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PA X

GLADIVS
TM

Epic Sword & Sandals Adventvre

Table of Contents
Rules of Play .........................................................3
Character Sheet....................................................4
For the Ref ............................................................5
Circus Maximus ..................................................6
Scenarios:
The Iron Lion..................................................7
Don’t Look Down ...........................................8
Unwelcome Guests..........................................9
A Walk in the Woods....................................10
Death in the Pit .............................................11
Fort Eyrie ......................................................12
Double Character Sheet ....................................13

Original Concept by Todd Downing


Written by Andrew Kenrick 1PG Line Producer: James Stubbs
Revised by James Stubbs 1PG System Designer: Todd Downing
Editing and Layout by Samantha Downing
Thanks, Everybody!
Front Cover by Todd Downing

PUBLISHING NOTICE
Pax Gladivs: Epic Sword & Sandals Adventure is published by Deep7
P.O. Box 46373 Seattle, WA 98146
www.deep7.com
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All rights reserved worldwide. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution or commercial use of this product in its electronic or hardcopy
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ESTEEM is a measure of your fame and respect. It is important

RULES OF PLAY
any time you need to impress people or get what you want (explained
below, read on). Everyone's ESTEEM starts at 0. Everyone may try to
roll 1D6 and get the same or under his VIGOR, SPLENDOR,

P
SCHEMING and ACUMEN attributes (but you may only try once for
ax Gladius™: Epic Sword and Sandals each, at the beginning of the game). Add 1 to your ESTEEM for each
Adventure is a simple to learn roleplaying game successful check. ESTEEM rolls are the same as skill checks; roll
equal to or under your ESTEEM on 1D6.
where players take on the roles of embittered
Background & Provenance Tables: Roll on these tables to get
slaves, hardened gladiators and cynical senators in the some epic Gladiator movie affectations.
forums, amphitheaters and frontiers of the Roman Empire. Starting Wealth: Lastly, roll 1D6 x 10 for denari. This is the
It is a game of defiance, liberty and dramatic speeches, character’s wealth prior to the start of the game.
not to mention deadly combat and fast paced chariot Skill Checks
races, all in the space of a page! It assumes the players When the character performs an action (and by “action” we mean
and ref already have some rudimentary experience with anything where the outcome may not be as certain as walking or tying
roleplaying. It is meant to be played in the vein of such one’s shoes), determine what general skill will get it done. Add the
epic films as Ben Hur, Spartacus and Gladiator, with less skill with the stat it falls under to get the Target Number and roll
equal to or below it on 1D6. Rolling a 1 is always a success, while
of the biblical length and more of the epic action, so keep
rolling a 6 is always a failure. The referee may add to or subtract
it light, cinematic and adventure packed! from the Target Number based on environmental factors (motion,
Character Generation & Game Rules weather, level of difficulty), so having a target of 6 isn’t useless – it
allows you to effectively absorb a –1 to your Target Number without
Stats & Skills: You've heard of the stuff that heroes are made of?
having to worry too much.
In Pax Gladius, players roll 1D3 for each stat (the bold entries on the
When fighting, make a Fighting Skill Check for attack or defense,
character sheet). Then roll 1D3+3 for the total number of points to
Dodge for evasion, or Archery for ranged attacks. Both combatants
distribute into skills (the individual listings below each stat on the
will make their Skill Checks at the same time. Whoever has the
character sheet). Every skill starts at 0, and no stat/skill combination
greater margin of success has hit his opponent. Ties go to defender;
can be less than 1. Put no more than 3 points in any single skill. If you
if both opponents are attacking, a tied margin means both attacks
need extra points, you can take them from other skills, leaving them
succeed. Subtract the weapon’s damage from the wounded charac-
at –1 for each point taken. For example, if you have a ACUMEN of 3,
ter’s BLOOD. Always add the attacker’s VIGOR to the total amount
you can take Philosophy at -2 and add those two points to a different
of damage done on non-ranged attacks. Damage from a punch is the
skill. If you don’t see a skill you really want your character to have,
same as VIGOR, and kicks do VIGOR +1.
just write it in the margin after confirming with the referee.
In the case of a test of wills or standoff between characters, roll
Alternately, the referee may choose to have players build their
1D6 versus SPIRIT. Characters with ESTEEM can add it to the
characters with points. If so, distribute 8 points into the four primary
Target Number. The greater margin of success wins and the loser
stats, and use the rules which follow for secondary stats.
must make a GUTS Check or lose 1 point of SPIRIT. If neither roll
Secondary Stats: Roll 1D3 + 2 and put the number in GUTS, and
is equal to or below SPIRIT, the one that achieves the smallest nega-
1D6 and write the result in SPIRIT. SPIRIT is a representation of
tive margin wins.
your courage and bravery, and GUTS signifies your zest for life and
burning desire to carry on in the face of adversity. Any time you have Armor
a traumatic experience in the game (such as getting dropped into an Certain clothing gives you Armor Value (AV). Heavy clothes
arena with four hungry tigers), make a “GUTS Check” by rolling 1D6. (thick winter robes or furs) give you 1 AV, leather armor gives you 2.
If you roll equal to or lower than your GUTS number, Metal armor, such as chain or scale, gives you 3. When you take dam-
your SPIRIT is unchanged. The more GUTS age, subtract your AV in the appropriate location from the damage you
you have, the easier it is to keep your are dealt.
SPIRIT intact. If you don't make it, your
SPIRIT is reduced by 1. If you completely Character Improvement
lose your SPIRIT, you are tired of If the character survives a whole scenario, the player receives
adventuring and unfit to carry along 1D3+5 Character Points, and adds 1 point to ESTEEM. If the char-
the road to glory until after a very acter survives to the end of the scenario but is a replacement for a dead
long rest or some powerful inspira- character, the player only receives 1D3+1 Character Points. Put these
tional events bring your character points into stats, skills, SPIRIT, BLOOD or GUTS. But don't worry
out of "retirement.". You may always about surviving. These characters are meant to get axed, skewered,
put Character Points into SPIRIT and thrown to the lions. Just roll up a new one and join back in the fun.
at the end of the game. Additional rules can be found in The 1PG Companion, available now
Roll 2D6+10 and write the from Deep7’s web site at ww.deep7.com.
number in BLOOD. This is how
much BLOOD you have. Every
time you take damage, you will
lose BLOOD. When you have
lost all your BLOOD, you are dead.
3
CHARACTERS NAME:
OCCUPATION:
CHARACTER GENERATION CHECKLIST DENARI:
• Roll 1D3 for each stat.
• Roll 1D3+3 for the total number of points to distribute into skills. Put no Height: Weight: Age:
more than 3 points in any one skill.
• If you need extra points, you can take them from other skills, leaving Hair: Eyes: Gender:
them at –1 for each point taken (no stat/skill combo can be less than 1).
• Roll 1D6 for SPIRIT; this is your charisma, your mental and physical VIGOR ..................... ( ) Notes:
bearing. Archery.......................... ( )
• Roll 1D6 for GUTS; when you are frightened or unnerved, an unsuc-
Charioteering................. ( )
cessful GUTS check will take away 1 point of SPIRIT.
• Roll 2D6+10 for BLOOD; when you take damage, you lose BLOOD; Drinking ........................ ( )
when BLOOD is gone, the character is dead. Fighting ......................... ( )
• Roll equal to or under VIGOR, SPLENDOR, SCHEMING and ACU- Running ......................... ( )
MEN stats; receive 1 point in ESTEEM for each success.
• Roll on Background & Status Tables. SPLENDOR ............ ( )
• Roll 1D6 x 1000 in starting denari.
Disguise......................... ( )
SKILL CHECKS Etiquette ........................ ( )
When you want the character to do something, determine the stat/skill Performance .................. ( )
combination that will accomplish the task. Add the skill and stat for the
Target Number. Roll equal to or under the Target Number on a 1D6 for a suc-
Seduction....................... ( )
cess. Rolling a 1 is always a success, while rolling a 6 is always a failure.
SCHEMING ........... ( )
COMBAT Con ................................ ( )
Use Fighting for attack/defense, Dodge for evasion, or Shooting for
ranged attacks. Combatants roll simultaneously. The greater margin is suc-
Dodge ............................ ( )
cessful. Ties go to the defender; if both opponents were attacking, a tied Ride ............................... ( )
margin means both attacks succeed. Subtract the weapon’s damage from Sneak ............................. ( )
the wounded character’s BLOOD. Add attacker’s VIGOR to the total dam-
age of non-ranged attacks. ACUMEN .............. ( )
ARMOR Knowledge .................... ( )
Certain clothing has Armor Value (AV). Heavy clothes (thick winter Language ....................... ( )
robes or furs) give you 1 AV, leather armor gives you 2. Metal armor, Philosophy..................... ( )
such as chain or scale, gives you 3. When the character takes damage,
subtract AV from the damage dealt to the hit location. SPIRIT ...................... ( )
CHARACTER IMPROVEMENT GUTS ........................ ( )
If the character survives an entire scenario, you get 1D3 + 5 Character BLOOD ..................... ( )
Points and 1 point in ESTEEM. If the character survives to the end of the sce-
ESTEEM ................... ( )
nario but is a replacement for a dead character, you only get 1D3 + 1
Character Points. Put these points into stats, skills, SPIRIT, BLOOD, or CHAR. PTS.............. ( )
GUTS.

Hit 1 2 3 4 5 6
Background T able ( 1D6) Location Head Torso L. Arm R. Arm L. Leg R. Leg
1 SENATOR: +1 SPLENDOR, Etiquette, Language.
2 EQUESTRIAN: +1 ACUMEN, Ride, Charioteering. AV
3 SOLDIER: +1 VIGOR, Fighting, Ride.
4 FREEDMAN: +1 SCHEMING, Con, Knowledge.
5 GLADIATOR: +1 Fighting, Dodge, +3 BLOOD.
6 SLAVE: +1 Running, Sneak, GUTS. Weapons Damage

Provenance T able ( 1D6)


1 ROME: +1 SPLENDOR.
2 GREECE: +1 ACUMEN.
3 BRITANIA: +1 GUTS.
4 AEGYPTUS: +1 SCHEMING.
5 GAUL: +1 SPIRIT
6 GERMANIA: +1 VIGOR
FOR THE REF

B
e i n g t h e re feree isn't the w ors t thing less in the center, head raised in adulation. His head is concealed
t h a t c a n h a ppen and you get to play the beneath a gleaming, silver helmet but the rest of him is swathed mere-
ly in furs, his bulging muscles clearly visible. In his hands he carries
best part - the evil villains. So, a pair of short swords - the gladius of the legions. With the site of your
Novi t i at e o r I m p erator, here are som e he lpful opponent comes the realization that the crowd are not roaring for you,
hint s f o r ru n n i n g Pax G ladius! but for your death..."

Setup & Gameplay The Bad Guys


Play order is based on the SCHEMING stat - higher SCHEMING Every good film has a villain and every good epic makes them of
goes first. To keep the order of play coherent, you may choose to seat far greater status than the heroes, say, the local star gladiator, an
your players around the table in order of highest SCHEMING to low- important Roman official or the commander of the armies of the north.
est and go around the table. A player with a high- Of course, important doesn't necessarily
er SCHEMING may choose to hold his action and mean better and they have to be defeated, in
interrupt another player’s action later in the order the end. Throw assorted disposable hench-
men, opposing gladiators, imprisoned beasts
of play, but once an action is taken for the round, WEAPONS and battle hardened soldiers in the players
the player can take no further actions.
Item . . . . . . . . . . . . .DMG way. Make it challenging but give them a
Cut to the Chase Arrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 chance, after all, its no fun if the villain wins
Epic in scale, not in length. Okay, I know that Axe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 ... every time. In a well run game the charac-
Epic films are meant to be long and have lots of Ballista Bolt . . . . . . . . .15 ters are slowly whittled down so only one
drawn out intrigue in between the fighting but we remains to face the bad guy at the end in true
all know these bits are boring. Keep the adventure
Bolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1*
epic style.
short and to the point. Make it exciting, fast paced Blade Gauntlet . . . . . . . .4
and make the players want to come back for more Chariot . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Dramatic License
(in the sequel!). Each scenario is meant to be Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Action first, rules second. You are the
played in a single evening, say 2-3 hours (the referee, what you say goes. On the other
Greek Fire . . . . . . . .15/round hand, it is your job to keep the story going
length of an epic!).
Horse Kick . . . . . . . . . .6 and make it as exciting and as dramatic as
Playing the Game Javelin . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 possible. Don't be afraid to ignore the rules at
One for all and every man for himself. Knife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 a critical moment. Roll a die for on the spot
Remember - this isn't any ordinary RPG. The play- Large Animal Bite . . . . .6 decisions. Add or subtract from the target
ers don't have to get along. Hell, they can fight number to make a situation easier or harder.
each other if they're all gladiators. Nobody said Long Sword . . . . . . . . . .6 Don't let the game get in the way of a good
anything about teamwork, it all depends on how Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .* story. Roleplaying isn't science, its art..
you want it to run. In Spartacus everyone got Punch . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vigor
along fine and all the gladiators banded together Short Sword . . . . . . . . . .5
The Scenarios Included
against the villain. In Gladiator they all fought and There are six scenarios included with this
Spear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 game that can be played together in sequence
killed each other and although Maximus had
friends, he was very much a man on his own. Of Trident . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 to form a campaign or independently of each
course, it is always that little bit more satisfying for Whip . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1* other. Feel free to design your own, and keep
the players if they gang up and take on the big bad checking www.deep7.com for free scenarios
- namely you.. ARMOR to download!

Set the Mood Item . . . . . . . . . . . . .Defense


The roar of the crowd and the stench of blood, Buckler . . . . . . . . . . . . .+1
sweat and tears. Shove on an appropriate CD (I Large Shield . . . . . . .+1, AV3
recommend the Gladiator soundtrack) to get them Leather Armor . . . . . . .AV2
in the mood. Assault the player's senses with
Steel Armor . . . . . . . . .AV3
description - sight, sound, and smell. Describe the
arena, the crowd, and the opponents. Tell a visual
story. "The creaking gates swing open and you are * Target entangled unless success-
momentarily blinded by the daylight of the arena - ful VIGOR check is made.
a sharp contrast with the gloom of your cells ... You
hear the roar of the crowds, Romans from every Add VIGOR to DMG of non-ranged
weapons
class and vocation packed into the crude seating of
the amphitheater. As you step into the ring you
become aware of another figure standing motion-
5
CIRCUS MAXIMUS
Chariots The Bloody Sands of Rome
Maneuvering and combat in a chariot is handled just as described Gladiators were the rock stars of ancient Rome. Although little
for land vehicles in The 1PG Companion. However, we present the more than slaves, they were idolized for the thrills they provided to the
following additional rules to better emulate the brutal world both blood sport. Women paid for gladiator sweat in the belief that it was a
inside the arena and on the battlefield for the charioteer. powerful aphrodisiac. Even the Emperor himself stepped into the
Failing a Charioteering check by a margin of five or more results arena on occasion.
in a spectacular crash that instantly kills the mount(s) pulling the char- Death, disfigurement and blood were all expected - the entertain-
iot in addition to the normal rolling damage that such a margin of fail- ment given was what differentiated mere lion fodder and a favorite of
ure bestows upon the chariot and its crewmembers. the Emperor himself. A character's ESTEEM plays a large role in this.
When a chariot collides with a man, the vehicle will take damage
equal to its speed in hexes times 2. The unfortunate man, however, Winning the Crowds
suffers the full multiplier of ten. For example, a speeding chariot (6 All new gladiators must prove themselves to the crowds and are
hexes) runs down a footman. Unless the poor sod can get out of the denied the use of their ESTEEM. Characters who begin with
way, he's going to take 60 Blood damage! In return, the chariot takes Gladiator status are exempt from this rule. A new gladiator who had
1 point of SI damage (6 x 2 / 10 (round down)). Armor reduces dam- previous ESTEEM regains it at a rate of one point for every victory in
age as normal. the arena until it reaches its previous level.
Racing chariots use the same rules as set out under "Closing with Additional ESTEEM can be won. One point of ESTEEM is
Another Vehicle" in the Vehicle Combat section of the Companion. gained for every five victories in the arena.
However, since there is no combat in a fair race, the tick marks count ESTEEM and Fame
towards a victory total that is determined beforehand by the Ref. The
Players may “spend” one point of ESTEEM per round to gain one
first contestant to meet the victory total wins the race.
of the following benefits. Only a single point may be spent in a round.
Despite their mobility and hitting power, the lives of charioteers
ESTEEM used in this manner returns at the rate of one point per day.
are dangerous ones. Charioteers do not get to dodge incoming attacks
and can only hope for a miss, as moving too much in a chariot will
! Add their SPIRIT score to Fighting or AV
unseat the driver! Also, any hits against a chariot always have a
! Inflict an extra 5 damage to an opponent. Killing the target in this
chance of hitting the crew. Any time there is no damage dealt from an
way saves the point of ESTEEM “spent”.
attack thanks to armor, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, one of the crew or
! Gain 5 Blood
mounts (roll randomly) have been hit by the attack instead.
! Invoke the crowd for an extra temporary point of Guts
Horses ! Turn the crowd against your opponent, giving him a -1 penalty to
A standard horse has VIGOR 3/ Running 2, 20 points of Blood all actions.
and has a hoof kick that does 6 damage. A trained warhorse has all of ! Increase the character's Dodge skill by 1.
the above but also has a Fighting skill of 2.
When attacking, a rider and his mount are considered a single tar- ESTEEM can also be used to save the character's life. If defeated
get. On a successful attack, a random roll must be made to decide in the arena but not killed, a character can permanently sacrifice one
whether the rider or the mount was struck. The rules for trampling, point of ESTEEM (if they have any left) to gain a single Performance
movement and panic remain unchanged from the Companion. check. If this check is successful, the Emperor has given you favor
and spared your life. Otherwise, the character is put to the sword.
Ranged Weapons
Thrown weapons, such as javelins and spears, can fly a number Gaining Freedom
of hexes equal to the attackers VIGOR + Archery. Bows can be fired Few gladiators ever gained freedom from their bloody profession.
a number of hexes equal to the shooter's VIGOR + Archery x 2. A gladiator who has accumulated three additional points of ESTEEM
through arena victories may sacrifice all of his ESTEEM to gain the
benefits of the Freeman from the Status Table. From this point for-
ward, the character is no longer a gladiator and can never become one
again. The character is also not considered a citizen. A characters who
wishes to gain citizenship can choose to become a Soldier and earn it
through military service.
If the character chooses the path of the freeman, he will need to
seek out his own place to live and find a job. Gladiators turned
freemen are at a -1 penalty to wealth checks on denari until the Ref
can involve them in a situation where they can gain money. Soldiers
don't have to worry about this but they are marched across Europe and
engaged in bloody military operations frequently.

6
THE IRON LION
The Premise: Senator Veccirius is one of Rome's most The door to his workshop is closed and bolted but the sound of
respected politicians - an expert diplomat with a silver tongue. furious hammering can be heard coming from within. Forcing
Veccirius is not without his enemies, however, and a plot has entry will cause Dalo to stop hammering and run and hide
been engineered by one of his foes - an aspiring official by the under his bench. If the characters find a more subtle way of
name of Podelus - to bring about his downfall, all the while entering, they will find Dalo in the process of making another
making it look like an unfortunate accident. set of iron claws. He will, of course, deny any involvement
with the lion but the evidence is plain to see in his workshop -
The Setup: It is the height of summer and Rome is bustling four large manacles chained to the floor, the scars of claw
with the many visitors who have come to the city for the glad- marks across his face and a new set of iron claws in produc-
iatorial games held to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. The tion. Dalo is cowardly and any threats of violence will cause
players are just some of those visitors and they are on their him to reveal everything - he was working for a cloaked man
way to the Colosseum to witness a great combat between the who did not reveal his name and was told to make and attach
veteran gladiator Quellinus and a score of lions! The players a set of iron claws and teeth to the lion. He did not know why,
may well know each other already and may be venturing to the just that he was paid well and in advance. He will show the
games together. They should all know, either in passing or characters the contract the cloaked man gave him - it is marked
personally, Senator Veccirius and be well disposed towards with a signet stamp of a P in a circle.
him - the Senator has many friends and the many causes he has
championed have endeared him to many different parts of An Iron-S Shod Welcome: Any politician can identify the
society over the years. stamp as that of Podelus - a smarmy junior senator with
dreams of grandeur. He is known to be politically ruthless,
Claws for Concern: The players are - perhaps together, although whether he would go as far as murder is unknown. A
perhaps individually - winding their way through the streets visit to his house will find him awaiting the characters - with
towards the Colosseum when screams begin to come from up his heavily armed bodyguard. He will not explain his evil
ahead and the crowds begin to run back towards the players. scheme to the characters - he simply wants the senator dead so
Assuming the players don't simply turn and flee with the he can fill his shoes. He similarly wants the characters dead so
crowd, further investigation will reveal that a lion has escaped they cannot prove his guilt. He will not, however, throw his
from the Colosseum and is running their way. However, the life away needlessly and is more than willing to bargain with
lion seems to be on a mission - it is ignoring hapless citizens the characters - if they accept any of his offers he will then try
who have tripped and fallen and is instead chasing down an and organize their deaths in the near future. The trail seem-
elderly man the players recognise - the Senator. The lion ingly ends with Podelus - unless the characters search his
should be no match for the characters - it is only an elderly study. There they will find a note addressed from Germania
lion, more than a match for an unarmed politician but not saying simply "Arrange for V's death and your wish shall be
much of an opponent for a group of armed warriors. granted. A."
Tooth and Claw: Once the escaped big cat has been slain
or subdued, the characters should make an intriguing discov-
ery - the lion has had its teeth and claws replaced by iron ones!
Whoever has done this has left their mark however - stamped
on each of the outside claws is a blacksmith's mark which can Podelus
be identified as coming from one of the smiths who furnish the VIGOR 1/ Drinking 1, Running 1; SPLENDOR 1/ Etiquette 1;
gladiators with weapons, a man named Dalo. The Senator is, SCHEMING 3/ Con 2; ACUMEN 2; BLOOD 13
naturally, thankful for the intervention of the characters - he is Equipment: Knife (4 damage)
troubled as to why the lion was trying to kill him, for there
really isn't much meat on him. He implores them to investi-
gate further as he doesn't think he would like to return home to
find another lion in his bedroom! He offers to reward them as That Darn Lion
best he can and in whatever manner they choose - patronage, VIGOR 3/ Fighting 2 BLOOD 20
favors, influence or even something as crude as money. Weapons: Claws (6 damage), Bite (5 damage)

The Man in the Ironmongers: Following up on the only


lead they have - the smith's mark on the claws of the lion - will
lead them to the workshops surrounding the Colosseum where Bodyguard
all manner of trappings are made for the games, from swords VIGOR 2/ Fighting 2; SPLENDOR 1; SCHEMING 1/ Dodge 1;
and shields to toy gladiators and lions. Dalo is a weasely man ACUMEN 2; BLOOD 15
with a reputation amongst the artificers for producing shoddy Equipment: Short sword (5 damage), Armor (1 AV)
merchandise. He is always on the lookout for a quick denari.

7
DON’T LOOK DOWN
The Premise: Senator Veccirius is to embark on a mission of more than any of them can reasonably afford. The bandits actually
mercy to broker a last minute peace with the chief of the barbarians care little for their gold as they have been offered a handsome reward
in Southern Germania. It is a long way from Rome to Germania and for capturing or killing the senator. When it becomes obvious that
the route is not without its dangers - icy mountain passes and hungry the characters cannot pay, the bandits will try to claim the senator as
wolves being the least of the worries when bandits and worse are ransom. Hopefully the characters will refuse this offer and fight,
afoot. otherwise they will have to follow and rescue the senator, or return
home to a very frosty welcome from the rest of the Senate. The ban-
The Setup: Following the attempt on his life by Podelus, dits will fight to the death, for they have nowhere else to go. The
Veccirius is wary about his own bodyguards who were ineffectual leader bears a gold coin marked elusively with a stylised letter A
defending him against an angry lion. The senator remembers the bracketed by the wings of an eagle. Characters who make a suc-
characters well - they did save his life after all - and has decided that cessful Knowledge or Etiquette check may recognise the symbol as
they would make good escorts. Veccirius sends a messenger sum- that of General Activius, a loyal and staunch supporter of the
moning them to the senator's home. If you don't think the characters Emperor who has been away on campaign in Germania for many
will accept his offer, give them a few reasons to want to leave Rome years.
- if Podelus survived from the previous adventure then he will be
harassing them with thugs and assassins. If Podelus met his end then Quiet, Too Quiet: With the bandits gone, the characters
perhaps some of his former associates are making a nuisance of should relax somewhat - they no longer feel as though they are being
themselves. watched and will, hopefully, let their guard down. The remainder of
the journey through the pass is uneventful and another day's ride
When the Going Gets Tough…: Winter is rapidly brings them to the villa where the Senator will be staying. It is a
approaching and the mountain pass must be crossed swiftly before it quiet estate and they ride right into the central courtyard without
is blocked by snow. The party, comprising the characters, the sena- being confronted or greeted. Veccirius dismisses any claims that it
tor and his beautiful daughter, Cyrene, are escorted as far as the might be a trap, saying that this area is under the guard of the army.
mouth of the pass by a small unit of soldiers. Cyrene is both intelli- But, sure enough, it is a trap and no sooner have the characters began
gent, charismatic and more than a match mentally for any of the to settle into the house then there is a shriek as fur clad barbarians
characters. The going is quite easy at first but, as they climb higher, leap out from their hiding places and attack. There are not many -
it gets colder and the going harder. The route is highly cinematic and there should be no more than 1-2 per character. Allow any character
there are plenty of opportunities for the characters to pose with dra- with any sort of military background to attempt an ACUMEN check
matic mountains towering over them or on the edge of crevasses and to work out that something is wrong about the manner in which the
ravines. Allow the characters ACUMEN checks to notice that they barbarians both fight and appear - very much like Roman soldiers
are being watched just before they are attacked by a pack of hungry dressed up as barbarians. No sooner have the barbarians been slain
wolves. The wolves should be easily dealt with but the feeling of than the sound of horses can be heard outside and a unit of soldiers
unease will not go away. arrives, lead by their general, Lyris Vennius Activius, who exclaims
…The Tough Get Snowed in: As they continue on their his horror at barbarians troubling the Senator whilst seemingly under
journey the characters will remain under the impression that they are the army's protection. But everyone is safe now, aren't they?
being watched, occasionally glimpsing figures higher up the side of
the pass or through the trees. Let the players stew and the paranoia
build until they are jumping at every shadow, and then drop the next
encounter on top of them - literally. The characters all hear an omi- Bandit Most Foul:
nous rumble from above and look up just in time to see shadowy fig- VIGOR 2/ Fighting 2, Archery 2; BLOOD 10
ures silhouetted against the skyline levering a huge snowdrift down Equipment: Short sword (5 damage), Arrow (7 damage)
the mountainside on top of them. Allow a combination of VIGOR
and SCHEMING checks to avoid being buried too deeply or being
swept over the edge of a ravine, respectively. Regardless of the out-
come of either roll, a GUTS check is also appropriate, as this is most Wolves
certainly a traumatic event! Ideally at least one of the characters VIGOR 3/ Fighting 2; BLOOD 10
should end up hanging over the edge of the crevasse in need of res- Weapons: Claws (5 damage)
cuing.
The King of the Mountain: Even as they are digging them-
selves out from under the snow their suspicions of being followed
and watched are confirmed as a group bandits surround them, claim- Suspect Barbarians
ing the pass as their territory and denying the authority of Rome. VIGOR 3/ Fighting 3; BLOOD 12
There should be 2-3 bandits for each character and they will demand Equipment: Axe (6 damage), Armor (2 AV)
a ridiculous amount of denari in return for safe passage, probably

8
UNWELCOME GUESTS
The Premise: With Senator Veccirius under the protection of Blood and Fire: The characters may well be perplexed, if not a
the Roman army and on his way to the peace talks with the barbar- little uneasy, about their mission, as they return to the villa. The jour-
ians, General Activius requests that they prevent a rebellious local ney is uneventful and by the middle of the afternoon they are within
tribe from stirring things up too much. But the General seems a lit- sight of the compound. As they approach they notice a plume of dark
tle too eager to get the characters out of the way, and the danger smoke drifting upward from the roof - part of it is on fire! The fire
posed by the tribe seems to have been greatly over exaggerated. is only small, but it has been started in the hay filled stable block and
is already spreading rapidly. The characters will have to act fast if
The Setup: Now that the Senator and his daughter are in the they are to prevent too much damage. As they try to put the flames
safekeeping of the army, the heroes are left with little to do until they out, they find themselves being helped by a small group of barbar-
return. As the characters settle down to enjoy the luxury of the villa, ians. If the characters stop putting out the fire to fight the newcom-
General Activius expresses his concern about a nearby group of bar- ers, clouds of billowing black smoke should remind them of their pri-
barians, the Silvicoli tribe, who are angered by the presence of the orities. Once the fire has been put out, one of the female barbarians
Romans and the agreement of the other barbarians to broker a peace introduces herself as Brigitta, daughter of the chief of the Montuosus
with them. The General believes that they will attempt to disrupt the tribe of barbarians - the tribe who the Senator was meeting today.
talks and asks the characters to go and prevent any such attempts by She will explain that the Senator never arrived and so she had been
intercepting raiding parties as well as raiding the Silvicoli settlement sent to find out where he was, and, in doing so, saw the flames and
to provide a distraction. The General and his entourage do not intend raced to the villa. If any of the characters explores the rest of the
to depart until the characters have set off on their mission and, if they villa, they will make a gruesome discovery - the bodies of the ser-
show signs of delaying for any reason, he will do his utmost to hurry vants are scattered about the building and worse is still to come.
them along. The General is not a man known for his patience. Upstairs, in the hallway just outside the main bedroom, the charac-
ters will discover the body of Senator Veccirius, his throat slit from
A Barbarian in the Bush… : The village of the Silvicoli ear to ear. In his death throes the Senator appeared to have been try-
tribe is located a little under an hours walk away through heavy for- ing to spell something out in his own blood, but only managed to
est. The General has provided the characters with a rough map of the write the first two letters - AC.
area and they should have little trouble locating the village - an ACU-
MEN check may be called for to prevent them from getting too badly Unwelcome Guests: Before the characters have time to react
lost. Barely half an hour into their journey, allow a further round of
to their gruesome discovery, they hear the familiar sound of hooves
ACUMEN checks to notice the presence of a small party of barbar-
approaching the villa once again as a small unit of Roman soldiers
ian warriors heading in the opposite direction, towards the villa,
rides into the courtyard. The soldiers will dismount, notice the
along a path below the character's position. Sneak rolls are appro-
charred stable and the dead servants and accuse all present - barbar-
priate here - success all around indicates that they have gone unno-
ians and characters alike - of being guilty of the murder of the
ticed by the barbarians and can launch a successful ambush. Failure
Senator and his daughter. It should have occurred to one of the char-
results in them being spotted and attacked by the barbarians. The
acters by now that the body of Cyrene was not amongst the dead.
raiding party is heavily armed and looking for trouble, but is not
The soldiers declare that all present will be punished here and now
overly dangerous - there should be no more than 2 warriors per char-
by death. They will draw their swords to attack. This should be a
acter.
hard fight, as there should be at least 2-3 soldiers per character. If
things look really tough, the barbarians can finish off their opponents
...Is Worth Two in the Village: The characters should and weigh in to help the characters.
have little trouble disposing of the barbarians and the rest of their
journey passes uneventfully. The Silvicoli village is hidden within
the forest in a small clearing overshadowed on two sides by forested
hills. It is only a small village with no more than ten longhouses Genuine Barbarians
scattered within an undefended enclosure. This certainly does not VIGOR 3/ Fighting 2; BLOOD 11
seem to be quite the dangerous tribe described by Activius. If the Equipment: Axe (6 damage), Armor (2 AV)
characters attack the village, they will find most of the population to
be elderly, women or children. There is a small band of guards but
they number only eight. This may be enough to give the characters
a run for their money, but it seems unlikely. If the characters ques- Roman Soldiers
tion any of the barbarians, they will all deny knowledge of the peace
VIGOR 3/ Fighting 3; BLOOD 12
talks and any plans to disrupt them.
Equipment: Short sword (5 damage), Armor (3 AV)

9
A WALK IN THE WOODS
The Premise: The Senator is dead and his daughter is missing, Cut to the Chase: There are two chariots below, one of which
presumed kidnapped. Her kidnappers cannot have got very far and if is carrying Cyrene, plus one rider on horseback per extra player. The
the characters hurry they may yet catch up. If they do not manage to characters will have to mount up on horseback or commandeer a char-
reach her in time, who knows what gruesome fate awaits her? And iot and give chase! The road is poorly maintained and fraught with
they may miss the chance to find out who killed the Senator as well as perils such as fallen trees and rocks, windy clifftop roads with naught
why. but a sheer drop to one side and crevasses to be leapt across. The
chase scene should be as dramatic as possible, for this is the stuff that
The Setup: Senator Veccirius has been brutally murdered in his true epics are made of! The chase can be played out using the mount-
villa before he could attend peace talks with the local barbarians. The
ed combat rules provided in The 1PG Companion to add to the drama
characters are at the villa along with a party of barbarians who are also
or you can wing it relying on your own imagination. The chase should
investigating the Senator's death after having been attacked by a group
end with Cyrene being narrowly rescued and the last of the kidnappers
of Roman soldiers. The evidence points towards a Roman conspira-
plummeting to his doom along with his chariot, or some equally dra-
cy, with the Senator spelling out the letters A and C in his own blood
matic conclusion.
before he died. General Activius, meant to be protecting the Senator,
is nowhere to be found, and neither is the Senator's beautiful daugh- Who Invited Them?!: Just as soon as the characters are feel-
ter, Cyrene. Brigitta, the leader of the party of barbarians, wastes no ing smug about their victory and the recovery of Cyrene, they become
time in pointing the finger of blame at the General and is eager to aware of a large number of shadowy men advancing on them. The
return to her people to warn them of an inevitable revenge attack by heroes are, in reality, being circled but they are unaware of it at this
the legions. She urges the characters to take one of her men as a guide time. If they flee or fight, they'll encounter the other men. It should
and to head cross-country in an attempt to rescue Cyrene. Only her become apparent that they are facing overwhelming odds and the men
word will now clear the characters of the false charges placed against speak in a strange language that Basel will translate as a barbarian
them by the powerful general. dialect and a demand for surrender.
O'er Hill and O’er Dale: The guide sent by Brigitta is a
young man named Basel, as keen with his eyes as with his bow and
blade. The characters make rapid progress in pursuit of the kidnappers
- clear sets of tracks lead away from the villa, all on foot. Time should Roman Soldiers
be of the essence and the characters should feel that every second VIGOR 3/ Fighting 3 BLOOD 12
counts, the time spent for every pause en route should feel like a life- Equipment: Short sword (5 damage), Armor (3 AV)
time. Along their journey they should catch the occasional sound of
marching hobnailed boots in the distance, a shrill female voice raised
in protest or the glimpse of gleaming armor a little distance off. Let
Basel entertain the group with tales of the terrible tortures that he has Horse
heard that the Romans inflict upon their captives, ones that leave a VIGOR 3/ Running 2; BLOOD 20
man alive for days until they slowly die from exposure or over- Weapons: Kick (6 damage).
whelming pain.
None Shall Pass: As the glimpses of their quarry become more
and more regular, the characters should suddenly realise that their tar- Roman Cavalryman
get has stopped up ahead. Aware of the pursuit, the soldiers have VIGOR 3/ Fighting 3 Archery 2 Charioteering 2; SCHEMING 2/
formed a defensive skirmish line blocking the road onwards to allow Ride 2; BLOOD 12
several of their number escape on horseback with Cyrene. The char- Equipment: Long sword (6 damage), Javelin (4 damage), Armor
acters will have to fight through the soldiers to continue their chase, (3 AV)
and every moment locked in battle gives the kidnappers more time to
make good their escape. The battle should be a tense fight, but not
overly difficult. There should be two soldiers per character. Once the Chariot
battle is over, or the characters have managed to break through and Era: 1
continue their pursuit, Basel will announce that they are now in famil- Crew: 1-2 Men and 1-2 Horses
iar territory and that he knows of a shortcut that should allow them to Weaponry: none
even outpace the horsemen. The pursuit should resume as above, with MAN: 0 GR: +1 DMG: N/A* AV: 10 SI: 10
the guide leading them along treacherous rocky clifftops and leaping Notes: Chariot damage is typically either trampling damage
across crumbling crags and perilous ravines before they catch a from the horses or from the gunner's personal weapon - usually
glimpse of the kidnappers far below them on the twisting road. With either a bow or javelins. Scythes can be mounted on the
a little skill and forethought the characters should be able to set a wheels to enable the chariot to inflict an additional 6 damage to
clever ambush. unfortunate passers by.

10
DEATH IN THE PIT
The Premise: So close and yet so far. The heroes are taken cap- Gladiator, Barbarian Style: The only chance the characters
tive by a hostile warband. Cyrene will make a good captive for them have of surviving is to not only defeat the bear but to win over the bar-
to disrupt the talks. The heroes on the other hand, will make grand barian warriors with their combat prowess. Before that happens, they
entertainment in the pit before they die. If the characters have any get to decide which one of them will run towards the charging bear in
hope of escape, they must emerge victorious in mortal combat and an attempt to grab the only weapon in the pit. If characters turn on
steal away with Cyrene. each other let them, but there is a good chance that it will prove fatal
The Setup: The characters are force-marched back to the enemy for one or more of them. Characters who stop to think can try to run
barbarian camp and imprisoned. They are tied to stakes by the neck up the embankment and grab a spear from one of the warriors - they
with their arms bound behind them. Escape is almost impossible, as could even attempt to pull the guy into the pit with them to present
there is a hundred barbarians encamped around the characters. Talking another target for the bear. Regardless of what happens, anytime a
or even looking like they are trying something will have the charac- character scores a hit against the bear, the player should roll a SPLEN-
ters beaten by their captors. Actually attempting to escape will result DOR/Performance skill check to see if they gain a temporary point of
in the barbarians taking no mercy and killing escapees. Cyrene is omi- ESTEEM. Barbarians aren't as used to the gladiatorial magnificence
nously separated from the group and tied up outside of a large hide- that is common in Rome and are easily impressed by combative show-
bound tent, obviously the residence of the leader. manship.

The Sentence: After about an hour, Verisgoth, the leader of the The Great Escape: Surviving characters are ordered pulled out
tribe, visits the characters. He is a bitter man, enraged at the Romans of the pit by Verisgoth. While impressed that they survived his little
for killing his people, and there will be no satisfying him until the game, he still intends on having them killed just as soon as he can
invaders are driven out. The characters are to be placed into a pit and think of an "amusing" way to do so. They are escorted back to their
forced to fight for their lives to provide him and his men with enter- previous spot of captivity but have their arms tied in front of them this
tainment… just as they have done to his people. Cyrene will be taken time. A few of the barbarians offer them local ale, a vile concoction
as his slave and as a bargaining piece if things go against him. He sug- but one they seem to enjoy. Clever characters can turn this new-found
gests that the characters take this time to pray to whatever heathen admiration to their advantage with a successful SPLENDOR/Etiquette
gods they worship for tonight they die. Trying to tell him their tale or or Seduction roll. A successful check will give them a +1 bonus to
convincing him to let them go is futile because he doesn't care - he just Sneak skill checks later as they have lulled the barbarian guards into
wants Roman blood spilled. complacency. Let the players come up with whatever plans they want
for their rescue of Cyrene and escape from the encampment. The sim-
The Barbarian Encampment: While they are awaiting their plest plan would be to sneak into Verisgoth's tent, slit his throat,
execution, let the characters observe the layout of the camp if they recover their gear, and flee under the cover of darkness hoping that the
think to do so. It'd be unrealistic to think that the characters would resulting chaos delays pursuit long enough. Remember any bonuses
accept their fates so easily, and escape for Cyrene and themselves the characters may have earned, or you may rule that the barbarians
should be on their minds. The encampment is in a large woodland have been drinking heavily and suffer a -1 on all skill checks.
clearing. There are only a few tents, Verisgoth's and three others.
There is a small clump of trees used as hitching posts for five horses Heading Towards Confrontation: Hopefully all of the
on the other side of the camp. Most men appear to sleep on the ground. characters escape. Cyrene insists that the only course of action they
There is a roving group of twenty men that sentry the camp but don't have left is to head to Fort Eyrie to confront the General directly, as
do so in any organised fashion while everyone else scouts, hunts or their ability to survive here with a hostile barbarian tribe is unlikely.
talks. The biggest and most noticeable feature is a large pit in the cen-
ter of the camp.

Preparing for Death: As evening draws nigh, the captives can Enraged Bear
observe several kegs being tapped and fires lit. It appears that the VIGOR 2/ Fighting 2; BLOOD 18
characters' deaths and the capture of a beautiful, important hostage Weapons: Claws (6 damage), Bite (5 damage)
will be a cause for celebration. They are led to the edge of the pit by
an armed guard of at least twelve men. Over on the other side they can
see a crude wooden cage with a large bear in it. It is roaring loudly and
Barbarian Warrior
trying to swipe its paws at the men guarding its prison. Verisgoth has VIGOR 3/ Fighting 2; BLOOD 11
a terrified looking Cyrene bound at his side. At his signal, all of the Equipment: Spear (4 damage)
PCs are pushed down into the pit. The edges are lined by over fifty
men with spears. Verisgoth laughs, throws in a sword at the end of the
pit below the bear, and orders the cage opened. Verisgoth
VIGOR 2/ Fighting 1; SCHEMING 2/ Dodge 2; BLOOD 16
Equipment: Short sword (5 damage)

11
FORT EYRIE
The Premise: The characters learn that General Activius is latrines, chopping more wood for the fires or cleaning out their
to blame for the Senator's death and the failed peace talks, and barrack block for an inspection. The characters should be kept
that he is planning on using it as an excuse to launch a new on their toes throughout, constantly distracted from the mis-
campaign against the barbarians. The characters must sneak sion at hand and in danger of having their cover blown at any
into his fortress, past the legion of guards, and battle the moment. If the characters have snuck in to the fort undetect-
General to the death to stop his evil plans! ed then they will have a harder time of it, constantly forced to
creep about and duck into tents and buildings to evade
The Setup: The characters have rescued Cyrene from the patrolling soldiers. If you want to really keep their hearts
clutches of her kidnappers and saved her from falling into the
grasp of the General. Cyrene believes that the Senator was pounding up to the end, have them be spotted as they near the
murdered in order to start an unjust war with the barbarians General's quarters and be forced to silence the sentries before
and that he must be stopped at all costs. She explains that his the alarm is raised.
men are loyal to the General, but also to Rome and the
Emperor - defeating the General would force his men to accept The Lion’s Den: Some or all of the characters should have
that the characters speak the truth. Activius' fortress is located survived to sneak into the quarters of General Activius, locat-
high atop a mountain and he is guarded by an entire legion of ed in the dead centre of Fort Eyrie. The General is there with
loyal soldiers. The characters will have to use all their wit and his honor guard of soldiers and is, of course, not in the least bit
guile to get to him without fighting their way past a thousand
men. surprised to see the characters. He will launch into a speech
about how he is acting in the best interests of Rome, how the
On the Up and Up: The journey to the fort is rather constant diplomacy and politicking is undermining the Empire
straightforward, with the characters only encountering the odd forged in war and so on. He is completely over the top and
patrol now and again. The patrols comprise one soldier per clearly deranged. Once he has finished his spiel he will wave
character but can be evaded rather easily. Fort Eyrie is aptly his honor guard to kill the characters - there is one honor guard
named - it sits on the peak of an imposing mountain, with steep for every character and this fight should be tough, maybe even
crags on all sides and the only approach a heavily guarded whittling down the characters so there are less left to fight the
roadway. The characters have two options here - they can General. Once the honor guard has been dispatched, the
enter the fort by going up the road or by climbing up the side General will shed his cloak and draw his ornate longsword and
of the mountain and sneaking in. If they choose to enter the leap to attack. The General is a tough fighter, but if he is out-
fort via the road then they will need a disguise or tongues of numbered the characters should not have too much trouble
silver - if either fails then they will be swiftly arrested and with him - they should at least win, even if it costs most of
imprisoned within the fort's jail. Suitable disguises can be eas- them their lives. Such is the way of the epic. With the General
ily obtained from any of the patrols they encounter, or from the slain his men will lay down their weapons and accept what the
countless soldiers they dispatched in any of the previous sce- characters tell them until countermanded by a replacement
narios. Alternatively the characters can approach the fort in commander. Cyrene will arrive to resume peace talks with the
secret by negotiating the treacherous crags and slopes that lead barbarians soon after and the surviving characters will be
up to the fort. VIGOUR checks are appropriate here to prevent hailed as the saviours of Rome!
an ignominious death dashed on the rocks below, or at the very
least the humiliation of dangling helpless from the side of the
cliff. Their approach up the cliff face will go unnoticed by the
fort's sentries and once at the top they can climb up and over Honor Guard
the fort walls without any difficulty. VIGOR 3/Fighting 3; BLOOD 14
Equipment: Short Sword (5 damage), Armor (3 AV)
In Disguise, in the Shadows: One way or another the
characters have gained access to the interior of the fort but that
was the easy part! They are now in a Roman encampment full
of legionares - one thousand of them to be precise, although General Lyris Vennius Activius
many are out on patrol or training in the surrounding forests. VIGOR 4/ Fighting 4; SCHEMING 3/ Dodge 2; BLOOD 16
If the characters have managed to bluff their way in disguised Equipment: Long Sword (6 damage), Armor (3 AV)
as soldiers, then they won't have to sneak about inside the fort,
but they may well have orders barked at them and be expected
to carry out the commands of the centurions - digging new

12
NAME: NAME:
OCCUPATION: OCCUPATION:
DENARI: DENARI:
Height: Weight: Age: Height: Weight: Age:
Hair: Eyes: Gender: Hair: Eyes: Gender:

VIGOR ..................... ( ) Notes: VIGOR ..................... ( ) Notes:


Archery.......................... ( ) Archery.......................... ( )
Charioteering................. ( ) Charioteering................. ( )
Drinking ........................ ( ) Drinking ........................ ( )
Fighting ......................... ( ) Fighting ......................... ( )
Running ......................... ( ) Running ......................... ( )

SPLENDOR ............ ( ) SPLENDOR ............ ( )


Disguise......................... ( ) Disguise......................... ( )
Etiquette ........................ ( ) Etiquette ........................ ( )
Performance .................. ( ) Performance .................. ( )
Seduction....................... ( ) Seduction....................... ( )

SCHEMING ........... ( ) SCHEMING ........... ( )


Con ................................ ( ) Con ................................ ( )
Dodge ............................ ( ) Dodge ............................ ( )
Ride ............................... ( ) Ride ............................... ( )
Sneak ............................. ( ) Sneak ............................. ( )

ACUMEN .............. ( ) ACUMEN .............. ( )


Knowledge .................... ( ) Knowledge .................... ( )
Language ....................... ( ) Language ....................... ( )
Philosophy..................... ( ) Philosophy..................... ( )

SPIRIT ...................... ( ) SPIRIT ...................... ( )


GUTS ........................ ( ) GUTS ........................ ( )
BLOOD ..................... ( ) BLOOD ..................... ( )
ESTEEM ................... ( ) ESTEEM ................... ( )
CHAR. PTS.............. ( ) CHAR. PTS.............. ( )

Hit 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hit 1 2 3 4 5 6
Location Head Torso L. Arm R. Arm L. Leg R. Leg Location Head Torso L. Arm R. Arm L. Leg R. Leg

AV AV

Weapons Damage Weapons Damage

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