Magic & Mysticism

TM

A Sourcebooklet for Dime Heroes

Table of Contents
Introduction ..........................................................3
Magic Characters.................................................3
Mystic Characters................................................7
Cults ...................................................................10
Scenarios
Doom Sets Sail...............................................11
The Northwood Terror.................................12
The Jeweled Eye of Kiera ............................13
Madness in Chinatown.................................14
Nazi Witches for Satan’s Army...................15

Author James Stubbs Additional Testing & Support

Rogan Hamby, Robert Fletcher, Theo McGuckin, Mark Kram,
1PG System Design Todd Downing Jarvis Yolholsky
Editor James Stubbs, Samantha Downing Front Cover by Todd Downing

PUBLISHING NOTICE
Magic & Mysticism is published by Deep7
P.O. Box 46373 Seattle, WA 98146
www.deep7.com
All material is © Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003 Deep7
1PG is a trademark of Deep7
All rights reserved worldwide. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution or commercial use of this product in its electronic or hardcopy
form is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization of Deep7.

LICENSE AGREEMENT
By opening this file, you agree to the following terms of license:
!You are granted permission to print the electronic file to hardcopy form, so long as it qualifies as personal use, is not used for commercial
sale and does not infringe upon the copyright in any other way. You are authorized to make and keep one (1) copy in electronic form for
backup purposes.
!Unauthorized duplication, distribution or sale of the product in any form constitutes a breach of this license, and will be prosecuted to the
full extent of the law. Support Deep7 by not pirating our products, and we will continue to offer revolutionary roleplaying material.
!You agree to hold Deep7, its principals and personnel free of any and all liability in relation to this product.

2
 INTRODUCTION
Magic & Mysticism is the second "sourcebooklet" for Dime Heroes. It provides ways for referees to incorporate mag-
ical and supernatural elements into their pulp games if they so desire. Magic & Mysticism is designed to accommodate
the exploits of such heroes as The Shadow, Mandrake the Magician and Blackstone the Magic Detective. However, this
sourcebooklet is also easily expandable to add magic and mystical aspects to any setting in which you'd care to run 1PGs,
such as swords & sorcery, gothic horror or superheroes with some appropriate tweaking depending on the "flavor" of
your setting and game style.
As the referee, you are encouraged to use all or selected parts of this information in your game. Remember that you
are the referee and have final say in all matters. If an arcanist doesn't fit in with your game, you are quite within your
rights to not allow such a character. Game balance is accomplished by good judgement by the referee and not arbitrary
game mechanics.
I would like to extend special thanks to John Sullivan for his excellent Island Mojo expansion for Bloode Island that
provided the inspiration for what you are holding in your hands. Although most of the mechanics he devised were not
specifically used, the Spiritualism section remains almost intact and his ideas were what fueled this particular creative fire.

MAGIC CHARACTERS
Arcane Magic effects should only last one round or grant
one automatic success to a particular type
"Pay attention, Abigail. This will be Magical characters are divided
of action. Each talisman created costs the
an enlightening experience for such a into three different categories
maker two Character Points and will
young adept. May I draw your attentions based on how they implement the
eventually lose its enchantment.
to the Eye of Osiris? Clear your mind and mystic forces: Arcane Magic,
focus upon its myriad depths…" Occultism and Stage Magic. Examples of Talismans:
Practitioners who are capable of cast- When creating a magic charac- Passage of Alidour: Automatic success
ing spells and making use of magical ter, don't roll on the Status Table, for entry into a locked location.
items of known origin use Arcane Magic. your status as "magician" is Ochindra's Caress: 1 AV to all body
Arcane Magic tends to be handed down already set. Magicians gain +1 parts for ten minutes of game time.
from teacher to student and is rarely self- WITS, NOTORIETY and CUN- Erudite Insight: Automatic success on
taught or discovered. This type of magic NING. one single Gray Matter check.
is diametrically opposed by Occultism. Each type of magic is further Blind Eye of Ka'di: Character becomes
Arcanists focus their studies on more divided into three levels of power. invisible for one round.
definable elemental forces and approach Every character with the magician Each time a talisman is used, roll
magic from a scientific angle. Magic background automatically gains 1D6. If the die comes up with a "6", the
becomes easily understood through math- level one skills for free. Each sub- talisman is expended and is now a normal
ematical formulas and is treated more as a sequent level of power can be or useless item.
science than as an art. Life magics such as acquired for two Character Points Talismans can be stolen or destroyed.
those employed by Occultists tend to be but you can only increase one level Clever players will take great pains to
more "slippery" and avoided by arcanists. at a time. make use of common, easily overlooked,
Skills gained at: or worthless items for their talismans such
Level 1: Make talismans and perform simple cantrips. as a matchbook, a belt buckle, or a cuf-
Level 2: Siphon mystic power to perform spells. flink on their jacket. Encourage the players to give their talis-
Level 3: Tap into the potential of historical items of power. mans names.

Talismans
These magic items can be used by anyone, and even com-
mon objects can be empowered to become talismans. Players
may begin the game with one or more talismans by using the
creation rules listed below.
In order to create a talisman, the player first tells the refer-
ee what power they wish the talisman to possess. A talisman's
Cantrips
These are very diverse minor magical effects typically
learned by adepts that take advantage of weak elemental forces
such as earth, fire, wind, and water. A character employing
cantrips doesn't have to have an obscure, complicated formula
as they are simply achieving an effect. Keep in mind that
cantrips cannot be used to directly affect any living creature.

3
For example, a cantrip could be used to ignite your finger with
a small flame to light a cigarette, but couldn't be used to light a
person on fire. However, using that flame to burn a rope sus-
pending a chandelier over them or to ignite their clothing is
another matter altogether.
A player can create cantrips using whichever power he
wants as long as it is related somehow to one of the four basic
elements. These powers should be weak and incapable of
directly causing physical damage or moving large objects. It is
always the ref's prerogative to disallow a player's cantrip as
being too powerful or just simply abusive to the open nature of
these rules.
Examples:
Earth: Moving pebbles or making shallow
holes
Fire: Creating small cigarette lighter-sized
flames.
Wind: Lifting and moving items that
weigh 1 lb. or less.
Water: Filling a cup of water or
extinguishing small fires.
Spells
At power level 2, the arcanist
gains access to spells and the abil-
ity to draw upon the mystic powers
of the cosmos. Spells are far more
powerful than cantrips, yet are also
more rigid in regards to their effects.
Spells also don't run the chance of "burning out" like
talismans do.
Upon reaching level 2, the player gains 2 x his GRAY
MATTER attribute in spells. Unless you're running a swords &
sorcery fantasy game, spells should be low powered to match
the pulp feel. In other words, pulp magicians didn't run around
blasting everything into oblivion with lightning bolts and fire-
balls unless he happened to be one evil bastard (i.e. the villain).
There is no set list of spells, and players should be encour-
aged to come up with and name them. There is also no limit to
the number of times you can cast a spell. Spells can directly
affect living creatures, but those targeted have the option of
making a WITS or a MOXIE check, depending on the type of
spell, to avoid having it influence them. If the ref wants or
deems it necessary, he can limit the number of spells cast per
day equal to their MOXIE attribute.
Examples:
Manfold's Stitch in Time: Gain another action with a
WITS check. The extra action cannot be used to cast
another spell.
Frankie the Gat's Holdout: Automatically call a con-
cealed weapon to your hand, ready for use.
Skeleton Key: Open any mechanically locked item. Will
not work on electric or time locks.
Phantom Gremlins: All technological devices within ten
feet of the caster malfunction or become inoperable.
4
Historical Items of Power
When the arcanist reaches power level 3, they have
achieved the plateau of their power. They understand that grand
elemental forces influenced certain great men and women of
history. Although these people are long dead, certain items that
became synonymous with their names have retained a portion
of their power. Arcanists gain the ability to tap into the strong
mystic potential of these items to boost their already formidable
power.
The player does not automatically gain such an item. They
must be sought out, purchased, or stolen… any of which will be
extremely difficult and/or hazardous to the character's health.
It is extremely important for the ref to disallow level 3
arcanists unless they are going for a very high-powered
serial in which other players can participate in an effective
way. It would also be viable to only include more recent
lower powered historical items.
The arcanist only gains the benefits of the
item when he is in physical contact with
it. Also remember that these are his-
torical items and generally valuable to
various people who would kill or
blackmail to keep them. After all, the
ones that covet these objects for their
mystical powers would consider mur-
der a very small price to pay.
Examples:
Death Mask of Ra: 1D6 skill points,
+10 BLOOD +1 NOTORIETY
Excalibur: +1 MOXIE, +5 BLOOD, +1D3 Character
Points
Spear of Destiny: +1 NOTORIETY, +2 AV entire body,
+10 BLOOD
Thomas Edison's Pliers: +1 GRAY MATTER, +1D3 skill
points
John Wilkes Booth's Derringer: +1 Shooting,
NOTORIETY
Occultism
"Research? Bah! What's the use of covering the same
ground as men who have already given their bones to the ages?
Power is what the game is all about, lad. Power and the mas-
tery of the unknown are the marks of any Occultist who is still
alive to tell the tale… and, if they're not, you dig 'em up and
have a little chat."
Occultism is primarily used by practitioners who are capa-
ble of casting spells and are brash or daring enough to interact
with the unknown. Occult magic tends to be self-taught or dis-
covered as it favors the individualistic. This type of magic is
diametrically opposed by the scientific approach taken by
Arcane Magic.
Occultism leans heavily towards magic that affects life
forces as it tends to be more mutable and flexible than the
unyielding forces of nature. Rather than walk the path that has
already been mapped, Occultists take pride in their exploration
of the unknown or forbidden. Knowledge is power and that is a
lesson that all Occultists take to heart.
Skills gained at:
Level 1: Sympathetic magic and the ability to read oracles.
Level 2: Spiritualism.
Level 3: The ability to cast spells.
Sympathetic Magic
This is the ability to affect living creatures through the
manipulation of life forces via a physical effigy. One of the
most famous examples of sympathetic magic is voodoo. To use
this type of magic, it is essential that you possess something of
the target such as a lock of hair or a handkerchief. This item will
become the focus for the magic so that it will channel through
to the victim. However, the target of the magic will get a WITS
check to resist it. Sympathetic magic can only affect attributes,
skills or BLOOD. Effects wear off after one week of game time.
Encourage your players to come up with mysterious names for
their sympathetic magic. The ref may always disallow any
magic that he feels is overpowering.
Examples:
Trembling Finger: -1 Shooting
Pox: -1 Glitz
Wasting Flesh: -1D6
BLOOD
Feverish Haze: -1 MOXIE
Oracles
A character with the ability to read ora-
cles can use a deck of cards, bag of bones, etc.
to divine one secret about a target or predict one
event in his future on a roll of 1 on a die. You can
read the oracles for a target once per month and it
tells you what the ref wants it to - you don't get to ask ques-
tions. If the ref is feeling really generous, you may be able
to interpret general omens, get vague feelings about things
from the clouds at sunset, flights of birds, etc.
Spiritualism
At power level 2, the Occultist is aware of and can commu-
nicate with any nearby ghosts and spirits. You can attempt to
compel them to do your bidding with a successful CUNNING
check. You can have them do something for you and go, or you
can keep them around. You can never have more than three spir-
its at once (and only one ghost at a time), but you can let any
bound spirit go at any time.
Unless they're materialized, ghosts can do all the things that
spirits can do with a couple of particulars. The information
ghosts can provide is more specific; if you want to know where
the nearest body is buried, you can find some earth spirit that
can tell you, but a particular ghost knows what it knows. On the
other hand, the right ghost will have information that spirits
won't. Ghost's movements are also likely to be restricted to the
places they haunt.
Summoning ghosts may be more difficult than summoning
spirits, again because you frequently need to find the right
5
ghost. If you're willing to talk to the shade of any thug from
Rocky Malone's gang, you can probably do that on a straight
CUNNING roll. But, if you need to talk to one of his trusted
lieutenants, there should be some small minus to summon him.
And, of course, you'd have to be where he met his demise, or in
one of their old hideouts, etc.
Spirits are capable of the following:
Attack: A spirit can attack an enemy using your
NOTORIETY as its target and do 1D6 damage on a hit.
Unless the target has something pretty special going on,
the spirit can only miss and not be harmed by losing the
margin contest.
Move Things: Spirits can move, carry or throw objects up
to the weight a small child could handle. This could
include things like knocking over garbage cans, sliding
the bolt on a door lock or throwing a rock.
Provide Information: +1 to General Knowledge or other
GRAY MATTER skills. Translate languages that you
don't speak. Predict the weather in the area for the next
two days or so. And so on.
Go Anywhere: Spirits can fly through walls, etc. They
make great scouts and spies. They can carry messages
to someone else if the other person is also a level 2
Occultist. This isn't instantaneous, but it shouldn't
take more than an hour for a spirit to find some-
one.
Send Dreams: Even if someone isn't an Occultist
or have the ability to communicate with spirits,
a spirit can enter their dreams, either to impart
information in a suitably dreamlike fashion or
just scare the hell out of them and keep
them from getting any rest.
Ghosts are capable of the
above, as well as:
Materialize: The ghost
takes solid form and has the
stats, skills and equipment
that it had in life. It can main-
tain this state for up to an hour, or until it is "killed"
again. Then it goes back to being a ghost and can't
materialize again until tomorrow.
Spells
Spells are the most dangerous and the most powerful thing
an Occultist can bring to bear. Unlike arcanists, Occultists gain
their spells from supernatural entities. This can be anything
from loa and demon types to gods and godlike beings. Occult
spells tend to focus strongly on life affecting magic as opposed
to the Arcane that gravitates towards elemental forces. At power
level 3, the Occultist's spells are far more powerful than sym-
pathetic magic, yet are also more flexible in regards to their
effects. Spells can directly affect living creatures but they
receive a WITS check to avoid the consequences if they are an
unwilling target. There is no set list of spells as the players
should be encouraged to come up with and name their own.
 Upon reaching power level 3, the player gains 2 x GRAY
MATTER spells. Remember, this is not D&D (unless you want
to run that kind of power level of a game) so spells should be
low powered yet creepy enough to match the pulp feel. There is
no limit to the number of times you can cast a spell. If the ref
wants or deems it necessary, he can limit the number of spells
cast per day equal to their CUNNING attribute. Spells can be
cast beyond this point but at a cost of 1D3 BLOOD per spell as
the caster's body reacts to the strain being placed on it by too
much contact with otherworldly power. The ref always has the
authority to disallow any spell that he feels would be overpow-
ering or an abuse of the open nature of these rules.
Also, remember that the PCs are meddling in the affairs of
others now, and these entities are just as likely to show up
unbidden, demanding favors, etc. as the PCs are to get spells out
of them. Basically, the character has gotten himself involved
with a group of very, very powerful NPCs who have their own
motives and vendettas, and who know how to get what they
want.
Examples:
Healing Grace: Target gains back 2D6 BLOOD.
Cold Chills: Target is nervous, jumpy and can't sleep. -1
GUTS if not removed in three days.
Evil Eye: Target will loose 1 BLOOD/day until the spell is
broken or they die.
Fortitude: Target gains an automatic success on a WITS
check.
Stage Magic
"Thank you. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Now, my next
trick is one that I learned during my years among the
Himalayas with an ancient yogi master…"
Why use stage magic when you can play someone who can
cast spells or summon the spirits of the dead? Stage Magicians
are masters of misdirection and escape artistry even though they
have no mystic power themselves. Stage Magicians can also
allow for serials in which the ref doesn't want to allow the use
of mystical characters. Plus, playing the clever roguish show-
man is always fun… even better if you're able to spout mumbo-
jumbo and lie convincingly on the fly.
Like Arcanists and Occultists, Stage Magicians gain power
levels which reflect how skillful they are at their craft. If you are
uncomfortable with using a skill as a "power level" for a non-
supernatural background, simply require the use of a new skill
called Stage Magic and base it off of the player's CUNNING
attribute with each rank representing a new level of expertise.
Skills gained at:
Level 1: Sleight of Hand
Level 2: Escape Artistry
Level 3: Illusions
Stage Magic is used for many purposes. Entertainment is
among the most common but many card sharks or professional
thieves find a few stage tricks can be helpful from time to time.
6
Sleight of Hand
This gives you the ability to perform feats of prestidigita-
tion. Attempting to do sleight of hand is always an opposed
action with your NOTORIETY versus the target's WITS.
Sleight of hand allows you several abilities - misdirection being
the most common. It allows the magician to provide some
minor distraction such as hand movement, an attractive assis-
tant, or a brightly colored puff of smoke to draw attention away
from what is really happening. Another widely used facet of
Stage Magic is item substitution/appearance or disappearance,
in which objects are quickly snatched and hidden, appear out of
thin air or are replaced with a similar item such as having an
Ace up the sleeve of your dinner jacket to replace that unwant-
ed Two of Spades card.
Escape Artistry
This is the ability to escape restraining devices and locked
or enclosed areas. Escaping, like sleight of hand, is an opposed
roll with your NOTORIETY stat versus the CUNNING attrib-
ute of the person who bound or entrapped you. Escaping from
bonds or traps that you devise are always an automatic success,
as you know how to get out of them unless there are extenuat-
ing circumstances. Add extra difficulty to the escape for such
extreme complications such as submersion, removal from his
cleverly concealed tools and picks, or a very small time limit.
Simple restraints such as ropes or enclosed areas such as
wooden boxes and crates just require a straight roll. Assign a
penalty of -1 to the difficulty for chains, straightjackets or
locked trunks. The difficulty increases to -2 for things such as
heavy chains or manacles, an underwater entrapment or one
with very little air available to breathe. These penalties are
cumulative. For example, The Amazing Rasilon is put in a
straightjacket, nailed inside a wooden crate and tossed out of a
boat into the water. He has had his concealed picks taken from
him. He's looking at a -4 to his roll. (-1 for not having tools, -1
for being in a straightjacket and -2 for being underwater. He suf-
fers no penalty for being inside a simple wooden box)
Illusions
This gives you the ability to create convincing illusionary
tricks that can fool the human eye. Vanishing, levitating and the
ever-popular sawing a woman in half trick are all examples of
illusions that the capable Stage Magician can do. Illusions are
typically very difficult to do convincingly, as they require
extremely good timing as well as specialized equipment. Apply
penalties to anyone trying an illusion that involves the coopera-
tion of anyone who hasn't performed it before, they are missing
equipment or are rushed for time. Penalties are left up to the dis-
cretion of the ref as it will vary depending on the circumstances
of the story.
Stage Magicians do not suffer any penalties for the purpose
of determining if their wealth can allow them to purchase exot-
ic items such as smoke bombs, flash powder, specialized mir-
rors, superior quality lock picks and other items of similar man-
ufacture as they are considered tools of the trade.
 MYSTIC CHARACTERS
Mystic characters are subdivided into two different subcategories based on how they implement the mystic forces:
Mental Powers and Martial Arts. When creating a mystic character, don't roll on the Status Table; your status as "mys-
tic" is already set. Mystics gain +1 Gen. Knowledge, WITS and GRAY MATTER. Each type of mysticism is further divid-
ed into three levels of power. Every character with the mystic background automatically gains level one for free. Each sub-
sequent level of power can be acquired for two Character Points but you can only increase one level at a time.
Mental Powers
"Ha! You missed again, Morelli! For someone who's good
at gunning down innocent people, you're not a very good shot
with that automatic are you? Its very very hard to hit what you
can't see isn't it?"
Skills gained at:
Level 1: Mental Suggestions
Level 2: Mind Over Matter
Level 3: Mesmerism
Unlike the Arcanists and Occultists, the practitioners of
Mental Powers draw from within - the untapped power of the
human mind. Through years of grueling mental discipline and
physical conditioning, they are able to unlock the vast unused
potential of the human intellect to perform superhuman abili-
ties.
Using these abilities does not come without a price. Using
Mental Powers strains the body and causes both mental and
physical fatigue. Level 1 powers reduce your WITS score by 1
for five minutes. Level 2 powers reduce your WITS score by 1
for ten minutes. Level 3 powers reduce your WITS score by 2
for fifteen minutes and cause 1D3 points of BLOOD damage.
WITS scores return to normal at the end of the given amount of
time, but BLOOD damage must be healed normally.
Multiple Mental Powers can be maintained together as long
as the player makes the WITS requirement, manages his time
restrictions and is aware that his WITS score can never be vol-
untarily lowered to less than 1. If a character loses his concen-
tration while having multiple powers going, he loses all cur-
rently active powers.
Practitioners of Mental Powers in pulp settings can come
from all walks of life but tend to have a connection either cur-
rently or in the past with mysterious Eastern mystics or secre-
tive quasi-religious cults. These individuals tend to be idealists
who believe in the eradication of evil for a better world
although their methods may vary wildly on the morality scale.
Evil individuals turn their powers toward the accumulation of
wealth or personal power above everything else and are ruthless
in their methods of attaining them.
These types of characters typically conceal their identities
in order to hide from their enemies or prevent others of their
order from finding out about their activities. Examples of these
types of characters are The Shadow and The Green Llama.
Mental Suggestion
At level 1, the character gains the ability to implant mental
7
"hints" in the minds of others. These "hints" can take the form
of numerous manifestations on its target. Often these powers
will be used to make the target think that he heard a noise
(although nobody else other than the target can hear it) or to see
brief flitting blurry images out of the corner of his eye (again
nobody but the target can see). More powerful versions of these
suggestions can cause hallucinations or controlled illusions in
the target. One of the most powerful forms of mental suggestion
is the ability to "cloud minds" in which the target fails to regis-
ter a selected sense or the existence of a named item. The ref
should feel free to impose a -1 or -2 penalty on attempts to use
some of the higher functions of mental suggestion, affecting
more than one sense or more than one target. Anything that
breaks concentration (being shot, loud unexpected noises, etc.)
will cause the effect to fail. A character can make a WITS check
at -1 to maintain his concentration despite the distraction.
Encourage players to come up with mysterious or esoteric
names for their Mental Powers. The ref may always disallow
any powers that he feels are overpowering or abusive to the
open nature of these rules.
Examples:
Shrouding Mists of Kilong: makes the mystic completely
invisible to human sight as long as he concentrates.
Creeping Doom: irrational fear of immediate death in the
target. Wits check or flee in abject terror.
Peaceful Dragon Womb: utter contentment and apathy in
the target. Wits check or no actions for 1D3 rounds.
Eternal Twilight: blocks the target's eyesight for 1D3
rounds effectively making them totally blind.
Mind Over Matter
At level 2, the character gains the ability to affect his phys-
ical environment as well as his body through telekinesis and
pain dampening.
Telekinesis
This power allows the character to pick up and move
objects through force of will. Objects manipulated in this man-
ner cannot be more than a few pounds, lifted higher than twice
the character’s height, and cannot be operated (turning a door-
knob, pulling a trigger, etc.). Lifted objects can be dropped onto
a target but can never do more than 6 points of damage.
Telekinesis can be used to knock things over, or as a "force ball"
to disarm or trip opponents. In the latter case, the target gets a
MOXIE check to continue standing upright or holding onto his
weapon. If you use the "force ball" to just hit someone, it does
3 points of damage plus your GRAY MATTER score.
 A player may opt to spend character points to completely
disregard the limits on telekinesis. For each character point
spent, the player may lift MOXIE x 50 lbs. in weight, operate a
device, or inflict 2D6 damage with a TK boosted object "drop
attack" or with a "force ball."
Pain dampening
This ability allows the character to resist the effects of phys-
ical trauma. If a player can make a successful GRAY MATTER
check, he has managed to activate this ability and immediately
gains 1D6 "phantom" points of BLOOD. Any damage taken
from this pool is first subtracted from this total before any
excess damage flows over to the character's actual BLOOD.
Once these phantom points are gone, the power automatically
ends and must be attempted again to regain its ben-
efits. This ability cannot be used retroactively or
reactively to absorb damage already inflicted or
just inflicted upon the character. Especially mean
refs may rule that this ability does not protect
against other mental and/or magical attacks upon the
character.
A player can opt to spend character
points to boost the effectiveness
of pain dampening at the cost
of 1 character point per 1D6
points gained. There is no limit to
how many character points can be spent this way.
Examples:
Iron Dragon: gain 1D6 phantom BLOOD with a success-
ful GRAY MATTER check.
Mandolin Ghost Dancer: telekinetically makes an object
"dance" erratically in the air.
Koku from Heaven: cause a handful of coins to levitate in
the air and then drop on top of a target which is useful
for distracting targets or breaking their concentration.
Mesmerism
At level 3, a mystic gains their most powerful ability.
Mental suggestion allowed the mystic to manipulate the mind's
thought processes but now they gain mesmerism, which allows
them to control the human mind. The target of a mesmerism
attempt gets a contested WITS check to avoid the effect.
Mesmerism allows the character to make the target say certain
words, "piggyback" on the target's mind to act as a spy or allow
them to completely dominate their target and control their every
action.
Dominating another mind can have varying levels of diffi-
culty. Apply penalties if the target is drunk or otherwise men-
tally impaired, extremely stubborn or morally opposed to the
action requested of them. Give the domination attempt bonuses
if the target is already suspicious or hostile towards the person
he is instructed to act against, extremely weak willed or trusting
of the mystic.
Examples:
Fly On the Wall: "Piggyback" senses on top of a target's
mind.
8
Puppet Master: Completely dominate the mind & actions
of a target.
Voice of the Wind: Command a target to say whatever you
want.
Martial Arts
"A gun? What good do you think your bullets will do
against my Ghost Crane kung-fu? I am as quick as the moun-
tain gales and as powerful as the very thunder from the heavens
above! HIIIII-YAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!"
When creating a martial arts charac-
ter, your status as "martial artist" is
already set. Martial Artists gain +1
Dodge, Guts and MOXIE.
Not all students of mystic teachings
hone their minds. Some find that mastery
of the human body is more rewarding a goal.
Through years of grueling physical and
mental conditioning in isolation, they are
able to unleash the full potential of the
human body to perform amazing super-
human abilities.
Skills gained at:
Level 1: Above Average Techniques
Level 2: Supernatural Techniques
Level 3: Supernatural Mutations
Practitioners of martial arts in pulp settings can come from
all walks of life but tend to have a connection either currently or
in the past with mysterious Asian monks or secretive oriental
masters. These individuals tend to be optimists who believe in
the removal of evil from the world through enlightenment of the
masses although their methods may vary widely on how they
hope to accomplish this. They typically have little need to con-
ceal their identities due to their desire to act as examples to oth-
ers, but they can choose to disguise themselves if their actions
would invite danger to innocents or bring dishonor to their
schools or mentors. Often the Martial Artist will have enemies
of his past still looking for him. An example of this type of char-
acter is Kato from The Green Hornet.
Let players come up with a name for their kung-fu "style."
It's a lot of fun and you can have all kinds of mystical sounding
names like Springing Rat style or 1,001 Heaven Strike style.
The more esoteric sounding the better! Encourage the players to
spout pseudo-philosophical statements (or get a book of Zen
sayings) or imitate the dialog typically found in martial arts
films ("Fool! Your Waning Moon Kick is no match for my
Spinning Eel Technique! Prepare to be defeated!").
If the players are not averse to it, you can let them choose
the name of a rival school or name an enemy who practices a
different style of martial arts or that might have wronged him in
the past. It is the character's desire to see them humiliated or
brought to justice. Give the player a +1 to their Fighting skill
when in combat with a member of that school due to their right-
eous fury, but their opponent also receives the same bonus.
Above Average Techniques
At Level 1, the Martial Artist is already significantly supe-
rior to his peers. He is able to complete moves that are techni-
cally possible but extremely hard for anyone but even the most
experienced masters. For instance, a roundhouse kick that hits
everyone in a 360 degree circle or a standing jump kick that
travels forward for ten feet or more. Let players come up with
cool sounding names for their maneuvers - just remember that
it is the job of the referee to make sure that nobody unbalances
the game by taking a maneuver that is too powerful for a level
1 technique. Level 1 Martial Artists also gain 1 damage to their
punches to reflect their training in forceful strikes as well as
body hardening exercises.
Examples:
Crazy Jackal Punch: Causes 1 damage and requires target
to make a MOXIE check to avoid losing next action.
Hopping Strike: Hop forward and kick a weapon from a
target's grasp. Requires a MOXIE check to hold onto it.
Monsoon Tide: Leg sweep at the knees. Target must make
a MOXIE check to remain standing.
Furious Eagle Talon: Fingertip rake that does 1 damage.
Supernatural Techniques
At level 2, the martial artist's techniques begin to take on
supernatural qualities. If you saw it in Crouching Tiger Hidden
Dragon, you can do that at second level. The damage from your
fists as well as your feet now increases to 2 and you are quite
literally able to punch or kick a hole in a concrete wall.
Your character is capable of astounding feats of agility. He
is able to run across telephone line cables, leap from tree branch
to tree branch and run up walls and launch himself into an
attack. Shooting skill rolls against a second level Martial Artist
take a -1 penalty. Thanks to their continued body hardening
katas, they also gain 1 AV to all parts of their bodies. They loose
this armor protection if they ever don any other type of armor.
You also gain the ability to feign death. This is an extreme-
ly useful ability if the fight is going against you. Feigning death
is an opposed WITS roll to see if the Martial Artist is able to
convincingly lower his vital signs to near zero and dupe the
attacker into believing him dead. It requires 1D3 rounds to bring
vital signs and bodily functions back to normal.
Egg on players to come up with exotic names for their
maneuvers - just remember it is up to you to ensure balance by
not allowing maneuvers too powerful for level 2 techniques.
Examples:
Monkey Step: The character can scramble up a wall and
still use their feet to attack an opponent beneath them.
Walk of Bountiful Abundance: The character can run
across very narrow walkways (wires, ledges, etc.)
Thunderous Spring: The character can jump on a target's
shoulders and slaps his ears. -1 to any hearing related
rolls for 1D3 rounds.
Hurricane Blow: Punch sends target flying backwards 15
ft. unless they make a MOXIE check.
Supernatural Mutations
At level 3, the martial artist has achieved almost total mas-
9
tery of his art. His skill now takes on nearly spell-like abilities.
Think of level 3 as the power level of the main villain in almost
every martial arts film. Kicks and punches can dent or destroy
metal objects and something as simple as a touch can be dead-
ly. The poisonous Buddha's Palm from Iron Monkey is a prime
example of a level 3 ability.
Your character is able to do unbelievable feats of strength.
Shattering rocks or concrete with your hands or feet is child's
play. Standing jumps 30 ft. into the air are likewise not a prob-
lem. You character gains an additional 1 AV to all parts of his
body. He loses this armor protection if he ever dons any other
type of armor. Shooting skill rolls against the character now suf-
fer an additional -1 penalty.
Get players to come up with especially clever or cool
sounding names for any level 3 ability. Other Martial Artists
will know the character by his signature technique. Just keep in
mind that, since you are the referee, it is your duty to make sure
that the game is still enjoyable for all players and for you to
have the courage to say "no" to anyone wanting this level of
ability if it doesn't match your game.
The important thing to remember with level 3 abilities is
that your character is the ultimate fighter. Jealous rivals and
angry competitors will stalk your every move. Young turks will
want to challenge you to test their skills. Rival schools or evil
organizations may send assassins, ninja or hitmen against you in
the hopes of killing you before you become a threat that they
can't handle or in the hopes of forcing the secret of your ultra-
powerful technique out of you. You will have lots of power but
rarely a shortage of people who would like to see your cooling
body dredged out of the harbor.
Examples:
Buddha's Palm: Target must make a MOXIE check or suf-
fer 10 damage/hour from poison until healed or dead.
Rattling Kick: Target takes 1D6 kick attacks to one ran-
domly rolled body location.
Embrace of the Dark Mistress: Disappear and reappear
anywhere within 10 feet of your previous location.
Wholesome Life: Punch attack that ignores up to 2 AV
worth of protection on a target.
Weapon Martial Arts
What do you do if you want to create a character who uses
a weapon such as a ninja and his katana? You make a few vari-
ations. Level 1 no longer will grant you 1 damage for punches.
It is replaced by the ability to increase your weapon's damage
rating by 1. For example, if your sword did 5 damage it would
now do 6. Level 2 also does away with the increased damage for
punches and kicks. It is replaced by the ability to negate 1 AV
worth of protection on a target. If the target is unarmored, the
weapon deals an additional point of damage. This is cumulative
with the bonus granted by level 1. Level 3 is completely
unchanged because the sky is almost the limit with such godlike
abilities. Get creative and have a sword that you can focus a ki
blast through or one that allows you to summon the dead! Such
awesome weapons are almost legendary and can make quests or
villains using them an amazing basis for some truly fun stories.
 CULTS
The following information should be helpful for the referee who is planning on running a magic or mystical-based seri-
al. It will help you emulate the spirit of the pulps, serials and radio dramas. Some of the following information is not polit-
ically correct and makes sweeping judgements about various ethnic groups. This is a mirror of those times. If this makes
you uncomfortable, don't use them or gloss them over. It won't hurt your game any by doing so.

Outside of hordes of racketeers and mobsters, evil cults
were the primary adversaries of magicians and other mystic
characters. Cults provide an air of forbidden evil and mystery.
Cults in pulp settings are shrouded in secrecy and are always up
to no good. For the most part, cults really didn't have any true
magical powers but you can certainly add them to cults in your
game to make them more challenging if your player characters
are real powerhouses. This is one way to achieve
pulp horror if you'd like to go in that direc-
tion. Go to your local library or bookstore
and buy anything by H.P. Lovecraft and go
crazy.
Cult motivations are also murky. Like organ-
ized crime, cults could be committing crimes for
extortion, an attempt to make protection money,
smuggling, to obtain a specific item or for internal or
external power plays. They may even be working in
cooperation with the mob! They differ, however, in
the ways in which they operate. In a lot of cases,
cults have the willing participation of their victims
as they have been brainwashed or indoctrinated
into the cult. It could also be as simple as they
are being coerced into submission through
blackmail or threats of violence. Many
times, cults can exert their influence
over areas because of the terror that
they can wield. Pulp tales are littered
with small rural or coastal towns and
villages being held under the sway of a
mad cult of assassins or devil worshippers.
A head "priest" is always in command of the cult and
he usually has one or two bruisers to enforce his will on unbe-
lievers or troublemakers. The number of bodyguards employed
will vary with the size of the cult. In the pulps, most of the cult
leaders as well as their trusted enforcers tended to be Asian. You
will rarely encounter cult members carrying firearms. They
usually favor knives and other archaic but still deadly melee
weapons. Your typical cultists are brainwashed zealots who will
fight to the death if ordered to do so by the head priest.
Lieutenants are often loyal but not above being forced to betray
or rat on the head priest. Coercion at the point of a gun tends to
work wonders for even the most fervent believer.
All evil cults tend to worship a "god" usually representing
some form of animal (The Spider God, The Jaguar God, etc.).
Very often, the head priest has several real animals of this vari-
ety. They can be used in ceremonies, as guard animals or sim-
ply as atmosphere. Often these animals are the ultimate down-
fall of the head priest if you're inclined to use the "poetic jus-
tice" method of finally putting an end to him. Otherwise, they're
a danger that must be dealt with.
Another danger that these cults possess is knowledge. If
you're using a version of a cult that has magical or mysti-
cal powers, there is a very good chance that they will rec-
ognize a character employing these abilities and
have ways of negating his powers. The player's
character may confound western crime but it is
not unknown in distant lands. They may also
have certain mystical items that counter or
negate the player's abilities such as The Temple
Bells of Neban that stopped The Shadow's
ability to remain invisible. These types of
items are the referee's surprise weapon to
use when the cult's defeat seems almost
imminent or they have the player in
a position of being helpless or cap-
tured.
Evil cult ceremonies will
almost always consist of a human
sacrifice. It is also a common prac-
tice for the sacrifice to be someone
the character(s) know or love.
Alternatively, these NPCs could be the
ones performing the sacrifice on another per-
son because they have been brainwashed by the cult. Cult cere-
monies always involve solemn chanting or prayers in strange
languages. They are almost exclusively done at night at altars
flickeringly lit by candles. Participation by the rest of the cult at
these ceremonies depends on how big they are or how much
damage has been inflicted upon the members by the PCs prior
to the ceremony. If you're intending on using real magic for the
cult, time is of the essence as there is a very good chance that
the cult is intending on summoning their "god" forth from some
terrible netherworld to rain terror and destruction upon
mankind.

In conclusion - I do hope that the Magic & Mysticism sourcebooklet expands your enjoyment of Dime Heroes. If you
have any questions, comments or ideas for additions please address them to my attention on the Deep 7 Message Board
at http://www.deep7.com/board.html. Keep checking back for information on upcoming sourcebooklets such as The
Aviation Handbook and more free serials to download!
10
 DOOM SETS SAIL
by James Stubbs
The Premise: The characters are all aboard a luxury yacht as guests onboard. They won't get an answer but they can turn on a SOS beacon
for the debutante celebration held by Malcolm Nevitt, a wealthy and hope that the Coast Guard will detect it.
banker, for his daughter, Claire. It won't be long, however, before Tempers Flare: The tension can get to several people and guests
ghosts from the deep come to claim their share of plunder. can react in various ways based on their reasons for being there. A jilt-
The Setup: All of the characters know Malcolm Nevitt, either ed lover of Claire can blame everything on Mr. Nevitt and start a fist-
through his daughter or from previous business dealings. Players can fight with him. Two rival businessmen may start a fight over a per-
also be friends of other invited guests. Nevitt is an upstanding busi- ceived slight, or a missed deal. A debtor of Nevitt might try to have
nessman but some of the party attendees are less than law-abiding. Let him "accidentally" fall overboard. Come up with convincing reactions
the players interact with each other and the NPCs. Weapons, con- to the tension based on their pasts with the Nevitts and their fright at
cealed or otherwise, are not allowed on the boat. Nevitt's bodyguard, being stranded at sea with a murderer. At this point, the Nevitts are no
Julius, will deal with anyone who disputes this by not allowing them longer important to the plot so either of them can be killed off or you
on or removing their weapons. Make sure that they take notice of can have the players heroically save them from a crazed guest.
some of the men who look and dress like gangsters, the women who The Pirate Ship: Soon a shape can been seen moving about in the
are trying far too hard to mix in, or the "business associates" who look fog. If the players don't see it, a guest will point it out excitedly,
like they could float the yacht on their greasiness alone. If you really believing it to be another ship that might help them. It is a ship… a
want to get involved, you can even make some of the "normal" guests ghost ship. As it bears down upon the yacht, everyone can see the
have sordid pasts or hidden agendas against Nevitt - it will be harder skeletons on the deck wearing tattered remnants of pirate clothing.
to grasp their motives. Nevitt seems oblivious to all of this (perhaps Require all the players to make a Wits check. Some of the guests
due to the fact that he's been drinking a bit more than he should) and throw themselves overboard and are swept away by the sea. Others
will dismiss suspicions on behalf of the players as groundless para- attempt to run below decks only to flee back upwards seconds later as
noia. It is recommended that you have only one character capable of a man forces them out at gunpoint. He is holding the missing map, and
magical or mental powers in the party. If you want more, scale the a gold coin on a chain is wrapped around his wrist. He announces that
adventure up to make it more dangerous or introduce more clouded everyone is now his prisoner and will join his pirate crew to recover
motives on behalf of the guests to make it more difficult. Captain Redjack's lost treasure. At the same time, five skeletons clam-
The Murder: Once the yacht is out into deep water, the weather will ber over the railing onto the deck. Let's hope your players were smart
darken. It looks like a possible fog but Nevitt assures everyone that the enough to retrieve their weapons after Julius was killed! Otherwise,
yacht is very seaworthy and that a little bad weather isn't going to it's fisticuffs and improvised weapons for the players. There is no need
interfere with the party for his daughter. The music and revelry will be for negotiation because when he said, "join" he didn't mean they'd be
interrupted a short time later by the sound of a gunshot and a gurgled doing it as a living crew. The man can easily be identified as one of
cry. Julius will be found facedown in the galley with a large bloody the "business associates." The coin is the key to his control over the
gunshot wound to the head, which has mutilated his face horribly. The skeletal pirates. The players will need to take him out quickly because
gun is still clutched in his right hand and only one shot has been fired they have exactly six rounds of combat before the ghost ship comes
from it. Although it appears to be a suicide, neither Nevitt nor his alongside and more skeletal pirates (30 in all) board the yacht.
daughter can provide a reason why Julius would take his own life. Concluding the Adventure: If the players kill him or deprive
Anyone making a CUNNING check or any Detectives in the him of the coin, the skeletons crumble to dust and the pirate ship slips
party will notice the lack of powder burns on the head that would indi- beneath the waves with an eerie ghostly wail. The fog will lift a little
cate a point-blank shot. Another General Knowledge check will allow while later and a Coast Guard cutter will arrive to pilot the yacht back
the player to remember that Julius was left-handed. This was obvi- to port. However, nobody will believe the character's stories and mark
ously a murder. A glance over the galley will reveal that the place was it up as a mass delusion brought on by the stress of the situation. The
quickly searched and the only thing missing is an old sea chart that local police will remove the bodies.
Nevitt had framed and hung on the wall. The frame is still there, but If you want, this can lead into another scenario by leaving the
the glass has been smashed and the chart taken. Anyone closely exam- map to the buried treasure with the characters. Of course the treasure
ining the frame will see that there are many jagged shards of glass but will be protected by something evil and the ghostly pirate ship can
no blood. The killer was obviously wearing gloves or some form of return from the depths to protect their long-buried booty.
hand protection when it was broken. A medical search of Julius's body
will reveal that the lethal bullet was a lead ball similar to those fired Skeleton Pirate
from old black powder guns. An exhaustive search of the room will MOXIE 1/Brawling 1 Shooting 1; GLITZ 1; CUN-
find the bullet from Julius's pistol buried in the doorjamb. NING 2; GREY MATTER 1; BLOOD 20.
Equipment: black powder pistol (7 damage), cor-
The Fog: It wouldn't be a murder without the weather going bad roded cutlass (4 damage)
would it? A heavy fog rolls in just as Nevitt decides to turn the yacht
around and head back to shore. However, navigation is now impossi-
Guy Controlling the Skeletons
ble, as Julius was both the navigator and pilot. Let suspicions and tem-
MOXIE 2/ Shooting 2; GLITZ 1; CUNNING 2/
pers run rampant. A search for a murder weapon will reveal nothing.
Dodge 1; GREY MATTER 3; WITS 2; BLOOD 20.
Let the players radio for help if they remember that there is a radio
Equipment: pistol (8 damage)
11
 THE NORTHWOOD TERROR
by James Stubbs
The Premise: The players are called in to investigate a recent rash to avoid getting lost in the thick foliage, which blocks out the sun and
of killings in the small rural town of Northwood. What started as live- stars. If they thought of hiring a guide, roll in some fog or thick swamp
stock killings has now claimed its first human victim. The players gas to confuse their direction.
need to find out what's going on and stop it before it kills again!
The Setup: The characters can all come from a detective agency, a
government team, a group of investigative journalists, town citizens or
just an interested party. Northwood is a small isolated rural town that
borders on a swamp. Several months ago, a few livestock disappeared.
Most chalked it up to the stupid beasts wandering off into the swamp.
Then the body of a severely mauled cow was found several weeks
later. Some claimed that it was wolves and a few hunting parties were
organized but had no luck in finding any wolves or wolf tracks. Three
days ago, the body of Susan O'Neal was found near the swamp. She
had gone out to gather wild mushrooms and never came home. Like
the cow, she was badly mauled as if by a large wild animal. Terror has
taken over Northwood with many people claiming to hear strange
noises from the swamp or large inhuman shadows roaming the town
streets at night. A few brave men have gone hunting it but have come
up with nothing and nobody is brave enough to hunt it by night. The
papers briefly mentioned "The Northwoods Terror" but dismissed it as
the overactive, superstitious and none-too-bright minds of country
bumpkins.
Northwood: Northwood is a small town of about 100 citizens.
All of them are rustic and most implements of modern civilization are
rare. There is one telephone in the general store and no cars in sight.
A few farmers on the outskirts of town might have a pickup truck and
a tractor. The town consists of a general store, a post office, a feed
store, a clothing shop and a restaurant. There are a few homes inside
the town but most are sprawled across Northwood as small farm-
steads. The people are reserved around strangers but will gladly help
all they can and become more talkative if the players divulge their
intentions to hunt down The Terror. Unfortunately, they won't be a big
help because they know about as much as the players do. They'll tell
stories about how their dogs refuse to sleep outdoors at night, how
some of their cows or chickens have disappeared, how they've heard
strange animal-like noises outside their windows at night and how
some of them went into the swamp with their guns and couldn't find
anything but felt that they were being watched.
The Swamp: After you've let the characters gather information and
supplies, they should decide to head off into the swamp. It is extreme-
ly hazardous to anyone who has never traversed such terrain before.
One of the citizens will volunteer the use of his flat-bottomed skiff if
they think to ask. Otherwise, let the players wade through pools of
muck and mud, slip and fall on slime-covered fallen leaves and maybe
have an encounter with some poisonous snakes (Damage: 3/hr.) or a
really mean alligator (Damage: 8). If you are feeling especially mean,
toss in a few pools of quicksand for dramatic tension as the players try
to figure out how to rescue their teammates.
Well-equipped characters shouldn't have a hard time moving
through the swamp so don't impose too much of a penalty or dangers
on a group that thought things through. Just be sure to delay them long
enough for night to fall. If they were crazy enough to go in there at
night to begin with, your job is now easier. If you need to, impede their
progress with encounters or have them make GRAY MATTER checks
12
Swampy Jed's Shack: As the PCs tramp through the muck, let them
discover a ramshackle hut. If they have a guide, he'll identify it as
Swampy Jed's. Otherwise, they'll just have to introduce themselves.
Swampy Jed is a crotchety old man who has lived in the swamp since
his daddy died. He's taken to carrying a shotgun (Damage 10 to 1D2
body locations) lately. He can tell the characters about the legend of
the terror, or "The Devil's Beast" as many old swamp dwellers used to
call it. The old stories say the creature was the result of an old Indian
shaman who was beaten to death by the original settlers of Northwood
over a hundred years ago. The Devil's Beast is simply his spirit return-
ing to seek vengeance on the white man. Jed will refuse to allow the
characters to sleep in his shack or stay there very long. He believes
that the characters will bring the Beast to his shack and he hasn't ever
heard of a gun doing any good against a ghost.
Night in the Swamp: The Terror comes out to hunt for food when
darkness falls. The Beast is a large humanoid monster that looks like
a cross between a bat and a bear. The head is vaguely bat-like, with
large ears and beady red eyes, and it sports a mouth full of sharp teeth.
The body is very wooly and it has sharp, rending claws on its fore and
back paws. It likes to stalk its prey and attack from ambush. It specif-
ically likes to hide below water and launch itself out at a target. Play
up the fear for the characters as it darkens and they start to hear strange
noises that seem to come from all around them, including the occa-
sional inhuman shrieking yowl. It's very hard to see even with flash-
lights in the darkened gloom of the swamp. This makes a perfect hunt-
ing ground for the monster. Stragglers or anyone wounded are the first
targets. Place a -1 penalty on all Shooting checks to hit anything in the
dark. If things get chaotic and players get trigger-happy, start making
rolls for friendly fire. If the monster is hurt too badly, it will try to flee
and hide. It's in the character's best interests to try to put it down
quickly.
Concluding the Adventure: Assuming the players survive and
kill the beast, they'll be praised as heroes by the townspeople. If they
can provide evidence of the monster (photos, the body, etc.), they'll
receive a newspaper exclusive and some fame for their heroics.
Local Swamp Guide
MOXIE 1/ Shooting 1; GLITZ 1; CUNNING 2/
Con 1; GREY MATTER 2; WITS 1; BLOOD 13.
Equipment: rifle (12 damage)
Swampy Jed
MOXIE 1/ Shooting 2; GLITZ 1; CUNNING 3/
Dodge1; GREY MATTER 2; WITS 2; BLOOD 12.
Equipment: shotgun (10 damage (1D2 hits))
The Northwoods Terror
MOXIE 3/ Brawling 2; GLITZ 1; CUNNING 3/
Stealth 2; GREY MATTER 2; BLOOD 30.
Equipment: bite (5 damage), claws (8 damage)
 THE JEWELED EYE OF KIERA
by James Stubbs
The Premise: Professor Thomas Smoak has recently returned from They will defiantly yell, "Kiera Kill! Kill!" in very broken English.
an expedition deep into the heart of Africa. He has returned with tales This will summon ten more attackers within ten minutes if the players
of tribes of savages that worship Kiera, an evil snake goddess. During don't leave the area quickly.
this time, he acquired their golden idol (all for the name of science of
course). However, Smoak and the PCs will soon discover that offend-
ing a goddess can be dangerous to your health! This could be a good
follow-up adventure for a Jungle Adventures scenario where the play-
ers had been a part of the Smoak Expedition.
The Setup: Players could be members of the expedition, newspaper
reporters sent to cover the idol, academics or explorers with an inter-
est in the discovery, or just a simple individual with an interest.
Professor Smoak is to unveil the idol at the university museum with a
press conference followed by a short lecture. Let the players converse
or otherwise mingle in the exhibit hall for a little bit. Inform the play-
ers that the unveiling should have happened fifteen minutes ago. At
about this time, sirens can be heard outside.
A Mysterious Death: If the players hurry, they can find out
what's going on before the police cordon off the area. Harold Felding,
an associate museum worker, has been found dead in the professor's
office. The doorframe around the lock bears the unmistakable signs of
being forced with a sharp object. The wood is scarred and cracked
from the tool. It is obvious that someone was in a hurry. The profes-
sor and his idol are gone. Felding is facedown on the floor in front of
the desk. If anyone examines the body, his face is horribly contorted
and there is a purplish tinge to his hand and forearm. A GRAY MAT-
TER/Science check will reveal it to be the result of some form of poi-
son - most likely a neurotoxin. There are no other marks (puncture or
otherwise) on the body nor are there any signs of violence. Searching
the desk will reveal the usual assortment of jotted notes and student
papers. The most interesting thing, however, is a napkin with the fol-
lowing scrawled on it in ink: "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will
with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall
be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."
Cast in a Bad Light: The police will arrive after a few moments.
Players may be asked to explain why they're at a murder scene unless
they have some previous history of helping the police or have some
legitimate reason to be there. Unless the players withhold the evidence
of the writing on the napkin, suspicion will immediately fall upon the
professor (dead body in office, suspiciously missing and cryptic writ-
ing on napkin). The police will issue a warrant for the professor to be
brought in for questioning.
Followed: When the PCs leave the museum, they'll be followed
by a tall thin man in a bulky overcoat. It is impossible to see what he
looks like because his wide-brimmed hat casts a dark shadow over his
face. Allow the players to make CUNNING checks at -1 to notice him
as well as the five other men who seem to be nearby and similarly
dressed. Once the players reach a less-traveled section of town (or one
that just happens to have few pedestrians), these men will force the
players into an alleyway. Each of these men are armed with crude
stone ceremonial daggers (Damage 3). During the fight, getting a look
at their assailants will reveal that their faces are black and have ritual
scarification and serpent tattoos. Interrogating any survivors will be
difficult because of their unknown language and their fanaticism.
13
The Professor's Home: The first place that players may want
to check is the professor's home. The police, of course, have arrived
first. Talking to a policeman will reveal that Gloria Smoak was
stabbed to death. The police suspect that she and the professor had an
argument about the other murder and did her in. Searching the house,
if the police allow, reveals nothing other than a woman's dead body
and copious amounts of blood. Once they leave the immediate area of
the police, Professor Smoak will cautiously approach from where he
was hiding nearby and ask to be taken somewhere quiet and secure so
that they can speak privately. If pressed, he'll adamantly refuse to say
anything because "it's not safe for me to speak openly." He has been
hiding and running in fear for his own life. Although he will absolute-
ly deny killing anyone, he doesn't even think that he'd be safe in jail.
The Story: Once taken elsewhere, the professor will tell the story
of how he was in his office with Fleming when several savage men
and a strange woman broke into his office with spears. Fleming made
a grab for the idol in an attempt to save it but he obviously triggered
some form of trap. He screamed, grabbed his hand as if it was burn-
ing and toppled over. The professor grabbed the idol with his overcoat
and leaped out his window. He fortunately landed on a large pile of
tarps below and made his getaway. He's been on the run with the idol
ever since. He can offer no explanation for the napkin note unless that
was some bizarre attempt to frame or scare him.
Attack!: As the professor finishes, ten more tribesmen attack and are
accompanied by a native woman with a serpent tattoo winding around
her body. Most noticeable, however, is the red ruby that she has as her
left eye. She speaks perfect English and will demand the return of the
idol. The men are armed, as before, with daggers. She is also carrying
a spear (damage 6). If they get the idol, they will leave peacefully but
not without a warning to stay out of their affairs.
Concluding the Adventure: Regardless of what happens, the
professor is happy to still be alive and the charges against him will be
dropped with his testimony as well as the characters speaking on his
behalf. If Kiera was defeated, other shamans and tribesmen could be
sent to recover the idol that is so important to their religion.
Native Warriors
MOXIE 2/ Brawling 2; GLITZ 1; CUNNING 1/
Dodge 1; GREY MATTER 2; BLOOD 15.
Equipment: knife (3 damage)
Kiera
MOXIE 2/ Brawling 2; GLITZ 2; CUNNING 3/ Dodge 2;
GREY MATTER 3; WITS 2; BLOOD 25.
Equipment: spear (6 damage)
Spells: Snake Bite (4 damage/round for 1D3 rounds),
Writhe (all attacks are -2 for 1D3 rounds), Scale Armor (1 AV
to all body locations for 1D6 rounds), Mesmerize (target must
make a WITS check or do the caster's bidding for 1D3 rounds)
and Coiled Strike (GRAY MATTER is treated as if two points
higher for purposes of determining initiative).
 MADNESS IN CHINATOWN
by James Stubbs
The Premise: The PCs are called in by Inspector Levinson to inves- er welcoming committee of Tsang's boys after too much nosing about.
tigate a series of mysterious suicides in Chinatown. All investigations Luckily though, Lee is a bit of a take-charge guy so he's with them. If
have been stymied by a complete lack of anyone willing to speak to taken alive, he'll confess to selling the vase. He has no idea what it was
the police or testify to seeing anything. Before it's over, the PCs will - he was just hoping to get a few bucks. If anyone mentions that it's
run afoul of a mysterious gang bent on subverting the city to their mad supernatural, he won't believe them and laugh at how someone
schemes! Having an oriental martial artist who suffers no penalties to believes silly children's tales.
social-based rolls in Chinatown, or a mentalist who can influence The main action is set to happen at the Tsang HQ, so try to nudge
minds as a member of the party will help the investigation. the PCs in that direction. If they just hang about, have them notice
three shady men, looking suspicious who suddenly leave once the PCs
The Setup: Characters can be police officers, trusted friends of notice them. Have these men lead the PCs to the Tsang HQ.
Inspector Levinson or vigilantes that have assisted the police in the
past. Levinson will comment on the suicides and mention that the only The Tsang Headquarters: Perhaps "palatial estate" would
reason why the force is attempting an ongoing investigation is that all be a better term. The Tsang "family" resides in this three-story build-
of the victims have been members or relatives of the Tsang family, one ing -almost hidden away from the tawdriness of Chinatown. Let the
of the largest tongs in Chinatown. The lack of anyone willing to testi- players plan on how to get inside. They can easily observe what at first
fy or step forward as a witness, even the usual snitches, is also con- look like ceremonial armed guards carrying spears (Damage 5), but a
fusing. Levinson is very worried about a possible gang war in successful CUNNING check will draw the character's attention to the
Chinatown and wants the PCs to see if they can scare up some info pistol-shaped bulges at their waists under their robes. There are plen-
that might give them an idea of what might be going on. ty of ways in - all of them hazardous. Let the PCs climb up the side of
the building by moonlight, try to leap from a nearby tree onto a bal-
Chinatown: Chinatown is going to be about as fruitful for the PCs cony or devise some other way in. The guards will attempt to take
as it was for the police if they can't find a way to get someone's lips
prisoners rather than kill outright, unless push comes to shove.
flapping. Having a character who is either oriental, a mind reader or
just a good con man is what will ultimately lead them to their first The Ghost With The Most: Once the players enter the house,
nugget of information. They will hear a rumor from a young man who it is obvious something is wrong. Furniture is upturned or smashed as
specializes in theft that the Tsangs have brought a curse down upon if the occupants were under attack. If the PCs were captured, the
their family. The word on the street is that the Tsang family failed to guards will take them along as they search the house. After a few min-
pay proper respect to Mei Lau Tsang, one of the Tsang grandmothers, utes of looking, they'll hear gunshots upstairs. In the master bedroom,
after she died recently. Her spirit must be haunting the rest of the the PCs will find several bodies of people that they can only assume
Tsang family, which is causing them to kill themselves. Additional to be members of the Tsang family. One survivor is cowering behind
checking leads them to a curio shop in a dingy alley. Xiang Choi, the a chair with a pistol. He is babbling incoherently to himself.
proprietor, reveals that one of the Tsangs sold him a vase a few days Advancing on him, however, is the ghostly form of an armored orien-
ago after a bit of money jogs his memory. He doesn't know the name tal warrior with a large sword. The spirit will turn on them as the PCs
but will gladly offer to sell the vase to them at a very inflated price. enter the room. Normal weapons cannot hurt it - it can only be dam-
The vase is jade and is rimmed with gold. There are three pearls in aged by magic, mental powers or a martial artist's attacks.
each handle. A CUNNING check reveals the presence of wax around Alternatively, an Occultist can, with a GRAY MATTER check,
the interior lip of the vase. If any Occultist characters touch the vase remember the ritual to reseal the ghost back into the vase but it will
it will feel very cold, although no other characters will detect this. take 1D6 rounds and, of course, the vase itself.
Allow any Occultists to make a GRAY MATTER check to realize that Concluding the Adventure: Leave quickly! The PCs are
it is a spirit-binding vessel that has been discharged. now known and may be blamed for the attacks. Although Levinson
Finding the Tsangs: It isn't so much a matter of you finding them won't believe these accusations, or the player's story, he'll be happy to
as them finding you. News about who is asking for whom travels fast know that the trouble is cleared up and won't be giving him ulcers.
and soon the PCs meet some of Tsang's boys. There are six of them.
Five of them are carrying clubs and the other is carrying a pistol. Tsang Street Gang Member/Guard
They'll "suggest" that the PCs get their noses out of business that does- MOXIE 2/ Brawling 2 Shooting 1; GLITZ 2; CUN-
n't concern them and, if the PCs are threatening or decide to be disre- NING 1; GREY MATTER 1; WITS 1; BLOOD 13
spectful, they'll attack. Equipment: Club (4 damage) pistol (8 damage)
Where Now?: There are several possible avenues that the PCs can
explore at this point: the graveyard where Mei Lau Tsang is buried, Lee Tsang
track down the boy who sold the vase, sneak into the Tsang HQ or MOXIE 2/ Brawling 2 Shooting 1; GLITZ 2; CUN-
hang around until something happens. The graveyard is a dead end. NING 2/ Con 1; GREY MATTER 2; WITS 2; BLOOD 12.
The grave is normal and undisturbed. Finding the young man who sold Equipment: pistol (8 damage)
the vase will be difficult but a GLITZ check at -2 will find someone
willing to talk for money. They remember Lee Tsang, carrying a vase- Samurai Spirit
shaped parcel, duck into the alley that leads to the curio shop. Armed MOXIE 2/ Brawling 2; GLITZ 1; CUNNING 2/
with a name, they can ask more specific questions but will get anoth- Dodge 1; GREY MATTER 1; WITS 3; BLOOD 20
Equipment: Samurai sword (6 damage), armor (8AV)
14
 NAZI WITCHES FOR SATAN’S ARMY!
by James Stubbs
The Premise: Nazi saboteurs, all women using weird powers, have
been destroying important national defense targets. The government has
assembled its best operatives to combat this supernatural threat. Ref
Note: Play this one as over the top comic book action. The objective is
to have fun with a really hackneyed plot. Relax the rules, let the players
take outrageous powers and boost their BLOOD.
The Setup: The PCs are all picked up by G-men and taken to a secret
safehouse where they meet "Mr. Jones." He says he's a secret agent and
that he has been asked to gather up a select handful of people for an
important mission. A group of women saboteurs under the control of a
mysterious person known only as "Mr. Satan" have been causing enor-
mous trouble to homefront war efforts. They are reported to have
"strange powers." He is familiar with the PCs own "eccentricities" and,
at the request of the President, wants them to stop these madmen before
they completely break down the war effort!
The Spy: As Jones finishes his briefing, let the PCs make a CUNNING
check to see they notice a shadow at the window, which will flee if
noticed. Jones will start yelling for his agents. As the PCs get outside,
the shadow of a woman will fly past the sun. They can hear her faint
laughter. Shooting checks are at -2 for range. If the players can bring
her down without killing her, they will gain useful info and a bargaining
chip. Her name is Heike Schultz. She is a witch and in the service of
"Mr. Satan." She doesn't know his name but he pays well. She was sent
to listen and identify the group that was being sent against them. If the
PCs make successful Seduction or Con checks, she will tell them that
the next target will be a local airfield of the Army Air Corps.
The Airfield Assault: The PCs arrive as twelve witches make their
attack, either guided there by Heike's information or of a report made to
Jones. Several warplanes and all bombers on the field are ablaze as their
crews flee. There are still a few P-40 Warhawks that the players can
commandeer. The trick is getting off of the runway, as the witches will
blast any moving aircraft. It will require three successful Pilot checks at
-1 to get airborne. Once in the air, all Shooting attempts against and
from the plane will be at -2 for the small size of the targets and the speed
of the plane. The witches' strategy against planes is to land on the
canopy, shatter the glass, and throw the pilot out. Anyone shooting from
the ground is at a -2 penalty to hit airborne targets. If a plane manages
to take off, the witches will turn invisible and flee after one or two
rounds of combat. They're strong but realize their chances against a
well-flown fighter plane.
The Aftermath of the Battle: If the players didn't take Heike cap-
tive, any surviving witches will give the PCs the same story. They also
direct the players to where Mr. Satan's agents usually meet them to
receive reports and deliver instructions. Approaching the place will be
simple, and the witches will be happy to take them to the exact spot.
Once there, six agents will appear, and the witches will turn on the play-
ers. If any of the agents are captured, they will find a briefcase with
$10,000 and instructions to attack the coastal naval base's ammo dump.
The Naval Base: The PCs arrive before the attack. Let them have time
to take positions, talk to the commander or recruit some military police-
men. This time, Mr. Satan isn't holding back. He and his witches and
agents will be taking part. There are ten agents armed with submachine
guns, and survivors of the original thirteen witches (you may want to
add a few if they've been decimated by the PCs). The agents will bust
15
through the gates in five cars. The witches will fly in from the sky and
neutralize guards or opposition while tossing smoke grenades (-1
Shooting). As before, shooting at them from the ground is a -2 penalty.
If you want to make them more of a threat, you can also have them ran-
domly tossing hand grenades (Damage: 20) to sow more confusion.
Mr. Satan has turned himself invisible and is sneaking into the
ammo dump with a large satchel of TNT. Anyone actually still paying
attention to the can dump make a CUNNING check to see if they notice
the odd shadow flitting about. They will notice him after he plants the
bomb because he'll drop his invisibility and cast a spell against the near-
est PC once he gets out of the blast radius. He looks just like a guy in a
red business suit with a devil masquerade mask.
Concluding the Adventure: If the characters are able to defeat the
evil Mr. Satan and his witch coven, they will receive a personal con-
gratulation from the President as well as impressive news coverage that
will garner them fame as war heroes.
Nazi Witch
MOXIE 2/ Brawling 2 Shooting 2; GLITZ 3/ Seduction 1;
CUNNING 2/ Dodge 1; GREY MATTER 2; WITS2; BLOOD
15
Equipment: pistol (8 damage), leather suit (2 AV)
Spells: Hellfire (10 damage), Flight, Iron Cross (punch for
MOXIE x3 and ignores 1 AV of protection), Stun (MOXIE
check or lose 1D3 rounds), Beguile (WITS check or under con-
trol of the caster for 1D3 rounds - WITS check allowed every
round to try to break free.
Mr. Satan
MOXIE 3/ Brawling 2 Shooting 2; GLITZ 2; CUNNING 3/
Con 1 Dodge1; GREY MATTER 3; WITS 3; BLOOD 20
Equipment: Tommy gun (8 damage (1D6 hits)), suit (1 AV)
Spells: Invisibility (invisible for 1D6 rounds), Shock (-1
MOXIE on target), Lightning Bolt (12 damage), Mystic Double
(illusion of caster. Next attack against caster automatically fails
but destroys illusion), Force Shield (2 AV to entire body).
Enemy Agent/Military Policeman
MOXIE 2/ Brawling 1 Shooting 2; GLITZ 1; CUNNING 1/
Con 1; GREY MATTER 2; WITS 1; BLOOD 15
Equipment: pistol (8 damage), rifle (12 damage) or subma-
chine gun (8 damage (1D6 hits))
P-40 Warhawk
Era: 5
Crew: 1
Weapons: .50 cal. machine guns
MAN: 0 GR: 0 DMG: 1 AV: 1 SI: 8
Notes: On a successful hit, the machine guns do 1D6 hits at its
Damage rating. It does 10 BLOOD damage against characters.
1939 Dodge: D11 Luxury Liner Special
Era: 5
Crew: 4
Weapons: N/A
MAN: 0 GR: +1 DMG: N/A AV: 1 SI: 5