Pand~moni ncbain~d

I
Tell opponent ·0o no Blue next tum, but
add +2 If to any Orange INt scores.·

by llndtt~w Gtt~~~ttg • llttt by Jobn Bttidg~s

2 19 18 19 34 25
4 63 20 29 36 15
6 17 22 11 38 49
dvcnrure wnhout limn fills the universe of off planet, have sold all their possessions for a pit·
8 19 40 5

ll
24 45
the Fading Suns, and the main rulebook tance, and wealthy bargain hunters flock to the 42 19
10 45 26 47
can only give the briefest taste of the possi· Bazaar to take advantage of their misery. As the 12 45 28 3 44 17
bilities. "Pandemonium Unchained" follows the characters fight their way through the bwtling 14 53 30 5 46 43
explo its of Tibitha Blewe, a penitent priest discn· streets, any with psychic abilities will feel some· 16 57 32 45 48 17
chanted with the Universal Church. She despcr• thing rug them toward Badaboo's Curios and
ately needs someone who can help her, and the Sundries. Arriving there, they will feel strangely 38
characters can jump into the following drama at attracted to a scudded leather band. If none of the
any point. It details what happens to Tib1tha characters have psychic abilities, then one of
while on Pandemonium, as well as what might them (whoever has the highest Tech rating)
Charging
happen if the characters decide to intervene. notices the band as they pass the shop.
Pandemonium, as described in the Fading Suns Badaboo just put the band on display, having
rulebook, is a planet in the throes of massive nat· bought it from Tibitha Blewc late last night. He
ural disasters. The great cerraforming machines met her while visiting Beggar's Alley on the edges
which regulated so much of its actions have gone of the Hub while seeking some cheap evening
haywire, forcing the planet 10 find o ther ways to companionship. Tibitha rejected htS initial offers
vent its heat and move its many tectonic plates. of money before offering to sell him the band. He
This means that only the capital, the Hub, had no way of detecting its psychic resonance, but
remains safe, and anyone outside the Hub is in immediately noticed that it was of definite
constant danger. Second Republic origin. He paid her one ftrebird
for it, and now offers to sell it for 15.
The Universal Church has established a great
cathedral in the badlands oumde the Hub, how· Badaboo likes bargaining almost as much as he
ever, as a sign that the Pancrcator's might will pro· likes profit, and he will gladly lower the price t0
teer its followers from harm. Tibitha recently 10 ftreb1rds (or whatever the characters can
arrived on Pandemonium to help with the cathe· afford) with only the slightest prompting. As he Ten apponent ·0o no Green Of Yellow
dral's construetion, but was not expecting what bargains, he will talk willingly about acquiring the next tum.·
she found. The rest of this drama is for the band, rubbing hu protruding belly and stroking
gamemaster's eyes only, and the players should his bushy beard all the while. The only part he
(but probably won't) stop reading now. Heck, leaves out is his real reason for being out last 18 23 34 25
we're all gamemasters at heart. night. Whatever he says should hint to the char· 20 53 36 13
acters that Tib1tha might have access to more ani· 22 53 38 49
G~tting ~ Cbattact~tts facts, which should interest the characters no end. 24 23 40 13
26 13 42 45
Of course, the gamemaster can also appeal to
lnool~d 28 3 44 19
the characters' more noble aspects. One or more 30 5 46 43
While the characters can become pare of this of them might know Tibitha, who would have left
drama at any pare, probably the easiest way is to 32 9 48 19
word for them to meet her in Beggar's Alley. They
start them off in the famous Pandemonium Bazaar. might be investigating the cathedral and hear that
Many of Pandemonium's citizens, desperate to get

VOLUME V • NUMBER Ill

 Fading Suns

one of the pnesu ran away. They might even be fuctones). ple;u for money bombard them ltom .111
working for the C hurch, trying to track down the side. "Please sir, just a quarterbird for a v1c11m of
source of a recent influx of possibly heretical Arasot's syndrome," begs a one-leggcJ woman
Second Republic artifacts. However the with giant growths on her face." MMa'am hdvc
gamemaster gees them involved, the charactcn some pity for my poor child," bcsccches a man,
should end up resolving to visit Beggar's Alley. ho lding up some shriveled abomina11on wh1~h
might in fact be a baby.
Most of the beggars arc legitimate, but c.harac.
It's hard to believe that the people living in
tcrs who arc guild members should quickly realm:
Beggar's Alley arc not the most pitiful ones on the
that they have been organized into their own
planer, but they aren't. That dubious distinction
guild. If they don't make th is distincunn, then
goes to the poor 50uls who live ouuidc the Hub,
questioning the bcggan about 1ib1tha will nor ~··t
their daily lives wracked with uncertain ty and
them fur. If they cause enough fuss, then a number
fear. Still, those in Beggar's Alley arc probably the
of the beggars will shrug off their disab1l1t1c~ dnJ
most wretched In the Hub, as the characters will
SCORE-1 insist (with force, If necessary) that the c.hara<..tcrs
discover when they get there. While the Occados visit Cahyle, begpr king and league-sancuone,I
TeM owonent "Do ontj Jumps next IUm, claim only 500,000 people have crammed into the
Ind you may change weapons." president of Pandemoniu m's mend1can1's gu1l,J
city, probably twice that many live without docu-
The characters will need h is assistance to make
mentation or official residence. any headway with their inquiry.
2 45 18 37 34 41 !,.s soon as the characters show up
He makes his office m an abandoneJ Wdrc·
4 63 20 19 36 00 in Beggar's Alley (really a phrase
house, where he keeps flies on all the Hub's
6 17 22 41 38 49 used to describe a maze of streets licensed beggars. If the characters can hne up Im
8 13 24 19 40 19 which once made up a ware· help with a substantial donation (25+ firebir..b) ,
10 19 26 63 42 45 house district, all gently covered by
a reputable offer of future aid, or 1f the) were
12 45 28 13 44 17 the smoke and ashes &om nearby
just plain polite to the member, , .f h1
14 45 30 5 46 27
16 57 guild, then he will have his people 1ry
32 9 48 45
to rrack Jown
42 Ttbitha They ~111
rerum wnhm an
hour, bnngmg
with them Don
43 Retrieving Weapon Maurice Ahenar,
who claims ro be
the last noble of rhc
lost Chevalier noble
house. A licensed beggar,
he was seen talking to
Ttbitha last night.
It will rah charac.1er:. a
great deal of caiohng anJ
flattery to get him m talk hon
estly (or even make sense).
Ahcr all, he is the la~t scion 111
house Chevalier, as he ~•II con
scantly remind the characrers. It
the characters finally gee him to
Tell opponent "You may use your
weapon again. No restrictions next lllm • talk, perhaps by accumulaun '
12 victory points on Extrovcn
+ Etiquette roles or appcalm1;
to him as equals if they arc noble ~.
2 5 18 53 34 41 he will tell them that 1ib1tha "'.!\
4 47 20 7 36 00 not a licensed beggar. Smee she had
6 45 22 11 38 19 greedily chosen to sleep on hb piece
8 33 24 15 40 5 of pavement, he had to lJ a local
10 45 26 63 42 5 member of the Muster that she ~as
12 3 28 53 44 45 not under the beggar guild's proccc·
14 9 30 31 46 27 tion. Ten minutes later, \everal
16 57 32 45 48 45 Chaincrs showed up, knocked 1ib1rh.1
44 out and carted her away. He neither knows nor
I cares where they took her.

SHADIS TWENTY-EIGHT
 Pandemonium Unchained

If the characters have become friends with not work too well - the slave pens are guarded by
C ahyle, he will tell them that he has heard of a a dozen high quality Muster mercenaries, and oth·
slaver warehouse in the Badlands just outside the ers come here regularly with their prizes.
Hub. He cannot tell them exactly where it Is, but
On the other hand, threatening Church or
this should get them started.
noble intervention will turn his blood cold.
Players may think of other threats to earn his
Pand~monium in Cbains compliance, but eventually they should get him to
The players can ftnd ouc where the Muster agree to a sale (at least 20 fircbirds., though he will
warehouse is In a number of ways. If they have try to start the bidding at 50). This Is when Canon
guild tics, they can pursue these. If they are Ague Menophlox bursts in.
nobles, they can ask other nobles where they buy
help for the mansio n. They can offer to sell one of Canon Jlgu~ llkoopblox
their own characten to the Muster and then fol-
This drama Is not just about freeing Tibitha
lo w him. In any case, they will have to be careful.
from slavery. Other forces also want to get their
The Church has labeled slavery a grave sin, and
hands on the penitent priest. Foremost among SCORE 0
anyone suspected of trafficldng ln slaves may well
them are the leaders of the Cathedral. They want
have to face the Inquisition. Tell Ol>pon&nt ·oo only Jumps next
Tibitha back. Maybe they arc afraid that she will tum·
Still, the characters should evencually find out reveal too much, or else they fear for her soul, but
where the Muster keeps its slaves. Much of what in any case they have sent out Canon Ague, one
lies outside the Hub has been destroyed by either of their most trusted followers. A talented hunter 2 45 18 37 34 41
natural or man-made disastcn, but some buildings who often stallcs the badlands to bring back fresh 4 63 20 19 36 19
·still stand. The Muster has convened one of these meat for the Cathedral, he aacked Tibitha 6 17 22 19 38 49
(a former slaughterhouse which processed tons of through the wilds and into the city. He will crack 8 13 24 19 40 53
meat each mo nth) into pens for its slaves. Special her to the Muster shortly after the characters do. 10 19 26 63 42 45
landen visit the planet once a month, making Once there he may scan a bidding war for her, but 12 45 28 13 44 17
official landings at the spaceport. paying the he Is backed by the full authority of the Church. 14 45 30 5 46 27
required bribes, and then flying to the warehouse The characten cannot outbid him. The trouble Is, 16 57 32 9 48 17
at n ight to pick up and drop off cargo before he docs not have the cash on him and Manager
returning to space. Lukcsta wants money up front.
42
The Muster took Tibitha to these slave pens, Ague will convince Lukesta to delay the auc·
where she now waits, chained to 15 other slaves. tion for an hour while he hurries to get more
Most of them are unforrunatcs from the badlands money. By now the character should realize that Retrieving Weapon
who the Chaincn caught as they made their way they cannot raise more money than he can. Their
to the Hub. The pens house a"tot.al of 90 slaves best bet Is to prevent him from coming back with·
right now, and the next lander is not due for two in that hour. Lukesta Is such a stickler for rules
weeks. that he will sell Tabitha to the characters if Ague
is even one minute late.
When characten arrive at the slave pens, they
should not have too much difficulty arranging a Olaracters can ambush Ague in the badlands,
meeting with Manager Jessup Lukcsta, the jovial hold him up in the city, keep him from meeting
head o f slaver o perations on Pandemonium. If with Olurch officials to get cash or try anything
they want to buy a slave, he will be more than else their devious minds can thirak of. Whatever
happy to arrange the sale, offering the characters they do to him, they should not kill him, as this Is
wine, food and o ther pleasures. He will take them certain to upset the C h urch.
to the slave pens, where his attitude immediately
changes. His friendly demeano r disappcan, and he T ibitba's Storry .
begins beating the slaves to get them out of his Tibitha grew up on Madoc, surrounded by some "'
Ten Ol>l>Ofltnt -You may use your
way as he leads the ch.aracten to Tibitha. He will of the finest technology in the Known Worlds, but weapon ag~n. No restricbonS next tum •
remain friendly and deferential to the characters, found the Pancrcator at the end of the Emperor
but brutal to the slaves. He will show Tibitha to Wars. She has devoted herself to the Church, and
the characten, but will not let them speak to her. after several years spent ln seclusion, was assigned
2 5 18 19 34 19
Then he will lead them back to his office and to the Pandemonium cathedral. The entire struc· 31 36 15
4 63 20
o nce more become the soul of gencility. The only ture Is being built and maintained by penitent 6 17 22 11 38 49
problem with the sale, he tells the characters, Is priests, and Tibitha found herself working in the 8 33 24 15 40 5
that the Muster never sells a slave on the same building's upper reaches. Other, more senior 10 45 26 63 42 5
planet she was captured. N o matter how much the pricst.s worked in its depths, and Tibitha began to 12 3 28 19 44 17
characters offer, he refuses to break this rule. The hear strange stories of what they were doing there. 14 9 30 19 46 27
o nly way to make him change his mind Is to bring A wcclc ago, while trying to ftnd some missmg 16 57 32 45 48 17
pressure to bear or guarantee that they will Imme· tools, Ttbitha went down to the lower store rooms.
d iately take her off planet. Attacking him should
44

VOLUME V • HUMBER Ill

 FadlngS ...

One door, usually kept locked, was aiar, and Impress 6, Mclee 6, Observe 8, Shoot 8, Sneak 7,
libitha loolted here. Herc 1hc found mounds of Vigor 7
heret ical technology - Second Republic amfacts
whose very existence would put their possessor's Learned skills: Beast Lore 5, Etiquette 2,
soul at risk. Honiflcd, she concluded that some· Inquiry 6, Remedy 4, Ride 5, Search 5, Social
thing must be very wrong ln the Cathedral. For (Debate) 3, Stoic Body 4, Stoic Mind 3,
proof lhe took the nearest item at hand, a psychic Streetwise 3, Survival 8, Trac~ing 7
tracking collar, and stealthily made her way Wyrd: 5
toward the hub.
Weapon: Assault rifle, rapier
She has been unable to contact any Church
leaders not connected to the Cathedral, however, Martial Arts: Martial Fist, Martial Kick,
and needed money to get a message off planet. Martial Hold. Block
She finally sold the band and had the money, but Fencing: Pany, Thrust, Slash
then the Muster got her. In exchange for being
rescued, she will give the characters her undying Armor: Standard lhicld, leather jerkin
SCORE -5
gratitude. infonnation on where the high tech
Tel oppooent ·0o no Spur attJcks next goodies arc stashed, and a request that they help
Vitality: - 10/-8/-6/-4/-2/ 0/0/0/0/0/0/0 .
turn·
her tell other Olurch leaders what is happeni ng.
How much other Clmrch leaders might care is up
to the gamemastcr.
2 5 18 37 34 25
4 63 20 29 36 ()()
6 17 22 11 38 49 0~1t Complications
8 33 24 15 40 5 Gamcmast crs should feel &cc to add whatever
10 3 26 63 42 5 other bits of nastiness they want to this drama.
12 3 28 3 44 15 Both Graaf, Pandemonium's crime lord, and
14 9 30 5 46 43 Count Enis Sham, Pandemonium 's noble lord,
16 1 32 9 48 3 would be interested in exact proof of what the
Cathedral is up to and may have their own
46 people on the caJC. The League would most
assuredly want access to
th is stuff, plus it might
47 be a way to embarrass
the Church. Whatever,
the caJC, it should give char·
actcrs the opportunity for plenty of
future dramas.

Cba1tacte1ts
G amcmastcrs should use the Traits of
the Hazat soldiers in the Precious Cargo
drama in the main rulebook for combatants
like the Muster slavers, though he might want to
give some of them stunncrs instead of more lethal
weapons. The traits for the Scravcr investigators
I
wcxk for mOlt of the other characters. C4non
SCOREO Ague's traits follow.
1111 opponent ·0o no OrlWIQI next tum, Md W
rectlwinil 6 d.wnlQt poonis or mo11 do no Ranlc/Clu11 C anon
Sh<till lll.lCJcs lo< lllt Mt of Ille Oll1ll •
Quote: "The Bishop isn't going to like this."
Description: A tall, slender man with a long
2 5 18 19 34 25 mustache and dark, sunken eyes. He wears plain
4 63 20 29 36 ()() brown clothing and talks simply and succinctly.
6 45 22 19 38 49
8 19 24 15 40 5 Body: Strength 6, Dc.xtcrlty 8, Endurance 7
10 45 26 47 42 45 Mind: Wlu 7, Perception 7, Tcch S
12 45 28 19 44 45
14 45 30 19 46 19 Spirit! Extrovert 2, Introvert 4, Passion 2,
16 57 32 9 48 45 Calm 5, Faith 5, Ego 2, Human 4, Alien I
48 Natural altilla: Olano 5, Dodge 7, Fight 6,

SHADIS TWENTY-EIGHT