ADVENTURES FOR TSR ROLE-PLAYING GAMES SEPTEMBERIOCTOBER 1996 ISSUE #51 z @ JIGSAW by Dan De Fazio LETTERS EDITORIAL & Christina A. Stiles (RavENLorT Adventure, character levels 4-6; 20 total levels) The legacy of Dr. Frankenstein lives on as the handiwork of a rash young scientist responds in an unexpected manner. a = ¢ 2Qig STORM SEASON © by Paul F. Culotta (Forcormx # Adventure, character levels 7-12; 50 total levels) Bizarre thunderstorms in the eity of Arabel are only the beginning, Who is No” LY ‘ : > 4{4| TO SAVE A FOREST “2 by Dovjosef Anderson (ADED* Adventure, charactor levels 5-7; 24 total levels) A terrible curse has blighted Emory Wood. Of eourse you ean find a eure — but can it bein time? 7O Index All the adventures in issues #49-60 NIGHT SWARM by Lorri E. Hulbert (AD&D* Adventure, character levels 5-7; 25 total levels) It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity: Cruel he looks, but calm and strong, Like one who does, not suffers wrong, — Percy Bysshe Shelley Prometheus UnboundJIGSA BY DAN DE FAZIO & CHRISTINA A. STILES Mad, bad, and dangerous to know Axtwork by Tony Diterizi Cartography by Michael Scott 8 Issue No. 61 Christina writes: “Tm excited finally 10 be a part of the magazine Ive enjoyed since its frst issue. Td like to thank my husband, Tracy, as well as Dan, Tim, Scott, and Calvin for seeing me through to publication, Thanks, guys!” Dan points ou that this represents the longest long-distance collaboration jin Dunavon® Adventures’ history. He ‘and Christina live several states apart, have never met, have spoken on the tele- phone only a few times, and created “Jigsaw” entirely via the U.S. mail How'd they meet? Through DUNGEON Adventures, which published Dan's ‘address way back in issue #33. “Jigaaw” is a RaveNtor® adventure for 4-6 good-aligned PCs of levels 4-6 (30 total levels), This scenario takes place in the reaim of Gothie Earth, from the Masque of the Red Death campaign, in the city of Lausanne, a lange town in Switzerland, just north of Lake Geneva. DMs without access to the Masque of the Red Death boxed set can restructure this adventure for traditional AD&D® or RaveNLorT eampaigns by setting the adventure in a large town near a moun: tainous region, replacing the Masque character classes with their AD&D counterparts (soldier = warrior, trades- ogue, adept = wizard, and mys- tie = elerie) and setting the money exchange rate to gold pieces. Also, because Gothie Earth is a low-magic setting, PCs with access to a great deal of magic may imbalance the adventure. Adventure Background Vietoria von Lendstein is a young noblewoman of great intellect. Her father, Emile von Lendstein, was a physician known for his progressive thinking and somewhat Bohemian lifestyle. When Vietoria was four, her mother died of a brain fever, so Emile raised his daughter alone. Instead of raising her as an ordinary noblewoman, educated only in husband-seeking and ballroom gaiety, he encouraged Victoria, to be imaginative, studious, and ere- ative, allowing her complete access to his library. Soon she had read all the books within, especially the medical texts, At 15, Vietoria decided that she ‘be the first female physician in the city of Ingolstadt. When Victoria applied to the University the masters were not pleased. Emile, however, had enoughJIGSAW influence to arrange for her to take the entrance exams. The school administra- tion indulged Emile only because they expected Victoria to fail, putting an end to the matter. To their chagrin, young Victoria earned the highest score. Flabbergasted that a woman with no formal training could score so well on their exam, and having no recourse to prevent her entrance, they admitted Vietoria, Neither the students nor the faculty relished the idea of a female colleague. If women were allowed to be physicians, they mused, soon they eould become lawyers, merchants, and even priests. Faced with this ominous scenario, the students and faculty conspired to make Vietoria’s academic career a nightmare, Her teachers tripled her workload, pil- ing experiments and course work on her beyond her freshman status, The other students mocked her, tampered with her projects, stole her books, and earved obscene messages into the door and walls of her room, ‘After three months of torment, Victoria succumbed to their haraissment and left the University: Determined that his gifted daughter would indeed become a physician, Emile personally initiated Victoria into the sciences of ‘medicine, anatomy, and surgery. Victoria ‘mastered each lesson in a trice, She was brilliant, and the knowledge she gained far outdistanced any she would have received at the University ‘Then tragedy struck. A spark from tan unattended fireplace ignited the par- lors carpeting, and fire spread through- ut the magnificent von Lendstein mansion, In minutes, flames engulfed the entire home. Victoria eseaped, but her father was not so fortunate, When the authoritios dug his charred body from the rubble, a golden locket, amaz- ingly untouched by the fire, was the only means of identifying her father’s body: Victoria took the locket, within which Emile had kept her photograph, as a last memento, Victoria begged the authorities to investigate further, attempting to con- ‘vince them the fire was no accident but a malicious attack by the members of the University who did not approve of her studies. Her pleas came to no avail, and the authorities asserted that they had found no evidence of foul play. Vietaria took their seeming lack of concern a a sign that the police were in league with the University members, fraternity of some sort, Believing the University’s network ran deeper than she first suspected, she dropped the matter to pursue her own form of revenge: she would prove the University ‘wrong by becoming the greatest physi- ian ofall time. “Armed with a few thousand inherited franes, Victoria purchased a small, dilapidated shop, which she converted toa home and laboratory. She bought as many medical texts as she could find, Her plan for greatness hinged on fone important treasure she had pro: cured from the library's furnace room during her stay at the University: a col- leetion of red-inked papers on death ‘and resurrection, the infamous Frankenstein Papers (soe A Guide to Gothic Earth, page 111). The papers were stuffed inside the memoirs of Dr Waldman, a former professor of the University. Someone had left them, along with several tomes on necrology, to be burned and forever hidden from curious minds. Tt was rumored that Dr. Frankenstein, perhaps with some assistance from Dr. Waldman, had succeeded in resurreeting the dead, but none had ever witnessed the feat. Victoria assumed the experi- ‘ment had not succeeded; otherwise, Dr. Frankenstein would have been brated in his time. Thus, she decided the experiment would be worthy of her effort. Once the University’s professors viewed her successful ereation, they would be foreed to acknowledge her superior mind. Then they would grovel like animals, begging her to share her ‘knowledge. ‘Toward this end, Victoria began seav- cenging limbs and organs from the gal- lows and charnel houses. With them, she stitched together a man as the papers outlined, injected him with a special serum, and created a primitive battery to infuse him with life. Though 1 year passed before her task was eom- plete, success stood before her in the form of a living flesh golem, animated purely by scientific means — or s0 she believed. ‘Upon seeing her ereation come to life, Victoria was filled not with the elation she had expected, but with disgust. This ‘thing was not human, This patchwork grotesque — this jigsaw creation — that she had hoped would bring her fame would more likely bring about her persecution and condemnation. Fright- ened by that prospect, she led the child- like creature into a nearby forest, intending to end its life with a well- placed bullet. Yet when she looked into its pitiable yellow eyes, she was unable to squeeze the trigger. instead, she turned to run, Before she could flee, the creature grabbed her by her cloak. Victoria wriggled out of its grasp and fled into the night, leaving the creature at the merey of the elements, Returning to her apartment, Victoria torched her notes and gathered her meager belongings. Departing at dawn, she fled to the town of Lausanne in Switzerland to live with her uncle and aunt, Albrecht and Elise von Thresher. Days stretched into weeks, weeks into months, Elise von Thresher, Emile's sis- ter, was far more traditional than Victoria's fathor, insisting that Vietoria turn her attention to finding a proper husband. Still horrified by what she had done, Vietoria didn’t argue but resigned herself to the traditional woman's role her aunt proposed. She felt it might ‘secure her peace of mind. In fact it ‘wasn't long before the attractive Victoria ‘made the acquaintance of Gustav von Rudiger, a young nobleman whose family had strong political ties in the region. Gustav was kind, well mannered, and, thoughtful. After six months of courtship, he asked her to marry him. Vietoria happily accepted, ‘Then cruel fate intervened, While attending a performance of Dr. ‘MeGinnis's Traveling Marvels, an American freak show, Vietoria spied the horrid object of her ereation, and her heart nearly stopped Tt saw her, too For over a year, she had felt certain that the elements had claimed her unnatural creation, erasing her mistake forever. She was wrong. Victoria feigned illness, begging Gustav to take her home immediately. He hailed a coach, and the two sped away toward the posh neighborhood where Vietoria and her famuly lived. ‘The creature saw the two leave together and became enraged, He pushed his way through the crowds and rran after them. His superhuman speed allowed him to keep up with the coach until it arrived at its destination. That night, as Vietoria slept, the ereature climbed through a window and entered her bedehamber. Victoria awoke to find the creature's watery, yellow eyes peering down at, her. She tried to scream, but the golem DUNGEON 9oIGsAW ‘Timeline of Events ‘November 3, 1891 12:00 aaa. PCs encounter Victoria and Udo in the park (Scene 1), 5:[Link]. If the PCs track Udo to his Jair, he flees to Dr. ‘MeGinnis's Freak Show (Scene 4), Otherwise, he is asleep in his lair. 12:00 RM. A PC meets with Vietoria (Scene 2). November 4 8:00 Am. Udo visits the room of one of the PCs to explain his situation (Seene 5). 830 Aa, Udo is back in his lair (Scene 3), 7:00 px. ‘The Von 'Threshers leave for ‘an evening at the opera. ‘Victoria remains behind, awaiting the arrival of the POs (Scene 6). 8:00 ras. ‘The PCs should arrive at the Von Thresher house (Scene 6), |. Udo sneaks into the Von ‘Thresher house and attacks, then flees for the ‘mountain. 12:30..M. ‘The Von Thresher family returns home. November 5-15 ‘Udo does not return. The PCs may use ‘this time to rest and heal, or they may attempt to track Udo. November 16 | Udo arrives at the Von Rudiger chateau and sneaks inside, He hides in the attic overnight, preparing to terror- je Vietoria (Seene 7). ‘November 17 8004.M. Victoria and her family arrive at the Von Rudiger estate. ‘The PCs arrive at the Von Rudiger chateau and are served a light meal. Other overnight guests begin to ‘Noon 2:00 Pat. 6:00 Pas. 8:00 ras, Midnight ‘Victoria and Gustav show the PCs the honeymoon cot tage, located one mile north of the chateau, The PCs may begin preparing their ‘rape. ‘Dinner is served in the PCs? ‘rooms (the dining room is being prepared for the wed- ding). Snow begins to fall ‘Winds begin in earnest, ‘Snowfall transforms into a howling storm. ‘One of the PCs awakens to find Udo staring at him ‘through his bedroom win- dow. As suddenly as Udo appeared, he is gone, November 18 (Wedding Day) 9100 [Link] Noon 1:00 ras, 5:00 Pa 8:00 Pa. 10:30 na, 11:00 nas, 11:20 pas, ‘Victoria awakens to find a bouquet of lilies in her room, despite the fact that all the windows and doors ‘were locked (Scene 9). Victoria and Gustav are ‘married in the chateau’s chapel (Seene 9). ‘The wedding reception begins (Seene 9), Dinner is served. Victoria uncovers her meal to find a dead cat (Scene 10). Dinner ends, Dancing ‘begins (Seene 11). Complaining of a headache, Justina, Vietoria’s cousin, Teaves the ball and retires to her upstairs room. If the PCs are not watehing Justina, Udo follows her to her room and murders her, then departs into the sur- rounding forest (Seene 11). If Justina has been killed, ‘Victoria discovers her body in her room, She and Gustav depart for their hon- eymoon cottage (Seene 12), Uiio attacks the coach while the eouple is en route to the cottage (Scene 12). clamped its gray, earthy hand over her ‘mouth. To her surprise, the creature hhad no intention of killing her. Instead, he proclaimed his undying love and adoration for her, promising to forgive her for her actions if she would be his ‘mate, Victoria tried to explain that she was already engaged to Gustav, but the creature would hear none of it Tn frustration, it replied, “Marry me, or I shall kill you both. None shall have you but 1” ‘The monster gave Victoria a week to consider his proposal before departing through the window. Over the past sev- eral days, Vietoria has been bombarded. with love poetry and flowers from the unwavering golem. Victoria is terrified, but eannot confide in Gustav for fear that he will desert her when the truth is revealed. Nor can she turn to the authorities; they would lock her up as a madwoman, Beginning the Adventure ‘The adventure begins on the seventh and final day of the creature's time allo- cation; Victoria is to mect him in the park in the center of town at midnight to give her decision. To involve the PCs in her plight, the DM should give them a reason to be in the park at this late hour so that they encounter the two arguing. It is suggested that the PCs have just exited an opera house not too far from the park, having gone to see the performance of Richard Strauss's Don «Juan. The DM is free to devise another hook, adjusting the following text appropriately Scene 1: A Stroll in the Park A light snows floats gently in the ight breeze, chilling you with its playful touch. Though most of the ‘opera's audionce has scattered to their jearriages, a few brave the chilly ‘weather, ambling and chattering their P home. "Alone woman clad in a dark, hooded| cloak walks ahead of you toward the |park Her stride is quick and sharp, ‘and her boots click loudly on the eob- blostone. Gaslights guide your way tothe paries snow-covered maze of vegeta: fion, Ahead, the lone woman continues her brisk pace, then veors from the main road and procoeds down a ravine diretly under the park's stone bridge 10 Issue No. 61‘Behind her, a dark shape emerges from| the trees. The woman seems oblivious to its presence. Momentarily, both forms disappear from view. If the PCs wish to observe the strange woman (Vietoria von Lendstein) further, they must sneak to the edge of the ravine or to the bridge. Only PCs with the hide in shadows proficieney or ‘an invisibility spell can move close ‘enough to watch without being seen. Any approach by PCs who are not hid- ing or invisible is 50% likely to attract the woman's attention. Her visitor, Udo, hhas a keen sense of hearing, so non- thief, non-invisible characters are 85% likely to attract his attention. At the approach of strangers, Victoria starts, and Udo runs off into the night. Ifthe PCs do not approach, however, and Udo is the only one to notice them, he stays, Jong enough to hear Vietoria’s answer POs successfully securing a closer position cannot overhear most of the ‘conversation unless they possess the detect noise proficieney or have accass to a clairaudience spell Read the following to any PC observ- ing the ravine ‘The woman stands in the ravine, |just to the left of the stone bridge. Her hood is removed now, and you can see from the dim moonlight that she is an tractive brunette in her late twen- ties. She hugs her arms, trembling, slightly as light snow settles upon her shoulders, ‘The large figure that followed her 'stands to her right, its features lobscured by a dark cloak. The woman ‘seems unnerved by his presence, but, ‘she quickly regains her composure. ‘The two engage in a low, heated con- versation that is inaudible from your position. The discussion continues for some minutes. Then, without warning, the figure strikes the woman across the face, knocking her to the ground. “You have two more days to make ‘your decision!” the figure bellows in a ‘istinetly male voice, “At midnight on ‘the second night I shall come to your family’s tawnhouse for your answer. [Already you waste too much of my ime, You will he mine, or you will die." he thunders, then disappears with {inhuman speed into the woods. The dark-haired woman lies sobbing on the cold ground, her head buried in her arms. Any PCs unable to view the events in the ravine certainly hear Udo's booming. voice before he disappears. Because Udo's actions occur so quickly and unexpectedly, the PCs are surprised on a roll of a 1-5 on 1d10, The PCs are ‘unable to prevent the slap Vietoria receives, but they may be able to follow Udo. If the PCs follow him, they are hampered by the darkness, the thick ‘underbrush, the falling snow, and Ude's quickness. A PC skilled in tracking suf- fers a ~8 modifier to his Wisdom due to the snow and dim light. PCs using a light source decrease this modifier to -2. Additionally, the PCs’ movement rate while tracking is slowed (see tracking proficioney, PHB). The PCs need to make at least three proficieney checks to main- tain the trail. The DM should refer to the DMG for rules on pursuit and eva- sion of pursuit. If Udo is followed, he flees to his lair (Scene 3). Otherwise, he circles back to spy on the PCs. If the PCs approach Victoria, she rises quickly 1 her feet, backs away from the PCs, and looks for an escape route, as she at first assumes they are robbers and vagabonds. Onee the PCs prove that their intentions are to help her she wipes away her tears and smiles faintly, trying to pretend that nothing is wrong. If the PCs admit they Witnessed the exchange between Victoria and the stranger, she breaks down in tears again. “You must help mey she sobs. Thave ‘noone else to turn to" Her fingers edge | beneath her cloak and toward her neck, where she reveals a diamond necklace. "offer you ths ifyou can help me get | id of him. LT have more jewelry iF this is not sufficient,” she sobs. Ifyou ‘will help me, one of you meet me at the Cathedral de Notre Dame tomorrow at ‘noon. I have no time to explain now. It is late and I am very tired. And he may still be out there.” DUNGEON 11JIGSAW Uso, the Jigsaw Man Udo, flesh golem, RaveNtorr: AL N; AC 5; MV 12; HD 9 (40 hp); THACO 11; #40 2; Dmg 28:8 19,117, D 19, C18; SD (+1 or better weapon to hit —see Belov) 8% M(6'4" ME. 20; BP 70, OL. 97, FT 65, MS 88, HS 80, HN 30, CW 99; RL (Van Richton’ Guide to the Created, page 96), Proficienciex climb walls, deteet noise, disguise, hide in Shadows, ventriloguism, move silently, and open locks. do has the brain of avery inelli- ‘gent scientist, the body of an athlete, find the hands of master rogue. In Addition to being extremely strong, Udo, unlike most flesh golems, is very agile land fast. He can withstand falls of up to 380) without damage and ean leap dis- tances of20".Udo i also a master of Aligguise (at 64" he ia shorter than most golems, so ho can pull this off and an fxcellent mimic of voices, He finds these talents indispensable when forced to enter an urban environment. ‘do is immune to al cold and electri- ‘al attacks, though fire and acid cause normal damage. He is immune to tox- ins, disease, and any attacks regarding biological finetions such as breathing Or aging. Ho is also immune to mind= affecting magic such as charm person or sleep, and he receives a +4 to saves against magical assaults that eause harm (excluding cold or electrical attacks), fai i he receive Also, because Udo can be hit only by +1. or better weapons, which Masque of the Fed Death charactors have little aceess to, DMs should allow Udo a weakness. ‘Though normal weapons don't harm him, the items used in his creation {mailets, sealpels, hammers, needles, ‘DMs may allow that they inflict double damage, or that any damage received from these items is not repaired by Usdo's regeneration abilities (see below). ‘The motal from these items could be ‘melted and formed into bullets, Fire is another weakness, ‘Udo can attack with both fists in the same round and, if suecessful, can begin strangling his victim during the next round. Strangulation causes 348 hp damago/round. The vietim cannot ‘escape unless he has a Strength of 19 or greater. Two people having at least a 17 Strength each can break his grip. ‘Udo recovers 1 hit point per hour and does not need to rest. If his hit points fall below 0, he ceases to heal, though his body is not dead but incapacitated, 1f 50% of his body remains intact, he ‘can be repaired. Fire permanently’ destroys his body, so he has a great fear of it (must make a fear chock at -2 ‘when threatened with even small flames). If he is forced too close to flames, consult the fear check results table in the RavENLor? campaign set, ‘Udo is very cunning, and he prefers to survive by his wits rather than his strength. He attempts to avoid direct, attacks. If Udo loses half his hit points, he flees combat, returning to fight again after he has healed and when his odds are better. Udo lives deep within Lausanne’s sewers, in a lair to which he returns whenever wounded. His extensive knowledge of Lausanne's sewers allows him to appear anywhere in the city at any time, ‘Udo has a telepathic bond with his creator. Though Victoria cannot sense the thoughts or emotions of her cre- ation, she can keep no desires, fears, dreams, or feelings from him. At will, he enabling him to track her wherever she goes. He can also “speak” into her mind at will, regardless of range (Van Rich- teon’s Guide to the Created, page 31) ‘When Victoria abandoned him out- side of Ingolstadt, her cloak, held tight- ly in Udo's grasp, was ripped free as she fled. Inside the cloak’s pockets, Udo found Victoria's diary and a locket con- taining her picture, He has long cher- ished the picture of the beautiful Vietoria, but he was not able to deci- pher the writing in the diary until encountering Doctor McGinnis. Unaffected by his horrid appearanee, the Doctor and his freaks did not attempt to kill him as did the mob in Ingolstadt when he tried to track Victoria there. In fact, they treated him like family, and Doctor MeGinnis even taught him how to read (guided him in remembering how to read, actually), enabling him to read Victoria's diaries and learn the truth behind his exis- tence. His instincts (telepathy) told him that Victoria had gone to Lausanne to live, so he eonvineed the Doctor that. the freak show should pay a visit there. The Doctor agreed, and Udo was indeed able to find Victoria, Because Udo has expe- rienced love and acveptance from the Doctor and the freaks, he does not hate people as do most of his kind. his i the reason he believes he ean convince Victoria to soe past his appearance and into his heart. She must have loved him ‘once, he thinks, or she would not have labored so long and hard to ereate him. Should a PC recover Victoria's locket from Udo's lair, the item is a zeitgeber, something that triggers a reaction in ‘Udo. Upon seeing the open locket, he is ‘stunned for 1d4 rounds as he stares at Vietoria’s picture and remembers the ‘etc, — items Vietoria still possesses) can see through her eyes, and he always night she abandoned him. ‘can. One item per PC should exist, and knows in which direction she lies, ‘The necklace Vietoria offers as pay: _they do not harm her. He is curious Vietoria is 6°" with wavy dark hair ment is worth 2,000 franes. Ifthe PCs attempt to haggle, she agrees to discuss the details and answer any questions tomorrow, If the PCs offer to escort her hhome, she gladly accepts. The escort consists of a five-minute walk to the posh North Quarter: If the PCs do not walk her home, Victoria runs from the park as quickly as she can, looking back over her shoulder as she does so. If Udo wasn't pursued, he follows any PCs accompanying Victoria to see that | about Victoria's proposal to them and ‘attempts to follow one of the weaker- looking PCs home Victoria von Lendstein, physician (physician): AL N; AC 10; MV 12; HD 5; hp 19; THACO 18; #AT 1; Dmg by ‘weapon type (dagger); D 18,118, Ch 16; ‘ML 15, Nonweapon Proficiencies: medi- cine, biology, chemistry, electricity, eti- quette, dancing, and languages: German (native), English, French, Latin, and Spanish, nee fiery and ambitious, her experi- ‘ments and their repercussions have left her drained, and she longs for the quiet life. Victoria would rather die than have Gustav or her family discover the truth about Udo. As the creature would not accept her offer to construct him a mate (the insult for which he slapped her), Victoria feels she has no recourse other than to kill him. She hopes the PCs will do this for her. Ifnot, she attempts it herself 12 Issue No. 61JIGSAW Scene 2: The Meeting Read the following to the PC who meets with Vietoria at the Cathedral: Snow falls Tightly, continuing its dance from the previous night. While [you aveait the woman from the park, you gaze at the sky-bound spires and Stunning rose windows of the (Cathedral de Notre Dame. Lausanne's citizens bustle past. Only one, a frag- ile woman bundled in a gray, hooded overcoat, stops to stare atthe cathe- aral with you. “Magnificent, is it not? T suppose you have to be an outsider to appreciate its splendor” she remarks, nodding toward the oblivious passersby. “Tam Vietoria von Lendstein,” she says. A nasty bruise darkens her face. She smiles faintly. “T hope you haven't been waiting long. 1 was try- ing not to be followed. Likely he's here already, nearby somewhere, jwatehing. ‘She glances in every direction before continuing: “As you are here, T assume you are interested in my proposal, s0 I'l be brief. If you decline my request, ask only that you refrain from speaking about i. “Lam to be married in two weeks to JGustav von Rudiger, gentleman of lone of Lausanne’s noblest families; yet [Tam pursued by another. Normally, I would be flattered by such attention, but this would-be suitor is no normal man.” She produces a folded yellow paper from her coat pocket and hands it to you. It is an advertisement for Dr. McGinnis's Traveling Marvels, Drawings of several odd characters appear on the flyer: woman with snakes and tattoos a two-headed man, Jand @ man with a stitched and scarred face. Several similar posters hang on every ety block “Over a week. ago, Gustav and I vis ited an American freak show. While there, we happened upon one of Dr. McGinnis’ ‘attractions, the so-called ‘Jigsaw Man.” Vietoria points to the scarred man in the drawing. You can't tell much from the picture, but he seems quite hideous, “The sight of him chilled my bones; 1 was so horrified I begged Gustav to rush me home. The freak must have followed us, for that night he broke into my bedroom and awakened me. “T thought he had come to kill me for| gawking at him, but instead he pro- {essed his love for me. I told him of my lengagement to Gustav, but he would not listen. Before he left, he promised fhe would kill Gustav and me if I would Inot consent to his wishes, and he gave Ime a week to decide. For the past seven days, he has sent bouquets of flowers, numerous trinkets, and fright- fal love poems. Last night my week }was up, and I met him in the park to give him my answer. “Fortunately, he didn't kill me but gave me two more days to decide. As hhe is a large and unstable man, I'm sure that I have only two days to live... unless you help me. Gustav is away on business and is not due to return until the wedding, s0 I do not fear for biz, “As [ said, this matter is confiden- tial. Ifyou accept, you and your asso- Jiates must act with discretion. As payment, I will give you the necklace and an additional 500 franes to pro- tect me. He is quite unstable, so he may try to kill you for helping me. Will you?" Ifthe PC asks Vietoria why she has not informed the police about this mat- ter, she says that she doesn't want to besmirch the Von Rudiger and Von ‘Thresher family names by becoming the laughing stock of Lausanne’s rumor mill. The matter must be handled dis- creetly. Ifshe is asked about the slap she received, she says the freak did not like her response to his request. She ‘can be haggled to 750 francs. Ifthe PC cean detect lie, he finds that Victoria is tolling the truth (not the whole truth, but the truth, nonetheless). If the PCs accept her offer, she tells ‘them that she intonds to return to the von Thresher home and remain there until Udo comes for her tomorrow night, so it isn’t necessary to watch her this evening, as the monster hasnt lied to her to date, She asks the PCs to meet ‘at her house around 8:00 Pay, tomorrow night. Her family is going to a late eon- cert, and the PCs may be able to plan a trap for the man. In the meantime, she ‘suggests they find more information as to his whereabouts at the freak show. Ifa PC can read her mind, he finds her thoughts filled with the fear of being ripped to shreds by her stalker. She is afraid but calm, almost as if she ‘were resigned to this fate. Scene : Udo's Lair ‘This encounter occurs only if the PCs track Udo to his lair. Otherwise, skip to the next appropriate scene. ‘As the PCs have invaded Udo's home, he fights to defend it and himself. Regardless of when this encounter occurs, Udo soon afterward visits one of the PCs to tell his side of the story if he has not already. (See Seene 5.) Read or paraphrase the following to any players whose PCs have tracked Udo through Lausanne: ‘The trail dead ends into an alley on the southwest side of Lausanne, and [the man is nowhere to be seen. A lmanhole cover lies slightly ajar, six feet in front of you. Faint footprints [disappear in front of it. ‘The PCs need a eombined Strength of 18 to pry open the manhole, When the hole is uncovered, each PC must save vs. poison at +2 or become ill, Any PC failing the save suffers a -2 penalty to hit due to uncontrollable vomiting. A light souree is necessary to navigate the ‘As the manhole cover is removed, a terrible stench wafts from below. An fron ladder stretches thirty feet into the tunnel. Its rungs are slick with slime and moisture, but you carefully Jdescend its length. Once at the bot- tom, your light source reveals a round ‘tunnel, eight feet high and eight feet, across, running east and west. Rats, |some the size of small dogs, dart in all irections, seurrying away irom the light. A river of filth runs along its bottom and a one-foot ledge hugs both sides of the tunnel, providing a slimy if precarious means of traversing the sewers. Every five hundred feet down the tunnel to either side is a make- shift bridge of wooden planks. If the PCs proceed at half their move- ‘ment rate, they do not slip into the ‘muck. A saving throw vs. paralyzation (at -2 if running) is required by PCs pro- ceoding at a faster rato. Failure indicates that the PC has fallen into the filth PCs falling into the 3’-deep river of sewage are not injured but smell horri- ble for 24 hours. Even bathing does not alleviate the stench entirely, and any clothes worn by the falling PC are ruined and must be thrown away, preferably burned. If the PC continues to wear the foul clothing, his Charisma should be adjusted by ~6. The PC must DUNGEON 13,JIGSAW Udo’s Lair Tsquare =2 feet .90' from street entrance also make another saving throw vs. poi- son at +2 or become ill, suffering a2 to hit in combat. Additionally, any PC falling into the sewage with an open wound is 50% likely to contract a dis- ease (dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, Jaundice, ete.) In game terms, contracting a disease takes at least a week to have an effect fon the PC. At the end of the week, the PC fecls sluggish, suffering a —1 to Dexterity, a1 to hit, and a —1 to Constitution. These effects are doubled for every week the disease is left ‘untreated, When the PC's Constitution reaches 0, the PC dies. ‘The makeshift bridges along the tun- nel are not the sturdiest means of crossing the river as the planks have become rotten with age. Anyone walk- ing on the planks has # 30% chance of falling through them. This percentage is cumulative if multiple PCs eross them simultaneously. Any PC jumping to the other side of the tunnel must make a suevessful Dexterity check or fall into the sludge. Magical light sources are safest when traveling through the sewers. There is a 5% cumulative chance per torch or lantern burning per turn that the PCs ignite a methane pocket. The result of, such an encounter is a sudden, loud explosion. Each PC suffers 148 hp dam- ‘age and is struck deaf for two full turns. In addition, all nonmagical light sources extinguish. The DM may warn the PCs about the dangers of carrying aan open flame in the sewers or may choose to let them discover this for themselves, Udo's Lair Udo's lair lies almost a mile to the cast of the sewer entrance, near an intersection of two main tunnels. It uused to be a safe house for thieves. ‘When Udo decided to quit the freak show to pursue his love, he went under- ‘ground to hide. Read the following: ‘At the eastern end of the tunnel, almost a mile from where you first lentered, a seven-foot-tall, heavily |dented, metal door rests along the lef Iwall. A faint yollow light filters out from underneath the door, ‘When the the PCs open the unlocked door, read or paraphrase the following description: ly open and the light from within brightens, spilling out into the tunnel. A few rats; seatter from the noise. No one is inside. A makeshift cot lies along the north wall. A poster advertising Doctor MeGinnis's Traveling Marvels hhangs on the wall above it. A desk, a ‘chair, and a bookcase lie on the east ‘side of the room. A it oil lamp and an ‘open newspaper, several days old, sit, tupon the desk, The rooms floor is coated with slime, and the stench inside is as nauseating as the tunnels, Udo's mattress is covered in body lice, and any PC searching it has a 40% chance of acquiring them. Any PC acquiring the lice who fails to seek treatment becomes infected with a bac terial disease that grows inside the cells lining the blood and lymph ves- sels. The PC suffers a rash, a fever, and other flu-like symptoms (—i to Consti- tution for every week left untreated), When the PC's Constitution reaches 0, he dies, Nonmagical treatments are 175% effective. There is nothing of value in or under the cot's mattress. The poster above the cot heralds the 14 Issue No. 61 eeJIGSAW “Tigeaw Man” as the headlining act of Dr. MeGinnis’s freak show. ‘The desk drawers contain papers and writing supplies, The papers are half- finished poems to Vietoria. They sug. gest an intelligent and educated author, but the verses contain an underlying sense of threat in addition to the usual romantic protests and entreaties. ‘The bookshelves eontain poetry by Keats and Shelley; some existential works by Seren Kierkegaard (Wither /Or and Stages on Life's Way) and Friederich Nietzsche (The Birth of ‘Tragedy; and the diaries of Victoria and Udo von Lendstein (Udo took his creator's last name as his own, though the PCs may assume that the two are related). The Frankenstein Papers are hidden behind Kierkegaard’s Hither/On ‘The locket Vietoria recovered from her father's body and subsequently lost to Udo in the woods is inserted in the middle of Vietoria's diary like a book: mark. ‘Anyone touching the shelves discov- ers they are coated with a colorless, greasy substance (oil). Udo has spread the oil here as a trap for any intruders, The trail of oil extends from the room to his hiding spot around the corner (marked with an X on Udo's Lair Map). The slime on the room's floor and on the walkway out- side the room makes the presence of the oil practically undetectable. Anyone actively searching the floor has a Lin-6 chance of seeing it Five minutes after all or most of the PCs have entered the room, Udo ignites the trail by smashing a lit lantern onto the oil, Ifthe PCs are standing watch outside the door, th should roll a 1410 for surprise. Any unsurprised PC may attack with a mis- sile weapon (ifin hand), Surprised PCs (those inside the room and within 5' of the entrance) suffer 1d6 hp damage, Unsurprised PCs save for half damage. PCs exiting Udo's room suffer an additional 146 hp damage. ‘The fire burns for a total of six rounds, consuming everything left in the room (exeept the Frankenstein Papers). Bach round the fire burns, there is a 20% chanee of igniting the methane-filled air surrounding the PCs. When the fire begins, Udo leaves via the north tunnel and heads to the sur- face. Unsurprised PCs, PCs with the tracking proficieney (-5 modifier due to the slime), and PCs possessing magical tracking ability may attempt to follow Udo. If Udo is not pursued, he spends the night at the freak show; otherwise, he travels the city throughout the night, trying to avoid pursuit. Any books or papers picked up by the PCs are 40‘% likely to have caught on fire from Udo's attack. A burning bool requires a saving throw vs. normal fire (18 for paper) to remain intact. If the PCs escape with Victoria’s (or Udo's) diary, they may learn the truth of Udo's existence. If so, they may desire to con- front Vietoria with the truth at the Von Thresher house the night of the trap (or at Scone 2, if they tracked Udo from the park). If confronted with this, Victoria does not deny it. She does, however, offer them more money to stay on. How the PCs react to this informa- tion will definitely affect the outeome of this adventure (see Moral Dilemma), Scene 4: The Freak Show At some point, the PCs may visit the freak show to learn more about the “Jigsaw Man.” The show runs three times daily: 10-11 am, 2-8 ew, and 5-6 PN. At any given time, 5410 people are ‘The Frankenstein Papers ‘The Frankenstein Papers are a tainted magical item, Professor Wald- ‘man, a powerful adept and member of the Order of the Endless Night, a qabal in league with the Red Death, rewrote Victor Frankenstein's papers in his ‘own blood (thus the red ink) as part of a spell ritual, By doing so, he was able to ensoreel the papers with the power to implant an obsession in the mind of the reader. Waldman intended to spread the paper throughout Ingolstadt’s University, inspiring the students there to create more creatures like Frankenstei Unfortunately for him, the spell incited madness in the professor. ‘Though he was able to complete the papers, he committed suicide by leaping from the University to his death just seven days after the ritual, By this time, he had already placed the papers ‘nto one of his books in the library to be picked up by eurious students. His plan ‘did not have a chanee to succeed, how- ‘ever, as the deans of the University requested Waldman’s works be removed from the library and burned to prevent present. People arriving between or dur- ing shows are offered the chance to buy souvenirs and pamphlets deseribing the froaks but are not allowed entrance to the tent until the next showing, Admis- ssion costs one frane per person for the general showing and an additional frane ‘each for the main attraction: Mr. Electric Ifthe PCs approach during business hours, read the following: The freak show, Dr. MeGinnis’s ‘Traveling Marvels, is located on the ledge of town and is nearly at the end lof its engagement. A ramshackle red and green tent rises from the center lof several multi-colored wagons. On leach wagon are paintings depicting the show's various aets: a bearded ‘woman, @ contortionist, a sword swal- lower, dwarves, a two-headed giant, etc. A man wearing a top hat and a striped suit stands beneath the freak. ‘shows red announcement banner, He cries out to the gathering crowd: "See ‘Dr. McGinnis’s amazing freaks of nature brought to you directly from the United States of America. They 'will SHOCK you! They will HORRIFY \you! They will THRILL you! any students fom likewise becoming ‘mad by the strange man’ Tete ear are Victoria during her stay at University She read them and beeame obsessed with creating a golem. When they fell into Udo's hands, he likewise read them, but they did not affect him due to his immunity to mind-affecting spells. ‘fa scientist, physician, or adept PC reads the manuscript, he must save vs spell or beeame obsessed with raising the dead as well The idea sprouts like a seed, taking full root within 47 ‘weeks, whereupon the PC begins spend- ing all his time walking the graveyards in seareh of fresh corpses. Ifnot stopped, the PC will succeed in complet- ing a golem like Udo in a matter of ‘months. If PGs of another class read the papers, they must make madness chooks, as they do not possess the nowidge or skill to ereate a golem. A ‘successful save indieates the PC is not adversely affected. The papers eannot be destroyed by. ‘acid or fire. Many qabals would like to set their hands on these papers, DUNGEON 15JIGSAW Encountering the Authorities Ifthe police are summoned in this adventure, 2-5 (ld4+1) officers arrive on the scene, unless otherwise noted. ‘These officers are lat-level soldiers and hhave 5 hp each. Anyone arrested is fined 25 franes fora first offense, 50 francs for a second, and 75 francs for a third offense. Minor offenses such as brawling usually require an overnight stay in jal in addition to any fines. A fourth offense requires a day in jail and a hearing before a magistrate. Anyone found guilty is required to spend 2410 | additional days in jal ‘Ifthe PCs eonfront the police about Vietoria’s problem, the authorities send 2-5 officers to help capture, not kill, ‘Udo, ifthe PCs ean convince them that lives are in danger. Ifthe PCs tell them about Udo's creation Gf they know at this poin, the authorities eannot arrest Vietoria for performing necro- ‘maney, as it did not occur within their Jurisdiction, nor are they likely to believe such a story. Udo fights to the death to prevent being captured. If he is captured, sto- ries about the incident hit the papers. ‘The stories aro 75% likely to disgrace the Von Rudiger and Von Thresher fam- ily names. If they do not, the wedding continues as planned; otherwise, the ‘wedding is called off , and Vietoria fleos the eountry, The PCs become enemies of the Von Thresher and Von Rudiger fam- ilies for life, along with Dr. McGinnis and his freaks, who go out of their way to attack individual PCs. The DM may also have the freaks attempt a rescue of Udo from the jail, If they succeed, Udo's first action is to find the PCs and kill ‘them, ‘The repercussions of police interven- tion in this adventure are many and ‘within. Most of the freaks perform a song, dance, recite poetry, or merely wander about ferociously on stage for the three minutes the curtain is held ‘open. Almost an hour is spent viewing and hearing about the nine general exhibits: a bearded woman named Lady Olga (fake); a troupe of five singing and dancing Chinese midgets (real); a fero- cious, chained lion man (fake); two small, dark-skinned men in loineloths touted as the “Wild Men of Borneo” (fake); Princess Garvanna from Atlantis, a mermaid (fake); Sir Charles Roberts, an armless man who sips cof: fee with the aid of his feet (real); Thin Freddy, a contortionist (real); Franco the sword-swallower (real); and Mexie, a pinhead and lone ancestral survivor of the ancient Aztec civilization (fake). ‘As the PCs near the end of the roped pathway, one curtain remains closed varied; as such, they eannot be fully covered here, [An amazing collection of ODDITIES from around the world — DOCTOR MCGINNIS'S TRAVELING MAR- 'VELS! A mere franc is all it costs, | ‘Ladies and Gentlemen. A bargain you ‘can't afford to miss. Step right up. ep right up! To the loft of the hawker, a tattooed woman with vipers encireling her fore- arms sways back and forth on a 4’ plat- form to the music ofa flute. Her accom: panist is an 8'-tall, two-headed man (Garth/Barth the ettin, a genuine freak) drossed in blue Arabian pantaloons, a matching vest, and two bright yellow turbans, To the hawker's right, two 3! tall dwarves in black suits stand upon a ticket booth. One sells tickets, while the other sells framed pictures of the show's freaks. ‘Away from the show's entrance, a man is painting a wagon. The word “Jigsaw” remains uneovered by his new painting of a man sitting in an electric chair. A jittery man in a blue body suit with a large, yellow lightning bolt down the back supervises the work. His cos- tume is the same as that of the man in the new painting. If the PCs pay to see the show, they are given a tour by Dr. MeGinnis him- self, tall, thin man dressed in a long Jacket, a black cowboy hat, and boots: ‘with spurs. His voice is soft and con- spiratorial as he begins his theatrical presentation: “Ladies and Gentleman, the sights lyou are about to see are not for the faint of heart, I have traveled far and [wide to bring you the world’s most Jamazing creatures, creatures the likes lof which science cannot begin to ‘explain, Should you become ill at the sight of them, please exit the tent dis- creetly so as not to alarm some of the ‘more... dangerous exhibits. The more ‘savage ones are, of course, in chains. ‘When excited, however, they become ineredibly strong, and no bonds ean hhold them.” “My intention is not to scare you, dear patrons. Itis to entertain and educate. To enhance your safety, sev- eral capable guards are stationed ‘within. Careful and slow movements will best avoid irritating the exhibits and preclude need of these guards. “If you are ready, let us proceed.” /He swings a long arm toward the tent’s entrance, Inside, the tent is dark, except for a few lanterns hanging from the tent, posts. A 10’-wide roped walkway, with heavy, red curtains to either side, extends the length of the tent. Ropes for unveiling the exhibits hang from the ceiling at 12’ intervals. Three bald, heavily muscled men with eutlasses at their sides stand at various posts. Dr. McGinnis tells the crowd the hii tory of each exhibit before he pulls the rope, revealing the amazing oddity “Thave one more oddity to share, land he is stranger in truth than all the others yet revealed.” He grabs the rope to the last cur tain. “Because this exhibit has strained my pockets severely to bring to your town, I require the additional ‘deposit of one franc.” The three armed men from the posts amble to Dr. /McGinnis's side, “Those who wish to see this won Jdrous spectacle should give my com- [panions your coin. Those who have seen enough, I bid you a good day.” Ifthe PCs stay to see the last display, ‘Mr. Eleetrico (real), read or paraphrase the following: “Direct from New York City, I pre- sent Mr. Flectrie.” He pulls the eur- tain aside to reveal the man in the blue body suit you saw earlier. He is seated in an enormous wooden chair, Ja metal bowl perched atop his head, ‘Wires and tubes extend from the bowl to the length of his arms. The giant, ‘twosheaded man from the entrance sstands behind him, his hand on a switch, “Struck by lightning seven times by age ten, Mr. Blectrico can withstand extreme currents of electricity! A nor- ‘mal man would be killed instantly by ‘one-tenth the voltage we are about to send through his body.” Dr. MeGinnis motions for the two- headed man to flip the switch. A loud sizzling, snapping sound ensues, and 16 Issue No. 61JIGSAW ‘ody jerks back and ee contorts in agony and hair extends out in every direction. The two-headed man holds down the switch for well over a minute before releasing it. Mr. Electrieo's body sizzles to a halt. He remains still, eyes closed. Then, miraculously, his eyes open, and he rises slowly. The crowd around you lgasps. Mr. Electrico laughs maniacal- ly, then jumps off the stage. Still laughing, he runs out the exit. “Thank you all for coming. I hope lyou've enjoyed the shox. Have a good {day.” says the Doctor as he walks out the exit. His muscle men surround the pathway and begin pushing strag- glers out of the tent. Ifthe PCs don't care to see the show but desire to see Dr. McGinnis, they are granted their request for a sum of 10 francs. A eonvineing journalist PC may hhave the foe waived by saying he is doing a story on the Doctor and his show. The audience is granted between shows or after the last one, depending ‘upon when the PCs arrive. Refusal to pay; if required, results in the PCs’ being asked to leave the grounds. This ‘can he voluntary or forced (see the Muscle Men's statisties below), Unannouneed PCs caught sneaking around the tent and wagons are attacked by the muscle men, Franco the sword-swallower, the two-headed man, and Serpentina (see statistics below), especially after dark; if this isn't ‘enough force to remove the PCs, the other performers and laborers assist. ‘The freaks handle their own security, but an all-out bray! brings the police to the freak show within six rounds. Dr ‘McGinnis does not fight unless person- ally attacked. Ifthe PCs are allowed an audience swith Dr. MeGinnis, Franco remains with hhim at all times. Read or paraphrase ‘the following: ‘The inside of Dr. MeGinnis's wagon is dark even though thin shafts of light ereep through the wagon's nar- row shudders. Dr. MeGinnis is seated at the far end of the wagon behind makeshift desk. His western attire is ‘as dark as the room, a sharp contrast to the white hair that juts from Freak Show Members’ Statistics: Franco, sword-swallower: AL N; AC 10(7); MV 12; Tradesman (performer) 5; hp 27; THACO 18; #AT 1; Dmg by ‘weapon type; SA +1 damage; 8 17, D 17; saber (carries several), dagger, and club, Franco is extremely loyal to Dr, ‘McGinnis and obeys his every com- ‘mand. He is also in love with Serpentina and attempts to kill anyone who harms her. Garth/Barth (two-headed man — ettin): AL CN; AC 3; HD 6 (unusually small, 8 tall) hp 35; THACO 15; #AT 2; ‘Dmg 1d8/1d10 + weapon; SD Surprised only on a 1315; XP 2,300. ‘The ettin is another one of Dr. ‘McGinnis's truly strange freaks. Doctor liscovered Garth/Barth hid- ing in the North Carolina mountains. Dr. McGinnis took the ereature, a mere offered him friendship as well as a job. ‘Though not very bright, Garth/Barth is loyal and does everything within his power to protect the Doctor and his friends. He avoids contact with the PCs. Mister Blectrico: AL NG: AC 10; ‘MY 12; Tradesman (performer) 4; hp 16; ‘THACO 19; ATT 1; Dmg by weapon type: SD immune to electricity; dagger, club. Mr. Electrica has been with the freak show for over a year; though not as a performer. When Udo left, Dr. McGinnis offered him Udo's position as the head- lining act, a role he has filled for over a week now. Mr: Blectrico’s talent lies in being able to withstand high voltages of electrical current. After his perfor- ‘ances, he is ratiled and cannot hold a coherent conversation. His body jerks spasmodically at times and spittle lows freely from his mouth. More often than not, he ean be found running about the ‘wagons, laughing insanely ‘Within an hour after his perfor- mance, Mr. lectrico regains his senses, Hee knows the following about Udo: he rusigned a week ago; he writes beautifol poetry; and he stil visits Dr McGinnis, dropping by one or two times a week. Laborers (15): ALN; AC 10; MV 12, ‘Tradesman (laborer) 1; hp 4; THACO 20; 4AT 1; Dmg by weapon; club, dagger. ‘The laborers join any fights only as a last alternative. They prefer to stand on ‘the sidelines and take bets, shunning any questions as they fear for their Jobs. ‘Muscle Men (Hanzric, Galdrie, and Dalrie — brothers): AL CN; AC 10; Soldiers 3; hp 24, 20, 19; THACO 1; Dmg by weapon type; SA +1 damage; $ 17; army pistol, dagger, cutlass. ‘Tho muscle men are the first to enter ‘any fray, as they love to fight. They won't talk to the PCs about anything, unloss they are first defeated in a fair fist fight. Ifthe PCs defeat thom, they gain their respect and meager knowledge: Udo lef the show, he's living somewhere in ‘Lausanne'’s sewers, and he visits with ‘Doctor MeGinnis to discuss philosophy. Painter: AL N; AC 10; MV 12, ‘Tradesman (laborer) 1; hp 4; THACO 20; 4¥AT 1; Dmg by weapon; club, dagger ‘The painter is a hired laborer, not a member of tho freak show. He ie iritat- ed by Mr, Electrico’s need to supervise Ini Worle He i elosemouthed, desing only to finish his job, get paid, and get drunk atthe loal bar I given a bebe of fat Teast five francs, he confirms seeing the “igaaw Man’ two days ago, hanging around Dr: MeGinnis’s wagon. Performers (15): ALN; AC 10; MV 12; Tradesman (performer) 2; hp 8, 7, 9, 10, 6; THACO 20; #AT 1; Dmg by ‘weapon type; club, dagger, hand axe. Serpentina, mistress of reptiles: AL NAC 10; MV 12; Tradesman (per- former) 4; hp 18;'THACO 19; #AT 1 (or by weapon type); Dmg by weapon type; SD pet snakes; hand axe, dagger, and saber. ‘Serpentina is Austrian and one of the freak show's better fighters. She is highly suspicious of everyone, ineluding her coworkers, and she is not open to questions, She associates only with Dr. ‘McGinnis and her paramour, Franco. She knows Udo has left the show and occasionally comes to see the Doctor, but she won't share this knowledge. If pres- sured for information, she throws her snakes on the PCs and draws her saber while yelling for the others to join Boa Constrictor: AL N; AC 6; MV 9 HD 341; THACO 17; bp 28; #AT 2; Dmg 1/143; SA constriction; ML 15; XP 115, Vipers (4): AL N: AC 5; MV 15; HD 241; THACO 19; AT 1; Ding 0 (defanged); ML. 8; XP 175 each. DUNGEON 17[beneath his Black cowboy hat. His feet lare kicked up on the desk as he putts 'a Cuban cigar. Seated on the desk in front of him isa muscular man in his mid-twen- ties, clad in tight-fitting, black leather ‘clothing. He holds a sword in his hand, admiring the blade, and wears several smaller ones around his belt. Both men eye you suspiciously. “Good day? says the old man after a| ‘moment of silence. “I am Doctor McGinnis.” His voice is low and soft 'You see now that his blue eyes are as wild as his white hair. “This is Franco, | ‘my assistant. What can I do for you fine folks?” Doctor Bailey MeGinni cian and freak show owner: 10; MV 12; Tradesman (physician/per- former) 6; hp 25; THACO 18; #AT 1 (or by weapon type); Dmg by weapon type; army pistol (2), derringer, and dagger. Doetor McGinnis is « former physi- cian who dabbles in the aceult. Once a promising surgeon, the good doctor's medical license was revoked after he ‘was caught robbing graves. After losing his practice, he joined his great uncle, James (MeGinnis) Bailey of the Barnum & Bailey Cireus on a tour of the United States. He found Barnus attempts at freak foolery blasphemous, so he left the troupe in the 1870s to form a show of his own. His desire was to compete against the great showman by finding irrefutable “freaks of nature” to attract and educate the populace After a time, however, he admitted to himself that truth and money often did not go hand in hand, so he reverted to using Barnum’s tricks of the trade, though sparingly (fake exhibits are indicated earlier) Udo, the “Jigsaw Man,” was his greatest attraction to date, and the sci entifie truth behind Udo's existence astounded him. Yet, Dr. MeGinnis does not look at Udo as one of the freaks. Udo is a friend, much like Franco, He has enjoyed instructing Udo in reading, writing, and learning in general Though the golem has left his employ, they still meet to discuss philosophy and great works of literature. He ean- not understand how Udo's creator could abandon such a magnificent creature. Dr. McGinnis answers the PCs’ ques tions truthfully as long as he doesn’t think they mean to harm Udo. He says that Udo worked at the freak show but quit over a week ago to pursue a per- sonal matter, He has seen him off and on, but his visits are unplanned. He was a good worker, never complained, and his act consisted merely of display- ing himself to the horrified public. Ofcourse, if the Doctor answers the PCs’ questions, he expects them to answer some of his, He wants to know ‘whether Udo is in any trouble and why the PCs are inquiring about him. Ifthe PCs imply a threat to Udo, McGinnis asks them point-blank whether they intend to harm his friend. Ifthe PCs don’t answer his questions, he refuses to answer any more of theirs, telling them to leave immediately and not to return. Unless Udo is captured or specifically requests his assistance, the Doctor does not interfere in the matter. If Udo is, killed, the loss of his friend creates a bitterness in the Doctor's heart, and he loses his love for showmanship, selling his show to Franco within a year after Udo's death. If he learns the PCs are responsible, he vows to kill them, His dabblings in the occult are bringing him loser to the Red Death's control; Udo's, death seals his fate If Udo is currently fleeing from the PGs, he may be hidden in a secret com- partment under the floor of Dr. ‘McGinnis's wagon (only if the PCs found his lair — 25% chance he is in the wagon). The secret compartment can be found by anyone making a thorough 18 Issue No. 61JIGSAW search of the car, but Dr. McGinnis will not allow such a search, Ifthe PCs attempt to search the wagon or the grounds by force, the Doctor and Franco fight them while Serpentina rallies the rest of the forces. Any large brawl attracts the authorities, who arrive with- in six rounds. Unless the PCs can pro- vide solid evidence of wrongdoing on behalf of the freak show, the police arrest the PCs for starting a riot. They are fined and jailed according to the ‘umber of offenses they have committed. Scene 5: A Vi it to the PCs If Udo succeeded in following a weak- looking PC home from Scene 1, he enters the PCs room at midnight to tell his side of the story. His intention is to ‘win the PC’s sympathy and to gain his assistanee in coaxing Vietoria into mar- rying him. Udo rogue proficiencies to break into the PC's room while he sleeps. The PC chosen should be either isolated from the others, physically ‘weak, or both. This encounter assumes that the PCs are staying at an inn or some type of house with separate rooms. It also assumes that the PCs have not taken any precautions ag intruders, such as watches or doubling room oecupaney. If the PCs sleep in ‘groups, Udo strikes at some other time When his chosen vietim is alone. If he is attacked while breaking in, he flees, This encounter should oceur before the planned stakeout at Vietoria’s. If Udo encounters the PC in some place other than a bedroom, modify the fol- lowing text accordingly: [ ‘Udo strangles the PC to death. Udo receives a +4 to hit ifthe PC is in a prone position. Udo strikes first, even if the PC has hidden a weapon in the bed ‘or can acquire one quickly. If Udo kills the PC and the others are not alerted, he enters the room of another PC to plead his case. Assuming the first PC approached does not resist, however, read the following: ‘The creature relaxes his grip, allowing you to breathe, Moonlight streams across his face, illuminating his sickly, gray features, His face is a thin layer of stitched flesh stretched tightly over a malformed skull. His mouth contains two rows of brown, rotted teeth and a blackened tongue. Large, irregular stitches line his shirt- less body, and a stomach-churning odor fils the air, almost choking you “Not so pretty, eh?” he whispers, "People eall me a monster Yet, what of the monster's creator? Who is more eruel?™ ‘The ereature awaits a reply: He is here to tell the PC his side of the story, so he answers any questions truthfully Ifthe PC does not ask any questions (unlikely), he tells the PC the following: how Vietoria created and abandoned him; the horror of his life as a freak; and that he loves Vietoria, even though she has been so eruel to him. If the PC ‘seems sympathetic, Udo asks for his help in convineing Vietoria to marry him. If the PC is sarcastic or unwisely belligerent, Udo is 75% likely to attack; otherwise he flees If the PC listens to Udo's story, read the following: “Thave come to enlist your aid. I want you to understand me so that {you may explain my feelings to Victoria. I love her, and I want to marry her. I don't want her to create a! ‘companion for me; I could not bear to have the horror of this existence inflicted upon another. Victoria should ‘take responsibility for what she made — for me. If she only knew the real ‘me, she would see that beneath this veil of rotten flesh is a love as bound: less as her cruelty” “Take this with you," says the crea- ‘ture, pressing a cold metal object into your hand. “It is an engagement ring. In my anger I neglected to give it to hher. Carry my proposal to her, and explain my view. Don't let her fool you into believing I am evil. Remember ‘who hired you to kill me.” With incredible speed, the creature ‘throws open the window, launches Jhimself across the rooftops of Lau- ‘sane, and vanishes into the darkness Ifthe PC tries to follow, pursuit proves difficult at best. Udo is able to leap the 10'-20" distances separating ‘most of Lausanne's buildings with ease. ‘A Moral Dilemma Before Scene 6 (or Scene 5, if Udo Killed the PC he visited), Udo's align- is neutral. After that point, his You are awakened with a startas a allused hand covers your mouth, pre venting you from screaming. A pair of lyellow eyes stare at you through the darkness. “Don't move,” says the intruder in a ow, raspy voice. “If you resist, I will ill you. I want only to talk.” DMG should roll for a fear check at this point. If the DM is running this adventure in a traditional ADD set- ting, itis advised that the PC be roquired to save vs, paralysis to imitate Ravenvort's fear check, Failing the roll ‘means the PC is too frightened to move. ‘The PC is in a losing position; even if he sereams, odds are he'll be dead before the other PCs ean arrive to assist. Ifthe PC insists on struggling, ‘obsession for Victoria or murder of a PC ‘propels his alimment to neutral evil. ‘Beeauso he is not evil until this point, it should be interesting to see how the ee ene enamel vio to ‘ment, Somewhere between Scenes 3 and 6, the PCs will have to make a deci- sion ‘their loyalties. Whom do they believe? Do they side with Vietoria ‘or Udo? Do they remain neutral? ‘The adventure assumes that most of ‘the PCs are of good alignment and will oie of the PCs should go something like this: although ‘Victoria may have been wrong to create Udo, her intentions were not to eause ‘harm or to create evil. Furthermore, ‘while Udo's anger may be justified, his actions definitely aren't. PCs who are particularly sympathet- ie with Udo may attempt to dissuade hhim from continuing to stalk Vietoria, While this approach may be noble, it ‘won't work. Udo is obsessed with mar- zying Vietoria; he will not take no for an Answer. Anyone keeping Vietoria from him is an enemy and deserves to die. Lastly, there isthe possibility that the PCs decide to leave Vietoria to her fate, Ifthis occurs, the adventure ends with Vietoria’s death and Udo's subse quent suicide. “Good” characters who choose this route should be punished with a madness cheek or an involun- tary alignment change. ‘The PCs’ decision here may affect the rest of the adventure, 60 DMs should be very familiar with the see- nnarios that follow so they will be able to maintain a free-flowing story line in case the PCs" actions change the course of the adventure. DUNGEON 19uIGSAW Laquare = 5 feet The Von Thresher Home N Also, the inhabitants of Lausanne do not look kindly upon individuals jump- ing on their rooftops in the middie of the night; they quickly alert the author- ities and neighbors to the presence of these “burglars” by ringing loud bells from within their homes. PCs captured by the authorities aro fined accordingly. Ifthe “visited” PC takes the time to wake the others to help pursue Udo, the golem’s trail becomes covered by the falling snow (-5 modifier) during the delay. Divinatory spells may aid the PGs in determining Udo's location, but magic is not a thing to be tampered with nonchalantly in Gothie Earth. PCs casting spells must roll a powers check (soe Masque of the Red Death, page 55) to see if their actions have eaptured the attention of the Red Death. PCs sue- cessfully tracking Udo find him in his lair (Scene 3) if they have not previ- ously encountered him there. Othe1 wise, he is hiding at Dr: McGinnis's freak show (Seene 4). ‘The engagement ring that Udo left with the PC is gold with a simple but elegant diamond setting. The ring is worth 800 francs, Scene 6: Setting a Trap ‘The PCs are to meet Victoria at the Von Thresher's home around 8:00 Ps on November 4 to set a trap for Udo. ‘When they arrive, read the following: ‘Victoria places the derringer in her Wwaist-sash. She feels along the wall ‘unsteadily, until she locates a glass of brandy on a nearby table. Its obvious she's had several drinks already. ‘Arriving at the Von Thresher home, lyou quickly knock three times upon. [the door as Victoria advised. A minute lor two passes before the door is junlocked. Victoria peers around the |comer of the half-open door. Her right /hand shakily holds a derringer. Several tense moments pass before sshe withdraws the gun and allows you to enter. “T apologize,” she says as you ‘enter the house, "but I had to be cer- ‘tain that you weren't him.” ‘When you are all inside, she closes ‘the door and locks it. “You have free rein of the house to execute your trap,” she says, “Just, please, try not to break any- ‘thing. Thave given the servant the night off, and my uncle and his family fare at the opera. They are not due to return until one o'clock or so. I just hope that he proves punctual so they | ‘will not have to see Udo” ‘The Von Thresher Home ‘The townhouse serves as a setting for ‘a brief encounter. A map af the home is provided to assist PCs in planning an attack on Udo, Room deseriptions are not provided, so DMs need to fill in this information as required. Before the encounter with Udo, the PCs should be given a copy af the map and the follow: ing deseription: ‘The Von Threshers live in a large, two-story townhouse. Its ceilings are twenty feet high, and the floors are made of marble and polished wood. The townhouse has no cellar and its attic consists of a small crawlspace. ‘The lower-story windows are five feet off the ground, and the upper-story ‘windows are thirty fect from the ‘ground. A small backyard is enclosed ‘with a wrought-iron fence. The yard is bordered on three sides by neighbor- ing yards. 20 Issue No. 61JIGSAW Victoria expects the PCs to kill Udo. ‘She inform them that Udo's usual method of entry is through her bedroom ‘window, usually around midnight. ‘Throughout the night, Victoria downs several more drinks in an effort to shield Udo's voice from her mind. Unless the PCs watch her earefuily, she is drunk by the time Udo arrives (attacks at ~4 while inebriated). Occasionally, she clutches at the der- ringer for assurance and does not allow the PCs to take it from her. She intends to kill the creature if the PCs cannot. Ifthe PCs tell Vietoria about the visit from Udo, she breaks down in tears, Read or paraphrase the following: “T don't deny it. Tam guilty of all he | |says. I've heen haunted by his memory | {far too long. Even now he speaks to me, his raspy voiee burrowing inside ‘my head, never letting up. I ean never hide from him. He knows that, and T ;know it now. Hie intends to kill me.” ‘This night Udo arrives earlier than usual (11:30 Pt), via a lower story win- dow in the servant's quarters. He spies fn the PCs for some time from across the street before he males his entrance. Udo uses his rogue proficiencies to sneak around the house in an attempt to ascertain the PCs’ plans. If'encoun- tered, he attacks. If only 1-2 PCs are present and he has the upper hand, Udo fights for several rounds, fleeing only when he loses half his hit points. His primary goal is to kidnap Vietoria, not to kill the PCs, To do this, he attacks when he feels he has the el ment of surprise, knocking off one PC at a time if necessary, to get to her IF he fights his way through the PCs, Udo attempts to grab Vietoria and jump out the nearest window: ‘When Udo comes into sight, Vietoria, for her part, tries to shoot him with bul- lets she manufactured from the scalpels she used to ereate him. Victoria suffers ‘8-6 penalty to hit, since she is both Ifa PC is reduced to 0 hp or lower during this encounter, he is knocked unconscious, Victoria can use her physi- cian skills to aid any wounded PCs, (She suffers a ~2 penalty on her profi- cieney check until she sobers.) If Udo loses more than half his hit points, he retreats, Before he does, however, he pauses for one last exchange. Read or paraphrase the following to the players: Udo cries out in pain and glowers at Vietoria. “So this is how you treat me? T offer {you never-ending love, and you try to kill me? Be warned, my lady, I shall be with you on your wedding night. 'You shall never love another.” ‘Udo turns and launches himself through the nearest window, shatter ing the glass, POs within 5 of the retreating Udo ‘may attack him as he turns his back. Victoria shoots at Udo as he flees. Udo suffers no damage from the breaking glass or the fall due to his exceptional agility. If Udo is still alive, he runs off into the night, returning to haunt Victoria in the following scenes. By then, he may have fully healed. If Udo kidnaps Victoria, he heads for the Swiss Alps with his prize, His hope is to find a cave in which to live with his bride. The PCs must track him there to recover her. If Udo escapes without Victoria, she hires the PCs to act as bodyguards at her wedding for an additional item of jewelry worth 400 franes (negotiable to {600 francs). In addition, she pays the full medical expenses of wounded PCs, though she attempts to heal them per. sonally. If the house has been damaged, Victoria tells her family that the dam- age was caused by burglars. Ifthe PCs killed Udo in this encounter, the adventure ends here. It is suggested, however, that the DM. allow Udo to survive until the wedding, as it will serve for a more interesting and satisfying conclusion. Scene 8: The Wedding Approaches In the event that Udo survived the previous encounter, Victoria hires the PCs to serve as bodyguards until after her wedding, whieh is to occur at Gustav’s country chateau, Vietoria tells Gustav that she is being stalked by a deranged freab the PCs are invited to take up resi dence in the von Rudiger estate to con- tinue protecting her. Vietoria is in no danger until her wedding night, but the PCs do not know this. A female PC is able to stay with Victoria at the Von ‘Threshers’ household until 8:00 A.M, on November 17, when Vietoria and her family arrive at the Von Rudiger estate for final preparations. Victoria intro- duces the PC to her family as an old friend from Ingolstadt. Her aunt, uncle, and eousin Justina weleome the PC as one of their own, ‘The DM may drive the POs into a paranoid frenzy with bumps in the hight, tappings on the windows, or per- haps even have a PC awaken to see Udo's cold, yellow eyes staring at him through a bedroom window, only to dis- appear when the PC blinks. ‘The PCs will probably spend the intervening days before the wedding healing and planning a trap for Udo. As with the Von Thresher home, Gustav and his father, Hermann, give the PCs access to every room and the honey- ‘moon eottage to prepare their plans. ‘Maps and descriptions of these loca tions should likewise be given to the PCs, Victoria believes Udo won't attack at the wedding due to the numerous ‘guests and guardsmen that will be pre- sent. She believes (correctly) that he" make his move when they leave for their honeymoon cottage. She encour- ‘ages the PCs to plan an ambush for Udo there, ‘The wedding is deseribed in detail as the PCs should experience the full extent of the gala event while waiting for Udo's attack. DMs should play out the whole affair as a normal wedding, not as an intermission between encoun- ters with Udo, ‘The hint of danger should always be present for the PCs, but the guests are oblivious to the threat. They are enjoy- ing the grand event and attempting to mingle with the PCs as any guest might. ‘The Von Rudiger Estate Gustav and his family live on a pala- tial estate just outside Lausanne. His father, a member of the Swiss Parlia- ‘ment, is a very wealthy man of noble lineage. Their chateau is surrounded by ‘woods and is located at the foot of the ‘Swiss Alps. The important rooms of the chateau are described below: ‘The Von Rudiger Chateau “The Von Rudiger Chateau is an impressive, castlelike structure. Every room is spacious and sumptu. lously decorated with marble, gold, ‘and silk. Immense French windows ‘with red velvet drapes adorn most of ‘the common rooms. The ceilings on DUNGEON 2t