An Introductory Scenario for Deadlands: Hell on Earth
by "Suicide Dave"
(additional material by Matt Steflik)
The Story So Far
(Excerpt from the Librarian's Almanac by Michael Cone):
GLOBE ENCLAVE, ARIZONA- Nomad the Librarian arrives with a very odd tale from the northern region. It seems that there is an armed feud going on between the neighboring towns of Cedar City and Enoch in southwestern Utah. Nomad relays that both sides are claiming that the other is raiding food stores under the cover of darkness. The Cedarites are shouting that their neighbors are poisoning the local streams, while the Enochians claim that folks from Cedar City have been raiding their town's supply caravans. Both sides are calling for Law Dogs to mediate the dispute.
The Set Up
As the Almanac entry details, conflict has arisen between the Cedar City and Enoch in Utah. Complaints from both communities have reached as far as Junkyard, but Ike Turner is hesitant to send his own men out to troubleshoot; the feud is taking place outside of Junkyard and it's border territories. Nonetheless, since both are fairly established communities, he has hired messengers to travel around Utah, instructing them to inform any groups of armed travelers they come across about the situation. For payment, Ike is offering $200 in salvage, bullets, or paper money, as well as information on how to obtain Junkyard citizenship.
Assuming that the posse has been informed of the situation, and assuming that they take up Ike's offer, they are given fairly detailed directions to each respective town.
Warm Welcomes
Enoch is the closer of the two villes, and a brief encounter is detailed below that should convince the posse to move on to Cedar City?for now. They'll have to come back eventually.
Enoch, Utah - pop. 67 (Fear Level 4)
Enoch has barricaded its gates and closed its borders to all outsiders. Their sheriff is currently away from the ville and has instructed that now strangers be admitted under any circumstance until his return.
Read: "As you approach the town of Enoch at a distance, you notice that there are guards stationed atop the high fortified junk wall that surrounds the settlement. All of them (that are visible) are armed with rifles. The gate that leads into the settlement have been barricaded shut and a sign has been posted near the gate that states simply: "Piss off." Upon seeing you, the guards shout unintelligible threats and fire some warning shots. These people are afraid of something, and it's obvious you are not welcome here."
Discourage the posse by any means necessary from entering the Enoch now. Make the show of force as intimidating as impossible without being lethal and keeping it within reason. Even stating that the posse members are envoys from Junkyard will be met with mistrust and will not allow passage into the ville. Attempts to sneak into the ville should fail at this point. The posse should be left with no other alternative but to go to Cedar City.
Cedar City, Utah - pop. 43 (Fear Level 4)
Cedar City, on the other hand, is accepting of outsiders, although the whole town is a bit paranoid. Two guards are stationed near the entrance, and they let the posse in, but not before muttering, "We'll be watching you?Outsiders."
Read: "Cedar City is a wretched, junk walled town full of bitter, frightened people. Some of the hastily constructed buildings still have black scorch marks on them from bomb fires, and are made from a variety of scavenged materials. A few ramshackle buildings of pre-war manufacture are still standing and in use. The few people who walk the streets are suspicious and unfriendly, peering over their shoulders as they scurry away from you. Everywhere you go, you get the distinct impression that you're being watched."
The posse is free to explore Cedar City, but it's a ville with fairly low prospects with not much in the line of service or trade. The Marshal can make things available as they see fit, but all negotiations with townsfolk should be strained and brief, as if they don't relish talking to the posse. At some point they'll have to go to the bar. The watering hole in this town is called "The Pennywise Tavern". The tavern is a big, spacious, one-room structure that was once a convenience store. There are a number of jury-rigged tables in the place, as well as a long counter with several stools pulled up to it. The bar is pretty full, as most people come here to cool off after a long day. Lately though, with the feud going at full bore, most people just come to get drunk and cause trouble. The fare is pathetic and the drink strong and home-brewed?but it's fairly cheap. Should the posse attempt to talk to any customers, all they have to say are things like "Damned Enochians are tryin' to ruin our town," if they respond at all. The only friendly types in the place are the bartender, named Eugene, and the sheriff. If the posse asks the bartender about the problem with Enoch, this is what he has to say:
Read: "Ya know, it's funny. Our water supply used to be fine, but recently folks have been getting sick from our water, and a few are dying, from poison. That's what the sawbones says anyway. Whole frickin' town's convinced that some guys from Enoch have poisoned our water supply, but I don't think so. 'Sides, everyone who's been to Enoch to investigate has been brought back dead. But it ain't them. I think that the water's been poisoned, sure?(lowers voice) but it's vampires that have been doing it. I've noticed that this one family, the Parkers, they've been acting real strange lately. They're all awfully pale, and they don't care much for sunlight these days. I think they're drugging the water to weaken us so they can feast on our blood, but keep that on the down low. No sense in frightening the town until I got some proof."
The next person who the posse should talk to is Sheriff Floyd. He's a tall, well-built, rugged-looking man in his early 30's, who seems to have his hands full with keeping the townsfolk from simply burning Enoch to the ground altogether. Floyd is a sheriff by title only - he's no Law Dog (although you can use the Law Dog template from the main rule book minus the Law Dog edge and Oath for his stats if needed). He (just like the sheriff at Enoch) is just the de facto elected leader of the ville, and is actually looking for the intervention of a Law Dog into the current situation. He doesn't say much to the posse, unless they mention they have been sent by Junkyard to investigate or have a Law Dog in the group. Once this occurs, he mentions that he thinks the water supply's been poisoned, but maybe not by anyone from Enoch. If the posse mentions the Parker family, Floyd's eyes widen and he says he'll take that under advisement. Whether or not a Law Dog is with the posse, he has a task for them. Put simply, he says:
Read: "I need y'all to go over there and put some sense into Steve Migraine's head. He's the sheriff in Enoch. Now I don't want no violence, none of that, just negotiate with him, cuz we ain't been raidin' shit. Can ya do that? Parley and see if y'all can straighten this here mess out?"
Bounty:
Leaving Enoch without resorting to violence. - 1 White Chip
Getting back out of Cedar City without resorting to violence. - 1 White Chip
Accepting Sheriff Floyd's task. - 1 White Chip
Haven't We Been Here Before?
Enoch, Utah - pop. 45 (Fear Level 4)
Should the posse accept the sheriff's task, they head out to Enoch. The town's gates are still barricaded, and the guards still gaze threateningly at them from the top of the wall, but there is a shorter, chubby man standing outside the gates, accompanied by two armed men. The posse's movements have been followed by a scout from the town since leaving Enoch the first time, and he reported back once the posse left Cedar City and it was clear they were headed back again to Enoch. The shorter man is Steve Migraine, the sheriff (just like with Floyd, use the Law Dog template stats if needed - perhaps change his gear a bit). He has been informed of the posse's movements. Provided the posse left peacefully the first time, he motions for the guards to lower their weapons and remove the barricade, and he leads the posse into the town.
Read: "Enoch is a small, dirty, rubble-laden pest-hole. Its seeming abundance of junk piles and ruins, as well as a huge junkyard set against its northern wall has earned Enoch the nickname 'The Heap' by it's inhabitants. Just as in Cedar City, your presence is obviously not desired - you draw a lot of mistrusting glances as townsfolk scurry to get off the street. After allowing you to glance around for a few minutes, the sheriff leads you into his office."
Inside the office, assuming that the posse explains their mission and passes on Floyd's message, Steve frankly informs the posse that Enoch hasn't poisoned anyone's water supply, because they have suffered too. Four people have died in the past week, and seven are still gravely ill. Community morale is at an all time low, and tempers are beginning to flare. While he's the de facto community leader, Steve knows that his control over the populace is marginal at this point. Since the local stream that the town had been getting its water from became tainted, he's been desperately seeking out an alternative water source. He's hear rumors of an old Northern Army water tank hidden somewhere nearby that had, at least until recently, supplied some of the other settlements with fresh water, but he has no clue where it's located. He then asks the posse to bring Sheriff Floyd a gallon of bottled water, which he hands the posse, as a symbol of good faith. Like Floyd, Steve wants peace again between the two villes. After giving the posse the water and message, he explicitly tells the posse to leave the town "before the guards or the locals fill ya fulla holes." With the recent conditions, he just can't guarantee that violence won't erupt. If the posse leaves town immediately, nothing will happen. If they dawdle, they will get the same curt reactions from the townsfolk as they did in Cedar City, but with a bit more menace. The Marshal should try to either scare persistent posses out of town with a show of force, or drive them out with a complete lack of assistance.
Bounty:
Getting into and back out of Enoch without resorting to violence. - 1 White Chip
Accepting Sheriff Migraine's task. - 1 White Chip
Trouble...Right Here in Cedar City...
(with a capital "T" and that rhymes with "C" and that stands for "Chemical")
The posse heads back to Cedar City and arrives around dusk to find Floyd and two deputies standing in front of a house in the residential area, fending off a large group of torch wielding townsfolk. Standing behind them are four pale, sweating people; a married couple and two little girls. This is the Parker family. Once the sheriff sees the posse, he informs them (if the posse didn't tell him about Eugene's suspicions) of the situation. The Parkers tearfully further insist that they are not vampires (or anything supernatural for that matter). The sheriff quite honestly isn't sure what to think, but is still trying to maintain order, refusing to turn the family over to the growing mob. While he and the deputies continue to hold the mob in check, Floyd asks the posse to go inside the house and search the premises inside the house. An Onerous (TN 7) Tale Tellin' or Leadership roll can help quiet the crowd - otherwise, one or two posse members might also be needed to keep the family safe (the Marshal can call for some opposed strength or brawling rolls to make this interesting). While there is nothing exciting to be seen inside the one room shack, if the posse searches the outside, have them roll an Onerous (7) Search roll. If they succeed, they find a small mound of disturbed earth in the ground near the shack. Once unearthed, a small metal box is revealed labeled with toxic warning symbols and the legend "Randelson Chemicals: FEV-Caution! Extremely harmful!" The box has a large tear on the side, and chemical residue is evident in the soil and in the container. Anymore making an Onerous (TN 7) medical roll or Fair (TN 5) Pharmaceutical Roll can see that proximity exposure to this chemical has been causing the Parkers to avoid sunlight and turn pale (for effects, look in the "New Stuff" section at the end of the adventure). The Parkers have no knowledge of the box.
After this has been discovered, a series of gunshots and a peel of tires against asphalt is heard, scattering the crowd in a rush toward the gate to the ville. Investigation finds three dead bodies just outside the Cedar City gates. Two of them are the Cedar gate guards, and the third is the bartender from the Land Down Under Saloon, which is located in Enoch. An Onerous (TN 7) Search roll will show that it looks like the bartender was shot by one of the guards. The sheriff, still trying to maintain order and ensure the Parker's safety in light of the new discovery, asks the posse to follow the unknown escaping gunmen and bring them back to justice. If the posse delivers the water, Floyd will thank them, but show obvious distrust, mentioning something about "settling some things" with Steve. On a Fair (TN 5) Search roll, the posse sees some tire tracks on the road, and on a Fair (TN 5) Trackin' roll, they can follow the tracks to the "hidden" location of the old NA water tank.
Bounty:
Successfully protecting the Parkers and finding the box - 1 Red Chip
Accepting to chase after the gunmen. - 1 White Chip
Getting Tanked
After traveling a considerable distance down several old roads, the posse finds the old NA water tank concealed in a low-lying area behind a bluff covered with stunted trees. An observant posse member might see buzzards flying overhead long before the tank is in site on a Fair (TN 5) Search roll. The water tank is a huge, 500-gallon tank with pipes that sink into the ground. While some of the surrounding towns use some of the streams that run through the area, this tank was up until recently a chief water source for trade with surrounding towns. The extended family that controlled the site has been killed, and their shelters burned to the ground. Scattered around the tank are the remains of several water caravans; vehicles (both modern and otherwise) have been destroyed and stripped, and dead bodies lay about the area. As they approach, have each posse member make a Fair (TN 5) roll for surprise. If all are successful, the posse can attempt to sneak up on a group of Raiders as they are unloading something from the back of a battered economy car. If even one posse member fails the roll, the Raiders get the jump on them: a Raider steps from behind the last posse member in line and yells "You done stepped into the wrong place, shithead!" (roll normally for initiative, with the exception of the posse member(s) that failed).
There are 2d6 Raiders (pg. 156 of The Wasted West), with a minimum of one Raider per posse member. They attack the posse with bats and lead pipes, although one of them has an old Police Pistol (treat as a .38 caliber pistol with 12 rounds). Once the posse disposes of the wasters, they can find two more boxes labeled "Randelson Chemicals: FEV" in the back of the economy car. Also, if the posse searches the bodies of the Raiders with a Fair Search roll (TN 5), they find a letter in the gunman's pocket, written on very old stationery, bearing the Pennywise convenience store logo. Reads the following or prepare it as a handout for the posse:
Boys- Make sure to get all that stuff in the water before nightfall. If enough of them get sick, I can go ahead with step two and unite the towns by pin-pointing the cause, and framing the sheriffs. Of course, I'll give my "deputies" credit for the discovery too. -Eugene
The area has been thoroughly scrounged many times, and there isn't much left of value. An Onerous (TN 7) Scroungin' roll will turn up 1d8 (no roll ups) usable structural components for Junker devices. A Hard (TN 9) roll will turn up half a battered pack of Phlegm Fatale cigarettes in one of the scavenged vehicle's glove compartments (10 left in the pack - see effects in the "New Stuff" section at the end of the adventure). The Raider's economy car, while a bit beat up, is entirely serviceable and has half a tank of fuel.
Bounty:
Defeating the Raiders. - 1 Red Chip
Posse member that finds the note. - 1 Red Chip
There and Back Again
Once the posse heads back to Cedar City, they find several more vehicles on the scene. The two sheriffs, with their respective deputies, stand in the street near the front gates shouting at each other, nose to nose. When the posse tries to tell them all of what happened, both groups continue to try to "out shout" one another. An Onerous (TN 7) Persuasion or Overawe check will get the two groups to stops and listen to reason. If they make the roll, the sheriffs stop arguing with each other and ask to see the letter. Once they both read it, they and the posse head to the Pennywise for the final battle.
Saloon Showdown
The scene in the Pennywise is one of hostility. Several confused patrons and curious onlookers are gathered about outside - apparently Eugene uncharacteristically closed shop and kicked everyone out when a group of strange and dangerous looking men entered and had a talk with him. The Pennywise has only one entrance, and through the two front windows it can be plainly seen that tables have been overturned to form crude barricades. There are 2d8 armed men inside the tavern (minimum at least 1 per posse member plus two), and Eugene the bartender can be seen standing behind the bar, pointing a double-barrel shotgun at the door. Eugene knows the posse is coming so there is little chance of surprise. As the posse approaches, Eugene will call out to the group (his voice is shaky, and the man sounds a bit crazed):
Read: "Well, I gotta hand it to ya, strangers. Ya got those two idiots to agree on something, and ya found me out too. But the ride stops here, fellas. Sure, my partner from Enoch is dead, so he won't see it?but my plan will still see its way to completion. Once you are all out of the way, I'll unite the two towns and rule them as one solid unit, as the man who stopped the villainous outsiders and the two former sheriffs from poisoning us all. Clever, huh? I thought so too?goodbye outsiders."
Eugene ends his tirade with a peal of high pitched laughter. Roll for initiative. The stats for Eugene and his men are in the Boot Hill section. The wooden tables Eugene's men are hiding behind give them partial cover (AV 1 to legs and lower guts/gizzards), while the heavier wooden bar gives Eugene AV 2 to the same locations (this combined with his vest gives him pretty good cover). All of the men will fight to the death. Floyd will adamantly refuse to let any mass damage attacks be made upon the building (such as Nuke or Arson). The still that produces the Saloon's hard alcohol is inside the premises, and an explosion would doubtless set it off - probably leveling a good part of the town. During the fight (if you have a large posse), handle the sheriffs and deputies by rolling some dice and letting them provide "ineffective cover fire" (in other words, just say they're throwing lead, but not hitting much). Let the posse be the heroes rather than have it be decided by a lucky shot by an NPC. You can have them draw some of the attack, taking wounds and such, but make sure the sheriffs survive the encounter. If your posse is small and could use the help, run them legitimately. If you need them, figure there are four "deputies" total in addition to the sheriffs, and give them the same stats as the Raiders, except with S&W .38 pistols with 12 rounds each. "Bad Guy" weapons, ammo and gear in this battle may not be taken by posse members afterwards as "plunder" - these will go into the ville armory. Specific items may be traded for however.
Bounty:
Posse member that gets the sheriffs to listen to each other. - 1 Red Chip
Successfully helping to defeat Eugene and his men. - 1 Red Chip
All's Well That Ends Well
Both sheriffs survive the fight, and decide to unite the towns into one large survivor settlement. After a week or so of arguments, they hold a vote, and the townspeople decide to call the new settlement Horizon (Fear Level 3), located on the former site of Cedar City (which is closer to the fresh water). The posse receives the thanks of the new community and is promptly handed a certified document detailing the surviving members' service to the villes, signed by both Floyd and Migraine. The posse is then given directions to Junkyard and is provisioned with enough food and water for the journey. If they present the document to the authorities back in Junkyard, each surviving posse member on the document will receive $200 in trade goods for their services (interested members can inquire into Junkyard citizenship at this time as well).
But how did Eugene get his hands on the chemicals? Where did they come from? Perhaps that's a tale for another time. But meanwhile, here's some background information to fill in some gaps, and perhaps help an inventive Marshal off on his own follow up adventure.
New Stuff
The Randelson Chemical Corp
The Randelson Chemical Corporation was started in Denver in 2011, as a subsidiary to Hellstrome Industries. The company mainly produced chemicals to aid in the spook juice manufacturing process, as well as a few acidic chemicals to help in the mines; a product called Breakaway was used for removing rocks, pipes, and other hazards from the mining paths/tunnels to clear the way for drills. Randleson also made a few steps into pharmaceuticals, including a hemorrhoid treatment called Sitagin, and a series of weight loss supplements, none of which exist in a Post-nuke atmosphere.
However, the two best known products from Randelson, and the ones that are still found today from time to time, are FEV and Phlegm Fatale cigarettes. Phlegm Fatale cigarettes are simply long, unfiltered cigarettes stuffed with a mixture of tobacco (or a synthetic tobacco) and ghost rock powder. The result is a tasty and satisfying, but horribly addictive, cigarette that can cause fatal illness. Of course, this being the Wasted West, there is no Surgeon General. Phelgm Fatale cigarettes are rare outside of Junkyard, but they can still be purchased for $10 a pack, and $50 a carton in Junkyard itself if you know who to talk to. The addiction TN is 9 (roll Vigor). If failed, the hero picks up a Mild Hankerin'. If he busts, he picks up a Major Hankerin'.
FEV is a slightly more complex invention. In 2066, the CEO of Randelson Corp., Mr. Franklin Edward Vega (FEV, get it?) became very interested in the science of mutancy; that is, how people become mutated. At the time, some isolated chemical spills in Randelson factories had resulted in some mutations in HI employees. Vega was enthralled at the possibility of creating super-strong, super-agile workers who were smart enough to follow commands but not smart enough to cause trouble with unions. So, he and a team of scientists holed up in an underground laboratory about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City and began work on the mutancy virus. Working with several highly diluted chemicals (like the ones in the original spills), they did manage to succeed with a small number of test subjects (HI workers). Unfortunately, the subjects proved to be violent and deranged upon ending the treatment, and they were either killed or locked into stasis cells for further analysis.
Worse still, an escaped patient blabbed about the laboratory to the Salt Lake newspapers, and the whole experiment turned into a scandal. Vega and the scientists, under verbal attack by the public, began creating an antidote for FEV, but the bombs fell before they could test and refine it. The laboratory still remains today however; in the right situation, an Incredible (11) Streetwise roll can net a hero an old copy of the newspaper that reveals the location of the place.
If FEV is ingested orally, have the hero make a Hard (TN 9) Vigor roll. If passed, the hero takes 1d6 damage to the guts and feels crummy for 1d6 days, which has no effect on Trait rolls. If the roll is missed, the Hero takes 3d6 damage to the guts and picks up the Ailin': Minor hindrance (hives). If the hero goes bust, he takes 5d6 damage to the guts and draws four cards from the Mutations table in the HOE rulebook. The hero must take the worst mutation.
The antidote (also taken orally) can cure any of these symptoms on an Ornery (TN 7) Vigor roll. If the roll is missed, the stuff doesn't work. If the roll is a bust, the hero chucks it back up and takes an additional 2d6 damage to the guts.
Boot Hill
Cognition: 4d6
Knowledge: 1d6
Mien:2d8
Smarts: 1d6
Spirit: 3d10
Guts 2d10
Overawe 2d8
Search 3d6
Deftness: 4d6
Nimbleness:3d6
Strength: 1d10
Quickness: 1d10
Vigor: 1d4
Dodge 3d6
Fighting: Brawling 4d6
Shooting: Pistol 4d6
Sneak 3d6
Throwing: Unbalanced 3d6
Wind: 14
Size: 5
Scrawny
Gear: Smith and Wesson revolver with 20 rounds (.38 cal), large knife, leather jacket (AV:-2 to upper guts and arms)
Cognition: 2d6
Knowledge: 2d6
Mien: 4d12
Smarts: 2d10
Spirit: 3d6
Guts: 4d6
Leadership: 5d12
Overawe: 6d12
Search: 4d6
Sneak: 4d8
Deftness: 4d8
Nimbleness: 4d8
Quickness: 4d8
Strength: 2d12
Vigor: 2d8
Climbing 3d8
Dodge 2d8
Shootin': Shotgun 3d8
Throwing: Balanced 4d8
Loco: Plain Nuts!
Mean as a Rattler
Size: 6
Wind: 14
Gear: double-barrel shotgun with 25 shells,
scavenged kevlar vest (AV 1 to guts/gizzards), data slug about Randelson, $100