™
A TRIFLING MATTER
Design and Writing: Brian Reeves and Tracy
Sizemore.
Additional Contributions: Deanna Gilbert, Greg
Gorden, and Darrell Hayhurst
Editing: Ron Blessing
Art Director: Aaron Acevedo, Alida Saxon
Graphic Design: Aaron Acevedo, Jason Engle
Cover: Federico Musetti
Interior Illustrations: Bad Moon Studio, Alberto
Bontempi, Talon Dunning, Alex Elykov, Bien Flores,
Gunship Revolution, Ahn Lee, Indre Lelertaviciute,
Joyce Maureira, Carly Sorge, Dimitar Spasov, Jon
Taylor,
Playtesting: Nathan Smith.
ORIGINAL DESIGN TEAM
Mythos and Game Design: Greg Gorden, Bill
Slavicsek, & Douglas Kaufman, with Ed Stark, Greg
Farshtey, Stan!, Brian Schomburg, Christopher Kubasik,
Ray Winninger, and Paul Murphy
Additional Concepts and Playtesting: Daniel Scott
Palter, Denise Palter, Jonatha Ariadne Caspian, Michael
Stern, Richard Hawran, C.J. Tramontana, Martin Wixted
Technical Assistance: Dr. Michael Fortner, Dr. George
Exner
Original Logo Design: Tom Tomita
Revised & Expanded Developers: Eric Gibson, Jim
Ogle, Gareth Michael Skarka, Nikola Vrtis, Stephen
Marsh, Talon Dunning
Original Orrorsh Design: Chris Kubasik, Greg Gorden,
Torg, The Possibility Wars, and all unique characters,
concepts, locations, and creatures are trademarks and
/ or copyrights of Ulisses Spiele. All rights reserved.
TORG ETERNITY DESIGN TEAM
Writing and Design: Shane Lacy Hensley, Darrell
Hayhurst, Markus Plötz, Deanna Gilbert, Ross Watson
Contributors: Greg Gorden, Jim Ogle, Steve Kenson,
Ed Stark, George Strayton, Henry Lopez, Aaron Pavao,
Angus Abranson, Steven Marsh, Patrick Kapera, Bill
Keyes, John Terra, James Knevitt, Jonathan Thompson,
Andy Vetromile, Joseph Wolf, Jasyn Jones
Art Director: Aaron Acevedo
Graphic Design: Aaron Acevedo, Jason Engle
Playtesting: Jimmy Macias, Michael Conn, Damien
Coltice, Michael Mingers, Michelle Hensley, Ron
Blessing, Veronica Blessing, Tracy Sizemore, Golda
Lloyd, Andrew Harvey, Dale Davies, Ed Rugolo, Scott
Walker, Darrell Brooks, Melvin Willis, James Dawsey,
Brad Rogers, Jamal Hassan, Jeremy Dawsey
ULISSES SPIELE
Administration: Christian Elsässer, Carsten Moos,
Sven Paff, Stefanie Peuser, Marlies Plötz Marketing:
Jens Ballerstädt, Philipp Jerulank, Derya Öcalan,
Katharina Wagner Publishing Team Germany: Zoe
Adamietz, Jörn Aust, Mirko Bader, Steffen Brand, Tim
Brothage, Frauke Forster, Kai Großkordt, Nikolai Hoch,
Nadine Hoffmann, Johannes Kaub, Arne Frederic Kunz,
Matthias Lück, Thomas Michalski, Jasmin Neitzel,
Markus Plötz, Nadine Schäkel, Maik Schmidt, Ulrich-
Alexander Schmidt, Alex Spohr, Jens Ullrich Publishing
Team USA: Robert Adducci, Bill Bridges, Timothy
Brown, Eric Simon, Ross Watson Distribution &
Customer Support: Florian Hering, Jan Hulverscheidt,
Thomas Schwertfeger, Saskia Steltner, Stefan Tannert
1
 INTRODUCTION 4 ACT THREE: THE CRAWLER 40
Adventure Background . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Character Death in Orrorsh . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Scene One: Monsoon Season . . . . . . . . . 41
Sensitive Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Scene Two: You Can Check In... . . . . . . . 42
Adventure Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Madness and Sanity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Act Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Scene Three: Down in the Dark . . . . . . . 44
The Nightmares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Sanjeev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Basjas (Human Form) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Crawler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Basjas (Giant Spider Form) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Scene Four: Gray Matter . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Disorderly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
ACT ONE: THE HERO OF GAEA 12 Dr. Melgrath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Scene One: Twilight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ACT FOUR: THE SPIDER’S WEB 52
Riding the Rails in Orrorsh . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Scene Two: Home Is Where the Heart Is . . 15
Scene One: None but the Dead . . . . . . . . 53
Scene Three: Peering Into the Past . . . . . . 17
Scene Two: Ascending to Kathin Gad . . . . 56
Scene Four: Village of ghosts . . . . . . . . . 18
Sylvia Morris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Scene Three: Watcher in the Walls . . . . . . 57
The Caretaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
The Making of a Nightmare . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Nathaniel Morris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Scene Four: Secrets in the Crypt . . . . . . . 61
Scene Five: The Old Well . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Scene Six: The Death of a Nightmare . . . . 22
ACT FIVE:
Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
THE VILLAGE THAT WEPT 64
ACT TWO: THE RED LADY 24 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Scene One: Dark Delta . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Scene One: The Open Window . . . . . . . . 26 Scene Two: Flood Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
The Arcane Optograph . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Scene Three: Detangling the Past . . . . . . . 69
Scene Two: If it Bleeds, it Leads . . . . . . . 28 Evil Builds on Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Kurst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Scene Three: Arachnophobia . . . . . . . . . 29
Beetle Swarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Scene Four: To Kill the Dead . . . . . . . . . 72
Undead Elephant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Scene Four: The Séance . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Chandrima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Scene Five: The Face in the Cistern . . . . . 32 Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Head Thief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Scene Six: Scratches in the Lid . . . . . . . . 34
Scene Seven: Behind the Curtain . . . . . . . 35
Scene Eight: Danse Macabre . . . . . . . . . 37
Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

2
ACT SIX: THE STEPS Scene Three: The Alchemist . . . . . . . . . . 95
OF THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN 76 Scene Four: Monster’s Ball . . . . . . . . . . 97
Navigating The Masquerade Ball . . . . . . . . 97
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Scene Five: Facing The Nightmare . . . . . . 99
Scene One: The Last Livery . . . . . . . . . . 77
Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Boons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Scene Two: Journey to Lukla . . . . . . . . . 79 THREATS AND VILLAINS 102
The Brain Fog Miasma . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Why Not Approach from the North? . . . . . . 80 Common Foes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Disembodied Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Scene Three: Gateway to Everest . . . . . . . 80 Gargoyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Scene Four: The Snow Wolf . . . . . . . . . . 82 Ghost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Snow Wolf (Full Form) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Gravespawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Haunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Scene Five: The Frozen Dead . . . . . . . . . 84 Hungry Dead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Dead Mountain Climber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Omen Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Scene Six: The Ancient Library of Monde . . 86 Orrorsh Gospog of the Third Planting . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
The Librarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Poison Spider Swarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Poppet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Shadow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
What About the Actual Summit? . . . . . . . . 89 Shadow Bat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Typical Orrorshan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
ACT SEVEN: Wolf (Orrorsh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Vampire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
THE END OF A NIGHTMARE 90
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 ORRORSH BY RAIL 108
Scene One: The New Operative . . . . . . . 91 Railroad Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
No Way Are We Going in There! . . . . . . . . 92 Terror on the Bengali Express . . . . . . . . 110
Scene Two: Making Preparations . . . . . . 93

3
 A
Trifling Matter is a seven-act adventure
that takes place in the realm of Orrorsh

INTRODUCTION
during the latter half of the first year of the
war. The events it describes are not linked to or
dependent on the outcomes of other adventures, so
Game Masters may use this scenario before or after
other adventures set in the first year, including
other Orrorsh-based adventures. The outcome
determines the high-level makeup of the Hellion
Court, the Gaunt Man’s cabal of elite Nightmares
that influence his realm from behind the scenes.
It also provides crucial information on the
necessary means to destroy Nightmares forever—
understanding their darkest secrets, speaking them
aloud to the Nightmare, and slaying them with
their True Death, all of which require equal parts
research and courage in the face of certain doom,
or eternal corruption.
By the end of the adventure, the Storm Knights are
eyewitnesses to one of the most shocking events in
the first year of the Possibility Wars: the collapse
of the cosm of Gaea, upon which Core Earth truly
becomes the Gaunt Man’s home.

ADVENTURE
BACKGROUND
No High Lord can match the Gaunt Man’s
deviousness, age, or experience. Few other than
his closest allies even know how many worlds he
has conquered. Starting with Gorhagah, his first
victory, the Gaunt Man has traveled to countless
unique cosms, colonized their worlds with his own
parasitic Gothic horror reality, transformed their
populace, slaughtered their heroes, then drained
the worlds of every last Possibility.
When finished, he leaves behind the battlefields
and the stelae and the hordes of dead, marches
his armies of horrors and followers back across
the maelstrom bridge, then collapses it to leave
the cosm a dead husk. Over the eons its World
Laws fade out, and its axioms gradually dwindle
like cooling ashes until there is nothing but a cold,
lifeless cosm populated by mindless undead.
Some 200 years ago, the Gaunt Man repeated
this process on a world called Monde. This cosm
resembled our own in many ways, but for one

4
major difference: On Monde, the French had
defeated its fiercest rivals—England, Italy, and
Spain—so thoroughly during the Middle Ages that
they enjoyed the benefit of being the sole empire to
arise in the 16th Century.
The French colonized most of their world in the
way England spread colonies globally in our own,
until there was not a continent or sea that was not
at least partially under their control.
THE DELAUNAY FAMILY
In Monde’s equivalent to North America, the French
colony eventually rebelled against their king,
establishing a new nation called Aveline. There in
1801, in the bustling port city of Champlainville,
a rope merchant named Henri DeLaunay and
his young wife, Colette, gave birth to a beautiful
daughter they named Sabathina.
She was a happy girl with bouncy, curly black
hair. She took joy in acting and singing, just like her
mother. By the time she was 10, Sabathina dreamed
of becoming a world-famous opera singer, a desire
which never truly left her, even in the dark days
awaiting her in the future.
Henri and Colette never had another child. He
traveled often for work, and his quick temper and
cold disposition cast a pall over their home.
By contrast, Colette was a warm, gentle mother.
She had a beautiful voice and would regularly sing
a gentle, little-known lullaby to Sabathina.
Like other women in Aveline, Colette wasn’t much
more in society’s eyes than a mother, homemaker,
and dutiful wife. But she always yearned for more.
She started organizing women for local political
causes, particularly women’s voting rights, which
earned her admiration among her peers but disdain
from the patriarchal society at large...and growing
wrath from her husband.
To preserve his family’s “dignity”—and his own
reputation among his peers—Henri consulted an
apothecary to secretly administer small doses of
a sedative in Colette’s food. He hoped to merely
discourage her from taxing social activity, but as
a result Colette suffered from odd memory lapses.
Henri used these as an excuse to sequester her in
the house for longer periods of time. Eventually
the drug caused Colette to develop fits of manic
CHARACTER DEATH IN
ORRORSH
The Delphi Council has their reasons for
wanting Alpha clearance agents going on this
mission. In short, they have determined that
higher-clearance Storm Knights are likely
to be less cautious, having cut their teeth on
direct conflicts in places like the Nile Empire
or Living Land, where threats are usually best
dispatched with force and bravery. Heroes
with less experience, they figure, are more
likely to move unnoticed through Orrorsh, a
realm that slaughters the bold and seduces the
confident.
This entire adventure is, above all, about
investigation. While there are moments of
combat, the heroes can expect to spend most
of their time exploring locations, gathering
information, speaking to NPCs, and deciding
how to act on their growing body of knowledge.
Characters built for battle and little else might
be at a disadvantage—for once!
Also, Orrorsh is a deadly place—its World
Laws make it so. It is harder here to Soak
damage, many of the enemies gain a bonus to
their Toughness in dim lighting, the Destiny
and Drama decks lean in favor of the forces of
darkness, the realm constantly seeks to corrupt
the good-hearted, and Nightmares refresh
Possibilities each round until their secrets are
revealed. It’s quite possible one or more of the
Storm Knights could end up dead.
Some players might understandably be
nervous to send their characters into such a
place. Remind them the only way to defeat the
Gaunt Man is to venture here to learn his secrets.
They should succeed if they remain cautious,
stick together, and focus on smart card play
and teamwork. After all, anyone who has faced
a T-Rex, Ayslish dragon, or Tharkoldu knows
Orrorsh isn’t the only dangerous realm!
If they are still reticent, allow them to make
or choose new Alpha clearance characters and
leave their more seasoned characters at home.
5

SENSITIVE TOPICS
The nature of horror means it often deals with
and exposes difficult topics. This adventure
contains scenes and themes that include
child abuse, body horror, captivity, mental
illness, suicide, depravity, cold-blooded
murder, disease, and so on, which might be
upsetting or distressing to some players. Also
those with a phobia of spiders might have
an especially difficult time with some of the
encounters in this adventure.
A successful Torg Eternity session set in
Orrorsh (or in any game, for that matter)
relies on communication between the game
master and players. The well-being of the
players should take precedence over the
story, plot, or attempts at “accuracy.”
We recommend starting with a “Session
Zero” to clearly establish play styles, goals,
expectations, and boundaries. Techniques
such as “Lines and Veils” or the “X-Card”
(created by John Stavropolous) allow players
and game masters to set personal boundaries
and communicate their comfort levels in a
socially safe manner. We also recommend
ending with an after-session check-in to make
sure all players feel okay to continue or need
to revisit the group’s boundaries, especially
after sessions which include particularly
troubling scenes.
The Torg Eternity Session Zero document,
available for free at the Ulisses Spiele website,
contains helpful guides for establishing safe
play for all involved, with tips and suggestions
for navigating potentially upsetting themes
from every realm in Torg Eternity.
The key is to make sure everyone at the
table feels safe, supported, and comfortable
during every session. If a player expresses
discomfort, they should be under no pressure
to explain or justify their feelings.
6
confusion, leading Henri to confine her to the attic
permanently “for her own good.”
After a year of this isolation, Sabathina’s mother
finally committed suicide by throwing herself from
the window. Sabathina was 14 years old.
THE ASYLUM
Over the next couple of years, Sabathina became
strong-willed and rebellious, following in the
footsteps of her mother and the values she held
dear. Her father would have none of it and arranged
to have her committed, under similar claims as
those of his deceased wife: that she suffering from
“hysteria.”
Unspeakable torments awaited her at the hands
of Dr. Melgrath, the director of the Sanatorium
Nouvelles Bénédictions. His experimental treatments
increasingly bordered on torture. For three years
Sabathina suffered under his “care.”
During this time, Monde became the Gaunt Man’s
new target.
Monde’s axioms were similar enough to those
the Gaunt Man brought with him that the changes
were subtle, at first. Dr. Melgrath became worse,
if that were possible, and despair washed over all
of Aveline as rumors spread of unkillable night
creatures, the dead rising, and other horrors.
Corruption grew in Sabathina’s heart, borne from
her lifetime of ill treatment and magnified by the
World Laws of this new reality. From her room in the
isolation ward, she gradually discovered she had
a strange control over the many spiders dwelling
there. One night she summoned thousands of them
and used this tiny army to escape.
A NIGHTMARE IS BORN
Sabathina spent a few months getting by in the
big city, working various schemes to improve her
situation, but never once contemplating going
home. She wanted her father to believe she was
dead. Before long, she caught the attentions of a
young accountant, Lucas Bouchard, and they were
soon married.
But happiness would again elude Sabathina. While
riding through the forest on their way home from
their wedding, a vampire attacked their carriage.
The vampire seized Lucas and drained him of blood
while Sabathina lay trapped beneath the toppled
carriage, gradually being crushed. In desperation,
she once more called on her long-dormant ability
to summon spiders. A carpet of them flooded out
of the trees to devour the screaming vampire.
However, now her boon became a curse, for her
indelible link to the spiders she controlled caused
her to become a vampire herself.
For the next ten years she grew in power until she
was the most powerful of her kind on Monde. Her
unique affinity to spiders instead of bats caught the
attention of the Gaunt Man, who arranged to help
her gain more power. When Monde finally fell to
the darkness fifteen years later, Sabathina had risen
to become one of the Gaunt Man’s most powerful
Nightmares.
She had one last request of the Gaunt Man: spare
her father. By this point Henri had lost his fortune
and was reduced to grave robbing. Sabathina spun
him in her preserving threads and for all the long
centuries since, has kept him artificially alive,
moving him from cosm to cosm as she traveled
with the Gaunt Man as part of his Hellion Court.
This act, and her relentless torture of his undying
body over the centuries, is what finally made what
little was left of “Sabathina” fall away.
She forgot her original name and became “Basjas,”
a word from one of the Gaunt Man’s conquered
worlds.
It’s meaning? “She of the Undying Thirst”.
ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS
A Trifling Matter opens with the heroes being
summoned to a meeting with Quinn Sebastian for
a special mission: learn how to kill a Nightmare,
“undying” members of the Gaunt Man’s legion.
The target is “The Red Lady,” a bloody specter
hunting the foggy streets of Mumbai.
Only one man is known to have killed a Nightmare,
a Gaean named Nathaniel Morris. The first step on
their mission is to find Nathaniel in Kolkata and
learn his secret. There they discover Nathaniel
was consumed by the act of destroying the Black
Dog, a Nightmare which plagued Gaea. He has
become a dark spirit. The only way to destroy him
is to piece together his own dark secrets. Working
with his own daughter, the team seeks out clues
to Nathaniel’s dark past and destroy him, thus
learning the method they’ll have to employ to bring
a permanent end to the Red Lady.
Traveling to Mumbai, the team gathers clues as to
the identity of the Red Lady, learning more about
the full scope of her reign of terror. At last they
determine she is actually a vampire who by night
acts in a “Grand Guignol” theater in the city under
the name Lady Basjas. They gather clues which
point to places around India where they may learn
more about her—crucial information they’ll need
to succeed in their deadly mission.
They may approach all but the final act in any
order they wish. Following their trail of clues,
they journey to an asylum currently run by the
nefarious doctor who once tormented Basjas when
she was a girl. They also invade Basjas’ manor
home high up in the mountains, contending with
zombies, phantoms, and her spawn in the process.
In another act, they seek out one of Lady Basjas’
former suitors in his home deep in the Ganges
delta, dealing along the way with a cursed spirit
which traps them in the flooded village. And in yet
another act they must undertake a perilous mission
up the slopes of Mount Everest to a Ravagon-
guarded repository of Gaean lore in search of a link
to Basjas’ past.
The adventure culminates in the heroes infiltrating
a masquerade ball hosted by the Gaunt Man
himself to learn Basjas’ “True Death,” followed by
a tense pursuit through the night streets of Mumbai
to finally catch and slay the vampiress for good.
During this exciting conclusion they also witness
the collapse of Gaea and the next terrifying chapter
in the Gaunt Man’s plans for Core Earth!
ACT TIMING
Act One takes the characters to Kolkata in search
of Nathaniel Morris and the knowledge he took
to the grave. In Act Two they investigate leads in
Mumbai to learn the identity of the Red Lady. Acts
Three, Four, Five, and Six may be played in any
order the players wish, based on location clues
they discovered in Act Two. Then they return to
Mumbai in the Act Seven finale to confront Basjas
and permanently destroy her.
7
 As a vampire, Basjas has most of the classical
THE NIGHTMARES weaknesses of her kind: allergy to sunlight,
During their mission, the Storm Knights must aversion to garlic, and loathing of holy symbols.
contend with two main Nightmares­—one they are But her vampiric affinity is to spiders, rather than
pursuing, and one pursuing them! bats. Her “purest” form is that of a huge spider,
but her vanity causes her to strongly favor her
LADY BASJAS human appearance. Just as vampires may turn
into mist, Basjas may turn into a swarm of spiders.
As a member of the Hellion Court, Lady Basjas In this form she is much weaker—use the Poison
(pronounced ba-ZHA; rhymes with Rajah) is the Spider Swarm profile on page 105, but retain her
most powerful Nightmare from Monde, one of the Possibilities. She scatters to reform later if Defeated.
Gaunt Man’s drained worlds in which France was
the greatest colonial power instead of England. Most of the time, Basjas appears as a beautiful
woman in her 30s. She has dark curly hair, fair
She was born 200 years ago as Sabathina DeLaunay. skin, a heart-shaped face, and captivating eyes. She
Her father imprisoned her mother in the prefers high fashion of the style common
attic on false pretenses, leading her in Orrorsh—fancy dresses, large
mother to kill herself. When hats, and parasols—with spider-
Sabathina became a rebellious or web-like embellishments.
teen, her father had her Around her neck is a fine
committed in an asylum chain bearing a ruby, a
run by the demented wedding gift from her
Dr. Melgrath. There, long-dead husband.
she learned how to
control spiders and Basjas’ mission for
used that ability to the Gaunt man is to
escape. do nothing more
than she would do
By that point naturally: inspire
her world had just enough hope
been invaded by with her beautiful
the Gaunt Man performances to
and his horrors. bring the horrors
Sabathina got of Orrorsh into
married, but when focus, and then
her husband was subvert that
slain by a vampire, hope by using
she summoned her “other talents”
spiders to slay to spread all-
the fiend, thereby consuming fear,
becoming a vampire corruption, and
herself. death.
Sabathina took the Her personal goals are
name “Basjas” and went less clear-cut. She barely
on to become a powerful remembers the details of
Nightmare, traveling with her past, but she suspects there
the Gaunt Man on his rapacious was never anything wrong with
invasions across many cosms as her mother aside from being strong-
a member of his elite Hellion
Court. BASJAS willed in an age where that was
not acceptable for women. She’s

8
positive all her mother’s other mental maladies
were to do with the horrific treatment by Basjas’
father.
As a major Nightmare, Basjas is a very powerful
and complex being who transcends the normal
bounds of reality. She was not born this way. She
was made through a series of horrific events, the
loss of key memories and people who grounded
her, and the festering corruption brought on by the
Gaunt Man and his conquest of her world.
She has several secrets, all of which need to be
discovered and communicated to Basjas herself to
bring about her True Death.
Origin: Uncover Basjas’ original identity,
Sabathina DeLaunay, and speak her name to her.
Habit: Discover Basjas’s favorite way to feed is to
target male audience members who attend one of
her shows at the Oubliette Theater and behave in a
way that shows disrespect toward her performance.
Desire: Discover Basjas yearns above all to be
adored, a desire which is linked to her love of acting,
her lost years without human contact during her
institutionalization, the loss of her mother, and her
emotionally detached father.
Link: Locate the lullaby once sung to Basjas by her
mother and sing it to her.
Token: Find Basjas’ father still alive—preserved in
an undead state through centuries of torture by his
daughter—and slay him.
True Death: The only way to permanently kill
Basjas is to bind her in the way she binds her prey,
then destroy her body with the cleansing nature of
fire. She must be enshrouded in twine or rope that
has been blessed, then her body must be burned
to ash. Unlike other vampires, a stake through the
heart or exposure to sunlight only temporarily
destroys her body, and she is formed once more a
few days later.
BASJAS (HUMAN FORM)
Attributes: Charisma 16, Dexterity 15, Mind 12,
Spirit 15, Strength 14
Skills: Beast Riding 16, dodge 18, evidence analysis
14, find 16, intimidation 18, language (French)
16, maneuver 17, persuasion 20, profession: actor
19, reality 18, scholar 15, science 13, stealth 17,
streetwise 19, survival 13, taunt 18, telepathy
16, tracking 15, trick 16, unarmed combat 18,
willpower 20.
Move: 15, Tough 14, Shock 15, Wounds 4.
Equipment: Fine clothing, parasol, ruby necklace.
Perks: Bolster, Hard to Kill, Psionic (cloud mind,
confusion, mind control), Vampire,
Possibilities: 5 (5 Refresh)
Special Abilities:
• Allergies: Sunlight causes 10+1BD damage
each round.
• Bite: Damage Strength +2 (16) against a
Grappled foe. Automatically hits the lowest
Armor value. Shock and Wounds dealt by a
bite are recovered by the vampire.
• Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes
Favored once a Vampire deals a Wound.
• Claws: Damage Strength +2 (16).
• Change Form: Basjas can change at will to
one of her several different forms. The process
takes a full round to complete, during which
she can take no actions other than to defend.
The exception is her spider swarm form which
she can assume instantly on her action.
• Cloak of Darkness: Basjas gains a bonus
to Toughness equal to the current Darkness
penalty.
• Dread: Any Standard Scene with Basjas
becomes a Dramatic Scene instead.
• Enthrall: Basjas may enthrall a single foe who
can see her with a contest of willpower or Mind.
She has a –4 penalty if the target is in a hostile
state. If she fails, she cannot enthrall that target
for the rest of the scene. She may direct his
actions until the end of the target’s next turn on
a Standard Success, for one minute on a Good
success, or until the end of the current scene
on an Outstanding Success. Commands which
drastically oppose the target’s nature, such
as harming himself or an ally, force another
contest of willpower or Mind.
• Fear: Upon first seeing Basjas as a vampire,
a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become
Very Stymied.
• Minions: Basjas may roll reality to divert any
hit to a nearby Vampire or mortal minion.
• Labyrinth of Lies: Basjas’ secrets can only be
discovered through research. Spells, miracles,
and the like simply fail. Cards used to discover
9
 her secrets are lost, but the entire team receives
a Possibility.
• Undead: Basjas is immune to poison and
other effects that require breathing, eating, or
other “living” processes.
• Wallwalker: Vampires can cling to walls and
ceilings and move at their normal rate along
such surfaces.
BASJAS (GIANT SPIDER FORM)
In this form, Basjas appears as a massive spider.
She retains all the Special Abilities of her regular
form but gains additional Shock, armor, and her
spinnerets.
Attributes: Charisma 16, Dexterity 15, Mind 12,
Spirit 15, Strength 14
Skills: Beast Riding 16, dodge 18, evidence analysis
14, find 16, intimidation 18, language (French)
16, maneuver 17, persuasion 20, profession: actor
19, reality 18, scholar 15, science 13, stealth 17,
streetwise 19, survival 13, taunt 18, telepathy
16, tracking 15, trick 16, unarmed combat 18,
willpower 20.
Move: 17, Tough 17 (3), Shock 17, Wounds 4.
Equipment: ­—
Perks: Bolster, Hard to Kill, Psionic (cloud mind,
confusion, mind control), Vampire,
Possibilities: 5 (Nightmare)
Special Abilities:
• Allergies: Sunlight causes 10+1BD damage
each round.
• Armor: Thick chitin +3.
• Bite: Strength +3 (16).
• Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes
Favored once a Vampire deals a Wound.
• Claws: Damage Strength +2 (16).
• Change Form: Basjas can change at will to
one of her several different forms. The process
takes a full round to complete, during which
she can take no actions other than to defend.
The exception is her spider swarm form which
she can assume instantly on her action.
• Cloak of Darkness: Basjas gains a bonus
to Toughness equal to the current Darkness
penalty.
• Dread: Any Standard scene with Basjas
becomes a Dramatic Scene instead.
• Enthrall: Basjas may enthrall a single foe who
10
can see her with a contest of willpower or Mind.
She has a –4 penalty if the target is in a hostile
state. If she fails, she cannot enthrall that target
for the rest of the scene. She may direct his
actions until the end of the target’s next turn on
a Standard Success, for one minute on a Good
Success, or until the end of the current scene
on an Outstanding Success. Commands which
drastically oppose the target’s nature, such
as harming himself or an ally, force another
contest of willpower or Mind.
• Fear: Upon first seeing Basjas as a vampire,
a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become
Very Stymied.
• Large: In this form Basjas is the size of a
rhinoceros. Attacks against her gain a +4 bonus.
• Minions: Basjas may roll reality to divert any
hit to a nearby Vampire or mortal minion.
• Spinnerets: Basjas can bind foes in thick silk
when she Grapples them. Restrained foes are
immobilized until cut free or they wriggle out—
Toughness 18 or a Heroic (DN 18) Dexterity test.
• Undead: Basjas is immune to poison and
other effects that require breathing, eating, or
other “living” processes.
• Wallwalker: Vampires can cling to walls and
ceilings and move at their normal rate along
such surfaces.
THE LUDOGHAST
One of the Gaunt Man’s most mysterious
Nightmares is the Ludoghast, a bizarre spirit of
regret and despair. It seeks out those who pry too
deeply into the nature of Orrorsh’s reality, never
directly targeting its foes but instead leaving a trail
of innocent victims in their wake in hopes they give
up in horror.
In this adventure, the Ludoghast is automatically
set on the Storm Knights’ trail from the beginning.
However its identity and purpose remain a mystery
until later in the adventure.
The Ludoghast was once Vahid Pasdar, a generous
Storm Knight in one of the many worlds the Gaunt
Man invaded. Discovering almost by accident that
Nightmares are always born of a troubled history,
Vahid made the connection between a Nightmare’s
darkest secrets and its True Death. He employed
this knowledge to slay countless Nightmares, Skills: Dodge 9, find 15, intimidation 16, maneuver
bringing much-needed hope to his world. 10, reality 16, stealth 15, taunt 12, trick 9, unarmed
All this ended when Vahid started researching the combat 15
Gaunt Man’s own secrets... Move: 8, Tough: 6, Shock 15, Wounds: 3.
Equipment: ­—
Confronting the hero in the narrow catacombs of Perks: —
an ossuary, the Gaunt Man offered him a brutal Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare)
choice: the Gaunt Man would immediately leave his Special Abilities:
world only if he abandoned his quest and agreed to • Chill of the Grave: Tendrils deal Damage 13
stop others from following in his tracks. Thinking against the target’s least armored location.
of the greater good he agreed—then watched in • Cloak of Darkness: The Ludoghast gains
horror as the Gaunt Man deactivated hundreds of a bonus to Toughness equal to the current
stelae and consigned nearly everyone in the world Darkness penalty.
to a fiery death. It was worth it to gain a new attack • Dread: When the Ludoghast is present, any
dog. And there would be other worlds. Standard Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene
Now bound to the Gaunt Man’s service, whatever instead.
is left of Vahid’s spirit • Fear: Upon first seeing
is the Ludoghast, the Ludoghast, a hero
following him from must test willpower or
conquest to conquest Spirit or become
to ensure the secret Very Stymied.
of the Nightmares • Manifest: The
remains Ludoghast senses
unrevealed. the location of
Origin: its next target
Discover that the with a find test
Ludoghast was against their
once human and Spirit, then
fought against manifests into
the Gaunt Man. and out of the
material world
Desire: through seams
Learn that in and cracks.
life Vahid was While ethereal
motivated by it is invisible,
altruism and service to immune to physical
the greater good. attacks except by magic
Habit: Find out that the weapons, and can pass
Ludoghast only kills those who through solid objects, though
were recently in contact with its it can still be effected by magic,
prey in order to discourage them. miracles, and psionic powers that can
True Death: The only way to destroy the affect ethereal beings.
Ludoghast forever is to trap it between two • Undead: Immune to poison and other
mirrors. effects that require breathing, eating, or other
Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 8, Mind 8, “living” processes.
Spirit 15, Strength 6
THE LUDOGHAST

11
 T
his act introduces the team to Adelaide
Morris and her daughter Sylvia from
Gaea. The two women enlist the help of

HERO OF GAEA
the Delphi Council to find Adelaide’s husband

ACT ONE: THE Nathaniel Morris, the so called “Hero of Gaea”,

who is the last surviving member of a team that
successfully accomplished the True Death of
a powerful Nightmare called the Black Dog.
The heroes’ investigation soon reveals the high
price of Nathaniel’s success was the result of an
almost unbearable decision—a terrible secret that
eventually drove him mad.

OVERVIEW
Scene One: The Storm Knights go to New Delhi
to track down the wife and daughter of Nathaniel
Morris.
Scene Two: In New Delhi, the heroes need to
locate Sylvia, Nathaniel’s daughter, who has run
away to find her father herself.
Scene Three: The heroes visit the Victorian district
office in Kolkata to investigate Nathaniel Morris’
records.
Scene Four: The heroes journey to the family’s
old home in a now-abandoned village. There
they find clues that point to an old well outside of
town, which suggest something horrible happened
there. Sylvia has followed the heroes to the village,
determined to find out the truth about her father.
Scene Five: Sylvia’s worst fears are realized when
they find her sister Annie’s body at the old well.
With Nathaniel’s secrets discovered and laid bare,
they can finally confront his ghost
Scene Six: After a confrontation with the spirit
Nathaniel Morris, he pleads with the Storm Knights
to find a way to defeat Nightmares without losing
their own soul. He also reveals Gaea’s destruction
is imminent, and Earth is next. The outcome of the
war against the Gaunt Man hangs in the balance.

SCENE ONE: TWILIGHT

Standard Scene. Core Earth Dominant Zone.
Quinn Sebastian summons the Storm Knights to
Sittwe on the coast of Myanmar. The Storm Knights
get a chance to rest, clean themselves up and are

12
treated to a delicious dinner of local Myanmar
cuisine at a Delphi Council safe house. During the
meal they are joined by Quinn Sebastian himself.
He is accompanied by a Victorian in a tweed suit
Read or paraphrase the following:
“Friends, I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve asked
you here. Why the fancy digs, the nice dinner? Well,
I want you to enjoy yourselves. Lord knows we’ve all
earned a decent meal and a nice place to sleep. But I
also want to offer you something, however small, in
exchange for what I’m about to ask of you. Now, I want
to be clear. This mission is volunteer only. I wouldn’t
have brought you here if I didn’t believe in you, and
we need good people to do it. Not necessarily the best
shooters, or the strongest fighters. Good people.”
He gestures for the man to step forward. “This here
is Sir Edwin Darrington, head of Devon House, a new
branch of the Victorian Office of Crown and Country
tasked with coordinating efforts with the Delphi
Council. We’ve been working together on this project.
I’ll turn over the floor to you, Sir Edwin.”
Edwin thanks Quinn, and shows you a black and
white photo of a woman in her thirties dressed in a
simple Victorian era dress, flanked by a light-haired
teenage girl.
“This is Adelaide Morris and her daughter, Sylvia.
They are fellow Gaeans now living in New Delhi. Mrs.
Morris has asked us for help with her husband, a man
named Nathaniel. Mr. Morris is the last surviving
member of the Light Brigade, a crack team of soldiers
who managed to hunt down and kill a major Nightmare
back in Gaea known as the Black Dog. Now, the bloody
thing’s been killed before, but it’s always come back—
haunting dark streets, killing children at night. This
time, though, it’s truly gone. It hasn’t reappeared, it
hasn’t risen from its grave. The Black Dog is dead,
permanently. We’ve taken to calling this phenomenon
‘True Death,’ and if we could understand it, and learn
how Morris and his team did it, we might be able to
get a leg up in Orrorsh.
“The problem is Nathaniel Morris has gone mad. At
least that’s what his wife tells us. He might not be the
man he once was. Still, he’s is the only living person
who has accomplished the True Death of one of these
horrific beings. If there’s even a tiny sliver of hope he
might still be in there, we have to find him. We need
those answers.
FIELD RESOURCES
Quinn Sebastian knows the Storm Knights are
facing a difficult—yet vital—mission, so he has
arranged extra resources for the operation.
First, he has coordinated with Sir Darrington
at Devon House to provide material aid when
possible to the Storm Knights. Based in Kolkata,
Devon House is a newly-formed agency of the
Victorian government tasked with studying
and destroying the horrors plaguing Orrorsh.
Its investigators and monster hunters work out
of secret offices scattered around India. Once
per act and while in a populated area (i.e. not
traveling or at a remote site) the Storm Knights
may call on a local Devon House chapter as if
playing a Connection card.
The Delphi Council has also purchased open
tickets for the Bengali Express, the most upscale
and widespread train line in the realm. These
tickets are good for travel anywhere they need
to go, or at least close enough to make the rest
of the journey by hired carriage. You can find
a lot more information on the Bengali Express
and some optional scenes in the chapter Horror
on the Bengali Express at the end of this book
Lastly, at Quinn Sebastian’s direction the
Delphi Council has cleared an Eternity Shard
for the Storm Knights’ temporary use.
SIR GREGORY’S CRUCIFIX
Cosm: Orrorsh
Possibilities: 3
Tapping Difficulty: 15
Purpose: To defeat the scourge of undeath.
Description: This book-sized gold cross once
owned by legendary Gaean monster hunter Sir
Gregory Croft is inset with red and blue gems.
Powers: Undead threats with a Spirit score of
10 or less may not willingly touch the wielder
of the crucifix, though may still use spells,
powers, or attacks that work at range.
Restrictions: The crucifix may not be used by
anyone Corruption.
13
 “And that brings me to the other half of your
assignment. Once you know how to destroy one of
these things by finding its True Death, we need you
to test that knowledge on a much greater Nightmare.”
Here the photo changes to a decapitated body lying on
a cobblestoned alleyway.
“They call her ‘the Red Lady.’ She’s been terrorizing
Mumbai for weeks, now. Nobody knows who—or
what—she is, but she stalks the streets at night. Every
man she kills is completely drained of blood, but the
strangest part is, his head is missing as well. People
in Mumbai are spooked. All this is coming at the same
time that a plague called “Black Vein” is decimating
the slums, and a rash of premature burials has
everyone on edge. We don’t know if there’s a
relationship between these things, but we need
to do what we can. Once you know how to
destroy a Nightmare with its True Death, find
the Red Lady and do whatever it takes to free
Mumbai from her grip. Whatever it takes.
“I’ve arranged a contact for you once
you’re ready to track the Red Lady, a
pair of investigators named Shackley and
Lakhavani. Look them up as soon as you
arrive in Mumbai. We’ll send you with the
address.
“Last, I would be remiss if I didn’t
offer you a rather stark warning.
Orrorsh is a terrible place. It’s
dark. It’s terrifying. Even
the strongest among us
can lose ourselves there.
It’s not a place where
you just point a gun
at threats. It’s a place
of despair and death,
and of horrors that
don’t make any sense.
We Victorians have been
fighting these devils longer
than we care to remember. Outsiders
can easily lose themselves to the ghastliness and
corruption. Be vigilant and have a stiff upper lip.
“Right! Have you any further inquiries for either
Mr. Sebastian or myself?”
It’s clear this is a high priority mission.
Both men remain for a few hours to
14
answer questions, though they don’t know much
more than has already been said. If asked why
Sebastian isn’t recruiting more experienced
Storm Knights, he levels with them.
“Let me ask you: What would you do? I could send
experienced operatives in there. Agents with bigger
muscles and bigger guns who’ve made their names
with great deeds in places like the Nile Empire or
the Living Land. Someone like that is more apt to
get killed in Orrorsh. I’d rather send in someone like
you—someone who may not have as much experience
but is more apt to think out of the box when they run
into something they don’t understand”
REQUISITIONS?
Obtaining basic requisitions is possible here
with a persuasion test, but Sebastian outright
denies any requests for more powerful
weapons, or anything indicating the Storm
Knights intent to escalate
violence. It’s not that he
doesn’t sympathize, but
Orrorsh punishes those
who seek resolution
through combat. Instead
he encourages the acquisition of
items that help them investigate and
understand their surroundings,
maybe even supplies that can
help them communicate and
curry favor with different
people.
He even encourages them to
bring something personal that
helps them feel connected to
those who are important to
them. Read or paraphrase:
“Sometimes,” he says, “a
simple photograph can remind
you of what’s really important when
you most need to be reminded. Connection
is a rare and valuable commodity in
Orrorsh—remember that friends.”
SYLVIA MORRIS
 ENTERING ORRORSH
The Storm Knights have a long way to go to get to
New Delhi, and the Delphi Council has arranged
transportation via the Bengali Express train line—
the most efficient way to travel long distances
(see Orrorsh By Rail at the end of this book).
The Bengali Express is a luxury passenger train
with sleeper cars and dining service, pulled by a
black iron, steam powered locomotive. Read or
paraphrase the following:
The train itself is transformed, a feeling of age around
it. The passenger car is hot and humid, with visible
dust particles floating in intermittent shafts of deep
yellow sunlight. People on the train generally keep to
themselves in quiet pairs or trios. Everyone seems on
edge as you board.
The sun’s brightness is somehow permanently
diminished here. While no less stiflingly hot in
the summer, the environment during the day is
characterized by diffuse, gray light with an occasional
yellow beam as the sun struggles to shine through
intermittent breaks in a seemingly permanent
formation of ominous clouds. At times, the day appears
almost as dark at night, with black clouds that seem to
come out of nowhere and blot out the sun at the worst
possible moments.
The train stinks of burning coal, and its inner walls
are covered in a film of sticky deposits from the boiler
and smoke stack. It rattles and sparks on the imperfect
train tracks as it slogs forward through a stark
landscape of Victorian style buildings transformed
into the Orrorsh reality.
During this trip, they experience the first of the
seven mini-scenes outlined in the “Terror on the
Bengali Express” section of the Orrorsh By Rail
chapter at the end of this book. These encounters are
optional but provide a chance to gain information,
gear, Possibilities, or other useful advantages. Run
the first encounter, “Visions of Death.”
SCENE TWO: HOME IS
WHERE THE HEART IS
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. New Delhi
is a large city, but its transformation has left its
inhabitants more isolated and separated than
they once were. Where once there was a bustling
life blood of cars and buses along the arteries
of its streets, now the markets are peopled by
pedestrians and rickshaws, mostly serving only
dwellings within walking distance. Though one
might see occasional petrol-powered vehicles like
horseless carriages, petrol itself is hard to get a
hold of, so many of those vehicles stand idle, or are
very limited in their range.
An electrical grid exists in parts of Delhi, but it
is unreliable and, because of its generation of DC
current, incompatible with most modern devices.
The city is a grimy place with a fine layer of soot
dusting the structures and buildings. The people
go about their business as best they can while
trying to avoid the dark shadows of back-streets
and alleys and generally steering clear of the
parts of the city the electrical grid doesn’t reach—
especially at night.
THE RUNAWAY
The Delphi council have given the heroes an
address in the city to find Adelaide, but New Delhi
is a large city, and the streets are not well labeled.
The day is already late by the time the team locates
the right place.
Adelaide Morris works as a seamstress and
launderer. She rents a small hovel in a nondescript
neighborhood of New Delhi. When the Storm
Knights catch up with her, she is distraught and
crying in her house, clutching a piece of paper in
her hands.
A Challenging (DN 12) persuasion test convinces
her to trust the heroes enough to confide in them.
Alternatively, a Hard (DN 14) find test reveals the
contents of the letter she’s holding, which says:
“Mom, I left to find dad. I’m sorry. Please don’t
worry about me. I love you. Sylvia.”
A failure on either test costs precious time, as
Adelaide’s daughter, Sylvia, ran away and is about
to depart the city on a train to Kolkata (see the
consequences of failure in Finding Sylvia below).
If the team manages to gain Adelaide’s trust, she
reveals the following:
15
 “My husband—he was hunting in Gaea for a long
time. I tried to send him word after our youngest
daughter Annie disappeared, but he was so obsessed.
He said he was on the verge of destroying that…
horrible thing. The Black Dog they called it. It was
a nightmare. Truly a nightmare. Children would
disappear, and later turn up dead. It kept happening
and it was horrible. Nathaniel said he and his team
were close to killing it. For good.
“Anyway, I guess they did it, but when he came home,
he wasn’t the same. Annie had just…disappeared.
There was no sign of her. I had to stay strong for
Sylvia—who was sick with grief. And when Nathaniel
returned, he seemed broken. He sat in a chair in our
house for weeks at a time, angry, muttering to himself,
unapproachable. He refused to talk about anything—
how he destroyed the Black Dog, our future, nothing.
He even broke out into tears several times. Sylvia and
I were beside ourselves. We didn’t know what to do. It
was horrible.
“Finally, in one of his fits of rage, he even threatened
to kill us. That’s when I knew I had to take Sylvia and
leave. So, we came here. And now my daughter has
run off to find him and bring him back. My God.
“I told her he’s gone. He might as well be dead to us,
but she wouldn’t listen!”
She breaks down into tears, clearly sick with
worry for her daughter.
FINDING SYLVIA
Sylvia believes her dad is still in the village near
Kolkata where they all used to live when this
occurred. Catching up to Sylvia before she departs
on a train requires a Dramatic Skill Resolution with
the following steps:
Step A: Although Sylvia likely plans to leave the
city by train, there are several train stations in New
Delhi, and time is of the essence. Searching Sylvia’s
room for clues requires a Standard (DN 10) find
test. Success reveals her diary and several train
schedules.
Step B: A Challenging (DN 12) evidence analysis
test reveals that Sylvia didn’t have any money, but
had a contact named Taarush, who promised to get
her on a train to Kolkata in one of the baggage cars.
16
Step C: With a successful Standard (DN 10)
streetwise test, the heroes locate Taarush. He tells
them Sylvia is already in the baggage car of a train
that’s about to leave the station.
Step D: When the Storm Knights arrive at the
station, the train is already beginning to depart.
Catching the car in time is a Hard (DN 14) strength
test. The heroes may attempt another kind of test
for this step depending on their approach (for
example, persuasion to convince someone to stop
the train) but the difficulty remains the same. If the
Storm Knights failed either test when first meeting
Adelaide, they suffer an additional –2 on this step.
Possible Setback: The heroes are barking up the
wrong tree about Sylvia’s contact, or they go to the
wrong train station, or pursue the wrong train.
Complication: Sylvia covered her tracks, traffic
causes delays, the Mumbai streets are like a maze.
Critical Problem: Unlike typical Dramatic Skill
Resolutions, failing to pass any of these Steps
during a Critical Problem means the Storm Knights
simply fail this DSR. Perhaps Sylvia’s trail goes
cold or they train left before they could catch it. In
this case, they’ll find her in Kolkata.
If the team is successful catching up to Sylvia, they
may return her to her mother (see below).
BACK AT THE MORRIS HOME
Sylvia is a short, determined sixteen-year-old who is
not at all happy to have been stopped from running
away. Though she clearly loves her mother, she’s
also convinced her father is in terrible pain.
“Something happened to him, mum!” she says. “All I
wanted to do was help. We should never have left him
alone.”
Before the heroes depart, Sylvia reluctantly
approaches one of them and offers a small, beat up
journal. With tears in her eyes, she says:
“It was my sister’s. There are missing pages. I
thought maybe you’d need it.”
She then sniffs and runs away to her room. If
asked about it, she’s inconsolable and refuses to
comment further, but her mother tells the Storm
Knights ever since her sister went missing, Sylvia
has had a kind of gift—instinctively understanding
connections between people and events that no one
else does.
If the Storm Knights don’t catch up with Sylvia,
she gives them the diary when they find her outside
Kolkata (see Scene Three below).
If they come back without her daughter, Adelaide
is beside herself with worry and pleads with the
Storm Knights to find her and bring her home.
Whether or not Sylvia made it home, Adelaide
offers a map to a small village outside of Kolkata.
“This is where we lived,” she says. “Also, there’s a
Victorian satellite office in Kolkata. They have records
on Nathaniel there. You might be able to find out more
about his work there. Maybe you can find out what
changed him?”
“Please, bring him back if you can, and if you can’t….
Maybe you can bring him peace.”
ANNIE’S DIARY
An Easy (DN 8) evidence analysis on the diary tells
the story of a troubled little girl who loved her
dad, but she expressed disappointment he didn’t
come home more often. And when he did take the
odd break from hunting the Black Dog to come
home, he seemed more and more distant and even
unfriendly toward her and the family.
A Good Success reveals Annie skirted around
the subject of her dreams. Though she couldn’t
remember much, what she could remember scared
her. She mentions she dreamed about her father,
but there are missing pages that may contain a lot
more information about it—if they can find them.
SCENE THREE: PEERING
INTO THE PAST
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Another
long and uneasy train ride deposits the heroes into
Kolkata. As they enter, in the distance, they see
the horrific maelstrom bridge Nathaniel no doubt
traveled on to get back and forth from Gaea. It’s
a terrible structure made of bones and decayed
flesh—an almost formless shadowy nightmare of
death that stretches beyond Earth’s reality and into
the realm of another world.
At this point, the heroes may visit the Victorian
Field Office, or go straight to Venkati Village. If they
go to the village first, skip to Scene Four below.
The Victorian Field Office isn’t going anywhere.
THE VICTORIAN FIELD OFFICE
Whenever they do visit the Field office, the Storm
Knights find a stern-looking woman behind a beat
up mahogany counter, gazing at them through
a pair of dusty spectacles. The woman, Grace
Stewart, runs the Kolkata office and claims to be
very busy.
Grace allows the heroes to access Nathaniel Morris’
personnel file with a Hard (DN 14) persuasion or
intimidation test. Mentioning Sir Edwin Darrington
or having a Victorian in the group grants +4 on
this test. With a Good Success or better (persuasion
only), she makes coffee for everyone, grateful to
have the company.
Poring over the records on Morris and his team,
which dubbed themselves the Light Brigade,
requires a Standard (DN 10) evidence analysis test.
On a failure they still retrieve the information, but
somehow they damage the files physically. This
upsets Grace to no end and she kicks them out of
the office, barring them from returning.
Whether they succeed or fail, the records confirm
all the Light Brigade members except Nathaniel
were either killed or went missing during the
hunt and are presumed dead. Nathaniel, being
the only surviving member after their success,
was awarded the Medal of “Grand Defender”
from the Home Office in Gaea for his efforts.
The file indicates he accepted the honor with
uncharacteristic arrogance, taking all the credit
and without a word mentioned about the rest of his
team. A note in the file characterizes his acceptance
speech as, “a travesty of dishonorable behavior.”
It goes on to say, “Nevertheless, the award stands.
It was a remarkable accomplishment.” Finally, the
file includes a portion of Nathaniel’s acceptance
speech:
“I killed the Black Dog. Only me! Only I was
prepared to do what was necessary. None of you can
possibly understand. I accept this award because I,
alone, deserve it.”
17
 On discovering this, a collective understanding
seems to wash over the Storm Knights. Each of
them understands they have found something
significant—a clue to what Nathaniel became
after his victory. The award is in fact, a curse.
To Nathaniel, it doesn’t honor him. It mocks
him. Deep down, he knows he is unworthy of it
because of a much deeper, darker secret they may
not yet have discovered (i.e. the murder of his
daughter—see Scene Four below). Regardless, just
by understanding this, they instinctively feel they
have an advantage in confronting him they didn’t
have before—particularly if they confront him
with it directly. This is one of Nathaniel’s secrets
(see The Making of a Nightmare sidebar).
A Good Success or better reveals a distinct lack
of information about the method the Light Brigade
used to destroy the Black Dog, suggesting the
Light Brigade actively avoided documenting their
methods.
If the heroes ask Grace about the medal, a
Challenging (DN 10) persuasion test (+2 on this roll
if they received a Good or better result on their
last interaction with her) gets her to lament that
Nathaniel had always been an upstanding and
kind person, but during his hunt of the Black Dog,
and especially upon returning from Gaea after
defeating it, he wasn’t the same. Being awarded
the medal just seemed to make him worse—
resentful, bitter and arrogant. She says it’s almost
as if accepting the medal itself drove the last of his
empathy and compassion away. He went home
after that, and she hasn’t seen him since.
SCENE FOUR: VILLAGE
OF GHOSTS
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. The Village
of Venkati is about thirty miles outside of Kolkata.
Based on the map provided by Adelaide, it’s not
hard to find, but once the heroes get there, they
quickly discover no people live there. The reason
why is obvious the minute the Storm Knights enter
the outskirts. Read or paraphrase:
A crippling feeling of dread and despair washes
over you as you walk down the abandoned center
street. Transformed buildings of wood seem to be
18
crumbling before they should, rotting as if eaten away
by the environment of dread itself. Wooden roofs are
blackened and deformed. Brick chimneys look melted
and blurred as if obscured by some fuzzy lens through
which your eyes must view everything.
Standing water looks black and mirror-like under a
seemingly constant cover of gray clouds. Somehow the
color of everything around you seems washed out—
almost black and white as if in an old film. The Morris
house stands at the end of a muddy road. A feeling of
what was once great, deep love, now lost, washes over
you as you walk toward it. The loss of it is palpable—a
swing set in the yard and a cheery welcome mat on the
porch, now both worn and neglected as if the warmth
of the house has been stripped away by the stink of
despair and sorrow.
If Sylvia managed to escape the Storm Knights
when she ran away, she is hiding in the village. As
they explore the village, the Storm Knights may
make a Standard (DN 10) find test. Those who are
successful see fresh intermittent footprints with a
small shoe size present in the mud. A Good Success
or better means they catch a glimpse of Sylvia
hiding behind an abandoned building. Calling
out to her with reassuring words coaxes her into
the open. An Easy (DN 8) persuasion test does it. If
they want to scare her instead, they may make the
same test with intimidation, but she’s already very
frightened, and that makes it worse.
If Sylvia was caught before she left New Delhi,
unless the Storm Knights take specific action to
prevent it, she sneaks out a second time and catches
the same train as the Storm Knights. Either way,
she likely ends up in the village.
Sylvia is determined to find her dad and try and
talk with him. She also has an eerie connection
with her sister and has been drawn here in a way
she can’t understand or explain. She doesn’t know
why, but she’s sure she’s where she needs to be. She
insists on staying with the group and seeing their
investigation through.
“Please, I have to know what happened to my dad! I
can’t explain it, but somehow I know he needs me!”
 Dust and decay hang heavy over Annie’s room, but it is largely undisturbed

is indomitable. If Sylvia spends a few hours

SYLVIA MORRIS with someone she knows well (GMs call),
Quote: “I’ll always be on your side.” that character may make a Standard (DN 10)
Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 6, Mind 8, Charisma test to gain the one-time benefit of
Spirit 11, Strength 5 halving the normal cost of increasing his or her
Skills: Dodge 6, find 9, evidence analysis 9, first Charisma stat upon advancement. She may only
aid 9, lockpicking 8, maneuver 7, persuasion 11, do this once per character.
stealth 8, streetwise 12, trick 9, willpower 12.
Move: 6; Tough: 5; Shock: 11; Wounds: —
Equipment: — THE OLD MORRIS PLACE
Perks: —
Any investigators brave enough to enter the Morris
Possibilities: None
home must make a Standard (DN 10) willpower test
Special Abilities:
to avoid being overwhelmed by fear and sadness.
• True Friend: Instinctively, Sylvia has the
Those who fail are Stymied for the entire scene, or
ability to see through the corrupting influences
until conditions change. Inside they see evidence
and jadedness of people, understanding the
the family lived here, with furniture still present
power and the difficulties of true friendship.
and decorations still on the walls. The most obvious
Her spirit and belief in those she is close to

19

THE MAKING OF A
NIGHTMARE
Nightmares don’t die, they must be researched
and understood to destroy them, but to truly
understand them can break a person’s soul.
This is what happened to Nathaniel Morris.
Nathaniel Morris was indeed a hero. Along
with the rest of the Light Brigade, he tracked
down and achieved the True Death of the Black
Dog in Gaea—a remarkable accomplishment
for sure, but it didn’t come without sacrifice.
His unhealthy obsession during his pursuit
of the Black Dog, and the creeping corruption
that slowly overtook his mind, transformed
Nathaniel. In an effort to truly understand the
Black Dog’s final secret, he murdered his own
daughter by throwing her down a well outside
the village and became what he was hunting.
Once the deed was done, the award of “Grand
Defender” only seemed to mock his self-hatred
and the bitterness of his sacrifice. Instead of
making him feel like a hero, the award stripped
away what was left of his humanity, stoking his
arrogance and corruption.
The final push came when Adelaide and Sylvia
abandoned him and left for New Delhi. It was
at that moment, when he knew all his most
beloved treasures were gone for good, that he
turned from a man into a Nightmare.
Nathaniel has two secrets (one for each of his
possibility refresh):
1) He killed his daughter Annie as a final
sacrifice. The body of his daughter, Annie must
be discovered, and her murder understood as a
condition for bringing about the True Death of
the Black Dog.
2) The “Grand Defender” medal must be
understood for what it really is to him: a symbol
of mockery. It was given for bravery, but its true
effect was to mask his shame and self-loathing
(Continued on next page)
20
piece of furniture is a well-worn old chair in the
middle of the main living area. It almost seems as
if the chair’s seat is being depressed by the weight
of someone sitting in it. The Storm Knights even
hear uneven breathing from somewhere around
the chair, but when tested, there is nothing there,
nor does the chair respond to spells, miracles, etc..
The bedrooms are similarly neglected and
abandoned, but the smallest bedroom has the same
air of dread within it as the chair in the living room.
Pictures of a young girl line the walls, and there is
a perfectly made bed in the corner. Above the bed
is torn and tattered home-made sign, made from
craft paper, glitter and glue that reads, “Your bed is
always waiting for you, Annie.”
In the master bedroom the team discovers two
crumpled scraps of paper with red mud on them.
They are the missing pages from Annie’s diary.
The diary pages tell a story of fear.“I’m scared of the
bad man. The man who used to by my daddy. I don’t
think mom or Syl know. They can’t find out cuz he’ll
get them too. I don’t know what to do.”
On the last page she says: “I had a dream last night.
It was about my daddy. It was about the bad man. He
came home. Mommy and Syl didn’t know. He covered
my mouth and carried me to the old well—the scary
one outside the village. I woke up, but there was more.
I know there was more. I can’t tell anyone, or he’ll get
them too.”
The last entry reads: “I’m scared the bad man’s going
to hurt me!”
Success on a Standard (DN 10) scholar test suggests
that Annie likely wrote these pages while she
slept—the supernatural instincts of a gifted child
with no other outlet to express her horrific fears.
Indeed, just reading them conjures up auditory
hallucinations of Annie’s voice saying the words
on the page in quiet terror.
It may take time for the Storm Knights to realize
Nathaniel has become a Nightmare himself.
Once Adelaide and Sylvia left him, he killed the
remaining inhabitants of the entire village. His very
presence is why the village has the air of dread it
does. In attempting to learn more about Nathaniel,
the heroes are discovering for themselves exactly
how to hunt a Nightmare, along with the sacrifices
required of those who want to destroy it. Reward
the players with Possibilities for this discovery as
they make it and guide them with this objective in
mind.
SCENE FIVE: THE OLD
WELL
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. No roll is
required to find the old well on the outskirts of the
village. All they need do is follow the feeling of
dread.
As you approach a crumbled, neglected brick well,
long dry and abandoned, the mud under your feet
shifts into an orange red color, matching that of the
mud on the two diary pages. The area around the well
is humid, and the atmosphere is almost blurry—with
sunlight unable to fully penetrate the area surrounding
it, placing the well into a semi-permanent shroud of
gray.
If no one has told Sylvia about what her father
might have done, she timidly asks what they are
doing there—but the tears in her eyes suggest
she instinctively knows. If she has been told, she
is somehow sure she needs to be there, and she
demonstrates remarkable bravery while doing her
best to stay out of the heroes’ way.
Once in sight of the crumbling brick mouth of the
well, long since abandoned, the air above it almost
seems to shimmer, and a swarm of what seem to be
flying, bat-like shadows floods out of the well and
converges on the heroes.
• Shadow Bats (3 per Storm Knight): See page
106.
ECHOES OF THE PAST
Once the shadow bats are dealt with, the Storm
Knights hear voices echoing faintly from the
bottom of the well. They instinctively know this
happened in the past.
“No daddy! Please, no! I’m scared daddy!”
“Forgive me, baby… I’m so sorry. It’s the only way
to win,” a man’s voice says. “God help me.”
“Daddy! No!” Annie screams, and then… silence.
Sylvia hears this too and begins to silently cry, but
she insists on seeing this through.
THE MAKING OF A
NIGHTMARE (CONT’D.)
True Death: Nathaniel’s True Death can only
occur after a family member learns the truth
of what happened to his daughter Annie.
NATHANIEL MORRIS
Nathaniel appears as a hazy, skeletal figure
cloaked in wisps of shadow. He still wears his
old service hat, and his medal of honor hangs
on his spectral chest.
Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 11, Mind
10, Spirit 11, Strength 12
Skills: Dodge 12, find 12, intimidation 15,
maneuver 12, melee weapons 13, reality 12,
stealth 12, survival 11, tracking 12, taunt 6,
trick 11, unarmed combat 13, willpower 13.
Move: 11; Tough: 12; Shock: 11; Wounds: 3
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: 2 (Nightmare)
Special Abilities:
• Bite/Claw: Strength +2 (14).
• Cloak of Darkness: Nathaniel gains a
bonus to Toughness equal to the current
Darkness penalty.
• Dread: While Nathaniel is present, a
Standard Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene
instead.
• Fear: Upon first seeing Nathaniel, a hero
must test willpower or Spirit or become
Very Stymied.
• Insidious: Discard a Destiny card
from each target’s pool when Nathaniel
succeeds at an Approved Action.
• Shadow-Walk: Nathaniel can travel
between shadows within 30 meters of one
another as though they were connected.
• Undead: Nathaniel is immune to poison
and other effects that require breathing,
eating, or other “living” processes.
21
 Getting down the well is not a simple matter. It’s
a tight space and requires some ingenuity. With
a Standard (DN 10) survival, science, or similar
test, depending on their approach, the heroes can
successfully jury-rig something to lower one of
them down. Failure results in the climber falling
down the well, which deals 10+1BD damage (or
10+2BD on a Mishap).
At the bottom they find what they already suspect
is there: Annie’s little body, still dressed in her
nightgown—cold, silent, and dead.
Upon seeing her, all present in the vicinity of
the well must make a Spirit or willpower test. Just
knowing the truth and seeing it in front of them
risks them becoming jaded and hardened. Failure
results in the Storm Knight taking Fatigue which
does not fade until the end of the Act., a
result of the dark truth worming its way
into their heart.
Either way, once the moment of
understanding and acceptance of the
truth passes, the stifling oppression
of despair surrounding the well
is suddenly lifted. If it’s daytime,
a tight beam of bright sunlight
penetrates the clouds, shining into
the well before it broadens into the
surrounding area—a rare feeling
of hope. At night, the moon
comes out instead. A great weight
has somehow been lifted, and
although the heroes may not fully
understand it, they instinctively
know the significance of their
discovery. They have unlocked
one of Nathaniel’s secrets.
If Sylvia is with them, both
she and the Storm Knights
now know why she needed
to see this as well—why
she needed to know what
happened. His True Death
condition is revealed. If
NATHANIEL
MORRIS
22
she’s not with them, the Storm Knights know they
won’t be able to permanently destroy him until
either she or Adelaide know the truth.
Back toward the village, there is a cry of anguish—
the cry of a man in a voice that’s amplified and
distorted. It’s Nathaniel Morris. Sylvia immediately
tries to take off toward the voice to confront her
father if the Storm Knights aren’t keeping an eye
on her.
SCENE SIX: THE DEATH
OF A NIGHTMARE
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Discovering
Annie’s body summons Nathaniel.
Although it takes a few minutes for him
to arrive, he is in full pursuit of the Storm
Knights. Depending on their actions, the
heroes meet him somewhere close to the
old well, on a muddy field outside the
village, or in the village itself.
Nathaniel is no longer human.
His sacrifices to defeat the Black
Dog and the deeds he’s done
have deformed and transformed
him into a gnarled shadow
of his former self—literally.
Nathaniel exists only partially
in the corporeal plane. That
was him sitting in the chair in his
house, breathing yet dormant.
At will, Nathaniel may become
solid and visible, and he uses
claws and teeth to rip and rend
the flesh of his victims. He
moves very quickly from
shadow to shadow, seemingly
ignoring the physics of human
movement.
He also brandishes his
“Great Defender” award
on his chest—a gleaming,
decadent symbol of his
ultimate hypocrisy—a
hero, but at a terrible
price.
 The heroes may try to avoid fighting him, in
which case the conflict turns into a Chase using
Dexterity, giving Nathaniel a +2 bonus for relative
speed (see Torg Eternity). If they fight, he begins
with two Possibilities and automatically refreshes
those Possibilities every round (his refresh) until
one or more of his secrets have been discovered,
those who know about them are in his presence,
and they confront him with them during the fight.
All three of those conditions must be met to reduce
Nathaniel’s refresh.
If Sylvia (or her mother) somehow doesn’t know
what her father did, Nathaniel can’t be killed as his
final True Death condition will not have been met.
Sylvia’s entire reason for coming out here was to
fulfill this condition, even though, consciously, she
didn’t know it—such was the singular connection
she had to her sister.
Unless his True Death secrets are known,
understood, and communicated to him sometime
during the fight, Nathaniel may be defeated, but
he returns sometime, somehow in the future.
Regardless, Nathaniel reveals hints about his past
and what he knows during the fight.
“Defeating evil comes at a terrible price. It’s only
a matter of time before you will truly suffer for your
heroism just like I did.”
“I am the Great Defender of Gaea!” he says, pointing
to the medal on his chest “I alone defeated the Black
Dog! Only I alone could make the sacrifices required!”
“Gaea is doomed. Gaea is about to fall, just like all
the other worlds the Gaunt Man has conquered. Earth
will become Orrorsh, and there’s nothing anyone can
do about it.“
If the heroes do achieve Nathaniel’s True Death,
after the killing blow is struck and before he dies,
Nathaniel remembers. He understands. He’s who
he used to be for just a moment. He grieves over
the loss of his daughter and begs the forgiveness
of Sylvia if she is present—which she bravely gives
him. He cries over the decimation he wrought on
his family, but in a moment of clarity before he
expires, he says to the Storm Knights:
“Don’t become me. You must find another way. I
destroyed the Black Dog, and yet I became like the Black
Dog. Don’t you understand? Even when the Gaunt
Man loses…he wins. Promise me. For my daughter,
for the sake of the world, you must find another way
to win! The Victorians…they were wrong. We were
wrong. We aren’t your saviors. We’re the instruments
of your downfall.”
• Nathaniel Morris: See page 21.
AFTERMATH
If Nathaniel has not met his final end, the heroes
should now have a good idea why, since the
confrontation with Nathaniel reveals at least one
hint about his secrets they might have missed.
If Nathaniel has met his True Death, the Storm
Knights now understand what it means to hunt a
Nightmare and destroy it. Nathaniel himself was a
minor Nightmare. There are far worse Nightmares
out there with many more corrupting secrets to
discover—Nightmares that beget Nightmares, just
like the Black Dog.
Sylvia is quiet after Nathaniel’s defeat, but is
now more visibly at peace than they have seen
her previously. She thanks the heroes for bringing
her sister peace, but it’s clear, while she is certainly
wiser than she was and formidable in her own way,
she may have tasted a bit of the corruption her
dad succumbed to herself. She obediently agrees
to go back home on the train, but just before she
leaves them, she looks at the Storm Knights with a
sobering air of understanding. Read or paraphrase
the following:
“Hey. I know this may sound dumb but, if you need
me, you know where to find me. If, you know, I can
help? We’re in this together, aren’t we? Us? The good
guys?”
Her eyes flash with fleeting hope before a tear rolls
down her cheek, and she says, “I believe in you; I
always will.”
Heroes may make an Easy (DN 8) reality test. A
success gives them a feeling of belief in her as well.
Sylvia is different. Somehow the heroes know. She
is a valuable ally, though her true value may not
yet be understood.
23
 I
n this lengthy act, the heroes begin their
assignment to put a stop to the “Red Lady,”
a mysterious figure terrorizing the streets of
Mumbai. Gradually their inquiries capture the
attention of the titular vampire, culminating in a
dangerous encounter—and the knowledge they’ll
need to seek out her darkest secrets and her True
Death!

THE RED LADY

Like all mysteries, the Storm Knights begin this
act with only a few sparse clues, and must use
their skills in deduction, inquiry, and observation
to make connections. Any clue which is vital to
progressing the plot comes easily to the Storm
ACT TWO:
Knights—as long as they know where to look.
Optional clues are a little harder to spot.
Along the way they learn more about the terror
gripping Mumbai, including the link between
Basjas and her spawn, but by the end of this act,
the Storm Knights must learn the following:
• Basjas, an actress from the Oubliette Theater, is
the “Red Lady” behind all the murders. She is a
vampire and the Horror they must destroy.
• She only targets men who attended one of her
performances that evening—this is her “Habit,”
one of the five secrets they’ll need to learn by the
end of the adventure if they hope to destroy her.
• There are several locations scattered around India
which might hold additional clues: A castle in the
Eastern Ghats mountains which is her true home,
an asylum near Agra which is somehow connected
to her past, a strange monastery in the Himalayas
which serves as a repository of knowledge from
dead cosms, and a remote village in Bangladesh
where one of her enemies fled. These places are
explored in future acts to learn additional secrets.
It’s best to be up-front about the significance
of a clue when the heroes find it. If the heroes
don’t seem to recognize the value of a piece of
information, especially if it pertains to the three
crucial discoveries in this act (Basjas’ identity, her
“habit” secret, and the links to other locations), be
sure to inform them directly. The Storm Knights
have an profound moment of clarity and know
they’ve found something important.
If the players somehow bypass scenes intended to
present those clues, be sure to find other ways of
getting the above information to the players.

24
 The Red Lady pursues her latest victim through the foggy streets of Mumbai
OVERVIEW
Scene One: The Storm Knights travel to Mumbai,
where they discover one of their local Delphi
contacts has been bizarrely murdered.
Scene Two: In this optional scene, the Storm
Knights seek information at a local newspaper, and
are marked for a horrible death.
Scene Three: Another optional scene. The heroes
find a specialist in insects who can help them learn
more about a peculiar spider.
Scene Four: Optional scene. The Storm Knights’
contact arranges a séance to seek information from
one of the deceased victims of the Red Lady.
Scene Five: Optional scene. Looking into a
possible connection with a blood disease, the
heroes encounter the horrific creature poisoning
people in a Mumbai slum.
Scene Six: In this final optional scene, the Storm
Knights look into reports of premature burials and
witness one for themselves.
Scene Seven: When they have enough clues,
they investigate a bizarre morbid playhouse that
is somehow connected to the murders and finally
come in contact with their prey.
Scene Eight: Tracking Basjas leads the Storm
Knights to her secret-filled apartment, then down
into her deadly basement lair.
25

SCENE ONE: THE OPEN
WINDOW
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. The Storm
Knights travel to Mumbai, where they are to begin
their investigations. If you are using the optional
encounters in Orrorsh By Rail, insert “The Veiled
Woman” here.
When the heroes finally arrive in Mumbai, read or
paraphrase the following:
Mumbai is a stark contrast to the small village of
Venkati. This truly massive city of nearly 20 million
people steams in the tropical heat of the afternoon
along the edge of the Arabian sea coastline. Where
once stood skyscrapers, now her transformed wooden
edifices vanish into the perpetual haze from a thousand
smoking chimneys, coal-burning engines, cooking
meats, and burning rubbish piles. Looming over
everything is the twisted, towering maelstrom bridge,
which rises from the wooded hills of Sanjay Gandhi
National Park many miles north of the city. By day, the
streets are packed with pedestrians weaving between
a near-constant stream of horse-drawn carriages.
Victorians hustle here and there in top hats or high-
necked dresses, intermingling with Indians in more
traditional clothing. The air is redolent with the scent
of cooked food, horse dung, and coal smoke.
Beneath the veneer of frantic modernity is a sinister
sensation, as though someone—or something—is
peering at you from every dark window or narrow
alley. The sun is a frail disc, barely able to penetrate
the haze clinging to the city. The residents walk with a
nervous glance behind them, as though they expect to
see phantoms reaching for them with clammy fingers.
They have good reason for their paranoia. Mumbai
is gripped in the terror of a strange blood disease
spreading in the crowded slums, and growing reports
of premature burials splash across the headlines of the
lurid newspapers. All this comes as the mysterious
“Red Lady” hunts the city by night. Quinn wants you
to find the Red Lady’s True Death and then destroy
her, before it is too late for Mumbai.
Quinn Sebastian gave you the address to the office of
a pair of private investigators in the city, “Shackley
& Lakhavani,” with instructions to rendezvous with
them to see what they can tell you about the murders.
26
You locate the three-story building on a quiet cross
street in the Byculla East neighborhood. As you knock
on the door to announce yourself, you discover the
door is unlatched.
The main office occupies the ground floor, with
a small library and living quarters for Herbert
Shackley on the second floor, and a largely unused
storage area on the top floor. His partner, Radhika
Lakhavani, lives elsewhere. Nobody answers the
door, and the building is quiet.
The office on the ground floor is a well-appointed
main room with a large fireplace, tiger skin rug, and
two heavy oak desks upon which are a profusion
of notes, none of which are any interest to the
Storm Knights. Stairs near the front door lead up
an upper landing where a door stands ominously
ajar. Something feels terribly wrong.
A GRISLY DISCOVERY
Inside the library is the body of Herbert Shackley,
his body contorted in pain and horror, dead eyes
seeming to gaze at the heroes as they enter!
The open second-story window looks down on
a narrow alley. There are no signs of forced entry
or footprints, but the office has been ransacked.
Hidden in his pocket is a spool of silver thread. The
heroes instinctively know the thread is a vital clue
of some sort, though what they cannot say.
An Easy (DN 8) medicine or evidence analysis test
reveals two small puncture wounds in his neck and
that his body has been drained of blood. A Good
result also indicates he has been dead for about 12
hours, and on an Outstanding result the examiner
discovers a coin-sized spider egg sac in the back
of his throat containing a pale embryonic spider
about the size of communion wafer.
Unknown to the Storm Knights, this is the egg sac
of a “head thief,” one of Basjas’ hideous spawn.
They are described in greater detail on page 33.
Shackley ran afoul of Basjas due to his investigation
into the Red Lady rumors. He did not attend a
show at the Oubliette Theatre to get her attention.
By that point his research had turned up clues as to
her True Death (despite not yet knowing her actual
identity). Unfortunately, Basjas scoured his office
for any useful research the heroes might have used.
 MEETING RADHIKA Immediately, a blurry image appears on the far wall.
It shows a woman with curly black hair and a red dress
Moments later, Radhika Lakhavani arrives at
seeming to hover outside the night-darkened window.
the office. She wails in horror at the sight of her
Shackley’s hands appear in the image as he appears
dead associate, and it takes some time to calm her
to willingly open the latch. The woman leaps on him
enough for her to explain he was alive and well last
and he falls onto his back. The last thing you see is the
night when she left. He had been poring over his
woman looming over Shackley’s head, her curly black
notes on The Red Lady in anticipation of the arrival
locks framing a pale face and fanged mouth.
of the Storm Knights. Alas, those notes are missing!
Radhika tells the heroes everything she knows.
• The Red Lady: The appellation “The Red
Lady” is based on sightings of a beautiful
THE ARCANE
woman with ebony hair and pale skin gliding OPTOGRAPH
silently through dense fog. Her mouth and red
Cosm: Orrorsh
dress are soaked in blood, hence the nickname.
Possibilities: 3
• Beheadings: The last two months have seen
a dozen seemingly-random beheadings. Every Tapping Difficulty: 15
victim so far has been male. Men across the Purpose: To communicate with the dead.
city live in terror of being next, though so far
Description: The optograph is a tripod-
the murders are localized to South Mumbai.
mounted camera and projector that swivels out
In fact, there was one just yesterday in an
on a velvet accordion. It can be collapsed into a
alley not far from here. Like the rest of the city,
small portable box when not in use.
Radhika suspects the Red Lady is behind the
beheadings, though she has no solid evidence. Powers: If the optograph is placed over the
eyes of a person who has been deceased less
• Blood Disease: Mostly confined to slums and
than 24 hours, it can project a moving image of
other impoverished areas, this weird disease
the everything the victim saw in the last minute
has doctors baffled. It has only been observed
before her death. Since it uses local spiritual
in the last two months, but during that time the
energy it needs no power source.
numbers are growing exponentially. Those who
contract the disease undergo several phases, Restrictions: The optograph’s Possibilities may
from lethargy to hyperphagia, then finally only be used on Mind or Mind-based skills.
wither away and die. Radhika doesn’t see a
connection to the Red Lady or beheadings.
• Premature Burials: Radhika knows little
about these, and is sure they’re nothing more
than sensationalistic falsehoods peddled by
the tabloids, but apparently there have been a
rise in premature burials over the last couple
of months, with reports of knocking sounds
under graveyards and bodies climbing off
funeral pyres.

THE ARCANE OPTOGRAPH

Radhika has an Eternity Shard which projects the
image of the last thing a deceased person saw. If
they want to use this machine, the heroes need to
do so quickly because Radhika needs to report the
murder to the authorities. Read or paraphrase:

27
 Radhika has no doubt this was the Red Lady,
but has no particular idea why she would have
attacked Shackley inside his own home. If the
Storm Knights express an interest in the Arcane
Optograph, Radhika allows them to keep it for
their mission.
REPORTING THE CRIME
When the Storm Knights are satisfied they’ve
searched the crime scene and body thoroughly,
Radhika fetches the constable. Before long,
investigators come to take statements, photograph
the room, and haul away the body.
The lead investigator is Inspector Gopal Stanway.
If the heroes are present, Stanway is immediately
suspicious of them and takes the chance to grill
them as potential suspects. He is also troubled by
the mysteries in Mumbai.
Depending on the heroes’ actions during this act,
Stanway could end up being a significant recurring
character. Should their activities around Mumbai
cause them to interact with the police again,
Stanway might decide to pursue the heroes—or
become a valuable ally!
Now, working with their clues and leads, the
team must track down new information. Scenes
Two through Six describe these encounters and
investigations, in which the heroes travel to several
locations to learn more about the Red Lady,
and possibly some of the other terrors afflicting
Mumbai. These optional scenes may be played in
any order, or in some cases skipped entirely.
Radhika won’t accompany them, but continues to
pursue leads of her own. Once during this Act the
team can return here and see what she’s turned up.
Treat this as though they had played an Idea Card.
The Storm Knights need to decide on a direction
to begin their investigation:
• The Mumbai Union Daily newspaper might
have further information on the beheadings,
Red Lady, or premature burials (detailed in
Scene Two).
• If they discovered the spider egg sac, an
arachnologist might be able to help (detailed in
Scene Three).
28
• Radhika suggests a medium who could
connect them with the spirit of one of the
victims (detailed in Scene Four).
• The Storm Knights may want to visit one
of the slums to investigate the blood disease
(detailed in Scene Five).
• Finally, the graveyard where a premature
burial took place might hold some additional
clues (detailed in Scene Six).
As always, clever players might come up with other
potential avenues for investigation not covered by
this adventure. As long as the clues they uncover
can eventually lead them to the Oubliette Theater,
they are on track to discover the true identity of the
Red Lady.
SCENE TWO: IF IT
BLEEDS, IT LEADS
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. One
of Mumbai’s most popular, if sensationalist,
newspapers is the Union Daily, available at
newsstands or from newsboys all across the city.
Today’s headline reads, “MAN RETURNS
FROM DEAD—CRAWLS FROM OWN GRAVE;
SCIENTISTS BAFFLED.” The story tells about a
man named Vakpati Sirasikar who died several
days ago of the blood disease and was interred
in a cemetery in Lower Parel. Yesterday evening,
a mourner discovered a hole over Vakpati’s grave
and his body missing. It appears as though the
deceased dug his way out of his own grave.
The newspaper is headquartered in Bandra
West, a short trolley ride north from the office of
Shackley & Lakhavani. The editor-in-chief allows
the Storm Knights to peruse earlier editions, but
demurs at any specific questions, citing reporter
confidentiality.
Offices for the editors and writers are found on the
ground floor, but the printing press is downstairs
in the basement, a hot brick room with several
high windows near the tall ceiling. It can only be
accessed via a slow, noisy metal lift. The closest
half of the basement is dedicated to the printworks:
layout tables, typesetting stations, and the press
itself, a huge machine that churns night and day,
chuffing as it prints out stacks of newspapers. Two
members of the newspaper staff are hard at work
on tomorrow morning’s edition. The other half is
a maze of file cabinets, stacks of newspaper, and
unused furniture.
Poring over earlier editions corroborates reports
that the Red Lady wears a red dress that is drenched
in blood, but on a Hard (DN 14) find or Mind test
the heroes find a report that says she was crawling
on a wall.
A Challenging (DN 12) evidence analysis or Mind
test turns up an interesting correlation between
Red Lady sightings and the beheadings—every
sighting (of which there are few) was only a few
blocks from where a headless body was discovered
the next day. On a Good result, the heroes establish
the exact locations for each of these murders and
sightings (see map), while on an Outstanding
result they realize every victim is a man who had
attended the Oubliette Theater just before his death
(see Scene Seven).
At this point one of the Storm Knights notices
tomorrow’s headline, hot off the press: “NEW DELHI
WOMAN FOUND MURDERED—AUTHORITIES
SEEK ANSWERS.” The photograph shows a place
the heroes know well, the Morris family home! In
the picture, a withered, almost blackened corpse
lies in the front hallway, appearing more like an
exhumed mummy than a murder victim. The
story explains that Adelaide Morris was found in
an advanced state of decay despite having been
seen alive and well the day before. Sylvia is not
mentioned—if she stayed behind, she is reported
as “missing.” The resourceful young girl finds the
Storm Knights at an inopportune moment later in
this act as they close in on Basjas.
Moments after reading the newspaper, one
of the Storm Knights notices something in the
background of the photo. It looks similar to a
half-seen Rorschach inkblot. This is their first
introduction to the Ludoghast pursuing them.
Suddenly the newspaper bursts into flame!
The fire spreads incredibly fast in this fuel-rich
environment, and to their horror the elevator isn’t
working. They’ll have to escape through the high
windows. Run this as a Dramatic Skill Resolution.
Step A: Move through the tight quarters created by
stacks of newspapers. Standard (DN 10) Dexterity
or Mind.
Step B: Resist the incredible heat from a pile of
burning newsprint. Challenging (DN 12) willpower
or Strength.
Step C: Climb a teetering stack of newspapers to
reach a window. Challenging (DN 12) Dexterity or
Mind.
Step D: Open the wire-screened window. Hard
(DN 14) lockpicking or Strength.
Possible Setbacks include a collapsing ceiling
beam, a fallen pile of newsprint, or one of the
newspaper staff needing to be pulled from danger.
A Complication could mean the fire intensifies or
smoke makes it harder to see. A Critical Problem
could mean an entire portion of the ceiling
collapsed.
If the Storm Knights reach Step D in five rounds
they escape as the entire newspaper building is
engulfed. Thankfully, most everyone escapes. If
they fail to reach Step D, the last thing they recall
is being overwhelmed with smoke and flame—
and then they awaken in a carriage on their way
somewhere else, as if it never happened, but
Radhika Lakhavani (or another notable NPC) is
deceased!
SCENE THREE:
ARACHNOPHOBIA
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. In previous
investigations, Radhika has occasionally employed
the services of an entomologist, Walter Keening,
whose office is located nearby. Read or paraphrase:
Walter is a mousy, stammering old Victorian whose
obsession with insects has led him to fill his entire flat
with specimens both living and dead. He leads you
past hundreds of jars, terrariums, and display cases in
which creepy crawlies of every shape, color, and size
writhe and squirm on spindly legs. In the sepulchral
quiet of the house, the mass of all those millions of
clicking legs and sliding exoskeletons makes a constant
background whisper.
If alive, the spider they extracted is already the size
of a human hand and closer to being fully-formed.
29
 Walter is clearly disturbed. Peering at it through a
magnifying glass he says the small abdomen and
skull-like pattern identify it as a squelette spider, a
species native only to Monde, one of the long-lost
worlds the Gaunt Man conquered 200 years ago.
He’s only seen pictures in decaying old books,
and wasn’t sure they were real. Their venom
is purported to return those they’ve killed to a
mindless, half-alive state, something like a zombie.
Whether alive or dead, in response to Walter’s
probing, the spider suddenly bursts to life, racing
across the floor to take refuge among the shelves.
With surprising strength it pushes aside jars
which shatter and unleash their buzzing, crawling
contents all over the office. Targeting the spider
with a spell, attack, etc. is Very Hard (DN 16) due
to its size and speed, but any successful hit kills it.
On the second round, it shatters a terrarium full
of flesh-eating beetles, which immediately swarm.
After three rounds, the spider escapes.
• Beetle Swarm: See below
• Walter Keening: Use the profile for Typical
Orrorshan, page 106.
BEETLE SWARM
Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 6, Mind 3, Spirit
8, Strength 8
Skills: Dodge 8, maneuver 10, stealth 8, tracking 8,
trick (8), unarmed combat 11
Move: 6; Tough: 8; Shock: 13; Wounds: 4
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Mandibles: Each round, a creature in contact
with an insect swarm automatically takes 3
Shock at the start of their turn.
• Shred: Once per turn the swarm may attack
each target it is in contact with without taking
a Multi-Targeting penalty. A hit inflicts damage
12 that affects the target’s weakest Armor.
• Burrowing: Can move at regular speed
through small cracks.
• Fear: The horror of flesh eating giant insects
inspires terror. The first time a character
encounters a swarm in an act, he must make a
Spirit test or become Very Stymied.
• Mindless: Insects are immune to intimidate
30
and taunt interactions, as well as telepathic
powers.
• Swarm: Unarmed attacks and crushing
weapons deal base damage normally, as do area
of effect attacks. Blades, bullets, or weapons
that can’t hit dozens of creatures at once deal
no damage at all.
SCENE FOUR: THE
SÉANCE
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. If the Storm
Knights are interested in contacting the spirit of
one of the Red Lady’s victims, Radhika arranges to
for the services of a medium, Madame Vishwani.
This scene must happen at night, as then the veil
between the living and the dead is at its thinnest.
Madame Vishwani is sightless old woman who
wears a purple silk sari and veil and keeps her salt
and pepper hair pulled back in a tight bun. She
selects a large table in the main office to conduct
the séance.
With only candles for illumination, Madame
Vishwani urges everyone to sit close together and
hold a pen and sheet of paper in their hand. She closes
her eyes and becomes very quiet and still, then starts
calling out the names of the beheading victims, calling
for any who might still be bound to the plane of the
living. When she speaks the name Sanjay Singh, the
candles gutter in an undetectable breeze. Keeping her
eyes closed, she entreats Sanjay to come forth and
communicate. The room grows ice cold. A faint creak
comes from the wood in the corners of the room, as
though something is forcing its way into your world.
Contacting the spirit of Sanjay without allowing
him to materialize is a delicate process that is
represented as a Dramatic Skill Resolution. Even
though Madame Vishwani is there, she is merely
the conduit which allows Sanjay to enter the world.
It is up to the collective will of the Storm Knights to
make the most of her as a medium.
Each step must be done as a team using Combined
Actions. The primary character may change each
round, and teams may also try “extra effort.”
Step A: The primary must convince Sanjay to
come forth with a Standard (DN 10) persuasion or
Charisma test.
 Step B: Sanjay attempts to connect through
automatic writing. The primary must pass a
Challenging (DN 12) language or Mind test. The
message is “help” written over and over.
Step C: Hurting and scared, Sanjay hurls books
and other objects around and causes the table to
buck wildly under the characters. The primary
must pass a Hard (DN 14) Strength or Dexterity test.
Step D: As Sanjay’s last exertion he attempts to
control the primary, who must pass a Very Hard
(DN 16) willpower or Spirit test.
Possible Setbacks might come from the heroes
losing concentration. A Complication could be the
heroes losing their nerve or Sanjay’s spirit becoming
weak or confused. A Critical Problem might mean
Madame Vishwani is falling unconscious from the
strain or Sanjay’s spirit is slipping away.
If Storm Knights reach Step D within five rounds,
they may ask questions of Sanjay through the
Madame Vishwani, who is now channeling his
spirit. Sanjay can only offer short, simple answers
of a few words. The team gets three questions
for completing the DSR, plus two more for every
round they saved by completing it before its five-
round maximum. Then his spirit dissipates and
cannot be called back.
If the Storm Knights fail to reach Step D in the
time allotted, Sanjay’s spirit manifests as ectoplasm
emerging from Madame Vishwani’s eyes and
mouth, then forms a ghost which attacks everyone
in the room. Madame Vishwani collapses in a
swoon. Defeating Sanjay or waking Madame
Vishwani with a Hard (DN 14) first aid or Mind test
(or through appropriate magic, miracles, and so
on) purges his spirit, never to return.
Sanjay does not know the identity of the Red
Lady, the origin of the plague, etc. On the night of
his death, he attended the Oubliette theater alone.
31
 As he walked home it became very foggy, and a
woman in a red dress followed him and caught up
with him on an empty road. She seemed familiar
but he couldn’t see clearly. Her arms seemed too
long for her body as she reached to embrace him,
and when her mouth dropped open he saw four
needle-like fangs. While he was dying of blood loss
on the ground, she placed something in the back of
his throat, then crawled away up the side of a wall.
He passed out as she drank his blood, then she
placed something inside his throat. Despite being
dead, he remembers it coming alive some time
later and cutting off his own head from within,
taking the head with it.
• Ghost: See page 103.
SCENE FIVE: THE FACE
IN THE CISTERN
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. If the Storm
Knights seek out one of the hotspots for the blood
disease, the hardest-hit location is Jijamatar Nagar,
in Mumbai’s Worli neighborhood.
Half a million people live in this densely-packed
shantytown, a square kilometer of muddy earth
tucked between a canal, a waste treatment plant,
and a Hindu charnel ground. Even before the
Invasion, life in this maze of makeshift homes was
a constant struggle, but transformation has robbed
the residents of even modern medicines, tools, and
communication. Tin rooftops nearly touch over
narrow alleys, mosquitoes swarm over the muddy
tracks, smoke from cookfires mingles in the air,
and those without even a modest plank house
sleep under tarpaulins in every nook and cranny.
And yet, those who live here retain a fierce dignity,
making the most of any opportunities that come
their way.
It is safe to move about in this place, so long as
the Storm Knights treat the residents with respect.
Asking anyone about the blood disease (locally
called “Black Vein Disease”) directs the heroes to
a tiny wooden hospital near the center of Jijamatar
Nagar, run by Sacellum nuns. There, resting on
cots or blankets, are dozens of men, women, and
children in various states of the disease.
32
The hospital is run by Sister Margaret Ames, a
fussy but good-natured woman who employs
several nurses. She knows the following:
• The disease is not contagious, but appears
to be contracted from some sort of bite. Each
victim has two puncture wounds on their neck.
• Victims do not recall being bitten, and the
attacks seem to happen at night while they are
sleeping.
• The first symptom is nausea and fever,
followed by increasing fatigue, delirium, and
vomiting. Capillaries near the bite blacken,
radiating outward gradually across the
neck until they wrap around the entire head
and down the shoulders. At this point the
victim becomes hyperphagic, possessed by
an insatiable desire to eat. The final stage is
mania, sometimes so strong the victim must be
constrained to avoid harming others. Most die
within ten days of contracting the disease.
• So far, nobody has recovered, nor has the
disease responded to transfusions or medicine.
• If asked about a link between victims of the
disease and premature burials, she becomes
troubled, noting that all those who have
been buried alive died of Black Vein Disease.
However, many are burned in a typical Hindu
ceremony rather than being buried as is the
Sacellum custom, so she believes there might
be many more than previously thought.
Sister Margaret allows the heroes to interview
some of the victims, but they know even less about
it than their caregivers. However, one man in his
last hours beckons the heroes to come closer. He
is strapped to the bed with leather belts, and his
entire face is a web of black capillaries:
“I saw it,” he says. “They don’t believe me, but I saw
it. The thing that bites. It wore the face of my best
friend, Navneet, who was murdered one month ago.
They never found his head, but I know where it is!
The drainpipe by the footbridge. It crawls—” at this,
he bursts into a fit of foam-flecked coughing, followed
by a crazed spasm of violence against his bonds. “She
calls me! She calls me!” he screeches. Nurses run to his
side and inject him with chloral hydrate. In moments
he collapses into a catatonic sleep.
 THE DRAINPIPE If they Defeat the head thief, the spider falls out
of its “shell,” and Navneet’s stolen head dies. The
Just as the dying patient described, a footbridge
heroes can identify this as the same type of spider
midway down the canal connects Jijamatar Nagar
from the body of Herbert Shackley.
with other neighborhoods to the south. Just above
the stagnant water is a drainpipe leading into the • Head Thief: See below
bank. Anyone peering into its dark depths can
make a Challenging (DN 12) find test to spot a man HEAD THIEF
looking at them from the far end. He appears to be
These horrific spiders hatch within a few hours
obscured behind a ledge, so only his head is visible.
from an egg sac that has been placed in the back of
He darts back into the shadows.
a dead creature’s throat. When it hatches, the head
Calling for Navneet gets no response. Another thief sends tendrils into the victim’s brain, then
Challenging (DN 12) find or Mind test picks up the cuts off the head to use as a “shell,” leaving its legs
sound of something scraping rapidly on stone. and face visible below the head. It can access the
The culvert is only a meter across, so anyone victim’s memories and language centers (though
crawling into it is at –4 to all physical tests due to not well—memories are murky, and the voice
the confined space. Read or paraphrase: wavers) for as long as it maintains the head.
The pipe ends in a neglected cistern that echoes with Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 12, Mind 7,
the sound of dripping water. The only light filters Spirit 7, Strength 9
down from a clogged grate above. All manner of trash Skills: Dodge 15, find 10, intimidation 11,
and filth floats in the water, creating a near-solid mat maneuver 15, stealth 15, taunt (8), trick (8),
over the contaminated water. A network of pipes lead unarmed combat 15.
in all directions from the cistern. Move: 12; Tough: 9; Shock: 7; Wounds: 1
Equipment: —
Then, from somewhere nearby, you hear a quiet sob. Perks: —
A wavering man’s voice says, “Please…please help Possibilities: Rare (2)
me.” Navneet moves into the beam of light, Special Abilities:
up to his neck in the muddy water. His • Bite: Strength +2/11.
glazed eyes pass over you as if only • Borrowed Mind: Head
half-seeing. “Please…kill me,” thieves may use their own Mind
he croaks. Then, to your horror, value or that of their victim.
you realize he isn’t neck-deep They access memories and
in the water at all, but his head knowledge possessed by their
is moving about on a pair of victim, but have a –2 penalty to
slender, hairy spider legs! any tests that use the victim’s
The hideous thing seems to own mental skills.
be keeping his head alive • Cloak of Darkness: The
as a sort of shell, while creature gains Toughness equal
it’s pedipalps, eight to the darkness penalty for
eyes, and dripping any attacks against it.
chelicerae quiver • Enhanced Senses:
under his chin. Enhanced senses of smell
The head thief and hearing allow the
takes full advantage creature to ignore
of the tight quarters Darkness penalties.
and Dark (-4) • Fear: The first time a character
lighting, plus. the encounters a head thief in an act, he
waist-deep cistern water imposes must make a Spirit test or become
a –2 penalty to physical tests. Very Stymied.

33
 It can be unnerving exploring a mausoleum at night.
• Poison: Victims of a successful bite attack
must test Strength or contract Black Vein
Disease. Until cured, the victim loses 1 point
of Strength per day, dying when their score
reaches 0.
• Small: Attacks against head thieves suffer a
-2 penalty.
• Undead: Immune to poison and effects which
require breathing, eating or other “living”
processes.
• Wallwalker: A head thief can move freely and
run on vertical surfaces or ceilings.
SCENE SIX: SCRATCHES
IN THE LID
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. The best
place to look into reports of premature burials is
Saint Peter’s Cemetery, located across the road
34
from Jijamatar Nagar, a place where both Sacellum
Indians and Victorians are interred. Since the
emergence of the Black Vein Disease, this cemetery
has seen a rise in premature burials. Since Hindus
traditionally cremate their dead, those of Hindu
faith who die of the disease do not return.
The groundskeeper is Rahul Vedekar, a soft-
spoken but stern man with a passion for rules. The
chaos and fear spreading through the community
due to the premature burials is a sore spot for him,
and he denies any such thing is happening. Getting
permission to examine the site requires a Hard
(DN 14) persuasion or Charisma test. He does not
respond to intimidation.
Should the request be denied, sneaking onto the
grounds is a Standard (DN 10) stealth or Dexterity
test. Approaching by night grants the usual bonus.
Once in, finding one of the emptied graves is easy.
The ground is sunk inward around a heap of dirt.
Examining it with an Easy (DN 8) evidence analysis
or Mind test shows someone dug their way through
here. Unearthing the coffin reveals the telltale signs
of fingernail scratches on the inside of the coffin lid
near where the victim finally broke through.
During the examination, the heroes hear a thump
from the ground nearby under a fresh burial.
Should they wish to exhume the body, they only
need a few minutes with shovels they can find
close by, but anyone digging must pass a Hard (DN
14) stealth or Dexterity test to avoid alerting Rahul,
who immediately calls the authorities if he catches
them in the act.
The victim is one of Basjas’ zombies. It isn’t
aggressive and simply leaves the graveyard unless
attacked. If followed, it leads the Storm Knights to
the Oubliette theater (see Scene Seven).
• Hungry Dead: See page 104.
SCENE SEVEN: BEHIND
THE CURTAIN
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. When the
Storm Knights have discovered the existence of
the Oubliette Theater, and choose to investigate,
this scene begins. By the end of this scene, the
team should at least be able to identify Basjas as
a possible suspect. They should also learn the
victims were chosen because they failed to show
proper manners during a show.
The Oubliette Theater is a small, independent
playhouse in the “Grand Guignol” tradition,
specializing in shocking, graphic plays about murder
and the supernatural. It is located on a sidestreet in
Girgaon, a dense part of old Mumbai. Its bright electric
marquee, elegant woodwork, and red paint adds a
splash of color to this otherwise dull street. Playbills
advertise several shows: “The Mad Strangler,”
“Blood of the Man-Wolf,” “It Came from Hell,” “A
Phantom’s Vengeance,” and their signature show,
“Die, Vampyre, Die!” Each poster features lurid art
of lovely victims cowering from a menagerie of terrors.
The Storm Knights have two clear options: They
may investigate the theater by day or by night.
Which they choose changes greatly how they’ll
approach this location. If they followed Basjas’
zombie here (from Scene Six), he enters through
the back door unseen and unchallenged by the
staff.
THE OUBLIETTE THEATER
The theater occupies most of a brick building,
with the entrance facing a side street and an alley
permitting access to the stage entrance in back. A
hatch allows roof access from the grid in the Fly
Loft. Getting through any locked door, including
the roof hatch, requires a Hard (DN 14) lockpicking
or Strength test.
Double doors lead from the lobby into the 160-
seat auditorium, while a pair of stairs go up to the
40-seat balcony. Hidden in a tiny room underneath
the balcony is a “magic lantern,” a special projector
which casts images of ghosts or other objects onto
an invisible screen onstage, thrilling the audience
with eerie illusions.
The stage itself has four different trap doors that
lead into the Trap Room. Both wings connect to
“crossovers” that lead to the backstage area, which
has several dressing rooms and a wardrobe/prop
room. A locked service door leads to the back alley.
Above the stage is the Fly Tower, accessible by
ladders in both wings. A grid of catwalks allows
the stage crew to raise and lower props or actors
with booms, adjust lighting, or activate other
special effects.
Below the stage is the Trap Room, a large, dusty,
dark area littered with stored props and old
costumes. Short wooden ladders lead up to each
of the trapdoors on the stage. In the brick wall
near the dusty back corner is a secret door that
leads to Basjas’ Lair, but it cannot be discovered by
accident from this side. Not even the cast or crew
know of this entrance, and Basjas uses it only in
emergencies.
GETTING INTO THE THEATER
If the Storm Knights sneak into the theater at night,
they run the risk of encountering actors or crew
until right around midnight. Then the place is
deserted until dawn, save for a few zombies placed
in the Trap Room as guards, or possibly Basjas
herself coming back from a new feeding.
35
 By day the place is busy. Stage crew work on
the sets or make repairs and the house manager
handles business in the front office. Even paying
customers aren’t allowed to walk freely in the place
outside of show hours. Read or paraphrase:
The lobby is done in a neo-Classical style with a heavy
emphasis on red and gold. The decorative scrollwork
featuring cherubs is unsettling, though it’s hard to
tell why. A red carpet leads past a cloakroom and
concessions stand to the auditorium. Rows of chairs in
a sloped semicircle seat over a hundred people, while
a balcony overhead can seat a couple dozen more. The
gilded Proscenium arch is even more lavishly decorated
than the lobby, with great red curtains pulled to the
side to reveal a lonely graveyard and mausoleum.
Slipping away from the common areas is a Hard
(DN 14) stealth or persuasion test, increasing to Very
Hard (DN 16) during a performance due to the
actors and crew moving about constantly, making
it almost impossible not to get caught without
employing magic, disguises, and so on.
A red dress matching the description of the Red
Lady hangs on a dummy in Basjas’ dressing room,
and can serve as a clue placing her as a suspect.
Either questioning the manager or breaking into
his office reveals he’s figured out the victims had all
attended a show on the night of their murder and
had been disrespectful during the performance,
but he doesn’t yet suspect a cast member.
GRAND GUIGNOL
The easiest way to get into the theater is to purchase
a ticket for a show. This assures they won’t be
accosted by theater staff during show hours, at least
while in the common areas. Tickets are inexpensive
enough to not require a roll. The Storm Knights
have enough local currency to afford entry.
Not only are the heroes in for a treat, they get to
see “Madame Basjas” perform with their own eyes.
Read or paraphrase:
The house lights go down and the curtain peels back to
reveal a newly-married couple returning by horse and
carriage toward their family home. A beam from the
magic lantern lends an eerie life to the scene, adding
spectral faces that come and go in the background The
husband is Indian, played by a handsome gentleman
36
with a mutton chop beard. The wife is a pale, beautiful
young Victorian woman with curly raven hair and a
transfixing voice.
Suddenly a wheel pops off the carriage and rolls
across the stage, forcing the couple to climb out and
fix the carriage. They’re in a lonely forest with an
eerie graveyard nearby. As they bicker over what to
do, a gaunt figure glides out of the graveyard and
approaches, feet bathed in stage fog—a vampire!
His sinister approach is amplified by music from
the four-person orchestra near the stage. Springing
forward, the vampire sinks his teeth into the husband,
who falls to the floor with a fountain of prop blood
spurting from a squib in his collar. To everyone’s
shock, however, the wailing wife crouches down and
covers her face, and when she looks up again she has
transformed into another vampire!
“Mistress!” the first vampire shrieks, cowering. “I
did not recognize you!” The woman towers over him,
stage lights casting her in a hideous glow. She booms,
“This one was mine! Now I summon all the creatures
of the night to feed on your wretched soul!” A carpet
of prop rats slides across the floor and covers the
vampire as if devouring him, and after a minute of his
howls and thrashings, he “disappears” through a trap
door and the wife kneels over her husband’s dead body,
promising to return him from the land of the dead. As
the curtain falls, she leans over to bite his neck.
If the Storm Knights saw an image of the Red Lady
(in a photograph, vision, etc.) they recognize this
woman and the dress she wears. They may also
make the connection with a Hard (DN 14) evidence
analysis or Mind test or by playing an Idea card.
This short play is followed by two more featuring
equally gory, supernatural stories. Then, after
the show, the actors mingle with the audience in
the lounge for a few minutes, giving the Storm
Knights the chance to speak with them if they
wish. Obviously, they do not need to make Fear
tests to be around Basjas at this time, but heroes
with Perks, spells, or other abilities which allow
them to sense supernatural evil may quickly figure
out her true nature. Hiding this discovery from
her requires each Storm Knight to individually
test persuasion against her find. Remind the Storm
Knights that direct confrontation in such a public
space is foolhardy.
HER NEXT VICTIM
During the “meet and greet,” Basjas is visibly
preoccupied by one of the male attendees. The
heroes recall that gentleman was loud and boorish
during the show, laughing at inappropriate
moments, and being a distraction to fellow patrons
and the actors alike. Basjas lingers for a bit until her
intended victim leaves, then she departs the theater
via the rear door to stalk her new meal. When sated
(or if she is thwarted somehow) she returns to her
apartment (see Scene Eight). From there she uses a
secret door to descend down to her lair.
Should the Storm Knights confront her during
this scene, she does her best to avoid a conflict,
employing strategies like calling for police, playing
innocent, or fleeing. She resorts to changing form
only if necessary. Unless there’s no way to avoid a
fight, she prefers to confront them in her lair where
she has the advantage.
SCENE EIGHT: DANSE
MACABRE
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. This two-
part scene begins when the Storm Knights locate
Basjas’ home in Mumbai by following her, asking
around, or by other means.
Investigating Basjas’ apartment is a crucial
moment in this adventure, as it provides the
heroes with an abundance of clues, some of which
point them toward locations they need to visit in
upcoming acts.
This scene also culminates in a direct confrontation
with Basjas, an encounter necessary to learn her
Refresh rate, but which puts them in mortal danger.
AN APARTMENT FOR A LADY
Madame Basjas owns a second-floor apartment one
block from the theatre. Getting through her door
without being heard by neighbors is a Challenging
(DN 12) lockpicking or Strength test.
The interior is refined and ladylike, with gas
lighting, crimson curtains and rugs accenting the
wainscoted walls, and fine imported furniture in
every room. It also feels unlived-in, as if it were
here merely for show...
Merely looking around the apartment (no roll
needed) turns up a number of interesting clues:
• Lost Love. In the bedroom is a shrine to her
deceased husband. Several tintype photos show
him with a serious expression, sometimes with
Basjas herself. The words “To My Darling: Love
Forever -Lucas” is written on one of the photos.
Also on the shrine are love letters from “Lucas
Bouchard,” a pair of men’s white formal gloves,
and his-and-her wedding rings.
• Hate Mail. On a desk is a half-written letter in
Basjas’ lovely flowing handwriting addressed
to the director of an asylum in Sri Lanka
(detailed in Act 3). It reads:
“Dr. Melgrath, It has recently come to my attention
that for your dedicated service, our mutual master
has rewarded you with a new institution in which
to pursue your depraved experimentations. He does
not know I alone among the Hellion Court have been
subject to your torturous ‘treatments.’ But I survived.
Surely you remember the night of my escape? I do. But
I wonder, after all these years, would you recognize
me? Would you see the face of the scared little girl
from Room 232 inside this womanly visage? Did you
even know that a former inmate is now your superior?
Mind yourself, little man, or I will come to your new
asylum in Sri Lanka and show you how much that
little girl has changed.”
• Country Estate. Also at the desk is a Deed
of Ownership for a fort in the Western Ghats
mountains. The deed, signed by a minor desk
clerk in Pune, provides the location of Basjas’
castle home, detailed in Act Four.
• Haunting Song. Among several standard
songbooks are sheets of frantically-scribbled
song lyrics. Most are simply a stanza or two
in many different variations, as though Basjas
was trying to write down a song which eluded
her memory, but was increasingly desperate to
recall. Some are scribbled upon in a fury, and
on the margins of one is written, “Why can’t I
remember your song, mama? It haunts me, as does
the memory of your face. Would that I could hear
you sing this song once more.” Among the papers
is a map of Mount Everest. Basjas has circled
a spot along the mountain’s flank, and wrote
“Library of Monde—Could it be here?!”
37
 • Hunted Enemy. On a writing table is a memo
in someone else’s handwriting. It reads:
“Mistress, I’ve been tracking Mr. Patel. Rumors
say he has taken residence in the village of Kalipur,
deep in the Ganges delta, some twenty leagues from
Dhaka. He evidently believes you incapable of finding
him there—or anywhere in the world. Every day he
remains on the run your secret is in jeopardy. Shall
I pursue him? On your word I shall hunt him down
and show him true terror. Ever Your Favored Hunter
and Servant, Kurst.”
• Secret Door. A slight breeze betrays the
presence of a secret panel in the wall. On the
other side is a spiral staircase leading down to
Basjas’ lair.
The Storm Knights may take these items if they
wish. Be sure to let them know each of these are
significant leads. There is nothing else of interest
among Basjas’ effects.
BASJAS’ LAIR
When the Storm Knights enter Basjas’ underground
lair, they begin the final encounter in this act.
Game Masters should be aware this encounter is
potentially deadly, even for groups of Beta clearance
or higher, as they’re up against a powerful vampire
and her small army. At this point they might not
fully realize she’s a vampire, but either way they
haven’t had a chance to learn any of her secrets, so
she meets them at full strength. Terrible as it is, this
has to happen in order for them to learn how many
secrets they need to uncover, which is based on her
Refresh. As soon as she takes any action against
them that requires a test, announce her Refresh and
let the players know this indicates the number of
secrets they must research before they can kill her
for good.
That also means the only real way out of this
encounter is death or escape. Basjas won’t pursue
Storm Knights who flee, but nor is she there any
longer if they return.
Dead Storm Knights might return as her vampire
spawn, or reanimated as hungry dead. If she
wipes out the entire team, they awaken later with
no recollection of how they escaped, but Orrorsh
exacts a toll by claiming an important NPC.
38
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Once used as an underground industrial storage
area, this forgotten complex of stone-walled
rooms stretches twenty meters beneath the street,
with entrances on opposite ends connecting from
the Oubliette Theater and the other from Basjas’
Apartment.
Basjas sleeps here during the day. She feeds,
rehearses, performs, attends social outings, and
other activities solely at night.
Anyone entering her lair passes through a few
strands of cobwebs near the base of the stairs.
These connect via a complex network of webs
along the corners of the hallways to her casket,
alerting her if something enters. Basjas spins new
ones each time she is about to sleep. Storm Knights
can spend an Idea card or make a Heroic (DN 18)
evidence analysis test to realize these are anything
but typical cobwebs. They can be avoided with a
Very Hard (DN 16) Dexterity test.
The hallways twist and turn past guttering wall
sconces, then open into an old underground store
room of brick walls and arches. In the center of the
room, illuminated by four candelabra, is a black wood
casket with silver embellishments. Spider webs cling
everywhere, stretched across arches and plastered to
walls, and even connect from the casket to the walls.
Small, coin-sized spiders skitter here and there in the
webs. A pair of cocoons with human-like contours
dangle from the high ceiling.
The cocoons contain dead bodies drained of all
blood. (Searching the bodies might turn up tickets
to the Oubliette Theater, if the team still needs a
way to learn her Habit.) Basjas’ zombies congregate
in the dark recesses of the room, inert until they
receive a command, or unless the Storm Knights
take a hostile action toward them, Basjas, or her
casket.
Blessing, filling, or otherwise destroying her
casket brings her immediately from wherever she
might be. She can no longer use this location, but
like any smart vampire, she has numerous backups
in hideaways throughout the city.
• Hungry Dead (3 per Storm Knight): See page
104.
• Basjas: See page 9.

AFTERMATH
Facing Basjas immediately lets the Storm Knights
know she has five Refresh possibilities, which means
she has five secrets which much be discovered
and spoken to her before she can be slain with her
True Death—something else they must seek. They
have her first secret: Her preferred feeding habit.
In Basjas’ apartment they also found new locations
with ties to her past and present. They must now
decide which destination to pursue first.
After her encounter with the Storm Knights,
Basjas immediately hatches a retaliatory plan,
using her resources to learn more about the Storm
Knights and how much they know, and sends a
shadow to assassinate them (see page 106). There
are no specific keyed events for these encounters,
Lady Basjas is ready for those who would intrude upon her hidden sanctum!
but GMs may insert an attack by the shadow when
the Stalked Cosm Card is played if a suitable
environment is available for it to manifest. If her
identity was made public, she goes into hiding in
one of her other secret lairs in Mumbai and sends
1 vampire per Storm Knight instead of shadows to
hunt the heroes.
In the unlikely event Basjas was “killed” during
this encounter, she is reborn stronger. Since she
has her full complement of Secrets already, simply
increase her Mind attribute to 13. (Don’t forget to
adjust all her Mind-related skill totals as well.)
In any situation she remains in Mumbai, with
occasional trips to her manor at Kathin Gad, in
order to continue her machinations as a member of
the Hellion Court, but now she knows she is being
hunted...
39
 A
s they closed in on Basjas, the Storm Knights
discovered a half-written communication
mentioning a mental institution run by
a Dr. Melgrath, someone by whom Basjas had
apparently once endured torturous treatments.
To learn more about this connection, the heroes
travel to Sri Lanka, a large tropical island nation
off India’s southernmost tip.

THE CRAWLER
Their goal in this act is to learn Basjas’ “Origin,”
her original identity. As one of her secrets, learning
her name and being able to speak it to her will
ACT THREE:
cancel one of her Refresh Possibilities when the
heroes finally make their move to slay her.
During this act they’ll also discover more general
information on the life of Basjas, her vampiric
origin, and perhaps even put an end to another
Horror threatening Orrorsh—“the Crawler.”
As always, players might not realize the
significance of a clue at first, so Game Masters are
encouraged to directly inform them when they’ve
located one of the core pieces of information they
need from this act. Should the team go “off script”
and miss opportunities entirely, Game Masters will
need to find another way to provide them with her
original name.

OVERVIEW
Scene One: Arriving in Nivithigala during a
Monsoon, the Storm Knights have a chance to gather
some general information on the Tranquil Hills
Lunatic Asylum as they arrange for transportation.
Scene Two: The asylum appears to have been
abandoned for decades. As the Storm Knights
explore the grounds, they experience progressively
stranger incidents.
Scene Three: Entering the domain of “The
Crawler,” the heroes find themselves trapped in
a maze of ever-changing tunnels, and it appears
something knows they’re here!
Scene Four: Locating Dr. Melgrath’s office, the
Storm Knights gather valuable information on
Basjas then confront the sinister doctor to escape
with their lives!

40
 It is said tormented spirits haunt the abandoned corridors of Tranquil Hills Asylum
SCENE ONE: MONSOON
SEASON
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Dominant Zone. The
Storm Knights travel to the town of Nivithigala,
deep in Sri Lanka’s interior, to learn more about
the asylum and its whereabouts. If you are using
the optional encounters in the Orrorsh By Rail
chapter, run “Dark Cargo” at this time.
When ready, read or paraphrase the following:
You arrive in Sri Lanka during a monsoon, and the
entire island huddles under constant driving rains.
Deep in the forested interior you find the town of
Nivithigala at the convergence of three winding roads.
The lanes are crowded by dilapidated, two-story,
concrete buildings. Water buffalo stand like eerie
spirits in terraced paddies, while roosting bats gaze
down at you from high branches. Despite it still being
late afternoon, nobody is in sight.
Lights are on in a public house near the
intersection. Inside it is crowded with farmers and
gem miners having drinks by lamplight. Most of
the locals speak a smattering of English, but initially
refuse to acknowledge the asylum even exists. A
Challenging (DN 12) persuasion or Charisma test
gets a few tidbits of information from them, though
no amount of threats, bribes, or pleading gets them
to reveal its location:
• Standard: The place is cursed and abandoned.
Only the foolish or suicidal go there.
• Good: The asylum was once a sapphire mine,
but “ghosts” changed it many months ago (it
transformed).
• Outstanding: An ominous paddywagon
drawn by a black steed comes through from
time to time on its way to the abandoned
building with a raving, screaming lunatic in
the back.
41
 As soon as they leave to try their luck elsewhere, the
heroes are met by Sanjeev, a skinny, malnourished,
barefoot man in hand-stitched clothes. He speaks
in an odd way, and occasionally itches frantically
at his own skin. He claims to be a “forest guide”
who can direct the Storm Knights to Tranquil
Hills Lunatic Asylum for a price—an Easy (DN 8)
streetwise test. He also accepts any type of object
from another reality (not realizing it will simply
transform before long). Teams who prefer a less
transactional exchange can scare the information
out of him with an Easy (DN 8) intimidation test.
What the Storm Knights don’t realize is Sanjeev
is a recent escapee of the asylum, originally sent
there for a series of murders in Colombo. If the
team rejects his offer to serve as a guide, Sanjeev
stalks the heroes to their destination then looks
for an opportune time to strike while they are lost
inside the asylum’s twisting hallways.
In fact, once the Storm Knights enter the old
asylum, they have in a sense entered Sanjeev’s
own subconscious! His disturbed mind warps the
reality of the place, causing eerie hallucinations,
impossible geometry, recursive loops, and even the
existence of the Crawler itself!
Aside from Sanjeev, finding someone who is
willing to provide directions to the asylum is a
Very Hard (DN 16) streetwise test.
SCENE TWO: YOU CAN
CHECK IN...
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Dominant Zone. Once
they know the way, the Storm Knights need to
requisition transportation. Extremely reluctant
townsfolk make this a Heroic (DN 18) streetwise
test. If successful, the heroes can requisition a
wagon pulled by a pair of oxen, or something
similar. Otherwise, they’ll need to traverse the 20
kilometers through the dark and rain by foot. Read
or paraphrase:
The route meanders through monsoon-drenched
fields and silent homes before veering off onto a little-
used dirt road that climbs the slopes of a tall hill. The
rain forest crowds in on all sides as vines drape from
42
the high canopy. From time to time along the bumpy
road you spot candles flickering in small shrines in
the bases of trees, along with decomposing offerings of
fruit or dead animals. From somewhere in the dense
jungle comes a bone-chilling scream. It’s impossible to
say whether it was human—or something else.
If they are accompanied by Sanjeev (or another
local), he informs them the cry of the “Ulama”
is a portent of death. The shrines are intended to
prevent evil from spreading down from Tranquil
Hills Lunatic Asylum. Aside from these eerie sights
and sounds, the team reaches the asylum without
incident.
However, if they declined a guide, passing through
the forest safely requires a Hard (DN 14) find test.
If they fail, they select one of the more dangerous
routes which takes them past a poppet tree.
• Poppets (2 per Storm Knight): See page 105.
A DECAYING EDIFICE
The trail leads right to the asylum. Read or
paraphrase:
After numerous switchbacks, the muddy trail emerges
into a clearing at the top of the hill. There, looming out
of the rain, is the huge stone asylum — but to your
shock the place appears long-since abandoned, its yard
overgrown and its walls tangled with creepers. Several
misshapen human figures scramble in the empty
window sills. When they pause to gaze back at you
from the shadows you realize they are only macaques.
A sign hanging by a single nail reads, “Tranquil Hills
Institution for the Criminally Insane.”
A Standard (DN 10) evidence analysis or Mind test
indicates this place has apparently been abandoned
for decades, despite the fresh carriage tracks that
make a loop near the front. A narrow path leads
up to the rotting doors. There are no other signs
anyone uses this place. Circling the building
reveals it’s the same on all sides.
The heroes may enter at one of several doors
around the perimeter, including the main door,
but in each case they find empty, decaying stone
corridors littered with old papers and leaves, and
invaded by vines. The macaques skitter for shelter
and aren’t seen again.
 A Challenging (DN 12) find or Mind (modified
by lighting penalties as usual) reveals a line of
salt across the door. Footprints through the debris
lead into the interior of the building and end at a
stairway down into darkness.
OLD OFFICES
The stairs end at a cluster of rooms and halls
where staff conducted much of the administration
of maximum security prisoners. It is Pitch Dark
(–6) down here, so the heroes need some kind of
light source. If they don’t have one, they can either
craft a torch from materials on the ground floor or
discover a working flashlight with a Challenging
(DN 12) find test.
Old hallways and rooms, comprising the asylum’s
administrative and intake center, branch out from
the stairs. It has seen better days. Bits of detritus
litter the floor: yellowed old intake forms, chunks of
plaster, a nurse’s abandoned shoe. Roaches scuttle
among the debris. A pall of darkness shrouds
everything.
Signs in English point toward several locations:
Administrative Office, Bath Rooms, Boiler Room,
Dispensary, Examination Room, and Staff Room.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
This room was once finely furnished, with a leather
couch, upholstered chair, teak desk, and a painting
depicting a ship at sea, but someone ransacked it
long ago. File cabinets and shelves are toppled,
drawers and their contents are scattered around
the floor, cabinets are pilfered, and a layer of dusty
papers and files covers the floor. A trio of speaking
tubes on the wall are labeled “Examination,”
“Staff,” and “Attendant’s Desk.” The first two
connect to rooms on this floor, while the third
connects to the ward in the basement. Anyone
listening to it can make a Hard (DN 14) find test to
hear an eerie sliding sound which eventually fades
away. The files in this room hold nothing of value
to the Storm Knights, but a Very Hard (DN 14) find
test spots the key to the Boiler Room among the
wreckage.
MADNESS AND SANITY
Unlike many horror roleplaying games, Torg
Eternity does not incorporate a mechanism
to track the mental health of the heroes. Fear
tests are sufficient for handling the effects of
extreme stress. However, this asylum has a
tendency to twist the mind, creating visual or
auditory hallucinations, imposing a sense of
paranoia and hysteria, and causing the hapless
victim to doubt his or her own senses. In fact,
this entire place is warped by Sanjeev’s own
disturbed mind, pulling the heroes into his
own madness.
Game Masters should sprinkle in small,
individualized hallucinations as the heroes
move through the various levels: Something
moves furtively down a dark hallway and
vanishes around a corner. A haunted, emaciated
face is momentarily seen through a cell window
and then vanishes. Faint whispers come from
a different direction, but it’s impossible to
make out specific words. Something rattles at
a doorknob but never emerges. The hero finds
electrodes taped to his or her head.
None of these mean anything if investigated,
but they add up to put the heroes on edge.
In addition, every time a hero rolls a Mishap
on a test (any test), he accrues a –2 penalty to
all future Mind-based skill tests while in the
asylum. These penalties are cumulative and
represent his rapidly-degrading mental state.
Players can spend a Possibility to remove all
accrued penalties.
Keep in mind, some players may be made
uncomfortable or distressed by depictions of
mental health institutions, their residents, or
mental disorders. We encourage Game Masters
to check in with their players, especially during
this act. Reframing the disorientation and
mental decay imposed in the asylum’s lower
levels as illusions readily identified as such by
the heroes might help some players feel more
comfortable.
43
 BATHING ROOM
This tall-ceilinged, tiled room holds several iron
tubs, shower stalls behind curtains, towel cabinets,
and toilets. A word in Sinhalese is scrawled in old
dried blood all over the walls. A Very Hard (DN 16)
language or Mind test interprets it as “The Crawler.”
BOILER ROOM
The door to this room is locked, but can be bypassed
with the key in the Administrative Office or with a
Hard (DN 14) lockpicking or Strength test. Inside is
a room dominated by a huge rusty boiler. There
is still enough fuel in the boiler that the Storm
Knights can turn it on with a Challenging (DN
12) science or Mind test. On a failure, the Boiler is
damaged and cannot be repaired, but it explodes
on a Mishap, dealing 16 damage to anyone in the
room. On a success some of the lights throughout
the ward turn on. They buzz and flicker fitfully but
create pools of light separated by Dark conditions.
DISPENSARY
The door to this room is smashed in two. Most of
the drugs that once lined the wooden shelves are
gone, but a Standard (DN 10) find turns up a single
dose of morphine which, if injected, halves all
Shock damage for the duration of an Act, though it
imposes a –2 penalty to all tests.
EXAMINATION ROOM
This room holds a single rusty examination chair
with restraints for the arms, legs, and head. A
tray of disturbing instruments stands nearby. An
anatomic skeleton behind a privacy curtain catches
the heroes by surprise, forcing them to make an
Easy (DN 8) willpower or Spirit test or suffer Fatigue
from the shock which lasts until the end of the Act.
STAFF ROOM
In here, the doctors, orderlies, and janitorial staff
clocked in or out, stored their personal effects, and
took their breaks. Out of place in this room is an
old chair leg with nails driven through one end and
stained with old blood. An Easy (DN 8) find test
turns up a punchcard for “Dr. Melgrath,” though
the date is listed as 1816, which to the Victorians
would be over 80 years in the past.
44
ELEVATOR
Past the offices is an old-fashioned, electric elevator
with an iron cage door. The dial shows four floors,
but the indicator arrow is broken. When the Storm
Knights are finished exploring this level, the lift
can deliver them to the Maximum Security Ward
(detailed in Scene Three). The ancient machine
clatters, squeals, and groans ominously during the
trip, but is otherwise safe.
SCENE THREE: DOWN IN
THE DARK
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Dominant Zone. The
noisy elevator lowers them down thirty feet into
the basement ward, where the worst offenders
were once housed. Read or paraphrase:
The elevator bumps to a stop at the bottom of the shaft
and the iron gate shrieks open onto a dark hallway. A
sign on the walls reads, “MAXIMUM SECURITY
WARD—STAFF ONLY.” Nearby an open door is
labeled “Attendant’s Office.” Past it is a hall lined
with cell doors that stretches into the darkness.
The tile floors and walls are stained with decades of
grime. Down here the darkness almost seems alive,
encroaching on your light source as if resentful of the
intrusion. So far you have seen no sign this place is
used, by Dr. Melgrath or anyone for that matter, but
you sense someone has been down here recently. Dust
and debris on the floor shows where someone appears
to have dragged a body. Perhaps your elusive doctor is
using this place after all.
This floor is a maze of hallways with rooms for
the asylum’s inmates. All the cell doors are heavy,
rusted iron with a small viewing window, a
name plate, and a clipboard hook. Each cell is 3x3
meters, padded, Pitch Dark (–6), and empty unless
otherwise noted. The hallways have a lockable
security gate at either end. Unless otherwise noted,
the doors are closed while the gates are still open.
Opening a door or gate requires a Heroic (DN 18)
lockpicking or Strength test.
Near the elevator door is the attendant’s office
where the orderlies were stationed. Furniture
and items in this room are scattered about, desks
knocked aside and bookcases toppled, as though
this had been the scene of a battle. Among the
scattered equipment are straitjackets, restraints,
syringes, and empty bottles of sedative. All the
key hooks are empty. A speaking tube on the wall
connects to the administrative office above.
The first time the group decides to retrace their
steps, they discover they no longer recognize the
way they came. Are they just disoriented, or did
the halls change behind them?
As they move through this floor, the Storm
Knights must use a Combined Action to make
a Challenging (DN 12) tracking or Mind test to
navigate the maze of tunnels in their search for any
signs of Dr. Melgrath. On a Standard Success, they
have four of the nightmarish encounters below
(DM’s call). On a Good or better they only have
three, while on a failure they experience all five.
CRIES FROM BEYOND
Behind a locked cell door comes muffled screaming.
Should the Storm Knights get the door open,
the screaming continues inside the empty room,
originating from an intensely-cold spot near the
far floor. Anyone who witnesses this unnerving
haunt must make a Challenging (DN 12) willpower
or Spirit test or suffer Fatigue that lasts until the
end of the Act.
HAUNTED WHEELCHAIR
From around a corner up ahead comes a metallic
squeaking noise. An old-fashioned wheelchair,
seemingly moving by itself, slowly rolls around
the corner and comes to a stop. Nothing further
happens, but anyone who touches the wheelchair
is overwhelmed with a burst of anguish and images
of torturous brain surgery “treatments” and must
make a Hard (DN 14) willpower or Spirit test or
suffer Fatigue that lasts until the end of the Act.
HORRIFIC SCULPTURE
At the end of a hallway is a small open room for
storage. Furniture and boxes have been pushed into
the corners to make way for a gruesome sculpture
of twisted, bent human bodies lashed together
with wire. Anyone beholding this sculpture must
make a Challenging (DN 12) willpower or Spirit
test or become marked by the Crawler. The hero is
only aware that a dark presence has noticed them.
When the team encounters the Crawler, it focuses
its attacks on any hero who failed this test. If the
Storm Knights destroy the sculpture (by burning
it, etc.), they each immediately gain a Possibility.
TREACHEROUS DOOR
A row of cell doors bear the names of the Storm
Knights! They are all empty, but one random door
opens with a creak. Inside, someone has written a
repeated phrase, “It hates the shocks,” over and
over on the padded walls, but reading it requires
the Storm Knights to enter the cell. Moments after
at least one person has entered, the door slams
shut and locks. The lock is especially corroded,
imposing a –4 to lockpicking attempts, but opens
with the Master Key (see below). Whoever is inside
the cell suffers a psychic attack which reduces an
attribute of her choice by 2 points (or 4 points on a
Mishap) for the rest of the scene unless she passes
a Hard (DN 14) willpower or Spirit test.
DEMENTED TRAP
Four corridors meet at a small lounge. In the
center of the room is a badly decomposed body in
a wheelchair. Slung around its neck is a lanyard
with a key labeled “MASTER KEY.” Sanjeev has
concealed a spring-loaded trap inside the corpse’s
hollow chest, triggered to snap shut on the hand of
anyone who takes the key. The trap can be avoided
with a Very Hard (DN 16) find or Dexterity test. It
deals 10+1BD (or 10+2BD on a Mishap), and the
target is immobilized until freed with a Standard
(DN 10) science or Strength test, dealing the same
damage again on a Mishap. As promised, the key
opens any door on this floor or the one above.
RECURSIVE REALITY
After the Storm Knights have completed the above
encounters, they make it back to the elevator—only
this time the shaft only continues down. There’s no
way to go back up! It shakes and shrieks menacingly
as it descends. At the bottom the heroes once more
find themselves in the administrative area (see
Scene Two), only this time the walls are gray with
grime and mildew, the electric lamps dangle from
the ceiling as if torn from their base, and occasional
smears of old, dried blood decorate the floor.
45
 The layout of this floor is identical, but the rooms
are only littered with random detritus—broken
wood, rotting books, old bits of bent metal—and
any specific objects mentioned in the original room
description are no longer there.
Inside the staff room are several decaying bodies
on the floor. The bodies seem very familiar. In
fact, they are the bodies of the Storm Knights
themselves! All their equipment is missing and it
appears they were battered and broken by some
unknown force. Seeing this forces the heroes to test
willpower or Spirit or suffer Fatigue that lasts until
the end of the Act..
One of the bodies clutches a wax cylinder labeled
“Ave Maria.” There is no phonograph record in
the office, but it can be played in the final scene to
cancel one of Dr. Malgrath’s Refresh Possibilities.
As always, the heroes might not yet understand the
full significance, but have a sense this is important.
An wobbly, hollow male voice comes from the
speaking tube in the Administrative Office labeled
“Attendant’s Desk.” It calls, “Hello…? Hello…?” It
only says a few phrases if spoken to: “Where am
I?” “Who’s there?” “It’s so… cold…” and “I can’t get
out!” Then it is gone. Hearing this ghostly voice
calls for an Easy (DN 8) willpoweror Spirit test or
suffer Fatigue that lasts until the end of the Act.
Every other room on this floor is layered
under deeper decay but is empty, save for the
Examination Room, where the examination chair
is now stained in blood. On the chair is a faded
French newspaper with the headline “FAMOUS
MENTAL DOCTOR DISGRACED.” The story
talks about how an investigation after a slaughter
at Sanatorium Nouvelles Bénédictions found
that Dr. Melgrath was performing unnecessary
experimental psychiatric tests on his patients. He
was subsequently barred from practice and his
licenses revoked. This fact is one of his Secrets and
can be used to cancel one of his Refresh Possibilities.
The elevator they rode down here is simply gone
the next time they look, but an identical one at the
far end of this level is ready to take them deeper.
When it clangs to a stop at the bottom, the Storm
Knights are once again in the maximum security
level, but this time the floor is covered with a few
centimeters of dark, cold water. A low, breathy
46
groan echoes down the tunnels from far away. The
heroes’ light source weakens until it barely emits
enough light to see a few meters. Every name has
been scratched from the plates on cell doors, and
the halls are identical.
BETRAYED
As the heroes explore, Sanjeev arranges to trap
the heroes with the Crawler. If he is with the
party, he hangs back so he can slam shut one of
the lockdown gates throughout the halls. If he isn’t
with the party, he creeps up behind them and shuts
one. The Storm Knights may make an opposed find
against Sanjeev’s stealth to notice him in time to act.
Those who passed the find test can dash to the gate
before it closes with a Hard (DN 14) Dexterity test.
Whether Sanjeev is successful or not, this triggers
the arrival of the Crawler. Read:
Sanjeev cackles maniacally. “I tricked you! I brought
you for the Crawler! He commands me to bring him
fresh victims and so I obey! I always obey! Soon he
shall include you in his masterpiece!” Moments later,
you hear an ominous sliding sound coming from a
corridor ahead. Your light source flickers as something
heaves its way through the darkness, and in the last
moments before it goes out you get a glimpse of a
skinless, glistening thing pulling itself toward you on
human arms, its body contorted in knots, its empty
eye sockets seeping with blood.
The Crawler is a Horror, eternally trapped inside
this maze of hallways. It does not eat, but instead
seeks new bodies it can add to its ever-growing
sculpture, a twisted act of redemption for whatever
unspeakable crime it committed in life. But despite
its very real appearance, the Crawler is in truth
a manifestation of Sanjeev’s own disturbing
subconscious desires, just like the rest of this place.
If Sanjeev is separated from the Crawler by the
security gate, he assists it with taunts or other
interaction attacks. Failing this he picks the
weakest-looking target and attacks.
If the Crawler is Defeated, it melts into a pool
of black ooze. However, if Sanjeev is Defeated he
collapses into an empty sack of skin!
• Sanjeev: See below
• The Crawler: See below
 The Crawler drags itself out of the darkness!
SANJEEV
Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 8, Mind 7, Spirit
9, Strength 8
Skills: Dodge 9, faith 13, find 10, intimidation 10,
maneuver 10, melee weapons 11, persuasion 10,
reality 10, stealth 13, streetwise 9, taunt 11, trick
11, unarmed combat 11.
Move: 8; Tough: 8; Shock: 11; Wounds: 3
Equipment: Knife (Strength +1/9)
Perks: Brave, Endurance
Possibilities: 3
Special Abilities: —
• He is I and I am Him: The Crawler is really
a creation of Sanjeev’s subconscious. Neither
will attack the other unless compelled to do so
through magic or other means.
• Gloater: When taunt or intimidation are
Approved Actions, he may affect the entire
party without a Multi-Target penalty. Affected
heroes also lose a random card from their hand.
THE CRAWLER
Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 10, Mind 7,
Spirit 10, Strength 13
Skills: Dodge 13, find 13, intimidation 15,
maneuver 12, reality 13, stealth 12, taunt 5, trick
8, unarmed combat 15, willpower 12.
Move: 9; Tough: 13; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: 3
Special Abilities:
• Bite/Claw: Strength +1 (14).
• Cloak of Darkness: The Crawler gains
Toughness equal to the darkness penalty for
any attacks against it.
• Dread: When the Crawler is present, any
Standard Scene immediately becomes a
Dramatic Scene instead.
• Enhanced Senses: The creature’s enhanced
sense of smell and hearing allow it to ignore
47
 Darkness penalties.
• Fear: Upon encountering the Crawler, test
willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied.
• Lights Out!: The Crawler can cause all
small light sources within 10 meters, such as
flashlights or torches, to turn off or go out. They
can be re-lit with a Challenging (DN 12) reality
test, but come back weak (Dark) on a Standard
Success, moderate (Dim) on a Good Success,
or at full brilliance on an Outstanding Success.
This effect ends if the Crawler is more than 10
meters away or is Defeated.
• Relentless: The Crawler ignores Shock.
• Rend: If the Crawler succeeds in a Grapple,
he immediately deals Strength +3 (16) damage.
• Vulnerability: Successful attacks or other
effects that use electricity cause The Crawler to
become Stymied.
SCENE FOUR: GRAY
MATTER
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Dominant Zone.
The moment both Sanjeev and the Crawler are
Defeated, the heroes are subject to a new change in
their surroundings. Read or paraphrase:
Down every hallway the electric lights overhead
flicker on, bathing the entire place in a hellish red
light. To your shock you are back in the administrative
area, only the tile walls are no longer aged and stained,
and the floors are clear of detritus. A phonograph
recording of an opera echoes from somewhere down
the hall, drowning out the moans and screams of some
person in distress.
The heroes are once again in the administrative
area, only the elevator down to the maximum
security level is no more, replaced by a double iron
door leading into a trio of dead-end hallways from
which constant gibbers, howls, and moans come
from the dozens of closed and occupied cells.
Dr. Melgrath’s monstrous “disorderlies” shuffle
here and there carrying out his orders. Moving
around on this floor without alerting them requires
a stealth test against their find. There are no longer
darkness penalties—though the blood-red lights
are certainly unnerving!
48
Sanjeev is strapped to the chair in the Examination
Room, head immobilized in a peculiar metal device.
Dr. Melgrath hums along with the opera as he
fiddles with the device, while the semi-conscious
Sanjeev screams, sobs, and moans. “I’m not dead,”
he mumbles over and over.
The locked administrative office door now bears
a plaque that reads, “Dr. Ezekiel Melgrath, M.D.,
M.M.S., Psy.D.” Getting through the door is a
Hard (DN 14) lockpicking test or a Standard (DN 10)
Strength test, but the latter forces another opposed
stealth against the orderlies’ find. The Master Key
also opens this door.
HOSPITAL RECORDS
Inside, the office is neat and tidy, with the
upholstered leather chair, heavy teak desk, and
numerous cabinets and shelves in their proper
places. A kerosene lamp burns on the desk besides
a phonograph which is currently playing an opera.
A portrait on the wall depicts a smiling woman
with the inscription “Emma Melgrath, 1780–1805”
and beside it is a framed copy of sheet music for
“Ave Maria.” Read or paraphrase:
Searching through Dr. Melgrath’s files turns up
old records that date back nearly 80 years, many of
them from some place called Sanatorium Nouvelles
Bénédictions in “Aveline.”
By chance the folders open directly to one labeled
“Room 232.” Inside are yellowed old papers including
an intake form, numerous observation notes, incident
reports, and so on. The name on the intake form is
“Sabathina DeLaunay,” listed as 16 years old, born
in 1801 in Champlainville, Aveline to Henri and
Colette DeLaunay. No photo is available from this
time period, but the detailed physical description bears
a resemblance to Madame Basjas. According to the
files, she was admitted after her mother committed
suicide by throwing herself from an attic window, after
which Sabathina’s strong-willed personality became,
at least according to her father, “hysteria, agitation,
and rebelliousness.”
Observations throughout her time in Room 232
describe a typical teenager who had suffered a loss,
rather than someone with a true disorder. It mentions
her begging for freedom, raging in her cell, crying, and
eventually sitting quietly for hours on end singing the
same lullaby. As a “treatment plan,” Dr. Melgrath
occasionally hauled her in for psychiatric experiments,
including sensory deprivation, prolonged isolation,
“mild electrical shock to the frontal lobe,” injections
of nightmare-inducing chemicals, and waterboarding.
The files come to an abrupt end a year later,
followed by a clipping from a newspaper. In
French, it describes a slaughter that took
place at an asylum, where all the orderlies
were slain in a terrible bloodbath. Dr.
Melgrath, the sole survivor, reported
that was the doing of a single patient,
Sabathina, who was “engulfed
in spiders, and yet remarkably
none did her harm, instead going
forth before her as if under her
command.”
Aside from this, the
Storm Knights may make
a Challenging (DN 12) find
or Mind test to turn up Dr.
Melgrath’s rambling journal in which he
mentions a perverse fear of having his
own brain removed. The Storm Knights
recognize this as his True Death.
THE DOCTOR IS IN
The Storm Knights cannot leave until
they confront Dr. Melgrath, as he
uses the Psychogenic Actualizer, still
connected to Sanjeev, to contort reality
and trap them if need be. Most likely this
confrontation occurs in the Examination
Room, but in case it happens elsewhere,
adjust the following details as needed.
After initially being surprised by their
presence, Dr. Melgrath says “It makes
sense. Something disrupted dear Mr.
Sanjeev here, just as I was exploring his
hippocampus with the Psychogenic
Actualizer. My apologies if you were
trapped in his buried memories. It is
not every day we have visitors at
this center.”
DR. MELGRATH
Unless immediately attacked, Dr. Melgrath is
happy to engage in a short conversation with the
Storm Knights. As a man of “science,” such as it is,
he loves nothing more than to talk shop.
• Sanjeev: “Ah, he is one of my most interesting
subjects. A serial killer, he believes there
is a monster living inside him called the
Crawler that wants to build a sculpture
with dead bodies. I believe it is a product
of his guilty conscience.”
• The Psychogenic Actualizer: “My
most recent breakthrough. Guided
pulses to various regions of
the brain harmonize with the
crystals to create a physical
recreation of the patient’s
innermost desires and fears.
To observers this reality is
totally real. You can feel it,
smell it, interact with it. Even
die because of it! It allows me
to fully explore my patients’
innermost psyche.”
• Basjas/Sabathina: “She was a
patient of mine back on Monde, one
of the many worlds conquered by my
master. I cannot discuss the particulars
of her case—patient confidentiality,
you know—but somehow during her
time in our care she gained the ability
to control spiders of all the things. It
was how she escaped from me, killing
the entire staff of the sanitorium in the
process. She now goes by Basjas and
belongs to the Hellion Court. If you seek
her, you should be in an asylum!”
• Hellion Court: “They are a secret society
handpicked by our master himself to
help him rule the new Orrorsh. They
direct from the shadows, allowing those
pathetic Victorians to think they’re
somehow in control. But make no
mistake, they know everything that
happens in their domain, and it all
ends up in the Gaunt Man’s ears.”
49
 • Emma Melgrath/’Ave Maria’: “You speak of
the love of my life, Emma. ‘Ave Maria’ was her
favorite song. I played it at her funeral. After
her suicide I decided our medical knowledge
of the inner workings of the mind was not
sufficient. Would that I knew then what I know
now—I might have been able to save her.”
• Loss of Medical License: “Those damnable
fools at the Society of Psychological Medicine
didn’t understand what I was doing. I was
on the verge of a breakthrough! Had they not
destroyed my work on Monde, I might have
discovered the Psychogenic Actualizer decades
ago!”
As he speaks, any of his surviving disorderlies
immediately head toward the room. After a couple
of minutes, or if the Storm Knights express a desire
to view Dr. Melgrath’s patient files, a change comes
over him. He announces the heroes will make
excellent patients for further study then commands
his disorderlies to attack.
During the fight he stimulates Sanjeev’s mind to
manipulate the environment in the following ways:
Round One: All lights sputter, making the room
Dim (–2).
“HOW I LOOK FORWARD
TO CUTTING OPEN
YOUR MIND. WHAT
SWEET NIGHTMARES
YOU MUST HAVE BURIED
DOWN IN THERE!”
-DR. MELGRATH
50
Round Two: All exits to the room simply
disappear. Lights further tamp down to Dark (–4).
Round Three: All lights go out and the room is
Pitch Dark (–6).
Round Four: The room floods to the knees with
cold, black water. Movement is reduced by 4
(minimum 1).
Round Five and Beyond: The Crawler is once
more manifested in the room, sloshing through the
cold water.
If the Psychogenic Actualizer (Size –4, Toughness
15) takes a Wound, it is destroyed and all
environmental changes instantly vanish.
• Disorderlies (2 per Storm Knight): See below
• Dr. Melgrath: See below
DISORDERLY
These hideously disfigured, undead attendants
still wear their hospital uniforms, but their faces
have been replaced with a vertical mouth of fangs
that stretches from forehead to chin.
Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit
6, Strength 10
Skills: Dodge 10, find 10, first aid 9, intimidation
8, maneuver 9, medicine 9, melee weapons 11,
taunt (5), trick (7), unarmed combat 11.
Move: 8; Tough: 10; Shock: —; Wounds: 1
Equipment: Scalpel (Strength +1/11)
Perks: —
Possibilities: None
Special Abilities:
• Bite: Damage Strength +2 (12).
• Fear: On first encountering a disorderly, a
hero must test willpower or Spirit or become
Very Stymied.
• Mindless: Disorderlies are immune to
intimidation and taunt interactions.
• Relentless: Disorderlies ignore Shock.
• Undead: Disorderlies are immune to poison
and other effects that require breathing, eating,
or other “living” processes.
DR. MELGRATH
The Nightmare, Dr. Ezekiel Melgrath, started off as
a typical psychiatric doctor (sometimes called an
“Alienist”) on Monde, one of the many invaded by
the Gaunt Man. Over time he developed an “ends
justify the means” attitude. His experiments, while
definitely pushing the mental sciences in new
and exciting directions, often troubled the other
doctors around him. Then, after his young wife,
Emma Melgrath, committed suicide due to her
third miscarriage, Dr. Melgrath threw himself into
his work. A darkness, already deep inside him,
emerged, and soon his sanitorium looked more
like a dungeon than a place of healing.
After the bizarre escape of Sabathina DeLaunay,
an investigation brought his unethical experiments
to light, and his licenses were summarily revoked.
By this point, though, he had caught the eye of the
Gaunt Man. Now Dr. Melgrath is over a century
old, but looks no more than fifty. His pale skin is
perpetually clammy, with beads of sweat dabbing
on his temples. He wears a fine suit under his lab
coat.
Token: Play his wife’s favorite song, “Ave Maria,”
which reminds the doctor of her funeral.
Desire: Discover he was respected by other
members of his profession, and it was his own
corruption which stripped him of his license.
True Death: Having his brain removed. Orrorsh’s
diabolical reality means doing this also forces a
Corruption check!
Attributes: Charisma 9, Dexterity 7, Mind 12,
Spirit 9, Strength 10
Skills: Evidence analysis 15, find 15, first aid 17,
intimidation 11, medicine 17, melee weapons
10, persuasion 15, profession (psychiatrist) 17,
reality 12, scholar 14, science 15, taunt 15, trick
15, unarmed combat 8, willpower 13.
Move: 7; Tough: 10; Shock: 9; Wounds: 3
Equipment: Cranial saw (Damage 12), scalpel
(Strength +1/11).
Perks: Strong-Willed
Possibilities: 2 (Nightmare)
Special Abilities:
• Cloak of Darkness: Dr. Melgrath gains
Toughness equal to the darkness penalty for
any attacks against him.
• Insidious: If Dr. Melgrath performs a
successful Approved Action, he discards a
random Destiny card from each of the affected
player character’s Action Pools.
• Mesmerism: By spending a Possibility, Dr.
Melgrath may make a special persuasion test
opposed by the target’s willpower or Mind. If
successful, he may control her actions for as
long as he maintains concentration. These
actions occur on her own turn using her
own skills and abilities, but at Dr. Melgrath’s
direction. He may not force her to spend her
own Possibilities. The target may break free by
spending her entire turn and testing willpower
or Mind against his Charisma, making this test
at –1 if the initial Mind Control attempt was a
Good Success, or –2 if it was Outstanding. Once
free, the victim cannot be controlled again in
this scene. The doctor must be able to speak to
use this special ability.
• Minions: The doctor may transfer any hit to
lackey within a few meters if he succeeds at a
reality test.
• Open Your Mind: Dr. Melgrath is an expert
at spotting the psychological weaknesses of
others. All his intimidation, persuasion, taunt,
and trick tests are Favored.
AFTERMATH
If Dr. Melgrath is Defeated, any surviving
disorderlies collapse, inert. The elevator now
connects them to the surface and they may leave
this haunted, abandoned place. If they skipped
Dr. Melgrath’s office before, and failed to learn
Basjas’ true name from Dr. Melgrath, allow them to
explore the office now that the threat is clear.
At this point, the Storm Knights know Basjas’
original name (Sabathina DeLaunay) and some
other details of her identity, though her true name is
the key to canceling one of her Refresh Possibilities.
But Orrorsh has one last dark trick up its sleeve.
On their way back out of the asylum they discover
anyone they spoke to in Nivithigala is dead, their
corpses withered and blackened, contorted in pain
and horror—the next victims of the Ludoghast!
51
 I
n the previous act, the Storm Knights learned
Basjas had acquired a property in the Western
Ghats mountain range in Maharashtra. Going

THE SPIDER’S WEB

directly into the lair of a Nightmare is a dangerous
prospect, especially one as powerful as Basjas, but
if such a place exists it must surely hold secrets!
The goal in this act is for the Storm Knights to
learn Basjas’s “Token,” that her father is still alive
deep under her manor, preserved for an eternity
of torment for what he did to Basjas (back when
she was Sabathina) and to her mother. In the event
the players’ choices prevent them from discovering
ACT FOUR:
her Token, the Game Master should find a different
way to present that information.
The heroes also get a chance to strike a heavy
blow against Basjas by destroying her main crypt, a
vampire’s most valuable sanctuary. It isn’t without
its guardians, however!
Unlike other acts, scenes in this act are linked to
specific portions of Kathin Gad and the surrounding
area. As the heroes get closer to Basjas’ crypt deep
beneath the manor, they trigger the next scene.

OVERVIEW
Scene One: The heroes arrive at a village near
Kathin Gad, only to find it is overrun with the
shambling dead.
Scene Two: Getting up to the manor turns out to
be a challenge in itself, as the heroes must choose
between a perilous climb or approaching via the
highly visible Widow’s Road.
Scene Three: Once inside Kathin Gad, the Storm
Knights must find their way through the manor’s
maze of rooms, and repel an assault by the mind-
bending apparition called the Caretaker.
Scene Four: At last reaching Kathin Gad’s basement
catacombs, the heroes encounter murderous
spawn under Basjas’ control, a swarm of poisonous
spiders, and a dark secret that threatens to corrupt
their very souls.

52
 The hungry dead converge on the ruins of Kolechafesar village
SCENE ONE: NONE BUT
THE DEAD
Standard Scene. Orrosh Pure Zone. The Storm
Knights must make the journey toward Kathin Gad
Castle. If you are using the optional encounters in
the Orrorsh By Rail chapter, run “Because I Could
Not Stop for Death” at this time.
When that encounter is over the heroes reach the
closest train station. From there they hire a carriage
to reach Kathin Gad. They don’t need to pay for
this, but if they wish to requisition supplies this is
the last chance to do so.
The journey is uneventful unless the Game Master
wishes to insert an additional encounter or side
adventure. Read or paraphrase:
The Deed you found in Basjas’ apartment in Mumbai
was for “Kathin Gad Manor,” some 70 kilometers
from Mumbai. You made the long trek inland through
country which became more and more rugged with each
passing hour. The hills became mountains, great steps
of towering cliffs and forested tablelands that force the
road into switchbacks along steep escarpments. From
time to time you passed small shrines on the road,
decorated with flags and bells hanging from the tree
limbs. Wolves howled in the distance.
The sun is near to setting when you finally spot the
manor. It stands atop an astonishing pyramid-like hill
that crouches like a beast in the center of the valley.
A village lies at the base of the hill, and the ominous
Pawna Lake curves around it all like a grasping
claw. A low mist already clings to the ground in the
gathering dark.
If the heroes have horses, the poor things can
only be goaded to approach the village with a
Challenging (DN 12) beast riding or Charisma test.
53
 Remind the Storm Knights they have arrived at
sunset after a long journey, not the most auspicious
time to tackle a vampire’s lair. They are welcome
to try, of course, but they’ll either need to pass
through the village anyway or circle around to
attempt the flanks of the hill the hard way. If they
venture into the village, continue with Ghost
Town below. Otherwise they find The Crossroads
near the slopes of the hill.
GHOST TOWN
The tiny village of Kolechafasar rests right at the
base of the hill with Kathin Gad looming practically
overhead. It consists of a single row of wooden
buildings with signs in Marathi indicating a small
hotel, general store, and a mandir for the faithful.
However, the place seems deserted. No lights
shine in the houses clustered around the town, and
weeds grow in the dirt road.
A Standard (DN 10) evidence analysis test reveals
this village is indeed deserted: the window panes
are broken, doors swing open in the wind, and
once-colorful paint is faded. Time and weather
have taken their toll on the buildings, whose
entryways and open rooms are leaf-blown and
already starting to grow mildew. Rotten food still
sits in cupboards. Rats skitter everywhere as the
heroes move through buildings.
It is possible to scrounge some useful supplies
among the abandoned buildings with a Challenging
(DN 12) find test:
• Standard Success: A working lantern with
enough oil for five hours.
• Good Success: A single draught of Elixir of
Light.
• Outstanding Success: A highly tarnished
Sacellum charm.
Examining the area for signs of what happened is a
Challenging (DN 12) evidence analysis test. A success
lets the heroes know, from toppled furniture and
scattered personal items, that the residents fled in a
hurry. A Good Success discovers some of the doors
and windows had once been boarded hastily,
and an Outstanding Success reveals some of the
scattered objects strewn inside have been disturbed
recently as though someone passed through.
54
At this point they hear something outside. Night
falls quickly at this latitude, so with the sun now
set, conditions outside are Dark (–4). Nevertheless,
they can see scores of people emerging from the
trees on all sides of the village. They move in an
awkward, jerky way as they stagger through the
ground fog toward the heroes. These are zombies,
created by Basjas in the same way as the zombies
the Storm Knights encountered in Act Two. Basjas
uses them as a first line of defense for the area
around her castle. Seeing this many zombies at
once forces the heroes to test willpower or Spirit at
–2 or be Very Stymied, losing a Destiny card from
their hand on a Mishap. The zombies surround the
town, mindlessly moving toward the heroes and
attempting to enter any structure they might be
inside.
If the Storm Knights have horses, the animals
have had enough and break free, running off into
the night.
The Storm Knights are desperately outnumbered.
Should they somehow miraculously Defeat every
zombie present, this valley is swarming with more,
no doubt on their way already. The Storm Knights
shouldn’t linger!
• Hungry Dead (40 per Storm Knight): See
page 104.
THE CROSSROADS
Just beyond the village, the road meanders through
the woods at the base of a towering escarpment
then splits. One branch circles to the north of
Kathin Gad, ending at the Nandi farmhouse (see
Nandi Farm below). The southern road dead-
ends by the lake shore. Standing by the crossroads
is a wrought-iron gate inside a crumbling brick
archway with KATHIN GAD emblazoned on the
nameplate. The gate is closed but not locked.
At the crossroads swing a half dozen decomposed
bodies with signs around their neck that read (in
Marathi), “Vampire Slayer.”
Approaching the crossroads is a man holding
a lantern and a machete. This is Amit, the son of
the family who runs the Nandi Farm (see below).
Realizing the heroes are alive, not more zombies,
he greets them and asks why they have come to
this “forsaken place.” There isn’t much time for full
explanations, but he invites them to come back to
his family farm where it is safe.
Inspecting a body with a Challenging (DN 12)
evidence analysis shows he or she died of a broken
neck from the hanging, but had also been bitten
hundreds of times by what look like insects or
spiders. Should the Storm Knights cut them down
and give them a proper burial, they each earn an
Orrorsh Possibility for this kindness, but a pack of
starving wolves in search of a meal are drawn to
the activity.
• Orrorsh Wolf (2 per Storm Knight): See page
107.
NANDI FARM
Nestled at the base of Kathin Gad Hill is a
farmhouse. Encircling the house are dozens of
Hindu holy symbols, statuettes of Buddha, stones
covered with offerings and candles, and fluttering
orange flags. A Hard (DN 14) find or scholar test
alerts the viewer that these are arranged into a giant
mandala. These symbols prevent the zombies from
approaching the farmhouse, as long as no blood is
spilled on the property.
The farm is run by Chakravarti Nandi and his
teenage son Amit. His wife, Meenal, never leaves
her bed, having lost her grip on sanity. Her constant
ravings and thrashings in the back room echo
through the small house. Chakravarti and Amit
are beyond happy to see other living humans and
drown the heroes in questions about the outside
world. They can share the following information:
• Kolechafasar Village: While the towns and
villages nearby were scenes of horror on the
Night of Screams, a woman with dark hair rode
into town on a black carriage and declared it
safe as long as the townsfolk proclaimed their
loyalty to her, and did everything they could
to prevent intruders. She was there to return
Kathin Gad to its former glory. The townsfolk
were loyal at first, but when they realized she
was a vetala (vampire) they organized to march
on her castle and slay her. The guilty ones were
hung at the crossroads, and within a week
everyone in the village and the surrounding
area grew sick and died from a strange disease.
Now they wander this valley.
• Kathin Gad Castle: On the Night of Screams,
a fort miraculously appeared at the site of
ruins at the top of the hill. The vetala (which
they simply call “The Mistress”) took up
residency, and ever since they’ve seen lights in
the windows at night. The only way up to the
castle is the “Widow’s Road” which meets at
the crossroads gate and climbs the ridge.
• The Mistress: Only Amit has caught a
glimpse of her. She’s a beautiful woman with
black curly hair who rides in a black carriage.
She comes and goes from Kathin Gad but he’s
never sure whether she is there or not.
• Zombies: Neither Charkravarti nor Amit
know how many there are, but they believe the
disease spread to communities all around the
area, and might be spreading still. Those who
succumb to it merge upon Kolechafasar village
and the forests all around Kathin Gad.
• Holy Charms: The holy symbols arranged
around the farm repel the zombies as long as
they aren’t disturbed. Amit is always on the
search for more on his supply runs (which have
become more and more difficult).
When he gets a moment, Charkravarti asks
the heroes for a terrible favor. Meenal’s mental
condition has only worsened, and she is already
half-dead. He asks the Storm Knights to administer
a mercy killing. He has a concoction on hand which
can do the trick, but hasn’t the nerve to euthanize
her himself. In exchange, he offers to tell them of a
secret route into Kathin Gad hill.
If the Storm Knights agree, anyone who participated
receives an Orrorsh Possibility, but also must test
for Corruption. In addition, the “spilled blood”
cancels the holy power of the symbols protecting
the house, and zombies immediately converge on
the homestead.
• Hungry Dead (10 per Storm Knight): See
page 104.
• Amit: Use the profile for Typical Orrorshan,
page 106.
• Charkravarti: Use the profile for Typical
Orrorshan, page 106.
55

SCENE TWO: ASCENDING
TO KATHIN GAD
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. When the
Storm Knights are ready to venture to Kathin Gad,
they begin this scene. Read or paraphrase:
Kathin Gad is built atop a rocky hill in the center of
the valley. This location gives Basjas a commanding
view of the town, the lake, and the surrounding
countryside. Similar in shape to a crouched dragon,
both the north and south flanks are rough, craggy, and
weed-covered. On the east the hill ends at a promontory
above a near-vertical cliff, while on the west the hill is
a jagged ridge that slopes gradually down to the valley
floor. A cobbled drive snakes up the ridge toward the
castle.
It is 400 meters from the valley floor to the peak
where Basjas’ manor perches. The cobbled drive
is the Widow’s Road, the route Basjas takes when
Kathin Gad manor broods atop its rocky perch
56
she comes and goes in her carriage. Adventurous
heroes might wish to scale one of the weedy, rocky
slopes on either side. If they honored Charkravarti’s
fell request, they know of a hidden tunnel in the
hill, allowing the heroes to reach Kathin Gad’s
crypts and bypass the threats awaiting them in the
castle’s other floors.
A RISKY CLIMB
Kathin Gad can be approached from the sides, if
the heroes are averse to taking the main road. The
eastern cliff, located adjacent to Tung village, is
certainly the hardest approach, but as a reward
the Storm Knights can get into the castle faster.
Climbing this cliff is a Dramatic Skill Resolution. At
each Step they must make a Challenging (DN 12)
Strength test to progress. Dilemmas while climbing
include crumbling handholds/footholds, strong
winds, unreliable gear, a growing fear of heights,
or interference by aggressive spiders. At the top
they reach the balcony leading into the Dining Hall.
 Climbing the slopes on either the north or south
side of the hill is a bit less laborious. In this case,
the heroes need only pass a single Standard (DN
10) Strength test to reach the base of the castle wall,
though they must also test stealth as a multi-action
if they wish to approach unseen.
In either case, a fall deals 20 +1BD damage, or 20
+2BD on a Mishap. Flying bypasses this obstacle,
but alerts the Caretaker immediately.
THE WIDOW’S ROAD
This bumpy drive of weedy cobblestones starts at
the crossroads where the villagers hang suspected
vampire hunters. Opening the iron gate causes it
to shriek, alerting anything that might be lurking
nearby.
Not far beyond the gate, the drive emerges from
the forest and starts to rise above the landscape.
Here the road is edged by a low coping wall. Dozens
of ravens pecking at a dead animal take to the skies
at the heroes’ approach. The road becomes a zigzag
climbing a tight slope. Each hairpin bend is narrow
enough to give the heroes the feeling they might
fall from the stone coping. Passing this way in a
carriage calls for a Very Hard (DN 14) land vehicles
test, with a failure resulting in the road crumbling
and tipping the carriage over the side! A fall from
this height deals 14+1BD damage (or 14+2BD on a
Mishap).
After cresting the hill, the Storm Knights reach
a stone gatehouse. They are getting close to the
castle. If they wish to approach unseen they’ll need
to leave behind any vehicle or mounts and make a
stealth test as a group.
HIDDEN TUNNEL
Charkravarti’s tip leads the heroes to a pile of
boulders at the base of the northern slope. Tucked
behind the boulders is a small drainage tunnel that
burrows into the hill. It is impossible to find on
their own.
After a few meters, the tunnel angles steeply
upward. It’s quite a tight fit, requiring everyone
climbing it to make a Very Hard (DN 16) Strength or
Dexterity to make progress. Someone who reaches
the top can use a rope to reduce the difficulty to
Standard (DN 10) for the remaining team members.
Failing a test drops the hero back down the shaft to
take 8+1BD damage (or 8+2BD on a Mishap) from
the fall. Anyone below them must make a similar
test, but with a Multi-Action penalty equal to the
number of heroes involved in the fall.
The tunnel ends in the Basement (see Scene Four).
CASTLE EXTERIOR
When the heroes get close to Kathin Gad read or
paraphrase the following:
Kathin Gad is not a large manor—the sharp conical
shape of the hill leaves very little room for a structure
at the top—but it makes good use of what space it has.
Its dark stone walls appear to plunge directly out of
the rocky hill itself. Aside from a carriage house and
garden out front, the castle is a great Romanesque
Revival manse, with peaked gables, a steep roof, and a
lone tower like a gaunt head perched atop its shoulders.
Stone gargoyles glare down from the gables and the
windows are paned with Gothic stained glass.
If the heroes approached via the Widow’s Road
the closest structure is the carriage house.
The front door is locked, but can be opened with a
Very Hard (DN 16) lockpicking or Strength test. A bell
pull beside the door rings a bell somewhere inside.
This alerts the Caretaker to the heroes’ presence
but also immediately opens the front door.
They may also enter by breaking one of the
windows (no roll needed, but alerts the Caretaker).
Climbing to an upper window requires a
Challenging (DN 12) Strength test and attracts the
attention of the gargoyles.
• Gargoyle (1 per Storm Knight): See page 102
SCENE THREE: WATCHER
IN THE WALLS
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. This scene
begins when the Storm Knights have gained access
to Kathin Gad’s main floor or upper floor. If they
entered via the Hidden Tunnel, they bypass this
scene entirely (see Scene Four). It is up to the heroes
to determine the order in which they explore the
grounds. See the map for more details.
Most of the lamps in the building are perpetually
lit, as though the mistress of the manor were
57
 present. From everywhere in the house one can
hear a faint wail of agony, but only in the study can
one determine it is coming from the basement.
Kathin Gad is a Haunt, a structure with a
malevolent spirit of its own. It uses its powers to
interfere with the heroes at advantageous moments
(or if the structure is directly attacked) but mainly
relies on the various horrors and ghosts dwelling
in this horrible place to do its dirty work, especially
the Caretaker (see below). The Haunt’s locus is the
portrait of Basjas in the Dining Hall.
• Haunt: See page 104.
DIVIDE AND CONQUER
As the heroes explore Kathin Gad, they have to
contend with the Caretaker, an evil spirit that
drifts, unseen, about the manor. Despite a strong
feeling of being watched, the Storm Knights won’t
encounter the Caretaker for a short time, giving
them an opportunity to investigate the manor.
Keep track of how many distinct areas they visit.
After the third area (or when they reach the Main
Hall), the Caretaker awakens in the Tower. If the
Storm Knights rang the bell outside, the Caretaker
is already awake and awaiting them.
The Caretaker attacks its targets by plumbing
their mind for painful memories, desires, or fears,
always centered around a person the target knows.
Even better if it is someone close to them. It first
uses Orrorsh’s Law of the Uncanny to cause the
target to lag behind, get distracted, or otherwise
become isolated from allies. The heroes unwittingly
become scattered throughout the main and upper
floor of Kathin Gad due to this effect.
Then it creates an apparition, a walking, talking
image of the person in question, which confronts
the target in a way that maximizes the emotional
anguish. Some potential personal apparitions:
• Friends or family from the hero’s backstory
• An innocent victim the Storm Knight failed to
protect
• The subject of a Romance, Nemesis, or
Connection card
• A deceased former ally
58
• A particularly difficult enemy the hero once
faced
• A member of the Nandi family: Chakravarti,
Amit, or Meenal
• Adelaide Morris, Radhika Lakhavani, Walter
Keening, or another NPC they’ve encountered
during this adventure
Roleplay out these encounters if the player is
willing and able to do so. The apparition has access
to any information about its subject known by the
targeted hero, and uses everything at its disposal
to wrack the target with fear, doubt, loathing,
regret, rage, or any other powerful emotion. The
Caretaker’s goal is to get the target to commit an
act that will trigger a Corruption check, such as
goading them to “murder” the apparition in cold
blood, and so on, and to this end it will never
outright attack the hero—merely taunt, provoke,
or insult them.
If a Storm Knight attacks an apparition, any
attack, spell, or other action that succeeds against
a Very Easy (DN 6) difficulty is enough to Defeat
it. It still appears as the chosen individual’s corpse,
essentially taunting them from beyond the grave.
At the climax of this confrontation, the Storm
Knight must make a willpower test opposed by
the Caretaker’s Spirit, taking 15+1BD damage and
losing 1 Destiny card (or 15+2BD damage and
losing 2 Destiny cards on a Mishap) if the Caretaker
wins. If it fails, the apparition fades away and the
Caretaker cannot target that hero again during this
act.
Aside from the Caretaker’s own subtle attacks,
it agitates the various ghosts in the castle: An
invisible presence plays a mournful dirge on the
grand piano, a crowd of wispy forms spin as they
waltz across the dance floor, the spirit of the dead
man in the larder sobs and begs to be released, the
table in the main hall is set with a maggoty dinner,
a quiet whisper echoes from a dark hallway, blood
seeps from a hole in a wall, a spot of intense cold
hangs in the middle of a room, and a poltergeist
hurls books and other objects in the library (test
Dexterity or Strength or take 6+1BD damage, or 6+
2BD on a Mishap). The first time the heroes witness
one of these apparitions, they must test willpower
or Spirit or take Fatigue from fright which does
not fade until the end of the Act. These ghosts are
not sentient and (aside from the poltergeist) are
incapable of directly harming the heroes.
Entering the Basement level or leaving the house
removes the Storm Knights from the Caretaker’s
area of influence.
• The Caretaker: See below
THE CARETAKER
This spirit was created by an arcane ritual wherein
a victim dies in the throes of torture, after which
specially-inscribed iron spikes are hammered into
his eye sockets. The resulting evil spirit is bound to
its creator’s demands, usually employed to protect
an area or seek out those who wronged the creator.
The Caretaker harms its target by finding their
innermost hidden fault and creating an apparition
which takes the life-like appearance of a person
connected to that flaw, then relentlessly berating
the target to the breaking point.
Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 6, Mind 6, Spirit
15, Strength 5
Skills: Dodge 7, find 13, intimidation 13, maneuver
9, reality 16, stealth 14, taunt 10, trick 7, willpower
15
Move: 6; Tough: 5; Shock: 15; Wounds: —
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: 2
Special Abilities:
• Cloak of Darkness: The Caretaker gains
Toughness equal to the Darkness penalty.
• Ethereal: May move through walls and solid
objects, and is immune to physical attacks
unless the weapon is magical or has a property
(like cold iron) that allows it to affect ethereal
beings. Magic, miracles, and psionic powers
affect the Caretaker normally.
• Fear: On first becoming aware of this creature
a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become
Very Stymied.
• Immaterial: The Caretaker is usually formless
and invisible. It can be sensed with Detect
magic and similar spells, miracles, or powers,
but not seen. If desired, it can manifest as a
shrouded specter with skeletal hands.
• Apparitions: The Caretaker’s main method
of attack is to drive the target mad by creating
images only they can see from their own painful
memories. After an interaction with one of these
apparitions, intense mental anguish forces the
target to test willpower against the Caretaker’s
Spirit, taking 15+1BD damage and losing 1
Destiny card (or 15+2BD damage and losing 2
Destiny cards on a Mishap). The Caretaker can
create more than one apparition at a time.
• Undead: The Caretaker is immune to effects
that require breathing, eating, or other “living”
processes.
MAIN AND UPPER FLOOR LOCATIONS
This section presents the various rooms and
locations of the Main and Upper Level of Kathin
Gad in alphabetic order.
Ballroom: This large chamber is accented with
floor-to-ceiling columns, brocaded red curtains,
and huge wrought-iron chandeliers. A Challenging
(DN 12) evidence analysis test indicates it was used
sometime in the last few months, perhaps hosting
the Gaunt Man himself?
Bedroom: Each of these dusty rooms has a bed,
dresser, wardrobe, and vanity. The wallpaper
is starting to peel and is stained with mildew in
places. A Standard (DN 10) evidence analysis test
shows these rooms have been used, but not in
some time.
Carriage House & Stables: This stone building
has a pair of large sliding barn doors that open to
reveal Basjas’ gleaming black carriage. The building
smells of horses, but all the stalls are empty save
for the one in the back where a black Percheron
horse nearly blends into the shadows, save for its
glowing red eyes. Despite looking very real, the
horse is a spirit that, if harmed, breaks apart into
black smoke and fades away
Dining Hall: This impressive room is home to
a long dining table that seats a dozen people.
Tarnished silverware and ceramic plates are set at
each seat, though they are empty of food, and the
candelabras are extinguished. Old portraits on the
wall depict Basjas, along with people long dead.
Foyer: Twin staircases curve up on either side
of this room and meet at an upper landing. An
elaborate chandelier dangles overhead, its candles
lit and fresh.
59
 Garden: This withered, dead garden has a dry
fountain in the center. A marble bench sits at the
southern end overlooking the valley.
Kitchen and Larder: The plaster walls in this
old kitchen are starting to crack. Two huge tables
are blackened with old stains that turn out to be
blood on a Standard (DN 10) evidence analysis test.
Flies buzz everywhere in here. The stench of death
comes from a Hungry Dead trapped in the larder.
• Hungry Dead: See page 104.
Library: This room is lined with floor-to-ceiling
bookshelves that practically groan under the
weight of thousands of dusty old tomes, most of
them historical treatises on places the heroes have
never heard of, but a few have titles that indicate
their arcane origins. A Challenging (DN 12) scholar
or evidence analysis test can dig up some interesting
information among these books:
60
• Standard Success: Geographical and
historical information about Monde, the world
Basjas calls home, destroyed by the Gaunt
Man two hundred years ago. While this has
no direct practical application, this gives the
heroes further insight into her origins and age.
• Good Success: The above, plus a ritual for
trapping a murdered spirit to ward an area
against intruders. This is how Basjas created
the Caretaker. Included are instructions for
putting it to rest by removing and melting its
eye spikes.
• Outstanding Success: The above, plus a
formula for a medicine against Black Vein
Disease, granting a +6 bonus to Strength tests to
resist the disease.
Master Bedroom: A fire crackles in the large
fireplace in this well-furnished room, which also
features a large wardrobe and four-post bed. Under
the bed is a Disembodied Hand which waits until
an opportune moment to strike the heroes.
• Disembodied Hand: see page 102.
Nursery: Driven by sentimentality and the
same festering trauma that led to her becoming
a Nightmare, Basjas has turned one of the empty
bedrooms into a child’s nursery similar to her own
as a child. Among the dozens of eerie dolls is an
evil poppet.
• Poppet: See page 105.
Parlor: This room for entertaining guests has
several comfortable seats, a divan, and a grand
piano.
Privy: This tiny room is empty save for a single
toilet and wash basin. The one on the main floor is
directly underneath the one on the upper floor.
Servant’s Room: This simple chamber is intended
as a place for servants to work while staying out of
view.
Storage: Occupying the odd-shaped gap between
the tower and upper wall of the dining room, this
cobweb-choked room is a cramped maze of old
boxes, chests, discarded furniture, clothing, and
other assorted objects. The tight quarters impose
a –2 penalty to all physical tests in this room and
reduce movement by half.
Study: This large circular room is the base of
the tower. It is occupied by a large desk, several
bookshelves, and an arcane diagram etched out on
the floor in red chalk dust. A Challenging (DN 12)
conjuration or scholar test lets the examiner know
it is intended for dark summoning rituals, though
hasn’t been used in some time. A staircase hugging
the wall curves upward toward the top of the tower,
and under it is a staircase curving downward into
the Basement. The sound of moaning and wailing
is louder in here, noticeably coming from below.
Tower: The top of the stone tower is a single large
round chamber with windows on all sides. In the
center of the floor is an iron maiden—a rusty iron
cabinet with a single padlocked door and a metal
face appearing to wail in sorrow on the top. The
door can be opened with a Hard (DN 14) lockpicking
or Strength test. Inside are the grisly remains of the
victim used to create the Caretaker.
SCENE FOUR: SECRETS IN
THE CRYPT
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. This scene
begins when the Storm Knights have gained
access to Kathin Gad’s basement, either by finding
the staircase down or by climbing up the hidden
tunnel.
CRYPTS
Several dark archways lurk along this short
network of tunnels at the base of the stairs. Inside
each one is a small crypt that holds a casket. These
are the home of Basjas’ vampire spawn, six men
and women who betrayed her at some point in
the past, so are now doomed to languish here and
beg for her forgiveness. Though they hate her,
their blood fealty to her is impossible to violate for
long. Upon seeing the Storm Knights, the vampires
plead for just a drop of life-giving blood, mewling
and fawning in an attempt to appear weak. Clever
Storm Knights might be able to pass through here
without a fight—but the vampires won’t be able to
fight their blood lust for long!
If the heroes entered Kathin Gad through the
hidden tunnel, they emerge through a drainage
grate at the base of the stairs.
• Vampire (1 per Storm Knight): See page 107.
BASJAS’ BOUDOIR
This stone chamber is hung with brocaded crimson
curtains and a fine rug covers the floor. A divan,
fireplace, a bookcase (fiction, French), a vanity, and
a phonograph indicates this is the boudoir where
Basjas spends some of her leisure time while at her
manor. A framed blueprint-style map depicts each
floor of Kathin Gad. If the Storm Knights did not
know of the secret drainage tunnel in the crypts,
they see it on the map.
An Easy (DN 8) find test turns up a few interesting
clues:
• Standard Success: A painted portrait of a
family that depicts a regal-looking blonde
mother and a young girl with dark curly hair.
Beside them is a male figure—presumably
the father—but his face has been so badly
61
 scratched out his features are long gone. The
family’s archaic French-style clothes are similar
to those from Earth’s Georgian era. A plaque
underneath reads “DeLaunay 1811.”
• Good Success: An extremely old porcelain
doll, spider webbed with tiny cracks, and
wearing clothes that match those of the girl in
the painting. Its clothing was stitched with a
fine silver thread. (This is a sample of the type
of thread that must be used for Basjas’ True
Death. The doll does not have enough, but this
thread can be used in the creation of more.)
• Outstanding: Basjas’ journal. This rambling
leather book skips many decades, and doesn’t
pick up until long after she was going by the
name “Basjas,” but it reveals that after the
fall of her home cosm Monde, Basjas served
the Gaunt Man for nearly two hundred years
during his invasions of dozens of worlds,
gradually working her way deeper and deeper
into his favor, then at last being inducted
into the Gaunt Man’s “Hellion Court,” a high
council of Nightmares which were the sole
surviving Horrors of the fall of their worlds.
It also mentions someone named “Kurst” who
was sent from the Gaunt Man to serve Basjas on
this new world.
GALLERY
In this somber room, Basjas left a devious trap for
anyone who thinks they’ve located her sanctuary.
A set of narrow, steep stairs emerges onto a balcony
overlooking a cobweb-strewn chamber hung with
old portraits and ruby-red curtains. Candles in floor
candelabras of black wrought iron cast the room in an
eerie glow. On a stone platform rests an elegant black
coffin with gold trim. The lid is closed.
The casket contains a gravespawn, an oily black
pool of corrupt ooze placed here to foil would-be
killers. It waits inside the coffin to attack any who
open the lid.
Behind one of the thick curtains is the short
passageway leading to Basjas’ real crypt.
• Gravespawn: See page 103.
62
BASJAS’ CRYPT
The Storm Knights have at last reached Basjas’
inner sanctum—her main crypt, containing her
primary coffin...and one of her darkest secrets!
The stone tunnel emerges into an astonishing room.
Crimson pillars holding up the ceiling are nearly
swallowed inside great mats of spiderwebs that stretch
in all directions from an elegant black lacquered casket
on a small dais in the center of the floor. Peculiar
lanterns positioned around the room flicker with a
spectral green light that gives off a faint graveyard
vapor. Dangling on the far side of the room is a man,
almost entirely shrouded in spider silk save for his
face, screaming in torment. On a table beneath his feet
are dozens of torture implements.
To the Storm Knights’ good fortune, Basjas is not
in her casket—she is back in Mumbai, where they
last saw her. Destroying or blessing her casket does
not bring her to this location, unlike last time, but
it does render it unusable to her. This being her
primary casket, Basjas won’t take this loss well.
The lanterns are occult devices (see below) which
contain trapped ghosts. Besides illuminating
the chamber, they whisper with phantom voices
whenever a threat approaches. As Basjas is their
current “owner,” that means they start whispering
a warning about the Storm Knights!
This chamber is well-protected by swarms of
Squelette spiders and vampires lurking among the
high webbing. But her most trusted crypt keeper is
a reality-rated Gospog of the Third Planting. It stays
in hiding behind a pillar until the Storm Knights
feel safe to enter, then drops a heavy portcullis to
seal off the exit hallway and emerges at the same
time as the chamber’s other threats.
• Poison Spider Swarm: See page 106.
• Vampires (1 per Storm Knight): See page 107.
• Gospog of the Third Planting: See page 105.
THE LAST RITES OF HENRI
DELAUNAY
When the Storm Knights have finally dealt with the
room’s defenders, they can turn their attention to
the individual trapped in the webbing.
 This is Basjas’ father, imprisoned and sustained
in undeath by her for nearly 200 years in revenge
for what he did to both her and her mother. He is
delirious and halfway insane, but upon becoming
aware of the Storm Knights he comes around just
enough to tell them his story in a mix of archaic
French and English:
“I’ve been Basjas’ prisoner for longer than I can
remember. She torments me. And why? Because I
cared too much about her mother. Colette was sick.
She was defiant and stubborn, an agitator who fought
against the natural order of society by claiming that
women should be the equal of men. An outrage! She
organized a group of like-minded women to fight for
the right to vote, and that’s when I knew she was truly
unwell. I confined her to the house and had doctors
call upon her, but she was so clever at disguising her
sickness in their presence that none found anything
wrong. She grew more agitated, so I moved her to the
attic room for her own safety. To my embarrassment,
the neighbors could hear her raving up there at night.
At last she flung herself from the attic window and took
her own life. Basjas was broken by this. She became
sullen and rebellious, just like her mother. I heard of
a new facility for the treatment of such cases run by
the esteemed Dr. Melgrath, so I had her committed
into his care. Not long after, the world turned to death
and horror, and Basjas returned to me a changed girl,
having affected her own escape from the asylum. An
army of spiders came with her. Seizing me, she had me
cocooned and for all the years since has subjected me
to horror. What has my darling daughter become? She
is a monster, a fiend, a creature of darkness. Please,
you must destroy her. But I beg of you, free me. The
years… have been so long.”
If the Storm Knights have other questions, he
answers them as best he can:
• Who is he? His name is Henri DeLaunay.
Basjas is his daughter. He was a merchant who
lived in Champlainville, Aveline (on the cosm
Monde) with his wife, Colette.
• How long has he been here? His sense of
time is gone, but he believes it has been “longer
than a lifetime.”
• Where is Basjas? He hasn’t seen her in a
while, but again his sense of time is unreliable.
Upon finding Henri, the Storm Knights
instinctively know he is one of her Secrets.
But that isn’t all. As clearly as they understand
the importance of Henri, they know he cannot be
allowed to live. The only way to clear this secret
is to kill Henri! As a vampire spawn he may be
killed in several ways, but simply burning him
alive in the webs is the most efficient. The webbing
goes up in a rapid inferno with Henri screaming
and thrashing in the middle. Killing Henri in this
fashion does not trigger a Corruption test since he
is undead, but might pose an ethical challenge for
some characters or those with Light Perks. If freed,
he instinctively attacks and fights to the death.
• Henri Delaunay: Use Vampire profile on
page 107.
NEW GEAR: GHOST LANTERN
Tech 20, Magic 14. Solid metal plates resembling
tormented faces cover all four sides of this handheld
lantern Through the mouth- and eye-holes shines an
eerie green light cast by a ghost magically trapped
inside. The ghost starts whispering whenever a
threat approaches within 10 meters of its “owner.”
The whispering imposes a –4 to stealth attempts but
grants the owner a +4 to find tests to notice nearby
danger. If the lantern is destroyed (Toughness 14)
the ghost dissipates forever. Possessing the lantern
for one full (very noisy) day transfers “ownership.”
AFTERMATH
Now that the Storm Knights have encountered—
and killed—Basjas’ father, they have uncovered yet
another of the five secrets that will help them put
an end to her. They may now escape this hellish
place.
If the Storm Knights wish to take one or more of
the strange green ghost lanterns, the thing doesn’t
stop whispering until it has been in their possession
for a day, after which it protects them­­—even if the
effect is unnerving!
Getting out of Kathin Gad is a simple matter of
sliding down the drainage tunnel in the crypts (no
roll needed) or passing back through the manor,
then fleeing the countryside before the zombies
corner them again. Walking for a couple of hours
lets them reach a safe village where the heroes
can arrange for transport to their next destination,
wherever that might be…
63
 I
n the previous acts, the Storm Knights
discovered that someone close to Basjas might
have information about her. He fled to a village
in Bangladesh, but it probably won’t be long before
Basjas or one of her servants tracks him down.
The goal in this act is to discover Basjas’ secret
“Desire,” her deep and abiding yearning to be
adored. As a girl, Basjas was raised by a father who
THE VILLAGE treated women as chattel and a mother who was
preoccupied with her own goals, however worthy,
then later gaslighted into becoming a madwoman.

THAT WEPT
Her imprisonment in Dr. Melgrath’s sanitarium
made her feel abandoned and unloved. Now, even
ACT FIVE:

as an undead creature, she possesses a longing for

adulation which cannot be sated.
Who would know this better than Mandeep
Patel, her former suitor? Mandeep was a fellow
actor at the Oubliette Theater who showed Basjas
the love she craved, but when he discovered her
sleeping in the hidden crypt beneath the theater,
he fled in horror. He returned to Kalipur, the small
village in Bangladesh where he grew up, hoping
to disappear. Alas, he had fled one scene of horror
for another, for Orrorsh’s dark reality awakened a
tragic spirit who drove the village mad, feeding off
the terror and rage it created.
As always, if circumstances prevent the heroes
from speaking to Mandeep, the Game Master must
find another way for them to gain this information.
By the end of the act, they must discover Basjas’
Desire so they may use it to reduce her Refresh rate
during the final encounter.

OVERVIEW
Scene One: The Storm Knights must seek transport
in the half-flooded city of Dhaka. Along the way,
they contend with sickness, a skipper with a dark
secret, and ghostly sightings.
Scene Two: Arriving in Kalipur, the flooded stilt
village seems abandoned, but soon the heroes
find evidencet something terrible happened here.
When they at last locate Mandeep, he informs them
they’re trapped in this village, just like he is. Only
putting the evil to rest can end the curse.
Scene Three: On their way to destroy the evils
plaguing the island, the heroes encounter Kurst,

64
 Chandrima’s malevolent spirit haunts the dark waters of the Ganges.
a lycanthrope in service of Basjas who was sent
to eliminate Mandeep. The investigation into the
terrifying drowned woman haunting the village
reveals an even greater threat.
Scene Four: The Storm Knights must confront
the dark spirit and end its curse or be trapped in
Kalipur forever.
SCENE ONE: DARK
DELTA
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. The Storm
Knights must head to Dhaka, the largest city near
their destination. If you are using the optional
encounters in the Orrorsh By Rail chapter, run “A
Message From Beyond” at this time.
Once they reach Dhaka, the heroes discover that
rising river waters have swamped the city.
The note you read indicated that Basjas’ former co-
actor in the Oubliette theater, Mandeep Patel, fled
to Bangladesh and sought to hide in a small village
in the Ganges delta called Kalipur. This village isn’t
mentioned on any maps you could find. You’ll have to
travel there and see what the locals can tell you.
The nearest city of any size is Dhaka, the capitol of
Bangladesh. It lies nestled in tributaries of the mighty
Ganges. Endless storms wracking the Himalayas to
the north have caused the rivers to swell their banks.
The rail lines in and out of Dhaka are sunk, forcing
passengers to take a ferry on the last leg of the journey.
Paddies in every direction have become lakes, farms lie
abandoned under water halfway to the roof, and the
occasional wilted coconut palm or banana plant rises
from the endless sea of waters.
65
 Dhaka is in bad shape. Flood waters have inundated
the city. Locals wade through knee-high water with
baskets or other possessions held on their heads or
paddle through the city on coracles woven from reeds.
And through it all the endless rain keeps falling.
The Storm Knights are here for two things: learn
the location of Kalipur and secure transportation
there. Unfortunately, high demand coupled with
the terrible conditions imposes a –4 penalty to
streetwise tests to requisition gear in this city.
As they search, the Storm Knights learn via
newspaper (or some other source) that any NPCs
with which they interacted in the previous act were
found dead—blackened and withered, just like the
ones before. Their curse continues to follow them!
DOCKSIDE
Getting to their destination won’t be easy for two
reasons. For one, very few people have even heard
of Kalipur. The Ganges delta is an immense maze
of channels far from the city. There are many tiny
fishing villages throughout the area, many of them
too minor to make it onto regional maps.
The other obstacle is travel. In this Orrorshan Pure
Zone, it could take weeks to track down someone
with a functional seaplane. Traveling by balloon
might be easier, but the dense jungles of the delta
offer no suitable landing for such a craft. The only
option remaining is to travel by boat.
Most of the local craft owners have long since
sailed off for better prospects, but a Burmese
captain, “Andrew” Tun Hein Ye, is still here at
the flooded docks with his steam launch which
can hold up to eight passengers or a couple tons
of cargo. Hiring him as captain does not require a
streetwise roll (the Delphi Council is good for it),
but buying his boat for themselves requires a Hard
(DN 14) test streetwise.
DOWNRIVER
It takes three full days of boat travel to reach Kalipur.
Once they are underway, the heroes quickly leave
the city behind, and the endless flat delta is their
only sight. Occasional towns or settlements, most
of them hopelessly flooded and abandoned, dot
the river’s shore.
66
Insects are a constant nuisance, the heat is
unbearable by day, and the sluggish, coffee-brown
water smells unpleasant. At the end of the first
day, all Storm Knights must test survival or Mind
or contract a mild fever which temporarily reduces
their Strength by 1 point (or 2 points on a Mishap).
A Hard (DN 14) medicine test reduces the victim’s
penalty by 1 point, or 2 on a Good or better result.
Afflicted heroes recover at the end of the act.
Andrew spends all day piloting through the vast
network of rivers, tributaries, feeders, and canals,
leading them slowly toward their destination.
A floodlamp allows him to continue for an hour
or two after dark, but then he drops anchor until
dawn. His steam launch doesn’t have a cabin but he
has bedrolls and enough supplies that the heroes
don’t need to seek shelter by night.
SCENE TWO: FLOOD
STAGE
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Just before
sunset the heroes spot the body of a man floating
in the water. His clothes indicate he is also from
the area, but doesn’t appear to have been killed
in the same way as the victims aboard the boat.
Examining his bloated body and wrinkled skin
with a Standard (DN 10) science or Mind test
indicates he was a drowning victim.
The heroes spot more and more drowning victims
as they continue toward Kalipur. Bodies are male
and female, young and old.
Up ahead Kalipur comes into view: a cluster
of stilt houses fashioned from a hodgepodge of
boards, bamboo, corrugated tin, and tarps. The
swollen river has risen to flood most of the village,
the houses poised above the dark water like a
flock of wading birds. A Sacellum church of recent
construction stands on dry ground. Dense forest
traps the village against the water. Other than
sputtering lamps lighting up the church you see no
signs that anyone is around. Something about this
place feels overwhelmingly wrong.
After finding a spot to secure the boat, the Storm
Knights finally set foot on dry land. Andrew ties
the boat to a pylon to wait for the heroes.
 KALIPUR
Kalipur is a small village located on the western
shore of one of the many islands of the Ganges
delta. The roughly teardrop-shaped island is
surrounded on all sides by slow-moving river
channels. The nearest village is one kilometer from
here, but due to the curse hanging over the island,
anyone who leaves finds themselves right back at
Kalipur a short time later.
Almost the entire island (also named Kalipur)
is covered with dense tropical forest. The highest
point is only four meters above sea level, but with
the Ganges in flood stage due to the relentless reality
storms in the Himalayas, the river is two meters
higher than normal. This means many portions of
the island are waist-deep in water while low-lying
swampy areas are completely submerged.
Normally the village is home to about 200 people,
but now the place is almost abandoned. Clothes
still flutter on lines, small fishing canoes are tied at
their pylons, and fish rot in nets. Most houses are
in the water with their dwellings a meter above the
waterline while a few nearest the church are three
meters above muddy earth. They may be reached
by bamboo ladders. A path leads east into the
jungle (see Scene Three).
The village is Dim (–2) at night.
EXPLORING KALIPUR
Almost all of the homes are abandoned, and the
town’s remaining dozen occupants are gathered in
the church for protection.
As the heroes look around, they discover clues
about what has happened in Kalipur. This is an ideal
time to play up the oppressive, eerie atmosphere
in the village. Here are some sights and events to
sprinkle into their exploration:
Dark Rain: It begins to rain, but the raindrops are
dark in color and stink like decay.
Dropped Weapon: A shotgun sticks out of the
mud. A Challenging (DN 12) evidence analysis or fire
combat test shows it was used recently.
Dying Bird: A waterlogged bird thrashes around
fitfully as if dying, but a Standard (DN 10) science
or Mind turns up no sign of any injury.
Eye See You: A random Storm Knight sees a single
female eye shrouded in long black hair peering up
at them from a bucket of water, but upon closer
examination the water is clear.
Jump Scare: A window shutter suddenly and
inexplicably slams shut. Pass an Easy (DN 8)
willpower or Spirit test or become Stymied or
Vulnerable (Player’s choice) for the duration of this
scene.
Shy Spy: The Storm Knight with the highest
find skill spots a young woman looking at them
from a window in an abandoned house, but aside
from wet footprints on the floor there is no sign of
anyone inside.
ABANDONED HOUSES
Stilt houses in Kalipur are constructed from
unpainted planks but use other materials where
needed to patch walls, roofs, and so on. They have
a main room in which most daily living occurs,
including eating, and a small rear room with a bed.
Furnishings are spare and usually hand-made,
but some are imported. Fishing gear, boxes and
barrels of supplies, and other necessities occupy
the corners of the rooms. Lighting comes from
kerosene lamps and candles. None of the doors are
locked.
The empty houses show signs they were recently
inhabited. In one is a fly-ridden meal left on a
table which a Standard (DN 10) science or Mind
test shows is only a day old. In another house a
machete is embedded in the wall beside the door.
Yet another house has several magical charms
hanging by ceiling beams, and a different one has a
puddle of river water in the center of the floor. Flies
buzz around houses that contain corpses which,
inexplicably, are bloated as if drowned. Perhaps
most disturbing, in one dark house strands of long,
wet black hair hang from a hole in the ceiling and
are withdrawn immediately when the heroes enter,
yet there is nobody on the roof.
LONE HOLDOUT
Aside from Mandeep’s place (see below) there is
only one remaining occupied house. Inside is a
terrified, barely coherent middle-aged man. In
a mixture of Bengali and English he pleads with
the heroes to leave him alone, warns them to flee,
67
 and mutters that “she” will kill them. A Standard
(DN 10) persuasion or intimidation test can buy a
single answer to a direct question between the
panicked babbling. Depending on what they ask,
they might learn that Mandeep is in the village and
where to find him, that there are only 20 remaining
survivors here, that “she” is a ghost, or that the
bodies floating in the river are her victims.
Moments later, he is distracted by his eye starting
to itch. From it he pulls a hair—a very long black
hair that slowly spools out from behind his eyeball.
He screams, “No! Not me! Please! I mourned you!
I gave you offerings!” Then he starts violently
coughing up river water and falls to the floor, where
he proceeds to drown as water supernaturally fills
his lungs. The Storm Knights are powerless to stop
this process, and it does not respond to healing
magic or first aid tests.
Kurst watches the jungle from behind his latest meal.
68
OUR LADY OF THE BLESSED MARTYR
This small one-room Sacellum church is the newest
building in Kalipur. Parson Hiram Armstrong leads
his fire-and-brimstone services here, converting
the locals away from Islam.
Hiram is pious to a fault, unable to prevent himself
from standing in judgment of others, sees any vice
as a grave moral failing, believes modesty is next to
godliness, and claims optimism is the devil’s sweet
words whispered in one’s ear. He walk with a cane
and is never caught without his frock buttoned
tightly at the collar.
All of the dozen remaining survivors of Kalipur
cower in the church. Hiram has shoved the pews
aside to make room for their bedrolls. He tells them
not to expect rescue from “earthly” sources but that
God will deliver them from the evil that has beset
this island. Along these lines he sees the Storm
Knights as potential interlopers. Hiram is polite,
as is expected, but is sure their arrival has brought
further evil to Kalipur, or at least interrupts God’s SCENE THREE:
plan for delivering the village from the curse, so he
tries anything he can to get them to leave.
DETANGLING THE PAST
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. This scene
He answers any specific questions truthfully
deals with the heroes’ search for clues about
but does not divulge information unasked,
the sheekol buri in hopes of ending its curse on
including Mandeep’s current location. His faithful
Kalipur—not to mention allowing the Storm
parishioners avoid speaking with the heroes.
Knights to leave! It also details some of the locations
around the island of Kalipur, so if at any time the
LOCATING MANDEEP team leaves Kalipur village they move on to Scene
The heroes can locate Mandeep’s house by luck, Four, even if they haven’t yet located Mandeep.
process of elimination, or by directions from Hiram Without a light source, the forest is Dark (–4).
or one of the survivors. His is one of the houses
nearly swallowed by the rising waters. In fact, the
flood’s pressure has undermined its supports and
SILENT HUNTER
threatens to dump the entire thing into the river. The first time they pass through the jungle during
this scene, they encounter Kurst, the lycanthrope
Mandeep is hiding inside with a machete. Over
in Basjas’ service who has tracked Mandeep to
the past couple weeks since returning to Kalipur
Kalipur. It was Kurst’s handiwork they found in
he has slowly come to realize the ghost is the spirit
the abandoned boat in Scene One.
of his murdered lover, Chandrima, and wants to
keep that secret buried. The only people who could The first hint of Kurst’s presence is the carcass of
connect Chandrima to Mandeep are her parents, an elephant he killed and has been gnawing on for
whom he saw recently when they ventured to the last couple of days. It lies on its side among the
town for supplies. dense growth, its presence telegraphed by a cloud
of flies and the lingering odor of death. All that
He is terrified and eager for the help, pledging to
remains is a stinking mass of decomposing flesh
tell the Storm Knights anything he can about Basjas
pulled taut over its vast skeleton, with two curved
but only after they’ve taken care of the ghost. He
tusks protruding from the skull.
provides the following (false) information:
Kurst observes from hiding at first before making
“The ghost is the angry spirit of a girl who was
his presence known. Whether day or night, he is
murdered by her parents. She has trapped us all in
in his dire wolf form. The Storm Knights can make
Kalipur. I took one of those rowboats out there and
a Standard (DN 10) find test, modified by lighting
floated downriver, but ended up right back here at
conditions, to make out his form enough to
Kalipur. She won’t let anyone leave. She must be
identify him as a werewolf. One way or the other,
destroyed! But to destroy her, you must kill the parents
though, they can sense they’re in the presence of a
who tormented her. That is the only way. Some of the
Nightmare—one about whom they know nothing.
others here told me they live on the other side of the
Caution is in order!
island. I remember them from when I was a boy here.
Those people are monsters, so very cruel, and hated by Kurst knows the Storm Knights are not his target,
everyone. Please, free her tormented spirit and save us but recognizes Stormers when he sees them and
all.” considers this an opportunity to gather more
information. Keeping to the shadows, he hails the
It’s up to the Storm Knights whether they accept
heroes in his growling voice, asking them who
his advice, but without any other clues they have
they are, who they work for, and what brings them
little else to work with for the time being. Even
to Kalipur. Of his own mission he only says he is
if they somehow compel Mandeep to divulge his
“looking for someone who doesn’t belong here so I
information about Basjas first, they’ll still need to
can take him back home.”
end the curse to leave Kalipur.

69

EVIL BUILDS ON EVIL
On the island’s northern end is an old temple
complex that dates back to the time of the
Mughal empire. The walls still stand, but time
has worn down the stonework, and tree roots
and creepers cover the structures. Residents
of Kalipur have always believed the place was
haunted, but all that was superstition until the
arrival of Orrorsh’s reality.
Now the ruins are home to a “Corruption
Spirit,” a vile entity formed from concentrated
Corruption which spreads its darkness by
attracting and magnifying other Horrors or
Nightmares. It has seized on Chandrima’s
ghost, enfolding the entire island inside a micro-
domain that amplifies her power and traps the
living inside, and as a result her boundless
rage has nearly destroyed the entire village.
The Corruption Spirit feeds off this evil, grows,
then empowers its symbiote further in a sort
of feedback loop. Soon the Corruption Spirit
will be strong enough to expand Chandrima’s
domain to include new villages nearby, and
thus the cycle will continue—unless it can be
stopped.
This encounter has the potential for heavy
roleplaying, depending on the actions taken by
the players. Kurst is certainly not afraid of combat,
but his eons of servitude to the Gaunt Man have
not been by choice, and a part of him is open to
rebelling against his orders if offered a compelling
opportunity.
Be cautious, as Kurst is an extremely powerful and
ancient Nightmare who refreshes five Possibilities
every round. Since the Storm Knights haven’t
researched him, they’ll surely be torn to pieces in
a straight fight. Thankfully they are not Kurst’s
target nor a measurable threat, and with his hunger
already sated on elephant, he has no interest in a
fight. If the heroes attack, he merely attempts to
wound them as a “lesson” and leave.
• Kurst: See below
70
KURST
Kurst was once High Lord of his home cosm,
Gorhagah, a world where lycanthropes comprised
the aristocracy and reigned over the human
peasants. That ended when the Gaunt Man
conquered Gorhagah and forced Kurst into
servitude. Kurst is so Corrupt he is trapped
permanently in his beast form, but after centuries
of ill treatment by the Gaunt Man he harbors a
secret rebellious rage against the Gaunt Man.
Link: Identify that he was once Dairoga, the
shapeshifter High Lord of Gorhagah.
Habit: Learn that Kurst prefers to give prey a
sporting chance.
Desire: Discover that Kurst yearns to once more
be part of a pack.
Token: Locate the totem necklace of his former
“lifemate” on Gorhagah, Ayroa, currently lost and
forgotten somewhere in Illmound Keep.
True Death: Once his origins are revealed Kurst’s
heart must be removed and devoured, as was the
tradition back on Gorhagah.
Attributes: Charisma 11, Dexterity 16, Mind 9,
Spirit 15, Strength 16
Skills: Beast riding 17, dodge 18, evidence analysis
12, find 16, first aid 10, intimidation 18, maneuver
18, persuasion 13, reality 18, scholar 10, stealth
19, survival 15, taunt 15, tracking 17, trick 12,
unarmed combat 19, willpower 16
Move: 16; Tough: 19 (3); Shock: 18; Wounds: 4
Equipment: —
Perks: Brawler, Endurance, Hard to Kill,
Retaliation, Vengeful, Werewolf, Whirlwind
Possibilities: 4 (Nightmare)
Special Abilities:
• Armor: Thick furry hide +3.
• Bite/Claw: Strength +4/20.
• Cloak of Darkness: Kurst gains a bonus
to Toughness equal to the current Darkness
penalty.
• Dread: When Kurst is present, a Standard
Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene instead.
• Fear: The first time a character encounters
Kurst in an act, he must make a Spirit test or
become Very Stymied.
 • Lycanthrope: Silver weapons deal +4 damage
against Kurst. Wounds inflicted by other types
of weapons automatically heal at the end of
each scene.
• Special Savagery: Kurst’s mastery over
lycanthropy allows him to test Mind to avoid
being forced to attack. His Corruption is
already high enough that he is stuck forever in
beast form.
FORSAKEN MOSQUE
Located in the forest just outside the village at the
highest point on the island, the mosque which once
served the majority-Islam population of Kalipur
now lies deserted, the victim of Parson Hiram’s
effective proselytizing.
The mosque is a single-story brick building with
a rusting metal roof. Inside it is littered with cast-
off papers, prayer rugs, and bits of crumbling
masonry. In an office is a framed newspaper article
out of Dhaka dated 10 years ago that mentions
Chandrima. The story contradicts Mandeep’s
account, saying the young girl was discovered by
her parents and likely drowned herself, though it
lists no motive. It also says the attending mortician
discovered Chandrima was one-month pregnant at
the time of her death.
Beside the mosque is a vine-choked cemetery.
Chandrima’s grave is among the stones. Around
her rotting neck is an engraved locket bearing
Mandeep’s photo and initials. Taking this from her
body triggers a Corruption check for grave robbing.
PRABHUPADA HOME
Chandrima’s parents live in a nondescript stilt
house nestled among palm trees and underbrush
on the far side of the island from Kalipur. Fishing
nets, a pair of canoes, and dangling tackle indicate
the occupants fish these waters for a living.
Chandrima’s mother, Amandara, is cooking alone
at home. She seems old beyond her years, and
though wary of strangers, is too engulfed in grief
to care anymore. Her eyes are empty sockets so
she must do everything by touch. She knows the
following information:
• Her husband, Jagadish, set out two days ago
in a canoe. He said he was going fishing, but
Amandara knows he was going to end his life
because he brought none of his fishing gear.
• Amandara is blind because she pulled out
her own eyes in grief the day they fished
Chandrima out of the water 10 years ago.
• Everyone believes Chandrima drowned
herself, but Jagadish found evidence of
a struggle on a beach near the ruins. The
authorities investigated but in the end could
not conclude murder so the case was closed.
• Chandrima is buried in the cemetery at the
old mosque.
• Amandara has “felt” Chandrima’s presence
lately. At first she thought it was her imagination,
but after consulting with Vandana, a witch
who lives elsewhere on the island, Amandara
believes her daughter has returned to seek the
true killer.
• Amandara knew Mandeep was courting
Chandrima, but kept that information from the
disapproving Jagadish. She believes Mandeep
was the murderer, especially since Chandrima
was pregnant and Mandeep left Kalipur
abruptly the next day.
Amandara just wants her daughter to find peace,
but has long since forgiven Mandeep. She can give
the Storm Knights directions to Vandana’s home.
VANDANA’S HUT
This elderly, reclusive woman lives in a crude
structure of thatch and bamboo on the northern
end of Kalipur island. Her home is lit by dozens
of candles and draped with dried plants. Vandana
is bent with age and very thin, but her mind is still
razor-sharp.
She begins any social encounter by offering food.
Those who immediately accept receive a Possibility.
Then she tells them what they need to know:
• The ghost is a sheekol buri, the ghost of a girl
who was murdered by drowning. It haunts the
waters where it died and attempts to kill others
by wrapping them with its hair and holding
71
 them underwater until they drown. It is held to Vandana knows nothing more about the
this world as long as its murderer is still alive, Ludoghast. It waits to kill her until after the heroes
but ironically cannot itself harm its murderer. leave. Nothing can prevent her death. If they linger
• She is made more powerful by a Corruption nearby they’ll hear her screams of terror and agony,
Spirit which has enfolded the entire island, only to discover her blackened, twisted body alone
preventing anyone from leaving. It dwells in in the hut.
the ruins not far from here. Such things attract
horrors, growing its own power by growing
theirs. Until it is destroyed, even defeating SCENE FOUR: TO KILL
Chandrima won’t end the curse. THE DEAD
• A Corruption Spirit can only be exorcised Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. This
by wrapping it’s “totem” in funerary linen, scene begins when the Storm Knights have
sprinkling it with holy water, then burying it in enough information to tackle Chandrima and
sanctified ground. the Corruption Spirit. Most likely this occurs
Moments after recounting this information, the immediately after they leave Vendana, but if
old woman peers at them again as if seeing them they’ve uncovered the necessary information in
for the first time. She begs them to wait as she fills other ways they may be anywhere on Kalipur.
a bowl with some foul-smelling liquid and scatters The necessary items to exorcise the Corruption
bone chips into it. Read or paraphrase: Spirit can be found on the island: Funerary linen in
“Ah, but you aren’t here to save us from the sheekol the mosque and holy water in the village church.
buri. You’re on another quest, one that threatens It may be buried at either location, but after the
to destroy you. And something is tracking you, Corruption Spirit triggers the flood (see below)
something powerful. A spirit of regret. You’ve seen it, only the mosque remains on dry ground long
haven’t you? An inky void of stains and twists and enough for this action.
tendrils, the same on both sides, in whose dark whorls
appear tormented faces. It is called a ‘Ludoghast’ and KINGS OF OLD
it was sent to turn all you touch to ash. It wants you
to suffer for daring to defy the Gaunt Man. Everyone All that remains is to find the item associated
you meet along the way will die in agony at its hands, with the Corruption Spirit and exorcise it, as per
their flesh withering as their spirit is wrenched from Vandana’s instructions. That means a visit to the
their bones. Nothing can stop the Ludoghast but your old Mughal ruins near the northern end of the
success—or your failure. And to this end you must island. Read or paraphrase:
persevere. You follow a path that wends through the dense,
“But like all Nightmares this thing has a weakness soggy jungle. The rain once again darkens into the
and it can be destroyed. It cannot see you when you fetid drops that smell like rot and river water. After
are on a train, as you are close to the ground and some time you spot a crumbling wall looming out of
traveling at a high speed. You might be able to lure it the trees ahead. Invasive roots entangling the stones
there and destroy it, but to do that you’ll need to make look like veins and capillaries.
The ruins are all that is left of what was once a
it think the car is full of strangers with whom you have
interacted, and the car cannot be exposed to the sky large palace nearly 500 years ago. Old sculptures
or the Ludoghast will simply flee. But be warned, likedepicting long-gone kings can still be seen among
all Nightmares it cannot die until you understand its the remains. Nature and time have had their
true nature. Learning that will take something away way with the ruins, breaking down the old walls
from you. Seek its dark secrets in the epitaphs of itsand pillars with entangling roots. Storm Knights
victims—that will tell you all you need to know. with the means to sense supernatural evil feel it
“It is too late for me, but you can save many others emanating powerfully from within the ruins.
with your actions. Go with my blessing. And hurry!”

72
 Brownstone takes aim at another horror creeping out of the dark jungle.
The disembodied Corruption Spirit dwells in an
old collapsed dome in the center of the complex.
Far from defenseless, it animates Kurst’s rotting
elephant carcass (see above) to protect itself from
interlopers. Among the rubble of the dome is the
Corruption Spirit’s totem, a fire-blackened human
skull.
• Undead Elephant: See below
UNDEAD ELEPHANT
This Asiatic elephant once stood four meters at
the shoulder, but is now a tattered, rotting mass
infested with flies and worms. A few bits of meat
still cling to its skull.
Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 8, Mind 3, Spirit
10, Strength 15
Skills: Dodge 9, find 7, intimidation 13, taunt (6),
trick (6), unarmed combat 12
Move: 8; Tough: 15; Shock: —; Wounds: 3
Equipment: —
Perks:—
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Gore: Tusks Strength +2 (17).
• Fear: The first time the heroes see this Horror
they must make a Spirit test or become Very
Stymied.
• Trunk: Damage Strength (15). May be used to
grapple, inflicting Strength damage each round
while also attacking other targets with tusks.
Alternatively, grappled targets may be attacked
with tusks at +4.
• Undead: Immune to poison and other effects
that require breathing, eating, or other “living”
processes.
• Very Large: Asiatic elephants are up to six
meters long and can reach 5,000 kg in weight.
Attacks against them gain a +4 bonus.
73
 FLASH FLOOD
If the elephant is defeated, the Corruption Spirit
tries its ultimate gambit: it starts raising the flood
tide to gradually cover the entire island. River water
sweeps through the ruins like a flash flood, filled
with the rotting bodies of the dead and drowned.
The Storm Knights can resist being bashed against
the rubble with a Hard (DN 14) Dexterity or Strength
test, taking 8+1BD damage on a failure (or 8+2BD
on a Mishap).
To get free from this surge of water, each Storm
Knight needs to pass three Challenging (DN 12)
survival or Strength tests. A Good Success counts
for two tests, while an Outstanding Success counts
for all three, but a Mishap forces the hero to lose
one success. As soon as a hero passes her third test
she reaches a shallow area and can wade to solid
ground. But it won’t be solid ground for long—the
water is still rising! Chandrima targets anyone in
the water with her drowning attacks.
If the heroes earned Kurst’s trust, or at least didn’t
insult him or engage him in combat, he arrives on
Round Three to lend a hand.
THE DROWNED LAND
Rising flood waters threaten every place on Kalipur
island. All the homes along its shoreline are soon
swamped, including the ones in the village. If
Mandeep is still alive, he joins the other survivors
in the Sacellum church. Before long they are all
forced inland to the mosque for a final stand.
Chandrima continues to dog the Storm Knights as
long as Mandeep is still alive. If she is released from
her curse, the Corruption Spirit claims Kurst as its
new symbiote. Any alliance arranged between him
and the Storm Knights is then forgotten until the
Corruption Spirit is exorcised.
• Chandrima: See below
CHANDRIMA
Ten years ago, as a young girl, Chandrima
Prabhupada, fell in love with Mandeep Patel.
They had to meet in secret, as Chandrima’s family
were devout Muslims, but Mandeep’s family were
among the few Hindus in Kalipur. For safety,
their rendezvous site was the old Mughal ruins,
74
knowing everyone else in the village avoided the
place for fear of ghosts. They spent many hours
together there professing their undying love.
Chandrima begged Mandeep to announce their
affair to the village and ask her father’s permission
to marry, but Mandeep already had another plan:
he was going to move to India and become a
Bollywood star. Unfortunately, as these things tend
to go, Chandrima had already become pregnant.
Terrified of his acting dreams being ended before
they could begin, Mandeep invited Chandrima
out to the ruins under the guise of proposing
marriage, but instead tried to kill her. As they
struggled, Mandeep seized Chandrima’s long hair
and wrapped it around her neck until she passed
out. Then he dragged her down to the river and
drowned her. To cover for his crime, he claimed
she’d become despondent at the news of his
imminent departure for Mumbai, but he hadn’t
seen her, and by the time her bloated body washed
up on the beach near town, he was long gone.
When Orrorsh’s reality washed over Bangladesh,
Chandrima returned as a sheekol buri, a type
of spirit that dwells in pools or rivers and pulls
victims to a watery grave. But her power has been
amplified by an entity called a Corruption Spirit,
and now Chandrima’s sorrow and rage has led her
to nearly wipe out her own home village.
The one person she cannot touch is Mandeep.
Her curse does not permit it, yet in a twist of true
Orrorshan dark irony, his death is the only thing
that can put an end to her suffering forever.
Chandrima’s skin is gray and water-wrinkled. She
wears the grimy white sari she died in, and her long
black hair hangs nearly to her ankles. Everywhere
she goes she drips with river water.
Origin: Discover that Chandrima became a sheekol
buri because she was murdered by Mandeep Patel.
Habit: Learn that Chandrima kills others by
drowning, but can’t directly harm Mandeep.
True Death: To break the curse Mandeep must
die. Any kind of death will do—an injury, a disease,
old age…or murder. This frees Chandrima’s soul
to pass on to peace in the afterlife.
Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 10, Mind 7,
Spirit 11, Strength 13
Skills: Dodge 12, find 10, intimidation 15, maneuver
12, reality 12, stealth 15, trick 9, unarmed combat
13, willpower 13
Move: 10; Tough: 13; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: 2 (Nightmare)
Special Abilities:
• Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (15).
• Cloak of Darkness: Chandrima gains a bonus
to Toughness equal to the current Darkness
penalty.
• Domain: Chandrima cannot travel beyond
her home island and the portions of the Ganges
river that surround it.
• Drown: When in water, Chandrima attacks
victims by wrapping her hair around them
with a grappling attack. Restrained victims
immediately begin drowning.
• Fear: Upon first seeing Chandrima a hero
must test willpower or Spirit or become Very
Stymied.
• Manifest Water: Chandrima may summon
up to 700 liters of water every round.
• Undead: Chandrima is immune to poison
and other effects that require breathing, eating,
or other “living” processes.
• Water Ghost: Chandrima may manifest in
any body of water larger than 3 liters within
her domain, and may travel between bodies of
water as part of her movement. The Corruption
Spirit also makes it possible for Chandrima to
manifest inside a victim as a special Grappling
attack, first filling the target’s lungs with river
water then manifesting in the water itself,
dealing 10 damage per round (ignoring armor).
Does not work against reality-rated targets.
AFTERMATH
When the Storm Knights return to Mandeep, he
delivers on his promise and tells them what he
knows about Basjas. It is quite possible Mandeep
dies during this act, either at the hands of the
heroes or from Kurst, but he survives long enough
to convey this crucial information:
“I was in love with Basjas, I cannot deny it. I fell for
her the moment I first saw her. We worked together
at the Oubliette Theater but I went out of my way to
woo her at every opportunity. We spent many nights
together, strolling along the wharf or drinking tea on
her veranda. She confessed to me she wanted nothing
more in life than to be adored by loyal fans. Rarely
did she mention her childhood, but from what I heard
her father was unkind and unloving, and her mother
suffered from a disorder, and as an only child Basjas
rarely felt the love she craved.
“I believe she would do just about anything to be
venerated. I would have done that for her, gladly, but…
one evening after our performances I said my goodbyes
to her and went home but realized I’d forgotten
something in my dressing room so I returned. Basjas
was the only person still in the theater. She didn’t
hear me come in. I watched her go through the door
leading to the Trap Room beneath the stage. Curious,
I followed her. In the back of the Trap Room she opened
a door built right into the brick walls. I must have seen
that wall a thousand times and never noticed a door.
“I waited some time, unsure of what to do, then
opened the door to see where she went. It led into
an old passage thick with cobwebs. In a room I saw
a coffin. My heart leapt in terror but I had to open
it. Lying inside, as if asleep, was Basjas. She was a
vampire! I know I should have killed her right then,
but I just couldn’t. I love her, you see? But I was also
afraid, so I fled. I knew she’d become suspicious at my
sudden absence so I chose the best place I could think
to hide: my old home, a place unknown to her. Yet it
seems I was right. I cannot escape Basjas.”
Some of this information might be new and some
might be familiar, but the Storm Knights know her
yearning to be adored is another of her Secrets, and
can be used to help defeat her.
Now that the curse is lifted, the heroes may leave
Kalipur. Alas, as they were engaged in bringing
down Chandrima and foiling the Corruption
Spirit, Andrew (if he was still alive) also fell victim
to the Ludoghast. The Storm Knights find his
body blackened and contorted, a look of terror
permanently etched on his face.
They may use his boat to return to Dhaka, then
catch a train to their next destination, secure in the
knowledge that they’re even closer to defeating
Basjas for good.
75
 I
n this epic act, the Storm Knights mount an
expedition high in the Himalayan mountains

ACT SIX: THE STEPS near Mt. Everest, where a transformed Buddhist
temple holds one of Basjas’ oldest and most
personal secrets: a forgotten lullaby her mother
sang to her when she was a child.

OF THE TALLEST Climbing even part-way up the Everest slopes

is a monumental endeavor. Along the way, the
heroes face the common alpine dangers of ­cold
temperatures, treacherous climbing, oxygen
deprivation, and deadly glacial crevices. But the

MOUNTAIN
reality of Orrorsh has its own challenges as well,
including limited technology, a brain fog miasma,
a horrifying Snow Wolf that creates impassible
weather in the high mountains, and the reanimated
corpses of long dead mountain climbers.
There are a few minor discoveries the Storm
Knights could make during this adventure, but by
the end of this act, they must acquire Basjas’ “Link,”
an obscure, ancient lullaby her mother sang to her
when she was little girl. It’s one of Basjas’ most
vulnerable and affecting secrets, and a reminder of
everything she’s lost.
Meanwhile, their recent exploits continue to
attract the attention of the Ludoghast, one of Basjas’
creations—a horror that manifests from the dreams
of the would-be heroes, whose dark purpose is to
terrify and alienate those the Storm Knights have
come into contact with.

OVERVIEW
Scene One: The Storm Knights travel by train to
Kathmandu, where they meet a kind, but troubled
man named Anil. He is the owner of the last open
livery in the city and offers horses for the first leg of
their journey in exchange for a favor.
Scene Two: The Storm Knights travel by horse to
a town called Lukla, the gateway to the Mt. Everest
region, with a message to Anil’s brother.
Scene Three: At Lukla, the heroes discover a town
full of the forgetful. A brain fog miasma is causing
everyone to forget the very lives they’re leading.
The Storm Knights prepare for the more arduous
climbs ahead.
Scene Four: The Storm Knights confront more
difficult climbing as well as a giant Snow Wolf

76
that seems born out of the clouds and is somehow
responsible for the impassable weather further up
the slopes.
Scene Five: The heroes face the final and most
difficult climb of their journey, all while being
harassed by the horrors of transformed hikers who
died on the slopes of Everest and whose bodies
were never recovered.
Scene Six: After reaching their destination, they
must find what they came for before the Librarian,
one of the Gaunt Man’s Ravagons, arrives to kill
them.
SCENE ONE: THE LAST
LIVERY
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. The Storm
Knights must prepare themselves to undertake a
herculean task: an ascent up the steps of the most
imposing and deadliest mountain range in the
world to find a crucial piece of Basjas’ past. Read or
paraphrase the following:
One of the leads in Basjas’ Mumbai suite mentioned
a “Library of Monde” where she might be able to find
a copy of an old song her mother used to sing, now lost
to time. Somehow you know this song is vital to her.
Locating it could help you unlock one of her secrets
that you can use to destroy her.
To your shock, your investigations reveal the Library
is located on a small peak near the base of Mount
Everest. Whatever it contains, the Gaunt Man must
want the information nearly inaccessible.
Getting there is only part of the challenge. According
to your maps, you’ll have to journey overland from
Kathmandu to the alpine village of Lukla, then follow
the river valley until you leave the high forests, upon
which you’ll trek up glaciers, snowy slopes, and even
near-vertical peaks to reach the Library. And Everest
itself is bisected by Orrorsh’s border, leaving open the
possibility of reality storms.
77

BOONS
Climbing the Himalayas is a trial under the best
of circumstances, but it’s particularly harsh in
the Orrorsh reality. There are no batteries to
provide electricity and no bottled oxygen for
breathing. Modern, high-tech micro-fibers and
cold-rated sleeping materials become a liability
under Orrorsh’s axioms.
Luckily, the heroes may happen upon special
boons, unique items that can help them. They
may use them by “spending” any Destiny Card
in their hand (or pool if in combat) to treat
as Favored any relevant test where the boon
might reasonably apply (GM’s call). They may
spend more than one Destiny Card on a single
roll, and as usual, they may wait until after
they determine their result to spend the card(s).
Boons are not spent—they may be reused as
many times as needed (unless lost or destroyed).
Since Destiny Cards refresh every scene, boons
become a critical and powerful resource as the
journey gets more difficult!
If you are using the optional encounters in the
Orrorsh By Rail chapter, run “The Tunnel” at this
time.
Kathmandu is the largest city in Nepal and the
only city in the vicinity reachable by train lines,
including the Bengali Express. The trek before
them is potentially deadly due to the rarified air
and freezing temperatures. They start this act with
a fur-lined parka. Those without one suffer -4 on
survival tests against extreme cold.
The Storm Knights may wish to requisition cold
weather gear beyond a fur-lined coat. Unfortunately,
such things are hard to come by in Orrorsh. If the
team attempts the roll in a Mixed Zone, they make
their streetwise test at –2. This penalty increases to
–4 in a Dominant Zone and –6 in a Pure Zone. Cold
weather gear from a higher Tech axiom grants a +4
bonus to survival tests in extreme cold.
The next step is to find passage northwest to the
town of Lukla. Roads don’t go all the way there.
Those that do exist have been transformed into
78
slush-ridden mud trails that can’t accommodate
horseless carriages or wheeled stages. And with
the provisions they must carry, horses are required
for this journey.
Unfortunately, obtaining horses requires more
than just money or a simple requisitions roll. Native
Jumli horses are ideally suited for the task, but they
have been scarce since the invasion. Finding them
in the wild and training them would take weeks,
but there is a livery stable in Kathmandu with
Jumli horses run by a native Nepali named Anil.
Anil is a kind man whose powerful Buddhist faith
and simple life has largely kept him uncorrupted by
the harsh reality of Orrorsh. He lives on a ranch on
the outskirts of Kathmandu. Anil speaks very little
English and is initially reserved toward any new
strangers he meets, including the Storm Knights.
He’s more concerned about the well-being of his
animals than any promise of material possessions
or incentives. They may requisition his horses with
an Easy (DN 8) streetwise test.
On a failure, he sends the Storm Knights away.
They may try to steal the horses later without
needing a skill test. Anil doesn’t try to stop them.
Doing this triggers a Corruption test. Also, each
rider needs to pass a Difficult (DN 12) beast riding
test to keep control of the stolen horses. Failure
means they must journey to Lukla without any
horses at all (or Anil’s boon), which causes them to
start the Dramatic Skill Resolution in Scene Two
with an active Complication (–1).
During their interaction, it’s clear there is something
distressing Anil. Though he hides it well, his cold
suspicion goes beyond simple unfamiliarity. Those
who attempt to allay his suspicions may make a
Hard (DN 12) persuasion test. Any party member
who speaks Napali gains a +2 on this test, and
another +2 if they express concern for him and his
horses. Success convinces him to trust the heroes
enough to tell them about his real problem.
ANIL’S REQUEST
In broken English Anil describes how hard it’s
been to for him to take care of the ranch over the
past few months. His body isn’t what it used to be.
But his main fear is what might happen if he has to
release his horses into the wild. He describes what
he knows about the dwindling population of wild
Jumli horses, and he’s terrified of what might be
responsible.
“Huge snow wolf in the mountains. Monster. Comes
mostly at night. Brings terrible storms to mountain.
Hunts wild Jumli. Kills them. Eats them. My Jumli
safe here. But If I die, they not safe. Makes me afraid.
“Brother in Lukla.” He points to his makeshift map
at a spot northwest of Kathmandu. “Here. His name
is Prakash. Something wrong there. Something wrong
with Prakash. He has not come. I give you Jumli horses,
you take message to Prakash? Please? Too dangerous
for me. Find brother. Something wrong! Please?”
If they agree, he provides supplies for Prakash
and a written message asking his brother to return
to Lukla, along with a special boon (see the sidebar
for more information on Boons):
Boon Relevant Skills
A detailed map of beast riding, find,
the region from survival, tracking
Kathmandu to Lukla
He warns them the mountains beyond Lukla
are deadly, and no one goes up there, once again
referring to a giant Snow Wolf which has somehow
made the weather in the high mountains almost
impassable. He expresses concern for the Storm
Knights if they tell him their plans, but he’s too
desperate for their help to talk them out of it.
Any heroes making a Standard (DN 10) reality test
sense there is something different about Anil, much
like Sylvia in Act One. Though not a Storm Knight,
he has a unique fortitude and quiet wisdom which
sets him apart from many of his neighbors.
SCENE TWO: JOURNEY
TO LUKLA
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Once they
embark, the heroes quickly discover how difficult
the journey is. Not only is the terrain rough and
bereft of civilization, they enter a strange, subtle
reality anomaly unique to Orrorsh: a brain fog
miasma. This turns an otherwise ordinary journey
into a Dramatic Skill Resolution.
THE BRAIN FOG
MIASMA
The effect of the miasma is frightening and
unavoidable, especially for Ords. Although
Storm Knights have an advantage, they aren’t
immune. Short-term memory is fragile and
unreliable, causing them to momentarily forget
where they were going, what they were about
to purchase, or the name of someone they just
met. It also effects those around them, making
even simple tasks like obtaining food, or having
a coherent conversation much more difficult.
Make sure to play it up.
Long term memory is even harder to access.
The effect is a permanent -2 penalty on all Mind-
related tests. Storm Knights can test reality once
per scene to see if they can shake off the effect.
A LONG AND ARDUOUS ROAD
This montage-style Dramatic Skill Resolution
represents about one week of travel. The difficulties
of these tests assume the Storm Knights already
have the basic supplies they need. Don’t forget they
may tap into Anil’s boon (if they have it) and may
use relevant spells, miracles, psionics or similar
abilities on these tests.
Step A: A Hard (DN 14) survival test determines
the right direction and best path to their destination.
Step B: The terrain is muddy, uneven and difficult,
and even the basic provisions the heroes must carry
on horseback at this point complicate matters. The
Storm Knight who successfully makes a Hard
(DN 14) beast riding roll effectively guides the rest,
helping those less able and giving pointers to make
a successful climb as a group.
Step C: Closer to their destination, temperatures
start to drop, the terrain gets steeper, and time on
the trail begins to take a toll on the heroes. The
Storm Knight who steps up to lead her friends and
makes a Hard (DN 14) willpower test boosts morale
enough to keep everyone focused on the daunting
task they face.
79
 Step D: Just when they’ve reached the home
stretch, a strange Orrorsh reality, the brain fog
miasma (see sidebar below), descends upon the
climbers. Any hero making a Hard (DN 14) reality
test is able to overcome the effect and guide the
group without going astray. Note that every time
this test is failed the Storm knight attempting it
loses one Possibility, and at least one of the heroes
must make a Standard (DN 10) Mind test or the
group forgets or loses a basic piece of survival
equipment (which could include Anil’s map).
Possible Setback: They find a bad path, the
miasma scrambles their sense of direction.
Complication: Morale is bad, a key basic provision
(not a boon) is running low, a horse goes lame.
Critical Problem: The expedition becomes
hopelessly lost, a terrible storm descends on the
heroes, a catastrophe destroys all the provisions.
If the trekkers succeed, they reach the village
of Lukla without further incident, but with the
promise that it only gets more difficult from here.
If they fail, each of the Storm Knights takes a
Wound from the experience, which can be Soaked
normally. Worse, their maximum hand size drops
by 1 for the remainder of this act, a horrible side
WHY NOT APPROACH
FROM THE NORTH?
Astute players may ask why it wouldn’t be
a better idea to approach Everest from the
Core Earth side to the north. The World Laws
certainly seem more friendly, and high tech
equipment would be more reliable.
However, their destination is deep in Orrorsh
territory. That means they’d cross through
raging reality storms at the most dangerous
part of their journey where the high elevation
and unrelenting weather are at their worst, all
the more so due to the effect of the Snow Wolf.
They would simply not survive this approach.
They can either discover that themselves, or the
Delphi council will tell them as much if they
put forth the idea.
80
effect of fatigue, frostbite, lost supplies, and the
brain fog miasma. They are discovered lost and
delirious by shepherds and wake up in Lukla,
perhaps a bit wiser about what they are facing.
SCENE THREE: GATEWAY
TO EVEREST
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. The small
village of Lukla is tucked away high in the
mountains south of the Everest summit, and is
the starting point for any trek toward Everest Base
Camp. Prior to the invasion, the only two ways to
get to Lukla were by foot, and by air. The Orrorsh
axioms now make air travel perilous, which has
effectively cut Lukla off from regular society.
People still live here, but it’s a strange and forgetful
place, thanks to the brain fog miasma. Because of
prolonged exposure to this phenomenon, people
here seem to live their lives in a haze—constantly
surprised about where they are and how they
got there, while an underlying sense of dread
permeates the village.
Dealing with these instances is usually a situational
roll with persuasion, streetwise, intimidation or even
trick or maneuver to keep the villagers from turning
on them.
PRAKASH
Finding Anil’s brother Prakash is a matter of asking
around town. He is a former climbing guide who’s
now a rancher and farmer on the outskirts of Lukla.
He’s initially wary of the Storm Knights and the
brain fog makes him confused, asking where they
got their horses, accusing them of stealing them
from him, and even making a vague reference to
the terrifying Snow Wolf that lures and kills wild
horses in the high mountains.
A Challenging (DN 12) persuasion or intimidation
test snaps him out of his confusion long enough
to have a relatively coherent conversation.
Mentioning his brother or presenting his message
grants +2 to this test. On a failure it takes a little
longer to calm his confusion and he grants them
only the first boon (see below).
 When he reads his brother’s message, a look of
great relief and recognition blooms on his face, as
if a dear, but distant memory is resurfacing.
“Anil? My brother! I remember now!”
Prakash speaks better English than his brother,
thanks to being a former mountain guide. He is so
relieved to hear from—and remember—his brother
that tears form on his cheeks. He thanks the Storm
Knights profusely for braving the journey to bring
it to him. Read or paraphrase the following:
“Sometimes I remember… like now. Most times I live
my life in a fog. I farm my fields. I eat. I sleep, but
I’m always confused. I’m always forgetting. I know
my neighbors, but they’re not connected to me. I used
to have ambitions, but now I simply go through the
motions. I know I’m dying…I might as well be dead
The Snow Wolf looms overhead, a terrifying giant formed from swirling snow.
already. Nothing makes sense. My life doesn’t mean
anything. It’s just one disconnected event after the
other. That’s how it is here. It’s like that for everyone.
“I don’t even recall when it started. Right around
the time everything changed. When the trees became
twisted, and the lights went out. We all started to
forget. Forget family. Forget purpose. We’re trapped
here. We don’t know where to go. We don’t know what
exists beyond the edge of town. It’s…it’s terrifying.
“And then there are the horses. And my precious
mountains. I used to be a guide, but no one climbs
the mountain anymore. No one dares. It’s far too
dangerous. But the horses, they seem drawn to the
mountain. I don’t know why, but killing them.
“The great Snow Wolf—a giant! It hunts the
horses—eats them—in a few gulps. The brain fog
81
 made it impossible to take care of my horses. When
they escape, they go north where it kills them. Squeals
of pain, blood spilled in the snow. They say the Snow
Wolf rules the mountains—changing the weather—
making the upper slopes impossible to climb.
“I want to be with my brother. I will return the horses
he lent you. You can’t take them with you anyway. I
will be forever grateful to you.”
Prakash, like his brother, is a kind soul who has
simply been lost to his own awareness thanks to
the miasma that descended during the invasion.
He offers the heroes rest and recuperation while
he prepares to journey back to Kathmandu to be
with his brother, and also offers them the following
boons:
Boon Relevant Skills
A detailed map to find, survival, tracking
Everest Base Camp and
beyond
Rare climber’s Dexterity, Strength
endurance extract (climbing), survival
SCENE FOUR: THE SNOW
WOLF
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. It’s not only
Prakash who warns the climbers about what’s in
store for them. Other residents of Lukla stare at the
heroes in horrified confusion as they watch them
trekking north from Lukla on what used to be the
Lukla/Everest Base Camp Trekking Route, now
just a muddy path twisting up distant peaks buried
in clouds and snow.
From here onwards the team must deal with cold
weather (see Torg Eternity).
THE HORSE HUNTER
The trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp takes
several days. To represent this journey, the Storm
Knights must accumulate travel points by making
Challenging (DN 12) survival tests as a Combined
Action. Every roll represents one day of travel. A
Standard Success earns one point, where a Good
Success earns two and an Outstanding Success
earns three. The team earns no points on a failure,
82
and loses two points on a Mishap. When they
accumulate 10 or more points, they arrive at Mount
Everest Base Camp.
After each day of travel, every individual hero
must make a Challenging (DN 12) Strength test
or suffer Fatigue. This Fatigue can be Soaked as
normal but does not naturally recover until the
Storm Knights reach their destination.
BLOOD ON THE SNOW
On the second day of travel (after rolling for all
tests) the team has a special encounter. At dusk,
those making a Standard (DN 10) find test observe
a strange, pristine-white cloud roughly shaped like
a four-legged animal moving low to the ground.
Investigating by trekking closer to triggers the
encounter with the Snow Wolf (see below).
Otherwise, they are awakened that night by a
terrifying animal scream as driving snow and wind
assault their camp. An Easy (DN 8) beast riding
test confirms it’s a horse in extreme distress. The
whinnying stops a few seconds later, followed by
a monstrous howl that echoes from the mountains.
The conditions make it hard to track the horse,
but in moments it becomes moot—the Snow Wolf
comes to them. The same cloud they spotted earlier
glides across the snowy ground toward them,
now clearly wolf-shaped, towering overhead and
accompanied by driving snow. A Standard (DN
10) find test reveals many smaller wolves inside
jumping, barking and climbing over each other
as if somehow propelling it. Though they are
impossible to attack individually while forming
the Snow Wolf, this hints the Snow Wolf is a kind of
supernatural construct rather than a creature itself.
Don’t forget to count rough terrain from deep
snow and visibility penalties for Darkness.
• Snow Wolf: See below.
SNOW WOLF (FULL FORM)
Seemingly made of cloud and snow, the Snow Wolf
is a massive and terrifying monster. It’s a boon
the Gaunt Man granted to a local Himalayan wolf
pack, which disrupts weather patterns in the high
mountains—making the high slopes impassible.
The Snow Wolf only appears in full form at these
lower altitudes on nights when the conditions
 The Library of Monde awaits at the top of Imja Tse’s perilous cliffs.
are right (about once every three nights), but its
presence is always felt in the weather.
Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 14, Mind 12,
Spirit 15, Strength 16.
Skills: Dodge 15, find 13, intimidate 17, maneuver
15, stealth 14, survival 12, tracking 14, unarmed
combat 15, willpower 16.
Move: 16; Tough: 20 (4); Shock 15; Wounds: 3
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: 2
Special Abilities:
• Armor: Tough Hide +4.
• Bite/Claws: Strength +3 (19) damage. Makes
target Vulnerable on a hit. Snow Wolf becomes
Vulnerable on a miss.
• Dread: While the Snow Wolf is present, a
Standard Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene
instead.
• Fear: The Snow Wolf is supernatural and
terrifying. Those who see it must test willpower
or Spirit or become very stymied.
• Very Large: The Snow Wolf is approximately
the size of an earth-mover mining truck. Attacks
against it gain a +4 bonus.
THE PACK
To defeat the Snow Wolf, the heroes must find the
pack itself with a Standard (DN 10) tracking test.
Failure wastes a day and forces the team to make a
Standard (DN 10) survival test against the cold.
The wolves have taken up residence in a small
cave. Approaching unseen is a Challenging (DN
12) stealth test. The fierce weather suddenly calms
to an eerie quiet just outside the cave—clearly a
supernatural phenomenon.
The wolves cannot be tamed and fight until
defeated. When at least half of the wolves are
defeated the Snow Wolf itself is no more.
• Orrorsh Wolf (2 per Storm Knight): See page
107.
83
84

SCENE FIVE: THE
FROZEN DEAD
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Mount
Everest Base Camp is at an elevation of almost
18,000 feet. Oxygen deprivation becomes a factor
at this height.
Base camp is abandoned and in disrepair. The
heroes must camp here for at least three days to
acclimate to the elevation. They recover all Shock
lost to cold weather.
While here, a Challenging (DN 12) survival roll
allows the climbers to scrounge basic provisions
like blankets, transformed warm clothing, and
other gear allowing them to replace anything lost
or damaged on the way up. A Good Success also
gets them another boon (below). An Outstanding
Success also grants a free draw from the Destiny
deck. Note this Boon has a Tech level of 23.
Boon Relevant Skills
High-quality camping first aid, medicine,
gear and air tanks Strength, survival
THE FINAL STRETCH
Luckily, there’s only one more climb left, but it’s
a doozy. By distance, this is the shortest climb the
hikers must make, but it’s also the hardest. The
final push to the temple leads up another 5,000 feet
to the top of Imja Tse (a.k.a. Island Peak), one of the
lower pinnacles around the base of Mount Everest.
This journey is represented by a specially-modified
Dramatic Skill Resolution which works as follows:
A single “round” represents a few hours of travel
up the windswept slopes. Every round each
individual Storm Knight must make a Very Hard
(DN 16) survival test or take 6+1BD damage (or
6+2BD on a Mishap). As before, this damage may
be Soaked but does not heal on its own until the
Storm Knights return to a safer altitude.
In addition, the ascent is divided into four stages,
labeled A through D. At the end of each round, flip
a Drama Deck card. If one of the letters matches the
team’s current location, they have a short encounter
associated with that leg of the climb (see below). If
successful, they pass that stage and may attempt
the next one. Otherwise, they must start that round
over. Unlike a standard DSR they may not complete
more than one step at a time, and there is no time
limit in rounds to complete the challenge.
Remind the players to take full advantage of their
boons. If there’s a time to tap that resource, it’s now!
STEP A: GLACIER FIELD
Deep crevasses in the glaciers make it much too
dangerous to scale at its surface. Instead, the
heroes are forced to forge a path below among the
icy walls and shifting waterfalls within the cracks.
It’s a maze, and the team must pass a Very Hard
(DN 16) find test to navigate through it.
STEP B: FRIGID WATERFALL
Deep in the depths of the jagged channels a
waterfall of frigid water pours out of an ice cavern.
To get past the team may inch their way along a
narrow ledge behind it by making a Hard (DN
14) Dexterity test. The alternative is to jump across
slippery rocks at the base by making a Hard (DN
14) Strength test. Anyone who falls in the water is
instantly Stymied and must make a Challenging
(DN 12) survival or Strength test or suffer Fatigue
which does not fade until the end of this scene.
STEP C: WALL OF ICE
The climbers face a steep wall of ice nearly 50
meters tall. Climbing requires a Very Hard (DN
16) Strength roll. Failing this test results in 16+1BD
damage (or 16+2BD damage on a Mishap).
STEP D: CLIFFS OF DEATH
The final leg is without a doubt the hardest. Here
the heroes must scale a nearly vertical rock face
with howling winds and temperatures well below
freezing.
At this altitude the atmosphere is barely sufficient
to sustain life. Every hero must immediately make
a Heroic (DN 18) Strength test or suffer Fatigue,
also taking a Wound on a Mishap.
To top it off, Orrorsh’s cruel reality has animated
the bodies of climbers who have died on nearby
Everest through the decades. Now they lurch
through the snow as tormented, frigid walking
dead seeking to add more victims to their ranks!
The dead climbers linger among the caves, cliffs,
and ledges during this climb, emerging from
85
 snowdrifts or dark caves to drag any interlopers
off the cliffs to their doom.
Cliffs along this stretch require a Challenging
(DN 12) Strength to ascend. Narrow ledges require
a Challenging (DN 12) Dexterity to pass. In either
case, movement is reduced to one meter per round.
Reaching the top of this deadly stretch completes
the Dramatic Skill Resolution.
• Dead Mountain Climber (5 per Storm
Knight): See below
DILEMMAS
Just as in a regular Dramatic Skill Resolution, a
Dilemma result represents increasing danger.
Failing the Very Hard (DN 16) survival test imposes
the Dilemma’s usual penalty on top of damage
from the environment.
Possible Setback: They climbed too fast and need
more rest. They’re lost in a maze of crevasses. An
obstacle forces them to retrace their steps.
Complication: The heroes feel despair in the face
of this cold and alien landscape. Hypoxia causes
the heroes to become confused. An important piece
of gear is lost or ruined.
Critical Problem: Unlike traditional Dramatic
Skill Resolutions, failing the survival test during
a Critical Problem does not force the team to
start over. Instead, select one of the following
catastrophic events or create your own. Regardless
of the outcome the heroes may continue to press
on, if they’re able.
• An avalanche cascades down onto the heroes,
forcing a Hard (DN 14) Dexterity test. Failure
results in 18+1BD damage (or 18+2BD damage
on a Mishap)!
• A powerful blizzard accompanies plummeting
temperatures, forcing a Hard (DN 14) Strength
test. Failure results in 1BD Shock (or 2BD on a
Mishap).
• A sudden reality storm creates bizarre effects,
like hot snow, a rain of teeth, and talking faces
forming in snowdrifts. The Storm Knights must
make a Hard (DN 14) reality test. Failure results
in the loss of 1 Destiny Card (or 2 Destiny Cards
on a Mishap).
86
If they make it to the temple, the monumental
accomplishment of courage, perseverance and
effort infuses them with adrenaline and Possibility
energy. Each hero immediately earns three
Possibilities, and they increase their Destiny Card
hand size by one for the remainder of the Act.
Seriously, give it to them—because it’s all downhill
from here…
DEAD MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
Over three-hundred people have died on the
slopes of Mt. Everest. Their bodies were never
recovered—until the Gaunt Man came. Now they
are undead that prowl the high mountains..
Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 6, Mind 4, Spirit
6, Strength 9.
Skills: Find 7, trick (6), unarmed combat 10.
Move: 6; Tough: 9; Shock —; Wounds: ­—
Equipment:—
Perks: —
Possibilities: None
Special Abilities:
• Fear: On first encountering a Dead Mountain
Climber, a hero must test willpower or Spirit or
become Very Stymied.
• Icy Grip: +2 bonus when Grappling.
• Mindless: Dead Mountain Climbers are
immune to intimidation and taunt interactions.
• Relentless: Dead Mountain Climbers ignore
Shock.
• Undead: Immune to poison, and other effects
that require breathing, eating or other living
processes (including cold).
SCENE SIX: THE ANCIENT
LIBRARY OF MONDE
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. The great
stone doors of the Library are adorned with a
relief of Portok, a mountain peak on the long-dead
world Monde. Those who make a Standard (DN
10) scholar test (Victorians gain a +2) recognize the
mountain as sacred to several Gaean religions,
perhaps inherited from old memories of Monde.
When the Storm Knights pass through the doors
of the library, read or paraphrase the following:
 THE LIBRARIAN
You enter a
vast, stone temple carved into an
ancient cliff-side. Its existence
in this lifeless place seems an
impossibility. The central room is
a half-moon shape, and many stories
tall. Your voices echo off the vaulted
ceiling and stone columns.
In the middle of the ceiling is a large
round hole through which you can
see the summit of Mt. Everest itself,
still looming an impossible 10,000
additional feet above you.
Inside this great chamber are huge stacks of old books
and manuscripts, somehow preserved against the
elements. The smell of mold and parchment assaults
your nose, and you see a small table on the floor in the
center of the arch, covered with several thick reference
guides, a few blank pieces of parchment and a quill.
Closer inspection reveals the books are of
unfamiliar construction. A Standard (DN 10) reality
test hints that, although this place is transformed,
its contents are not, indicating the books have been
transported here from somewhere else after the
invasion, perhaps another library like this in Gaea.
A Good Success or better suggests the Gaunt Man
had a direct hand in its creation—perhaps the last,
secret repository of knowledge from a world long
since destroyed. ?
It doesn’t use the Dewey decimal system, so
combing through the reference books to understand
the library’s archival system is a Challenging (DN
12) scholar test. Success grants a +2 to attempts to
locate specific texts in the library, or +4 on a Good
result or better.
Finding a text that
contains information on Basjas
quickly is a Very Hard (DN
16) find test (+2 if the heroes
know Basjas’ family name,
DeLaunay). On a failure
they don’t locate the
right section before
the Librarian
arrives (see
below). Alas,
this library
is made for
a flying librarian, so the section they’re
after is 20 meters above them in the stacks.
Climbing up is a Standard (DN 10) Strength test,
with the risk of falling damage on a failure (see
Torg Eternity).
THE LIBRARIAN ARRIVES
Moments after making the climb, the Storm Knights
hear a shrill, echoing squawk above them. Through
the huge hole glides a winged figure. A Standard
(DN 10) Mind test identifies the creature as a
Ravagon. Those who’ve seen one before (including
earlier in this act) don’t need to roll.
This is “The Librarian,” a powerful and ancient
Ravagon personally tasked by the Gaunt Man to
oversee the transfer of thousands of Monde books,
manuscripts, and records to a permanent home
in the Himalayans. It takes its job seriously and
suffers no trespassers to live.
The Storm Knights may attempt to hide with
a stealth test opposed by the Librarian’s find.
Nonetheless, it senses the presence of interlopers
and calls out, “Who dares enter the forbidden library
87
 of a dead world?” The Librarian begins a thorough
search of the library for the interlopers. It calls forth
a Gospog of the Third Planting and several dead
mountain climbers to help. The hideous things
emerge from dark entryways around the walls.
It’s likely the Storm Knights are in no condition
to handle this fight after their grueling trek up the
mountain. Evading the Librarian and gospog long
enough to get the lullaby and flee is one prospect if
they aren’t up to a direct confrontation.
Now the heroes need to search the text for valuable
information. This requires either a Standard (DN
10) evidence analysis or find test. The reader gains a +2
bonus to this roll if she knows to look for a lullaby.
Once they find it, the team viscerally understands
this simple little song is an instrument of incredible
power in the quest to lay Basjas to rest.
Once they have the lullaby the team may leave.
The Librarian pursues them if it is still alive, but the
gospog remain in the library. It might be possible to
lose the Librarian among the ice caves on the cliff.
• The Librarian: See below.
• Gospog of the Third Planting: See page 105.
• Dead Mountain Climber (2 per Storm
Knight): See page 88.
SABATHINA’S LULLABY
88
THE LIBRARIAN
The Ravagon called The Librarian is a muscular,
if ancient, member of his kind. He wears an
ornamental fur cloak over his frosty blue skin.
Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 12, Mind 13,
Spirit 11, Strength 13.
Skills: Dodge 13, find 15, intimidate 13, maneuver
14, reality 13, stealth 13, taunt 15, tracking 14,
unarmed combat 13, willpower 12.
Move: 12; Tough: 16(3); Shock: 11; Wounds: 3
Equipment: —
Perks: Negation
Possibilities: 4
Special Abilities:
• Armor: Thick Hide +3.
• Claws: Strength +2 (15) damage.
• Dread: While The Librarian is present, a
Standard Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene
instead.
• Flight: Move 14 through the air.
SABATHINA’S LULLABY
Though the lullaby is in French, the English
translation is just as effective to share with Basjas.
Obviously, your group doesn’t actually have to
sing it to her, but the music is included in case one
of the heroes is so inclined.
 AFTERMATH
With everything the Storm Knights have been
through, the descent seems like it should be the
easiest part, when in fact it’s often the deadliest.
In this case, their goal reached, and many of the
extraneous hazards already dealt with, climbing
off the mountain becomes a much simpler matter
of endurance and attrition. The brain fog miasma
is still present all throughout the mountain, and
in this rare case, it works to their advantage. The
journey down becomes a blessed blur.
Every hero must make a single Standard (DN 10)
survival roll which represents the two week-long
descent of the mountain into a single roll. Failure
causes 2 Wounds, which can be Soaked normally.
Success still causes a Wound, but a Good Success
or better avoids any harm.
When they reach Lukla, they remember everything
about their journey except the climb down. They
simply don’t remember how they got there. It’s
clear their exhaustion and the effect of the miasma
is to blame, and maybe for once that’s a blessing.
To their horror, the Storm Knights discover any
of the villagers with whom they interacted is now
dead, victims of the Ludoghast.
On return to Kathmandu, they learn the same is
true of Prakash, who died horribly one night after
returning to his brother, Anil. Miraculously, Anil
was spared­—just as was Sylvia. What is the cause?
Though heartbroken, Anil is staunchly loyal and
kind to the Storm Knights, and he remains so no
matter what adversity they face or what horror
comes to haunt them. He offers the heroes room
and board for as long as they want to stay, allowing
them to heal their Wounds, recover their Shock, and
recuperate from one of the most grueling physical
and mental endeavors one can attempt on Earth—
only they did it in Orrorsh!
WHAT ABOUT THE
ACTUAL SUMMIT?
The Library of Monde is located high atop one
of the lower peaks around the base of Mount
Everest. While it’s in sight and just a couple of
kilometers away, the Storm Knights don’t have
to hazard climbing to the top of that infamous
mountain...but what if they want to?
First of all, the additional 10,000 feet of altitude
is a game changer. Altitude sickness causes a
host of health problems, like pulmonary and
cerebral edemas, dizziness, and disorientation.
Wounds from cold can result in permanent
Injuries if not treated within an hour. Refer to
the rules for extreme cold in Torg Eternity.
In addition, approximately 3000 feet below
the summit, climbers reach the “Death Zone”
where the atmosphere is no longer sufficient
for supporting life. Every hour requires a Near
Impossible (DN 20) Strength test. Failure results
in Fatigue, plus a Wound on a Mishap. Bottled
oxygen (Tech 20) grants a +4 to this test.
Environmental hazards are not the only
dangers at Everest’s summit. It is the site of
an Orrorshan stela, which sits in the middle
of a pile of bones, rubbish, and untransformed
climbing gear, and is festooned with skulls
and ghastly decaying flags made from clothes
discarded by climbers long ago.
Like all stelae it is heavily guarded by a host
of horrors. A Gospog of the Fourth Planting
oversees a small army of Gospog of the First
and Second Plantings. These are joined by
more dead climber zombies and ghosts formed
from ribbons of blowing snow.
Even if the Storm Knights uproot the stela, the
Gaunt Man has a backup at the top of nearby
Nuptse, another multi-hour trek along a
perilously narrow ridge populated by yet more
horrors. If the Storm Knights uproot that stela,
they’ve earned a victory, some Possibilities,
and a painless trek back through the area once
more returned to Core Earth!
89
 I
n this Act the Storm Knights return to Mumbai
with almost everything they need for their final
confrontation with Basjas. The final criterion to
affect her True Death is still unknown, but Sylvia
Morris, since her mom’s death in Act Two, has
begun actively working for the Delphi council and
has proven very resourceful. She catches up to the
heroes and asks them to come back to Mumbai with
THE END OF A her to talk with Quinn Sebastian himself about a
unique opportunity she’s uncovered.

NIGHTMARE
Sylvia suggests that getting close to Basjas
ACT SEVEN:
herself is the only way to learn of her True Death
condition, and there just might be a way to do it.
It seems there’s to be a secret masked ball, some
kind of celebration that’s likely to be attended by
Basjas herself, other members of the Hellion Court,
and maybe even a few High Lords. Attacking the
assemblage is out of the question, but as a source
of potential intel, both regarding Basjas and maybe
even uncovering some of the Gaunt Man’s greater
plans, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime.
At some point during this act, the heroes must
learn Basjas’ True Death condition. This is most
likely revealed in the song she sings at the Ball’s
climax, but if not, there are suggestions for other
ways to find it if the Storm Knights resist attending
the ball.
With any luck, Basjas is not long for this world,
and this act culminates in a final confrontation
(and a sobering revelation) the Storm Knights are
not likely to soon forget.

OVERVIEW
Scene One: The Storm Knights learn of a secret
masked ball to be attended by Basjas herself,
among other members of the Hellion Court. It may
afford the Storm Knights an opportunity to get
close enough to her to learn her True Death.
Scene Two: The Storm Knights ask around
Mumbai or delve in the occult in search of more
information about the ball and how to get in.
Scene Three: Their research reveals that a mature
Ravagon will be at the ball to detect intruders.
Remaining anonymous requires more than a mask.
The mysterious “Alchemist” might have a way in—
for a price!

90
 Even Nightmares stop to listen when Basjas sings.
Scene Four: The team finally attends the ball.
Powerful Orrorshan Nightmares and even High
Lords are in attendance. The team must survive
long enough to hear Basjas sing “The Song of My
Father” and reveal her True Death Condition.
Scene Five: Aware she’s being hunted, Basjas flees
and orders her spawn to protect her. The heroes
chase her to the docks of Mumbai, confronting her
in an epic battle just as all maelstrom bridges to
Gaea collapse upon the death of that cosm.
SCENE ONE: THE NEW
OPERATIVE
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Having now
obtained almost all of Basjas’ secrets except one, her
True Death condition, the heroes receive a message
via a Delphi Council courier to meet with Quinn
Sebastian himself in Mumbai as soon as possible.
The courier is none other than Sylvia Morris, the
groups acquaintance from Act One. If you are
using the optional encounters in the Orrorsh By
Rail chapter, run “Quoth the Raven” at this time.
Once they arrive, Sylvia greets them warmly
with respect and affection, offering hugs to those
who accept them. She is now an active Delphi
operative, citing it as nothing less than her calling
after everything that’s happened to her family.
She’s been tasked by Quinn Sebastian himself
to accompany them to Mumbai. If they need
transportation, she arranges for first-class tickets
aboard the Bengali Express.
During the trip, Sylvia takes time to ask each of
the heroes how they’re doing, coaxing them to tell
her their stories. Those who have tasted Corruption
are those Sylvia is most concerned about, and she
instinctively offers to talk to them about what they
experienced. She attempts to help them with her
ability if they allow her.
91

NO WAY ARE WE
GOING IN THERE!
Your group may unilaterally refuse to enter the
lion’s den, especially hobbled of Possibilities.
Understandable, but such impossible decisions
are exactly what Orrorsh’s reality expects.
Basjas’ final secret requires getting close to
her in an intimate setting where she feels
relatively safe, which is why the Ball is so ideal.
Furthermore, the Ball and the destruction of the
maelstrom bridge provide a major distraction
during the final fight with Basjas herself,
preventing her from getting help from the rest
of the Hellion Court, the Gaunt Man, and even
many of her spawn.
Risking the ball should seem a terrifying yet
necessary gamble. If they insist on another
tactic to play safe, make them pay for it. Here
are a couple suggestions:
THE MARTYR CARD
A single Storm Knight may play a Martyr
Destiny Card to attempt to find Basjas’ secret
another way—perhaps by eavesdropping
on her final performance without actually
attending the ball, volunteering to search her
spawn-infested lair under the playhouse for a
hand written page of the lyrics, or maybe by
becoming one of Basjas’ victims just to learn
her secret. In this case they pass the secret to
the group but perish in the process.
(Continued on next page)
Sylvia has quickly grown into a grounded, savvy
young woman who has seen more than her share
of misery, but she is heartened by any time she’s
able to spend with the Storm Knights, remaining
positive and expressing her unwavering belief in
the heroes and their goal.
THE FINAL BRIEFING
On arrival, Sylvia guides the team to a safe house
where Quinn Sebastian, Sir Edwin Darrington, and
a few other operatives, are waiting to greet them.
92
“Welcome,” says Sir Edwin as he shakes each of your
hands with grim pride. “It’s dashingly good to see you
alive and well, friends.” He bids you to have a seat in
the quiet, furnished study. “Since Sylvia here has been
the one doing all the work to gather this information,
I think she deserves to give you this briefing. Sylvia?”
Sylvia stands nervously and speaks:
“Okay, I have some news. I found some of my
dad’s old records in the Victorian field office here in
Mumbai, and I think I figured out why you haven’t
happened upon any information about Basjas’ True
Death condition. Remember my dad’s? How in order
to fully lay him to rest one of his family members
needed to know the truth of what he did? Well, that’s
really personal, right? It was painful for him, and…
and for me.
“But anyway, it seems like a Nightmare’s True
Death condition isn’t necessarily their most terrible
secret, but it might be their most personal one, and
it could be that only the Nightmare itself or someone
really close to them can reveal it. Just like I somehow
knew I wanted to be there for my dad before I really
understood what he needed.
“So, what I think that means is you have to somehow
get close to Basjas herself to figure it out. And I think
the more secrets of hers you already know, the easier it
will be to recognize that last one, when she eventually
slips up and gives it away.
“But I have some good news. There may be a way
for you to get close to Basjas without her knowing it.
I found out from some of my contacts that there’s a
secret masked ball about to take place somewhere in
Mumbai very soon. What the masked ball is and why
it’s happening, we don’t know.”
She shoots a glance at Sir Edwin, who nods
approvingly at her as she sits back down.
“What we do know that is this event is big—really
big. Rumor has it some major, powerful players in the
invasion will be there, including Basjas herself. There
will probably be other members of the Hellion Court
in attendance, maybe even High Lords. Like everyone,
they’ll all be disguised. No one is supposed to know
who anybody else is. That could work significantly in
our favor. If Basjas is there, you know her secrets. You
might be able to even recognize her. If so, you could
watch her, follow her, and maybe see what additional
information you might suss out.”
 In his usual brusque manner, Quinn cuts in. “But
there are a couple of problems, people. First, you need
a way in. You can best believe security will be locked
down at this thing. Second—and this is the real
problem—a Ravagon’s going to be there. Those things
have a close connection with reality. It’ll be able to
tell you’re Storm Knights. And with High Lords and
other members of the Hellion Court likely to be there
too, a mask ain’t going to be enough to disguise you.
So you’ll have to do something about that.
“I know this isn’t a lot to go on, but you’re so close.
Something tells me she’s going to give it away. I can’t
explain it. I just know. I think she’s actually scared.
You just need to find a way in there.”
There are two things the heroes need to track
down: a way to get in, and a way to hide their
abilities as Storm Knights. The next two scenes
offer answers to these questions and give pointers
to the GM about how to guide the heroes to get
what they need.
SCENE TWO: MAKING
PREPARATIONS
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Only those
who travel in the darkest circles of Mumbai
even know of the ball. Nevertheless, finding out
where and when it takes place isn’t hard and
can be obtained without a roll. The masked ball
itself is to take place in the outdoor courtyard of
a transformed hotel, the Sankraman, very close to
the docks of Mumbai.
But the Storm Knights are going to need to know
more than this. That’s where it gets tricky.
INVESTIGATING THE BALL
The heroes may choose a couple of different
approaches to learn more about the ball:
• Beat the Streets: Put in inquiries among
upper-crust society, catering companies, folks
who live near the Sankraman hotel, Mumbai’s
criminal underworld, or other circles. Some may
wish to roleplay these interactions, but must
also test streetwise, persuasion, or intimidation.
• Hit the Books: Delve into city records and
permits, turn to occult sources, or even dredge
NO WAY ARE WE GOING IN
THERE! (CONT’D.)
THE SINISTER SECRETS CARD
If the heroes have a “Sinister Secrets” cosm
card, one of them may play it to uncover the
truth about the Alchemist. She is a Nightmare
herself, not quite as powerful as Basjas, but a
secret rival of hers who is jealous of her beauty
and the favor she holds with the Gaunt Man.
Her motivation is to help the heroes destroy
Basjas out of petty revenge. The heroes may
leverage this knowledge, perhaps in hopes
that she attend the Ball herself to find the
secret, but she was not invited either, and the
Alchemist has a price for the risk she takes. She
demands Sylvia’s (or another valued NPC’s)
life in exchange. With so much at stake, Sylvia
agrees to sacrifice herself. If the heroes do this,
they get the secret, but they cannot avoid the
Corruption test called for on the card and must
take an additional –4 penalty to the test.
SOMETHING ELSE?
It’s up to you to adjudicate other methods the
heroes might try. As in the above examples, it
doesn’t have to be mechanically difficult, but it
does need to be costly.
up written accounts of similar events in the
past. They must test evidence analysis, find, or
scholar.
In either case the difficulty of the test is Very Hard
(DN 14). The heroes may use a Combined Action
on this roll if they choose (see Torg Eternity).
Failure on any of the aforementioned tests
demonstrates just how shrouded in secrecy the ball
is, as they find nothing about it beyond when and
where it is happening. A Mishap on any of those
rolls somehow alerts other attendees that outsiders
are asking questions about the party, giving all
Charisma- and stealth based interactions while at
the ball (Scene Four) an additional penalty of –2.
Success reveals various tidbits, depending on the
approach:
93
 STREETWISE, PERSUASION OR
INTIMIDATION
The heroes get a good picture of the importance
and magnitude of the event. The guest list includes
High Lords and Hellion Court members, and
confirms a Ravagon will be there to watch over
everything, though who any of the attendees are
specifically remains secret. One thing is obvious to
the Storm Knight: Basjas is a social creature and a
Hellion Court member. She will definitely be there.
A Good Success or better reveals the Gaunt Man
is expected to be there as well, and is in fact, the
guest of honor, though how and when he’ll arrive
is unclear. Moreover, Basjas will be singing a “very
special” song at the ball’s finale in honor of the
Gaunt Man called “The Song of my Father”. The
heroes somehow know (and be very clear with
them about this): that song is something
they need to hear.
EVIDENCE
ANALYSIS,
FIND, AND
SCHOLAR
The ball is being
coordinated by a
small committee
of the Hellion Court
working on the behalf
of the Gaunt Man. As
such, invitations aren’t
being sent so much as
they are being personally
delivered. Some attendees
may be traveling via Dimthread
Tree, and the machinations behind
the ball are steeped in the manipulation
of reality only Nightmares, High Lords, and
Ravagons are capable of. They are mysterious
and otherwise impenetrable to traditional avenues
of investigation. Perhaps more can be found about
this at the ball itself.
A Good Success or better nets them some juicy
gossip. The team’s source confirms the ball is a
celebration, and it coincides with some kind of
major, possibly cataclysmic, event. The source also
reveals not everyone in attendance has celebration
94
on their minds. Some attendees are attempting
to gather intel on the Gaunt Man and his Hellion
Court’s plans and goals.
Nevertheless, every High Lord has been invited.
Some may send agents in their stead, or not attend
at all. Members of the Hellion Court, the Gaunt
Man’s cabal of powerful Nightmares, will also be
attending, some of whom are undoubtedly yet
unknown to the Delphi Council.
It’s important the heroes understand the masked
ball is a unique quagmire of intrigue and dangerous
politics. It is to be attended by some of the most
powerful beings in existence. They should feel
completely out of their depth (because they are),
but they should also understand the opportunity
to gather intel on the invasion and its players
is unprecedented.
Quinn Sebastian
certainly does.
FINDING A WAY IN
The next thing the Storm Knights need
to know is how to get into the Masked
Ball.
They can use various sources for
this information, but it doesn’t
require a roll. In the course
of their research
they simply
turn up this
information.
SNEAK IN
Invitations are checked
at the door, and Parok the
Flayed himself, the Gaunt Man’s
most trusted Ravagon disciple (See Orrorsh
Sourcebook), flies high above the grounds
watching the proceedings the entire evening. What
little he misses is likely noticed by the multiple
gargoyles on the rooftops, seeming to watch the
party-goers with eyes that follow their every move.
Finally, gospog are strategically positioned around
the grounds to ensure unwelcome interlopers are
dispatched long before they lay eyes on what’s
going on.
 All attendees of the ball must be masked, no
exceptions. This makes it easier for the heroes to
slip in unnoticed. Sneaking in without an invitation
requires a Hard (DN 14) stealth test, modified by the
difficulty (or cleverness) of the chosen approach.
The heroes must use a Combined Action with the
Group Penalty on this test if they sneak in together.
STEAL OR FORGE AN INVITATION
While receiving a legitimate invite is almost
assuredly impossible, many of those attending are
servants, musicians, ushers, and food servers.
Success on a Challenging (DN 12) streetwise test
reveals most of these roles are filled by spawn and
other Ords who’ve fallen to Corruption. Very few
of them are attending of their own free will, but
they all have invitations.
Tracking down one of these attendees to steal an
invitation, or incapacitate them and go in their
stead, requires a Challenging (DN 12) stealth test.
The invitations themselves seem to be made of
parchment paper, scribed with a simple phrase in
fancy script penned with quill and ink:
The End is The Beginning
Come Celebrate
Cordiality and Masks Required
The invitations are folded closed with a wax seal
imprinted with the symbol of a Nightmare Tree.
Assuming the heroes get their hands on one, a
Challenging (DN 12) evidence analysis test reveals
two critical details about the invitation: the ink
used is human blood, and the paper used has been
milled using human skin.
Forging one is possible, but not easy. Getting the
raw materials requires someone to take a wound,
which can be soaked as usual. Either that or a fresh
body does the trick. Doing the work to make it
authentic is another evidence analysis test, this time
Very Hard (DN 16), made even more difficult (–2)
if time is short. Once one invitation is forged, more
can be made without rolls, but the raw materials
are still necessary.
If the heroes attend as servants, they are less
scrutinized, but they are expected to behave in a
certain way, perform their “duties,” and otherwise
bow to the will of their masters. If they pretend to
be invited guests, they have more freedom to move
around, but are also watched more carefully. For
more about these subtle interactions at the ball, see
Scene Four below.
Beyond the Ravagon and gargoyles, who are
always watching, and the gospog around the
hotel’s exterior, traditional security is non-existent
because once inside, the party-goers are more than
capable of policing themselves.
SCOUTING THE HOTEL
Some teams might logically wish to scout the hotel
grounds before the big event. Unfortunately, the
place is already buzzing with activity this close to
the masquerade ball and the gargoyles and gospog
are already in place. Getting anything of value
requires a Heroic (DN 18) stealth test, and runs the
risk of blowing their cover. If successful, they gain
a +2 on all future stealth tests on the hotel grounds
• Gargoyle (3 per Storm Knight): See page 102.
WHAT TO WEAR
Here, Quinn Sebastian and the Delphi Council are
ready. A basic Victorian era costume appropriate to
what a servant would wear to the ball is provided
without a roll. For something fancier or more
elegant (something an invited guest would wear),
a Standard (DN 10) persuasion test for requisitions
is required to convince Sebastian and his team of
dressers to spend the time and resources to create
something really elegant.
Ultimately it should not be difficult for the heroes
to get into the party. It’s what they learn about it,
and how they interact once there that’s important.
SCENE THREE: THE
ALCHEMIST
Standard Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Those heroes
who are less concerned about getting in and more
concerned about the Ravagon who’ll be watching
their every move are right to be. Masking their
identity as Storm Knights to beings much more
powerful than they are is not a straightforward
proposition. Luckily, Quinn Sebastian has this
covered as well, but the heroes face a grave
95
 decision. Sebastian tells the group:
“We have someone here who’s able to help, but like all
things in Orrorsh, that help undoubtedly comes with a
price. She calls herself ‘The Alchemist’ and she works
in dark magic—a potion maker—but these potions are
unlike any others we’ve seen. Make no mistake she is
dangerous, but without her, the odds of your survival
at the event are almost non-existent.. She refused to
come here, so you must go to her. Sylvia made contact
with her, and knows how to find her.”
THE CONCOCTION
Sylvia insists on coming along, claiming the
Alchemist might disappear if the Storm Knights
attempt to make contact without her. She brings
them to an extremely crowded marketplace in
downtown Mumbai, choked with run-down
buildings, and leads them down an unusually
narrow alley—a tight fit for any larger Storm
Knights. She then knocks with a specific pattern on
a metal door, which creaks open in response. Read
or paraphrase the following:
The wrinkled face of an old, weary looking woman
with deep black eyes surveys all of you. Her lips curl
into a creepy, hungry smile. “Are these your ‘friends,’
Sylvia?” With a cackle she adds, “They are delightful!
Full of…possibilities! Come in. Come in!”
The old woman opens the door, revealing a small hovel
lined with shelves filled with various glass bottles and
vials of who knows what kind of dark reagents. She
bids you to sit around a small table as she lays out her
proposal. While she talks, she hovers over and around
you, creeping behind you and grazing your backs with
her spindly fingers.
“So, Sylvia here tells me you want to disguise
yourselves. To pretend you’re not the powerful
Possibility warriors you are. Tricky business. Tricky,
tricky! Well, it can be arranged.” She giggles in a
breathy, hitched voice, her dark robes fluttering with
her deep laughter, and continues.
“I can concoct a potion that can hide who you are.
Once you drink my sweet draught, until the stroke
of midnight you will be able to maneuver through
a crowd of the most powerful beings in the cosmos
without anyone ever suspecting a thing. This, I do for
you out of the goodness of my own heart!
96
“There is just one thing. During that time you’ll
be unable to tap your own Possibility Energy. It
will be temporarily unavailable to you, and when it
does return, it may do so slowly. However, there is
something else that can be done.
“If I had, say, a vial of blood from someone…an Ord.
Not just any Ord, but someone with whom each of you
have a special connection. Someone who believes in
you.” She casts her eye on Sylvia. “Someone like her.”
Sylvia looks at you with resolve, as if she knew this
was part of the deal.
“Sylvia cares about each of you deeply. It’s really
very touching, and while I can certainly create a
potion without her blood, with it, your Possibility
Energy will not only return at the stroke of midnight,
you’ll gain a temporary boost, provided to you by your
connection with young Sylvia. Unfortunately, that
also means her fate will be tied to yours for as long
as her energy supplements your own. If any one of
you suffers while under its influence, she suffers. If
one of you dies, she dies. Sylvia can yet help you close
the final chapter in this long and horrific story, but it
comes at extreme risk.”
A TOUGH DECISION
In mechanical terms the base potion the Alchemist
provides gives the heroes an evening during which
they can’t be detected as Storm Knights. During
that evening they are unable to spend Possibilities
(though they may still spend destiny cards).
At exactly midnight, the heroes’ Possibilities
automatically become available again, and the
heroes become detectable. With Sylvia’s help, each
Storm Knight receives three additional Orrorsh
Possibilities at that time, but as the Alchemist says,
her fate is tied to theirs. If any of them dies during
the final confrontation with Basjas (or until they
are completely out of Possibilities), she dies too.
Sylvia knew of this option. She is committed and
unrelenting in her desire to contribute and help
her friends, but it’s ultimately up to the heroes.
Nevertheless, the potion and the means of its
creation are steeped in evil. Any Storm Knight
who drinks the potion (whether augmented with
Sylvia’s blood or not) must make a Corruption
test.
 SCENE FOUR:
MONSTER’S BALL
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. When the
time comes, the Masked Ball begins. Abandoned
since the invasion, the hotel Sankraman now teems
with activity and dark decorations. Walkways are
lined with the broken bones of dead humans, and
the courtyard walls are lit with ghastly light and
decorated with grotesque art depicting scenes of
torture and creepy vistas all too familiar in Orrorsh.
The hotel is adjacent to a transformed outdoor
theater of the same name, offering a clear view of
the Mumbai maelstrom bridge looming above the
city. A stage sits at the end of the courtyard where
a “special performance” is set to cap the evening.
There is no point at which any party-goer’s face is
revealed. They seem to appear out of nowhere, out
of the blackness beyond the grounds of the hotel.
The costumes are elegant, terrifying, gorgeous,
and sexy at once, in keeping with the dark theme
of horror and death. The heroes instantly feel the
raw, unchecked power that bubbles around them.
Play out their entry into the ball in whatever way
they planned, and once everyone who’s attending
is established in their roles, read or paraphrase the
following:
You are in an intimate outdoor courtyard, kitchens
are inside the building, and an outdoor coat check area
is just outside the main gate. Surrounding you are
figures, all human looking, in opulent costumes made
with exquisite craftsmanship. The feeling of raw power
surrounding you is palpable. Possibility Energy flows
all around you, but you feel cut off from it. Somehow it
is inaccessible to you, but you also know that’s exactly
what’s keeping you hidden from the other attendees,
not to mention the imposing winged creature flying
high above, watching every move.
The person next to you in the green horned mask
covered in dark emeralds could very well be a
Nightmare just as terrible as Basjas, only you know
none of its secrets. The woman in the luxurious jewel
encrusted gown on the dance floor could very well be
Reiko Kanawa or even Jazreal herself. There is no way
of knowing for sure.
As you take this sight in from your various vantage
points, a tall, thin woman catches your eyes. Her
NAVIGATING THE
MASQUERADE BALL
Maneuvering around at the ball should be a
tense experience for the heroes. It should feel
like they are being watched, and not just by
the gargoyles and the Ravagon above. From
the imposing figure in the minotaur mask who
stares at them a little too long, to the gossiping
ingenue who side-eyes them through her mask
as she talks to her companions, the Storm
Knights should feel uncomfortable. They are
in over their heads, and if trouble starts here,
or they are discovered, they have little chance
of escape.
With that in mind, they may simply choose to
follow and stay close to Basjas. She feels the heat
of being hunted as well, but the heroes have
the advantage over her. Still, the temptation
to discover more is ever-present. You’ll need
to run this dynamically based on the team’s
approach, but keep it simple. If they wish to
eavesdrop on other party goers, let them know
a roll is required to do so, and if they fail that
roll, they are discovered. Since they can’t spend
possibilities, this gets extremely risky. They
should be nervous. That’s the point.
Ultimately, the masked ball is a minefield of
intrigue and politics, within which the Storm
Knights are outsiders. Still, just one nugget of
intel or the right rumor might be enough to give
the Delphi council an edge in the second year
of the invasion. If they take the risk, be sure to
give them something valuable as a reward!
smooth, slender shoulders are delicate above her
strapless blood-red gown. The ruffles of her skirt are
lined with just a hint of a silk-spun web. The eyes
behind her mask sparkle like sapphires, but they belie a
sadness, a weariness you’re sure only you can detect.
That’s her. That is Basjas. You know it—without a
doubt.
Upon seeing her the heroes must test Fear. Failure
leaves them Very Stymied for their first interaction
at the ball (see below), but after that they recover.
97
 Just being at the party is dangerous, and even
the simplest social interactions can put the Storm
Knights at risk for being discovered. Here are a few
possible complications they might run into:
Asked to Dance: Someone in an opulent costume
asks a hero to dance. It’s unclear whether this is
some kind of test or a genuine request. Either way,
the person in question could be a High Lord for all
the heroes know, and this mysterious stranger is
just as interested in what they don’t know about
the ball as the heroes are. Whether they accept
the invitation to dance or not, role play out the
requester grilling the heroes about what they know
of the ball, its attendees, and its host.
Awkward Conversation: An attendee strikes up
a conversation with one of the team members by
reveling in the torture of an Ord, asking questions
like, “How many Delphi Council members have
you killed?” and so on. The idea is not to give
anything specific away, but merely to express
the attendee’s lack of respect for those they are
conquering, and to elicit the same from the heroes.
Oops: A moment of bad luck or clumsiness snags
one of the heroes’ costumes. While the damage
doesn’t give away their identity, it causes problems.
It inflicts a –2 penalty to movement and Dexterity-
based skills until the end of the act unless they can
find a quiet place to repair it.
The Note: A party-goer discreetly passes one of
the Storm Knights a note. This could be a prank, (“I
know who you are”), a case of mistaken identity
(“Our ‘meal’ has been delivered to our room. Shall
we feast while it’s still alive?”), or a note from Dr.
Mobius himself obviously intended for someone
else (“I didn’t bring you here for the food! Find me
something I can use!”).
The Altercation: Two attendees near a hero
get into a friendly argument about whether a
particular bottle of “blood rum” has been properly
fermented. They ask a Storm Knight to have a glass
and help settle the dispute. The “rum” is deep red,
and particularly viscous.
RUMORS AND GOSSIP
Following Basjas is the primary mission and doing
so is not difficult. She is visibly nervous, and senses
her time is short, but unless the Storm Knights do
98
something to give themselves away, she has no
idea who is watching her or from where. If that’s
all the team does, no rolls are required, and you
may skip to “The Song of my Father” below.
If they are tempted to actively extract rumors and
other interesting nuggets of information from the
party, they must roll for it. They may do this during
the interactions above, or by simply making stealth
tests to eavesdrop on party-goers. The first time is
Easy (DN 8). The second time the difficulty increases
to Standard (DN 10). The third time is Challenging
(DN 12). Beyond that, suspicion becomes palpably
high, and everyone clams up. Any failure results in
an immediate need for the perpetrator to quickly
extricate themselves from the ball.
On a Mishap, the luckless hero has one chance
to make a Very Hard (DN 14) stealth or find test to
disappear from the party and get out of sight of the
Ravagon. If they fail, they are discovered. Don’t roll
it out; they’re ceremoniously unmasked in front of
the other party-goers and given to the Ravagon to
devour. There is no escape. They’re dead.
There are three major secrets the Storm Knights
might discover. Since these are entirely optional, it’s
up to the GM to determine which to give them as
hooks for their campaign. All of them are presented
as if the Storm Knights are eavesdropping, but it’s
up to the GM to deliver them appropriately based
on the individual interaction.
THE NIGHTMARE TREE RUMOR
Two masked figures, probably members of the
Hellion Court, are talking in hushed tones about
the discovery of another Nightmare Tree in the
deep desert of the Nile Empire. One of them asks:
“Does Dr. Mobius suspect their true purpose yet?”
“Of course not. Not yet.” The other responds. “The
truth will reveal itself soon enough, but if any of the
High Lords found out now, the timing would be…
unfortunate.”
“Imagine. All that Possibility Energy, so easily
stolen...”
THE RAVAGON PARADOX
A group of three masked women speak in hushed
tones about Parok the Flayed, the Ravagon quietly
gliding above the guests.
 “They say they can’t disconnect,” one says.
“They say they are beyond reality,” a second says.
“It’s all true. They don’t carry World Laws with
them, and even axioms. To him, we are all just meat,”
says the third.
THE DEATH OF GAEA?
Two masked guests talk quietly as they look at the
maelstrom bridge looming over the city.
“Is it true? He’s coming? Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“The Orrorsh bridges are coming down?”
“Yes.”
“Gaea is really dead?”
“Yes.”
“He’s beyond us all, isn’t he?”
“…”
THE SONG OF MY FATHER
Basjas is beautiful, slim, and graceful. She moves
with quiet elegance around the party, but the
heroes can easily sense the fear just under the
façade of her sparkling eyes. She is being hunted,
and she knows it. She participates in the ball only
as much as she needs to. It’s clear she’s here out
of obligation to the Gaunt Man, and she is set to
perform a special song in his honor at the finale of
the ball just before midnight.
As that time moves closer, Basjas is visibly
nervous—looking around anxiously at other party-
goers, including the Storm Knights. Somehow, she
knows her time is short.
As the stroke of midnight nears, the attendees
gather, as if silently prompted, outside into the
outdoor theater adjacent to the hotel. Basjas is set
to take the stage with a sole organist to accompany
her. When she does, her voice is shaky, her eyes
shifting. The night itself falls cold and descends
into complete silence as she begins singing, with
inexplicable tears in her eyes as she does so:
My father, the yarn merchant.
My father, the destroyer of worlds.
My father was my beginning.
And my father is my end.
Throw me away into the dark pit, above the spider
drain.
So was my beginning.
Wrap me in blessed twine and burn me.
So shall be my end.
From my father, the devil who made me
To my father, the devil who saved me.
Between them, they are everything I am.
Welcome back, father. I’ve been waiting for you.
With this last line, midnight is seconds away. An
absolutely massive thunderous cracking sound
echoes across the city. It clearly originates from the
maelstrom bridge far in the distance. The party-
goers gasp as a large chunk of the Maelstrom
bridge breaks off and falls toward the ground,
sending dead bodies and bones raining down on
the city. The collapse of the Maelstrom Bridge has
begun, but Basjas is now visibly frightened. She
quickly vacates the stage, clearly intent on making
her escape from her unseen predators.
Be extremely clear with the Storm Knights about
what they’ve just learned. Basjas’ True Death
condition has just been revealed by Basjas herself,
almost against her will. Her body must be wrapped
in blessed twine and burned—an homage to her
spider nature, her father’s occupation as a yarn
merchant, and the need to completely immolate
her vampiric body. They have all her secrets now.
She is as vulnerable as she will ever be, and as if
she understands her own mortality, particularly in
the midst of this chaotic scene, she flees.
SCENE FIVE: FACING THE
NIGHTMARE
Dramatic Scene. Orrorsh Pure Zone. Basjas may
be frightened, but she’s still extremely dangerous.
She rushes away toward the nearby docks to board
a ship she has in wait to whisk her away. Run this
as a simple Chase through the streets and alleys,
with Dilemmas based on street obstacles, shadows,
and the cataclysmic noise from the collapse of the
maelstrom bridge breaking apart in the distance.
99
 Basjas reveals her most terrifying form — a massive spider!
The moonlight sifts its way through the gloomy
clouds. The cataclysmic collapse of the maelstrom
bridge rains down dead bodies and broken bones
all across the city, while black oily water laps
against rickety pylons in the cold dark of Back Bay.
If the heroes catch Basjas in time:
Basjas’ carriage rolls to a stop at the docks and she
races up a gangplank onto a waiting schooner, The
Collette. She barks commands at several deckhands,
who turn slowly to stop you from getting on board.
The heroes have one chance to make a ranged
attack or cast a spell at Basjas before she
disappears below decks. The zombies serving as
her crew block the heroes from reaching the deck.
Getting on board without using the gangplank
requires a Standard (DN 10) Strength or Dexterity
test (or some other means, such as spells.
If they fail:
Basjas’ carriage is abandoned on the docks and she
has already boarded a three-masted ship sailing out of
Back Bay! From the railing she gazes at you in cruel
100
triumph as she recedes toward the horizon.
She is out of range for any spells or other attacks
at this point. Catching her now requires suitable
transportation. Stealing one of the smaller boats
nearby is one option, allowing them to reach Basjas’
ship if they earn three successes on a Challenging
(DN 12) water vehicles test over the course of three
rounds, earning two successes with a Good results
and three with an Outstanding result.
If they don’t succeed, or look for other means (such
as a balloon or plane), they miss her entirely, at least
for now. The Storm Knights are still present for the
collapse of the Maelstrom Bridge (as detailed in
Aftermath below). They must seek Basjas at Kathin
Gad or another suitable location.
LURKING IN THE DARK
Once they get on board the heroes are faced with
the decomposing crew of zombies piloting the
ship. Basjas herself is waiting in the hold with a
particularly nasty surprise: She has shifted into her
giant spider form and lurks in the darkness behind
crates of cocooned bodies and curtains of sticky
webbing that hang from every surface. The webs
impose a -4 movement penalty (min. 1). They can
be cut or burned away (Toughness 18) to remove
this obstacle. Unless the heroes have a light source,
the hold is Dark (-4).
The Storm Knights are able to spend Possibilities
again now that the stroke of midnight has passed,
and if Sylvia’s blood was offered as part of the
potion, each of them gains three extra Orrorsh
Possibilities for this final confrontation.
Play out the combat and remind the heroes they
must confront Basjas with each of her secrets
throughout the battle to prevent her Possibilities
from refreshing.
• Basjas: See page 9
• Vampires: (2 per hero on the docks, or 1 per
hero on the ship): See page 107.
• Hungry Dead: (1 per hero on the docks, or 4
per hero on the ship): See page 104.
AFTERMATH
If the heroes lose, Basjas escapes into the darkness
either on her ship or as a thousand spiders slinking
into the shadows. The hunt must continue another
day, if they survived at all.
If the heroes are victorious, read or paraphrase the
following:
With the final blow, Basjas instantly transforms back
into her human form and collapses. All her spawn,
minions, creations and influences instantly collapse
as well, not just here but throughout the entire cosm.
A palpable weight seems to lift from your shoulders,
and indeed all of Orrorsh, as one of the Gaunt Man’s
most powerful Nightmares, and a vaunted member of
the Hellion Court, has been vanquished.
Basjas herself seems to transform—the hard, evil
face of a centuries old monster shifts into that of a
vulnerable, confused woman. She looks around with
wide eyes. “What did I do?” she says, her voice
quivering with grief. “What have I done?” Her face
suddenly changes, a look of surprise and overwhelming
relief.
“Mom?” she says quietly as tears roll down her
delicate cheeks. Sabathina sobs with unutterable
remorse and sadness. “Mommy?” she sobs. “Can you
please sing me to sleep?”
However, she doesn’t truly die until the heroes
bind her in silver thread and burn her body. If
they still have the thread they found on Shackley’s
body in Act Two they may use it now. Basjas’
elaborate dress is also interwoven in (unblessed)
silver threads, in keeping with Orrorsh’s perverse
way of causing Nightmares to flirt with their own
destruction. Otherwise, they must find some—
and in the meanwhile Basjas is reborn stronger!
She retreats to Kathin Gad (or another suitable
stronghold) and this time is ready for the heroes to
return and finish what they started.
If Sylvia is still alive, she’s empathetic to the mood
of the heroes, equally happy to embrace them,
congratulate them, or quietly commune with them
at the conclusion of their ordeal.
Any Storm Knight who survived is entitled to the
prestigious Order Vestigium medal. They may add
this free Perk as soon as the medal itself is delivered
to them a few weeks later.
THE END IS THE BEGINNING
Regardless of whether or not the Storm Knights
defeat Basjas, read or paraphrase the following:
The Maelstrom Bridge over Mumbai completes
its collapse in a thunderous cataclysm of sound and
terror. A catastrophic avalanche of dead bodies, rotting
bones, and unspeakable creatures crash down all over
the city.
It’s clear Earth is not connected to Gaea anymore.
The Victorians’ home has been consumed—nothing
but a husk in a long line of dead worlds destroyed by
the Gaunt Man. There are no more maelstrom bridges
in Orrorsh. The monstrous invaders can’t be repelled
back to where they came from. This is their home now.
Orrorsh has come to Earth.
In the distance, a single, thin shaft of moonlight
penetrates the eternal clouds and pierces down onto
the summit of destruction. A lone figure crests the
mountain of bodies, monsters and bones that used to
be the Maelstrom Bridge and steps into the light. The
Gaunt Man looks down at Orrorsh on Earth with a
smile on his face.
He is home now, and the real work has begun.
101
 COMMON FOES
DISEMBODIED HAND
A special ritual animates these severed hands to
serve as spies, couriers, or assassins.
Attributes: Charisma 1, Dexterity 8, Mind 3, Spirit
THREATS AND 5, Strength 7
Skills: Dodge 12, find 8, maneuver 13, stealth 13,
taunt (9), trick (5), unarmed combat 13
Move: 8; Tough: 7; Shock: 5; Wounds: —
Equipment: —
Perks: —
VILLAINS
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Automaton: Disembodied hands are immune
to poison and other effects that require
breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.
• Claw: Strength +2/9.
• Death Grip: Disembodied hands gain +4 to
unarmed combat when attempting a Grapple.
• Fear: On seeing this creature a hero must test
willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied.
• Mindless: Disembodied hands are immune
to intimidation and taunt interactions.
• Strangler: Targets who breathe suffer 2 Shock
every round while Restrained by a disembodied
hand.

GARGOYLE
These eerie animated stone statues spend most
of their time motionless, silent, and inert, simply
observing from their perch. In fact, until they choose
to become active they cannot be distinguished from
an ordinary statue. They prefer to move only when
not directly observed. Most gargoyles are created
to appear as grinning imps, snarling beasts, or doll-
like cherubs on rooftops, but others appear as angel
headstones in cemeteries, Romanesque statues in
galleries, or even snarling lions at manor gates.
Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 8,
Spirit 10, Strength 13
Skills: dodge 11, find 10, intimidation 12, stealth
10, tracking 10,trick 13, unarmed combat 13
Move: 10; Tough: 18 (5); Shock: —; Wounds: 1
Equipment: —
Perks: —

102
Possibilities: Never • Ethereal: A ghost may move through walls
Special Abilities: and solid objects, and is immune to physical
• Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. attacks unless the weapon is magical or has a
• Armor: Stone Body (+5). property that allows it to affect ethereal beings.
• Camouflage: Gargoyles gain a +5 to stealth Magic, miracles, and psionic powers affect
when holding still. ethereal beings normally.
• Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +3 (16). • Fear: Upon first seeing a ghost a hero must
• Fear: If a motionless gargoyle moves, a test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied.
witness must test willpower or Spirit or become • Undead: Ghosts are immune to effects that
Very Stymied. require breathing, eating, or other “living“
• Construct: Gargoyles are immune to poison processes
and other effects that require breathing eating,
or other “living“ processes. GRAVESPAWN
• Relentless: Gargoyles ignore Shock. Gravespawn are stinking masses of oozing black
rot that exist solely to spread horror and corruption.
GHOST They are incapable of locomotion but are
Ghosts are the echoing spirits of the dead, ethereal hardly defenseless, able to form short
creatures of pure emotion. Many are lost or pseudopods or spray blobs at foes, and
mindless, haunting places that were meaningful to retain the eldritch powers they knew
them when they were alive. The most dangerous in life.
ghosts are pure rage. Attributes: Charisma
Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 7, Mind 6, Dexterity 8,
5, Spirit 10, Strength 5 Mind 10, Spirit 10,
Skills: Dodge 8, find 6, intimidation 12, Strength 10
maneuver 9, stealth 12, taunt 8, trick Skills: Alteration
8, unarmed combat 8 12, conjuration
Move: 7; Tough: 5; Shock: 10; 12, divination 14,
Wounds: — missile weapons 12,
Equipment: — reality 11, scholar 13,
Perks: — taunt (7), trick (11),
Possibilities: Never unarmed combat 12,
Special Abilities: willpower 11
• Cloak of Darkness: Move: —; Tough: 10;
Bonus to Toughness Shock: 10; Wounds: 3
equal to the current Equipment: —
Darkness penalty. Perks: Spellcaster (disguise, fear,
• Disturbance: An mage dark, possibility rend, slow, stun)
upset ghost can Possibilities: 1
pick up and hurl Special Abilities:
objects within • Cloak of Darkness: Gravespawn gain
a Large Blast, a bonus to Toughness equal to the current
with the ghost Darkness penalty.
at the center of • Corrosive Ooze: Gravespawn are composed
the disturbance. This of a mass of bubbling rot that digests living
is an unarmed combat attack tissue. Melee attackers suffer 12 damage unless
that deals Strength +1 (6) damage. If they hit with a Good result or better, and any
unattended weapons are within the disturbance Grappled foes suffer 12+1BD damage at the
their properties apply to the damage as well. beginning of the gravespawn’s turn.

103
 • Fear: On first encountering this creature a
hero must test willpower or Spirit or become
Very Stymied.
• Pseudopod: Strength damage only, but the
sticky texture grants +4 to Grapple attempts.
• Relentless: Gravespawn ignore Shock.
• Undead: Immune to poison and other effects
that require breathing, eating, or other “living”
processes.
HAUNT
A Haunt is a structure with a malevolent spirit of
its own. A Haunt can’t move, but things within
seem to move under their own power. More
powerful Haunts are populated by one or more
Ghosts who do the controlling structure’s bidding.
The structure itself may be damaged and even
seemingly destroyed, but it always comes back
unless the Locus—the heart of the structure, is
found and eliminated.
Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 4, Mind 4, Spirit
8, Strength 14
Skills: Intimidate 18, missile weapons 8, reality 11,
taunt (14)
Move: —; Tough: 16; Shock: —; Wounds: 1
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Common (2)
Special Abilities:
• Construct: Haunts are structures immune to
poison and other effects that require breathing,
eating, or other “living“ processes.
• Disturbance: Haunts can ghost can move or
knock over objects within them. The effect is
focused on a Large Blast anywhere inside. This
is an missile weapons attack that deals Strength
+2 (16) damage.
• Fear: At a moment of the haunt’s choosing it
may reveal its true nature to everyone inside.
Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied.
• Locus: Any damage done to the normal
structure is temporary and cosmetic. To truly
harm a Haunt one must find and destroy
the Locus. The Locus may be a journal,
particular piece of furniture, even a body
buried somewhere inside. The creature’s listed
Toughness is for the Locus, and once destroyed
the structure is no longer haunted and falls
apart.
104
• Minions: Haunts with Ghosts inside may roll
reality to divert any hit to the Locus to one of
the Ghosts instead.
• Planted: Immune to maneuver and trick
interactions.
• Relentless: Haunts ignore Shock.
HUNGRY DEAD
Some corpses just can’t lay still forever. These
decomposing bodies animate and attack anything
that moves and makes sound. Meat does them no
good, but they still rend and feast as if it did.
Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 6, Mind 4, Spirit
6, Strength 9
Skills: Find 6, trick (6), unarmed combat 8
Move: 6; Tough: 9; Shock: —; Wounds: —
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +1 (10)
• Horde: Hungry dead usually appear in large
numbers. Apply any bonus from a Combined
Action to Damage as well as the attack itself
when multiple dead attack a single target.
• Mindless: The hungry dead are immune to
intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy
powers.
• Relentless: Hungry dead ignore Shock.
• Undead: Hungry dead are immune to poison
and other effects that require breathing, eating,
or other “living“ processes.
OMEN BIRD
These intelligent horrors usually appear as crows,
parrots, ravens, owls, or vultures. They torment
their victim by reminding them of a failure, tragedy,
or trauma, returning even when killed. Only their
victim or victims can hear their “speech.”
Attributes: Charisma 11, Dexterity 8, Mind 7,
Spirit 8, Strength 2
Skills: Dodge 10, find 8, intimidation 10, taunt 15,
trick 8, unarmed combat 10
Move: 8; Tough: 2; Shock: 8; Wounds: —
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
 • Bite/Claw: Damage Strength +2/8.
• Gloater: When taunt or intimidation are
Approved Actions, the omen bird may affect
the entire party without a Multi-Action penalty.
Affected heroes lose a random card from their
hand.
• Flight: Move 10 in the air.
• Small: Attacks against omen birds suffer a -2
penalty.
ORRORSH GOSPOG OF THE
THIRD PLANTING
These gospog have a humanoid upper body and a
serpentine lower body. They poison their prey with
their fangs or with venom-coated bones that jut out
of their bodies. Unlike most gospog, these refresh
their body by consume their prey. Third planting
gospog can climb, and like to ambush from trees or
surprise adventurers on precarious cliffs.
Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 8,
Spirit 10, Strength 12
Skills: Dodge 12, find 8, maneuver (12), stealth 15,
trick (13), unarmed combat 15
Move: 10; Tough: 13 (1); Shock: —; Wounds: 1
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Armor: Scaly skin +1.
• Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (14).
• Clinging: The gospog can move normally in
trees, along walls and ceilings, or other vertical
surfaces.
• Constrict: This gospog’s unarmed attacks
Grapple without suffering a penalty to hit or
damage.
• Fear: Gospog are horrific amalgamations of
a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a
horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower
or Spirit or become Very Stymied.
• Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation
and taunt interactions and telepathy powers.
• Poison: If a gospog’s bite or constrict deals
damage exceeding the target’s Toughness, then
a debilitating toxin is introduced to the target.
While poisoned the victim suffers 1 Shock each
round. A KO’ed target rolls Defeat instead of
taking Shock.
• Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock.
• Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and
other effects that require breathing, eating, or
other “living“ processes.
POISON SPIDER SWARM
Poison spider swarms are composed of thousands
of tiny venomous spiders no larger than a coin. On
their own they might represent little threat, but in a
swarm they can take down an elephant.
Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 6, Mind 3, Spirit
8, Strength 8
Skills: Dodge 8, maneuver 10, stealth 8, tracking 8,
trick (8), unarmed combat 11
Move: 6; Tough: 8; Shock: 8; Wounds: 4
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Mandibles: Each round, a creature in contact
with a spider swarm automatically takes 3
Shock at the start of their turn.
• Shred: Once per turn the swarm may attack
each target it is in contact with without taking
a Multi-Targeting penalty. A hit inflicts Damage
12 that affects the target’s weakest Armor.
• Fear: Seeing this many spiders inspires terror.
The first time a character encounters a swarm
in an act, he must test willpower or Spirit or
become Very Stymied.
• Mindless: Spiders are immune to intimidate
and taunt interactions, as well as telepathy
powers.
• Swarm: Unarmed attacks and crushing
weapons deal base damage normally, as do area
of effect attacks. Blades, bullets, or weapons
that can’t hit dozens of creatures at once deal
no damage at all.
• Wallwalker: Spider swarms can cling to walls
and ceilings and move at their normal rate
along such surfaces.
POPPET
Poppets are animated puppets, dolls, the like
which becomes inhabited by a murderous spirit.
Most can’t speak and wield sharp objects as knives.
Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit
6, Strength 6
105
 Skills: Dodge 11, intimidate 8, maneuver 11, melee
weapons 11, stealth 13, taunt (9), trick (9)
Move: 8; Tough: 6; Shock: 6; Wounds: —
Equipment: Blade (Strength +1/7 damage)
Perks: —
Possibilities: Rare (2).
Special Abilities:
• Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage.
• Construct: Poppets are immune to poison
and other effects that require breathing eating,
or other “living“ processes.
• Fear: Poppets are just creepy. The first time
one moves test willpower or Spirit or become
Very Stymied.
• Very Small: Attacks against poppets suffer a
–4 penalty.
• Weak Spot: Poppets automatically aim
past any armor that doesn’t offer Full Body
protection.
SHADOW
These murderous creatures can only materialize
in the presence of a lantern, campfire, or similar
light source as a living silhouette cast upon a
nearby solid surface. They attack their victim’s
own natural shadow. Wounds sustained this way
show up on the victim as if dealt by an invisible
foe. They can only be harmed by attacks that create
a shadow, and become harmlessly immaterial in
darkness.
Attributes: Charisma 9, Dexterity 9, Mind 8, Spirit
6, Strength 8
Skills: Dodge 12, maneuver 12, melee weapons 13,
stealth 16, taunt 13, trick 13, unarmed combat 13
Move: 9; Tough: 8; Shock: 6; Wounds: —
Equipment: Knife (Strength +2/10)
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage.
• Ethereal: Shadows are ethereal in the absence
of light, unable to interact with the physical
world. They may move through walls and solid
objects, and are immune to physical attacks
unless the weapon is magical or has a property
that allows it to affect ethereal beings. Magic,
miracles, and psionic powers affect ethereal
106
beings normally.
• Restrained Movement: Shadows may only
move on solid vertical surfaces that are within
10 meters of the light source. They require at
least Dim lighting to manifest.
SHADOW BAT
These evil shadow creatures are commonly
mistaken for bats due to their jagged, crescent-like
shape and burning white eyes.
Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 9, Mind 5, Spirit
9, Strength 4
Skills: Dodge 11, find 10, intimidation 10, stealth
13, taunt (9), trick (9), unarmed combat 10
Move: 9; Tough: 4; Shock: —; Wounds: —
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Bite/Claw: Damage Strength +2/7.
• Echolocation: Shadow Bats ignore Darkness
penalties.
• Flight: Move 10 in the air.
• Horde: Shadow bats usually appear in large
numbers. Apply any bonus from a Combined
Action to Damage as well as the attack itself
when multiple dead attack a single target.
• Relentless: Shadow bats ignore Shock.
• Small: Attacks against shadow bats suffer a
-2 penalty.
• Undead: Shadow bats are immune to poison
and other effects that require breathing, eating,
or other “living” processes.
TYPICAL ORRORSHAN
Orrorshans represent a wide swath of society,
from impoverished beggars to wealthy members
of high society. On their own they are no threat,
but become dangerous as a mob whipped into a
frenzy by fear.
Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 7, Mind 6, Spirit
7, Strength 6
Skills: Beast riding 8, find 7
Move: 7; Tough: 6; Shock: 7; Wounds: —
Equipment: Pitchfork (Damage Strength +2/8,
Unwieldy), torch.
Perks: —
Possibilities: Rare (2)
Special Abilities: —
WOLF (ORRORSH)
These carnivorous wild animals hunt in packs
and are generally encountered in mountainous
or heavily-forested rural areas. Orrorshan wolves
have a chilling howl which they use to terrify prey.
Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 5,
Spirit 8, Strength 10
Skills: Dodge 12, find 10, intimidation 10,
maneuver 12, stealth 11, taunt (10), trick (10),
tracking 10, unarmed combat 12
Move: 12; Tough: 10; Shock: 8; Wounds: —
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Bite: Damage Strength +2 (12).
• Horde: Wolves attack as a group. Apply any
bonus from a Combined Action to Damage as
well as the attack itself when multiple wolves a
single target.
• Howl: Once per act, the howl of
an Orrorsh wolf causes those who
hear it to test willpower or Spirit or
become Very Stymied.
• Bite: Damage Strength +2 (12) against a
Grappled foe. Automatically hits the lowest
Armor value. Shock and Wounds dealt by a
bite are recovered by the vampire.
• Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes
Favored once a Vampire deals a Wound.
• Claws: Damage Strength +2 (12).
• Cloak of Darkness: Vampires gain a bonus
to Toughness equal to the current Darkness
penalty.
• Undead: Vampires are immune to poison and
other effects that require breathing, eating, or
other “living“ processes.
• Wallwalker:
Vampires can cling to
walls and ceilings and
move at their normal
rate along such
surfaces.

VAMPIRE
Vampires are vile creatures
cursed to an eternal unlife of
draining the life force from
others through their blood.
In a way Vampires are more
advanced specimens of Hungry Dead.
Some Vampires are solitary hunters, b u t
most cluster together and feed as a team.
Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 10, Mind 8,
Spirit 8, Strength 10
Skills: Dodge 14, find 11, maneuver 12, stealth
12, tracking 10, taunt 10, trick 10, unarmed
combat 14
Move: 10; Tough: 10; Shock: 8; Wounds: 1
Equipment: —
Perks: —
Possibilities: Never
Special Abilities:
• Allergies: Sunlight causes 10+1BD damage
each round.

107
 B
y far the most popular method for traveling
long distance in Orrorsh is rail. Trains
are relatively inexpensive and fast, and

ORRORSH BY RAIL
rail networks crisscross the entire subcontinent,
allowing for efficient travel to and from nearly
any location.
Steam engines become possible as early as Tech
16, but the locomotive itself does not generally
appear until Tech 17. The Victorians, who enjoy
Orrorsh’s Tech 18 axiom, have had many decades
to improve on the relatively inefficient and
inelegant trains of yesteryear. Passenger trains are
designed to be aesthetically pleasing both inside
and out. The engines are capable of greater speed
and power, and themselves are a work of art. In
fact, a trip by train presents a social opportunity
that calls for one to be seen in one’s finest duds.
And for a country as large as India, it sure beats
traveling by carriage!

RAILROAD COMPANIES
Below are some of the most common railway
companies in and around Orrorsh, handling
either passengers or freight.
The ticket prices listed are per passenger for
a trip up to 100 km, and include meals but not
spirits or other extras. Double the price for longer
trips. Freight is similar but is priced per ton.
Stowing away requires a Very Hard (DN 16)
stealth test per day for most trains or trolleys, but
only a Challenging (DN 12) stealth test for freight
trains. Storm Knights who get caught must deal
with the conductor and security guards.
The Bengali Express: One of the most successful
railway companies in Orrorsh is the Bengali
Express, which offers comfortable berths, a full-
service dining car, a lounge, and even a gaming
car. While tickets are on the high end, no railway
company covers more of the realm—one can ride
to within 100 kilometers of almost any destination.
Delphi Council operatives are sent into Orrorsh
with unlimited first-class tickets, and they are on
hand in safehouses from Pakistan to Bangladesh.
Ticket Price: 100 (10).
The Maharaja: The Maharaja Express was Core
Earth India’s most luxurious passenger line.

108
 LOCOMOTIVES
Orrorsh Tech Top Speed (KPH) Pass MR Wnds Tough Price
Passenger Train 17 55 (10) 150 –4 4 20 1.5 M (31)
Freight Train 16 30 (9) 2 –6 5 22 1 M (30)
Express Train 18 70 (11) Fast 80 –6 4 20 4 M (33)
Trolley 16 15 (8) 30 –2 2 14 100K (25)
Core Earth Tech Top Speed (KPH) Pass MR Wnds Tough Price
Passenger Train 22 150 (13) Fast 300 –4 4 24 80 M (39)
Freight Train 22 70 (11) Fast 4 –6 5 26 30 M (37)
Pan-Pacifica Tech Top Speed (KPH) Pass MR Wnds Tough Price
Bullet Train 24 400 (15) Very Fast 200 –6 5 24 250 M (42)

After the Invasion it resumed operations with a
transformed fleet that serves western India from
Mumbai to Delhi. It is the most lavish passenger
line in Orrorsh, with walnut paneling, brocaded
curtains, lush carpets, and brass fixtures in all
passenger cars. The lounge car is palatial, and the
dining car serves fine food and wine. Alas, there is
only one train servicing the entire line, and tickets
sell weeks in advance. Ticket Price: 500 (13).
Navi-Mumbai Shipping Co.: Dealing only in
freight, Navi-Mumbai operates out of the Mumbai
area and has lines that extend north to Punjab, east
to Kolkata, and south to Kochi. Unfortunately, the
owner, Sharad Bhatavadekar, is a servant of the
Gaunt Man and uses his trains to surreptitiously
transport gospog, Nightmare Tree seeds, stolen
Eternity Shards, even kidnapped Storm Knights!
Shipping Price: 60 (9).
Peshawar Railway Co.: Pakistan’s last remaining
train company operates out of Karachi, with lines
that extend north as far as Islamabad and east to
Delhi. Most of their business is freight, but when
demand is high enough they attach a passenger car
or two near the front of the train. Passengers who
want to ride atop one of the freight cars may do so
for 150 Pakistani Rupees (1 dollar), but are liable
for their own risk. Ticket Price: 10 (5); Shipping
Price: 12 (5).
Pondicherry Expressways: This company
operates an express line spanning India’s eastern
coast from Madurai to Dhaka in Bangladesh, plus
a single spur to Hyderabad. Pondicherry’s safety
record is suffering after several bad wrecks. Their
cars have an additional –1 MR and their Toughness
is reduced by 2. Ticket Price: 50 (8).
Wen-Yan United Railway Corp.: A dummy
company owned by the Kanawa Corporation,
Wen-Yan is the only railway sesrving the Mixed
Zone in and around the Yunnan province of
southern China. It has a high-speed passenger line
(the “Tiger Express”) that runs from Chengdu to
Bangkok, with spur service to smaller cities along
the route. Ticket Price: 90 (9).
Tibet Royal Rail: In the high deserts of the Tibetan
Plateau, Tibet Royal Rail trains are a crucial lifeline
for many small communities. They mostly deal in
freight but also run passenger trains along the same
lines. Recently they have acquired steam-powered
engines and use them to help ferry refugees across
the reality border on abandoned mountain pass
routes. Ticket Price: 35 (7); Shipping Price: 25 (7).
Trans-India Rail: This commercial freight
company has the most extensive coverage of any
rivals, with lines connecting almost all of India
and extending into Bangladesh and Pakistan. Their
downside is their low-quality engines, which can
only top out at 20 KPH (8). They allow passengers
to cling to the freight cars for three Gaean Pounds
Sterling. Shipping Price: 40 (8).
Trolleys: Most Orrorshan cities have trolleys
(also called streetcars). These single-car vehicles
are powered by electric wires overhead and offer
a quick, economical means to move about the city.
They are operated by a single driver and security
guard. A ticket is good for any travel in the city for
the rest of the day. Ticket Price: 1 (1).

109

TERROR ON THE
BENGALI EXPRESS
The following section introduces several short
encounters which take place on Orrorshan
trains during A Trifling Matter. Any time the text
mentions a trip by train, or any other time the
Storm Knights elect to travel somewhere by rail,
select the encounter keyed to the appropriate act.
Each encounter takes place at the beginning of the
act just before Scene One and is considered part of
that scene for all purposes, such as spell duration
or hand refresh. Trips taken later in the same act do
not result in new encounters.
These encounters presume the heroes are traveling
on the Bengali Express, but can be modified for any
passenger train.
VISIONS OF DEATH (ACT ONE)
It is night, and the heroes are either in the lounge
car or in their sleeper on their way toward New
Delhi. One random hero happens to be gazing
out the window as the train passes a dismal, mist-
shrouded cemetery and sees a bizarre phantasm
among the graves looking straight back at them.
Describe the Ludoghast or show that player the
illustration. There is no time to take any action, and
returning to this cemetery reveals no further clues.
THE VEILED WOMAN (ACT TWO)
On the train heading to Mumbai, the heroes spot a
woman dressed in black sobbing quietly to herself.
Her face is hidden behind a veil. Nobody else on
the train notices or interacts with her. If spoken
to, she identifies herself as Lady Nancy Avington,
headed to Mumbai for the funeral of her husband,
Thomas, a Victorian bureaucrat who was recently
found dead in an alley with his head removed and
blood drained. She is confused and scattered, often
repeating, “He is waiting for me,” but does say that
her husband was murdered for “laughing when he
was meant to gasp.” She promptly vanishes after
imparting this information or if her veil is lifted—
revealing nothing but a rotting skull!
DARK CARGO (ACT THREE)
At a small station south of Puducherry the heroes
see a sweaty, clearly nervous man get onto the
train, lugging a heavy hatbox. He refuses help from
110
porters. He eventually emerges from his sleeping
compartment to get a meal but becomes violent
when the chefs refuse to let him bring raw meat back
to his sleeper. He is easy to subdue (use the Typical
Orrorshan profile on page 106) but screams that “it
needs to eat!” Investigating his sleeper reveals the
hat box is filled with a sickening black ooze with bits
of bone inside. The ooze digests any living tissue
it touches (Damage 14) but cannot leave the box.
Destroying the ooze (Toughness 10) provides each
Storm Knight with an Orrorsh Possibility.
BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR
DEATH (ACT FOUR)
While traveling through the night, the Storm
Knights are invited by Ambrose Langdon, a former
professor of ancient languages at the University of
London on Gaea, to join him in the lounge car. He
is a spirited conversationalist who is particularly
interested in any insights or adventures the heroes
have had so far in Orrorsh. Eventually Langdon
reveals he is being hunted by a dark entity which
pursues him at a steady pace. As long as he doesn’t
stop moving, it will never catch him. Unfortunately
his funds are running out. If the heroes volunteer
to give him money, they take a –2 penalty on their
next streetwise test to requisition gear. In return,
Langdon gifts them an old occult tome (Magic
14). Scholar tests related to the occult are Favored
when reading from the tome. Helping Langdon is
fruitless, as he knows none of the entity’s Secrets or
True Death, and it is invisible to all but him.
A MESSAGE FROM BEYOND (ACT
FIVE)
On their way toward Dhaka, as the train steams
across flooded fields, something knocks thrice on
the wall and an unseen force scratches a message
on that spot: Under the deck. Tearing apart the
train reveals nothing. However, later if the heroes
travel upriver with Andrew, they once more hear
the same three knocks their first night on the boat
(at the end of Scene One). Prying up the deck of
Andrew’s boat, despite his protestations, reveals
a set of moldering old bones—the remains of
Andrew’s brother, murdered for the boat! Among
the bones is an elixir of light. Andrew is willing to
kill to prevent this discovery. He uses the Typical
Orrorshan profile on page 106.
THE TUNNEL (ACT SIX)
While winding its way through a high mountain
pass, the train screeches to a halt inside a long,
inky-dark tunnel after a sudden avalanche
seals both ends. By lantern light the crew starts
shoveling away the plug of snow, aided by a
group of Sherpas traveling home. The Sherpas fear
the strained tunnel could collapse at any time. If
the heroes join in, they have five rounds to deal
4 Wounds to the Very Large (+4) icy blockage,
which has a Toughness of 20. Most weapons are
useless but shovels deal Strength +2 against the
snow. The crew and Sherpas add 5 participants to
a Combined Action. If successful, the Sherpas give
the heroes climbing crampons, a useful Boon for
their upcoming trek. Failure results in the tunnel
collapsing—but the heroes awake once more on the
train as it steams toward Kathmandu, one of their
NPC contacts erased by the Law of the Uncanny!
The Bengali Express steams eerily through the dark Orrorshan night.
Boon Relevant Skills
Crampons for climbing Strength, survival
QUOTH THE RAVEN (ACT SEVEN)
The final leg of their travels returns the heroes to
Mumbai. Along the way an Omen Bird in the form
of a crow flies into the train through an open door
or window and lands near the heroes. Bystanders
are intrigued and amused. The crow repeatedly
croaks the name of Basjas’ father: “Henri! Henri!”
Only the heroes can hear this—to others it sounds
like a normal caw. It hopes to trigger combat so
it can use its Gloater Special Ability and steal the
heroes’ Destiny Cards. Witnesses come to the aid
of the crow (use the Typical Orrorshan profile on
page 106). Under these special circumstances, lost
cards are not refreshed at the end of the scene, and
in fact remain lost for the rest of the act! If killed,
the omen bird is not replaced with another.
111
 INDEX
A K T
Adelaide Morris 15 Kalipur 67 The Alchemist 96
Amandara Prabhupada 71 Kathin Gad 57 The Arcane Optograph 27
Amit Nandi 55 Kathmandu 78 The Bengali Express 108
Andrew Tun Hein Ye 66 Kolechafasar 54 The Caretaker 59
Anil 78 Kurst 70 The Collette 100
Annie Morris 22 The Crawler 47
Aveline 5 L The Librarian 88
Lukla 80 The Library of Monde 86
B The Ludoghast 10
Basjas 8 M The Making of a Nightmare 20
Black Vein Disease 32 Madame Vishwani 30 The Oubliette Theater 35
Boons 78 Madness and Sanity 43 The Snow Wolf 82
Brain Fog Miasma 79 Mandeep Patel 69 The Song of My Father 99
Meenal Nandi 55 The Union Daily 28
C Mount Everest 85 Tranquil Hills Lunatic Asylum 42
Chakravarti Nandi 55 Typical Orrorshan 106
Champlainville 5 N
Chandrima Prabhupada 74 Nandi Farm 55 U
Character Death in Orrorsh 5 Nathaniel Morris 21 Undead Elephant 73
Colette DeLaunay 5 Navigating The Masquerade Ball 97
Corruption Spirit 72 Nivithigala 41 V
No Way Are We Going in There! 92 Vampire 107
D Vandana 71
Dead Mountain Climber 86 O Venkati 18
Devon House 13 Omen Bird 104 Victorian Field Office 17
Disembodied Hand 102 Orrorsh Gospog of the Third Planting 105
Disorderly 50 Our Lady of the Blessed Martyr 68 W
Dr. Melgrath 50 Walter Keening 29
P What About the Actual Summit? 89
E Parson Hiram Armstrong 68 Wolf (Orrorsh) 107
Everest Base Camp 85 Poison Spider Swarm 105
Evil Builds on Evil 70 Poppet 105
Prakash 80
F
Field Resources 13 Q
Quinn Sebastian 12
G
Gargoyle 102 R
Ghost 103 Radhika Lakhavani 27
Ghost Lantern 63 Rahul Vedekar 34
Gravespawn 103 Railroad Companies 108

H S
Haunt 104 Sabathina DeLaunay 6
Head Thief 33 Sabathina’s Lullaby 88
Henri DeLaunay 62 Sanjay Singh 30
Herbert Shackley 26 Sanjeev 47
Hungry Dead 104 Sankraman Hotel 95
Sensitive Topics 6
I Shadow 106
Imja Tse 85 Shadow Bat 106
Inspector Gopal Stanway 28 Sir Edwin Darrington 13
Sir Gregory’s Crucifix 13
J Sister Margaret Ames 32
Jijamatar Nagar 32 Sylvia Morris 19

112
 MYSTERY, INTRIGUE, AND HORROR
SURROUND THE HELLION COURT...
Orrorsh is a terrifying, deadly cosm where
victory rarely comes without a price, but one
where the Storm Knights must go to uncover
the secrets of the greatest of all High Lords.

In A Trifling Matter, the heroes are sent to

discover what it takes to destroy a seemingly-
unkillable Nightmare who is one of the
Gaunt Man’s most powerful servants. Their
hunt will take them from the ghats of India
to the jungles of Bangladesh, and from the
depths of a sanitarium to the slopes of the
world’s tallest mountain, all to find the dark
secrets which define
their quarry—and
allow them to slay
her forever!

INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:

• A massive Seven Act adventure that crosses the different
regions of Orrorsh.
• The dark history of a complex, dangerous member of the
Hellion Court.
• New foes to face and allies to help you in your fight!

UlissesNorthAmerica.com
US82114PDF

This game requires the

Torg Eternity Core Rules
and Drama Deck to play.