This adventure scenario uses information and background from the Hydra
source book
Although you'll probably be able to get by with just the Hydra chapter
from Waste World, having the source book will improve the game no end.
No statistics are given for the NPCs, on the grounds that most narrators
will use their own anyway!
Clan Attilus is an archaic warrior clan, housed in the Tower of Giants. Their ways are simple, and the refinement and dogmatic adherence to code seen in other warrior clans is alien to them. Their most famous warriors are the Giants: vast, brutish personifications of violent ignorance. They are, in fact, one of the most spontaneously violent clans in Hydra. While their general populace are more restrained, the giant mentality is seen throughout. Many say that Attilus would not have survived this long had it not been for their alliance with Clan Anthor.
Clan Anthor represent the thinking side of Hydra. From the Tower of Knowledge, they have experimented with the human genotype to create numerous sub races: the Brutes, the Drudges and the Lurks. Although Anthor is not officially a warrior clan, its control of the Brutes, which can transform into terrifying fighting creatures when exposed to the right hormones, means they have a significant armed presence in Hydra. They are friends with Clan Attilus, not out of compassion for the old, disorganised giants, but because it gives them access to Giant bloodlines, which they use in their breeding experiments.
Clan Typhon were expelled from Hydra after attempting a revolutionary coup (the First Tower War). They now live on the Isle of the Damned, a pen of outcasts and broken clans from Hydra, where they rigorously protect the integrity of their bloodlines. They are another warrior clan, who specialise in Destruction: termination of their foes is not considered sufficiently honourable, for they see glory only in utter eradication. Although not as dogmatic as Clan Valka (the dominant warrior clan of Hydra), they are determined and organised enough to have maintained their identity throughout their exile.
This adventure is about one of Clan Typhon's attempts to be re-accepted
into Hydra.
But who will invite them? Typhon are still numerous, so the extremist clans who might be persuaded or bribed would be too small to provide adequate patronage. This leaves only the larger clans, most of whom are so deeply set against anything Typhan that they would rather go into exile themselves than invite them in. The only possibilities left are Clan Attilus (of Giants) and Clan Pastorius (of the Performing Arts). Of these, only Attilus would be a suitably honourable patron.
It fell to an agent of Typhon called Tzildjan to investigate Attilus and find ways they might be manipulated. He worked on the premise that over-riding the deep-set fear of Typhon would require a direct order from the Giant Lord Attilus (the head of the clan), so he insinuated himself as a bodyguard in the Giant Lord's household forces. Through careful bribery and extortion, he came to be the head of the Giant Lord's personal defence - the squad who were responsible for personally getting in the way of any bullets sent towards the lord. From there he could collect and analyse information about the Lord and his family.
Tzildjan saw two things that made his life much easier: firstly, the lord was old and ill. Though he was still a mighty figure when seen on a balcony stirring up his troops, in private he was frail and needed medication to live through each day. His death was expected to come within the next few months. Secondly his heir, the eighteen-year-old Scion Attilus, had taken a mate: an Anthorian debutante called Tiua. Their forthcoming marriage was to seal the bond between clans Attilus and Anthor.
The Giant Lord and the Scion had bloodlines too pure and strong to manipulate
them directly; the only chink in the armour was Tiua, who although well
trained by Anthor and her finishing school at Radost, was essentially a
programmed whore. Over the course of a year Tzildjan formed an elegant
plan which would serve two purposes: gaining control of Attilus and breaking
it away from Anthor, who would otherwise have fought any attempt to bring
Typhon back into Hydra.
The beauty of this plan was that because Tiua would be seen to be supporting
her husband's invitation, Anthor would be obliged to disown her (friendship
with Typhon being an utter anathema to Anthor). This could then be taken
as a snub against Attilus, and used to break the two clans apart.
Step four proved harder. As the months wore on, the lord's health refused to decline any further and Tzildjan starting thinking that he might have to take more direct action. He searched for a method, but could find no method of murder that would not somehow implicate him; he was, after all, responsible for his safety. As he waited, the situation between Tiua and the Scion stagnated. Tiua's programming had done all it could. Without a severe change in circumstances, the codeworm would eventually be broken down and the plot revealed.
Meanwhile, the Scion was having severe mental problems. He found himself believing deeply in the inherent nobility of clan Typhon, but could not say why, and could not explain his problem to anyone for fear of the repercussions. He took to drinking, often becoming inebriated for days on end. Tiua was unable to manipulate him when he was like this, and the chain of instruction from Tzildjan to Scion was broken.
As the codeworm's grip on Tiua weakened, she started having flashes of sense, seeing for a moment what she was doing, but forgetting instantly. In one such flash, she saw that she was tearing her love, the Scion, apart. She could not run away, because she would be found and brought home immediately. So instead she pushed him out of their home, screaming at him to leave, that she was dangerous to him. He did not understand. He thought that she had thrown him out because of his drinking, and went where alcoholics are wont to go when depressed: back to the bottle.
He disappeared into the multitudes living around the base of the Tower of Giants, fighting for food, money and drink. He had soon sold all his possessions, and passed from squat to squat hunched over, looking like any one of a multitude of shabby, booze-addled down-and-outs.
This was a serious threat to Tzildjan's plans. The Scion, representing the current pinnacle of Giant bloodlines, would normally have been more than tough enough to survive in the underworld. But drunken, confused and depressed he could easily have fallen prey to a gang of determined bandits. Tzildjan organised a troop of his best men to begin scouring the city for the Scion, hoping to bring him back before it was too late.
House Anthor became aware of the Scion's disappearance. They suspected trouble, knowing that it was not a characteristic Atillan trait to so utterly lose control. They too want him back, because without him they will not be able to cement their alliance with Atillus, so they have launched their own investigation, to find out where the Scion is, and find out why he's there.
This is where the players come in.
Anthorian Special Agents
This is the ideal situation. The PCs are a cell of investigators more used to tracking murderers and spies in and around the Tower of Knowledge. Due to the urgency and sensitivity of the situation they have been given this special duty. Set the scene with some well chosen description of the shady political scene that operates in Hydra, noting the roles of clans Anthor and Attilus (no need to mention Typhon yet), and inform the players that upon arriving in their operations room one morning, they found a letter, headed with the crest of the Thinkers (the elite corps of intelligence) instructing them to proceed to the Chamber of Mind (a hall where the Thinkers conduct discussions). If the players are new, or have questions, stop here to fill them in. Once at the Chamber, proceed to "The Briefing".
Private Investigators / Mercenaries / Independents
Obviously, it's harder to explain why Anthor would be using outside resources for a task as delicate as this. If the PCs have had former experience dealing with tricky situations, it could be that their reputation has preceded them. Possibly one of them has a contact inside Anthor who recommended them for the job. The one way they won't have found the job is through open advertisement. The Thinkers want as few people as possible to know about the situation. If the players seem unwilling to take the work, you may have to turn the tables on them. The Thinkers aren't asking the PCs to help, they're telling them. Refusing the Thinkers would be unwise. Their contact on the inside will be offended in the extreme if, after he's put his neck on the block to get them noticed, they walk away. However they are coerced, they will be picked up by Zekt-riders and transported to a ledge high up the Tower of Knowledge, where they are greeted by a tall, thin man who introduces himself as the keeper of the Chamber of Mind. He will escort them through the tower and into the Chamber of Mind for the briefing.
Imports from Another Clan
If the campaign has already opened with the PCs as members of another tower, then you will need to engineer a political situation in which they could be "lent" to Anthor. Perhaps Anthor has recently lent their home tower support in other ways; perhaps their tower is allied to Anthor in the same way Attilus is. Whatever, they will be collected by Zekt-riders and transported to a ledge high up the Tower of Knowledge, where they are greeted by a tall, thin man who introduces himself as the keeper of the Chamber of Mind. He will escort them through the tower and into the Chamber of Mind for the briefing.
When people are brought on trial before the Thinkers, they are led into the middle of the room and the gaze of the Thinkers. They stand there having questions fired at them as fast as they can answer them (sometimes faster) until eventually all the information they can give has been given and they are led out. It is one of the most reliable and undeniable mechanisms of justice in the Waste World.
Luckily for the PCs they are not on trial, though the intimidating architecture of the Chamber may make them feel like they are. They are led into the centre of the Chamber by the Keeper, the tall, thin character who will have greeted them if they were brought by Zekt-rider. He spends a few seconds to look at the silent faces around the outside of the room, then glances back at the PCs before rapidly striding off.
One voice will ask confirmation of their identity. There is a pregnant pause, and the Thinkers start to supply information in their inimitable way. Each sentence in the following "monologue" comes from a different direction. No sooner have the PCs got their bearings and located the speaker than he will become silent and another one, somewhere behind the PCs, will start up.
“You have been brought here at the will of the Thinkers. We require specialist services of you. For which you will be paid a single megacredit each.
The situation: We are Clan Anthor, and we are allied with Clan Attilus. Clan Attilus's Lord is old and frail, and will die soon. His son, the Scion Attilus, will inherit rulership of the clan. His bride-to-be is an Anthorian girl called Tiua. Their marriage will cement our alliance. And thus our access to Attilan bloodlines. The Scion Attilus has taken to drinking in recent weeks. And disappeared from the Tower of Giants the day before yesterday. Apparently in a drunken rage. If he dies, it will threaten our relationship with Attilus. We suspect foul play; it is unlike Attilan noblemen to surrender to drink. Although Attilus have mounted their own investigation, we want to see independent results.
Your mission: Find the Scion. Find out what has driven him to such weakness.
Caution: Careless action may drive the Scion into hiding. We do not know his mental state. Discretion is advised in general. It would not be in our interests to embarrass clan Attilus.
Probabilities: He may well be seeking refuge in a ground level drinking establishment. There are many such places, so you will have to track him down. You will be permitted to interview his fiancée and anyone else you deem appropriate. Remember: Discretion.”
After the last one has finished speaking, the PCs will be left slightly dumbstruck but one of the Thinkers will prompt them to ask any questions they may have. The Thinkers will respond quickly and accurately to any question put to them, but remember that they are essentially in the dark. For all they know, the Scion could have been captured by little green men. Once all the questions have been dealt with, the Thinkers say:
“The Thinkers wish you serendipity in your work. The keeper will remain in contact with you. If you have anything to communicate to us, the he will relay it.”
And on cue, the keeper sashays back in, motioning the PCs to leave.
Self control was one of the many skills that Clan Radost taught Tiua while she was at finishing school. When interviewed, she will perfectly play the part of the air-head damsel in distress. No, she doesn't know where her husband-to-be is. She last saw him on Tuesday morning drinking Tuska (a particularly nasty local spirit) straight from the bottle. She retired to her day room and on emerging for dinner that evening she could not find him. She alerted the head of the bodyguard, a man called Tzildjan, who immediately began investigations.
No amount of player probing will reveal her duplicity, because at the time she is interviewed she is under the control of the programming, so firstly she really doesn't remember throwing him out and secondly although she "knows" that she's been programming him, it won't register on any lie detector or psychic skill unless some actually specifically asks her about it.
Interviewing The Giant Lord
Lord Attilus is not happy. The situation is a great weight on his shoulders because he has no other heirs, and he knows in a resigned way that he is not long for the world. His chest is particularly bad, and his speech is interrupted by great fits of coughing.
He explains to them at great length how worried he is, emphasizing how unlike "Czak" (the Scion's given name) it is to give in to drinking like this. Most importantly, he is cynically glad that his illnesses haven't killed him yet, because his son is in no state to inherit rulership.
Searching their Rooms
The PCs will be allowed to look over Tiua's and the Scion's quarters if they so ask. Tiua's rooms contain all the distractions and amusements a woman in her position would be expected to have: numerous long novels on the shelves, landscapes on the walls, decks of cards for playing Patience on the desk, sheaves of paper for writing letters in the drawers. The only slight oddity is several spent bubble-packs from painkillers in the bathroom dustbin. She explains that she is prone to migraines, and while the players may be suspicious of this story, they have no good grounds to doubt it. She is actually telling the truth, as she sees it: she remembers having blinding headaches, and "waking up" sometime afterwards to find spent painkiller packages lying around. What she does not remember is that it is during these headaches that her programming breaks down, and it was in fact during a "headache" that she threw out the Scion.
The Scion's rooms are sumptuous, but unmistakably the den of an alcoholic. Used shot glasses are tucked away in unlikely locations, the bed is an unmade-up mess. There are also signs of tantrums having been thrown in here, not to mention furniture. Expensive porcelain figurines, no doubt worth a year's pay to many Hydrans, have been smashed violently against the walls and stamped into the carpet. The Scion's voicecube, balancing half on - half off the desk, has a cartoonish fistmark in it, but luckily it still works. Any PCs with a relevant technical skill will be able to power it up and scan through the records in it. It works like an intelligent voice-diary, keeping and sorting the Scions accounts of each day and reminders of upcoming engagements. It will require a certain amount of skill to get around the password system, but the data is not encrypted. Once inside, there remains the final hurdle of checking the "deleted" items. Like 20th century computers, items marked for deletion are merely stored in a holding area until the user actual orders them cleared. Any characters with Mek, Robomancy or Ultramancy skills may contribute to a cumulative roll of 30-i.e. 30 successes are required in total, each character being able to make one roll every half hour. If the PCs can't do it, they could arrange to give it to the keeper (who will send a zekt–rider for it), but this will take longer: only reveal the contents of the cube later, perhaps when the PCs reach the Lamplighter Complex (below). The data in the cube, whenever they get to it, is mostly innocuous:
"Friday eleventh: check new banners on east turret. Make sure Krosin
has put them up in the right order.
Saturday twelfth, a.m.: take zekts out to inspect repairs to South
Wall. P.m.: down to the stables. Evening: soirée at Marquis Tritam's
place."
And so on for about an hour. If the player listen to all of it, they may pick up on the Scion sounding grumpy and drunk occasionally, as they would expect. The juicy information comes when they cross-reference the time and dates when he sounds drunk against the deleted items record:
"F***ing head. Feels like it's been sledge hammered. What's wrong with Typhon anyway? Why can't I say it? It would make sense. They're a big house. Bloody… it's like censorship or something. I mean, when I'm in power-hah! Then we'll f***ing see. But bloody Anthor. Bloody Anthor. No, no, not bloody Anthor. But f***ing Typhon. I mean, they'd be okay. F***ing, I…"
This last is followed by the sounds of retching.
If the players don't know who Typhon are, explain it to them, and be include how most of the major houses feel about them.
Other Interviewees
In an attempt to find out where the Scion might have gone, the PCs may ask to interview people that he was friends with or worked with in the tower. This will be granted, within reason. Remember two things, though: firstly, not everybody in the Tower of Giants knows that the Scion has disappeared, so interviewing them would be unwise. Secondly, many people are suspicious of the fact that Anthor are running their own investigation and will be hesitant to say too much.
People who might be candidates include:
? Tzildjan. A master of subterfuge (he's been working in the tower for five years without being caught), the PCs will not get any incriminating evidence the first time they interview him. However, he will say that the Scion was particularly fond of a drink called Tuska, and might have gone looking for some. Tzildjan is very uneasy about the PCs, because he can work out for himself that for Anthor to launch their own investigation means that they think something might be wrong with the one he's running. He will let this show, masking it as professional pride: "I am slightly concerned that Anthor felt in necessary to send you". He is trying to get the PCs to give away the second part of their mission-to find out why the Scion is in such a state. Of course, he doesn't know that there is a second part to their mission, but he can guess it. Whatever, after the interview the PCs may have a nagging feeling about him but no evidence.
? The Drudge Rhea. The day–to–day housework of the Scion's quarters is handled by a female Drudge called Rhea. She is neither intelligent nor imaginative, but in her own simple way has almost come up with the right story. She thinks (and will tell the PCs) that Tiua kicked the Scion out because of his drunkenness. She's seen it happen often enough in the drudge enclaves she used to live in; hubby gets to drinking, gets violent and rude. Wifey puts up with it for a while, then one day throws him out on his ear and locks the doors. Hubby crawls off into the slums looking for booze and never comes back. Of course, this hardly sounds like the modus operandi of a high–born lady like Tiua… or does it? If confronted with this possibility, Tiua will be genuinely shocked and offended, even to the point of ordering the PCs to leave if they push to matter too far. Play Rhea as what she is: a simple but loyal wage slave.
? Baron Kavon. Kavon was responsible the Scion's training and
education (such as clan Attilus views education) when he was younger, and
became something of a mentor to him more latterly. The old lord Attilus,
while proud of his son and wanting nothing but the best for him was not
able to get to know him in the way Kavon has. He will gladly talk to the
PCs, sharing his deep misgivings about the whole situation. He says he
first saw signs of drinking about three months ago, starting with an over–partiality
to the wine at dinner, then taking to walking round with a hip-flask and
finally to spending entire days downing bottles of Tuska. He says the Scion's
training suffered immensely. On the rare days when he managed to remain
sober, he would try to spar with Kavon but had no energy and no speed,
and would soon retire back to his quarters. Kavon now fears for his safety
if he has ventured into the slums and freeports, where bandits and muggers
are commonplace. He points out that a Giant like the Scion would normally
be able to wade through street crime like it was grass, but drunken he
might not be able to co-ordinate himself.
This encounter can happen any time after the PCs have left the tower to search through the commonality, and made their way to Lamplighter. Sometime after sunset, when the bars are opening and the Scion might come in search of a drink, the PCs are walking down a road and notice a group of four or five armed people on destriers. This is not an uncommon sight in itself, as destriers are used by all sort of merchants, travellers, mercenaries and bondhunters. What is unusual is that as they draw level along the road with the PCs, the one on the lead draws a blaster pistol and shouts, "Charge!", wheeling his mount at the PCs. They gallop towards the group, firing range weapons until they close (taking two rounds if the PCs don't move) then switching to close combat weapons. Once two of them have dropped the survivors will run away, and lose themselves in the maze streets of Lamplighter. They are Karver's Gang, a bunch of bullies for hire. In a dramatically predictable moment of underestimation, Tzildjan contracted them to do away with the PCs. The ideal outcome of this encounter is that the PCs will be slightly shaken but essentially unhurt, and the gang will all either escape or die, leaving the players wondering who sent them.
Now might be a good time to start playing on the group's sense of paranoia. By now they will almost certainly have entertained the possibility that the Scion was kidnapped or abducted. Why not let them think this? If they ask, tell them how much other genclans would prize Attilan giant genes, or how much someone in the Scion's position could be ransomed for. Don't labour the point––in fact, if the players don't mention it, don't volunteer anything.
If the players do manage to capture one of them alive and question him,
he will tell the players that they were contacted that morning by a drudge
(male, in case they suspect Rhea) who carried a written message and photographs
of the PCs. They've been tracking them for several hours. They were supposed
to collect payment the following day from a rendezvous in the market. They
can try going to this rendezvous, but no–one will show up, Tzildjan having
heard that the gang didn't succeed.
There are many possible tacks the PCs could use to start hunting down the Scion.
? Many of the Market dwellers are information peddlers. They collect news and rumour, and sell it on for as much money as they think the market will bear. Often they will learn to recognise vast amount of people, and when they see them approaching shout out some intriguing teaser to make the target pay for the full story ("Mrs. Jones! I'd bet you'd like to know where your husband was last night!").
? They may have friends or contacts in Lamplighter.
? The local garrison are what pass for a police force in the freezones. They might have noticed an incredibly tall drunkard.
Parthon the Truthmonger
Eventually, their enquiries should lead them to a rumour merchant called Parthon. He’s been paid by Tzildjan to point them towards the docks, where a guy fitting the Scion’s description was allegedly seen last night. This much is true. The thing is, though, he was seen being kidnapped by the crew of the Indigo, a horde of slavers who specialise in large and dangerous targets. To this end, they are themselves large and dangerous. Parthon knows this, and will drop hints into the conversation that there’s more information to be had, and given suitable persuasion he’ll let the story out. Given even more persuasion, he’ll reveal that it was Tzildjan who put him on to them in the first place. If they don’t already suspect he’s up to something, they will now.
The Wreck of the Indigo
The PCs won’t find the Indigo at the docks. They’ll be told that it
sailed late last night. They can hire a boat and chase after it, and they’ll
find it in pieces a few miles downstream. What has happened is that the
Scion has escaped through the side of the cell he was in, scuppering the
boat. Most of the crew have gone off in search of him, while the remainder
are defending the ship’s carcass with everything they’ve got. Cue another
fight. Eventually the PCs should find out that the Scion headed into the
sewers after escaping.
The Ratsmear Family
The Ratsmear family (who take their name from the flattened rodent they
use as a symbol) number about eighty, of a variety of ages. They will defend
their nest from any outsiders unless said outsiders might be useful to
them. They have the Scion bound and gagged and they’re trying to work out
how to ransom him. The PCs can do one of three things here. If they leave
to get help, it doesn’t take much imagination that the Ratsmears will move
the Scion away. They can try to talk to the lurks, perhaps bribe them into
handing over the Scion. This will work if they strongly emphasise the risks
of trying to ransom him. Lastly, they can wade in guns blazing. There are
a lot of lurks, and faced with losing their home they will fight to the
death, but they are mostly armed only with knives and clubs.
Destroyers in the Night, Part 2
So nervous, in fact, that he sends another squad of hitters, specially trained agents from house Typhon. They wear unmarked armour but will be instantly recognisable to anyone who knows their fighting style. They battle ruthlessly and tirelessly, and the PCs should be in genuine fear of their lives. Just as the fight concludes, a runner catches up with them to say that the Lady Tiua is in grave danger.
Golden Winged Ship
Tiua has managed to climb out from a span linking two parts of the Tower of Giants. She is standing there, saying to herself, over and over again, “A Golden–winged Ship!”. She is being fed this image through her programming, with Tzildjan staring at her from a window which overlooks the walkway, mouthing instructions to her.
A large crowd has gathered at one end of the walkway. Someone notices that Tzildjan is not around, and suddenly the place is in uproar. “Why isn’t he here at a time of crisis like this?”, “Never did trust him”, they shout.
A PC will need to go and find him, and at the same time someone will
have to go after Tiua. She won’t be coaxed in until Tzildjan’s concentration
is broken, at which point she “wakes up” to find herself on a narrow ledge
above a long fall. She is nervous and panicky, and needs help getting back
to safety.
––into more violence and treachery.
Unsurprisingly, codeworms are a product of house Spydra. These tiny maggots, barely longer than 1/8th of an inch, will burrow into any living body they touch and implant a set message in the victim’s mind. the message must be short to work: in Tzildjan’s case, the phrase used was “Obey Tzildjan”.
The Chamber of Mind
The vastly cerebral leaders of clan Anthor are known as the Thinkers. They are genetically tailored to have what might be called a high band–width: that is, they can absorb, process and return information very quickly. Their debating chamber is unique in that it has no chairperson, no order of speech and very few rules. Each of the five hundred thinkers on duty sits at a bench which travels right around the chamber, and speaks whenever a thought occurs to them. There may be as many as two hundred voices speaking at any one time, but the Thinkers are easily capable of distinguishing and interpreting them all. When people are brought before the Thinkers, they adopt a highly patronising mode of speech, in which many will contribute but only a few words each. Standing in the centre of the chamber of mind while the Thinkers conduct a debate is an intimidating experience, especially for those who consider themselves “intelligent”.
The interface between the Chamber of Mind and the outside world is a greying man known as the Keeper. He has somehow earned the Thinkers’ trust and is charged with escorting people in and out of the chamber.
Tuska
The ruin of many Hydrans down on their luck, Tuska is a potent spirit brewed and distilled from the seeds of the Tushach plant, a hardy food source in many of Hydra’s low–lying towns and settlements. It tastes somewhere between stale tea and brake fluid, but it’s cheap and readily available.
Voicecubes
A simple device, which functions not unlike a personal organiser. It
has a limited intelligence, enough to store and file information given
to it by its owner, and to return said information upon request. All interaction
with it is vocal.