1PG Rules/Character Sheet

Rules of Play
For the Referee
The Crimson Tiger Strikes!
Chapter One:
The Atomic Ray
Chapter Two:
Forty-Five Caliber Death!
Chapter Three:
The Living Dead!
Chapter Four:
Ralstons Revenge
Chapter Five:
The Crimson Tiger!

Written By Beer & Pretzels

JAMES STUBBS HANOVERS & SAPPORO
1PG System Design Additional Testing & Support
TODD DOWNING ROGAN HAMBY
Editor ROBERT FLETCHER
JAMES STUBBS THEO MCGUCKIN
SAMANTHA DOWNING MARK KRAM
JARVIS YOLHOLSKY

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Dime Heroes is published by Deep7
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www.deep7.com

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 Deep7 1PG Beer & Pretzel RPGs assume
the players and ref already have some
NAME: ___________________________________ rudimentary experience with roleplaying
OCCU PAT IO N: ___________________________ games. All Deep7 1PG Beer & Pretzel
games are played with 6-sided dice. Deep7
CASH: ____________________________________ assumes no liability for mental instability on
MOXIE Height:_________ Weight: ________ Gender: _____ the part of players, refs or their families.
Eyes: __________ Hair: __________ Age:________
Drinking ____________ ITEM DAM
Fighting _____________ Hit 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pistol 8
Pilot ________________ Location Head Torso R.Arm L.Arm R.Leg L.Leg Rifle 12
Shooting ____________ Nightstick 3
AP
Running_____________ Grenade 20

GLITZ Item Damage Knife 3

Fashion _____________
Disguise_____________
Seduction____________
Performance _________
CUNNING
Con ________________
Gambling____________
Dodge ______________
Repair ______________
Stealth ______________
GRAY MATTER
Gen. Knowledge ______
Languages ___________
Science _____________
Research ____________
BLOOD
GUTS
WITS
NOTORIETY
CHAR PTS
Background Table (1d6)
1. Scientist: +1 Gray Matter,
Science, Repair
2. Athlete: +1 Running,
Brawling, +3 Blood
3. Daredevil: +1 Pilot,
Fashion, +2 Wits
4. Hunter: +1 Shooting,
Languages, +1 Moxie
5. Detective: +1 Shooting, Gen.
Knowledge, +1 Cunning
6. Explorer: +1 Brawling,
Research, +1 Guts
Status Table (1d6)
1. Mystery Man: +1 Stealth
2. Crime Fighter: +1Notoriety
3. Vigilante: +1 Cunning
4. Playboy/Debutante: +1 Glitz
5. Prodigy: +1 any skill
6. Gadget: Unique Item
Sword 5
Punch Moxie
Axe 6
Truncheon 5
Vial of Acid 5
Bullwhip 2
Garrotte 4/turn
Attributes: Roll 1D3 for each. Tommy Gun (1D6 hits) 8ea
Hvy. Mach. Gun (1D6 hits) 12ea
Skills: Roll 1D6 for the total number of points to distribute into all skills.
Skills start at 0 and can be no more than 3. If you need extra points, you
can take them from other skills, leaving them at 1 for each point taken. No attribute/skill combination can be less
than 1.
Blood: Roll 2D6+5. When you have lost all your Blood, you are dead.
Guts: Roll 1D6. The more Guts you have, the easier it is to keep your Wits.
Wits: Roll 1D6. You may need to make a Guts check to keep your Wits.
Notoriety starts at 0. Roll 1D6 and get the same or under your Moxie, Cunning or Gray Matter attributes (but you
may only try once for each, at the beginning of the game). Add 1 to your Notoriety for each successful check. Use
Notoriety to reroll failed skill checks or call in favors.
Roll on the Background and Status Tables for more perks & details.
Money: Players are always assumed to have enough money for average purchases. They may suffer a 1 or 2
penalty to a Glitz check if they want expensive or exotic items.
GUTS CHECK: Any time you have a traumatic experience in the game, you must make a Guts Check. Try to
roll 1D6 equal to or below your Guts. If you are not successful, your Wits goes down by 1. When Wits is reduced to
0, you must roll a 4 or less each time you wish to make a skill check or combat roll. Your character is in a fatigued
stupor and is unfit to adventure until after a very long rest or some powerful inspirational event to bring your
character out of retirement.
SKILL ROLLS: When you want to do something, figure out what skill/attribute combo will get it done.
Add your attribute and skill together to get your Target Number and roll 1D6 equal to or below it. Rolling a
1 is always a success and rolling a 6 is always a failure. If you are fighting, use the Brawling skill for at-
tack and evasion. Although a 6 always fails, having a target of six gives you a higher potential margin of
success than a target of five. Always add your Moxie to hand-to-hand weapon damage. If the attack is
ranged, the attacker rolls Shooting and the defender rolls Dodge to evade. Ties always go to the defender.
ARMOR: Certain items give you an Armor Value (AV). When you take damage, subtract your AV in the
appropriate location from the damage you are dealt.
SEE RULES OF PLAY FOR DETAILS
Vehicle
Agility Rating Gunnery Rating Damage Armor Structural Integrity
(AR) (GR) (D) (A) (SI)
Notes:

THE GAME: Dime Heroes: Two-Fisted Adventure is a simple-
to-learn roleplaying game where players take on the roles of the
larger-than-life heroes of the old pulp magazines, radio dramas
and movie serials. It assumes the players and ref already have
some rudimentary experience with roleplaying. Its meant to be
played in the vein of such pulp staples as Doc Savage, The
Spider and The Shadow so keep it light, cinematic and adventure
packed!
CHARACTER CREATION: Youve heard of the stuff that
heroes are made of? In this case, heroes are made by rolling 1D3
for each attribute (red headings).
Then you will roll 1D6 for the total number of points to
distribute into your skills (under the red headings). Every skill
starts at 0. No skill can be higher than 3. If players need extra
points, they can take them from other
skills, leaving them at -1 for each point
taken. No skill can be lower than -2,
and no skill/attribute combination can
ever drop below 1. If you dont see a
skill you really want the character to
have, just write it in the margin.
Now players roll 2D6+5 and
write the number in Blood. This is how
much of a lead diet a Joe can take before
its curtains for him. Every time they take
damage, they lose that many points of
Blood. When they have lost
all their Blood, they are on their speedy
way to meet their maker.
Everyone starts with some Guts.
Roll 1D6 and record it. At any time you
have a harrowing experience in the game
(such as getting caught in the lava
deathtrap of Doktor Fiend), you may
make a Guts Check, where you get to
try to roll below your Guts number. The
more Guts you have, the easier it is to
keep your Wits about you.
Next, roll 1D6. Write the result
in Wits. Wits are a representation of you
how long you can keep your nerve in dangerous situations. If
you make your Guts Check, you keep your Wits. If you fail,
your Wits will be reduced by 1. If you completely lose your
Wits, you are in a fatigued stupor and unfit to adventure until
after a very long rest or some powerful inspirational event to
bring your character out of retirement. You may always put
Character Points into Wits.
Notoriety is important any time you need to impress
people or get what you want. It also may be used to reroll failed
skill checks. Everyones Notoriety starts at 0. Everyone may try
to roll 1D6 and get equal to or under his characters Moxie,
Cunning and Gray Matter attributes (but they may only try once
for each, during character creation). Add 1 to the characters
Notoriety for each successful check. Remember, this is a
characters overall Notoriety, good or bad, according to his
deeds. If you need to make a Notoriety roll, see below.
Players should roll or be allowed to choose from the
Background & Status Tables, to get a persona for their
character. GMs may allow different concepts if the players can
come up with ones that meet the feel of the game.
GUTS CHECK: Any time you have a traumatic experience in
the game, you must make a Guts Check, where you get to try
to roll 1D6 equal to or below your Guts. If you are not
successful, your Wits will go down by 1. If you completely lose
your Wits, you become fatigued and unable to concentrate well;
You need to roll a 4 or less every time you shoot in order to
avoid hitting one of your friends by mistake.
ORDER OF PLAY: Combat order can be determined very
simply in a couple of ways you can either roll 1D6+GRAY
MATTER each round, or simply dispense with the initiative roll
altogether and seat the players around the table in order of
highest GRAY MATTER to lowest (ties can dice off for initial
seating).
ACTIONS: Every character gets one
action per round. Combat rolls and
active skill checks (those skills the
player chooses to roll as opposed to the
referee telling him to roll, such as
make an GRAY MATTER check to
see if you can hear that ticking sound)
all count as an action. 1PG combat is
not intended to be realistic. It is
intended to be fast and fun.
SKILL ROLLS: When you want to
do something, figure out what
attribute/skill combo will get it done.
Add your attribute and skill together to
get your Target Number and roll 1D6
equal to or below it. Rolling a 1 is
always a success and rolling a 6 is
always a failure. If you are fighting,
use the Fighting skill for attack and
evasion. Opposed combatants will roll
their Shooting or Brawling skill at the
same time. The higher margin of
success is a successful hit (although a 6
always fails, having a target of six
gives you a higher potential margin of success than a target of
five). If someone is attacking and someone is evading, do the
same thing: if the attackers margin is bigger, the hit was good.
If the defenders margin was the same or bigger, the attacker
missed. Use Dodge to avoid being shot. Always add your Moxie
to hand-to-hand weapon damage.
ARMOR & CHARACTER IMPROVEMENT: Wearing
certain clothing gives you Armor Value. Heavy clothes (trench
coat, safari garb, etc.) gives you 1 AV, Leather gives you 2. A
bulletproof vest provides 4. Metal armor such as chain gives you
8. When you take damage, subtract the AV in the appropriate
location from the damage you are dealt. If you survive a whole
story, you get 1 Character Point for every person at the table.
Put these points into Attributes, Skills, Blood, Guts, or
Notoriety. You may also put Character Points into Wits.
 Gadget Gadget Who Has the Gadget?

1. Rocket Pack: Character can fly.

2. Gas Gun: Wits Check or go to sleep.
3. Mechanical Man: Moxie 8/Brawl 2 Your friends either got ahold of the negatives or they paid for the pizza and soda. This means
4. Ray Gun: Damage 15 either youre blackmailed, owing them money or being the referee for the night. You can pay
5. X-Ray Goggles: See through stuff them back by coaxing them into your villains nefarious inescapable deathtraps. The following
6. Bulletproof Car: AP 15 guidelines and suggestions will help ensure a successful game of Dime Heroes.
7. Super Armor: AP 10 to entire body
CUT TO THE CHASE: That means keep the adventure short and to the point. Think of it in
8. Rocketship: Travel into outer space.
terms of an old movie serial. Get into the meat of the story as soon as possible unless the buildup
9. Micro-Bombs: Damage 10 will give extra value to the tale. Games should run as chapters in the overall game called the
10. Strength Drug: +1 Moxie for 1 hour serial. Each chapter should run 2-3 hours each or one evenings worth of play. If you want to
bring back characters for another serial, feel free! Even the most popular heroes rarely made
more than two serials however.
ITEM DAM
Hammer 3 SET THE MOOD: Make a part of game night also movie night. Go out and buy a serial
Holdout Pistol 5 which can be purchased cheap on video. Show a chapter or two before you game each night so
Submachine Gun 8ea. you can give your players incentive to come back to see what happens next in the video as well
(1D6 hits) as the game. Tell a visual story. You creep down the stairwell which is hauntingly lit by the
Machine Gun (1D6 hits) 10ea humming electrical arcs of the equipment below. You can see the lovely Maria Rogers bound and
High Explosives 30 struggling helplessly against the heavy straps which are holding her down to the operating table.
Pistol 8 Victor Scheleman, Doktor Fiends lieutenant, is chuckling darkly to himself as he fingers a
Club 4 vicious looking scalpel
Machete 4
Knife 3 THE BAD GUYS: A good rule of thumb when creating a villain or villains is to make them
Bottle 2 durable enough to be a challenge, but vulnerable enough to make the players believe they have a
Bayonette 4 chance. If you have a group of gangsters, give them 15 Blood as theyre tough but marked down
Bullwhip 2 to compensate for their numbers. A lone villain might have 20 or more (balance the challenge).
Spear 5 Remember that lone villains always have a secret identity that is only revealed in the final chapter
Rifle 12 when they are killed or brought to justice. Until that point, theyre known as The Scarlet Asp or
some other mysterious sounding name.
Crossbow 7
Hook 3
IMPORTANT: Its generally considered bad form to kill off any players in a pulp setting. Instead
Garrotte 4
have them captured (so that the villain can gloat over his plan that will not fail) or slightly injured
Axe 6 so that it is nothing an outpatient run to the hospital wont fix. Remove the player from the action
Razor Blade 2 or have the villain(s) plan sped up on the time needed to complete it. Pulp heroes dont die they
Hvy.Machine Gun 12ea. are inconvenienced for a little while (in this case until the next chapter).
(1D6 hits)
Sword 6 You may also want to not use Gadgets or to restrict the use of certain ones in your serial. You can
Shard of Glass 2 find a sample list of ones at the top of this page. If a player picks the Gadget status, allow them to
Punch Moxie pick from the list. Feel free to make up more if youd like. Dont be afraid to tell the player that
Kick 1 their character with a rocket pack just doesnt mesh with everyone elses street-level vigilantes.
Human Bite 2 Give them the choice of another Gadget or make them roll again on the Status Table. Gadgets are
Snake Bite (per hr) 3 provided for more high science games, such as shown by the Flash Gordon, Dan Dare and
Shark Bite 6 Commando Cody serials.
Horse Kick 6
Branding Iron (hot) 4 FUDGE ON THE DICE: It is your prerogative as the referee to tell the story as you see fit.
Large Animal Bite 6 Never be afraid to say, because I said so If you need a decision made, roll a die for it. If you
Car 20 need to figure out how many thugs are waiting in ambush in the alleyway, roll a die for it. If the
Grenade 20 task is really easy, give them a +1 or +2 on the target number. If the task is super difficult, give
them a 1 (remember rolling a 1 is always a success and 6 is always a failure.

THE STORIES INCLUDED: There are five chapters in this game that make up the serial, The Crimson Tiger Strikes! It is strongly recommended
that they are run in the correct order for fun as well as keeping the plot as secret as possible to your players. Feel free to design your own and keep
checking www.deep7.com for more free serials and sourcebooklets for Dime Heroes to download!

Dime Heroes: The Crimson Tiger Strikes! Serial

Chapter One: The Atomic Ray A Mysterious Crime of Scientific Proportions Draws in Our Heroes
Chapter Two: Forty-Five Caliber Death! Vengeance is served blazing hot from the barrel of an automatic
Chapter Three: The Living Dead! Doom from beyond the grave stalks the world of the living!
Chapter Four: Ralstons Revenge Atomic Terror Rains Ruin From The Skies!
Chapter Five: The Crimson Tiger! The Tiger is cornered in his lair and puts up a desperate fight.
 The Crimson Tiger Strikes! Chapter One
By James Stubbs
THE PREMISE: Dr. Alfred Fennigans revolutionary atomic ray
has just been publicly announced after months of top-secret
research. Unfortunately for Dr. Fennigan and the rest of the city,
The mysterious criminal mastermind, The Crimson Tiger, has
sent gangster Big Mike Ralston and his boys to steal the ray
device so that he can use it for some nefarious scheme.
THE SETUP: All of the players should be present during the pre-
unveiling of the ray in Dr. Fennigans lab.
Characters can be friends of the Doctor or any of
the staff (Tom Gilmore, a chemist, and Carla
Conners, a mathematician). They might have also
have been asked there by the Mayor, the editor of
the local paper or magazine, or any government
official such as the Police Commissioner. Their
purpose could be for security, local
representation, or to get a scoop.
THE GANGS ALL HERE: Dr. Fennigan explains that he
developed the atomic ray as a method of transmitting
unlimited energy by the use of a transmitter/receiver
system. Enough power to run a city could be
beamed instantly from his ray transmitter to a
predetermined receiver at a power plant. Hes
finally pleased that the work is finished and that
he can show his achievement that he feels sure
will revolutionize the World. The ray device
itself is a large metallic cylinder that is
wrapped with metallic coils at the gun end
of it and tipped with a large metal globe. As
Fennigan is making his announcement, eight
masked men (make it more if you have a larger
group or one equipped with Gadgets) open the
glass paned door to the lab and rush into the room
with pistols drawn. One of them shouts, Dont anyone get any
bright ideas
SHOOTOUT!: What happens next is entirely up to the actions of
the players. If they do nothing, the gangsters will make off with
the ray as they have a fast getaway car waiting at the back of the
lab and cover their escape with gunfire to keep everyones heads
down. Players may want to give chase in their own cars or
vehicles. If they do, make sure the gangsters manage to loose
them after a lengthy chase/vehicular shootout. Make sure that
one of the gangsters is fatally shot and falls from their car. If you
have to, give the gangsters a smokescreen device on their car
that they can use. If the players decide to fight the gangsters, a
gunfight/fistfight will erupt as the entire lab goes into a wild
melee. All NPCs will duck for cover or run for safety. The
gangsters stats are: Moxie 2/Shooting 2/Brawling 2/Blood 12.
Tune In Next Week for Our Next Exciting Episode! Forty-Five Caliber Death!
At some point during the fight, someone will knock over a vial
of chemicals or a stray bullet will strike it. A dense noxious
cloud will fill the room. All players must make a Moxie Check
at a 1 penalty or be knocked out by the gas after a few
moments. Make Moxie checks and every few moments after that
if they remain in the gas. Shooting and Brawling in the gas
cloud both suffer a 1 penalty as well. Either way, in the scuffle
one of the gangsters will be fatally shot either from one of the
players or from one of his own gang while the others grab the
ray and escape in their car. Any gangsters that
were knocked out are dragged away by their
companions in the confusion.
DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES: Regardless of the players
actions, the gangsters should steal the ray and one of
them should be killed and left behind by the others.
Any player who has the Detective background or can make
a Gray Matter Check will immediately recognize the dead
gangster (either from the car chase or lab shootout) as
Bugsy Gillespie a notorious bank robber who was
gunned down and killed by the police two
weeks ago! Unfortunately, Dr. Fennigan
was killed in the gunfire in the lab so any
input he might have had is now moot.
Any lab staff is just as clueless and none
know of any enemies the Doctor may
have had. The Police seem to think that it
was either an inside job and they knew
when to attack when security was its
most venerable or it was just dumb luck
that led them to attack when they did.
Smart players should suspect that it was
an inside job as their voices could have been
easily overheard through the glass door of the lab and
most thieves dont try to steal when there are large
numbers of people around.
Players should now be wondering how the dead live again and
what possible reason ordinary gangsters would want something
like the atomic ray. If you used the car chase and used the
smokescreen getaway, they should also be wondering where
such a device was obtained. This should clue them in that there
is a far more malevolent power at work than simple theft.
THE CRIMSON TIGER SPEAKS!: Players wont have long to wait for
some of their answers. One day later, the citys largest
newspaper will receive an telephone call demanding
$100,000,000 in one week or he will turn the atomic ray on the
city and cause massive destruction and death. The caller only
identifies himself as The Crimson Tiger.
 The Crimson Tiger Strikes! Chapter Two
By James Stubbs
The Premise: The late Dr. Fennigans atomic ray device has
been stolen from under the players noses by a group of masked
gangsters one of whom was reported dead! Shortly after the
theft, a mysterious figure calling himself The Crimson Tiger has
demanded one million dollars or he would turn the ray on the
city itself! In this chapter, players should be able to find the
gangster hideout and the important clue contained there, but
should also get caught in the deathtrap to provide a cliffhanger
for the next chapter.
The Setup: Players should have made an effort to search the
body of the dead gangster. If they dont, a beat cop who arrives
on the scene will discover that there is a matchbook from the Isis
Club in his jacket pocket with the telephone number Berkshire
426 written on the inside cover. The Isis Club is a matter of
convenience and a bit of
a ploy to sidetrack the
players. It has absolutely
nothing to do with the
mystery although you
could have the players
tussle with the clubs
bouncer if they get to
nosy or insistent. If
theyre nice or grease
some palms, they can
find out from the
bartender that Bugsy
frequented the club and
was occasionally seen
with many women there
but, other than that, he wasnt a standout customer and always
paid his tab.
Is That A Gun In Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?:
Berkshire 426 happens to be a fairly upscale brownstone that is
owned by a Miss Gina Vincent. She is the Cats Meow and
knows it. Portray her as the very sultry Lauren Bacall-type of
seductress. Players who can aggressively flirt or just flatter her
shamelessly will learn that she had been dating Bugsy Gillespie
at the time of his previous unfortunate demise. Shell reveal that
she was about ready to dump him anyway because she thinks
there was another dame in his life because he would often get
phone calls from a unidentified lady who asked for him. He
would get all hush-hush and the only thing she managed to
overhear once was he hated going to the sticks cause all that
rock stuff would get on his duds. A quarry should come to
mind and an abandoned one is conveniently located out in the
nearby countryside. If theyre thinking mountains, inform them
that there isnt a mountain within 200 miles of the city.
The Quarry: Tierman & Sons Gravel Quarry is located only a few
hours outside of the city. It went bankrupt several years before
Tune In Next Week for Our Next Exciting Episode! The Living Dead!
and has been abandoned. If the players are stealthy, they will
find a car parked outside the old foremans shack. Otherwise,
the building will appear to be abandoned because theyve moved
the car behind a nearby rubble pile to conceal it and also to keep
it from being disabled in case they need to make a quick
getaway. The only real difference here is one of surprise either
the players will have it or they dont. There are six gangsters
inside involved in a game of cards, eating and listening to a
small radio on the rickety table if the players managed to sneak
up on them. Otherwise, they will all be trying to conceal
themselves for an ambush on the first characters entering the
shack. Due to close quarters, any fighting will be fisticuffs or
trying to pistol-whip an opponent. Stray bullets can be
dangerous to friend and foe alike. Feel free to roll for any stray
shots that might hit other players if the party gets trigger-happy.
These gangsters stats are: Moxie
2/Shooting 2/Brawling 2/Blood 12.
The players should be able to defeat
the gangsters. Fudge some rolls if you
have to and make sure that the players
are victorious and that one of the
gangsters is still conscious or alive at
the end of the fight. Players will
undoubtedly question him about the
ray and hell reply and tell them that
their boss, Big Mike, was hired by
this funny lookin guy in a tiger mask
to filch the doohickey. He doesnt
know where the boss is other than he
was out to do another errand for the
tiger guy. The guy doesnt really know too much more than that
he wasnt paid to be smart. Secretly roll for all the players
Cunning scores now to see if they can detect the sound of a bar
being lowered across the front door. The only visible exits are
the front door and the two windows.
Deathtrap!: Before the players get to question him too much
more, the small radio will crackle a bit and a voice will come
from it. Its the Crimson Tiger who claims that now the players
know far too much than is good for them and that they must be
dealt with before they become a bigger thorn in his side. A shot
will suddenly ring out, one of the windows will shatter inward
and the gangster will slump over after being fatally shot. A load
of dynamite will explode on a rock pile behind the shack at
almost the same instant and start an avalanche of boulders and
dirt that will flatten the shack and bury everyone inside! Any
attempts to run out the door or jump through the windows will
fail as the door has been barred and the windows were nailed
shut when the quarry was shut down.
 The Crimson Tiger Strikes! Chapter Three
By James Stubbs
The Premise: In this chapter, the players should enter the secret
room beneath the foremans shack and discover the supplies
there, Bugsy Gillespie will return from the dead and the
Crimson Tiger will make his first mistake!
The Setup: There are two different ways out of the shack: the
windows and a trapdoor in the floor. The window is probably
the first thought as the .45 slug that iced the gangster shattered
one of the windows. However, its slow going as only one person
can squirm through a window and there are only two windows
both will have broken glass shards even after the players smash
them out. The boulders will get there before the first two people
get out. The trapdoor is the fun way and also a significant
clue. If you want to run a twist on it, have the boulders
hit the shack and collapse it burying the players inside.
Conveniently enough, the shack collapses around the
players and will allow them to find the trapdoor. Use
any method that you think will provide the most fun
and suspense for the players.
The Trapdoor: The trapdoor leads down a
wooden ladder into a room beneath the shack.
Players will find several containers
marked Quicksilver, several casks
of an unmarked and unknown
liquid, a gurney with Property:
City Morgue stenciled on it and a
large glass vial on a table filled
with a greenish liquid with several
syringes next to it. Let the players
take what they want within reason
although the vial is the important
object and the gurney from the morgue
should give them a clue on where they need
to investigate next. Any Scientist who analyzes the
liquid in the vial or any character that can make a successful
Gray Matter Check will discover that it is a powerful electrolyte.
The Morgue: The next stop should be at the morgue. As they
arrive, two men carrying an empty stretcher are leaving. They
will greet the characters as they deposit the stretcher in the back
of an ambulance as well as make an offhand comment about
that one was a bad one if the players inquire about the empty
stretcher. These men are really gangsters who have just finished
killing the mortician. The players will find his quickly cooling
body hastily stuffed into one of the storage vaults for corpses
inside the morgue. A search of the body will reveal small specks
of quicksilver on his jacket and an empty notepad in his shirt
pocket. If they pay even more attention to the notepad or there is
a Detective in the group, have the player(s) make a Grey Matter
Check to notice that the top page has been imprinted with the
outline of what was on the previous top page. It reads, 2 pm
Tune In Next Week for Our Next Exciting Episode! Ralstons Revenge
work completed for Ralston. Demand pay. 2:15 Gillespie to
pick up bodies for delivery to Virginia.
Yes, Virginia, There Is A Freighter: Virginia doesnt refer to a
state. The Virginia is a tramp freighter at the docks. It is
currently being used as an unorthodox and cleverly disguised
laboratory. Players who foolishly rush aboard with guns blazing
will be easily wounded and captured by the twenty gangsters
onboard. Stealth is the key. Have the players shimmy up the
anchor chain at midnight or devise some other sneaky way of
getting on the ship. Dont make it too tough for them. The
guards are complacent and some have even dosed off or are
playing cards to pass the time. Steer them towards the hold
without making it too obvious although smart players should
realize that the hold is one place they should check anyway.
The revived Gillespie is in the hold overseeing the reviving of
five other criminal bodies. Each body has a small rubber hose
snaking into their mouths. The hoses are connected to small
clear rubber bladders of green liquid. The bladders, in turn,
each have to electrical wires running into each. The wires are
connected to a multi-switched control box on the wall. At the
first sign of trouble, Gillespie will draw his pistol,
upturn the table he was sitting at and throw the
master switch on the box. This will revive the
five bodies instantly and they will attack with
their fists after one round of combat.
Gillespies stats are: Moxie 2/Shooting 3/
Brawling 2/Blood 20. Revived gangster
statistics are: Moxie 2/Shooting
1/Brawling 2/Blood 10. Gillespie knows
that the jig is up and the only way to
escape is through the players. He shoots to
kill and this should be treated as a very
dangerous encounter. Anyone encountering
one of the revived gangsters will notice that they
can feel an unnatural heat from them. This is because the bodies
have been given a shot from the atomic ray to prepare them for
the electrolyte dose.
A Locker? And Whos Davie?: Gillespie has nothing to loose at
this point. Hes already been a dead man once before after all.
As he goes down, he will press a button that will detonate
explosive charges against the ships hull below the waterline.
Have everyone make Moxie Checks to avoid being thrown to
the deck. It will take them one round to stand. Seawater begins
to gush into the ship in torrents. Have a small speaker mounted
on the wall call out, So you escaped my trap at the quarry. Lets
see how well you do holding your breath! Goodbye, fools!
Youve meddled with the Crimson Tigers plans for the last
time!
 The Crimson Tiger Strikes! Chapter Four
By James Stubbs
The Premise: Trapped inside a sinking freighter, the players
must escape but will even their heroic daring protect them from
the clutches of Big Mike Ralston who has been sent to enact the
vengeance of the Crimson Tiger upon the city? In Chapter Four,
players should defeat Ralstons attempt to turn the atomic ray
upon the city dam and discover the secret hideout of the
Crimson Tiger.
The Setup: Getting out of the sinking ship is going to be tricky.
Play up the suspense of the gushing water at their heels and the
quickly listing vessel. Have them running on the former walls of
the ship towards the end as the ship begins to severely list before
going under. Have them make some Moxie Checks to keep
upright and moving as loose objects scatter everywhere. If you
want to be really mean, say the explosions also started fires and
that dense smoke makes it hard to see. You can impose a penalty
on Grey Matter Checks to see if they can remember how to
backtrack. Dont let any of the players die, but you can certainly
make them believe that there is a very good chance that
they might.
Sending in the Muscle: The Crimson
Tiger isnt very pleased with the loss
of his laboratory or six of his
revived criminals. The necessity
of killing off the mortician has
also limited his supply of
revivifying fluid. This has forced
him to accelerate his plans. As a
result, he decides that the city is
being obstinate in meeting his demands and
that they could use a small demonstration of his power. He has
ordered Ralston and six of his men to destroy the city dam with
the atomic ray. The resulting hundreds of deaths should
convince the city of his seriousness.
The gangsters have loaded the atomic ray into a van disguised as
a City Sentinel newspaper van. Have the players make a
Cunning Check to notice that the driver of the van is one of the
attendants that they encountered at the morgue. This chance
encounter should just be after the players have had some time to
recover from the sinking ship. The van will leave before they
can act and they will have to quickly find some means of
pursuit. There are several taxis around that they could grab or
they could try to commandeer someones car with a successful
Cunning Check. Whatever happens, they wont be able to catch
up with the van but they can keep it in sight and easily enough
follow it. Secretly make a Cunning roll for the gangsters in the
van to see if they notice that they are being followed. They have
a Cunning of 2.
Tune In Next Week for the Exciting Conclusion! The Crimson Tiger!
The Atomic Ray: If the gangsters notice they are being followed,
they will turn a sharp turn and stop the van. They will then
proceed to set an ambush. The van blocks the road and the
gangsters are waiting to use their pistols to fill the pursuing car
with lead. Any vehicle the players use will give them 2 APs to
all parts of their bodies except the head due to its steel body.
Otherwise, the players should be able to follow them to a bluff
overlooking the dam. The gangsters will begin to erect a tripod
for the ray. Unless the players do anything to stop them, they
will fire the ray at the dam within ten minutes and blast a
massive hole in it. If the players sneak up on them, make sure to
have everyone roll Cunning to avoid being noticed. A fight will
break out starting with an exchange of gunfire but should
degenerate down into a fistfight. Be careful of the ledge that has
a twenty-foot sheer drop into the stream below! (Damage 8)
Anyone tossed off the ledge is effectively out of the fight
because of the long amount of time it would take them to get
back and/or injuries sustained from the fall.
There are five gangsters and Ralston involved.
Ralston will hold back and
attempt to protect the ray
while his men tussle with
the players. Ralston
wont hesitate to fire
into the melee if he
thinks that he can hit
one of the players. His
men, however, dont
have such compulsions. If
the fight starts to go against
him, he will throw the ray into the back
of their van and try to make a getaway. For maximum fun, allow
one of the players to jump onboard the speeding van and crawl
across the top of it to try to get to the cab a la Indiana Jones as
Ralston swerves the van to try to shake them off.
Ralstons game stats are: Moxie 3/Shooting 3/ Brawling 3/Blood
20.
Singing Like A Canary: All of the gangsters know where the
secret hideout is although Ralston is the best option, as he knows
the booby traps. Despite how bloodthirsty your players are, at
least one of the gangsters or Ralston has to be taken alive and
talking. None of them are stupid and will rat out their employer
in a heartbeat. If the players make nice overtones like reduced
sentence if they cooperate, they will gladly volunteer to lead
the players to the hideout a gun in the back will also
accomplish the same result. This is it! The players are off to the
final showdown with The Crimson Tiger!
 The Crimson Tiger Strikes! Chapter Five
By James Stubbs
The Premise: Having foiled Ralstons attempt to destroy the city
dam with the atomic ray, the players with a prisoner in tow are
led towards The Crimson Tigers secret hideout to end his reign
of terror for good.
Mineshaft Melee: The captured prisoner will lead the PCs to an
abandoned mine about thirty miles away in the foothills. Inside
the mine, TV cameras are monitoring the tunnel leading to the
hideout. Their approach and entrance will be noticed. The
Crimson Tiger will dispatch the six remaining men from
Ralstons gang to stop the players at all costs. One of them was
thoughtful enough to bring along a stick of dynamite (Damage:
15), which he will light and throw at the players if the fight
starts to go against the gangsters. Yes. This will cause a cave-in
and force the players to see the adventure through.
The Crimson Tiger has his own secret way out
that he and the gangsters can use to get out.
Make sure that the captured gangster
survives the encounter.
Going Down?: Once the players have
dealt with the gangsters, traveling a little
way down the shaft will lead them to a
freight elevator leading down. The
elevator has a lever set in the middle of
a dial between Up and Down. The
elevator is trapped. Anyone attempting to
use the elevator without first throwing the
lever to Up and then to Down will set
it off. The trap causes the gripping gears at
the bottom of the elevator to release and
plunge the elevator and its passengers down to
their deaths 150 ft. below. Anyone who comments on
the mechanism should be allowed to make a Cunning or
Grey Matter Check to notice the modifications to the controls
and how to bypass them.
If they trigger the trap, allow everyone on the elevator to make a
Moxie Check to grab onto the elevator cable to avoid the lethal
ride down. They still, however, have a 150 ft. hand-over-hand
descent to accomplish. Require some more Moxie Checks if you
feel like it. Again, make sure that the captured gangster
survives.
Whats the Password?: At the bottom of the elevator shaft, the
players will encounter a large metal door with a covered eye slit.
Knocking on the door will cause the eye slit to open and
someone to look out and demand the password. This is probably
the most dangerous spot for the players. If the person looking
out sees strangers with the captured gangster, they will silently
alert everyone in the room to prepare to attack. If the PCs hide
and make the gangster say the password, the prisoner will say
the tiger lairs soundly. This is an agreed upon password to use
if you are in trouble. Everyone in the room will go on alert.
Either way, the players are going to be attacked when they enter
the room.
The Big Brawl: The door leads into the main lair of The
Crimson Tiger. When they enter the room, the captured gangster
turns on them and starts to fight with his fists as everyone else in
the room joins in. The rooms occupants are five revived
gangsters and The Crimson Tiger. Use the stats for revived
gangsters from Chapter Three but increase their shooting skill to
2. The Crimson Tigers game statistics are: Moxie 3/Shooting 3/
Brawling 3/Blood 20.
The gangsters will start shooting at the players
with their pistols regardless of the former
prisoner fighting hand-to-hand with the
players. Have him die dramatically -
preferably by being shot in the back. If
the players rush the gangsters, it will
degenerate down into a fistfight. The
Crimson Tiger will take cover behind his
ornate desk and chair and fire his pistol
at the players. Hes a good enough shot
to generally be able to target them even
in a wild melee. Resourceful or just
bloodthirsty players could have possibly
carried the atomic ray with them. If they
turn it on The Crimson Tiger, the fight will be
over quick as the ray has a damage rating of 50
but wont even leave anything left of him to identify
afterwards. Using the ray as a gun, however, imposes a 2
penalty on Shooting rolls due to its bulk and tremendous power.
Anyway, this is the finale and nobody is taking any captives.
Shoot to kill. The players should manage to come out victorious
but probably not without a casualty or two on their side. You
can have someone make a poignant statement at the end for the
fallen heroes and heroines.
After a wild fight and the subduing or death of The Crimson
Tiger, he is unmasked as Tom Gilmore, Dr. Fennigans former
assistant! If you want to add an additional twist, have Carla
Conners, the other assistant, step in behind the players with a
tommy gun as she is involved as well! On either of them, have
the players discover correspondence from an enemy country
promising to pay them $1 million dollars for the atomic ray
prototype. They were getting greedy and trying to also extort the
city for an additional million. End of story roll the credits.