Gift Of the

Gods By Peter Schweighofer

Get a glimpse at the Heroes of Rura-Tonga adventure collection, complete with source material for running a pulp campaign in
the South Pacific. Run this adventure outline by customizing the Any-System Key stats to your favorite game system. You can find
customization notes and guidelines for the Any-System Key at the Griffon Publishing Studio website, griffonpubstudio.com.

Episode One: Cargo Cult

March 2, 1938—After uncovering
The heroes fly to Antan Island to investigate reports of a
rumors of a cargo cult on a remote secluded tribe of natives perpetuating a cargo cult, worshiping
island 100 miles northwest of Rura- modern technology deposited here by accident and mistaken for
signs from the gods. Professor Higginbotham claims he collected
Tonga, Professor Higginbotham tales of this cargo cult from villagers on Rura-Tonga; he hires
hired us to take him out to a place Captain Sharp and his seaplane to take him to Antan Island to
he called Antan Island. He didn’t investigate. Finding the island according to Higginbotham’s
anecdotal navigational information proves surprisingly easy, and
seem to know much about the cult the characters quickly locate the native village near a small
itself, just something about lagoon on their first aerial survey of the coastline.
natives worshiping some aircraft or
meteor that crashed on the island First Contact
The heroes must make contact with the natives and convince
years ago. But he sure pinned the them to lead them into the jungle to the curious shrine to their
island’s exact location, for we cargo gods. A crowd of villagers meets them on the beach and
found it without any navigational leads them to the headman’s hut. A shaman emerges in a costume
of worn red, silky material and a conical, metal hat; he dances
problems. Now if we can just get around the heroes, waves some relic at them, then returns to
the natives to take us to their stand before them and hear their requests.
Perceptive heroes realize the villagers are typical South
guarded holy of holies…. Seas islanders who speak a dialect of the language used by natives
on Rura-Tonga. Their dwellings, however, exhibit an odd
architecture; although they’re built on stilts like native huts on
other islands, they have a round, conical form with a single
square entry near the base. Those making Hard notice rolls spot
a few more interesting things:
• The shaman’s scepter looks like an old tube or pipe taken from
some kind of engine. Likewise his conical “hat” might have
once been part of an engine cowling. Anyone touching his costume
realizes the red fabric feels like parachute silk.

Ulterior Motives
This scenario can be used with the pre-generated characters presented in the Heroes of Rura-
Tonga adventure sourcebook or with original heroes created by the players. The premise of Gift of
the Gods depends on one character with a scholarly bent convincing the others to explore rumors of
a cargo cult; this same character actually works for an intelligence service and uses the story of
anthropological investigation as a cover to retrieve information delivered to the island by allied
spies. In Heroes of Rura-Tonga Professor Higginbotham poses as an unassuming anthropologist, but
really operates as an agent for America’s Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), a perfect cover for
the action in this scenario.
 The Paranoia Pit Heroes of
Rura-Tonga

• It seems from his animated language that the shaman believes

Legends the heroes are intruders who, if they don’t leave, will rouse the
anger of the sky gods.
If the heroes can gain the shaman’s confidence, he
loosely relates the legend of how the sky gods arrived. Many • A wooden totem hangs over the entrance to the shaman’s hut;
generations ago the islanders saw a ring of lightning in the the odd arrangement of bound sticks vaguely resembles the
sky with no clouds, heard a great explosion, and saw the sky Nazi swastika.
split open. A tongue of flame fell from the sky, sending the The characters must engage in some good roleplaying and
gods crashing into the island. The villagers found their hut bargaining to convey to the shaman that they are not trespassers
in a crater; when it cooled, they opened the hut door and but pilgrims seeking the holy place where those who fell from
saw three gods inside, sleeping on their thrones. One woke the sky now dwell. They might offer trinkets, trade items,
up, raised his hand, and said one word, “Vosindvir,” before valuables, or personal gear to gain the shaman’s trust or win
his spirit returned to sleep. The natives took the hut and over the natives. The heroes could claim they heard of the
made a shrine in the mountain where the gods now rest sanctuary and wish to place offerings to honor the sky gods.
until they return at a time of the island’s greatest need. To Most peaceful efforts result in a ceremonial trip to the holy
appease the gods and ensure their loyalty, the natives have shrine. Should these efforts somehow fail, the characters could
since venerated them with ceremonies and offerings. The defeat or evade the natives, then wander off and search the
“sky gods” are actually astronauts from an alternate history, island jungle for the sanctuary on their own.
parallel earth dimension whose capsule fell through a space-
time rift and crashed on the island. Sky God Shrine
Whether the heroes accompany a delegation of visitors
(led by the shaman) or discover the site on their own, they find
the sky god shrine occupying a cave at the base of the huge mountain that rises from
the center of Antan Island.
The cave entrance was hand-hewn from the rock in an unnatural triangle shape;
some might say the portal looks vaguely like a pyramid. Those clearing clinging
jungle foliage from the sides uncover carvings on the surrounding, smoothed stone;
they depict a triangular-shaped glyph falling from the sky toward the island, and
strange, roundheaded men emerging with one arm raised. The decorations also
prominently feature the bent cross figure that resembles a Nazi swastika. A curtain
Native Shaman hangs just inside the entrance shadows to protect the interior; it matches the red
fabric the shaman wears in his costume, but sports a huge black swastika on a white
(Boss) circle in the center.
Competent Skills: Beyond the entrance lurks a simple, rough-hewn and circular cave containing a
low, conical metal craft of some kind (obviously requiring natives to carve the triangular
command ______________
entrance to get it inside). A single pressure hatch and several portholes pierce the
medical ______________ corrugated skin. The craft is a Nazi space capsule from an alternate earth where
persuade _____________ Germany becomes a world power and explores space. (It is similar in design to the
yet-to-be-constructed Apollo capsules from the American space program in the late
sleight of hand ______
1960s.) The capsule fell through an inter-dimensional rift from an alternate future
Expert Skills: earth, landed on Antan Island, and was retrieved and revered by the natives as the
intimidate ___________ vehicle used by the sky gods. The crew—three men in silvery space suits and round
helmets with reflective visors—sit in wooden thrones arrayed in front of the open
notice _______________
capsule hatch. Their space suits and the capsule itself have ominous markings the
Signature Skill: characters recognize: swastikas, the SS rune, and the labels “GDR” and “Grosser
faith ________________ Deutsches Reich” (“Greater German Empire” in German).
The natives erected a stone altar before the lifeless “sky gods” where they have
Gear:
displayed various artifacts recovered from the space capsule and other technological
scepter ______________ items they retrieved from other visitors or wrecked ships and aircraft:
conical hat __________ • A one-foot long green pressure tank with a nozzle. “Sauerstoff” (“Oxygen”) is
stenciled on the side. (Anyone who understands German realizes most of the gear has
red silk tunic _______
markings in that language.)
bag of sacred stones _
• Pistons from a small aircraft’s engine.

2
 Heroes of The Paranoia Pit
Rura-Tonga

• A bulky pistol that looks like a flare gun but actually shoots a ball of compressed
electricity (with enough energy remaining for two shots).
• A pair of busted binoculars with an Imperial Japanese Navy stamp.
• Two three-foot long aluminum tubes with timer knobs at one end; each has “Achtung!
Sprengstoff!” (“Danger! Explosives!”) stenciled along their length.
If the heroes accompanied the villagers and shaman, the holy man “speaks” for
the sky gods, interpreting responses to any questions the heroes might put to the three
corpses encased in pressure suits. He also insists they leave appropriate offerings of
technology to appease the sky gods.

Episode Two: Dead-Drop Ambush

Upon emerging from the subterranean shrine—or when the
action seems to lag—the heroes hear the sounds of aircraft engines
and machinegun fire. They catch a glimpse of a small seaplane (a
single-engine Supermarine Walrus with no national markings,
for those making a Challenging notice roll) skimming the treetops,
smoke and flames billowing from its engines. Two Japanese
fighters on its tail fire their machineguns repeatedly. A moment
later they hear the seaplane crash in the jungle less than a mile
away and watch the two fighters peel off and head out to sea.
The seaplane carries a British agent (along with the ill-fated
crew) trying to deliver secret intelligence to an American operative
he’s supposed to meet on Antan Island…Professor Higginbotham
(or his character equivalent as explained in the “Ulterior Motives”
sidebar). The British agent carries a small metal canister
containing 35mm film which, when developed, reveals a series
of informative photographs of Japanese naval installations on an
island presumably within the nearby Japanese Mandate. The heroes must escape Antan
Island while evading the Japanese and possibly rescuing the crashed seaplane crew
(and thus the secret film).
To stop the spy the Japanese navy not only sent fighters to shoot down the aircraft, Japanese Soldier
but deployed a destroyer with a small detachment of soldiers to land on the island, (Henchman)
retrieve the film, pacify the village, and detain anyone else witnessing their blunt
counterintelligence operation. The Japanese move quickly to cover several objectives Competent Skills:
on the island: dodge ________________
Village: The destroyer anchors offshore near the village, though its coverage of the endurance ____________
air and shoreline remains limited in this position. The landing party first subdues the
fight ________________
natives, rounding them up and questioning them about strangers and aircraft. Assuming
the villagers mention the heroes’ presence on the island, additional squads deploy to notice _______________
the shrine and the characters’ seaplane to detain them. survival _____________
Crash Site: A scouting party immediately sets out from the village to scour the jungle Expert Skill:
for the downed seaplane, its crew, and the sensitive film they carry. If the heroes also
shoot ________________
seek to rescue crash victims, they must hurry before Japanese soldiers arrive, search
the wreckage for the film, haul off any survivors, and burn the seaplane remains. Gear:
Sky God Shrine: The squad sent to the shrine tries to capture the heroes if discovered; Arisaka 38 rifle _____
otherwise they become intrigued by the presence of such an anomaly as a Nazi spacecraft bayonet ______________
from the future.
hand grenades ________
Heroes’ Seaplane: If the Japanese reach the Grumman seaplane before the heroes,
canteen ______________
they post a squad of soldiers to capture the characters when they return.
knapsack _____________

3

Credits
Written, Designed & Produced by
Peter Schweighofer
Photo Credits: p. 1, Library of Con-
gress, Prints & Photographs Divi-
sion, Farm Security Administration
- Office of War Information Photo-
graph Collection LC-USW3-042556-
E; p. 3, Navy Historical Center
Photographic Section NH 83011 and
NH 97761, and the author.
Gift of the Gods and Heroes of Rura-
Tonga are copyright 2008 by Peter
Schweighofer; All Rights Reserved.
Griffon
Publishing
Studio
griffonpubstudio.com
The Paranoia Pit Heroes of
Rura-Tonga
The heroes might employ several strategies to escape. They could use their resources
and those taken from the sky god shrine to distract or assault the Japanese. Their own
seaplane offers the best means of escape; if they avoid the destroyer’s anti-aircraft
guns, they stand a good chance of flying off before any Japanese aerial patrols show
up. If the heroes maintained an excellent rapport with the shaman and natives from the
beginning, they might convince them to rise up against the soldiers and help them
escape. Should the characters seek another means off the island, they could happen
upon some native outrigger canoes capable of crossing the open ocean. The arrival of
some high-level officers aboard a Japanese seaplane might offer another avenue of
escape if the heroes can commandeer the aircraft.
Further Adventures
The heroes’ mission to Antan Island opens possibilities for further adventures
related to the mysterious capsule of the “sky gods” and the secret film of Japanese
naval installations in the Pacific:
Counter-Espionage: Shortly after returning from Antan Island (and before the heroes
can develop or pass along the film to the proper authorities), a strange Japanese
gentleman arrives on Rura-Tonga as a guest of the elusive Gaston Gauthier. Though he
stays at Gauthier’s well-guarded estate, the guest makes subtle inquiries in town about
the characters’ trip to Antan Island. The heroes must evade this Japanese spy sent to
retrieve the film and eliminate the operative who took it.
Rendezvous Compromised: The heroes make arrangements to fly the film to a
rendezvous with an American naval vessel; but their meeting goes horribly wrong
when Japanese forces, who intercepted and decoded the rendezvous transmissions,
ambush the rendezvous site. The heroes and the Americans take shelter in an archipelago
of mango-choked islands inhabited by arboreal cannibal pygmies. They must evade
Japanese aircraft, destroyers, and shore patrols and find some way to escape.
Return of the Sky Gods: The heroes form an expedition to return and retrieve
technology, samples, and documentation from the mysterious space capsule and the
long-dead crew…but a team of German scientists, alerted to the find by their Japanese
allies, also travels to Antan Island with the same purpose and a ruthless willingness to
eliminate any competitors.
The Any-System Key
You can use this adventure with your favorite roleplaying game system. Just visit
the Any-System Key page at griffonpubstudio.com/NESys.html and use the guidelines
there to match descriptive gamemaster character abilities and task difficulties to
corresponding values in your preferred game. Use the customizable stat forms found
in the adventure margins to note values for character stats in your game. You’ll also
find examples of customizing stats into those of your favorite game system.
Book Your Adventure Today!
Heroes of Rura-Tonga is a pulp-era roleplaying game supplement presenting source
material outlining elements for a 1930s pulp campaign in the South Pacific and five,
full-length scenarios.
Available now at the Griffon Publishing Studio electronic storefront at
DriveThruRPG.com. Visit the studio website at griffonpubstudio.com for previews
and other support material for Heroes of Rura-Tonga.
4
Vacation in
Tropical
Pacific
Island Paradise

R URA-TONGA combines all the mystique of a tropical destination with

a secluded location, helping you put all the world’s cares behind
you. This beautiful island lies 200 miles south of the Japanese Mandate,
150 miles northeast of New Ireland, and 800 miles northeast of New
Guinea. Arrive by the monthly supply freighter or chartered flying
boat, which offer access to locations throughout the Solomon Island
The island’s beaches, jungles, and
chain and New Guinea. Pan Am clippers serve nearby New Caledonia mountains offer a tropical refuge from the
once a week, offering continuing flights to New Zealand, San Francisco, busy world.
Guam, Hawaii, Manila, and the Far East.

T HE ISLAND’S MAIN SETTLEMENT, Rura-Tonga, sits on a vast lagoon

formed from the crater of a long-dormant volcano. One of the volcano’s
ridges rises from the center of the island as the dominant peak, towering
over lush jungles and sandy, palm-shaded beaches. Although Rura-Tonga
has no automobiles or even paved roads, one can easily walk the jungle
paths to one of two native villages in half a day, or row there in a canoe
along the coast for a magnificent view of the island. The two coastal
villages, Levu and Suva, are home to the island’s small native population.
Here they live in quaint huts and wear picturesque costumes, providing
local color to tourists seeking a taste of South Pacific life. Rura-Tonga’s natives provide an authentic

V ISITORS ARRIVE at Rura-Tonga’s main dock, a small pier jutting out

into the calm lagoon waters. Floatplanes and boats from larger
ships can find safe harbor here. Occasionally a private yacht or touring
slice of island life and local custom.

sailboat make port and shelter in the lagoon. The dock leads to the
intersection of the town’s two streets, both dirt roads. Gauthier Street
follows the coastline and contains bungalows for residents, each
overlooking the lagoon. The road turns into a path and continues along
the beach to Chateau Gauthier, a luxury bungalow on a small estate,
home to Gaston Gauthier, Rura-Tonga’s most illustrious resident.

Advertisement from World Traveler Magazine, February 1938

Captain Sharp ferries visitors to and from
Rura-Tonga aboard his Grumman seaplane.
Explore A Cozy Tropical Paradise
Chateau Gauthier
M OST FOLKS arrive at the island aboard the twin-engine Grumman floatplane, the
Flying Fish, owned by Captain Sharp. He runs his charter operation from a
dockside shack with flight offices, parts storage, fuel drums, and a back bunk room.
Unless you’ve made other arrangements, Sharp’s aircraft is the only reliable means off
the island until the monthly supply freighter makes port.

Rura-Tonga
D OCK STREET leads from the pier up into town and eventually turns into a trail
heading into the jungle to the island’s two other coastal villages. Most of Rura-
Tonga’s key buildings stand at the intersection of Gauthier and Dock Streets.
Town

T HE MATILDA HOTEL, named for the stuffed kangaroo mounted over the bar, offers
drinks, meals, and lodgings to visitors. The two-story structure hosts guests in a
large dining room downstairs, complete with bar, upright piano, and a tank of tropical
fish. Upstairs rooms offer views of the lagoon and lush island foliage. The proprietress,
Sally McKinsey, also serves as Rura-Tonga’s unofficial mayor, maintaining order,
Suva spreading news, and keeping in touch with the mainland with the only wireless set on the
island. She meets every ship or plane docking in the lagoon, keeps the town’s official
records, and performs the functions of a justice of the peace when necessary. Don’t let her
sometimes brusque manner and burly stature fool you…Sally’s a friendly, rough-and-
Levu
tumble Aussie who’s glad to receive guests and offer a generous serving of hospitality.

V ISITORS can find souvenirs, travel guides, groceries, hiking supplies, and other
basic goods for purchase at the Mainland Shipping Company store. Operated by
Sally McKinsey’s brother Ian, the store fronts the company’s warehouse, which handles
most of the imports and exports for the island. A slender, more dapper counterpart to
his sister, Ian plays the friendly salesman, acting as envoy to the natives and enthusiastic
wellspring of knowledge for visitors.

T HE RURA-TONGA ANGLICAN CHURCH serves the island’s spiritual needs. Reverend

James Carlisle, a missionary from England, ministers to residents, visitors, and
natives, holding Sunday church services and visiting Levu and Suva to spread the Word
of God to the local populace. His daughter Beth assists him, maintains the church and
rectory buildings, and serves as the island’s only qualified nurse.

T HE PICTURESQUE NATIVE HUT near the dock is Chief Lautoka’s Island Souvenirs.
Formerly the headman of Suva, the jovial Lautoka opens his souvenir shack whenever
visitors come to town. He sells a wide range of hand-made tribal trinkets: tiki statues,
spears, carved drums, shields, shells, jewelry. With Ian McKinsey he serves as unofficial
liaison with the rest of the island’s native population, even if it seems he’s sold out to
Gaston Gauthier’s estate at Breezy Point Westerners. The Chief knows the history and legends of Rura-Tonga and many of the
plays host to the island’s more affluent and neighboring islands, and, for a small donation, spends hours relating them to visitors.
influential guests.
O NLY THE MOST PRIVILEGED OF VISITORS receive invitations to Gaston Gauthier’s
luxurious bungalow, Chateau Gauthier. Although only a pleasant hour’s stroll
along coastal jungle paths to the spit of land known as Breezy Point, the Frenchman’s
small contingent of mercenary bodyguards ensure unwanted
trespassers do not wander onto the estate’s grounds. Gauthier, a
Book Your French expatriate and native of the Alsace region, retired here after
Adventure Today! a successful career as a wine exporter. He visits town only on rare
occasions when his personal guests arrive or depart at the dock.
Heroes of Rura-Tonga is a pulp-era roleplaying game Gauthier politely whisks his guests off to his bungalow, adding a bit
supplement presenting source material outlining elements of mystique to the island’s tropical charm.
for a 1930s pulp campaign in the South Pacific and five,
full-length scenarios. Discover an exotic getaway
Available at the Griffon Publishing Studio electronic
storefront at DriveThruRPG.com. Visit the studio website at with the relaxing lifestyle of
griffonpubstudio.com for previews and other support material
for Heroes of Rura-Tonga.
the South Pacific islands
Ad content copyright 2008 Peter Schweighofer.
 The
Heroes of
Rura-Tonga Any-System Chapter 6: Rockets of the Rising Sun
Key
An Adaptable Stat System
By Peter Schweighofer
The Any-System Key describes character skills and task difficulties in terms that easily translate into different game systems. These
terms do not key into any one game engine, but serve as general guidelines to give readers an overall sense of how they fit within their
own game’s stat and difficulty scale. Any-System Key publications provide settings, characters, adventures, and other source material
adaptable to your favorite roleplaying game.
Character Stats
Assume characters have the average rating in most skills, with
several rated at the level of a competent professional, a few
considered expert in their field, and sometimes one signature skill
for which the character is renown.
SKILL LEVELS
Competent Skills: Displays a professional level of training
Expert Skills: Possesses specialized knowledge
Signature Skill: Ranks among the best in the world
Three character levels further describe their abilities.
Henchmen do not possess Signature skills and only have one Expert
skill. Bosses have the usual complement of skills. Masterminds
boost all their skills by one level; their Competent skills have the
same value as Expert skills normally possess, Expert skills have
values equivalent to the Signature level, and Signature skills
increase by one increment beyond their maximum game value.
CHARACTER LEVELS
Henchman: No Signature Skill, only one Expert Skill
Boss: Normal skill levels
Mastermind: Skills boosted one level, Signature Skill gains bonus
An equipment category defines a character’s possessions (or an
animal’s natural weapons) gamers can easily look up for damage,
cost, and other stats in their preferred game.
Example:
ORC (Henchman)
Competent Skills: carouse, climb, intimidate, shoot, track
Expert Skills: fight
Equipment: leather armor, short bow, sword
The Any-System Key is © 2008 Peter Schweighofer
103
Task Difficulties
Any-System Key publications use four levels to describe the
degree of difficulty for tasks undertaken by a person with professional
training and proficiency in relevant skills.
TASK DIFFICULTIES
Routine: Low chance of failure (25%).
Challenging: Moderate chance of failure (50%).
Hard: High chance of failure (75%).
Improbable: Almost certain chance of failure (99%).
Example:
The characters must leap across a chasm to reach safety. Do-
ing so successfully requires a Challenging jump roll; they have a
moderate chance of failure, but also a moderate chance of suc-
cess. If flames leaped out of the chasm, the difficulty might in-
crease to Hard; not only must they jump the chasm, but they must
withstand intense heat.
Higher Level Games
Running a setting or scenario with heroes who seem to waltz
through encounters? Simply raise the gamemaster character lev-
els and the task difficulty levels. Nothing turns Henchman-level
mooks into challenging opponents better than upgrading their Ex-
pert skill into a Signature skill.
Fits Your Favorite Games
Game character skills have different degrees of competence
defined by stats. Simply figure out which stats best represent the
levels of Competent, Expert, and Signature skills and use those
values when integrating Any-System Key material into your game.
The same applies for difficulties. Just match the Any-System
Key difficulty descriptions with the corresponding values for rat-
ing tasks in your own game.
Any-System Key
Customization to:
Skill Level Customization
Any-System Key Your System
Skill Level Skill Level
Competent
Expert
Signature
Skill Name Customization
appraise _____________________
archaeology __________________
bargain _____________________
bluff ________________________
bureaucracy _________________
business _____________________
carouse _____________________
cast magic ___________________
charm ______________________
chivalry _____________________
climb _______________________
command ____________________
cryptography _________________
dodge ______________________
drive _______________________
endurance ___________________
etiquette _____________________
excavate ____________________
faith ________________________
fight ________________________
fly _________________________
forage ______________________
forge _______________________
gunnery _____________________
Chapter 6: Rockets of the Rising Sun Heroes of
Rura-Tonga
Insert the name of your favorite roleplaying game system here.
Difficulty Customization
Any-System Key Your System
Difficulty Level Difficulty Level
Routine
Challenging
Hard
Improbable
identify magic ________________ run _________________________
intellect _____________________ seafaring ____________________
interrogate ___________________ search ______________________
intimidate ____________________ sing ________________________
investigate ___________________ shoot _______________________
joust ________________________ sleight of hand _______________
law enforcement ______________ stealth ______________________
lift _________________________ streetwise ___________________
medical _____________________ strength _____________________
navigate _____________________ survival _____________________
notice _______________________ tactics ______________________
persuade ____________________ track _______________________
photography _________________ tradecraft ____________________
pick lock ____________________ wireless _____________________
piloting _____________________ ___________________________
poetry ______________________ ___________________________
research _____________________ ___________________________
riddle _______________________ ___________________________
ride ________________________ ___________________________
Visit Griffon Publishing Studio and the Any-System Key page at
griffonpubstudio.com/NESys.html
for more examples and sample stats.
Any-System Key version 2.5, 11-17-08
104