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Emerald Coast

Designed by Marina Lizama and Carlos Garcia

(Minaya Editorial)
Layout Greg Saunders
Art Tithi Luadthong

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 “Here by the sea and sand
Nothing ever goes as planned
[…]
Come sleep on the beach
Keep within my reach
I just want to die with you near”

- The Who

W ARNING: This scenario deals with mature and sensitive issues

that might be unpleasant to some people, such as cannibalism and
gore. Talk to your players about this before running the scenario, and if
someone doesn’t feel comfortable roleplaying these, we encourage you to
choose another scenario to play. Remember, this is a game and we’re all in
Emerald Coast

to have fun.

The Adventure
E merald Coast is a scenario based around survival and fear, located
in the fairly well-preserved remains of the coastal town of New
Swifton, whose settlement is commonly called Emerald Coast for the fishing
company that was located there. Emerald Coast rose as a prosperous and
safe settlement quickly after the Event, most of the town’s infrastructure
survived without significant damage and the remaining folk had easy
access to food and shelter, making it a favourite location for Drifters to
trade and work. However, for some time now, Emerald Coast has been
changing, becoming more and more isolationist, and rumours grow of
strange rituals and dark whispers among the members of the community.

E merald Coast works great as a standalone horror scenario: terrifying

imagery, deranged townsfolk, and a chilling experience. The Drifters
will leave the place with a sense of dread and revulsion, never to return
if they are lucky. If used as part of an ongoing campaign, consider that
player characters are expected to hand over all their gear at the start of the
adventure and are not getting it back (the latter they won’t know in that
moment), so it might be a painful blow if they have worked hard to find
some quality gear. However, if so you wish, it’s easy to insert this scenario
into a campaign as a side-quest or even as the start of a greater campaign
revolving around this cursed settlement.

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 T his is a fast-paced scenario: fear, desperation, revolt and hopelessness
should be a constant throughout the game. The whole adventure
develops in a single stormy night (of in-game time, though if you play this
scenario during a storm let us know, that’s pretty awesome), so don’t give
the Drifters a moment’s rest, brutally shake them up when they think are
safe and keep them on their toes. But remember to slow the pace during
important scenes so the Players get every gruesome detail about what is
going on in Emerald Coast.

A ny kind of character is suitable for this adventure, and keep in mind

their different Traumas as there’s a good chance characters might
have to face their Traumas in this scenario. Stealthy Drifters will have an
easier time moving around town, as will Drifters with the Navigation skill.
Other good skills to have around could be Brawling (for when a fight is

Emerald Coast
unavoidable), Stamina (constantly running in the rain is tiring), Pickpocket
(to get that key or item they need), and Security (for when they didn’t get
the key from before). What must be taken into consideration is the number
of players; this scenario works best with a small group, as large groups
could be easily tempted to fight their way out.

T he scenario consists of a few “main” scenes, which are mostly

necessary to complete the adventure and uncover the dark secret
hidden in Emerald Coast, and while some of these might be evaded, that
will mean the players won’t discover the truth behind the events in the
community. Then we have the “secondary” scenes, which are different
encounters or challenges that Drifters will need to overcome and that
might help or harm them in the rest of the scenario. The secondary scenes
are not presented in any particular order and you don’t have to play them
all to complete the adventure; it’s up to you and your players to decide
where they are going next and how to tackle each challenge. So, every time
you play this scenario it can turn out differently.

The Plot
T he Drifters receive a simple task in the last settlement they visit:
go to Emerald Coast, a nice and lively community, and trade some
goods (can be anything your community has to offer) for some salted
fish and other products. The community has a long history trading with
Emerald Coast, but the previous Drifters sent to make the deal never
returned and the people think they just left with the goods… they can’t
be more wrong. Unknown to the communityt he Player Characters are in,
there’s something strange going on at Emerald Coast, the perimeter has
been surrounded by tall fences and barbed wire, and the members of the
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 community seem dark and surly, if not openly hostile. Soon, a few people
will try to warn them about the gruesome cult that has taken over the
settlement and urge them to leave as fast as they can.

B ut before the players can leave, hell sets loose: a powerful storm is
unleashed, buffeting the town with wind and rain, and a small mob
gathers around the Drifters, capturing them. Beaten and lost, the player
characters wake up minutes later with a clear mission: escape. They will
need to be smart and brave to navigate through an unknown town filled
with deranged cult followers to get back into the “safety” of the forest,
while they discover the terrible truth behind what is going on in Emerald
Coast.
Emerald Coast

The Truth
A fter the Evernt, Emerald Coast became to be home to a harmless
cult who worshipped what we would call a very generic “Sea God”,
it was very popular and many people in town used to pray to it for a good
catch and nice weather during their fishing trips. The leader of the cult, the
charismatic Oliver Brooks, was an important member of the community
and its de facto leader. However, a series of unfortunate pregnancies
that resulted in stillborn children with terrible deformities struck the
settlement, and Oliver and his wife, Marlene, who had long waited and
prayed for a child, were devastated when their baby was born: he was alive
but awfully deformed, and the midwife who took helped in the delivery said
he would surely die overnight.

B ut against all odds, the baby survived. Oliver and Marlene thanked
the Sea God for this, but something had broken inside them. They
claimed that these babies were the image and likeness of the God but that
their child had been “chosen”, to try and bring the God’s kin to the world;
pain-stricken, some people started listening to them and slowly, the cult
began taking complete control of the community, disposing of anyone
who shows signs of dissent.

S ince then, the cult has become dark and sinister, closing the settlement
to keep away unwanted newcomers and keep potential fugitives
inside, they have also convinced or enslaved every woman in the settlement
to bear child after child to bring forth the Sea God’s kin. Unknown to all,
some children have been born perfectly fine, however these are quickly
disposed off by Oliver and Marlene, who think of these babies as anathema
4 to the Sea God. Most terrible secret of all: these healthy children are killed
as offering to the Sea God and fed to the Brooks’ child, as they believe he is
the “chosen one” who will bring the Sea God into the world.

O liver and Marlene are very functional psychopaths, they absolutely

believe that this is all the will of the Sea God, after all fishing has
remained good for the community and weather is seldom really bad. The
most important thing in the world for them is their child, who they are
convinced is the living image of the Sea God. Most other people are also
convinced that the Brooks’ child is the chosen one, as he is the only baby
born with the Sea God’s skin that has lived.

A s many can tell, this scenario is heavily influenced by H. P.

Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth, but unlike in that story,
here are no supernatural agents at work: the deformed babies suffered from
a disease that was simply unknown at the settlement and taken as sign of

Emerald Coast
the supernatural. Then, all the terrible doings of the cult are entirely their
own, even if they believe them to be commands from a higher being.

Theme and Mood

D iscomfort and desperation are the main themes in “Emerald Coast”.
The actions of the cult are despicable and horrifying, although the
members of the cult don’t see them that way. Drifters must have seen some
pretty disturbing things in their travels, but here they will find a collection
of some of the most terrible atrocities humans can commit. They will
also have to face a terrible fact: they can do nothing to stop it for good;
outnumbered and outgunned, escaping alive is the best they can hope for,
sure they can cause some havoc, but this will mean little in the long run.
Players might also come across some difficult moral decisions to make and
should be aware that their choice will determine the life or death for others.

Main Scenes
T hese are the main scenes that are used to tell the ‘story’ of the
adventure.

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 Main Scene 1: Let’s go to the
Beach
A s players get closer to the coast trees keep getting smaller and further
apart. After a few minutes more, the settlement is clearly visible in
the distance, as well as dark, rolling clouds moving over the ocean towards
the community. As players get near the settlement, they can see that it has
impressive defences: the perimeter is surrounded by a tall wire-mesh fence
topped with vicious razor wire arranged in a semicircle up to the water, and
every few meters makeshift watchtowers with stern-looking armed guards
keep the Drifters checked. Most impressive is that the couple towers at
the side of the only entrance are equipped with powerful searchlights (not
Emerald Coast

powered on at that time), which means the community has both plenty of
fuel and a powerful generator.

U pon reaching the entrance to Emerald Coast, a couple of armed

guards will block their way and ask the Drifters to state their
business in the settlement. These guards are far from the nice, welcoming
people the Drifters were told about, acting rough and suspicious when
asking the players what’s their business in the settlement. Before they let
the Drifters in, they will ask them to hand over their weapons, reassuring
the players that those will be kept in the shed they use as guardhouse. It is
imperative that the players leave most of their weapons behind, although
Drifters with swift hands might try to hide a small weapon (like a knife or
even a handgun, if you’re feeling generous) with a Moderate or Difficult
Agility roll, reducing the difficulty if someone else is distracting the
guards. The only things they will be allowed in with are the goods they are
supposed to trade.

W hile one of the guards stays at the door, the other escorts the
Drifters into the city to meet the leader of the community: Oliver
Brooks. Walking through the settlement, the Drifters can see that the
town appears deteriorated, paint is peeling off from most buildings and
few windows keep all their panes; impressively however, a web of cables
with lightbulbs hang between the buildings. Here and there, they will find
old “Emerald Coast Fishing Co.” billboards: the company from which the
community got its name. Perceptive Drifters might notice that the people
they pass by give them harsh looks, harsher than usual at least, and most
will reply with a grunt if spoken to. After many twists and turns (which
a Moderate Navigation roll should make clear that they actually took an
unnecessary long route), they will arrive in front of a house, larger and in
better conditions than most they have seen. Waiting for them outside, is
8 Oliver Brooks.
 Main Scene 2: Sweet Talk
O liver Brooks is a tall man in his early forties, with a broad, warm smile.
He is a little on the plump side, but a broad chest and muscular arms
suggest a youth of hard work. He will welcome the Drifters to Emerald
Coast, apologizing for the guards and all their trouble, commenting on
how they’ve been having some “problems” lately, but nothing to worry
about. He will invite the players to dinner in his house, as heavy rain starts
falling.

U pon entering the house, they discover that its good condition is
only on the outside: the wallpaper is falling, and wood is broken in
many places. They are greeted by Oliver’s wife, Marlene Brooks, a woman

Emerald Coast
also in her forties with an easy smile, her tanned skin is growing pale,
revealing that although she used to spend a lot of time outside she has
recently been staying indoors. She tells the players how glad she is that
finally some Drifters come to Emerald Coast, as it’s been some time since
they’ve had news from other people. She leads the group to the dinning
room, where she joins other people who are already setting the table, while
Oliver sits at the head of the table. Behind Oliver, and dominating over the
room, is a grotesque statue carved from driftwood: some kind of man-fish,
with a bald head, eyes bulging almost out of its sockets, with two holes in
the place where the nose should be, and a mouth with thick lips; its skin
seems covered with cracks rather than scales, and at the end of its arms,
instead of hands, a kind of pincers. The figure sits with its legs crossed,
making its prominent abdomen protrude.

O liver will explain casually that the statue represents the Sea God,
the benevolent deity that has kept Emerald Coast safe and the fish
plentiful. He will ask the Drifters to take a seat and will soon be presented
with a delicious smelling plate before them, Oliver will greet some of the
people serving and explain that they are some of the people who help
Marlene and him run the settlement. An observant Drifter might notice
that most of these people have only cold, hard looks for them, except for
one, a thin man who tries to meet the Drifters’ eyes at every opportunity.
If someone calls out the man for this in front of the others, he will deny
it and change his attitude towards the Drifters. However, if the players
come up with a way to meet this man in private, he will urge them to
leave immediately and take his wife with them; they should be interrupted
briefly, no allowing the man to explain further.

O ther relevant element in the house is the collection of old

photographs decorating the walls, most depicting a young Marlene.
In many of these photos, Marlene is accompanied by another, younger 9
 woman. They seem very close, and the physical resemblance indicates they
must be family, however she can’t be found anywhere now; players might
assume she died, but if they ask about her, Marlene will answer in a sad
tone that she “lost her”, and that “she went the wrong way”.

A t any moment after the Drifters have finished their dinner or little
before, one of the workers will arrive, wearing a soaked raincoat, to
announce that the storm is getting near and shelter must be sought. Oliver
will tell the Drifters that he must go take care of the preparations but
surely someone from town will take them in for shelter. In that moment,
the man that has been trying to make eye contact with them will offer to
take them to his house for shelter. As they leave, they might notice how
Oliver and Marlene frown and give a quick nod to one of the workers, who
leave through another door.
Emerald Coast

Main Scene 3: I’m a Prisoner

O utside its already dark, rain and wind buffet the settlement; the
lights overhead turn on one by one. The players follow the man
through the muddy street under the storm to a house nearby, where he
introduces himself as Randal West. He will tell the players that there’s no
time to waste, ignoring any questions they may have, as he leads them to
another room where a pregnant woman sits at the edge of a bed. Her name
is Linda, and she looks absolutely terrified. Randal will quickly explain the
Drifters (or to those he hadn’t spoken to before) that they need to leave the
settlement immediately because he fears for his wife and future baby’s life,
and for this he needs the Drifters’ help.

H e won’t give any specific information to the players, he is far too

scared and excited at that moment; the woman, Linda, is far more
cooperative, however she knows little more than nothing, what she can say
is that by Randal’s request she has kept her pregnancy secret. While they
are talking or trying to get information from Randal and Linda, they will
all hear noises at the door just moments before it is kicked in. A couple of
armed guards and a group of cultist townsfolk are outside, demanding
Randal, Linda and the Drifters to come out. Always remember that a storm
is raging outside, so make a frightening picture of these people out there,
drenched under the rain but with fanatical determination in their eyes and
all sorts of weapons in their hands. Make sure to have at least two cultists
and one guard for every player.

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 C ultists: Scale 0, Might 2D+2, Agility 2D, Wit 2D, Charm
1D+2; skills (applies to all): Brawling 3D, Lift 3D; gear: club,
knife or hatchet; Static: Dodge 6, Block 9, Parry 6, Soak 8

G uard: Scale 0, Might 2D+2, Agility 2D+1, Wit 2D, Charm

2D; skills (applies to all): Brawling 3D, Pistol 3D, Rifle 3D;
gear: heavy pistol or shotgun; Static: Dodge 7, Block 9, Parry 7,
Soak 8

P layers have a number of options here: they might go out and try
to talk their way out, which will do no good and they will be taken
prisoners; they might also try to fight the mob outside despite superior

Emerald Coast
numbers and weapons, in which case they should get a beating and then
made prisoners too. Their best shot for not getting caught would be to
escape, however this can’t be done taking Linda with them as she can’t
move fast in her state. At this point, don’t be afraid to separate the players’
group, if some of them gain a little time, the others might manage to
take Linda away; if they decide on this plan, Randal will be adamant on
staying behind to buy Linda some time. If the Drifters are captured move
on to the next Main Scene, if they escaped jump to the Secondary Scenes
section.

Main Scene 4: Let me Out of

Here (Jailbreak)
T he captured Drifters (along with Randal and Linda if they were
captured) are tied to each other with their hands behind their backs
and led through the settlement towards the coast. The group is heading
towards a group of buildings with a large loading yard at the front; a
couple trucks lay on their side in the yard with weeds trying to get hold on
them, one of the building is small with a couple boarded windows, likely
the remains of an office, and in the other two large buildings, the logo of
Emerald Coast Fishing Co. is still visible. These were the cold storages of
the company, now used as prison for those who oppose the Sea God. As
they move closer, players notice that one of the buildings has a collapsed
ceiling, while the other shows the unmistakable glow of electric lights.
That’s where they are heading.

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 U pon entering is a long corridor, lit by a series of hanging work
lights; the Drifters can hear murmurs and voices coming from the
rooms: weak moans and requests for help apparently coming from two or
three people, but most disturbing of all is the cry of a baby. The players
are placed in a small, dark storage room with a couple rusty metal shelves,
there’s little space to sit on the floor which is slimy and slippery, and filled
with the nauseating smell of dried blood and feces. As they are locked in,
they hear the cries of a woman, pleading for her baby not to be taken away.

O nce the sound of the guards outside the door fades away, the prisoners
will hear a weak voice speaking to them. There’s a crack in one of
the walls of the room, through which you can hear the broken, hoarse voice
of a woman. She will start by apologizing for what is happening and will
ask for their help to get her out of there and stop the leaders.
Emerald Coast

T his is Bethany Shaw, she is Marlene’s sister (the other girl in the
photos). She will explain the players what is going on: how her sister
and brother-in-law had wished so long for a child and their sadness at not
being able to and the generalized fear in the community for the strange
stillbirths; she will comment that when her sister’s son was born, both she
and Oliver began to go crazy, swearing that their son had been chosen by the
Sea God to represent it. They started preaching the cult towards him, and
little by little they convinced the others, after all the community had been
prosper thanks to Oliver and Marlene. However, that was but the beginning
of the madness. Slowly, they became more bloodthirsty: those who opposed
or were not convinced of their words were captured and left to die there
in the warehouse, only a few like her received a “better” treatment, which
only extended their agony in the confinement. She had tried to help her
sister, but it was too late: despair and fear had consumed her, and when she
demanded human flesh to feed her son, the conflict between them erupted.
However, nothing she said mattered to the followers of the Sea God, they
captured and locked her in that place.

S he says “It’s been a year since my sister’s son is alive, I’m afraid that
by now the situation has gone out of control. I have heard the cries
of women who pray for the lives of their newborn child, children who
apparently have been born normal... I have heard the cries of those babies,
those who are born here, who because they were not chosen by the Sea
God, are offered as food for that aberration. After my sister’s son, two more
children were born with that condition, but like the others they have not
survived beyond three months.”

12 S he will explain that the warehouse is usually guarded by a group of

townspeople outside, who patrol the area to make sure the prisoners
stay calm, however with the storm most of them must have taken refuge in
the small office building and just check on them from time to time. Players
have many options to break free: a quick check on the door shows its hinges
are rusty and frail, so they can try to knock down the heavy door of their
cell (Moderate Might roll), they can try picking the lock with a knife or
piece of scrap metal or whatnot (Difficult Security roll), or trick the cultist
making his round to open the door and subdue him (this should alert the
others faster, as they will notice his absence). The Drifters will might also
try to rescue some of the prisoners, but it will be difficult unless they get
one of the guards as they will have the keys. Bethany will tell them that
on this day a ritual will take place in the temple, in which they will use the
baby they were keeping there.

T he cultists actually plan to take all the prisoners, which include 2

people besides Randal (if captured), Bethany, and the baby’s mother,

Emerald Coast
to the temple. When the Drifters escape, move to the Secondary Scenes as
they move into town along with any prisoners they have freed. If for any
reason, the players haven’t escaped after some time, feel free to send a large
group of people to carry all the prisoner to the temple, they will notice
Linda is not taken out with the rest of them (next scene).

Main Scene 5: Into the Belly of

the Beast
T he “temple” is a huge fishing boat can be distinguished under the
storm in the main dock, dimly lit under the glow of electric lamps.
The anchored ship looks rusty and abandoned except for a large ramp
that rises several meters to access the ship, where a faint light can be seen
from the dock. The ship has become a vital element for the community of
Emerald Coast, it is not only the temple of their newly created religion, but
they have also cleverly turned it into the source of electric light for town.
Within it lays the main generator that feeds the docks and part of the city.
Also, only known to the leaders and their entourage, all the fuel reserves
of the settlement are kept there, jealously guarded by the leaders of the
community to avoid being wasted.

W hile getting close, it is possible to listen to the chants of people

reunited outside the ship waiting for the ritual. If the players
manage to get inside, which shouldn’t be too hard either through stealth or
wits, they will find a path marked by lit candles. If they follow, the chanting
gets louder, mixing with the cries of a baby in a terrifying cacophony
that echoes through the insides of the boat. The stench of death floods 13
the place, becoming fouler as they approach the place of worship. In the
 corridors, the scene is grotesque: lit with candles that shine upon statues
of the Sea God on wooden pedestals, and besides them, small preserved
bodies, belonging to what appeared to be small children, almost newborns,
presumably of the babies that were born before the leaders’ son. At the end
of the corridor, light shines behind a large metal door, when they cross it
the horror becomes evident.

J ust upon entering, the Drifters are hit by a terrible, unbearable smell.
In the dark corners of the room, several bones and flesh in various
states of decomposition are stacked. At the center, a large wooden table is in
front of an altar surrounded by candles, were a wicker basket decorates the
center; from the inside, the cries of a baby can be heard. At the table, plates,
glasses and cutlery are carefully arranged, as are a couple of necklaces
places before the two of the main places of the table; further inspection
Emerald Coast

shows that these are made of small bones, and a Moderate Medicine roll
will reveal that they are in fact from newborns. The table is also equipped
with shackles secured to the center, where various tools to cut meat are also
arranged.

T he cultists plan to sacrifice the prisoners, who are kept in a room

close to the altar (where they should be if they were brought in as
prisoners), starting with the baby, who having been born healthy, will be
offered as food to the incarnation of the Sea God. The child’s mother will
be sacrificed as she is not chosen to bring beings worthy of their deity into
the world, her place will be in the center of the table, being the main course
for the leaders and their closest followers. The fate of the other prisoners is
to be offered to the sea, thrown overboard with their hands and feet tied so
that they’ll drown, or the storm take care of them.

I f the Drifters get there on their own, it’s up to you to decide whether
the Drifters arrive during the feast or before, giving them chance to
save the prisoner, especially the baby and her mother; however, if they
arrive during the ritual, the corridors should be heavily guarded (and the
description of the scene inside the room should be beyond gruesome).

E lite Guard: Scale 0, Might 3D+1, Agility 2D+1, Wit 2D,

Charm 2D; skills (applies to all): Dodge 3D, Melee 3D+1, Rifle
4D+2; gear: hatchet and shotgun; Static: Dodge 10, Block 10, Parry
10, Soak 10

16 I f the players decide not to follow the marked path, the rest of the ship
is completely dark. They might wander around, but without a light
source they will have to be extra careful not to fall or hit themselves. A
Difficult Navigation roll, made Moderate with any source of light, will
allow them not to get lost. If they have gathered some information in town
or if they have Bethany with them (in this latter case, the roll should be
Easy), the Navigation roll will allow them to find the fuel reserve in the
storage area. This is a great chance to finish off the cult of the Sea God, as
long as the players manage to find a way to blow the thing up without them
near; if Linda’s safety is guaranteed and Randal is with them, he will offer
himself to blow up the fuel if they have a proper flame.

I f they explore the upper decks, they can find the generator guarded
closely by a couple of heavily armed guards. Disabling or destroying
this generator will leave most of the settlement in the dark, and will also
immediately alert the cultists, that will swarm to the place in no time. If the
Drifters have gathered information in town, they’ll know that this generator

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also feeds the powerful searchlights at the main gates, which should make it
a main target if they plan to use that escape route. If Randal is with them,
he can tell the players about the generator.

D epending on their actions, the Drifters can leave the temple stealthily
crawling out the ship, jumping overboard if they need some quick
escape, try to blend into the crowd after the ritual, or fight their way out.
Each should also be more or less difficult depending if they saved some of
the prisoners, disabled the generator or defeated some of the guards.

Main Scene 6: Sweet Escape

W hether they are accompanied by other prisoners or just the
original group, the Drifters have few escape options: they can face
the guards at the gates, they can try to breach the perimeter fence, or they
can go around it to where it borders the sea and risk swimming. They will
have to think carefully the best option if they wish to survive.

I f they decide to go through the main gate, they will find a large group
of guards and cultists waiting for them. If main scene 5 hasn’t been
played, the intention of the townsfolk will be to capture and take them
before the leaders for the ritual, but if they resist they will not hesitate to
attack them. However, once the first shot is fired, the rest of the cultists will
be alerted and arrive shortly. This option can be made much easier if the
searchlights in the towers are taken out beforehand, forcing their enemies
to split out to cover more terrain, or if the prisoners and/or survivors are
freed and fighting along the Drifters.
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 I f they decide to cut through the fence, they will have to be very stealthy
and cautious not to attract unwanted attention, given that the limits of
the town are well guarded. Drifters will need tools to break the mesh or to
cross underneath, climbing over it is almost impossible without suffering
serious injury due to the razor wire (which is also extremely dangerous if
cut). Again, taking out the lights or creating a ‘big’ distraction will make
this a lot easier, but having a large group will make it more likely to get
caught in the act.

F inally, if they try to go around the fence by the sea, they are less
likely to be captured, as that it is the least guarded area, but the
passage will be slow and dangerous, because the sea could drag them in due
to the storm. The perimeter fence goes some meters into the sea (it reaches
the line for low tide), so they will have to cling to it to avoid being dragged
Emerald Coast

by the sea. This is easier said than done and calls for several Might rolls of
at least Difficult difficulty. Using something to tie themselves to the fence
is a sure way to prevent being dragged into the sea, as the difficulty for
swimming during the storm in the open, far from the relative safety of the
docks, should be a Very Difficult task.

T hese might not be the only ways to escape, reward your players for
thinking creative ways to get out, but also don’t be afraid to put
some pressure on them.

Main Scene 7: Consequences

T he only objective for the Drifters in this scenario is to escape,
however how they did it and how much they found out about what’s
going on in Emerald Coast will mark them for life. Most likely, they should
return to their employers and tell them about the dangers of dealing
further with Emerald Coast. If they saved some survivors, they’ll have to
take them through the woods to safety (they don’t know yet, but most will
become immune to the Call as well, after the terrors of the cult), and the
group of Drifters will be always welcomed wherever they settle next. The
players group of Drifters might even have a new valuable member. And
there’s always the temptation of tying up loose ends (did the players save
Linda? Bethany?) or some cold-served revenge.

T he most important fact is that the Drifters won’t leave Emerald

Coast the same as they went in, and players might have glimpsed
the depths a human heart can reach beneath the Sea of Leaves.
18
 Secondary Scenes
O nce it is known that the prisoners have escaped, the people will begin
to look for them everywhere to try to stop them, the security in the
town limits will increase and the players will have to devise more ingenious
plans to leave the settlement. Due to the warning about the escape of the
prisoners, many cultists went to the doors to reinforce the exit, but many
others patrol the streets in search of the fugitives, so they must move
carefully. Every time the players move around town, set a difficulty and
make them roll a Stealth task, if at least half the group succeeds, they are
not spotted and might continue without problem, but if not even half of
the group succeeds, they might come across a search party made up of 1 or
2 guards, and 1-5 cultists. Randomizing these numbers might be fun, and

Emerald Coast
an encounter with a small search party can be a source of weapons for the
Drifters.

R emember that the storm reduces visibility and other sounds, but
this is a double-edged sword: it can help them move unnoticed, but
also prevent them from noticing an enemy approaching. Also, remember
that the Drifters are unfamiliar with the distribution of the settlement, a
Moderate Navigation roll will only point them in the general direction of
wherever they want to go, this increases to Difficult without the lights.

Secondary Scene 1: The Docks

T he docks are old and have served the community since before
the Event, they have been an important part of the lives of the
townsfolk and continue to be so. Covered by a natural fog, they reach into
the sea to receive the small fishing boats that operate these days, but during
their best times, they received large fishing boats that fed the entire region.

T he main dock is where the temple is anchored, so it is well guarded.

However, this night it is also attended by members of the cult
reunited for the ritual, so moving around unnoticed is possible if not calling
too much attention.

I n the other docks, security booths protect the passage; these are small,
for 3 people max, but in the current circumstances not all of them are
guarded as is the usual, as some guards have left their posts to attend the
main dock. Players might look for supplies or weapons inside the booths;
however, they risk finding guards who have not left their post. Facing and 19
defeating these guards on the docks could reduce the possibility of being
 attacked on their way through the city or while escaping during main
scene 5.

Secondary Scene 2: The Town

Hall
T he town hall is a large old building with a central tower, at the top of
which there is a large clock that stopped at 11:27 (this is irrelevant,
but let your players wonder). On the outside, it’s dirty and worn out as
it loss importance to the current community. It’s still used as meeting
point for assemblies, however, these are less and less frequent, because the
Emerald Coast

decisions taken by the leaders are considered the will and mandate of the
Sea God. Despite this, the town hall is still important to the community
because there they keep an emergency generator, that provides electricity
to part of the settlement; this generator won’t last long and can’t power
the searchlights at the gates. However, it might be an unpleasant surprise
for the Drifters, disabling the main generator in the temple, just to the
caught by the sudden lights while moving through town.

T he building is also being used as a warehouse for construction

and repair tools, as well as firearms and ammunition. Sure, most
tools will be well-guarded in lockers that may or may not be secured
with padlocks; and in the same way, most firearms won’t be there in that
moment, given the events of the day. However, you can deny that tools
might be very useful when trying to escape from a walled and guarded
town.

Secondary Scene 3:
Abandoned Church
T he town’s church has the appearance of an old Christian church
of our day, dark inside and with the remains of large stained-glass
windows. It is located on a small hill, and from afar, it still retains the
splendor of old times when it was used as a place of worship; but as one
approaches, the cracked walls and broken windows match the worn-down
vision of the rest of the settlement, appearing gloomier than it seemed
at a distance. The large wooden door that was the main entrance is now
20 broken and fallen. However, from the outside it is clear that the building it
is still being used, as the roads are well-defined in the grass and there are
recent footsteps around.

I nside, the humid air lowers the temperature but at least the rain stays
out. A few wooden benches survive, as many lay broken to the sides
or apparently turned into firewood, stacked in a corner. Scattered around
in the ground are destroyed religious figures and at the back remains of
what was once the altar of this temple. Behind these, it is possible to see
a doorway that seems to lead into another room within the building. That
should be the sacristy, if any Drifter is familiar with the term.

I f the players move slow and silently, they will be able to hear, as they
approach the doorway, the faint cries and lamentations of what would
seem to be female voices and some other voices speaking normally. If they

Emerald Coast
decide to go through the doorway, they will walk a stone corridor that will
leads into a room in which a group of around 5 people guard a group of 4
women chained to the wall, who with laments and sobs ask to be released;
some of them show signs of being a few months pregnant.

I f the Drifters listen to the conversation, they will learn that these
women are prisoners of the cult, and they have been constantly raped
by men chosen by the leader, to populate the community with children of
the Sea God. However, if any of the children is born without the disease,
the baby and the mother are both offered as sacrifice for the cult, since the
god has not chosen them as bearers of his seed.

P layers can choose between saving them or fleeing the place. Among
the group of women there is one whose appearance stands out, as
she’s very different from the others, this might suggest to an intelligent
Drifter that she does not belong to the community. In fact, the woman was
a member of the previous Drifter party, whose whereabouts are unknown.
She could have very handy information, as the previous group knew the
town well, and be a great fighting ally. The rest of the women can tell
them about the ritual taking place at the temple, in case they haven’t been
there.

K ristin Harper: Scale 0, Might 3D+2, Agility 2D, Wit 2D+1,

Charm 2D; skills (applies to all): Brawling 4D+2, Lift 4D,
Melee 4D+1, Repair 3D, Stamina 4D; gear: none; Static: Dodge 6,
Block 14, Parry 13, Soak 11

m b 21
 Secondary Scene 4: Burned
Lighthouse
A way from the docks, on top of a cliff that juts out into the sea, you
can see the ruins of a tall lighthouse that has disappeared completely
from the middle up, leaving only an empty cylinder. On the outside, black
patches can be seen even from a distance, clear sign that a fire caused
terrible destruction to the building. The lighthouse doesn’t seem of any
importance for the current community, but because of this it is a good
refuge if the Drifters manage get there unnoticed.

U pon entering the place, it is obvious that the fire consumed

everything inside, even remains of the roof and the lamp crashed
Emerald Coast

down from the heights, leaving rubble accumulated on the first floor. The
door for what appears be a small cupboard is free of obstruction, if checked
inside is a metal shelf still standing against the wall. A Difficult Search roll
reveals a secret mechanism that moves aside the shelf and wall, revealing
a small secret room. There are 4 people hiding here, they will explain that
they persecuted for not believing that Oliver and Marlene’s son was the
so-called Sea God; they were cornered into the lighthouse and the cult set
it ablaze when couldn’t get them out. Fortunately, one of them had worked
with the keeper years ago and knew of the existence of that room, a relic
from an old war. These survivors are in bad shape but can be convinced to
help as long as they are given weapons and are more than willing to try to
escape Emerald Coast.

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