in imports later on in the adventure.
from the Caribbean. No matter how much money
• • • • A C E S A N D EIDHTS: TH E A D V E N T U R E 1a
If the posse chooses to warn Skinner or
Wright, they get very different reactions. Skinner
CARL CnlSSDM 1ca fDINTS believes them and thanks them for the warning,
Age 58; 5'7", 185 lbs. Grissom has a white but takes no special precautions against the threat.
mustache and goatee on his otherwise bald Wright, on the other hand, is very interested in
head. He dresses in frontier clothing that is what the PCs have to say, and might agree to help
beginning to show its age. them identify the speakers, if they haven't
already. Skinner is similarly uninterested in the
Attriblllls: ST9 [-10]; DX 12 [20]; IQ 13 [30]; Hf9 [-10].
news that Grissom is a huckster. Wright appreci
Advantages: Alertness +1 [5]; Fearlessness + 1
ates the warning, but won't confront Grissom.
[2]; Magical Aptitude 3 [35]; Manual Dex-
7 terity 3 [9]; Unusual B�kground (Veteran
of ttie W a West) (10].
e\f
1' CATCHINC DRISSDM
Disadvantagd: �ge (-24]; Compulsive Gam The day after the overheard conversation, the
bling [-10]; Secret (Huckster) [-10]; poker game starts back up in the saloon. Those
U nluckiness (-10]. , , ./ who participated the day before are welcome
Quir
ks: Has a lucky coin. (-1] '- � again. Others can use a successful Fast-Talk or
l
�kills: Area Knowledge (Mississipp River.)- 1,.,3" other appropriate social skiU to gain a place at the
[1]; Climbing-U (lJ; Detect Lies-14 [6l table.
� Fast-Talk- 15 [6]; Gambling- 16 f9'J; PCs with the Alertness advantage or Gam
"" Gu9s/TL5 (Pistols)-16 [4]; Jtiterrogation- , bling or Psychology skills realize during the
1 3 [2"]; Occultism-15 [6]; Performance course of the game that Grissom is becoming
(Hannonica)-13 [2]; Pickpocket-12 [4]; increasingly desperate. As he begins to lose more
Sleight of Hand-13 [8]; Streetwise-1 3 [2]. money, he plays more rashly, thereby causing him
Languages: English (Native)-13 [OJ. to lose even more. Anyone who discovered that
Spells: Earsqot-16 [4]; Phantom Fingers-18 he is a huckster, or who otherwise suspected him
[8]; Private Eye-16 [4]; Soul �Jast- 16 [4]; of cheating, notices that he is not cheating today.
Trinkets-17 [6]. ·
Eventually a pot comes around that is so large
I that he cannot resist it. Not trusting his cards, he
Cad Grissom. is a gambler. Unfortun�tely, throws a hex to cause him to win. This makes him
he's not very good. He understands the game.fl extremely nervous, but no one is able to prove that
he plays, but hls unluckiress often gets in his he is cheating. When another large pot comes up,
way. He became a huckster as a way to coun he tries the hex again - with disastrous results.
teract this problem. These days he rides the His manitou gets the better of him and caus
riverboats up and dowQ the Mississippi, eking
es a miniature tornado to upset all the cards and
out a living through a combination of inept' money on the table. If there were any people in
opponents and his hexes. He is also a petty the saloon still ignorant of his hucksterism, they
criminal, using his Pickpocket s)cill and hexes are aware of it now. Of all the poker players,
like Earshot and Private Eye to commit small ·
Gabel is most offended. His Southern pride and
robberies on board.
ZC AC E S A N D E IC H T S : T H E AD V E N TUR E • I I •
general distrust of the urmatural cause him to
draw a pistol on Grissom.
If anyone in the saloon has Legal Enforce
JancE CnANDS
ment Powers and wants to use them, Gabel Age 33; 5' 10", 183 lbs. Granos is a dark
defers and allows Grissom to be arrested. Either skirmed Mexican with black hair and dark eyes.
way, Grissom chooses to fight, using more hexes He dresses without regard to fashion, usually in
or his own pistol in an attempt to escape. If he is buckskin or other clothes appropriate to the
able to make it overboard, he can swim to safety frontier.
on one bank or the other. The captain absolutely Attributes: ST 13 (30]; DX 14 (45]; IQ 10 [0]; Hr 10 [0].
refuses to allow anyone else to go into the river Advantages: Alertness + 1 [5]; Fearlessness + 1
after him. (2]; Fit [5]; Strong Will +l [4]; Unusual
If Grissom does not escape, he fights to the Background (Veteran of the Weird West)
death. If he, or anyone else, is killed, the captain [10).
closes the saloon until the Scarlet Queen's arrival Disadvantages: Addiction (Tobacco) (-5).
in New Orleans. If the captain suspects that one of Quirks: Prefers kirmikirmic to regular tobacco.
his passengers has killed for some reason other (-1)
than self-defense, he will order the killer arrested Skills: Animal Handling- 12 [8]; Area Knowl
and turned over to the Texas Rangers n
i New edge (Disputed Lands)-15 (10]; Brawling-
Orleans. Anyone who is merely wounded can 16 [4]; Climbing- 14 [2]; Guns!fL5
receive help from anyone with the First Aid (Pistol)-15 [2]; Intimidation- 14 [4]; Knife-
skill or from the Scarlet Queen's surgeon 14 [1); Lasso-16 [8]; Riding (Horse)-15
(Physician/fLS-14). [4]; Stealth- 15 [4]; Survival (Mountains)-
12 [6]; Tracking-14 [10).
• Acu A N D £ 1c H T S : T H E A D V E N T U R E 21
WHAT'S IN THE CRATES? - 1
The deck of a riverboat is not only a promenade for the wealthy; it's also the steerage passengers'
cabin. Third-class tickets don't come with any indoor accommodations. Those passengers just bed
down on the deck in good weather, or under the boiler deck's balcony in bad. In addition, the main
deck is always stacked high with crates being shipped up or down the river. The Scarlet Queen is no
exception.
If the posse is able to identify Granos as the man they overheard, they might be able to follow him
long enough to learn that several of the crates belong to him. He and his henchman have third-class
tickets and sleep at night near the crates, but with a suitable diversion, the posse can get a look at the
contents of the crates. The crate lids aren't nailed shut but closed with coffin locks. Anyone with the
Lockpicking skill or stevedore training opens them easily.
Anyone doing so finds that each crate contains a coffin. There's no way to ascertain the contents
of the coffins on the open deck, but PCs might be interested enough to track the crates once they're
offloaded in New Orleans.
Investigators of a more larcenous bent might check out the other crates. Most of them are going
to a Mr. Darius Grenoble, who owns a dry goods store in New Orleans. They contain clothes, staple
foods like flour, printed matter including books and magazines, and several sets of horse tack. There
are also two crates belonging to the postal system, but they are always guarded by an expressman. If
he is somehow disabled, the crates are found to contain only personal mail, with one crate bound for
Natchez and one for New Orleans.
... . .: ·-....
ZZ Ans A N D Ezauu: T H E A D V E N T U R E • • • •
Anyone who elects to follow the crates sees
SACK IN NEW DRLEANS them taken off the Scarlet Queen and loaded onto
Once off the boat, the posse should want to carts. They are taken to another slip and placed on
meet its New Orleans contact. If they've hooked a ferry to be taken over to the western side of the
up with Wright, he tells them how to contact river, to the neighborhood known as Algiers. It's
Barkley. Otherwise, they have been instructed by a public ferry, and those who buy tickets can con
whoever sent them to New Orleans to go to St. tinue following them on the other side, where
Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square and put a note they go to the Kinnikinc ni Trading Company
in the box that is usually used for votive candle warehouse. A series of successful Shadowing
donations. This gives Barkley a few hours' warn rolls allow the investigators to do all this without
ing that they are coming. being seen. IfGranos or his gang do catch the PCs
If they stake out the donation box, they learn shadowing them, there will likely be a struggle,
that the cutout is a young priest named Kermit with the gang trying to subdue and bind the party.
LeMieux. He delivers the message to Barkley, but If the heroes get caught, the GM should follow
he also provides a copy to Granos, through anoth the instructions for captured heroes in Captured!
er cutout. If he is con.fronted, he does not know (p. 26).
anything about Granos. He says only that he
accepted the cutout jobs as a way of making a lit AN DLD FRIEND
tle money for the poor box. Once the investigators have given Barkley a
If the posse is following Marshal Terrill little warning, they should go to his house. He
rather than Wright, they already know the loca lives in a large house in a nice neighborhood, as
tion of Granos' hideout and do not have to visit befits his status as a wealthy merchant. When
Barkley. They can proceed directly to the scene they ring his bell, a housemaid answers the door,
The Warehouse (p. 25). Their path intersects with says that Barkley is expecting them, and shows
Wright and Claude there. them to Barkley's study.
• • • • AC E S A N D E I a H T S : T H E A D V E N T URE 23
Once they are in the study, Barkley greets his henchmen make a return appearance. They are
guests warmly and wants to know what brings again masquerading as Texas Rangers. At this
them to New Orleans. He shows great sympathy point, the GM might drop a big hint that they are
with their plight, expressing particular sorrow for not real Rangers, if no one has yet discovered it.
the deaths of their colleagues. He does not, how Granos leads a group one less than the num
ever, offer any direct assistance. The only aid that ber of PCs, with a minimum of two. They attempt
he can give the posse is to return a box to the to capture the party and take them in chains to the
agent who knew Barkley. If Barkley is just a gen "Ranger" station. Barkley fights alongside the
eral contact provided by the PCs' bosses, he gives PCs if they decide to resist Granos and his gang.
it to them as a group. The box contains $200 in If the players slow down the gang during their
Confederate money, a Colt Peacemaker, and a escape, they can capture the gang's horses, which
pocketwatch on a chain worth $25. As another are hitched to the front porch rail, one for every
way of assisting without getting involved, he member of Granos' party.
gives them the business card for one C. Bonvil Once they get away from Barkley's house,
lian, whose address is in the French Quarter. they should contact Claude as soon as they are
While Barkley is providing this information, able to do so.
his wife comes into the study. She becomes very
angry with Barkley and insists that the posse leave
immediately. She does not listen to reason, and CHAPTER THREE: CALL!
any attempt to explain who the PCs are or what Throughout the previous chapter, the heroes
they are doing there only causes her to become have slowly discovered the forces arrayed against
more adamant in her demand that they leave. them. There is only one more hidden enemy. In
Eventually she storms out ofthe room, insisting all this chapter they have to take the initiative and
the while that Barkley eject everyone. strike back. Though the tension should continue
After Barkley's wife leaves, the party has a to mount throughout this chapter, the characters
few minutes to conclude their business with should feel that they are able to handle the prob
Barkley, including collecting the contents of the lem, and might even triumph.
A NEW FRIEND
box and Claude's card, before Granos and his
�EEK
neighborhood of specialty shops for New Orleans
natives. The particular block with Claude's shop
contains a number of magic and voodoo shops.
Claude's shop has no name as such; customers
recognize it by the hanging shingle in front, bear
ing the image of The Fool from a tarot deck and
the single word "Seer."
Inside the shop, there is a great jumble of
merchandise. It isn't particularly well-organized,
but Claude isn't making her living from walk-in
traffic. In fact, she's a member of a group of
voodooists who oppose the current status quo in
the voodoo community. So far she has been able
to fly below the radar of both Marie Laveaux and
Baron LaCroix. She won't tell the posse that . . .
unless they get to know each other much better.
When the PCs arrive at her shop, she
responds favorably to them if they mention their
connection to Barkley. Though not a voodooist,
he was a member of Claude's little conspiracy.
Once they say what they want, she tries to help
them by doing a card reading. One member of the
party should stand in for the whole group. If there
are certain tarot images that describe the posse
24 AC E S A N D £ IC H T S : T H E A D VE N TU n E • • • •
and tend to support Claude's credibility as a seer,
use them. The goal of the reading, however, is to
point to Granos and his deception. Use whichev
CLAUDIA BDNVILLIAN 177 FDINTS
Age 26; 5'8", 128 lbs. Claudia has rela
er cards suggest that revelation - Justice reversed
tively light skin for her native Haiti, but very
is a good card for this purpose. If any of the play
dark hair and eyes. She dresses comfortably in
ers understand tarot symbolism, The Moon, with
lightweight billowy dresses. She favors the
its connection to things that are hazy or not as
bright colors of her homeland.
they seem, might be a better clue.
Once the posse figures out that Granos and Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 (20]; IQ 12 [20]; HT 13 [30).
his gang are not really Rangers, they are likely to Adva11tages: Alertness + 1 [5]; Favored Chual
try to find them. Claude can again help them with (Legba) [20]; Fearlessness + 1 [2]; Magical
her tarot cards. If the players are familiar with Aptitude 3 [35); Strong Will + l [4]; True
New Orleans, or if any of the PCs have Area Faith (Voodoo) [15).
Knowledge (New Orleans), let them try to figure Disadvantages: Delusion (Superstitious) [-5);
out the clues to the Kinni.kinc
ni Trading Compa Secret (Opponent of Baron LaCroix)
ny warehouse in Algiers. If they don't get it, [-20]; Stubbornness (-5].
though, have Claudia figure out at least the gen Quirks: Likes to wear beads and other jangly
eral location. Either way, she insists on going jewelry. (-1]
along with the posse. Skills: Area Knowledge (New Orleans)-12 [1];
Detect Lies- 12 [4]; First Aid/TL5-13 [2];
• • • • AC E S A N D E IC H TS : T H E A D V E N T U I\ E 25
CAPTURED! A REVELATION
If some or all of the posse gets captured, then After the posse has observed Granos and his
they replace the prisoner in the chair, and the scene gang for a while, Granos' boss - Delacroix -
becomes one of rescue, not discovery. If Granos arrives. (If the heroes start a fight before his
only caught some of the PCs, then the rest of the arrival, bring him on at a crucial moment, perhaps
heroes should be mounting a rescue effort, proba to save the life of his most dedicated pawn.)
bly with the help of Claude, Wright, or Terrill. If When Delacroix enters the scene, Granos' whole
he trapped the entire party, however, then Claude, demeanor changes. Clearly, Granos is deathly
Wright, and Terrill come to the rescue, focusing afraid of his boss. His henchmen would find their
their efforts on freeing the investigators and get boss groveling before another man amusing - if
ting back across the river to regroup. In this case, they weren't even more afraid of Delacroix than
more of the henchmen are likely to escape, mak Granos is.
ing the final encounter much more difficult. Delacroix has dropped his riverboat gambler
In either case, let Granos ramble on for a act and is much more forceful. He interrogates the
while, until the captured PCs have a chance to prisoner, demanding to know how he found them
learn most of what he knows through what he and attempting to learn how much of their opera
unintentionally lets slip. (If one of the prisoners tion the prisoner understands. As the prisoner
knows Spanish, so much the better - Granos mut answers Delacroix's questions, PCs who took part
ters carelessly to himself in his native tongue.) in the poker game realize that they have met him
Only then bring Delacroix into the picture . . . and before as well. (If no heroes played poker, then
the cavalry shortly behind. one of them met Terrill strolling on deck.) The
prisoner is another passenger from the Scarlet
Queen, Marshal Eric Terrill.
BEN SWAIN 17S POINTS Terrill resists all of Delacroix's questions,
Age 32; 5'8", 159 lbs. Swain is a hand responding only with insults or silence. Neither
some man who is somewhat of a dandy. He has threats nor actual blows make him disclose what
long yellow hair and a bushy mustache. He he knows. Eventually, Delacroix gets frustrated
dresses with casual elegance, favoring a tan with Terrill's resistance and draws his pistol, say
duster as an overcoat. ing, "No one else will ever find out what you
know." If the party sees this happen, characters
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [20]; IQ 13 [30]; HT 11 [10].
Adv011tages: Alertness + 1 [5]; Fearlessness + l
with a law enforcement background should try to
intervene, unable to permit Delacroix to murder
[2]; Magical Aptitude 3 (35); Manual Dex
another lawman. If the posse does try to stop
terity 3 [9]; Unusual Background (Veteran
of the Weird West) (10]. Delacroix, the gang resists for a while, but in the
Disadvantages: Disowned (-15); Stubbornness
end most of Granos' men flee an enemy whose
(-5]. size and capabilities they don't know. Once
Quirks: Has a lucky coin. (-1) Delacroix sees that his gunmen have abandoned
Skills: Area Knowledge (New Orleans)-13 [l]; him, he retreats immediately. Only Delacroix's
huckster, Ben Swain, remains to fight. In the
Climbing- 1 2 [ 1 ] ; Detect Lies- 1 4 [6];
Fast-Talk- 15 [6]; lnterrogation- 1 3 [2]; gang's haste, they leave the Marshal behind. If
Occultism- 15 [6]; Perfonnance (Singing)- anyone manages to free Terrill during the combat,
13 [2]; Shadowing-15 [6]; Sleight of Hand- he fights alongside the party, as long as someone
�.
13 [8]; Stealth-13 [4]; Streetwise-1 3 [2]. loans him a weapon.
Languages: English (Native)-13 [0].
If the party doesn't stop Delacroix, he shoots
Terrill. Right in the chest. The Marshal's chair flies
Spells: Missed Me!-16 [4]; Phantom Fingers-
backwards n i to a stack of crates and shatters
16 [4]; Shadow Walk-17 [6]; Soul Blast- 18
around his crumpled body. Delacroix motions to
[8]; Trinkets-16 [4].
Granos and his gang and they all depart, leaving
Ben Swain is the son of a wealthy North the Marshal for dead. However, PCs who investi
Carolina planter. He became a huckster at the gate the Marshal after Delacroix's departure dis
age of 19. The very day that his parents found cover that he is only unconscious. A piece of glass
out what he had been doing with his time, they block in his breast pocket stopped the bullet, which
cast him out of the house forever. Recently, has broken the glass and ruined the picture of Ter
Delacroix has taken him in and made him his rill's wife, Sara, within. He comes to in 2d minutes,
personal huckster and bodyguard. barring any special action on the part of the posse.
za Ac E S A N D E I c H T S : T H E A D v E N T u R E • • • •
When the dust settles, the Marshal introduces
himself and thanks the characters, but doesn't
stop to talk with them. He search the little office CHAfTER raun:
SHDWDDWN!
area for evidence he can use in his case against
the gang. If the party helps, they discover that
most of the records are in code, but it is clear
Most of the pieces are now in place. The
which of the accounting logbooks are the most investigators have seen the forces arrayed against
recent. Terrill takes these with him. If the party
them and know that their cause is just. They only
doesn't offer to team up with Marshal Terrill, he need a few more things before they can challenge
suggests it himself.
Delacroix in his lair. During this final chapter,
If for some reason the GM has decided not to they complete their hands, place their final bets,
include Terrill, have the gang hold someone else and get to see their opponents' cards.
hostage. Perhaps the captain of the Scarlet Queen
might have become suspicious of the crates and
come to investigate. Another possibility is to have
MEETING THE MARSHAL
Having left the warehouse, the party has no
the gang actually capture one of the party at
trouble returning to the ferry and crossing back
Barkley's house. In this case, one of their own
over to the other side of New Orleans. During the
will be tied up when the others arrive at the ware
trip, Marshal Terrill tells the PCs what he knows
house. A third option would be for no one to be
about Delacroix and his plan. When he is fin
held hostage, but to have the gang already in
ished, they should know enough to want to shut
residence when the posse arrives. (Also see
down Delacroix for good.
Captured!, above.)
• I I • A c u A N D Ezcun: T H E A D V E N TURE 27
Three years ago Eric Terrill left his native
Wisconsin for the west, because he believed that
the frontier needed good law enforcement. He
was a good and honest lawman, and within a
year had been appointed a Marshal. The area
under his supervision had its share of petty
crime, but big-time criminals quickly learned to
stay away from the area Terrill protected. When
the rebellion in Deseret started to heat up, he
received the same warning as all the others to be
on the lookout for smugglers, but they generally
steered clear of his part of the world. He kept his
eyes open for them, but didn't look too hard. His
simple life of public service changed about a
year ago.
He arrested Chris Dybchek in the saloon for
disorderly conduct. Apparently, he had been drink
ing beyond his ability to pay, and then insisting that
the innkeeper continue to serve him. While
Dybchek slept off his hangover in Terrill's small
jail, he had a terrible nightmare that the Marshal
found fascinating. Dybchek screamed in his sleep
about the "weapons train" and "the dead men." In
the morning, Terrill asked the rancher about it.
Dybchek unburdened his soul to the lawman.
It seems that some traveling traders had been
using the Dybchek ranch as a way station on their
trading trips through the west, which is neither
illegal nor unusual. These traders, however, were
unusually quiet, rarely spending time around the
fireplace with Dybchek and his wife, and never
telling any stories about the places they'd been or
the sales they made. Stuck on his ranch as he was,
Dybchek was happy to trade their stories for the
use of his outbuildings.
One night he became so curious about their
cargo that he went out to the barn where their
wagons were stored and opened one of the crates
himself. It contained a coffin, too heavy to be
empty, heavier even than Dybchek remembered
his father's coffin being - and Dybchek's father
had been a large man. He was surprised to find
that the coffin wasn't properly sealed. He eased
open the lid, but slammed it shut quickly when he
saw that there were two men stuffed inside. They
had both been shot. Dybchek closed' the crates
with trembling hands, fearing that all the crates in
his barn contained similar cargo.
When they returned several weeks later, going
the other way, Dybchek's curiosity again got the
better of him. He sneaked into the barn and found
that this time, the crates were full of weapons:
rifles and grenades, mostly. He wasn't sure why
these men were taking weapons north and dead
men south, but he didn't like either trade. Unfortu
nately, he dido 't know how to get them to stop
using his ranch without admitting that he knew
ZS A C E S A N D ErcHTS: T H E A D V E N T U R E • I I •
' ARMINC FDR BATTLE
Before the posse can attack
Delacroix's headquarters, they
have to know where it is. Fortu
nately, Marshal Terrill knows that
Delacroix lives in a large mansion
in the Garden District. The Marshal
has made a quick reconnaissance
and is willing to show the location
to the party, if he is convinced that
they are as committed to shutting
down Delacroix as he is.
Claude suggests that the
posse stop at her shop on the way
to Delacroix's. There are some
things that she wants to pick up,
and she suggests that the other
members of the party might find
things they would like as well.
When they arrive at the magic
shop, she leads them through a
door that, while not concealed, is
not one of the ones they have seen
her use before. The door opens
into a storeroom that, like the rest
of her store, is overfull and disor
ganized - but unlike the rest of her
store, the crates are marked.
As part of her association
with the resistance in New
Orleans, she uses her storeroom as
a kind of supply depot. As a result,
she has any mundane equipment
the players think they need for
their business. He took to drinking whatever was their final confrontation with Delacroix, subject
on hand, but nothing dulled the fear. to GM approval. She certainly has more than
Marshal Terrill, using the information that enough ammunition for any of their weapons, and
Dybchek provided, raised a posse and set an might even have replacements or improvements
ambush for the smugglers. They must have had for anything the PCs have lost during the course
some advance warning, though. because the of the adventure.
wagon train was booby-trapped. When the crates If the GM feels that there hasn't been enough
were opened, they exploded, killing the entire action so far, a couple of Granos' henchmen burst
posse except for Terrill himself. He swore an into the storeroom. They should be relatively easy
oath to discover who had murdered his posse and to subdue but keep the PCs from becoming com
to bring them to justice. Using his superior inves placent, even in locations they might have
tigative and tracking skills, he eventually traced thought were safe.
the shipment to New Orleans . . . and Delacroix. Claude will not participate in the "raiding of
Again, if Terrill is missing, perhaps Claude the crates" or the firefight. When the heroes
has the infonnation the party needs to move on to search, they find her in front of her voodoo altar.
the final confrontation. If not, make sure that one She is kneeling in front of the small cabinet and
of the others has it or can get it. Another Marshal performing a short ceremony of devotion, during
within the party is an obvious choice. If all else which she pours rum into a small bowl in front of
fails, the posse can follow Granos or one of the the statues of her most favored Joa, Legba. After
other gang members to the house before falling her devotions, she makes her own preparations
back to resupply and rearm. for the coming battle.
• • A C ES A N D E IC H T S : T H E AD V E N TUR E ZS
She removes her conjure bags from the
ANDREW DELACRCIX iaa FCINTS cabinet below her altar and places them in
her pockets or her handbag. Among them she
Age 45; 5'8", 160 lbs. Delacroix has short dark certainly has at least one that can heal
hair and a thin mustache. He dresses very well, but wounds, and another contains her small con
not in a way that interferes with his other activities. tainer of truth dust. She might have bags that
Attributes: ST II [10]; DX 12 [20]; IQ 15 [60]; HT 12 [20]. contain any of the other spells she knows, as
Advantages: Alertness + 1 [5]; Composed (5]; Fear- the GM wishes.
lessness + 1 [2]; Fit [5]; Status 3 (15]; Unusual If any of her companions sees her prepa
Background (Veteran of the Weird West) (10]; rations, he should have a chance to react to
Wealth (Very Wealthy) [30). the realization that she is a voodoo mambo.
Disadvantages: Bad Back [-15]; Overconfidence Anyone who has an aversion to magic work
[-10]. ers in general or voodooists in particular can
Quirks: Reads and memorizes poetry. (-1) react, but in the end the posse must trust
Skills: Area Knowledge (New Orleans)-15 (l]; Claude if they are to succeed.
Detect Lies-16 [6]; Fast-Talk-15 [2]; Gam
bling- 15 [2]; Guns(fL5 (Pistol)-14 [4]; Interro THE FINAL SHCWDCWN
gation-15 [2]; lntimidation- 16 [4]; Law-15 [4]; When the heroes are ready, they may
Occultism-16 (4). head out for Delacroix's house. There is a
lAnguages: English (Native)-15 [0]; French-14 large wrought-iron fence surrounding a huge
[2]; Spanish-14 (2). yellow mansion. Looking at it from the
street, the PCs will be able to tell that there
Delacroix is the president of a shipping compa
are two floors of living space and an attic
ny that does business throughout the Confederacy
above ground. An entrance to the root cellar
and the Disputed Territories. He is used to being
is attached to the side of the house. A wide
surrounded by yes-men and others who will follow
porch encircles two entire sides of the house,
his orders without question. Only Granos is permit
with several sets of French doors leading
ted to act without Delacroix's personal oversight.
inside. There is a large coach house in the
His wife passed away three years ago, which
back yard. The gates, both the one to the front
prompted him to begin to expand his criminal activ
ities. Nevertheless, he misses her very much and walkway and the one leading to the coach
house, are locked.
maintains her library and other rooms in his house
If the intruders don't come up with a
in the condition in which she left them.
good plan for getting inside, Claude uses one
. . . "' of her voodoo abilities to gain entry. Her
favored loa is Legba, who has the power to
WHAT ELSE Is IN THE HcusE� open locks. While Legba is riding her, any
mundane lock opens for her with a touch.
If the party searches the house, it is clear that
However, in addition to this power, she also
Delacroix actually lives there. The parlors and other
takes on other characteristics of Legba,
public rooms are fashionably furnished and deco
including his limp, which will halve her
rated. One of the parlors includes a small library,
movement for the duration of the possession.
with books in both French and English. They are
Inviting Legba is a simple action, but it isn't
mostly romance novels and works of history.
an easy process. As Legba enters her, Claude
Upstairs are four bedrooms, each furnished in
shakes for one round. When he leave, she
the Empire style. The master suite reveal that there
shakes for one round, and is disoriented for
was once a Mme. Delacroix, though all of her
another round. Following that round, she is
rooms are obviously disused and covered in dust.
In the basement are more clues to the mystery back to normal and can take actions as usual.
Once in the house, the party is able to get
of the Deseret corpses. If the PCs search it, they find
an idea of the interior layout. The first floor
a locked door, beyond which is a fully equipped
contains a foyer, stairs leading up and down,
mortuary. There are two bodies in the room at the
two parlors, the conservatory, the dining
moment, one in the middle of some kind of treat
room, and the kitchen (including the butler's
ment and one waiting on a nearby table. If, by
pantry). There are ld henchmen on this level,
chance, any of the investigators recognizes proper
most likely in the kitchen. The henchmen
funerary preparations, they will know that whatever
is happening is not usual, though they won't be able
are meant to be an annoyance, not a serious
challenge. If the characters overpower and
to say exactly what Delacroix is doing to the bodies.
3C A C E S A N D EZCHTS: THE A D V E N T U R E • • • •
interrogate them, they admit readily that Delacroix
EFILDDUE
In the story, Jim, Claude, and Marshal Terrill
all decide to work together in the future. They will
no doubt have many future adventures in New
Orleans. If your posse decides to remain in the
city, perhaps Claude is willing to host them. If
not, at least they'll have a contact in case they
need to return.
And return they might. As the story ends, the
Texas Rangers are forcibly entering Delacroix's
house. However, it isn't clear whether the
Rangers plan to arrest Delacroix or rescue him. If
the posse assumes the R�gers are on their side,
and they're not, Delacroix might be back shipping
weapons to Deseret and wreaking havoc sooner
than they expect. He would make an excellent
recurring villain in an ongoing campaign.
• • • • A C E S A N D EraHTS: TH E ADVENTURE 31
32 C D N V E R U D N NDTES
CDNVERSIDN
NDTES
CONTENTS
CHARACTER CONVERSIONS . . . . . . . . . . 33 SPECIAL CHARACTER TYPES . . . . . . . . 39
ATTRIBUTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . 33 HUCKSTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
AVOIDING FLATNESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . . 34 THE BLESSED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES . . . • . . . • . . . . 34 MAD SCIENTISTS . . . . . • . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Advantage Equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Converting Gizmos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Special Advantage Conversions . . . . . . . . . . . 34 New Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
STRIVING FOR EQUALITY . . . . . . . . . . • . • . • • • • • • • 36 SHAMANS . . • . . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Disadvantage Equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 THE HARROWED . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . 44
ACCOUNTING FOR DIFFICULTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • 36
Special Disadvantage Conversions . . . . . . . . . 37 SAMPLE CONVERTED CHARACTERS . . 45
SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Aptitude Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 RULES CONVERSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Aptitude Equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
CRITTERS 47
Special Skill Conversions 38
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . • . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHARACTER CCNVERSIDNS 2
3
9
11
10
12
12
13
13
14
14
15
When converting characters from Dead/ands 4 11 13 14 15 16
to GURPS Dead/ands, players and GMs use the 5 12 14 15 16 17
conversion guidelines below for Traits, Aptitudes, 6 13 15 16 16 17
and other characteristics all characters possess. 7 14 16 17 17 18
Some characters with special abilities may 8 15 16 17 18 18
require reference to the guidelines in the Special
Character Types section (p. 39). ATTnZEUTE CUZCELZNEB
Because Dead/ands has a partially . random Strength becomes ST.
character generation system, these conversion rules Vigor becomes HT.
do not produce a party of GURPS PCs with uni The average of Deftness, Quickness, and
form point totals from a party of equivalent starting Nimbleness becomes DX.
Dead/ands adventurers; however, they produce The average of Cognition, Knowledge, and
characters which feel and play like the originals. Smarts becomes IQ.
34 CDNVERSIDN NDTES
Arcane Background: mad scientist
becomes Gadgeteer. You may use either regular
Gadgeteer or Quick Gadgeteer, depending on the
flavor of your campaign. See p. 41 for more
details on converting mad scientists.
Arcane Background: shaman becomes Ini
tiation 3. See p. 42 for more details on converting
shamans.
Belongin's usually doesn't need to be con
verted; instead, convert the equipment gained
with it. For purposes of calculating point value,
however, Belongin 's becomes Temporary Wealth
(p. CI18). Level 1 becomes Temporary Comfort
able, Level 2 becomes Temporary Wealthy, Level
3 becomes Temporary Very Wealthy, and Levels
4 and 5 become Temporary Filthy Rich.
Dinero becomes Wealth. Levels 1 and 2
become Comfortable, levels 3 and 4 become
Wealthy, and Level 5 becomes Very Wealthy.
Friends in High Places becomes Contacts,
Favors, or Patrons as appropriate.
Kemo Sabe becomes a 5-point Unusual
Background (Familiar with a foreign culture).
This eliminates any cultural unfamiliarity penal
ties to skills having to do with that culture -
Savoir-Faire, for example.
Law Man becomes Legal Enforcement
Powers. The I -point Edge becomes the 5-point
advantage, the 3-point Edge becomes the 10-
point advantage, and the 5-point Edge becomes
the 15-point advantage.
Mechanically Inclined becomes Gadgeteer
in a campaign in which mad scientists use Gad
geteer (Quick). In a campaign in which mad sci
entists are regular Gadgeteers, Mechanically
Inclined confers a +2 bonus to Engineer and
Mechanic.
Rank becomes Military Rank. Rank 1
becomes Military Rank 0 or 1 ; Rank 2 becomes
Military Rank 1 or 2; Rank 3 becomes Military
Rank 3 or 4; Rank 4 becomes Military Rank 4, 5,
or 6; Rank 5 becomes Military Rank 7 or 8. With
in the range given, select the specific rank appro
priate to the character.
Renown becomes a +3 Reputation, recog
nized on a I 0 or less. The group affected depends
on the level of the Edge - a small group for l
point, a large group for 3 points, and almost
everyone for 5 points.
Sidekick becomes Ally; in order to deter
mine the Ally's point value, the Sidekick should
be converted into GURPS terms separately.
Tough as Nails becomes Fit at Level 1 , Very
Fit at level 2, and 1 Extra Hit Point for each level
beyond that.
Veteran o' the Weird West becomes Unusu
al Background (Veteran of the Weird West).
I I CDNVERUDN Nans 35
DISADVANTACE �UIVAl.ENTS
STRIVINC FDR �UALITY Dead/ands GURPS
If a group wants to try to create Ailin' Special; see below
conversions with roughly equal GURPS All Thumbs Special; see below
point totals, begin by converting the Bad Ears Special; see below
characters according to the rules below. Bad Eye Bad Sight
Estimate the group's average attribute Bad Luck Unluckiness
level; this is usually higher than the Big Britches Overconfidence
standard 10. Then try to adjust each Big Mouth Odious Personal Habit; see below
character's attributes a bit closer to the Big 'Un Special; see below
average, whether that means raising or Bloodthirsty Bloodlust
lowering the attribute in question. Cautious Careful
Adjust leveled advantages to add points Curious Extremely Curious
to characters at the low end of the party Clueless Absent-Mindedness
and to subtract points from characters at Death Wish On the Edge
the high end. Reduce skill levels that Doubting Thomas Delusion; see below
aren't central to character concepts for Ferner Social Stigma (Outsider)
characters with high point totals. The Geezer Age
end result may not be exactly equal, Greedy Greed
but it should be possible to achieve a Grim Servant o' Death Jinxed (-20 points)
reasonable balance. Habit Odious Personal Habit; see below
Hankerin' Addiction
. . . "' Heavy Sleeper Deep Sleeper and Extra Sleep 3
Heroic Charitable
ACCDUNTINC FDR DIFFICULTY High-Falutin' Odious Personal Habit; see below
The Aptitude Conversion table Illiterate Illiteracy
assumes that a given level of Aptitude Impulsive Impulsiveness
translates to a certain degree of profi Kid Youth
ciency regardless of the difficulty of the Law o' the West Code of Honor; see below
skill. If the group prefers to account for Loco Special; see below
the difficulty of the skill, add 1 to the Loyal Sense of Duty (Friends)
level of Easy skills, subtract one from Lyin' Eyes Easy to Read
the level of Hard skills, and subtract two Miser Miserliness
from the level of Very Hard skills. Mean as a Rattler Bad Temper
Night Terrors Nightmares
Oath Vow
Obligation Duty
One-Armed Bandit One Arm or One Hand
Outlaw Special; see below
Pacifist Special; see below
Poverty Poor
Randy Lecherousness
Scrawny Skinny
Self-Righteous Fanaticism
Slowpoke Special; see below
Squeaky Disturbing Voice
Squeamish Mild Phobia (Squeamishness)
Stub
born Stubbornness
Superstitious Delusion; see below
Thin-Skinned Low Pain Threshold
Tinhom Odious Personal Habit; see below
Tuckered Special; see below
Ugly as Sin Ugly
Vengeful Code of Honor; see below
Yeamin' Obsession
Yeller Cowardice
3B C D N V E R S I D N N DTU
SPECIAL DHADVANTACE CDNVERSIDNS SKILLS
Allin' becomes an appropriate physical dis All Dea.dlands Aptitudes convert readily to
advantage. Possibilities include Social Disease, an equivalent GURPS skill. To determine the
Migraines, Delicate Metabolism, or Terminally Ill. level of the skill, consult the following table,
All Th umbs becomes Incompetence at where Att. is the appropriate attribute for the
Armoury, Mechanic, Engineer, and Shipbuilding. given skill.
Bad Ears becomes Hard of Hearing for the
first level, and Deafness for the second level. MTITUDE CDNVERSIDN
Big Mouth becomes a - 1 0-point Odious Per Aptitude Skill Level
sonal Habit (Talks too much, and about the wrong l Att. - 1
things). 2 Att.
Big 'Un becomes Overweight at the first 3 Att. + I
level, and Fat at the second level. 4 Att. +2
Doubting Thomas becomes a -5-point Delu 5-6 Att. +3
sion (The supernatural does not ex.ist). 7-9 Att. +4
Habit becomes an Odious Personal Habit, 10+ Att. +5
with a reaction modifier of - 1 per level of the
Habit. If an Aptitude has adds (e.g., 3d12+4), add
High-Falutin' becomes a - 10-point Odious half the adds to the effective Aptitude for purpos
Personal Habit (Snob). es of determining the skill level. For example, an
Law o' the West becomes Code of Honor Aptitude of 3d 12+4 would have an effective level
(Law of the West) (Treat all women with respect; of5.
never draw first; never shoot someone in the To determine which GURPS skill a given
back; never shoot a distracted foe) and Reputation Dead/ands Aptitude converts to, consult the table
(+I, 10 or less, almost everybody). on p. 38. Deadlands Aptitudes which have
Loco becomes an appropriate Mental GURPS equivalents with the same name and
disadvantage. purpose have not been listed; they should still be
Outlaw becomes Enemy and/or Reputation. converted. For this purpose, Climbin' and Climb
Pacifist becomes Pacifism (Cannot kill) for ing, or any other similar pair, are considered
the first level and Total Pacifism for the second equivalent.
level. In some situations, multiple Dead/ands skills
Slowpoke becomes Incompetence (Running) may convert to a single GURPS skill (Fast-Talk,
for level l , Reduced Move l for levels 2 and 3, for example). In these situations, the converted
and Reduced Move 2 for levels 4 and 5. skill level should be calculated as if based on an
Superstitious becomes a -5-point Delusion Aptitude equal to the highest component Aptitude
(Superstitions are real). plus one for each additional component Aptitude.
Tinhom becomes a - 1 0-point Odious Per Dead/ands skills which require concentra
sonal Habit (Tinhom). tions often correspond to GURPS skills which
Tuckered becomes Unfit for level l, Very require specializations (Shootin' converts to
Unfit for level 2, and I Reduced Hit Point for Guns, for example). Choose an appropriate spe
every level beyond. cialization for the concentration when converting
Vengeful becomes a Code of Honor (Always these skills. Multiple concentrations of a single
avenge a wrong done to you). Aptitude count as separate skills.
CDNVERUDN NDTES 37
Some Dead/ands skills which do not require
concentrations correspond to GURPS skills SFECW. SKILL CDNVEl\SIDNS
which do require specialization. For these skills, Dodge becomes Acrobatics; at level 4 or higher,
the player should select a specialization appropri it also gives the character Enhanced Dodge.
ate to the character. In some cases, it may be nec Faith has different effects depending on who
essary to take a skill multiple times with different has it. All characters with Faith get + 1 to Will and
specializations. Theology for every level of Faith they possess.
Some Dead/ands skills convert to GURPS Characters with Divine Favor get + 1 to their Divine
skills which have prerequisites. Converted char Favor reaction rolls for every two full levels of
acters should take all prerequisites at the same Faith they possess. Indian characters with Faith 5 or
level at which they have the converted skills. higher get a Spirit Advisor; non-Indian characters
with Faith 5 or higher get True Faith.
APTITUDE EbUIVALENH Guts gives the character l level of Fearless
Dead/ands GURPS ness for each level of Guts above the first.
Academia Scientific skill Hexslingin' gives the character l level of Magi
appropriate to concentration cal Aptitude (Huckster) at levels l or 2, 2 levels of
Scrutinize Detect Lies Magical Aptitude (Huckster) at levels 3 or 4, and 3
Animal Wranglin' Animal Handling levels ofMagical Aptitude (Huckster) at levels 5 or 6.
Artillery Gunner Professional becomes the most appropriate
Arts Artistic skill appropriate skill for the concentration - often this is Profession
to concentration (usually al Skill (concentration), but Law, Politics, Theology,
Artist or Sculptor) or other skills may be more appropriate.
Bluff Fast-Talk Ritual becomes Ritual Magic. If the character
Dodge Acrobatics; see below has multiple concentrations, calculate the convert
Drivin' Vehicle skill appropriate ed skill level according to the guidelines above for
to concentration skills comprising multiple Aptitudes. Shamans
Faith Special; see below with any ritual concentration at level 3 or higher
Fightin' Combat skill appropriate also get the Spirit Advisor advantage.
to concentration Science becomes the appropriate Scientific
Filchin' Pickpocket (not Filch) skill. Science: general becomes the Science! skill.
Guts Special; see below Search gives the character 1 level of Alertness
Hexslingin' Special; see below for every two full levels of the Aptitude.
Mad Science Weird Science Tinkerin' becomes Mechanic. It also gives the
Medicine Medical skill appropriate character the Engineer skill two levels below the
to concentration level of Mechanic.
Overawe Intimidation Trade becomes the most appropriate skill for
Perforrnin' Perfonnance, Singing, the concentration - often Professional Skill (con
or Musical Instrument centration), but also frequently Craft skills like
Persuasion Fast-Talk Blacksmith or Carpentry.
Professional Special; see below
Quick Draw Fast-Draw MISCELLANEDUS CHAnACTER CDNVERSIDNS
Ridicule Fast-Talk or Intimidation,
The above information is enough for a gross,
as appropriate
seat-of-the-pants conversion from Dead/ands to
Ritual Special; see below
GURPS. However, for a more detailed and com
Science Scientific skill
plete conversion, continue reading.
appropriate to
concentration; see below SECDNDAl\Y TRAITS
Scrutinize Detect Lies Secondary Traits in Deadlonds (such as Wind,
Search Special; see below Size, and Pace) are not converted. Their functions
Shootin' Guns are served by other statistics in GURPS.
Sneak Stealth
Tale-Tellin' Bar:d lklUD'MENT
Ttnkerin' Special; see below Most nonweapon equipment doesn't need
Trade Special; see below mechanical conversion. Deadlands dollars are
' r
equivalent to GURPS dollars. Dead/ands weapons
can be found in GURPS terms in GURPS Dead
/ands: Weird West.
3S C D NV E I U I D N N D TE S
Dl\zT HUCKSTERS
Grit translates to Fearlessness, with each Hucksters take their lives in their hands daily
point of Grit becoming one level of Fearlessness. for a taste of real magic. They risk body and mind
FATE Cunis AND BDUNTY FDZNTS in a supernatural game of wits, so that they can
bend the manitou to their will, accomplishing
When converting a Dead/ands campaign in
feats that ordinary men can only gape at.
progress, a posse may have unused Fate Chips
When converting a huckster, arcane back
and Bounty Points. Both convert into unspent
ground: huckster becomes Magical Aptitude
character points in GURPS. Begin by converting
(Huckster), academia: occult becomes Occult
Fate Chips to Bounty Points at the usual rate 3
ism, and he.xslingin ' becomes additional levels of
-
SFECIAL CHARACTER TYF ES Hucksters retain all their hexes, whkh are
treated inGURPS Dead/ands as very similar to
Most citizens of the Weird West can be con
nonnal GURPS spells. The GURPS skill level
verted with the rules already covered. For those
for any given hex should be detennined by con
folks who dabble in the mystical and supernatu
sulting the Attribute Conversion Table, using the
ral, however, life is more complicated. Hucksters,
dice rolled for the hex (based on the he.xslingin'
the Blessed, mad scientists, shamans, and the
Aptitude and the appropriate Trait for the hex) as
Harrowed all require special attention in the
a basis. For purposes of calculating point value or
conversion process. Here are guidelines for con
for further improvement, hexes are treated as
verting the powers of the heavy hitters of the
Mental/Hard skills.
Weird West.
C D N V E R S I D N NDTES
ffUCKSTElllNC IN A NtlTSHEl.L
Duration dependent on the huckster's hexslingin'
level should now depend on the caster's Magical
The complete rules for using hex magic Aptitude (Huckster), with the same duration per
under GURPS rules are found in GURPS Dead level (i.e., 1 minute/hexslingin level becomes 2
'
/ands: Weird West. However, to lend context to minutes/level of Magical Aptitude (Huckster)).
the conversion rules for hucksters, a brief sum Some hexes have a split Duration of either
mary follows. Concentration or a certain amount of Wind/round.
To cast a hex, a huckster must roll against his These hexes have a basic Duration of 1 tum, but
skill with that hex. A success means that the they may be maintained indefinitely either by
huckster has made contact with a manitou and using Concentrate or Step and Concentrate
engaged it in a mental duel. maneuvers, or by spending an amount of Fatigue
If the hex skill roll is successful, the huck equal to the hex's cost in Wind.
ster draws a number of cards from a 54-card Hexes with a range measured in real-world
deck (including Jokers): five for the first level of terms remain the same. Hexes with a range depend
Magical Aptitude (Huckster), one for every two ent on he.xslingin' level should now depend on 2
additional levels of Magical Aptitude (Huckster) times the character's Magical Aptitude (Huckster).
up to the eighth level, and one for every five The specific effects of hexes vary too much
points by which he made the hex skill roll. Using for comprehensive guidelines to be offered here.
these cards, the huckster tries to make the best Use the guidelines above as a starting point (i.e.,
poker hand possible. Jokers count as wild cards, effects which depend on he.xslingin ' level should
but the Black Joker results in hex backlash (see now depend on 2 times the character's Magical
below). Aptitude (Huckster); effects which depend on the
Most hexes require a minimum hand to cast, hand drawn may still depend on the hand). The
and many have variable effects depending on the general rules conversion guidelines under Rules
quality of the hand. If the hand isn't adequate, the Conversions (p. 47) may also be helpful. Finally,
manitou either escaped or was unable to summon comparing the hex to existing GURPS spells will
up enough energy to provide the desired effect. provide useful guidance. In the end, however, the
If a huckster rolls an 18 while casting a hex, GM wiU have to use his best judgement.
or draws the Black Joker into his hand, the man
itou has tricked the huckster, and may wreak
havoc on him in a variety of cruel ways. In troubled times, faith in the divine is a pow
CDNVEllTINC HE�S erful force for putting things right in one's spirit.
For a fortunate few, however, faith is a powerful
Several hexes from Dead/ands appear in
force both within and without.
GURPS DeadlatUJs: Weird West, but there isn't
When converting one of the Blessed, arcane
enough space for all the hexes that appear in Pin
background: blessed becomes the Divine Favor
nacle's line of books. Individual groups may also
advantage (p. CI36), andfaith adds bonuses to the
want to convert the unique hexes which their
reaction roll for Divine Favor, as well as to Will
posses have invented. To convert these hexes into
and Theology. A sufficiently high level of faith
GURPS terms, use the following guidelines. also gives the character the True Faith advantage
The Trait of a hex is meaningless in GURPS
(p. CI47).
Dead/ands; all hexes in GURPS are A Blessed hero must take Disciplines of Faith,
Mental/Hard skills.
or Vows equal to at least -10 points, that are appro
The Hand of a hex remains the same, as
priate for his religion. Violating these vows can
GURPS Dead/ands preserves the use of cards in cause the Blessed PC to lose his divine powers.
hexslinging.
Divine Favor is like having a deity for a
The Speed of a hex converts directly into the
patron. The divinely favored character may petition
number of GURPS turns the hex takes to cast;
the deity for favors, which may be granted depend
one Dead/ands action is equivalent to one
ing on a reaction roll by the deity. Dead/ands mir
GURPS tum. acles become, effectively, predesigned favors, with
Hexes with a Duration of Instant have no
predictable minimum reactions required.
Duration in GURPS terms. Hexes with a Dura
Any Divinely Favored character may attempt
tion of Concentration have a GURPS Duration of
any miracle; hence, the list of miracles known by
1 tum, but may be maintained indefinitely using a given Dead/ands Blessed character is not con
Concentrate or Step and Concentrate maneuvers;
verted. The exceptions are the Exorcise, Protec
this maintenance requires no Fatigue and does
tion, and Sanctify miracles.
not require a new hand of cards. Hexes with a
40 CDNVERUDN NDTES
The Exorcise miracle becomes the Exorcism The miracle's Speed determines how many
skill (p. Cll53); Blessed characters with this mir 1 Deadla1Uls
turns it takes to invoke the miracle;
acle should take Exorcism at IQ. action equals l GURPS tum. Miracles which are
The Protection miracle is potentially avail rated in minutes or weeks do not change, remain
able to any character with a Theology of 6 or ing minutes or weeks.
higher. Any such character may call upon his The miracle's Duration determines how long
deity and hope for a positive reaction; however, it lasts. Durations of one Deadlands round trans
any person without a Discipline of Faith or late to one GURPS tum. Miracles rated in min
equivalent vows is at a -4 penalty on the reaction utes or weeks do not change.
roll. Deadlands Range uses real-world terms, and
The Sanctify skill becomes Professional thus need not be converted.
Skill (Sanctify); Blessed characters with this Converting the specific effects of the miracle
miracle should take Professional Skill (Sanctify) will require a decision by the GM, using his best
at IQ. judgement. The guidelines under Rules Conver
sions for converting miscellaneous Deadlands
CDNVERTINC MmACLES mechanics (p. 47) may help.
Many miracles are converted into
GURPS
terms in GURPS Deadlands: Weird West. How MAD SCIENTISTS
ever, as with hexes, the book can't possibly con
America in 1876 is a place and time of fre
tain all the miracles players may want to convert. netic technological innovation. The new materials
Therefore, other miracles can be converted using and fuels made possible by the discovery of ghost
the following guidelines.
rock, combined with the push for new armaments
The Deadlands Target Number required for
necessitated by the ongoing Civil War, make the
success determines the minimum reaction roll
sky the limit for new marvels of engineering. It's
required, according to the table below.
a dizzying time to be a scientist, when you can
Minimum Reaction build almost anything you can imagine. Easy, in
Neutral such a heady atmosphere, to lose yourself in the
Good work. Many brilliant scientists have cracked
Good under the strain of working continuously on the
Very Good edge of the unknown . . . but they create such
Very Good wonderful things!
C D NV E R S I D N N D T E S 41
When converting a mad scientist, arcane
background: mad scientist becomes Gadgeteer, NEW TECHNDLDCZES
mad science becomes Weird Science, and tin Since the Reckoning, many new technologies
kerin' becomes Mechanic and Engineer. Various have come into the limelight. Some of these inno
science concentrations become appropriate Scien vations are unique works of inspiration which
tific skills - Biology, Chemistry, Science!, etc. stabler minds cannot duplicate, but some break
Gadgeteer comes in two flavors - regular throughs have been incorporated into the general
and Quick. Each group should decide whether corpus of scientific and engineering wisdom.
the mildly cinematic inventions of regular The following gives parameters for using
Gadgeteering or the over-the-top chewing-gum some of the more widespread new technologies
and-beer-can contraptions of Quick Gadgeteer of the Weird West with GURPS Vehicles. These
ing are more appropriate for their campaign. See represent the new discoveries which have been
Compendium I for details of Gadgeteering, more or less fully incorporated into mainstream
with appropriate modifications in GURPS science. A mad scientist in the throes of inspira
Dead/ands: Weird West. tion, of course, should not be limited by these
Mad scientists who have been played for a guidelines; mad science can build almost any
while may have various dementias. GURPS has a thing, given enough time and brain cells.
wide variety of disadvantages to accommodate GURPS Steampunk contains rules for other
almost any mental dysfunction; equivalents for new technologies which are consonant with the
common dementias are found below. feel of Deadlallds.
Dead/ands
Eccentricity
GURPS
Quirk or Odious Personal Habit
FUELS
The discovery of ghost rock revolutionized
Evil Deeds Obsession
technology. Although the miracle fuel is extreme
Depression Chronic Depression
ly expensive, commanding prices of $100 per
Minor Phobia Phobia (minor)
pound, its amazing properties make it worth
Major Phobia Phobia (major)
every penny. Ghost rock provides 100 times the
Mumbler Quirk or Odious Personal Habit
power of coal, pound for pound, and is essential
Paranoia Paranoia
to producing new alloys.
Schizophrenia Manic-Depressive or Split
In 1876 America, there are four fuels n
i com
Personality
mon industrial use.
4Z C D NV E R U D N N D T E S
conferring the SpiritAdvisor advantage at level 3 or
DHcST STEEL higher. Thefaith Aptitude at level 5 or higher also
1876's great breakthrough in materials sci confers the Spirit Advisor advantage. Any appropri
ence is the mysterious metal known as ghost ate Spirit Advisor may be selected; bear in mind
steel. Ghost steel is a light, strong, and incredibly that this usually requires taking various Vows.
heat-resistant alloy which is manufactured by Individual rituals are not converted; they are
smelting steel in a furnace fired by ghost rock. subsumed into the Ritual Magic skill.
Objects made of ghost steel weigh half as Each favor that a shaman knows should be
much as their steel equivalents; however, they converted into a Ritual as if it were a skill convert
cost 50 times as much. ed from his highest ritual Aptitude. The shaman
In tenns of GURPS Vehicles, ghost steel is a should also possess each Path in which he has a
1L8 material usable in structures or armor. Struc Ritual, at a level equal to the highest Ritual he has
ture costs should be multiplied by 5, and armor in that Path, plus one point for each additional Rit
costs should be multiplied by 10. Vehicles with ual he has in that Path. A shaman's Ritual Magic
ghost steel armor must take the Thermal Super skill must be greater than his highest Path skill; if
conducting Annor defensive feature (see p. VE92). it is not, raise the Ritual Magic skill accordingly.
C D N V E Its I D N ND TE S 43
itou's Spirit to a number using the Attribute Conver
THE HARROWED sion table above. Add the manitou's Dominion
points at the time of conversion, then subtract the
It ain't easy being dead. The Harrowed may
Harrowed's Dominion points at the time of conver
have gained powers far beyond those of normal
sion. The result is the manitou's Will.
men as a door prize for clawing their way out of
the grave, but the cost is high. Being dead, for a . The Will of a Legion is random; roll 5d every
tune the Contest is required in order to determine
start. Constantly being locked in battle with an
its Will.
evil spirit for control of your own body is another
If the controlling personality wins the Quick
downside. And the maggots'll just kill you.
Contest, it retains control for the next day. (Ties
Converting a Harrowed character is relative
are considered victories.) If it loses the contest by
ly simple. After all the character's non-Harrowed
fewer than 5 points, the other personality takes
abilities have been converted, add the Harrowed
control for a period of ld hours. If it loses the
package, below. Then determine the Will of the
contest by 5 points or more, the other personality
manitou that shares the Harrowed's body. Finally,
takes Dominion, and the original controlling per
convert any special Harrowed powers the charac
sonality must win a Quick Contest by more than
ter may have picked up.
5 points on a later day to regain that control.
DDMINIDN
In GURPS Dead/ands, Dominion is handled
CDNVERTIND HARRDWED PDWERS
as a variant form of Split Personality. In stressful
An experienced Harrowed will develop a
situations, the Harrowed and the manitou must range of special abilities as little gifts from his
make a Quick Contest of Wills to determine who manitou. A Harrowed who makes a habit of going
takes control until the next contest To determine after abominations may also have picked up a few
the Will of the inhabiting manitou, convert the man- coup powers along the way. GURPS Dead/ands:
HARROWED
,
zca POU�TS
Adva11tages: Doesn't Eat or
Drink (10]; Fearlessness +3
[6]; Independent Body Parts
(Limitation: Reattachment
only, -50%) (20]; Injury Tol
erance (No Blood) [5]; Less
Sleep 4 (12); Regrowth
(Limitation: Reattachment
only, -50%) (20]; Tempera
ture Tolerance (10]; Vampiric
Immortality (60]; Vampiric
(Undead) Invulnerability
[150].
Disadva11tages: Bad Smell[-10];
Eunuch (-5]; Nightmares
(-5); Pallor (-10); Secrev
(Harrowed) (-20]; Unhealing 1 I '·
(Must eat raw meat to regen,- d
erate lost HT) (-20]; Voices If
(Diabolical) (- 1 5]. :;: ;..• �n l
. . ��;::: �!
, .
- ,. ., .,,_. .,
;:b
� �
. ..,. ._.,,,.�-
,
� '
-
� l I
,� I
CDNVERBIDN NDTES
Weird West contains conversions of several Har
rowed powers. If, however, it becomes necessary
to convert other powers from Pinnacle's books,
the folJowing guidelines may prove helpful.
The Speed of a Harrowed power converts
directly into the number of GURPS turns
required to activate the power; one Dead/ands
action equals one GURPS tum.
Powers with a Duration of Concentration
have a GURPS Duration of 1 turn, but may be
maintained indefinitely, as long as the Harrowed
continues to take Concentrate or Step and Con
centrate maneuvers. Powers with a Duration of a
certain amount of Wmd per round require an
amount of Fatigue equal to the required Wind
each tum to maintain. Powers with a Duration of
Permanent remain Permanent. Powers with a
Duration of minutes or hours retain that Duration.
Dispositions are not converted; the GM and
players should simply make an effort to assure Strength 4d6
that Harrowed powers are consistent with the Vigor 4d8
Harrowed's personality. Cognition 3d6
The specific details of the power will require Knowledge 2d8
a ruling from the GM. Many Harrowed powers Mien 2d8
can be represented with advantages and powers Animal wranglin': bronco bustin' 2
from the Basic Set or Compmdium I; the Rules Overawe 2
Conversions section, below, may also be helpful. Smarts 3d6
Scroungin' 2
CHARACTERS
Guts 2
Wind 14
I C D NV E R S I D N N D T E S 45
DEADLANDI CHARACTER:
Mien 4d8
Persuasion l
Smarts 3dl0
JESSICA METCALFE Bluff3
Gambling 2
TRAITS AND MTZTUDES Spirit4d8
Deftn� 3d8 Wind 16
Filchin' 2 Edges:
Shootin': pistol 2 Arcane background: huckster 3
Sleight of hand 3 Brave 2
Nimblen� 3d8 Fleet-footed l
Dodge 2 Gift of gab l
Horse ridin' l Purty l
Quickn� 4d8 Nerves o' steel l
Quick draw: pistol 1 Soothing voice l
Strength 2d8 Hindrances:
Vigor 2d8 Curious -3
Cognition 3dl0 Greedy -2
Scrutinize 3 High-falutin' -2
Knowledge 4d10 Stubborn -2
Academia: occult 2 Tuckered -1
Language: French l Special Abilities:
Language: Latin 2 Hexslingin' 3
Language: Spanish l Hexes: Hunch, Mind Tweak, Private Eye
Professional: theology l
:;:::
;:::
- : --i
1
E--
....
4
� . > • C> • < .. I CDNVERSIDN Nous 47
DPPDS£D Rm.Ls CUTS CHECKS
Any situation which calls for an opposed roll Any situation which calls for a guts check in
should be resolved with a Quick Contest. Dead/ands calls for a Fright Check in GURPS
Dead/ands.
TRAIT CHECKS
When a Strength check is called for, use ST. rEAR LEvEL
When a Vigor check is called for, use Hf. Areas with a Fear Level rating cause charac
When a Cognition, Smarts, or Knowledge ters to suffer a - 1 penalty to their Fright Checks
check is called for, use IQ. for every level of Fear as long as the characters
When a Deftness, Nimbleness, or Quickness remain within the area.
check is called for, use DX.
When a Mien check is called for, make a AcTIDNS
reaction roll. A Dead/ands action is equal to a GURPS
When a Spirit check is called for, use Will. turn. A full Dead/ands tum is equal to 5 GURPS
turns.
DzE llmJ.s
Deadlmuls sometimes uses die rolls in a way WDUND LEVELS
that conflicts with the spirit of GURPS. For exam Some Dead/ands effects refer to wound lev
ple, inDeadlmuls, Harrowed must sleep ld6 hours els. In GURPS terms, a Light wound is equivalent
per night; in GURPS Deadlmuls, they have Less to 1 or 2 hits of damage. A Heavy wound is equal
Sleep 4, and must sleep 4 hours per night. When to 3 or 4 hits of damage. A Serious wound is equal
ever you need to convert this sort of mechanic, use to 5 to 8 hits ofdamage. A Critical wound is equal
the average result for the die roll given. to 9 to 12 hits of damage. A Maimed wound is
Similarly, if something you 're trying to con equal to 1 3 to 16 hits of damage; this will cripple
vert calls for a type of die that you, as a GURPS a limb, but wiJl not necessarily incapacitate on a
convert, don't have, convert the dice to d6s by torso hit, as GURPS does not have crippling torso
referring to the table in the Critters section and wounds.
doubling all entries.
4S CaNvEnuaN Nnu
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THE DEAD MAN's HAND!
Jim Wright high-tails it out• Denver, one step
ahead of his would-be killers. on a Journey that
takes hrm from a fancy riverboat on the
Mississippi to the dingy warehouses and
opulent mansions of New Orleans. Now
Wright has to figure out who wants to kill him,
and why, and what a New Orleans gambler has
to do with his murdered partner back In the
Disputed Lands ...
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SJG01095 6781 USA