Dragons Conquer America: New Dawn Campaign

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C AMP AI GN DE SIG N E R AND W R ITE R

ARTI STS

SPEC I AL TH A N K S

J. C. Alvarez

Nikola Matkovic

Laura Calvo Llorente

PR O D U CE R S

Lucas Parolin

Aritz Álava

Milan Nikolic

Raymond Blair

Rado Javor

Boyd Stephenson

Sebastian Luca

Chiffre Indigo

Marco Brunelleschi

Wojciech Filimonowicz

Alejandro Olmedo

Zac Calderone

MAP ARTI ST

Andrea Maurizio Medici

Jon Egia

Helio de Grado

GAM E D E SIG N E R AN D AR T D IR E CTOR Carlos G.Q.

GR APH I C DE SIG N E R Aleksandra Bilic

LE AD AR T I S T AN D COV E R AR TIST Antonio J. Manzanedo

Zabi Hassan

Lorenn Tyr

Stephany Jaiquel Baron

Cass Rea Paul Smith Douglas Jessup Adrian Bettridge-Wiese

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IndeX T h e new daw n The Adventures

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Playing the adventures

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ii. The burning of the templE

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PROLOGUE 34 SCENE 7: THE WHITE CITY

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Encounter 6: Temple Guards

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SCENE 8: THE PEOPLE OF THE SHORE

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SCENE 9: SLAVES OF THE AZTECA

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Encounter 7: A Riot at the Slave Quarters

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XOCOXÓCHITL 10

SCENE 10: THE LEFT-HANDED HUMMINGBIRD

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CUAUHTLI 12

Encounter 8: The Macehual King

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HIAPSI 14

SCENE 11: FLIGHT OF THE 400 HUMMINGBIRDS

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YOSÁ 16

Encounter 9: Beast Garden Guards

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SCENE 12: THE SECOND DREAM GATE

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SCENE 13: WAKING FROM THE SECOND DREAM

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What You Need 7

C am paig n: t h e eigh t ome nS 8 the characterS

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i. The column of firE 22 PROLOGUE 24 SCENE 1: FOG AND FLIGHT

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Encounter 1: The Guards

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Encounter 2: The Drowned Dead

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Scene 2: The World Beyond the Fog

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Encounter 3: The Dragon Rider

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SCENE 3: A VISIT WITH THE ANCESTORS 28 Encounter 4: Conversation with Red Serpent

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SCENE 4: THE LANDING

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Encounter 5: The Drakkar Ships

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SCENE 5: THE FIRST DREAM GATE

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SCENE 6: WAKING FROM THE FIRST DREAM

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iii. Lightning on the lightning housE

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SCENE 14: OUT OF THE BLUE

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SCENE 15: THE SECOND SUN

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Encounter 11: Sticks and Stones

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Encounter 12: The Drowned Valley

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SCENE 16: THE APE-MEN

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SCENE 17: THE OTHER TRIBE

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Encounter 13: Ape Marauders

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Encounter 14: Monkey Dancing

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SCENE 18: THE FOREST OF TALL TREES

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Encounter 15: Ambush

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SCENE 19: THE GREAT STORM

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Encounter 16: Facing the Storm

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Encounter 17: We All Die Together SCENE 20: THE THIRD DREAM GATE

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SCENE 21: WAKING FROM THE THIRD DREAM

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iv. The three starS

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SCENE 22: NECAHUA

vi. Alas for my childreN

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SCENE 36: THE HAUNTING

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Encounter 29: The Child-Stealer

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SCENE 37: GHOSTBUSTERS

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Scene 37 Conversation: The Task

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Encounter 30: Crying Nights

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SCENE 38: BACK TO THE TEMPLE

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SCENE 23: DREAM EXPLORERS

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SCENE 39: SPYING ON THE WITCH

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SCENE 24: NECAHUA’S DUNGEON

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SCENE 40: THE CHILDREN OF HUITZILOPOCHTLI

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Encounter 17: Wrath of the Witch

Encounter 18: The Daring Escape

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SCENE 25: LAIR OF THE WITCH

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Encounter 19: The Rain of Fire

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SCENE 26: THE WORLD OF DRAGONS

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Encounter 20: Dragon Fight

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SCENE 27: FLIGHT, FIGHT, FLIGHT

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Encounter 21: The Storm Dragon

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SCENE 28: WAKING FROM THE FOURTH DREAM

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v. The flooD 68 SCENE 29: LAKE PATROLS

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Encounter 22: Guards of the Pochteca 70 Encounter 23: The Witch’s Watchers

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SCENE 30: MAHUITZIN

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Scene 30 Conversation: The Merchant Lord

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Encounter 24: Guards and Guards

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SCENE 31: BACK TO NECAHUA

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SCENE 32: THE FLOODED WORLD

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Encounter 25: Fins and Tentacles

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Encounter 26: The Fish-Folk

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SCENE 33: THE WORLD UNDERWATER

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Encounter 27: The Underwater Tribe 76 Encounter 28: The Hunt

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SCENE 34: THE LIKE CURES THE LIKE

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SCENE 35: WAKING UP FROM THE FIFTH DREAM

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Encounter 31: The Acolhua War Party 86 Encounter 32: The Fleeing Tribe

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Encounter 33: Stalking Across the Stalks

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Encounter 34: Walking the Wetlands

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Encounter 35: Rendezvous at the Reeds

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Encounter 36: The Mere of Acatitlan

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SCENE 41: THE EAGLE AND THE SERPENT

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Encounter 37: The Founding

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SCENE 42: WAKING FROM THE SIXTH DREAM 91 vii. the smoky mirroR

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SCENE 43: AN OMEN IS A WARNING

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SCENE 44: THE RAID ON THE TEMPLE

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SCENE 45: THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE

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Encounter 38: Actor Assassins

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SCENE 46: THE MIRROR IN THE MIRROR 97 SCENE 47: A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME

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Scene 47 Conversation: What He Said 99 SCENE 48: PICKING UP THE PIECES

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Scene 48 Conversation: Treading on Truths

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SCENE 49: THE ASSEMBLED PICTURE

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Encounter 39: Of Course, there was a Guardian 104

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SCENE 50: THE BEGINNING OF TIME

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viii: giants and monsterS 105 Encounter 40: The First Mortals

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Encounter 41: A Light at the End

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SCENE 51: NECAHUA’S GIFTS

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SCENE 52: THE 400 ROADS

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EN DING THE ADVENTURE

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Appendix: necahua’s templE

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C am paig n: conq ui s t ador’s golD 118 GETTING STARTED 120 Adventure Text 120 ADVENTURE BACKGROUND

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Pedro De Alvarado

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The Race 121 Enter our Heroes 122 INTRODUCTION 123 the characterS

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FRIAR MATEO NAVARRO

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DOÑA CARLOTA DE DUERO Y ROJAS

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DOÑA MARÍA ISABEL MENDOZA

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ESTEBAN DE FERES 132 Villa rica de la vera cruZ MAP OF VILLA RICA DE LA VERA CRUZ Encounter 1: Starting Point

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SCENE 1: THE 50,000 DUCADO QUESTION 148 Encounter 2: The Cold Trail 4

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SCENE 2: DUTY ROSTER

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Encounter 3: Guard Duty

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Encounter 4: Troublesome Troopers

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Encounter 5: Abusive Action

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Encounter 6: Stolen Supplies

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SCENE 3: BROTHERS IN ARMS

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Encounter 7: the ensign’s errands

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Encounter 8: Troop Talk

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Encounter 9: Free Time

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Encounter 10: A Clash of Crews

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SCENE 4: THE GARRISON STORES

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Encounter 11: The Ordnance Stand

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Encounter 12: The Quartermaster

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SCENE 5: THE MEDICAL PAVILION

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SCENE 6: THE NATIVES

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SCENE 7: LOOKING FOR THE LEADERS

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Encounter 13: The Secret of Pedro De Alvarado 162 SCENE 8: CAPTAIN DE SANDOVAL

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Scene 8 Conversation

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Encounter 14: Arrested

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Encounter 15: Urgent News

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SCENE 9: LEAVING VERA CRUZ

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Encounter 16: Where Do We Go Now? 170 Encounter 17: Neighbourly Visit

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cempoallan 172 MAP OF CEMPOALLAN

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Chapter II Conversation: Cempoalteca Communications

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Encounter 18: A Job Offer

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Encounter 19: The City of Many Waters 178 SCENE 10: THE SKULL HOUSES

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Encounter 20: The Captain of the Guard 179 Encounter 21: The Guard’s Gossip SCENE 11: THE MEXICA QUARTER Encounter 22: Tiny Tenochtitlan

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Encounter 23: The Mexica Temple

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Encounter 24: The Place of Accounts 183 Encounter 25: The Tlacuilo House

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SCENE 12: THE CENTRE OF CEMPOALLAN 187 Encounter 26: The Great Temple

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Encounter 27: The Temple of Quetzalcoatl 188 Encounter 28: The Tlachtli Court

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Encounter 29: The Palace of Cempoallan 191

Encounter 49: The Cuyuxquihui Garrison 216 Sidebar: Attack on Actopan

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Encounter 50: Actopan

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Encounter 51: The Attack on Actopan 219 Encounter 52: Actopan After the Attack 220 Encounter 53: Soldiers and Scouts

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SCENE 17: SECRET SETTLEMENTS

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Encounter 54: The Slave Camp

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Encounter 30: The Lesser Temples

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Encounter 55: The Razed Villages

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Encounter 31: Guards! Guards!

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Encounter 56: Trip To The Thunder

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Encounter 32: The Three Rings Shrine 195

Encounter 57: The Thunder Hideout

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Encounter 33: A Call to Arms

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SCENE 13: THE MARKET DISTRICT

SCENE 18: THE WILDS

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Encounter 59: Pursuing Pedro

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Encounter 34: The Weapon Masters

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Sidebar: Secret of Un Takám

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Encounter 35: Painting the Picture

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Encounter 60: The Black Skull Ambush 230

Encounter 36: The Writing’s on the Wall 199 Encounter 37: Chawaná

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SCENE 14: THE BINI’ZÁ

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Encounter 38: Zoning the Zapoteca

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Encounter 38 Conversation

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Encounter 39: Ni’xye the Trader

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Encounter 40: The Zapoteca Zealots

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Encounter 41: The Flower Lady of the Bini’zá 205 Encounter 42: The Black Skull Catacombs 206 Encounter 43: The Secret of the Zapoteca 207 SCENE 15: LEAVING CEMPOALLAN

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Encounter 44: Don’t Let Them Escape 208 Encounter 45: Captives of Cempoallan 209 Encounter 46: Chawaná’s Choices

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Encounter 47: Next Stop

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TotonacapaN 212 SCENE 16: TOTONACA TOWNS

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Encounter 48: The Town of Cuetlaxtlan 214 Encounter 48 Conversation

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Encounter 61: Wandering the Wild s

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SCENE 19: THE BATTLE OF TIZAPANCINGO 233 Encounter 62: Dissidents

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Encounter 63: The Path to Tizapancingo 234 Encounter 64: The Battle

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Encounter 65: The Race

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SCENE 20: THE END

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NpcS 241 Drakkar warrior 241 Drakkar berseker 242 Michintecatl 242 Tentacle beast 243 Doña Cristina 243 Perez Negro 244 Frier Cosmes 244 Sister Kana 245 Chawana 245 Xtakat Luwa 246 Totonaca warrior 246 Un Takam agent 247 Un Takam leader 247 Giant bee swarm 248 Assassin 248 5

T H E B O O K Y O U hold in your hands contains the first two adventure

campaigns for the game Dragons Conquer America. These two adventures, Conquistador’s Gold and The Eight Omens, are intended to introduce you to the rich, impressive cultures and nations of preconquest America, which remain mostly unexplored in modern fantasy – a ‘New World’ indeed, as European invaders called it at the time.

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UT TH I S I S not a New World, nor is it ‘America’.

This is the Anahuac, site of the Mexica Triple Alliance – what we know today as the Aztec Empire – and many other great nations, from the peaceful Tutunacu federation to the fierce Chichimec tribes; from the brutal Bin’izá city-states to the fabled Tzintzuntzani Empire. These cultures, and many others, made up a geopolitical landscape that was at least as diverse as today’s America, Asia or Europe. Dawn of a New World attempts to put you smack in the middle of this cultural environment – and right in the thick of the action – through the eyes of the two main forces involved in the War of Conquest: The Mexica, or Aztecs, and the ragtag Spanish expedition that would come to conquer them in real history. But this time, in Dragons Conquer America, the actual ending of the story is in your hands. If we have dragons and spells, we can very well have a world where the Spanish did not win the war, and the Aztecs or Maya had time to develop their culture and technology to become a superpower. We may have a world where both nations coexist, either in their shared ocean or in the lands of either people. We may have a world where the Mexica develop technology and eventually retaliate against Europe. Or, as it occured in real life, Castille takes over the New World and changes the balance of power in Europe forever. In the real world, history stood on the edge of a knife at the dawn of the 16th century, and the smallest force could have influenced events in any other direction. In Dragons Conquer America, the force that tips the scales is you – your campaign, your players, your version of the tale.

The Adventures Each of the two adventures included in this book features the viewpoint of one of the two rival cultures – the Mexica and Spaniards – and is intended for characters of that culture.

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TH E EI GH T OMENS The first adventure, dubbed The Eight Omens, takes place in the legendary Mexica Empire, which ruled the Anahuac at the time of Spanish arrival. The player characters are all subjects of the Mexica, ready to receive the highest boon in Anahuac society: to die in sacrifice to the dragons. However, strange events and portents force the characters to face a hard choice – to accept the honour of sacrifice, or else join a shady political scheme between different factions of the Mexica nobility… to save the nation. Not all the player characters are ethnic Mexica, and not all, regardless of their nationality, are loyal to the Aztec Alliance. But their new, mysterious allies are unreliable at best, and a blatant force of evil at worst. Should the player characters choose the devil they know and accept honourable death, even those that are there against their will? Or should they risk their honour and soul by joining forces with a magical entity that may or may not hold the key to save the Mexica nation? Are the strange omens in the sky, in the land and water, truly a sign of the imminent fall of the Anahuac? Before making their decision, though, the heroes will have to undertake an enchanting, potentially deadly trip through the Dream World, which may yield the clues they need to save the Mexica nation… or doom it. PLAYER CHARACTERS The Eight Omens is intended for four characters from any culture within the Anahuac region. The adventure includes four such characters with play-ready stats, backgrounds and motivations. You may also create your own characters, adjusting the difficulty and encounters of the adventure for larger or smaller groups. Characters from the Mayaab or the Four Regions, or even from European cultures, are discouraged but not forbidden, provided you or your players are convinced they had reasons to be in the Anahuac awaiting sacrifice at the time of the adventure, years before the first encounter between Spaniards and Mexica.

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C O NQ UI S T ADOR’S G OLD As opposed to the previous adventure, Conquistador’s Gold is told from the point of view of the invaders. The story begins as the Spanish expedition hast just settled on the coast of the Anahuac, a heartbeat before Cortés launches his military campaign into Mexica lands. In Conquistador’s Gold, the player characters are a motley squad of mercenaries from the Spanish expedition, charged with finding a cache of Spanish gold, lost during the first expeditions to the New World. Both Cortés and the governor of Cuba have their own reasons and goals to seek that treasure, and there are at least two other groups of rival conquistadors racing to lay their hands on it. Not to mention the treasure may be anywhere in native lands, which are under control of the mighty Tutunacu Federation – one of the strongest vassals of the Mexica Empire. Upon accepting the mission, the PCs’ motivations may vary – perhaps they choose to be loyal to Cortés, one of his rivals, or they wish to find the treasure for themselves. Whatever their goal, it will force them to fend off Spanish spies and Native forces from a half dozen different organisations, while having a close encounter with the cultures they are about to invade. PLAYER CHARACTERS Conquistador’s Gold assumes there will be four player characters, from the Spanish expedition force. The adventure includes four Spain-born adventurers, each with their own goals and moral standards, easy to hook into a treasure search for the good of the expedition. You may create your own member of the Spanish expedition; Spanish soldiers held the highest rank, but it is known that Cortés employed thousands of Yokot’an natives from the southern marshes, and local workforce from Tutunacu lands, besides his own mercenary Spanish infantry. You as a Game Master have the final world on what cultures, orders and motivations are allowed in your version of the adventure. Remember to adjust the difficulty and encounters of the adventure for larger or smaller groups. Character creation rules, the full description of the Spanish expedition, and guidelines to adjust the adventure, are all included in the Core Book.

Playing the adventures You may play these adventures separately or run them back-to-back as two chapters of the same story; while the characters and the setting change, the events in The Eight Omens might influence Conquistador’s

Gold by helping or hindering Spanish forces. You, as the Game Master, can choose just how much the adventures influence each other, and may even wish to rewrite some elements of Conquistador’s Gold depending on what happened to the Mexica Empire during The Eight Omens. Regardless how you decide to play it, keep in mind that the historical timeframe the adventures are set in assumes The Eight Omens takes place a couple of years before Conquistador’s Gold. You may alter this as well, of course; as we said before, this is your history and your timeline. You may even choose to play both adventures with the same characters, although it may be difficult to explain how characters from one culture are present, let alone motivated to take part, in a mission for their rivals, before their nations even met each other. As an alternative, you could assume the characters in Conquistador’s Gold are ‘spiritual successors’ to the heroes in The Eight Omens. The ending of The Eight Omens has the PCs travelling to the Dream World one last time; you may tell the players that their consciousness, or soul, has travelled to the bodies of a group of Spanish adventurers, which may not share their memories or personality but have received a bit of the Native group’s insight. In this case, you may allow the Spanish adventurers to benefit from character points accrued by the Mexica party, and let their ‘vague dreams and recollections’ of the previous adventure influence their decision in Conquistador’s Gold.

What You Need To play these adventures, you only need the Dragons Conquer America core book, currently available in stores and directly through our website. The core book contains all the rules explaining how to run encounters, play out combat and other conflicts, and how to create and advance characters. It also includes a detailed description of the Anahuac setting and the Spanish force, specifically their Dragons Conquer America versions, which are just like the real ones but with dragons and magic spells dropped in for good measure. To play, you will need a deck of cards. You can use the official playing card deck, customised with art and text relevant to the game or a set of common poker cards (using only cards numbered from 1 to 6). Alternatively, you may also substitute playing cards for six-sided dice. So, turn the page and begin reading already. Welcome to the Dawn of a New World! 7

Campaign: the eight omenS

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XocoxóchitL X O C O X Ó C H I T L I S A noble priestess from Tenochtitlan, trained from

childhood after a birth rife with good omens. She is skilled in teotl magic, and knows how to pray for rain, lightning and blessings. Due to her great devotion and deeds, Xocoxóchitl was recently chosen for sacrifice in the name of Chalchiuhtlicue, Saint of the Jade Skirt; she has lived as a mortal incarnation of the Saint for several months now, enjoying the due privileges and celebrity of her role, and is eagerly expecting her sacrifice at the end of this Summer. However, Xocoxóchitl has been getting disturbing dreams and visions of late, as if the spirits were trying to convince her to flee, to reject her destiny…

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H E Y OLL I F A MI L Y is a long-standing caste of

priests and sages that has worked in the service of the Tenochtitlan King for many generations. Their blessed descendant Xocoxóchitl was born the same day that Tlacaelel himself rebuilt the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. Her birth was announced as a great blessing and good omen, and she was immediately assigned to the priest school. She grew up working at the Tlahuizcalli, the Temple of the Dawn in Tenochtitlan’s Eastern quarter. As a priestess of the Tlahuizcalli, Xocoxóchitl is charged with conducting rites of spring, life and renewal, and even had the chance to oversee a New Fire ceremony ten years ago. Xocoxóchitl has successfully prayed for rains, crops and prosperity for many families of Eastern Tenochtitlan, and is a kind of local celebrity. When the Column of Fire first appeared over the horizon months ago, Xocoxóchitl was among those priests that believed it to be a natural phenomenon, rather than a divine signal; however, as the sign persisted and didn’t disappear, even weeks later, she accepted that the spirits may be trying to say something. She joined the city-wide sacrifice frenzy, helping in nearly a dozen off-schedule sacrificial rites to seek answers about the mysterious column of fire. When that didn’t help either, she conferred with the other priestesses, agreeing that one of their number should be chosen to represent Chalchiuhtlicue, her temple’s patron saint, and give herself as one of the sacrifices, hoping to gain the saint’s counsel on what to do.

As she was the wisest and most popular priest of the temple, Xocoxóchitl was given the honour, and she’s spent the last few months living as an ixipitla (incarnation) of Chalchiuhtlicue herself, receiving the respect and devotion due her sacred duty, and the local neighbours loving her even more now that she’s a living saint. However, a cloud has fallen on Xocoxóchitl’s blessed fate. A few weeks after she was first chosen for sacrifice, she began having strange visions. A presence – perhaps Chalchiuhtlicue herself, or some evil spirit of the underworld – manifested in her dreams, occasionally at first, now almost every night. The vision claims the sacrifice is wrong, and that she has a mission; a very important one, so much that the fate of the Mexica people may depend on it. According to her vision, she must not die before understanding the omen and what it means. If Xocoxóchitl speaks about these dreams, it will be seen as a weakness in her resolve, a backing out on her duty, which would be a monstrous taint on her spotless honour. But if the dreams are right – if they are indeed a message from Chalchiuhtlicue, brought about by her becoming the Saint’s incarnation – she cannot allow herself to be sacrificed. Must she listen to these crazy dream signs? Are they a test of her faith? Must she ignore them and walk blindly into her assigned duty? Can she afford to?

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CuauhtlI C U A U H T L I I S T H E Mexica everyman; a macehualli commoner, a loyal

citizen and a veteran of three wars, with five captives to his name. He has bravely fought for his people and Tenochtitlan since he can remember, and he’s always been a faithful and honest follower of the Saints and the Mexica law. Cuauhtli’s family fell in disgrace when King Moctecuhzoma decreed that commoners were not allowed to work in the palace and sacred buildings; as a result, he fell into debt and then into slavery. After the Column of Fire appeared in the East and the priests began asking the spirits for answers, Cuauhtli’s creditor sold him to the Temple of Tlahuizcalli, to be sacrificed among other slaves and captives at season’s end. Cuauhtli did not think he would end up like this, having been a war hero and a good citizen; but in a way it’s a fitting end to a life of contentment and loyalty – to be given in sacrifice to a greater cause.

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UAUH TLI W A S BO RN a macehualli commoner in

Tenochtitlan, and he has never been more than a thousand paces away from the city. He was raised in the Telpochcalli school as a soldier, and he served with honour and loyalty. He intended to become a land worker and end his days at a chinampa parcel with a wife and kids, but he was called to war barely a year after leaving school; he fought against a group of Tlaxcallan raiders that were trying to sneak into the city through the lake. Cuauhtli brought a living captive from that raid, but he didn’t want to advance in military ranks; he asked to be returned to his calpolli to live a peaceful life. Then there was another battle, and then one more. It seemed that Cuauhtli could never spend a full year looking for a wife or a house; there was something to fight for. And the better he performed in the battlefield, the more they called for him. He brought four more captives, and got a recommendation to live as a full-time soldier, allowed to wear the jaguar or eagle armour. He declined again.

of shifts as a nightwatch in the palace fields, to repay that debt. At that time, King Moctecuhzoma, spurred by his advisors, decreed that no commoners could work at the palace, and Cuauhtli became unable to pay his debt to Yauhpilli. The merchant offered Cuauhtli to become his slave, and the former war hero had no choice but to accept. Then the Column of Fire appeared in the East, and many priests took to offering additional sacrifices to ask the spirits for an answer about the terrible omen. Yauhpilli gave many of his slaves, Cuauhtli among them, to be sacrificed at the local Tlahuizcalli temple. Cuauhtli is aware that being chosen for sacrifice is an honor and he is content to do as he’s told; however, he always expected – and strived for – a different fate. Perhaps now, as he awaits his death in the Tlahuizcalli cells, he’s sorry about rejecting the full-time soldier life. Or perhaps he prefers to go like this – quietly, quickly and without killing anybody else.

Life was harsh, but Cuauhtli intended to save enough to raise a family; as he started looking for a suitable wife, he borrowed many goods from the merchant Yauhpilli and accepted several jobs, including a couple

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HiapsI H I A P S I I S N O T Nahua; she is a Yoeme woman from the northern deserts

known as ‘the Great Chichimeca’ to the Mexica. A stoic yoawa warrior with the ability to summon the abilities of her spirit animal, she is as rough and hardened as they come, having defeated – and purportedly eaten – many a warrior throughout her life back in the harsh deserts of her tribe’s homeland. By summoning Maaso, the deer – her animal spirit – Hiapsi can perform nearsuperhuman athletic feats and fight with all the strength a possessed spirit. Capturing her took seven armed Mexica soldiers, two of which she killed in the process. Hiapsi’s captors did not kill her because they needed captives to sacrifice, and now she is tied up in a temple of Tenochtitlan, waiting to be fed to one of the Mexica’s monstrous dragon-snakes… But she doesn’t plan to go down easy.

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I APS I WAS BO RN in the roughest part of the

world – the desert of Xunuta, hundreds of kilometres north of Tenochtitlan – and had to learn to survive in it from the first day of her life. As a baby, she had to endure her nomadic family’s month-long travels; as a toddler she had to learn to catch insects and lizards for food, and the first time she had to kill to save herself was at 7, when a coyote attacked her as she strayed from the tribe. Hiapsi discovered her connection with Maaso, the deer spirit, in her early teens, when she had to run to escape the Oodam raiders that killed her family. She leaped across a 15-metre wide ravine, leaving her pursuers behind, and she knew she had received supernatural help. Rescued by Uza Chichimec hunter-gatherers, she became the guardian of her adopted tribe, learning to summon and focus her Maaso spirit to become a yoawa totem warrior, using her mystic abilities to help and protect her new family. Hiapsi adapted well to Chichimec warrior culture, and grew into a strong, fierce hunter of men. She killed dozens of enemies with her bare hands, including the Oodam that had raided her home years earlier.

her decision and left her adopted tribe to become a hermit wanderer and look for her true purpose in life. For years she walked the wastelands, having long before learned to survive on her own, getting sustenance from lizards, water from cactuses and wisdom from sacred mushrooms. She encountered scattered tribes here and there, which told her about the great cities of the south; curious to see them, she eventually reached Nahua territory, and found occasional work as a medicine woman among the local tribes. One fateful day, she chanced upon a small village visited by Mexica raiders. The Mexica were looking for captives to sacrifice, and some volunteers from the village were going with them as tribute. Hiapsi was appalled at the scene and tried to save the captives; instead she was caught by the Mexica, and led to Tenochtitlan in fetters – not without first killing a couple of the soldiers that subdued her. Now, Hiapsi is a prisoner in Great Tenochtitlan, the legendary Mexica city she had heard so much about, ready to be sacrificed. They tell her she will be fed to a dragon – she’s also been told this is a great honour. Well, that remains to be seen.

As she became a full-grown woman, Hiapsi knew her destiny didn’t lie with the Uza Chichimec. She made

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YosÁ Y O S Á I S A proud member of the bloodthirsty Bini’zá tribe, neighbours and rivals of the Mexica. He is a warrior and priest of thunder, with power over the elements and terrible combat skills. When the Mexica stole his people’s sacred effigy, Yosá embarked on a secret mission, alone, to rescue the idol from Tenochtitlan. He was seized as he snuck into the city, and prepared for execution by sacrifice. Now, the Bini’zá priest is plotting to escape the Mexica prison. He doesn’t mind dying – much less with the honour of being sacrificed to the Mexica dragons – but he needs to rescue his idol first…

T

H E B I N I ’ZÁ A RE the Mexica’s southern neigh-

bours and one of the mightiest nations outside the Triple Alliance. Although both nations coexist in a tense semblance of peace, they occasionally raid each other for territory or captives. Yosá, born in the Bini’zá city of Gue’la Guiruu, was a veteran of such raids, having killed dozens of men from both the Mexica army and rival Bini’zá cities. Even among the fearsome Bini’zá, Yosá is known for his temper, his fanaticism and his cruelty in battle. He is also a quick blade and a relentless warrior; many of his peers remember seeing him, bleeding from a cascade of different wounds, still walking towards his terrified enemies, even as they pelted him with darts and sling bullets. However, Yosá true calling was not war, but faith. He sought and – perhaps through intimidation – obtained membership among the Gue’dxe priests of Gue’la Guiruu. He enthusiastically devoted himself to priestly duties, particularly when they involved flaying and sacrificing enemies.

body knew that the Mexica ‘jailed’ stolen idols there so they could not take revenge for the defeat of their worshippers. ‘There’s no need to jail Bzelao’, Yosá thought; ‘He knows I’m here to take revenge in his name’. Thus, he managed to enter Great Tenochtitlan undetected, under cover of the darkness he summoned with the help of his faith. Not even terrible Yosá was a match for the entire Tenochtitlan guard, however, and he was caught and subdued after sneaking into the city’s temple district. Rather than making him a slave or killing him outright, the Mexica chose to treat Yosá according to his elite rank, and prepare him for sacrifice. He understood the honour of course, and agreed he deserved it – but he intends to escape and postpone his death if he can anyway. At least until he can rescue his Saint from the Mexica.

In short, Yosá is a fearsome man. That is why, when the Mexica raided Gue’la Guiruu and stole the city’s sacred effigy – and image of Bdao Bzelao, the One who is Death and Yosá’s patron saint – most of the locals considered the Mexica were perhaps making a mistake. Predictably, Yosá simply got up and left, without warning or asking anyone, to Tenochtitlan, intent on recovering his Saint or die trying. He knew the Mexica put the idol in the Coacalco, their precinct for the deities of conquered peoples; every17

Noble

22

F

Virgin of the Sun

Xocoxóchitl

Mexica

2

3 The gods send her visions

0

x

Beautiful (good) Wants to be sacrif iced (bad)

0

Doubts herself (bad) Loyal Mexica subject (bad)

0 0

900

5

3

1

1 0 1 1 2 0 5

Teotl’s voice

x

3 5x 0 2

x Teotl’s power

x

2 4x 3x 3x

The Chosen one

Common spells: Nonotza blessing and penance. Ritual: bloodletting. Class ability: Holy sacrif ice. Noble: rank 1, montly allowance 60, owned favour 3. 18 Class gear: Sacrif icial decorations. Languages: Nahuatl.

Slave

31

M

Classless Mexica Soldier the eight omens

Cuauhtli

2

4

Wants to start a family

0

Patient (good) Loyal Mexica subject (bad)

0

Troubled about his place in society (bad)

x

0 0

60

7x

1

6

2

x

1 x 1 5x 3

x

Powerful, Charge

x

0 3 0 1 2 0 2 4x

Veteran (conflict)

2 3 Common spells: Nonotza blessing and penance. Ritual: Sacrif ice. Languages: Nahuatl.

19

Peasant

26

F

Hiapsi

Shaman

Yoeme

2

5 Looking for her true

0

purpose in life

x

headstrong (neutral)

0

Dislikes mexica culture (bad)

0 5

300

4

5

4

1

x

1 3x 2 1

x

0 3 0 5x

Tonalli magic

4x 5 2

x x

x

1 0 3 Common spells: Nonotza blessing and penance. Ritual: endurance. Tonal spirit: Deer. Class gear: Godly icon. 20 Languages: Nahuatl, Cahita.

Peasant

41

M

Yosá

Teotl priest

Bini’zá

the eight omens

2

3

Must rescue his sacred eff igy

0

Brave (good) Cruel (neutral)

0

Prideful (bad) Understimates the

0 x

300

5

mexica (bad)

5 5

5

1

x

0 3x 1

x

2 0 4 5

x x

5x

x

Tlatlacatecolotl magic, necrophagic magic

1 3 1 2x 0 3x

The sacred ritual of sacrif ice

Common spells: Nonotza blessing and penance. Ritual: sacrif ice. Class gear: Godly icon. Languages: Nahuatl.

21

i. The column of firE 22

23

ProloguE They treat you like nobility. You sleep on pillows and soft clothes, eat food that most people don’t even know exists, and have slaves waiting on your every need. The people cheer when they see you from a distance. Rather than a prison cell, it feels you’re living in a royal palace. Strange days indeed. They’re also your last. Today is the day of your sacrifice. Any moment now, the guards are coming for you; they’ ll lead you upstairs to the main temple, where you and many other captives will be ritually fed to Xiuhcoatl, the Patron Dragon of Tenochtitlan. Perhaps, after months of uncertainty, your death will finally be the last offering the spirits need to take away the evil column of fire that’s been appearing in the East for the past months. Or at least give mortals a clue about its meaning, or something. Then again, perhaps not.

T

H E P C S ’ D E AT H will be the latest of a season-long string of ritual sacrifices, with which the Mexica expect to drive away the bad omens that may come with the Column of Fire that appeared on the East earlier in the year.

Since the first days of the current year – 12 House of the Mexica Calendar – each of the PCs has been living in a different place across the Eastern quarter of the city of Tenochtitlan, kept and fed by their captors-masters, and given the honoured treatment of a sacred celebrity – as most sacrifice victims are. PCs from Mexica or noble birth have received better treatment and lodged at individual, luxurious rooms, cared for by high-ranking masters near or in government buildings. Foreigners, slaves and war captives are kept together in special courtyards under the watch of Mexica guards. Thus it has been for several weeks, but a few days ago all PCs were moved to the same lodgings at the Tlahuizcalli, the Temple of the House of Dawn in the city’s Easternmost neighbourhood. The Mexica chose this temple for the sacrifice because it’s consecrated to the East direction, which is where the ominous column of fire appears.

24

As the adventure begins, the PCs are all gathered in the Tlahuizcalli courtyard, a few hours away from death. The courtyard is a wide, beautiful garden with painted walls and well-tended vegetation. Several guards are posted on every exit, and some of the PCs – those most likely to attempt to flee – are bound with cords that tie their neck to their feet. They are otherwise free to roam and talk to each other, although they are expected to spend the next few hours in introspection and meditation. Some NPC slaves are also in the courtyard awaiting sacrifice, also bound neck to feet. There are a few Tlahuizcalli priestesses offering purification rituals for the prisoners; they form prayer groups with many of the NPC sacrifices, which have all gladly accepted their fate. As all the PCs are gathered in the Tlahuizcalli courtyard, give them a few moments to introduce themselves to each other and understand their situation: they are a motley group of chosen sacrifices – some native to Tenochtitlan, some foreign captives. They are all a few hours away from death. As the most important PCs are meant to be individually killed and their hearts cut out, the lower-caste PCs and all the NPC slaves will be thrown off the stairs of the temple. All Mesoamerican cultures accept and relish death from childhood, so sacrifice is not an inherently bad thing; some of the PCs may be looking forward to it, while others may know it is acceptable and still want to escape anyway.

Scene 1: fog and flighT Once the PCs have made their introductions and become familiar with their surroundings, let them state actions of intentions. Then, when they least expect it, one of the priestesses ignites a censer that begins to spew a torrent of multicoloured smoke. At first everyone thinks it’s part of the rite, but then the entire courtyard is covered with mist. Then, each of the PCs is approached by an unseen individual, which unbinds the PC and gives him an itztli knife.

the eight omens

As the smoke fills the courtyard, you begin to hear voices calling out to each other and the sound of a warning conch horn. Then, amid the mist, you feel a tug at your ritual fetters… someone is removing them. The next instant, a hand puts an itztli knife in your hand and the voice of a woman talks to you.

The PCs can pick up the weapons and armour of the defeated enemies: One macuahuitl or stone spear per PC, and half as many soldier’s armour. As soon as the PCs follow the woman’s voice through the dark passage, they advance in the darkness for a few minutes and the sounds of confusion begin to die down behind them. The smoke hasn’t cleared, so the PCs must continue half-blindly down the passage.

‘Come this way!’ You follow the voice, and are aware that you have entered a tunnel; surely one of the many passages leading out of the temple courtyard. What’s happening? The smoke clears just a bit, barely enough to make out the silhouettes of a group of armed guards charging you. Proceed to Encounter 1.

Encounter 1: The Guards Before they fully realise what’s happening, the PCs are attacked by the guards. Create a -2 encounter using a combination of Rank soldiers and Rank spearmen. ■ The guards attack regardless of wheth-

er the PCs wanted to escape or not; they don’t stop to ask questions. They try not to kill Noble PCs, leaving them only traumatised; but in the case of lower-class PCs they strike to kill, as peasants and slaves are more expendable even in a sacrificial rite. ■ A PC may attempt a Stealth check

against the guard’s Perception to take advantage of the thick fog covering the area. If the action succeeds, the PC gains an advantage to confront any attack during the next round.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R

THEY KEEP COMING If the PCs hesitate or try to go back, a second group of guards catches up with them, this time accompanied by a Priestess. Create a +1 encounter using a Native sky priest and a combination of Rank soldiers and Rank spearmen. Keep creating similar encounters (you can get creative) until they follow the woman or die.

The PCs arrive to a flight of descending stairs; the two PCs that run ahead of the party – or the two fastest ones, as determined by their Athletic skills – must perform an easy Athletic or Perception check (difficulty: 3(1)) to avoid falling down the stairs and taking 1 point of unpreventable damage. Once the PCs have reached the bottom of the stairs, they hear running water; They are in a kind of underground passage below the temple, perhaps below Tenochtitlan.

Encounter 2: The Drowned Dead You step into a lower passage, wider and darker than the passage above. There’s no sound save for the low splash of a body of water nearby; the noise of whatever is happening behind you has long disappeared. The fog is somewhat clearer, but still thick; wherever the coloured smoke comes from, it seems to be following you. You realise with a chill that the smoke is the only light source – it is through its colours that you can dimly glimpse your surroundings.

As the battle rages on, the PCs hear the screams of men and women back at the courtyard – something serious is happening.

This passage doesn’t continue straight ahead but left-right instead. On the opposite wall you see a great carving of a skull, tall as four men and big enough for you to fit its mouth.

If the PCs win the fight, the female voice they all heard spurs them on to follow it into the tunnel. The PCs have very little time to hesitate. You may have the voice say it outright if needed, calling the PCs with phrases such as ‘quickly! They are coming!’ or ‘hurry before it’s too late!’

The skull seems to represent Mictlantecuhtli, the Lord of Death, and its mouth is indeed another passage, tall and wide enough for a human to enter it. The fog seems to travel inside the opening, as if the Dead Lord was enjoying a smoke.

25

Before the PCs decide their next action, they perceive a stench of humidity and rot. Then, they see more guards approach from both sides of the tunnel. These guards are not living men, however. They are walking corpses, their blue skins tattooed with the symbols of Tlaloc, the Dragon of Rain and guardian of Tetzcoco City. They are richly clad and wield shiny weapons, indicating they were elite warriors in life. They are also two or three heads taller than a normal human being. Do they come from the First Sun, the age of giants and ogres? Were they enhanced by teotl magic? Whatever the case, they advance to intercept the PCs. Create a fair encounter using Drowned Dead. They attack mindlessly and without strategy, but they are strong and very skilled with their ancient weapons. ■ At any moment, a PC may try to flee into the skull-mouth passage by using their turn to perform a running action into it. If all surviving PCs succeed in escaping thus, proceed to Scene 2: The World Beyond the Fog.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs defeat the drowned dead, they may take their resource, weapons and jewellery: Each drowned dead’s adornments and regalia are worth 20 Gold in the open market, and each of them carries a dread knife . Once the PCs have defeated the drowned dead, they may enter the skull mouth passage or take the passage left or right, from which the drowned dead came. If the PCs follow the smoke into the skull’s mouth, the fog surrounds them and they feel lightheaded for a moment. They walk for a while in colour-swirled darkness and then realise they have reached the out26

doors. Then the fog clears, and the PCs may have a glance at their surroundings. Proceed to Scene 2: The World Beyond the Fog. If they follow either of the passages, they lead to an underground pond; it’s a sacred pool below the Temple, leading nowhere, but the PCs may infer it leads into the city aqueduct or even to the Great Lake surrounding the city, and try to escape by diving into it. If they do, the multicoloured fog floats after them into the water, and for a moment they become disoriented among the water and the colours. Ask any PC that swims into the pond to perform an Athletic Action against a TSE that plays two cards or suffer 1 point of damage from drowning. After all PCs have made the Athletics Check – succeed or fail – they may swim out and take a breath. The fog has cleared, and they may look around. Proceed to Scene 2: The World Beyond the Fog.

Scene 2: The World Beyond the Fog As the fog clears, the PCs realise they have come out into the wilderness. They are on the shore of a large body of water; at first they assume is the Great Lake around Tenochtitlan; however, there’s something that doesn’t add up. The landscape is different, the hills over the horizon are different, the plant life is completely different, packed with tall trees that obscure long-range vision. The only familiar element are the reed clusters along the shore. And it’s cold. It’s so cold that the weakest PCs immediately begin trembling. And then the PCs realise the most important difference: The Column of Fire, the great sign, the reason

the PCs were to be sacrificed – is nowhere to be seen. Instead, there is only the sunset; deep red, bright, ominous, but nothing more than a sunset, which gives a red glow to the reeds and the sea. What is this? Where are they? Unknown to the PCs, the coloured mist has shifted them to the spirit world, where they are experiencing a dream vision. This spirit dream is real to anyone inside it, and the PCs may travel, eat, sleep fight and even die while dreaming. This specific vision represents the shores of North America, on what will someday be Canada. The PCs are about to experience a dream version of the first time that Europeans invaded the coast of their world, but it falls entirely to them to understand the vision and what it means.

Let the PCs wonder about their circumstances, where they are and how they got here. They may state actions and decisions, or agree on what to do. There are many ways for the PCs to obtain clues about their situation. If they wish to investigate, ask them to perform one or both of the following checks: An easy Survival Check (difficulty: 3(1)) to determine their surroundings. ■ A success with a negative consequence confirms this area is frequented by hunters and gatherers, but causes the PC making the check to become lost for a while and gain Fatigue. ■ A normal success confirms this area is frequented by hunters and gatherers, and also that the tracks are reminiscent of Chichimeca footwear. It also confirms the PCs aren’t on the Anahuac Valley; somehow, they were transported to another land. This is the seacoast, and the plant life is far more abundant – and the temperature far lower – than in the area near Tenochtitlan.

the eight omens

■ A success with a positive consequence confirms this is the Eastern sea, the one that lies hundreds of kilometres to the East of the Anahuac - and that the PCs have also been moved many miles north.

Ask each PC to perform a Stealth action, confronted by the Drakkar warriors’ Competent Skill. If every PC succeeds, they can either ambush the Drakkar warriors or avoid them all together.

A normal Rites Check (difficulty 6 (1)) to understand the magic that brought them here.

If they fail or iniciate an ambush, create a fair Encounter using Drakkar Warriors.

■ A success with a negative consequence missinforms the PCs they have died and were transported to the afterlife. It’s not quite what they expected, really.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER

■ A normal success determines the PCs are in some sort of dreamscape – an alternate world. ■ A success with a positive consequence confirms the strange coloured mist brought them here somehow, and that it was probably cast by a powerful wizard. They also understand they are in a dream-like world, and returning to the mortal world depends on their actions here, and their understanding of the dream message.

Regardless of the check attempted and its success or failure, after looking around the PCs see the smoke of a nearby campfire to the north of their position – they are not alone. If the PCs remain at their position for an hour or more, or as soon as they wander out of their current location, proceed to Encounter 3.

Encounter 3: The Dragon Rider

If the PCs survive the battle, they may take the Drakkar warriors’ weapons, 25 gold, plus a map. The chart is crudely drawn, but it evidently represents the coast the PCs are currently standing on. It’s hard to understand, but it seems to reveal these travellers have sailed here from another world, a land beyond the Eastern sea. The map is mostly drawn in a kind of black charcoal, but a few elements – the water on the sea, the reeds on the coast, a dragon coming out of the water and a snake waiting among the bushes on the land – are drawn in what seems to be red ink… or perhaps blood. If the encounter took place at the Drakkar warrior camp, they may help themselves to the Drakkars’ provisions and camping supplies (enough for four people to live on the wilderness for a week). The PCs have no way to know it, but these strange invaders are a part of Leif Eriksson’s Viking expedition to their continent, 500 years ago; the first time that Europeans tried to settle in America.

As the PCs go about their business, they suddenly sense a shadow passing over them. As they look up, they notice a winged creature flying overhead – it is a dragon. The light of the dying sun gives its shape a strange red glow. However, the creature doesn’t seem to be a mixcoatl: it has four legs, like a lizard, and bat wings. As the PCs stare transfixed at the flying beast, they barely register that it begins to fly lower. Then they notice: it has a rider. A pale-skinned woman, with long golden tresses and a metal mask of some kind over her face. She growls at them and leads her dragon away screaming something in a crude language. If the PCs try to follow the dragon rider, she leads them to a campfire about five hundred paces north. If they had detected the campfire earlier, they confirm it’s one and the same. There is a band of Drakkar warriors at the campfire; their dragon has left, presumably to explore; who knows for how long.

27

Scene 3: a visit with the ancestorS

Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the check is successful, the PCs confirm these are different stars too, and they are in a land far away to the North of the Anahuac.

After the encounter with the Drakkar, give the PCs a moment to heal themselves, declare actions or decisions, and reflect on what just happened.

‘Greetings’, he says. ‘This is a dream. You are dreaming. We are not real. The spirits asked me to tell you this: you are dreaming’.

Then, a group of men come out of the bushes. There’s five of them. They aren’t strange, bearded or goldhaired; in fact, they look very much like the PCs, except they are slightly taller. They dress like Chichimec warriors, wearing what seems to be brown leather or canvas, with red-painted faces, and adorned with feathers and other animal parts. They carry crude spears, hunting bows and stone axes; one of them, whose feather headdress is larger and more eye-catching than the others, carries a staff with the carving of a snake head on its tip.

After the PCs settle in the camp, proceed to Encounter 4: Conversation with Red Serpent.

Encounter 4: Conversation with Red Serpent The man shakes its snake staff and throws some powders on the fire, after which the flames increase their glow and change colour. Then he begins to talk in the Nahua tongue.

Let the PCs react to these words or ask anything. Conduct the conversation as you see fit, using all or some of the following as part of the man’s answers: ‘My name is Red Serpent. I lead this band’. ‘We are the Bothuk. We are from this land’. ‘This is far north. This is far away from you. You are far away. You are to the South’. ‘The Spirits grant me Medicine to talk your tongue, to speak your words. They grant me Medicine so I can tell you this. So I can tell you that you are dreaming us’.

These men don’t attack; they say a strange greeting and gesture the PCs to follow them.

‘You are dreaming of things that happened many, many seasons before your ancestors’ time’.

If the PCs refuse to go with these warriors, the man with the snake staff issues an unintelligible warning and walks away.

‘You are dreaming of an invasion that took place. It is a message. A dream message’.

■ If the PCs return to the shore, proceed to Scene 4. ■ If the PCs decide to explore and venture into this strange land on their own, turn to Scene 5. ■ If the PC follow these men, the warriors lead them for about an hour through uneven terrain filled with bushes and tall trees. This is nothing like the PCs’ home; the land comes up and down and the cold wind bites the flesh worse than a sandstorm.

Finally, the party arrives to another camp, just after night has fallen. Three more Chichimec-looking warriors greet them wordlessly and let them sit around the fire. The man with the snake staff motions the PCs to take a seat on the ground, and takes centre in the circle. The starry sky is also different to what the PCs know. Ask the PCs to Perform a normal Survival or Knowledge 28

‘We existed. We were the Bothuk. We were real. We were men. Now we are ancestors, but not your ancestors’. ‘We fought the hairy faces of the East. We chased them back into the water. We did not befriend them, we did not welcome them. We fought. We did not give them kind words; we gave them screams and darts and stones’. ‘Do not show mercy; do not show kind words. Slay them and drive them back. That is the lesson’. ‘Tomorrow night, you return to the shore with us. They will land there. We will fight them, we will drive them back to the shore. Tomorrow you join us. Tomorrow the dream ends. Then you learn the lesson’. ‘When you learn the lesson, you wake up. The dream ends, the lesson remains’. Let the PCs ask other things if they wish; there’s little more they can learn from Red Serpent and his men, as they know nothing else about the Viking invaders. The

the eight omens

Bothuk are simply re-enacting history, repeating what they did 500 years ago: they will harass the Vikings and drive them away from their coast. Let the PCs speculate whether this is nothing but a dream, or it all really happened and they travelled back in time, to when the historic Bothuk truly met strangers to which they told it was all a dream before striking the bearded Drakkar warriors.

EN D O F T H E CON V E R SATION After their talk with Red Serpent, the Bothuk treat the PCs as companions for the rest of the night, sharing their rations with them and letting them hunt or forage for more food with them. The next dawn, the PCs are surprised to find that several more hunting bands have joined Red Serpent’s group; dozens upon dozens of Bothuk Chichimeca sneaking around the bushes, nocking arrows, skulking around, watching from the trees and behind the rocks. A small army, stealthy, on the prowl. The Bothuk army spends all day roaming the shore; Red Serpent keeps the PCs close to him, but says very little – after last night, he seems to have spent his magic and lost all his ability to speak the PCs’ tongue. During their scouting, however, he points to several sites along the shore, indicating places where the Drakkar men landed days or weeks earlier. The signs are quite clear: Rotting wooden stakes on the sand, the charred remains of old bonfires. The invaders have landed and camped on these shores many times now. As sunset arrives again, when the PCs have almost forgot about the invader threat, and have instead become used to this beautiful land with its cold weather and its lush vegetation, Red Serpent suddenly stiffens and points to the sky. Proceed to Scene 4.

Encounter 5: The Drakkar Ships Read the following aloud as the PCs stand looking at the Eastern sea: There’s a dragon. A bat-winged, four-legged dragon, whose silhouette shines red from the light of the setting sun. And then another. Two dragons. And on the water, three ships. Three long, narrow boats with coatl heads on their prow; a dozen oars on each side, and strange canvas blankets pushing them ahead. And aboard every ship, a dozen, maybe two dozen, Drakkar warriors, fully armed and battle-ready. If the PCs are with Red Serpent’s Bothuk warband, they see how the hundred-man force becomes near-invisible, as every hunter and every warrior crouches behind a bush, a rock or a tree. The PCs have never seen so many people disappear so quickly; it almost seems like teotl magic. If the PCs are alone, let them decide how to wait for the ships; if they hide among the bushes, they succeed automatically. Perhaps the Drakkar saw them, but they expected to see some natives anyway, and they believe themselves ready for any hostility. If the PCs stand on the beach to wait for the ships, a few of the Drakkar warriors look at them warily, but nothing else. Regardless of what the PCs do, the three ships drop anchor and the Norse invaders leap to the shore, their dragons landing among them. On every dragon’s back there’s an armoured woman, as fierce-looking as the men on the ships.

Scene 4: the landinG

Regardless of what the PCs decide or do, as soon as the invaders descend from their boats, a hundred native warriors leap out of the bushes, giving bloodcurdling war cries and falling on the invaders with spears, stones, arrows, darts and anything they can throw at them. The Drakkar are no cowards and they respond to the aggression by unsheathing their own swords and charging the natives; it all happens so fast that the PCs become caught in the middle.

If the PCs reached this scene by exploring the coast on their own, let them spend the day scouting as they see fit. When the next sunset approaches, proceed to Encounter 5.

If the PCs don’t wish to take part in the battle, ask them for a Stealth action, confronted by the Drakkar Warriors’ Mediocre Skill. If all PCs succeed, they may disengage and leave the natives and invaders to kill each other; proceed to Scene 5.

If the PCs reached this scene by joining Red Serpent’s war band on Scene 3, proceed to Encounter 5 right away, as Bothuk sentries point at the first signs of the invading force.

If a single PC fails the check, they all must fight; Create a -2 encounter using a combination of Drakkar Warriors and Drakkar bersekers. 29

If the PCs survive this encounter, give them a couple of minutes to get their bearings and heal themselves, or even try to disengage the battle if they so wish (which requires all PCs to succeed on a Stealth action as before). Once the PCs are ready – or forced – to continue fighting, Create a second -2 encounter. If the PCs survive both enemy groups, they need fight no more: the Bothuk have successfully routed the remaining invaders, who have fled back to their ships and abandoned the shore. The natives loot the bodies of fallen enemies, but let the PCs have their share: the Drakkar they killed. They can also obtain 20 gold each. After the battle, Red Serpent walks up to the PCs; there’s no telling where his red body paint ends and the blood of his enemies begins. Red Serpent doesn’t speak the PCs’ tongue anymore, but he points at a hill among the trees inland; he motions the PCs to go there, and then leaves them. The Bothuk warband disappears as quickly as it appears, and the PCs are alone once more. Proceed to Scene 5.

Scene 5: the first dream gatE

The Tonalpohualli is the sacred calendar of the Mexica and many other Mesoamerican peoples. According to Nahua religion, each of its signs is assigned to a colour, a season and a cardinal direction, and their mystic auras influence the children born on their corresponding date. This is the order of the thirteen carved symbols and the colours they are painted in: NUMBER

SYMBOL

COLOUR

1

Dragon

Red

2

Wind

Black

3

House

White

4

Lizard

Blue

5

Snake

Red

6

Skull

Black

7

Deer

White

8

Rabbit

Blue

9

Water

Red

10

Dog

Black

11

Monkey

White

12

Grass

Blue

13

Reed

Red

Let the PCs explore the unknown lands on their own, resting and healing themselves if they need to. After they have scouted the lands for a while, the PCs encounter a strange structure among the trees: it is a clearing, surrounded by wooden pillars arranged in a circle. Each of the pillars is carved with a different symbol. There are thirteen pillars in the circle. Ask the PCs to perform an easy Rites or Knowledge Check (difficulty: 3(1)). If the check succeeds, the PCs recognise that the symbol carved on each of the thirteen wooden totems is one of the first thirteen signs of the Tonalpohualli, the calendar of Nahua peoples. What are the symbols of the Mexica calendar doing in this strange faraway land? 30

Below the corresponding carving, each pillar has the phrase ‘blood on the four places wakes up’ written in Mexica glyphs. To return from the spirit world, the PCs must show they have understood the clues from the dream they have just experienced. This requires smearing their blood on four of the symbols, but they must be the four correct symbols. In this case, the right symbols are Snake (represented by Red Serpent’s staff), Water (represented by the Sea), Dragon (which the Drakkar were riding when they arrived) and Reed (which surrounded the shore). A character that has understood the message will recognise them easily.

the eight omens

The totems are asking the PCs to bleed themselves and smear the blood on the right carvings. This should be an easy, straightforward message to any Mesoamerican, to which self-inflicted wounds are a part of daily life. Most Mesoamericans bleed themselves with pricks and needles as a standard religious practice, and then smear the blood on idols or collect it in special vessels. Feel free to share this information with the PCs if they don’t deduce it on their own.

thirteen pillars surround the top floor of the temple, and from here the PCs can see the whole city.

A character that smears their blood on a carving suffers 1 point of damage. There are no penalties for choosing the wrong carving, but only the four correct carvings will open the gate back to the land of the living, so choosing wrong can be potentially deadly.

Stranger still is the fact that the PCs have kept all the equipment, weapons and treasure they encountered during the dream trip – and they have something else:

If the PCs are stumped, let them try an easy Rituals or Perception Check (difficulty 3(1)); for every positive consequence if any, give the PCs one of the following clues, or nudge them toward discovering it on their own: ■ Black is the colour of North, White is the colour of

West, Blue is the colour of South and Red is the colour of East. ■ Perhaps all the right choices have a single thing in

common.

■ The Map of the Drakkar showed some symbols drawn in blood. ■ The sunset made certain objects and things shine with a red outline.

The message of this dream was ‘Danger comes from the East’; if the PCs smear their blood on the Reed, Water, Snake and Dragon symbols, a disembodied woman’s voice says the message in their heads, and suddenly a thick multicoloured fog covers the scene…

Scene 6: waking from the first dreaM

All the PCs’ wounds have disappeared; those that fell unconscious during the dream trip are lying on the floor and waking up. Those that died during the dream, however, remain dead.

One of the PCs (chosen by you or determined randomly) finds himself clutching a broken piece of obsidian. It doesn’t seem to be any kind of useful item, but it emits a supernatural, enthralling glow. It is then that the PCs realise they are not alone. A woman advances to meet them. She wears a witch’s robes, and several elite Mexica warriors flank her. Her hand is extended in a gesture of peace. ‘Welcome back, sacred warriors’. ‘I freed you from sacrifice, and chose you for a far greater purpose’. ‘I can both save you from your intended death and return you to your people as honoured heroes’. ‘Forgive the suddenness, forgive the strangeness. All shall be understood, all shall be known’. The PCs may attack the witch, interrupt her or let her talk. Let them declare their actions, words or decisions; before the witch can respond, however, there’s a flash in the city, and even the witch looks on in awe. As the PCs turn to see what’s happened, they realise the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan – the House of Lord Huitzilopochtli, the Saint Patron of the City – has just burst into flames…

As the fog dissipates, the PCs find themselves still surrounded by the thirteen wooden pillars – except they are not on a hill in the ancient North anymore, but atop a pyramid temple in Great Tenochtitlan. The

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ii. The burning of the templE 32

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33

ProloguE Great Tenochtitlan is in turmoil. The unthinkable is happening; the Great Temple, the House of Huitzilopochtli, the House of Command, has burst in a column of black fire. It is exactly like the column of fire of the East – the exact same shape, you idly realise, numbed by the sight – brought home to the very centre of this city. Even here, on a rooftop in the other side of the city, you can see the fire ascend from the House of Command, out there at the Great Plaza. You even think you hear screams and commands from all around the city. There at the Plaza, out of your sight, men and women must be running back and forth with water pails and baskets. The temple is solid stone, can’t be burned. How? Why is this happening? Before you get your bearings, a second explosion shakes the Great Temple, and an even larger conflagration flares up from its charred structure, lighting up the night skies. The fire must be getting worse, not better. The nahual woman, the witch that claims to have freed you from imprisonment and sent you to the dream adventure you just came back from, stares at the fire and smoke with wide eyes, in a mix of awe and… is that joy? Then the witch whispers. It is so low that you are amazed to hear it so clearly, so much louder than the faraway screams of the Mexica and the soldiers that surely must be yelling out there, near the burning Temple. But their screams are drowned by the whisper of a witch. “It is the Second Omen”, she says. “The Second Omen!”

L

ET TH E PC S state their actions and intentions; whatever they do, after the first round of actions the open rooftop begins to fill with the multicoloured fog they encountered earlier. Soon, everything is lost from sight under a blanket of swirling colours…

Scene 7: the white citY As the fog disperses, you realise you are still on a rooftop. The witch is nowhere to be seen. Did she escape…? No. Something has changed. Again. It’s the city. This is not Great Tenochtitlan. Great Tenochtitlan is the largest, mightiest city in the known world; a true wonder of military power and architecture, with temples and pyramids so tall that dragons live inside them, surrounded by an unbelievable sea of water houses, as thick as reeds on the edge of a gigantic Lake. The city surrounding your rooftop is five, ten times larger than that. Ten times greater. The PCs have been transported again; this time to a dream of Aztlan, the city where the ancestors of the Mexica came from. They should not identify the city right away; however, if a PC explicitly declares (and succeeds on) a normal Knowledge Check (+3), feel free to confirm it. Aztlan was the city that ruled over the common ancestors of all modern Nahua tribes, before their diaspora 500 years earlier. Coincidentally – or perhaps not so coincidentally –, it was at around the same time that the Drakkar warriors landed on the continent, miles away from here. The dream has taken the PCs to that era again, to the heyday of the legendary Aztlan, the White City.

Regardless of whether they identify ancient Aztlan or not, the PCs see they are on an unimaginably immense city, with tall temples and white buildings, surrounded by a huge lake, much like the one around Tenochtitlan. There is an otherworldly feel to the place, as if the white buildings gave it an immaterial quality. Not so much a real city as its quiet, dignified ghost. The rooftop the PCs are in is almost a mirror of the one they were on back at Tenochtitlan before the dream began. There are thirteen columns here as well, but they have no carvings, images or clues of any kind – just dull, featureless, white stone. By looking around a bit, any PC can determine they are on a kind of temple, but there are no representa-

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the eight omens

tions of any saint or spirit, and there’s no saint-house, no altar, on the rooftop, whose only feature is the circle of plain stone columns. There are four stairways that lead down to street level. The only other building that draws the PCs’ attention is the city’s tallest pyramid – it stands at the centre of Aztlan, far from the PCs’ position, but even from here they can see the top is not a temple or saint-house, but a tall, white cypress tree. The PCs never saw anything like that – a tree planted atop a pyramid. It must be a symbol of the city. Give the PCs a moment to discuss their situation and decide what to do. If they become stumped, subtly nudge them to explore the city, reminding them that their past dream ended after they explored the area and understood its clues.

If the PCs remain on the rooftop too long, they notice a patrol walking up the pyramid Give the PCs a chance to run down the stairs; if they stay on the rooftop, proceed to Encounter 5. If the PCs climb down the stairs, they reach the streets without incident. The city is quiet as… well, as a dream. It’s not only the eerie appearance of the white buildings in the night – the city sounds like a ghost, too. There are no cries or calls, no shuffle of feet on the streets; just a vague rumour at the edge of hearing, like low whispers and sighs. For a moment, you do believe you are dreaming of the otherworld. The architecture is stunning, like no other you have seen, perhaps even more beautiful than that of Cholollan, or Tollan itself. Indeed it looks like some ideal city, some mythical paradise…

If the PCs haven’t realised they are in ancient Aztlan yet, you may ask them to perform an easy Knowledge Check (difficulty: 3(1)) to deduce it at this point. After they have walked the streets for a while, the PCs run across a city patrol; contrarily to the civilians, these guards do take notice of the PCs; run Encounter 6.

Encounter 6: Temple Guards The soldiers that approach you seem to belong to the Nahua tribes, but they have painted their face and body with white dust. Also white are their weapons and uniforms, save for some golden adornments and patches of red ink here and there. They talk in a foreign tongue, but close enough to Nahua for you to deduce their meaning. They want to know where you came from. It’s strange to find free-roaming foreigners in the streets of Aztlan. The city proper is restricted to the upper classes and pure-blooded Azteca people; the many other ethnicities under Aztlan’s protection must live in the periphery, from the city to the shore of the great lake surrounding it. The guards assume the PCs belong to one of these ‘ lesser’ tribes, who rarely set foot on Aztlan unless it is as slaves. The guards are indeed demanding to know the PCs’ ethnicity, and why they are not in their assigned neighbourhoods. Run Encounter 6 Conversation.

ENC OUNTER 6 C ONVERSATI ON If the PCs want to use diplomacy or deceit, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Temple guard’ Mediocre Skill.

Then you start to notice; there are people in the streets. Here and there, a richly-robed man or woman slides across the white pavement, alone or talking with someone else. Their voices are low, murmuring; their clothes are as white as the buildings, and even their skins are somewhat ashen – not pale, like the dragon riders you saw on the earlier dream, but flesh-coloured as you… only greyish, dull; like they are sick or something.

■ The guards assume the PCs are escaped slaves or unwanted visitors; unless the PCs convince them otherwise, the guards escort them out.

None of them notice you as they walk past, but you catch snippets of their talk. They don’t speak Nahua, but a very close dialect. None you have heard before, that’s for sure.

■ The guards identify the PCs’ language as just another of the ‘barbaric’ tongues of the lesser tribes, so the PCs’ accent and difficulty with the Old Aztec tongue doesn’t get them in trouble.

These people don’t ignore just you; they don’t give a second glance to their surroundings. They care not about the beautiful buildings and decorations that surround them. That’s how you know they are not gods or spirits, for it is the way of mortals to become bored with achievement and jaded with wonder.

■ Use a few of the dialogue lines from the Information about Aztlan sidebar as the guards talk to the PCs.

Alternatively, you can let the players do the talking; in that case they must convince you, the GM, as their characters try to convince the guards.

■ If the PCs invent a convincing lie, the guards let them off with a warning and grudgingly allow them to remain free in the city.

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■ The guards won’t believe the truth – that the PCs are dreaming and they come from the future – regardless of how convincing the PCs are. They may take it as a joke or as an insult, depending on the PCs’ tone and attitude. ■ If the PCs blunder the encounter too bad, the guards

take them prisoner, unless the PCs resist.

If the PCs attack, the guards are flabbergasted – no macehualtin had raised a hand against the elite in their living memory – but strike back, to the death. Create a -2 Encounter using Temple Guards. The guards are so surprised that they don’t know how to retaliate at first; when they get their bearings, they fight as elite soldiers, with elite weapons.

■ People walking down the streets everywhere, with the same unassuming, careless attitude described earlier. This is a city where nothing happens, where nobody seems to be troubled. ■ The city itself and its surrounding area seem like a replica of Tenochtitlan and the Great Lake around it; or perhaps it’s the other way around, and it was Tenochtitlan that was built to resemble this city.

If the PCs are being escorted out by the guards, proceed to Scene 8. If the PCs are prisoners, proceed to Scene 9.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R

If the PCs don’t have a guard escort, let them choose their general direction (or pick it randomly); if they head out of the city, proceed to Scene 8. If they walk deeper into the city, proceed to Scene 9.

If the PCs attack the guards and survive, they have become outlaws in Aztlan. Any further encounter with Aztec guards will result on combat or imprisonment. The PCs may also dress in the guards’ uniforms if they wish; this allows them to pass undetected in further encounters inside Aztlan, but they are discovered as soon as anybody approaches them to talk.

Before ending the scene, you may have the PCs come across a second patrol guard if you wish, particularly if they were too careless during the previous encounter. Simply create a -2 encounter using a combination of Rank soldiers and Rank warriors, but have the guards act in consequence to the PCs’ previous actions – for example if they are disguised, or resisted arrest.

Regardless of the encounter’s outcome, the PCs find themselves roaming the streets of Aztlan, perhaps free, perhaps taken as prisoners; perhaps hiding from the law, perhaps escorted by Aztec guards. As the PCs walk through the city, describe the following features of the Great City: ■ White buildings and pavement, with better masonry than Mexica or even Tolteca work. ■ Various inscriptions that indicate the city’s glyph as ‘Aztlan’ (in case the PCs hadn’t deduced it yet). ■ A wall with a large Bas-relief, representing an Aztec king wrestling a mixcoatl dragon. ■ Several tall temples, blue-orange lights flickering through their windows. ■ An apparent lack of dragon worship or idols; if this city has the protection of a dragon, they don’t make a show of it. ■ The white tree appears in several motifs and glyphs of the city along the Aztlan name, confirming it’s a symbol of the city as well. ■ A line of slaves working on a temple. Aztec guards and nobles whip and order them around. The slaves seem to belong to some Nahua or Chichimeca tribe. ■ Incredibly beautiful gardens every two or three avenues.

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SIDEBAR: INFORMATION ABOUT AZTLAN At any time the PCs successfully strike conversation with a local NPC, use one or more of the following lines as a part of the NPC’s dialogue or answers, to let the PCs know important data about Aztlan. “The Azteca own the City. The Azteca are the true citizens of Aztlan.” “There are macehualtin foreigners, chichimeca from other tribes, that have come to squat around the lake of Aztlan, to live near Aztlan, to fish and hunt and be near the Great City.” “The lake squatters are not Azteca, they are not citizens; they are the lesser, they are the low tribes. They live in Aztlan, but they pay tribute to the Azteca. They pay with work and food and slaves for the Azteca, and the Azteca protect them.” “The low tribes need the protection of Aztlan, they come to Aztlan to be safe; for the land on the other side of the lake is dangerous. There are wild chichimeca on the other side of the like, and beasts, and the Azteca protect the low tribes from all this, and in turn the low tribes submit to the Azteca.” “The low tribes have no other land, no other city, to live. They live in Aztlan for they have no other place to live, for it is all dangerous.” “The white tree of Aztlan, the tree of the Great Pyramid, is the Cepancuahuitl, the Tree of Union.” “The Tree of Union is like the Tree of Tamoanchan. When the Ancestors brought people to the world, when the Ancestors brought mortals to the world, it was in Tamoanchan.” “The White Tree, the Tree of Union, reminds everybody that all people, all tribes, all of them belong together. The Tree of Union says that we all belong under the power of Aztlan.” “Aztlan has two leaders – Cuextecatl, the King of the City, and Mexi, the leader of the low tribes. Nobody knows what tribe Mexi belongs to – some say he is Chichimeca, some that he is Tolteca. Some say that he comes from the Olmecs of the East,

some that the Mixtecs of the South. But Mexi is the strongest warrior, stronger and taller than any other macehualtin of Aztlan.” “Mexi is not kind, he is not nice. He is a rough man, a violent man. He does not like diplomacy, he does not like politics. Mexi does not like the Aztlan nobility. Mexi is a troublemaker in the city without trouble; a noise in the harmony. But he is the hero of the low tribes, he is a hero of the people. The low tribes love Mexi, they respect him.” “Mexi lives in the Slave Quarters of the city, where the low tribes send their young to be slaves to the Azteca, to work for the Azteca. Mexi lives there, for he rules the slaves, he rules the low tribes. Mexi lives with the slaves and he sees that they are well and happy, and he cares for them.” Any PC with at least Knowledge 1 should identify the name of Mexi. He was the legendary founder of the Mexica tribe; the one that led his people out of Aztlan. Furthermore, Mexi was the mortal name of Huitzilopochtli, patron saint of the Mexica, before he died and became the Spirit of War – precisely during the trip out of Aztlan. A PC might remember that it was precisely the temple of Huitzilopochtli which suddenly burned as what the mysterious witch called ‘The Second Omen’ before sending them to the dream world again. This may give the PCs a clue of what they are here for, and why the dream brought them here. If the PCs hear about Mexi, ask them to perform an easy Knowlede Check (difficulty: 3(1)). If the check succeeds, remind them that, according to Mexica history, Mexi led the exodus of Aztlan guided and helped by four warrior-priests. To solve the riddle of the Second Dream, the four PCs must find Mexi and help him guide his people out of Aztlan, re-enacting the origin of the Mexica tribe. This is the conclusion the PCs should ideally arrive at; if not now, later during this chapter, as more clues appear in their way.

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Some macehualtin look at you from their parcels and windows as you approach their villages, but they don’t seem surprised at your appearance in any sense. If the PCs were escorted out of the city, the guards leave them here and go back. Returning to the city now would require the PCs to perform a Stealth action, confronted by the temple guard’s Competent Skill. If a single PC fails the action, run Encounter 6 again, except the guards are much less patient this time, and the PCs are much more likely to end up as prisoners.

Scene 8: the people of the shorE As the PCs come out of Aztlan, they see the great lake surrounding the city, and the countless villages along the shore. As you reach the city outskirts, you come across the familiar sight of hundreds of huts, farming parcels and floating chinampa gardens, like a flowered garland, on the shore of a great lake. Dozens of boats are moored on the water near the huts, as the last farmers and fishermen return home with the evening catch. The lake is so wide that the far shore remains beyond sight in most places, just like the Great Lake of Tenochtitlan. As you come closer to the first huts, the stark difference between the peoples of Aztlan hits you like a sacrificial knife. Where the inner-city dwellers are ashen, tall and lanky, the macehualtin in the lake are squat, grimy with lakeshore mud and bloody from the thorny bushes. Where the Aztlan nobles look absent and diffident, these people’s faces show pain, worry and the urgency of death. This endless expanse of villages and farms, confined to whatever edge they can cling to, is a sad, painful, living, beating, bloody world; the opposite of the clean, serene city at your back. And it shows in the people. 38

If the PCs approach the locals, they can easily obtain food and shelter in exchange for work; like in Tenochtitlan, the calpolli farms of Aztlan are always willing to take extra mouths in exchange for extra hands. The macehualtin speak the same strange Aztec language as the city folk, but it’s possible to communicate with them in the Nahua tongue. If the PCs have already visited the Slave Quarters in Scene 9, the villagers gather among the huts and reeds to listen to the PCs’ message. Proceed to Scene 10. If the PCs don’t approach the locals, have some NPCs come to them, asking where the PCs are from and what they’re doing here. Let the PCs conduct the conversation as they wish, using lines and information from the Information about Aztlan sidebar. The villagers are friendly at first, and invite the PCs to stay with them under an agreement of work for food and shelter. After the PCs have spent some time among the shore people, some NPCs casually suggest that the PCs should go to the city and seek Mexi, the Macehual King. Mexi oversees the city’s Slave Quarter. His rank forces him to live in the inner city, far away from the shore tribes. The tribes would like to know Mexi’s will or receive his guidance; if the PCs managed to return to Aztlan and obtain Mexi’s message to his people, the lesser tribes would be very grateful. This is no official mission and the PCs may refuse, staying among the shore tribes for as long as they want – and never waking from the dream for as long as they do. If the PCs choose to help the macehualtin with their request, or as soon as they head back to the city anyway, let them walk into Aztlan again, describing a short trip across the city if you wish, and then turn to Scene 9.

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Scene 9: slaves of the aztecA

city project or war that requires their manpower, or for a sacrifice that requires their blood.

Whether on their own or taken by the city guards, the PCs finally head to Aztlan’s Slave Quarters.

If the PCs are found trying to escape, the guards attack. Proceed to Encounter 7.

After an hour or so wandering across the city, you arrive to a large courtyard with low stone walls. There are several entrances, each guarded by one or two armed soldiers; there are additional guards around two large buildings inside the courtyard.

As soon as the PCs are free and on their own, they may explore the Slave Quarters at their leisure.

Between you and the buildings, wandering about the open courtyard, are several men and women, bound and fettered as slaves. They walk around freely, although the guards prevent them from leaving the courtyard and keep a close eye on their behaviour. If the PCs came here on their own, they may enter the Slave Quarters in two ways: ■ If the PCs wish to slip inside unseen, ask them to perform a Stealth action, confronted by a Rank soldier’s Competent Skill. ■ If the PCs wish to convince the guards to let them in, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Rank soldier’s Mediocre Skill.

If either check fails, the PCs are arrested. If the PCs were arrested, the guards lead them directly to a cell in one of the buildings at the far end of the courtyard. The other slaves ignore the PCs; they have acquired the indifference of their masters during their imprisonment.

If the PCs attack the guards at any time, they cause a scene. Play Encounter 7. If the PCs try to escape their cell during the night, ask them to perform a Stealth action, confronted by the Rank soldier’s Competent Skill. The PCs’ fetters impose 1 disadvantage on the action. If all the PCs succeed, they slip past their guards and may explore the Slave Quarters freely.

If the PCs already visited the shore people at Scene 8, they are probably looking for Mexi, the Macehual King; however, he’s not around, and the guards have no authorisation to lead strangers to him. The PCs must keep exploring on their own for now. If the PCs decide to talk with the other prisoners, ask them to perform an easy Charisma Check (difficulty: 3(1)). If the check succeeds, the prisoners tell the PCs one or more of the facts listed in the Information about Aztlan sidebar. Suddenly, as the PCs are watching or talking to the slaves, some of the slaves begin yelling at a group of guards. There are insults, scuffles, and then the guards take out their weapons. Other slaves join the fray against the guards, which raise the alarm. More soldiers start coming in from the courtyard entrance and out of the barracks. Before the PCs know it, they are surrounded by a full-scale riot, and some guards attack them without giving or asking for a reason. Proceed to Encounter 7.

After being shown their cell and bound with slave fetters – the same neck-to-feet bindings they had at the beginning of the adventure – the PCs are ordered to go to sleep and wait for breakfast early in the morning, after which they’re allowed to wander the courtyard freely. The Slave Quarters are nothing but the courtyard and the two buildings, both of which have several living cells and a guard barracks. The slaves live, eat and sleep in the cells, and may take strolls through the courtyard as they wait for a noble to buy them, for a

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Encounter 7: A Riot at the Slave Quarters As the fight begins, allow the PCs to run away if they wish, by asking them to perform a Stealth or Athletic action, confronted by the guards’ competent skill. ■ If all PCs succeed on the check, they may skip the encounter. ■ Otherwise, create a fair Encounter using a combination of Rank soldiers, Rank spearmen, and Ahtlatl throwers.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs win the fight, they may take the guards’ weapons and shields, which are light, beautiful and of better quality than any standard weapon they may have encountered outside Aztlan. Once the PCs have dealt with the guards or avoided the encounter, they may disengage from the riot and assess the situation from a safe distance, without calling attention to themselves. After the guards gave the alarm, more slaves joined the fight, and in a matter of seconds the situation has escalated to a full-blown riot in the Slave quarters. Soldiers run out of the barracks, slapping and kicking slaves in the same motion. Already you can hear more guards coming from the city. Let the PCs state their actions and intentions, and then read aloud the following: Suddenly, everybody’s silent for a moment. Slaves and soldiers have stopped dead on their tracks. Then a flapping… or a humming? And then the impossible – for an instant the courtyard is obscured as if by a cloud, but it’s not a natural phenomenon. It’s a swarm. It’s a flock of hummingbirds. Everybody lays down their arms as they watch the miraculous bird swarm, either transfixed in awe or covering their faces and heads from the buzzing wings. After a couple of minutes, the riot dies down, as the countless birds flit to and fro between the guards and rioters. Then a single hummingbird stops and hovers near you, so close to your face you can almost count its feathers. And then it turns its head. At you. And it speaks. ‘Run’. One of the hummingbirds is indeed looking straight at the PCs and ordering them to run away. And in their

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own tongue, too; not the variant Nahua tongue of the Azteca. If the PCs hesitate or try to answer to his words, the hummingbird replies, albeit in a hurried and demanding tone. Use the following as parts of the hummingbird’s dialogue, depending on what the PCs say and how: ‘Mexi has seen you. You’re not of Aztlan’. ‘You must go to the lake, to the villages and farms on the lake, outside of the city, outside of Aztlan’. ‘Mexi has a message for the people that live there, for the lesser tribes’. ‘‘Mexi will cover your tracks; Mexi will shroud your passage’. ‘You shall do this; if you don’t, Mexi shall have your skin flayed and your flesh fed to dogs’. ‘The message is this: Tollan shall have a new king. That’s what you will say to the macehualtin, to Mexi’s people’. ‘They will understand. And you will understand’. ‘Go now, run now’. ‘Run!’ The hummingbird wants the PCs to flee while the Aztec guards are still distracted. If the PCs dawdle too long, the soldiers find and attack them: run Encounter 7 again, except the PCs must immediately flee the city after the fight. As soon as the PCs head out of Aztlan and to the city outskirts, let them know they leave the city unimpeded by guards, alarms or passersby; it appears Mexi made good on his promise of ‘covering their passage’. Proceed to Scene 8.

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Scene 10: the left-handed hummingbirD This scene begins as soon as the PCs have returned to the lake villages with Mexi’s message. The people of the lake gather around them, waiting to hear the words of their leader.

without them, as all empires fall without the support of the common people, and won’t let them leave so easily. Some others are afraid of fighting the Aztlan authorities.

When the PCs share the message ‘Tollan shall have a new king’, a great murmur breaks out among the villagers; they seem to know what the message means.

Let the PCs watch, or even participate in, the debate; their status as Mexi’s messengers gives them a right to be heard and listened to.

To understand the message, let the PCs ask around the villagers, or ask them to perform a normal Knowledge Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the check succeeds, or the PCs simply ask about the meaning of the message, let them know the following:

The villagers eventually reach an agreement; as their women and children pack their things and prepare to leave their homes, the men will march to Aztlan, to distract the city guard and give the slaves a chance to escape and join them. Then they will all flee the city together. The PCs’ part is to join the march and accompany the village men to the Slave Quarters.

■ Tollan is an ancient city, at least as splendorous and advanced as Aztlan, to the Southeast of here. ■ During the age of Aztlan, in the era of the PCs’ cur-

rent dream, the king of Tollan was Ce Acatl Topilzin.

■ A few years before the uprising of Mexi, Topilzin was revealed to be a dragon in disguise and left the seat of government. Tollan has remained leaderless ever since, even in the PCs’ future. ■ Mexi’s message means that he intends to become the new King of Tollan, which requires him to leave Aztlan forever. This in turn means that the lesser tribes around Aztlan must follow him to new lands and a new kingdom. The above facts are all part of well-known Mexica history. King Topilzin was secretly the human form of Quetzalcoatl, the Lord of Dragons; when he was discovered, after making Tollan the most advanced city in the world, he left the mortal plane, leaving the paradise he had built in chaos. At the time of the Mexica exodus from Aztlan, Tollan was a leaderless, decadent city, holding science and secrets from an advanced civilisation, but with nobody to make use of them. You may allow any PC with at least 1 point in Knowledge to know this without need of a skill check.

If the PCs helped inspire or encourage the people during the debate, they gain an advantage on all Charisma checks and actions when dealing with any NPC from the low tribes of Aztlan for the remainder of Chapter II. The PCs may ask for equipment, food, tools, weapons or armour; the macehualtin gladly give what they can, although they don’t have much, and most of their items are of mediocre quality. As soon as the PCs are ready to leave, read the following aloud: For the next few hours, the Great Lake of Aztlan becomes an anthill of buzzing activity, as people say their goodbyes, load their belongings on barges and backpacks and messengers run back and forward carrying orders and news from one end of the lakeshore to the other. As the village men prepare to march into the city, they send you ahead to assess the situation in the Slave Quarters. Whatever you learn, you should return and report to the men that will march right behind you. Now it’s the PCs’ time to enter the city and finally fulfil their destiny – and the Second Dream.

Mexi’s message creates opposite reactions among the macehualtin. Some argue that it’s madness to leave the lake and Aztlan’s protection for the harsh wastelands to the South; some others are elated at the news and want to take up arms against the city right away. Some argue, quite reasonably, that the Azteca will fall 41

Encounter 8: The Macehual King

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER

As the PCs return to the streets of Aztlan, read the following aloud.

If the PCs survive the fight, they may take the guards’ weapons and shields, which are light, beautiful and of better quality than any standard weapon they may have encountered outside Aztlan.

Again you run through the streets of the Great City. As you wander the streets, you gaze upon the Great Pyramid at the centre of the city, and on the Cepancuahuitl, the great white tree at its cenit, towering above all other buildings and temples. Then your attention shifts to a wall to your left, for you distinctly heard a sound come out of it. The wall depicts the bas-relief of a woman with a skirt made of snakes; suddenly the stone image shifts and trembles as a stone door slides just under the woman’s skirt, and a man runs out, like a warrior born out of a mountain. He stops dead on his tracks as he steps out into the street, his eyes fixed on you. He may well be the most formidable man you have ever encountered. At least a head taller than the tallest among you, His skin is painted red and black; his fine white clothes and gold ornaments indicate he is of noble stock. There’s a hummingbird tattoo over his heart, and hummingbird feathers on his headpiece. His long black hair and most of his body are caked with blood; not a sacrificial bleeding, but the kind of stains of a warrior that has killed many enemies. As if confirming your suspicions, you notice the man’s left hand grips a macahuitl mace that any other warrior would barely lift from the ground with both hands; the weapon’s obsidian edges drip fresh blood even now. ‘You are not Aztecs’, he blurts out after a heartbeat in this city’s strange Nahua dialect; however, he’s clearly not Azteca either. Before you have a chance to reply, you notice the sound of approaching footsteps, as two guard squads turn the corners ahead and behind you, giving out cries of alarm. The PCs can’t be sure whether these men come for them or for the warrior that has just come out of the wall, but the guards charge without further warning. The PC must join the fight. The lone warrior attacks the guards coming from the left, leaving the PCs to deal with those on the right. Create a -1 encounter using Rank soldiers, Rank spearmen and archers. These men are less surprised and more battle-ready than the other guards the PCs have encountered in Aztlan, but are otherwise the same.

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As the fight ends, read the following aloud: As the last of the guards fall, you realise the lone hummingbird warrior just killed the other six men on his own. He turns to you with a fierce expression, like he’s thinking whether to move on to slaughter you now. Then he gives out a satisfied snarl and nods in your direction. ‘You are the strangers,’ he says in a tone of sudden realisation. ‘You are the ones dreaming us’. This, of course, is Mexi, the lord of the low tribes of Aztlan. Let the PCs conduct the conversation with him, asking and replying as they wish; use the following as excerpts from Mexi’s dialog as needed. ‘You are foreigners’. ‘You are the ones that took my message to the macehualtin’. ‘I am Mexi, the Left-handed Hummingbird; King of the Macehualtin’. ‘Yes, I sent you the hummingbird to give my message. I am a powerful nahual; birds and beasts listen to me’. ‘I needed to rely on the bird; Cuextécatl and his spies are watching me all the time. Well, they don’t watch anymore, heh heh’. ‘Yes, I killed the nobles, I killed my guards’. ‘I slaughtered them, I bathed in their blood. As they watched over me I killed them, as they prayed and guarded, as they kneeled and begged I slaughtered them’. ‘Cuextécatl I did not kill, I spared him; I left him his life’. ‘But everyone else I massacred, I ate their hearts. I’ve had enough of peace, enough of civilisation, enough of all this Toltecatl stuff ’. ‘Long have we lived under the yoke of the Azteca. Long have we lived among these bloodless, heartless weaklings’. ‘We are blood and dirt, they are milk and water. They are living death; we want to live and die’. ‘We didn’t dare leave before, but now…’ ‘Let us say your arrival spurred me to action’. ‘Why? Because that’s what you dreamed us for, why else?’

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‘Always four spirits, always four wizards; always four directions and four colours. I knew you were here for that’. ‘It’s our destiny; to leave Aztlan and found a new tribe’. ‘We seek Tollan but never take it. For you it is ancient history; You know this already. We shall become the warriors and the crafters, the Chichimeca and the Tolteca’. ‘But that’s all in the future, in the past. This is your dream now. We will leave the Azteca tonight’. ‘Yes, I know my people are already marching through the streets. My children at the Slave Quarter are also ready to escape’. ‘We only need one last distraction so the guard will really be too busy to prevent our departure’. ‘Yes, of course you are that distraction’. Mexi asks the PCs to go to the palace aviary, the bird-house inside the animal gardens of the Azteca King, and release his 400 hummingbirds. These are the same birds that appeared to stop the riot at the Slave Quarters during Scene 9; they are all magical creatures under Mexi’s orders, and will know how to distract the City Guard. Mexi would order the birds to leave their cage themselves, as he did the other night, but right now time is short and he has other things to do. So, he commands the PCs to free his birds. ‘They will help you understand the dream’, he adds as a final incentive. When the PCs are ready to carry out the last mission, proceed to Scene 11.

Scene 11: flight of the 400 hummingbirdS Mexi gives the PCs quick directions to the city palace. As they move to the place, they come across several guards running in all directions: they pay no mind to the PCs, as if they were very concerned about something else. Then, the PCs spy a large crowd moving across the streets of Aztlan. Thousands and thousands of people, walking peacefully but defiantly towards the centre of the city; a silent demonstration. It’s the parade of the macehualtin, the march of the low tribes. After running across the city for a while longer, the PCs spy a disturbance over at the Slave Quarters; hundreds of guardsmen huddle against the courtyard wall, doing their best to hold a human tide about to burst through the stone enclosure and out in the open. That’s how the PCs can reach the palace quarter without incident. The Mazatlamilpan, the animal gardens of the King, are in a guarded enclosure a few paces away from the palace grounds. If the PCs try to slip into the enclosure, ask them to perform an Athletic or Stealth action, confronted by the Competent Skill of a jaguar warrior (see Encounter 9). If even one PC fails, the palace guards discover them: Proceed to Encounter 9. As soon as the PCs are free to explore the animal gardens, read the following aloud: The Mazatlamilpan of Aztlan is a large, beautiful garden where paved paths and stonework coexist with beautiful trees and shrubbery. Here and there, a special enclosure displays a wondrous beast, mostly birds, but also large snakes, strange-coloured monkeys and even a great jaguar from the southern jungles.

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The animals seem oblivious to the chaos in the city, cawing and yelling and pacing their cells as if nothing was happening.

Encounter 9: Beast Garden Guards

Eventually the PCs find the hummingbird cell – a huge, gilded cage the size of a granary, where hundreds of colourful little birds zoom and whizz among branches and flowers.

If at any time the PCs are discovered as they explore the beast garden, they gain the attention of the manbeasts that watch over it: two hulking nahual warriors. Create a fair encounter using a combination of jaguar warriors and eagle warriors.

If the PCs have not encountered the palace guards yet, ask them to perform a normal Stealth Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to avoid detection as they free the birds. If the check fails, the guards discover them and you should proceed to Encounter 9.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER

As soon as the PCs are free to proceed, they need only open the cage and the awesome cloud of hummingbirds leaves the cage as a colourful cloud of chaos, as if it was guided by a single mind – which it is.

If the PCs survive the fight, they may continue exploring the beast garden without further incident.

Four hummingbirds, however, remain behind; each of them hovers and flits around one of the PCs, indicating they want to stay with them. These four hummingbirds don’t talk like the one Mexi used as a messenger, but the PCs discover they somehow know the birds’ names: the hummingbirds have put the knowledge in their minds. The white one is called Mixcoatzin; the red one is Apanecatl; the black one is Texcocoatl and the blue one is called Chimalli. The PCs don’t know this, but these four hummingbirds are Mexi’s favourites, and he commanded them to guide and protect the PCs. They are not normal birds, but powerful nature spirits summoned by Mexi’s spellcraft. Mixcoatzin is a companion of the clouds, a male air spirit; Apanecatl is a male water spirit and a friend of mortals; Texcocoatl is a female fire spirit of death, and Chimalli a female spirit of earth and fertility.

Each hummingbird assigns itself to one of the PCs, chosen randomly. If the PCs are playing with the premade party included with this adventure, Mixcoatzin flies with Yosá, Apanecatl with Cuauhtli, Texcocoatl with Hiapsi and Chimalli flies with Xocoxóchitl. As the cloud of hummingbirds covers the streets and the screams of terror and wonder begin, the PCs’ four hummingbird companions say ‘Now for the end of your dream’ in the PCs’ minds. Proceed to Scene 12.

If the PCs defeat them, they may take their jewellery, which would be worth a rough total of 30 to 40 Gold in the open market.

Scene 12: the second dream gatE As the PCs come out of the garden, they notice something terrible has happened. The Cepancuahuitl tree, the sacred Tree of Unity of Aztlan, has been split in two, and is now spurting a river of blood that runs like a waterfall down the four stairways of the Great Pyramid. Perhaps it’s intuition, or perhaps it’s a subtle message from their hummingbird guides, but the PCs realise Mexi did it. This was what he needed to do; this was why he needed them to release his pets instead of doing it himself. And soon his reasons become obvious as well; a crowd of desperate Azteca run to the temple, crying and lamenting and trying to contain the blood flow from their sacred tree. By cutting down the oldest symbol of Aztlan, Mexi has symbolised the breaking of his people with the Aztec hegemony, and provided their escape with an incomparable distraction. He truly is Huitzilopochtli, the ruthless warfare genius that earned the right for an entire tribe to call themselves after him: the Mexica. As the PCs look at the destruction of the tree and the Azteca running to their Great Temple to stop it, the

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hummingbirds ask into their minds, with the voice of their own thoughts: ‘What does that remind you of?’ The right answer is, of course, the burning of the temple of Tenochtitlan. If the PCs fail to come up with the right answer, subtly nudge them to remember what city was built and modelled exactly after Aztlan. ‘Yes’, the hummingbirds say. ‘As one kingdom fell, another kingdom will fall. As Huitzilopochtli cut down the symbol of the Azteca to go, to leave, to found his own city, so his own symbol burned in the city he built. Thus history repeats and the fate of one kingdom mirrors the fate of the other. That is the message of the dream’. Then, the four hummingbirds take to the heavens, and as they soar they take their true forms: four imposing feathered dragons. A PC versed in Faith or History may remember, at this very moment, that the legendary parents of Quetzalcoatl were called Mixcoatl and Chimalli… The last thing the PCs see, before the multicoloured smoke obscures their vision again, is a long procession of freed tribes, following Mexi and the Four Dragons into the wasteland, destined to become the mightiest nation in the world, named after their leader: the Mexica.

Scene 13: waking from the second DreaM When the fog dissipates, the PCs are still looking at the four dragons… as bas-reliefs on the stone walls of a temple. The PCs are back in the real world, this time in the very same temple, atop the very same pyramid, where they were to be sacrificed so many days ago – the Tlahuizcalli of Tenochtitlan’s Eastern Quarter. Again, the PCs are healed of all their wounds, save for any that died, which remain dead; again, they have kept any equipment they looted from their spirit jaunt. And again, they have obtained a broken piece of obsidian from the trip. This time, however, no witch comes out to greet them. By the temple’s two entrances, a group of Mexica guards breaks into the room, brandishing their weapons at the ‘wizards’ that just appeared out of thin air. Before the PCs decide what to do now, they see a flash of light all around them – and then, without a sound, without a storm or any other warning, a lightning bolt rips the Tenochtitlan sky… and falls smack dab on the Tzonmolco – the Temple of Xiuhtecuhtli, the fire saint. The Third Omen has struck.

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Scene 14: Out of the Blue It’s happening again, almost the exact same way. One of the great temples of Tenochtitlan has burst into flames. This time it’s the Tzommolco, the House of Xiuhtecuhtli. You saw the lightning bolt that fell on it. How? The rain had just begun, it was just a light shower. There was no warning. It’s another omen, it has to be. Was the column of fire from another temple burning, far away into the distance? Will this keep happening? What are the spirits trying to say? Everyone in the Great Plaza is awestruck for a moment; then the Mexica of every condition and profession get their bearings and run towards the burning house, carrying water pails, baskets, gourds, whatever they have in hand. You’ve never seen so many people become organised so swiftly. Almost without skipping a step, the guards that were converging on you change direction and run towards the burning temple.

T

H E PC S AR E caught amidst a frenzy of activity, as

civilians, merchants, soldiers and priests scramble to put out the fire at the Temple of Xiuhtecuhtli, running up and down the stairs to bring water, earth and tools.

Let the PCs choose what they want to do. They may try to escape now that the guards are distracted; nobody will chase them for a while. They may also climb up the stairs and try to help put out the fire. Just like the first time, the disaster is confined to the Temple; there’s no way to quell it, but it doesn’t spread. Eventually the fire dies down – on its own – and the PCs draw attention again. Whether the PCs are escaping or helping put the fire out, read the following aloud: As the Mexica begin dispersing or forming small groups to organise the rebuilding of the temple, the guards begin gathering as well. Some throw glances in your direction, but don’t seem to recognise you, until a man points at you and your strange weapons:

Let the PCs state intentions and actions. Before the fight begins, someone breaks through the mob and the soldiers, and everybody stops in their tracks. Just as everyone seems ready to strike, a small procession breaks through the crowd. It’s four soldiers – elite soldiers, cuahchic, or ‘Shorn Warriors’. There’s just four of them, but their sight calms the angry peasants and causes the guards to stiffen and lower their weapons. The Shorn Warriors flank a decorated palanquin, carried by four slaves, that stops on the edge of the mob. On the palanquin, there is a nobleman tended by two richly-clad, beautiful women. As his vehicle stops, the man descends slowly, carefully, while the four Shorn Warriors dart glances to all sides, hands on their mace handles. You recognise the nobleman’s insignia; he is a herald from the Mexica King’s court. ‘These people are to be taken to the palace. No harm must come to them, no one is to hurt them. Only the Teotl Saints and the King shall decide their fate. Take them!’ As the elite Shorn Warriors move to escort you – duly flanked by the city guards – you notice one of the women in the palanquin. Yes, there can be no mistake: She is the witch you encountered before, the one that rescued you from sacrifice and sent you to the spirit world twice. It’s her, dressed as a palace concubine. As you look at her, she nods at you with a half-smile. What is happening here? ■ If the PCs resist or try to point out the witch, they suddenly find themselves groggy and dizzy, unable to concentrate or talk, as the witch, even in her concubine guise, discreetly summons the coloured fog again.

Ask each PC to perform a hard Discipline Check (difficulty: 9(1)); those that succeed may act during this turn. Otherwise, they are too groggy to do anything. Regardless of the PCs’ actions, the fog will take effect by the next round: proceed to Scene 15.

‘There, there! There they are! They appeared in a cloud of smoke, they appeared out of thin air! They appeared, and then the lightning fell! It was them! There, there!’

■ If the PCs allow themselves to be escorted out, the palace herald and his strange retinue guide them to the Great Temple. The herald and the guards ignore the PCs during the trip, answering no questions. The witchconcubine doesn’t even look in the PCs’ direction.

Other bystanders join the screams, and soon you are surrounded by soldiers again; but you know the angry mob behind them is far more dangerous.

Once the group reaches the Great Temple, the four Shorn Warriors lead the PCs to a small building on one side of the pyramid. Then, they take the PCs across

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stairs and galleries, until they reach a small shrine, separated from the rest of the Great Temple.

tone of impertinence. This jungle has never seen civilisation; this wind has never blown through cities or roads.

The guards leave you alone in a round stone precinct, with spirits carved on the walls and a sacrificial stone on the floor. You must be in some hidden chamber below the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. There’s nobody else with you; there’s no sound either.

The beasts of this world have not learned to fear humans.

Then a voice speaks. ‘Three Omens. How many more? Soon there will be answers’… You recognise the voice. It’s the witch, or the concubine, or whatever she is; the mysterious woman behind your escape from sacrifice and your strange dream trips.

The PCs are in the spirit world once again. Ask the PCs to perform an easy Survival or Perception Check (difficulty: 3(1)) to notice there’s a storm coming. It will take a few hours for the storm to arrive, but the signs indicate it will be a big one, as big as any the PCs have ever witnessed. Give the PCs a moment to explore and interact with the strange environment they are in. When you are ready to move on, proceed to Encounter 11.

Where is she? Why doesn’t she explain herself? Does she have anything to do with the omens?

Encounter 11: Sticks and Stones

As you wonder, the familiar coloured fog begins to fill the chamber…

As the PCs move across this strange jungle, they hear thumps and cries from the bushes. Read the following aloud when they approach the scene:

Proceed to Scene 15.

As you come closer to the source of the noise, you witness an unusual scene. A small band of big apes are throwing stones, branches and mud clumps to a smaller, scared ape hiding among the branches of a tall tree. As the larger apes yell at their victim, you get the strange notion that those are not animal noises, but actual words – slurs and insults in a kind of primal beast speech.

Scene 15: the second suN You know you have been transported to the spirit world again – the third time in the last few days – even before the fog dissipates. The chitter of wilderness surrounds you; sounds from four hundred sources – the rustle of wind on leaves, a cacophony of birds cawing, the pit-pat of light raindrops. You are outdoors again. When the coloured fog lifts, you confirm you are in a jungle; but this doesn’t look like the wilds south of the Anahuac. This landscape of trees and shrubbery looks… monstrous. Everything is larger; malformed, even. There are no flowers, the leaves in the bushes are like canopies; even the sound of beasts has an unnerving quality, a

A few seconds after your arrival, the big apes stop yelling and gape at you, doubting for an instant whether to stop, flee or turn against you… Ask the PCs to perform a normal Charisma or Discipline check (difficulty: 6(1)). ■ If the check succeeds, the apes are intimidated by the PCs’ presence and disperse into the bushes, leaving their victim alone. ■ If the check fails, the apes attack the PCs with the same fury they showed against their previous target. Create a -1 encounter using apemen.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs survive their encounter with the ape-men, the smaller ape looks at them in fear and, after a while, climbs down the tree if the PCs don’t threaten him. If the PCs try to communicate, the small ape-man doesn’t understand their signs or language, and may even become frightened.

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If the PCs attack the small ape, they kill it easily (automatic success). Eventually, unless the PCs stop him, the ape-man looks at them, says something that could well be ‘thank you’ in his animalistic language, and disappears into the bushes. Let the PCs know these apes were like humans in their stance and features; in fact, thinking about it, they looked and behaved more as very primitive humans than advanced primates.

as it’s been gorging on dead meat for days now. And it’s still hungry. Create a -1 encounter using a cocodrile. If the PCs survive the fight, they may continue exploring the primeval jungle. Let them declare actions and intentions, and look around a bit more. When the PCs have wandered the jungle for a few more hours, proceed to Scene 16.

Ask the PCs to perform an easy Rites Check (difficulty: 3(1)). If the check succeeds, the PCs may realise they’re in a dream of the Second Sun, the time when all mortals were primitive ape-men and the world was all jungle and rainstorms. If the PCs detected the imminent storm, they also understand it will lay waste to this world, with the PCs on it; unless they decipher the clues of the spirit journey before it happens.

Encounter 12: The Drowned Valley After walking through the jungle for a while longer – you may simply say a few hours have passed, or ask them to perform survival actions against a TSE that plays two cards to spice things up – the PCs come across a sloped ravine leading to what seems to be a river. Closer inspection reveals it isn’t a river, however; it was a valley, filled with lush plant life, tall trees and land animals. Now, though, the plants are drowned, the trees have fallen, uprooted or broken in half, and the drowned animals’ corpses float on the stagnant water. This was dry land; a storm flooded and devastated it. And judging from the signs, it was as fierce a storm as any the PCs could think of. Both sides of the valley are buried in a landslide of mud; some of the trees were completely lifted into the air before crashing against the flooded rocks. This was a cataclysmic event, and the damp weather and gloomy sky seem to indicate it isn’t that rare in this world. If the PCs approach the slopes of the drowned valley, ask them to perform an Athletic or Survival action against a TSE that plays two cards to avoid sliding down and taking 1 point of unpreventable damage. If the PCs fall into the bottom of the drowned valley, or walk near it of their own free will, they realise something stirs amidst the stagnant water. It is a huge crocodile, who wasn’t bothered when its land became water; in fact, it benefitted from the flood,

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Scene 16: the ape-meN After the PCs have spent some more time making their way across the jungle, read the following aloud: As the sun approaches the West horizon, a light drizzle begins and the sounds of nocturnal beasts start sounding in the distance. Even the animal noises are wilder, more savage. More threatening. The drizzle doesn’t look like it will get worse tonight, but it’s still a warning of a much larger storm. This primitive jungle feels less welcoming with every hour. Then, you perceive lights – yes, lights – in the distance. Not from a natural source, but like those from man-made fires. Are there actual people in this forsaken world? Let the PCs decide what to do on their own time. When they approach the light source, they may confirm it indeed comes from torches – like those made by men. Or rather, ape-men.

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It looks like a village, except there are no houses but strange earth mounds, crudely made with mud and clumped tree branches. A few primitive faces look on from the dark dwellings. It is an ape-man village. Before the PCs can react, a halfdozen ape-men appear among the bushes, their yellow eyes glinting the firelight. Another half-dozen apes start stirring among the mud buildings, all looking menacingly at the PCs. The ape-men don’t attack; they make a few intimidating displays like growling and beating their chests, and some grip crude weapons made of sharpened bone, but they don’t move against the PCs. It’s like they are waiting for an order. Before the PCs attack, try to flee or interrupt the waiting, read the following aloud: Then, you realise what they were waiting for. Suddenly the threatening ape-men stand straight, looking back at their village, and from there two figures approach. They stand perhaps a bit straighter, their gait more certain, their eyes kinder; but they are doubtlessly ape-men too. They are a man and a woman, with deep black fur covering their bodies, wearing crude but dazzling jewellery. They hold hands as they walk towards you. Then they talk. In your minds. There are no spoken words, no animal sounds, but you clearly think of their message as they look at you: ‘You are dreaming. This is dreaming. You are intruders.’ As other NPCs from previous spirit dreams, the ‘royal ape couple’ are aware that the PCs are dreaming them, and realise they are trespassers from the mortal world. These

ape leaders are capable of spiritspeaking – wordless communication – and allow the PCs to reply in the same fashion. Let the PCs conduct the conversation, asking and saying what they wish, using the following excerpts as part of the ape-couple’s replies: ‘This is Second Sun. There was first Sun of giant-people, but beasts eat them.’ ‘We are descendants; we are remainder. We are normal-people, we live now.’ ‘Storms get stronger. Storms kill many.’ ‘You are not Second Sun. You from after. You from later. You dream us.’ ‘You are intruder. Our last days. We wish peace. Die in peace.’ ‘Storms kill all. Bad-people kill all. Soon we die. Soon we end.’ ‘Bad-people harass. Bad-people kill. Bad-people eat. Fight for land. Fight for food. Steal our food. Steal our tools. Steal our children. Eat our people.’ If the PCs let the smaller ape go during Encounter 11, you may add the following excerpts to the ape leaders’ dialogue: ‘You are intruder. Yet you save. May be salvation. May be sent. May be good.’ The PCs also see the small ape among the villagers, and realise he is a child of this people. These ape-men look gentler, more civilised, than the ones that were harassing the child; some even wear a semblance of clothing made of leaves or leather straps. Perhaps the other apes were a different tribe. If the PCs didn’t save the apechild in Encounter 9, ask them to perform a Charisma action, con-

fronted by the apeman leaders’ competent skill. If the PCs attacked or scared the ape-child, they suffer one disadvantage on this action; if they saved him, they gain one advantage If the PCs fail on the confrontation, the apemen drive them out of their village; proceed to Scene 17. If the PCs succeed on the confrontation, they earn the trust and goodwill of the apes. The ape-leaders tell them the following: ‘We need escape. These lands low. These lands flood. Storms destroy here. We must go. Find higher lands.’ ‘We cannot leave. We cannot explore. Bad-people kill explorers. We try to. Bad-people hunt us. They prevent escape.’ ‘Help us escape. Help us explore. Help us find. Find higher land. Safe from storms.’ ‘You are stronger. Stronger than them. You are dreaming. Dreams are tests. Maybe your test. May be this. Help us escape. Find higher land.’ If the PCs agree to help, the apemen point them to the East – ‘away from the rains’, they say – where the terrain gets somewhat higher, to start they search. It’s also because the great storm is coming from the West. The ape-men can’t offer any equipment, but they can give the PCs food – mostly raw meat, seeds and vegetables. The ape-men also warn the PCs that the rains won’t stop; if anything, they will get stronger. The great storm is still a couple of days away, but it’s still too short a time to lead the apemen to safety. The PCs must hurry. As soon as the PCs are ready to leave, proceed to Scene 17.

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If the PCs survive this encounter, proceed to encounter 14.

Scene 17: the other tribE

Encounter 14: Monkey Dancing

As this scene begins, the PCs are wandering the jungle again, either expelled by the ape-men, or having promised to find higher ground for the apes to escape the great storm. Read the following aloud as the PCs explore:

Then, the PCs see a growing light amid the darkness – someone has lit a bonfire.

The light rain, while it barely gets you wet, hasn’t stopped for hours now, and the jungle only feels more dangerous as time passes. Many times, you have to look over your shoulder to make sure you’re not being watched, only to confirm there is indeed some bizarre bird or beast glaring at you before scampering away. This world does not want you here, and you can’t help but agree – the coming storm will make it even less hospitable. After a few hours of exploration, ask the PCs to perform an easy Survival check (difficulty: 3(1)) to analyse the environment, or a normal Athletic check (difficulty: 6(1)) to climb a tree and look around. If the check succeeds, the PCs understand the terrain doesn’t show any sign of elevation or opening soon, and it’s likely there are no highlands anywhere near – at least not near enough to reach before the storm begins.

Encounter 13: Ape Marauders Let the PCs discuss what to do, and then tell one of them there’s something watching them again. As they react, they notice it’s not some small beast this time. It’s an ape-man war party. These ape-men are wilder and more primitive than the ones the PCs found previously; in fact, they resemble the ones the PCs fought in Encounter 11, devoid of any clothes, tools or weapons. They have plenty of aggression, though, and leap on the PCs immediately. Create a +1 encounter using apemen. If the PCs survive the encounter, they hear other apes coming; they may wait for them or escape into the jungle. If the PCs escape, run encounter 14. If the PCs stay or move to confront the ape-men war party, Create a +3 encounter again, using apemen.

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Night falls while the PCs are still exploring. The light rain hasn’t stopped and may start getting on the nerves of the fussier PCs; describe how it’s been a constant bother for almost a full day now.

As the PCs approach the light, they hear tom-toms and guttural chanting. Read the following aloud when the PCs come closer: You come across a scene of primal savagery. A dozen naked apemen dance around a tall bonfire, while others slam their fists and palms on hollow tree stumps. All the apemen seem possessed by a frenzy; they are such fierce, brutal creatures that it seems they can’t really enjoy what they are doing, becoming instead more and more furious as they leap and scream. Amid the dancers, a lanky apeman with a crude headdress of leaves and branches makes wild motions and cries in a shrill, frightening voice. There’s a semblance of ritual paintings, made with dried blood, across his fur. The other apes seem to regard this figure with fear and reverence, and give him a wide berth as they dance around him. These are clearly the “other apes”; the savage, more primitive tribe that the PCs have encountered before, the ones the more peaceful apemen refer to as ‘bad-people’. Ask the PCs to perform a Stealth action, confronted by the apemen’s Mediocre Skill. If all PCs win the confrontation, they may continue watching the scene, slip away unnoticed or surprise the apemen. If even one PC loses the confrontation, or if the PCs let themselves be seen, some of the apemen freeze still or flee in surprise, but many others advance menacingly as their witch-doctor points at the PCs with bloodshot eyes. If the PCs manage to leave quietly, proceed to Scene 18. If the PCs try to parley with the apemen, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by the apemen’s Competent Skill.

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If the PCs fail the confrontation or attack the apemen, create a fair encounter using apemen. If the PCs survive the battle, the remaining apemen flee.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs win the fight or the Charisma confrontation, the ape-man wizard agrees to talk to them; he can engage on spirit-talking just like his peers from the peaceful tribe. Let the PCs conduct the conversation asking or saying whatever they want; use any or all the following excerpts as part of the ape-man wizard’s answers. ‘We stronger. They weaker.’ ‘You stronger. You protect. We kill all.’ ‘We stand ground. We survive storm. They die.’ ‘Storm sweep weak. Strong survive storm.’ ‘We chant. We pray. We dance. Storm strong. We stronger.’ ‘Weak climb trees. We no climb trees.’ Clearly these ape-men believe they will survive the storm, and despise the other tribe because of their ability to climb trees, which they see as cowardly. The ape-man witch-doctor is intimidated by the PCs, which means his people are intimidated too; they won’t attack unless provoked. ■ If the PCs attack the apemen, create a +1 encounter using apemen. If the PCs survive the battle, the remaining ape-men flee. ■ If the PCs already defeated the ape-men, the wizard tries to flee; if the PCs attack him, he dies without a fight (no confrontation needed).

After the encounter, the PCs are free to continue exploring; run Scene 18.

Scene 18: the forest of tall treeS Let the PCs explore for a little; then let them know the rain is becoming stronger. The storm can’t be more than a few hours away. Ask the PCs to perform a Survival action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. If the PCs fail the confrontation, they are defenceless under the rain; they gain 1 disadvantage on all checks and cannot rest or draw cards for the rest of the day. If the PCs succeed at the confrontation, they have found shelter or a safe path, and may eat and rest. After the confrontation, the PCs may try to make camp in some cave or crevice. If the PCs promised to help the ape-man village, they should return now to warn them there is no higher ground to flee to. As soon as the PCS head out in any direction, proceed to Encounter 15.

Encounter 15: Ambush As the PCs march under the heavy rain, ask them to perform a normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the check succeeds, the PCs notice the ape-men hiding among the bushes, about to ambush them. Create a +1 encounter using apeman. If the PCs failed the Perception Check, they are ambushed.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs survive the ambush, they notice the apemen were hiding under the shade of a copse of very tall, wide trees, whose foliage blocks the rain entirely. Ask the PCs to perform an easy Knowledge Check (difficulty: 3(1)). If the check succeeds, the PCs realise that, had the apemen climbed those trees, they could have killed the PCs with stones and branches from above without the PCs ever noticing, yet they chose to launch a ground assault for some reason. This is yet anoth-

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er reminder that the ‘savage’ tribe of ape-men doesn’t have the ability or inclination to climb trees. Let the PCs know that the tall tree area continues deep into the jungle behind the ambush spot; the trees are numerous enough to hold several tribes of apemen… if they were tree climbers. If the PCs promised to help the ape-man village, they should now deduce these trees would serve as perfect replacement for the ‘higher ground’ the apes needed. If the PCs didn’t promise to help the ape-men, or don’t reach the conclusion on their own, ask them to perform an easy Knowledge Check (difficulty: 3(1)) to remember that, according to legend, the world of the Second Sun was destroyed by a great storm, and that the men of that time survived it by hiding on the treetops. This is their mission, and the only way to get out of the dream: it falls to the PCs to find the ape-men and guide them safely to the Forest of Tall Trees. When the PCs leave the Forest of Tall Trees towards the ape-man village, let them know a few hours pass under the heavy rain. Then, the PCs realise the rain is getting stronger, and an unnatural wind begins blowing through the woods… The Great Storm has begun. Proceed to Scene 19.

Scene 19: the great storM This scene takes place only when the PCs have realised they must warn the ape-man village about the forest of Tall Trees, and are trying to reach it before the great storm arrives. As the scene begins, it’s clearly too late. Read the following aloud: Suddenly you notice a far-off howling, like a gale wind across thousands of tree branches. Then, the noises of the jungle increase: screams of rage, panicked chirping, anguished hollering – the beasts know. As you realise what is happening, a cold air hits your face and rain drops begin hitting you even under the waterproof canopy of the Tall Trees: the rain is slanting, hitting almost horizontally. Like it wants to strike you. Like it wants to strike everything down. The Great Storm is beginning. This is the PCs’ last chance to reach the ape-men and take them to the Forest of Tall Trees in time; they must hurry, or everybody will die. During the race, the storm intensifies; leaves are violently stripped from trees and lash at the PCs’ bodies, like windborne knives; small mud slides begin appearing on the ground as a rush of water slowly overcomes the land; smaller trees and branches crack and fall around the PCs, some dangerously close to their path. And all the while, the rain gets stronger and stronger, hitting the PCs’ faces and obscuring their path. Ask the PCs to perform a Survival action, confronted by a TSE that plays three cards. If the PCs lose the confrontation, they become lost and arrive to the ape-man village drenched, tired and half-blind from the rain, suffering 1 disadvantage on any check or action for the rest of the scene. If the check succeeds, the PCs beat the storm to the village, but just barely. Run Encounter 16.

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Encounter 16: Facing the Storm When the PCs arrive to the apeman village, they find it half-flooded already, with the mud huts slowly melting in the slush and some of the villagers hiding among low tree branches. There are 21 living ape-men when the PCs arrive; from here, keep count of the ape-men that survive the return trip to the Forest of Tall Trees. ■ If the PCs failed the Athletic or Survival check to arrive, the village is almost submerged. Some of the apes have drowned, and the rest are scrambling to save themselves and their kin, clumsily carrying their young and elderly and wading through the waist-deep flood. The number of living ape-men is reduced to 16.

and half-drowning, and a small tree trunk falls on the apes closest to the PCs. To avoid the falling tree and save the apes, perform an Athletic action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards; the PCs suffer 1 point of unpreventable damage for every point under the result of the TSE. Record which PC suffered less damage during the encounter: one of the ape-men dies for every point of damage suffered by that PC.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER Regardless of how well the PCs do during the encounter, it ends with them precariously leading the apeman tribe out of their lands and toward the Forest of Tall Trees, under a drenching downpour, with the Great Storm at their heels. The storm prevents the PCs from resting or recovering from any damage for the rest of the scene, but they may attempt Medical actions (albeit with one disadvantage). To return to the Forest of Tall Trees, ask the PCs to perform a Survival action against a TSE that plays three cards.

The PCs must succeed on a Charisma action to rally and shepherd the ape-men away from the area, on a Survival action to help them find the best ways through the flooded terrain, or on an Athletic action to help them get out of the flood. Any of these actions are confronted by a TSE that plays two cards if the PCs got to the village in time, or a TSE that plays three cards if the storm got there before the PCs. If the action fails, all the PCs suffer 1 point of unpreventable damage from stumbling, weariness

■ If the confronted action fails, the PCs lead the apes through a path filled with sinkholes, sharp drifting stones, falling trees, and perhaps one lightning bolt or two, and the PC who performed the check suffer 1 point of unpreventable damage for every point under the TSE’s result. ■ Record which PC suffered less damage during the confronted action: one of the ape-men dies for every point of damage suffered by that PC.

After the action, the PCs and the ape-man tribe are at last on their way to the Forest of Tall Trees… but there’s still an obstacle in their path. Run Encounter 17.

Encounter 17: We All Die Together As the PCs trudge along under the storm leading their haphazard band of rescued villagers, they come across another group – a band from the other tribe. They are drenched and wounded too; it seems they haven’t withstood the storm as well as they believed, and have lost many of their number. And they are furious at seeing their enemies survive. To avoid combat between the apeman tribes, perform a Charisma check, confronted by the ape-men brutes’ Competent Skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they convince the ape-men brutes to join their band and help save each other, which adds 8 living ape-men to the group. Proceed to Scene 20. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they must fight. Create a -2 encounter using apeman. ■

Ignore any disadvantages incurred by the PC from wounds or the weather, as their adversaries are similarly afflicted.

■

One of the living ape-men on the PCs’ side dies for every round the combat takes.

■

If the PCs win, the remaining enemies have died or fled; the peaceful tribe has won the battle… but at what cost?

AFTER TH E ENC O UN TE R If the PCs survive the encounter with the ape-men rivals, they have settled the rivalry between both tribes for good, and may now proceed to the Forest of Tall Trees. Run Scene 20.

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Scene 20: the third dream gatE After several hours of endless marching under a raging downpour, hit by lacerating winds, wading against a waist-deep current of mud, rock and dead animals, avoiding falling rocks and trees, the PCs finally lead the ape-man tribe – or what’s left of it – to the Forest of Tall Trees. ■ If 3 or less living ape-men remain, they are not enough to perpetuate the species and the PCs have failed their mission; they remain trapped in this dream forever, and the adventure ends here. ■ If at least 4 living ape-men remain, they can re-

produce and repopulate with other survivors after the storm has passed. The ape-men begin climbing the trees; they will be safe from the storm hitting other parts of the jungle. Also, from here they will devolve into arboreal monkeys, but that’s still far into the future. ■ If the PCs haven’t yet deduced it, they realise now they were in a dream of the Second Sun, the one inhabited by ape-men and destroyed by storms before there were humans.

To reach the dream gate, the PCs must climb the trees too; let them deduce it on their own, or subtly nudge towards it by making the storm more and more threatening at ground level.

Scene 21: waking from the third dreaM As they climb the last tree branches, the PCs notice the strange, multicoloured mist again; they have been brought back to the waking world. Read the following aloud: Then it’s not tree branches climb, but the rungs of a ladder… A ladder that leads to a temple. Again, a stone temple at the top of a pyramid, decorated with carvings of beasts, spirits and demons on the walls. There is an altar dedicated to Tlaloc, the Storm Dragon, at the far wall of the chamber. Two burning censers flank the effigy, and kneeling between them is a woman. The witch. The mysterious woman that has saved your lives twice, just to keep sending you on these bizarre dream quests. Let the PCs state their actions and decisions, and describe their situation.

As the PCs climb the trees (no check required), the sounds of the jungle seem to coalesce in five whispered words; these words are the message of the Third Dream.

Again, the PCs are healthy and recovered, as if the trip didn’t take place; save for any dead PCs, which remain dead. And again, they have brought back any equipment gained during the trip. Lost items remain lost.

Mortals Will Face Extinction Again.

Finally, the PCs notice they have a third broken obsidian piece with them; one that matches the others they have brought back from their dream quests. As they realise this, read the following aloud:

When the PCs finish the climb, they realise they aren’t on a jungle any more. Run Scene 21.

Your thoughts are interrupted when the Witch talks. She whispers under her breath, still kneeling, her back to you. ‘The Storm is angry’, she says. ‘The dragons are angry.

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That’s the message of the dream’. As the Witch says these last words, before the PCs have any chance to act, they see something in the night sky over Tenochtitlan, barely glimpsed from the temple windows. Three fiery comets dart across heaven. ‘It’s the Fourth Omen’, the witch says, finally turning to face you.

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iv. The three starS 58

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Scene 22: necahuA

T

H E PC S H AV E just witnessed three comets darting across the sky right over Tenochtitlan.

It is the fourth time they stand on a Temple, looking at a mysterious omen from the sky. And the woman facing them, the one that has saved them from death more than once, the one that sent them three times on deadly dream trips to the spirit world, says there will be more omens.

‘Let me be clear, let me talk frankly. If you refuse me, I will kill you. I will have you dead without a ritual sacrifice’. If the PCs try to attack Necahua or refuse to listen to her, proceed to Encounter 17. If the PCs agree to talk to Necahua, it’s time for explanations: Let the PCs conduct the conversation with Necahua at their own pace, asking and replying as they wish. Use the following excerpts as part of Necahua’s dialogue while talking to the PCs:

Use the above paragraphs as a guideline to get the PCs up to speed on the story. Then, read the following aloud. As you ponder the meaning of the omen you just witnessed, the woman stands and walks towards you. It’s the first time since you met her, days ago, that she comes close enough for you to examine her features. There is no doubt – she is one of the royal concubines, a companion to King Moctecuhzoma II. But you know for a fact she’s a bit more than that. ‘Long have we known each other, long have we seen each other. Yet we have not met. I salute you. I am Necahua.’ At last, after days of mystery and danger, it seems the time has come for explanations. Make sure your PCs understand this: the mysterious witch that has meddled with them so much during the past week is about to finally talk to them. ‘I am Necahua, indeed one of the Tlatoani’s concubines’. ‘I am also a Nahual witch, as you already know’. ‘Witchcraft is a forbidden practice for a palace wife. I put myself in mortal danger by helping you. You know my secrets now’. ‘I am helping you. Even if you wish to be good children and let them sacrifice you, the alternative I offer is a much better way to accomplish your duty to the King and the Spirits’. ‘I didn’t save you for your lives. I need you to save the people. Everybody. Not only the Mexica, but all the Anahuac, maybe the entire world’.

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‘Necahua the Nahual, that is who I am, that is my role. I am a master of the Spirit World, and have been since I was a child. I was born marked, as the most powerful wizards are, and I had already accomplished many miracles, many great portents, even before my family sold me to the King’. ‘I have been two spirits, two faces – the love companion, the woman, on the right side; the nahual, the witch, on the left. I have been day and night, sun and moon, for thirteen years now. And I always kept my great powers hidden, always conducted my portents in secrecy’. ‘But now, the Column of Fire came in the East. That was the First Omen. I knew even then, there would be more. And I was right. Lightning came down in a clear sky, fire came down to burn the House of Xiuhtecuhtli. And now the three stars you just witnessed. These are omens. And there are still more coming.’ ‘The Spirits are not pleased, the Saints are not pleased. And they are warning us.’ ‘There is danger, terrible danger, coming. Our Sun is coming to an end, I have foreseen it. And the defence, the shield, is not sacrifice or appeasing the Saints – it’s not the Saints coming. It is something else. The answers are not in sacrifice but in the Spirit World.’ ‘Three times now have you travelled to the Spirit, and three times you returned with answers, you brought back clues. The Spirits want us to understand, they want us to do this.’ ‘I didn’t explain before because there was no time, there was hurry, there were eyes and ears, there were

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soldiers. Now I can explain.’ ‘I know now, I know the Omens are signals of a great danger. It remains hidden, it remains obscured, but the Spirit World holds the answers; I know it. The Spirit World Will reveal what the Omens mean.’ ‘I cannot go to the King, I cannot go to the priests, with my revelation. I cannot ask the diviners for counsel. If they discover I am a witch, they will refuse to listen. If they keep believing I am just a concubine, they will listen even less.’ ‘I cannot ask for their help. But I can send people to the Spirit World, I can ask them to gather clues for me. Your three dreams, your first dreams, prove I am right.’ ‘Four Omens have we witnessed in the sky; Four Omens will we see on the land. That is the cosmic order, that is the manner of things. Brave warriors must explore the Spirit World, brave ones must dream, to understand the omens, to get the answers.’ ‘Saving the Anahuac. Warning the world against the coming threat. Isn’t that almost as noble, almost as blessed, as sacrifice?’ Necahua plans to keep sending the PCs to the Spirit World every time there is a new omen, including the three comets they just witnessed. She believes this will reveal the threat against the Anahuac and help the people stop it in time. If the PCs agree to help Necahua, proceed to Scene 23. If the PCs refuse, or attack the witch, proceed to Encounter 17.

Encounter 17: Wrath of the Witch

Scene 23: dream explorerS As this scene begins, the PCs have agreed to become Necahua’s agents, travelling to the Spirit World to help her gather clues about the Omens and the doom they are announcing – and more importantly, how to stop it. The agreement is that Necahua will send the PCs to the spirit world again every time there is a new omen; they will be fulfilling their sacrificial duty, but dying will remain optional. Their next assignment is, of course, a fourth dream trip, to research the message behind the omen of the Three Comets, which Necahua believes to be the last ‘sky omen’. If she is right, the following omens will happen on land. Necahua tells the PCs to rest and prepare for the trip as they wish – For the first time! At last! – and guarantees they are safe and well hidden in her temple. ■ The PCs may pray, attempt to regain Spirit, draw cards, and any other preparations they come up with. Necahua completely heals the PCs, and provides them with weapons if they so ask; she can provide each PC with equipment with a total value of up to 250.

If the PCs refuse Necahua or try to attack her, she vanishes in a puff of smoke and summons her guards and acolytes to capture the PCs.

■ This is also a good moment to clarify some of the mysteries about the PC’s previous travels. Have Necahua tell the PCs all the information they still haven’t deduced, or confirm what they have, from the Necahua’s Plan Sidebar.

Create a +2 encounter, using a combination of Cuahchic and native blood priests. The NPCs don’t strike to kill; if the PCs are defeated, they are left traumatised, not bleeding out.

■ If the PCs want to leave Necahua’s temple, she politely declines, reasoning that they are still wanted criminals in Tenochtitlan for escaping their sacrifice days ago.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R

■ If the PCs try to slip unnoticed to look around or escape the temple, ask them to perform a Stealth Action, confronted by the Competent Skill of a Cuahchic. If the PCs win the confrontation, they may freely explore Necahua’s Temple; go to Scene 25.

■ If the PCs win the battle, they may loot the bodies of Necahua’s guards, plus a total of 76 Gold in jewellery. Then they may explore Necahua’s lair; run Scene 25. ■ If the PCs lose, they wake up in a cell; proceed to Scene 24.

As soon as the PCs are ready to go on their next mission, Necahua summons them to her central chamber, and calls on the coloured mist again… Run Scene 26.

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SIDEBAR: NECAHUA’S PLAN Reveal these facts if your PCs talk to Necahua in Scene 23 or inspect her belongings in Scene 25. ■ Necahua has built and equipped this hidden temple on her own, using her magic and resources as a noble concubine. Neither the King nor the Priest Caste of the city know of this place. ■ Necahua’s guards are fanatically loyal shorn

warriors and apprentice priests and priestess, who know her secret but would never betray her to the other nobles. ■ Necahua has followed the PCs’ exploits across the previous dream worlds, and has gathered notes on the subject. ■ The first dream the PCs’ visited was an invasion

of hair-faced foreigners from beyond the Eastern Sea, which took place far to the North, roughly at the same time as the Mexica’s exile from Aztlan 500 years ago. ■ The First Dream corresponded to the First Omen

– the Column of Fire on the East. Necahua thinks the dream, with its red symbolism, combined with the First Omen, means that a threat will come from the East. ■ The Second Dream was a trip to the exile of Aztlan, as the PCs’ know, and they played the part of the four sage-priests that accompanied the chieftain Mexi on that legendary pilgrimage.

Scene 24: necahua’s dungeoN This scene only takes place if the PCs are defeated by Necahua’s guards and taken prisoner. Necahua’s dungeon is a collection of eight round pits on the bottom of her secret temple. The guards take the PCs and throw them into one of these pits.

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■ Since the Second Dream came after the burning of the Temple of Huitzilopochtli – the deified version of Mexi himself – Necahua believes the dream means that Tenochtitlan will fall just as Aztlan did. ■ The Third Dream was a trip to the age of the Second Sun, a remote past beyond the memory of the Saints, when the world was young and the spirits destroyed mortals with storms. According to legend, mortals became monkeys and climbed to the trees to survive the destruction of the world. ■ Necahua believes that the Third Dream, combined with the Third Omen – the lightning bolt that fell on the House of Xiuhtecuhtli – means that all humanity is in danger – this doom will equal the end of a world, the end of an age. ■ Necahua has no notes about the Fourth Omen – the three stars – but intends to send the PCs to the Spirit World soon for answers. ■ Necahua believes there will be a total of eight omens – four coming from Above, four coming from Below. This matches the Cosmic Order of the Four Directions and the Upper and Lower Spirit Worlds. If Necahua is right, after the Three Stars there will be four more omens, all coming from the earth. ■ Finally, Necahua is sure that the broken obsidian pieces are intended to reveal the full truth once they are complete, and that they are the final key to all the omens. She thinks there will be a total of eight obsidian pieces, and has begun sketching diagrams of what shape they will take once they are gathered.

If the PCs were unconscious, they wake up hurt but alive. They have been stripped of all equipment, but are in otherwise normal status. Let the PCs decide what to do now. If they are injured, they may try to use Medical actions on each other. They may also rest and draw cards if they wish. When the PCs have spent a while in Necahua’s pit, they listen to her voice in the air. ‘You will have to help me. I can’t risk you getting out and betraying me to the King, I can’t risk looking for more willing subjects… you will help me. You are the only hope of the mortal world’. Let the PCs state their actions and intentions. ■ If the PCs want to escape the pit, ask them to perform an Athletic action, confronted by a TSE that plays

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three cards. If they fail, they must wait until the multicoloured fog comes for them: proceed to Scene 26. ■ If the PCs decide to wait in the dungeon, they may

keep resting and recovering; the guards feed them twice a day from above. When the PCs sleep in the dungeon for the second time, they see the familiar multicoloured fog in their dreams; run Scene 26. ■ If the PCs win the Confrontation to climb out of the pit, run Encounter 18.

Encounter 18: The Daring Escape As the PCs climb out of the pit, a group of soldiers runs at them. Create a fair encounter, using a combination of Cuahchic and Ahtlatl throwers. The PCs have no weapons during this fight, but they may take the weapons of the enemies they defeat.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R ■ If the PCs win, they may take the guards’ weapons; they have magical maces and shields, plus 41 quachtli in jewellery. ■ If the PCs are defeated, the guards don’t leave them bleeding out, but traumatised instead. While unconscious, the PCs see the multicoloured fog, and when they wake up they’re someone else… run Scene 26.

If the PCs win the encounter, they may freely explore Necahua’s temple and try to escape; proceed to Scene 25.

Scene 25: lair of the witcH This scene only takes place if the PCs manage to defeat or slip past Necahua’s guards, getting an unexpected chance to explore the Witch’s lair. Read the following aloud as the scene begins: Necahua’s temple resembles the inside of the great temples of Tenochtitlan, except the imagery of the Saints and Spirits carved on the walls is mixed with other, less identifiable, more monstrous beings. Necahua clearly worships both sides of the spirit world – the upper and the lower realms. Let the PCs explore at their own pace. Refer to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide the PCs’ steps through the area, describing the section corresponding to the code of the chamber they move to. ■ If the PCs defeated Necahua’s guards during the first encounter, they start the scene at area N1. ■ If the PCs are Necahua’s guests and slipped past their guards, they start the scene at area N3. ■ If the PCs find and inspect area N6, they learn the information contained in the Necahua’s Plan sidebar. ■ If the PCs escaped from the dungeon, they start the scene at Area N10.

Every time the PCs reach an area marked X on the map, ask them to perform a normal Stealth Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If even one of the PCs fails the check, the guards have heard something. The PCs must perform a Stealth Action, confronted by the Shorn Guards’ Competent Skill. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, create a -1 encounter, using Cuahchic and native blood priests. ■ If the PCs are defeated, the guards don’t leave them bleeding out, but traumatised instead. While unconscious, the PCs see the multicoloured fog, and wake up in the Spirit World again; run Scene 26. ■ If the PCs defeat the guards, let them keep exploring the temple, referring to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide their steps. ■ If the PCs enter and leave area N7, or use the exits on areas N2 or N11, they activate Necahua’s magical wards, and the multicoloured mist surrounds them again; run Scene 26. 63

Scene 26: the world of dragonS After the familiar burst of multicoloured mist, the PCs know they’re being transferred to the dream world again… But something’s not right this time. Read the following aloud as the mist dissipates: As the multicoloured mist lifts, a series of explosions, hisses, crashes, animal screams and the smell of burnt wood assail your senses. The first you see is red. Fiery red. Then the silhouettes of bushes, trees, vines, dark against the red background… of fire. It’s all burning. The world is burning. It’s like your last dream, except now it’s not water falling from the sky… it’s flame. Flaming meteors, sizzling comets of burning flame and ash that hit the ground with loud crashes, bringing down trees and drowning the land in flame. Whatever this dream will teach you, you better learn it quick… because you’ve been brought smack dab in the middle of a rain of fire. Let the PCs declare their actions and intentions, and run Encounter 19.

■ Every PC that gets suffers a negative consequence suffers 1 point of unpreventable damage from the heat and flying sparks. ■ Every PC that gets a normal success is unharmed for that round. ■ If at least one of the PCs gets a critical success, they have all found temporary shelter under a large rock formation; proceed to after the encounter after the current round. ■ If one of the PCs suffers a negative consequence he suffers Fire and Flames 2.

Besides the action to avoid the flames, every round the PCs may perform a normal Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to see if they find shelter from the flaming projectiles. ■ If at least one PC succeeds on the check, they find cover under a large rock formation at the end of that round; proceed to after the encounter when the current round ends. ■ If a PC suffers a negative consequence e on the check, he suffers a disadvantage against the flaming rain TSE during the next round.

The encounter continues until the characters are all dead or until they find shelter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs survive the rain of fire, they found a large rock formation that fits them comfortably; the inferno outside won’t stop, but at least they may get their bearings and decide what to do now.

Encounter 19: The Rain of Fire This encounter consists basically in that there are playing ball-sized meteors and blazes randomly falling around the PCs. For every round that the PCs remain under the rain of fire, ask them to perform an Athletic or Survival action against a TSE that plays two cards. ■ Every PC that loses the confrontation suffers 2

points of unpreventable damage from flaming debris.

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The PCs may plan, tend to their wounds, etc. If they try to rest under the rock, they must perform a normal Discipline check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the action succeeds, the PCs may rest and draw cards normally, even with a rain of fire a few paces away. If the PCs want to try and learn something about their situation, ask them to perform a normal Knowledge Check (6(1)). ■ A success with a negative consequence confirms the PCs have been transported to the age of the Third Sun, when the world was destroyed by a rain of fire,

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but it misleads the PCs into ‘learning’ the dream trip failed and they are now trapped in an inescapable apocalyptic nightmare. ■ A normal success means the PCs know they have been transported to a dream of the Third Sun; this was another distant age, the one immediately following their last dream trip – yet millennia apart – where the world was destroyed by a rain of fire summoned by Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent… the Lord of Dragons. ■ If a PC gets a success with a positive consequence on the check, he realises the ‘rain of fire’ is nothing but the breath weapons of thousands of dragons under Quetzalcoatl’s command. The PCs should be able to escape if they manage to stop one of the dragons from ‘raining’ on them.

If a PC wants to peek out from under the shelter, ask him to perform an Athletic or Perception action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. ■ If the character wins the confrontation, he manages to see, amid the fire and smoke, actual dragons – fighting among themselves. They are not pelting the earth… they are battling each other. ■ If the character loses, he fails to see anything and suffers 1 point of unpreventable damage from the fire and heat.

Once the PCs have performed their declared actions, run Encounter 20.

Encounter 20: Dragon Fight Read the following aloud after the PCs have roleplayed a little under their shelter. While you have reached temporary safety, there’s little you can see from under the rock that protects

you, other than the constant fiery explosions that fall around you, scorching the undergrowth and making the earth blow up time and again. Just how long can this go on…? Then, without warning, a deafening thump sounds right beside you, and a cloud of dust and ash obscures your vision as a rush of black dirt invades your makeshift hideout. For a dreadful instant, you think the shelter is crashing down… but then the dust and dirt disperse and you realise what happened. Not that it’s any easier to swallow. In front of you, barely a few paces from the shelter, its immense form heaving with thunderous wheezes and slow breaths, a gigantic dragon has fallen to the ground. The dragon is badly wounded, recently defeated in a sky battle. Let the PC declare their actions and intentions. ■ If one of the PCs approaches the dragon, it violently coils up and startles the approaching character, but then collapses again, with another loud crash. ■ If the PCs try to get away from the dragon, it suddenly calls out, with a booming, cavernous voice that still shows signs of dying. The dragon asks: ‘HELP ME…’ in the Nahua tongue.

After the initial fright, the dragon explains the situation as best it can, among dying gasps and loud, booming grumblings: ‘I… I am… Mixiuhcatl… the Great ‘We are… fighting for the world. Tecciztecatl ruled… the world… Quetzalcoatl… wants… to destroy it. To create… a better world.’ ‘We… are… losing. Quetzalcoatl’s dragons… are killing us. Soon… his new world… will replace this one.’ ‘Our lord Tecciztecatl… had… priests… human priests… he taught

them… taught us… the secret to escape… to fly like birds… and escape.’ ‘I can… help you… escape. But first… a favour. Please… I… Please… kill me. I am… in pain. Cannot… be saved. Please… kill me.’ If the PCs agree to kill Mixiuhcatl, he explains that when he’s dead, they should go inside his mouth. Doing so will allow the PCs’ souls to control the dragon’s body, and escape the devastation in none other than the shape of a great Mixcoatl dragon, the most powerful creature in the world. ■ If the PCs doubt the wisdom of such a plan, let them perform a Normal Rites check (difficulty: 6(1)) to confirm the magic would work (of course, a failed check could mislead the PCs into mistrusting the dragon even more). ■ Killing Mixiuhcatl is relatively easy, as the dragon is allowing himself to be slain; a single blow to the head or neck should do the trick. The action succeeds automatically, but a non-magical weapon breaks from the blow against the dragon’s mighty bones. Proceed to after the encounter. ■ If the PCs refuse to kill the dragon, presently there’s another boom and crash, and a second dragon – also wounded, but in much better shape – lands and attacks Mixiuhcatl. This dragon is the one that felled Mixiuhcatl, and it’s come to finish the job. ■ Ask the PCs to perform an Athletic, Stealth or Survival action, confronted by a TSE that plays three cards. Every PC that loses the confrontation suffers 3 points of unpreventable damage from the fire, flailing claws and tail slaps of the fighting dragons.

Regardless of what the PCs do, this second dragon kills Mixiuhcatl easily, and then flies away, just as easily. 65

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once Mixiuhcatl lies dead and the PCs are alone with its carcass, the only way to continue is to follow the dragon’s dying advice and go inside his mouth; otherwise, they remain under the rock with nowhere else to go until the whole world drowns in flame and they burn to death. When the PCs enter Mixiuhcatl’s dead body, run Scene 27.

body is much better at resisting the falling meteors, but eventually even a mixcoatl would die under a rain of fire. However, let the PCs agree among themselves how exactly to control the dragon and its actions – they are its soul, its ‘driver’, and must drive it as a team. The act of controlling the dragon is automatic, but resolving the dragon’s actions themselves may require checks or actions as normal. While inside the dragon, the PCs may not talk or interact with the outside world as their former selves, or use their physical talents, skills or abilities. In turn, they gain the abilities, talents and skills of a mixcoatl dragon. The PCs’ new health and armour stats are that of the dragon, and when it dies, they die. When the PCs order the dragon’s body to fly through the rain of fire, run Encounter 21.

Encounter 21: The Storm Dragon

Scene 27: flight, fight, flighT Read the following aloud when the PCs have gone inside the dead dragon’s mouth: Instead of the blood and sinews you expected from the insides of a dead dragon, you encounter a warm darkness – a shroud that surrounds and protects you. Then there’s a flash bang, and you feel like you’re opening your eyes – only they are not your eyes. It’s hard to describe. You are not the dragon, but you can… steer it. Order it to stir, to move… to fly. You can ride it from the inside, make it live again, with your soul as its driving force. Give the PCs a moment to understand what’s just happened. In game terms, they have collectively shapechanged into a mighty mixcoatl dragon, and may control its actions and movements like a team. Make sure the PCs understand they should hurry to fly upwards, away from the rain of fire; the dragon’s 66

As the PCs fly up through the fire storm, they realise the dragon battle covers a far wider area than they dared imagine. It seems like the entire world is covered with fighting dragons… and that’s probably the exact situation. As they decide what to do now, they come face to face with another dragon – must be one of Quetzalcoatl’s army, because it looks hostile. The other dragon floats and coils among the fire blasts and burning trees for an instant, and then launches at the PCs to fight. Create an encounter using a mixcoatl dragon. The PCs play with the stats of a mixcoatl dragon too; they must fight using only the skills and abilities of their current form. They have only one turn each round, and may not play more total cards than a single mixcoatl could, but they may decide together what to do, and share played cards when resolving actions.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs win the battle, they see three shooting stars streaking across the sky. They must follow these stars. When the PCs fly towards the three stars, they hear Mixiuhcatl’s voice, saying: ‘ it’s all a fight between dragons… it’s always been a fight between dragons… nothing more, nothing less…’ Go to Scene 28.

the eight omens

Scene 28: waking from the fourth dreaM Read the following aloud as the PCs fly away into the sky: Suddenly, the coloured mist appears around you – but not about the body of the great dragon you are driving, which still flies unimpeded towards the rising sun. Instead, the seems to appear around your mind and soul, as it lies inside the dragon. And when it disperses, you have indeed flown far away… because you are not in Necahua’s temple any longer. The PCs are in their physical bodies again, and again they have kept their equipment and recovered from all wounds and injuries (except death). They have also brought a fourth obsidian piece from the dream. While the PCs ponder on the meaning of this last – and so far, shortest – spirit trip, they may look around to get a sense of their location. Read the following aloud: You are on the shores of lake Tetzcoco, which touches all the great cities of the Aztec Triple Alliance. The waters, surrounded by reeds here, and by thriving chinampas and towns all around, look mighty and deep blue under the morning sky, bubbling and churning as if they were boiling from below… Wait. Bubbling? Churning? Boiling? What’s happening to the lake? The whole of the lake is rolling, seething, erupting with chaotic waves… and spilling over. Lake Tetzcoco is flooding.

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v. The flooD

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the eight omens

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Scene 29: lake patrolS After returning from their last Spirit World trip, the PCs were brought not to Necahua’s lair, but to the shores of Lake Tetzcoco. Why would the spirits do that? Then it becomes clear: Lake Tetzcoco is flooding. If Necahua is right, this is the Fifth Omen; the first signal from the Earth. Read the following aloud as the scene begins: You appeared on the shore of Lake Tetzcoco, the gigantic lake where Tenochtitlan and the other Triple Alliance cities were built. Without an apparent reason, the lake is bubbling from inside and spilling on every shore, burying the chinampas and drowning the villages… omen or no, it’s a catastrophe. Everywhere the water is crashing over towns, coastal farms and chinampas; some peasants are forming groups to help people out of their sinking houses and human chains to bring sinking goods to dry land. Let the PCs declare actions and intentions. They may want to run to the shore and help the people; some of them may want to take advantage of the fact they are free and in the open – the first time in days – and escape. If the PCs run to help the people of the shore, ask them to perform an Athletic or Survival action, confronted by a TSE that plays one card. If the action succeeds, the PCs help save some of the macehualtin of the lake or their belongings, which should give them an extra 3 experience points as a reward at the end of the Session. Let the PCs roleplay their volunteer work and get a sense of helping others, as well as the magnitude of the disaster; almost every peasant on the lands of the Triple Alliance will be affected by this for years. Once the PCs have interacted with the situation for a while, run Encounter 22. If the PCs try to escape notice, ask them to perform a Stealth or Survival action, confronted by civilians’ mediocre Skill. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, someone spots their suspicious behaviour and warns the local guard; run Encounter 22. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they are free and out in the open; they may rest for a while, draw cards 70

and be on their own for a few hours. Let them enjoy their freedom for a while, and then run Encounter 23.

Encounter 22: Guards of the Pochteca Some Mexica guards approach the PC with weapons sheathed, demanding the PC surrender peacefully. ■ If the PCs accept, the guards guide them, also peacefully – and without confiscating any of the PCs’ equipment – back towards the Tetzcoco road. Proceed to Scene 30. ■ If the PCs resist, create a +1 encounter, using a combination of Mexica characters. ■ If the PCs win the encounter, reinforcements arrive: create an additional similar encounter. ■ If the PCs are defeated, the guards leave them traumatised instead of bleeding out, and take them prisoner; the PCs groggily wake up as they are taken. Proceed to Scene 30. ■ If the PCs survive the two consecutive battles, they are free to leave in any direction they wish; let them wander freely through the Mexica territory for a couple of hours, helping flood victims or getting away from the Triple Alliance’s lands as they will. Then, run Encounter 23.

Encounter 23: The Witch’s Watchers As the PCs wander through the countryside, a group of vultures begin following them. After a while they start circling them, flying ever closer, until they magically change shape into a squad of soldiers and priests and surround the PCs. They are the agents of Necahua and they come to bring the PCs back to her temple. ■ If the PCs agree to go with them, they are lead on foot to Necahua’s presence. Proceed to Scene 31. ■ If the PCs resist, create a +1 encounter, using a combination of Cuahchic warriors and teotl priests. ■ If the PCs are defeated, the guards leave them traumatised instead of bleeding out, and take them prisoner; the PCs groggily wake up as they are taken. Proceed to Scene 31. ■ If the PCs win and refuse to return, the adventure ends here; the PCs have failed to interpret or stop the danger to the Anahuac, which will have consequences in the future, but the PCs are free to fight on either side in future adventures when the time comes.

the eight omens

Scene 30: mahuitziN The guards lead the PCs around the flooded lake, following the Road to Tenochtitlan, for the better part of an hour. Everything around is a bustle of activity as the people of the lake swim, run, make human chains, carry each other and in the end barely escape the disaster with their lives and belongings. Finally, the group reaches the city outskirts, where the macehualtin scramble to build stone barricades against the flood, and run in all directions carrying goods and tools. Read the following aloud: Avoiding the bustling crowds of the city outskirts, the guards lead you to a house in a small ridge, built somewhat away from the city proper. The house is quiet and unguarded; it looks nice but not luxurious, and a bit out of place amid the boulders and weeds. As you approach the house, you realise it can’t be seen from the city. This may not be a coincidence. As the guards lead you inside the house, you come across a surprising view. The main room is filled with people, also bustling with activity as the peasants outside, except these men and women give orders to servants, count cacao and other goods on tables and argue each other about the flood and the means to secure the population. These people are merchants and calpolli leaders, working for the city in their own arena. At the centre of the commotion, there’s a luxurious spot filled with cushions and tapestries, surrounded by nervous aides, stoic guardsmen and obsequious sycophants. Amid the splendid cushions sits a man, dressed as lavishly as his environment, with feathers in his head and shoulders, and jade in his sandals. Some of you recognise this man: he is Mahuitzin, one of the highest-ranked pochteca, the merchant-spies in the service of Tenochtitlan and King Moctecuhzoma. He lifts his gaze from his pleading entourage and notices your arrival. ‘Greetings, witch-servants’, he says. ‘You’ve proven very difficult to locate’.

Mahuitzin has brought the PCs here to talk – and bargain with them. Let the PCs make the questions or start the conversation as they wish; Mahuitzin answers and negotiates in good will. ■ If the PCs try to resist or escape, Mahuitzin orders them surrounded; go to Encounter 24. ■ If the PCs are defeated, the guards don’t leave them bleeding out but traumatised, and reanimate the PCs so Mahuitzin may talk to them.

When the PCs agree – or are forced – to parley with Mahuitzin, proceed to Scene 30 Conversation.

Scene 30 Conversation: The Merchant Lord Let them lead the conversation as they wish, using the following excerpts as part of Mahuitzin’s dialogue. “My name is Mahuitzin. I am a Pochteca agent in the service of King Moctecuhzoma”. “My network has gotten wind of your… contact with the royal concubine, Necahua”. “There is no use denying it. I personally remember seeing you with her in the Temple Square, a few days after you were supposed to be sacrificed”. “We intend no harm to you. We are aware that she took you against your will. In fact, we have been investigating her for some time”. “Necahua is up to something… perhaps dark magic, I believe. What would your opinion be on this?” “Tell me the truth. You escaped sacrifice; I can have you executed as traitors, with no honour or ceremony. I, of course, prefer you on my side”. Let the PCs decide what to do. ■ If the PCs tell the truth about Necahua, Mahuitzin believes them. Proceed to After the Conversation. ■ If the PCs try to lie or bend the truth about their dealings with Necahua, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by Mahuitzin’s competent skill. Give the PCs one advantage if their lies are convincing, or one disadvantage if they just pull excuses out of nowhere or try to solve it all through the cards. ■ If the action fails, or if the PCs refuse to cooperate with him, Mahuitzin orders them imprisoned. Proceed to Encounter 24. ■ If the action succeeds, Mahuitzin believes them; proceed to After the Conversation.

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A FT E R T H E C O N V E RSATION Once the PCs convince Mahuitzin, he weighs the possibility that Necahua might be honestly working for the good of the Anahuac. Read the following aloud as Mahuitzin’s answer: “I believe you. Yet, you have been in contact with Necahua somehow, and she is up to something, good or bad. I offer you this: a divine pardon for your trespass against the teotl, and a juicy reward for each of you – but you work for me now”. ■ If the PCs refuse, Mahuitizn has them in clamps; proceed to Encounter 24. ■ If the PCs agree, read Mahuitzin’s answer out loud:

“You will go back to Necahua now. You will serve her, or assist her, or help her with whatever she is planning; it doesn’t matter. What matters is, you will watch her actions, her plans. Closely, you will watch her every move. And, as soon as her back is turned, you will report back to me”. “Congratulations – you are now agents of the Triple Alliance”. Mahuitzin’s plan is to send the PCs back to work as double agents inside Necahua’s lair, to fully understand the situation before he decides how to proceed. As soon as the PCs can slip out of Necahua’s sight, they are to sneak out of her temple and seek him or his agents at this house – Mahuitzin’s lair outside the city – and let him know all they have learned. In return, Mahuitzin offers the following: ■ A pardon for the PCs’ escape from their sacrifice. ■ A divine sanction to be sacrificed again if that’s

what they wish, or to leave Tenochtitlan unharmed, once the mission is fulfilled. ■ 100 gold for each of them. ■ If they perform adequately, a permanent position as Mahuitzin’s agents in future endeavours. ■ A slow, gruesome death if they betray him or try to flee.

Once the terms of the mission are agreed upon, Mahuitzin allows the PCs to rest (draw cards) and prepare themselves as they wish, offering equipment as needed. As one of the King’s Pochteca, Mahuitzin has access to nearly any item the PCs might request. When the PCs are ready, Mahuitzin orders his men to give them some bruises and cuts, to make it look like they had to fight their way through, and sets the PCs loose. Their orders are to seek Necahua, to tell her they

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encountered city guards but escaped, and to put themselves at her service again; go to Scene 31.

Encounter 24: Guards and Guards Mahuitzin’s men surround the PCs, demanding they surrender. If the PCs resist, create a +1 encounter using Mexica characters. ■ If the PCs win the encounter, simply create another +1 encounter, and then another; throwing wave after wave of guards at the PC until they lose – Mahuitzin works for the king, and has access to a technically endless supply of soldiers. However, give the PCs an extra 2 experience points for each battle they win. ■ When the PCs surrender or are defeated, the guards leave them traumatised, not bleeding out, and carry them away in fetters, to await execution.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER When the PCs are defeated or captured, Mahuitzin picks up two guard squads to take the PCs out of Mahuitzin’s house and to the road towards Tenochtitlan. There, the PCs shall be judged and executed once the flood situation is tended to. After a half-hour of walking down the city road, however, a group of vultures falls on the PCs’ guards, flapping and dashing among the soldiers as if with a will of their own. Then the vultures magically transform into armed women and men, who quickly defeat and slaughter Mahuitzin’s guards. These are agents of Necahua, who have come to rescue the PCs – and bring them back to the Witch. Run Scene 31.

the eight omens

Scene 31: back to necahuA This scene takes place when the PCs are allowed to return, or forcibly taken, to Necahua’s presence. If the PCs came on their own, Necahua’s agents meet them just outside the city and discreetly lead them to their mistress – but not to her temple. Read the following aloud: Surprisingly, Necahua’s agents lead you away from the city, and instead into the flooded lakeshore. As you border the city, you can see the streets are filled with barricades, expertly improvised out of stone, lakeshore clay and reeds. It looks like most of the houses in the city were saved, and those that didn’t will certainly be rebuilt before the next moon. Then, your escort leads you to the flooded shores, with their thousands and thousands of ruined calpolli, overturned chinampas and drowned reed gardens. You cannot help but wonder how many macehualtin peasants all around the lake, outside the city’s direct jurisdiction or reach, died or lost everything without hope of rebuilding. As you think thus, the guards make you wade through a shallow mire, surrounded by tall stems and grass, and lead you to an inconspicuous, half-submerged cabin. On the roof of the cabin stands Necahua herself, staring into the horizon as if the rotting building was a tall reef and the churning lake was a vision of the other world. She turns to you, and then looks sideways, making you look too: A large, ugly, ramshackle boat has been tied to the surfacing section of what surely was a pier before the flood; a group of mighty cuahchicqueh – shorn ones – stand to the bare chests in the muddy water, guarding this creaky, dirty boat as if it was some kind of treasure. When you turn your gaze back to the witch, her expression betrays a passionate mix of hope, relief and a flicker of recklessness, of zeal, as she sees you again. “Ah, they are brought safely back; they have been returned. Blessed be Tezcatlipoca, all is not lost.” “Do you see? I was right! The first omen from the Earth… from below the Earth, even! The lake is flooding!

This means the balance of Heaven and Earth, of the universe itself, is threatened! We must hasten to the answer, we must solve this riddle!” “My champions, my warriors… I have started unravelling the mystery of the omens, the order in which the messages have reached us, the significance of the clues. I have consulted the Tonalli and cross-checked the symbols. It’s slowly becoming clearer. Be ready, for I know where the Spirit World will send you next time… “If I am right, you shall dream of the age before ours, the age of the flood, when the Fourth Sun drowned under a world of water! The Great Water that birthed our era… that same water of which the majestic Lake Tetzcoco before us, yes, even the Great Lake of Aztlan, which you also had the fortune to witness, are but the meager trickles, the last remaining puddles of that godly sea that drowned the world, when it slowly seeped into the earth across the millennia!” But let us not waste more time talking of this! You have to be ready! We have no time to lose!”

As always, Necahua doesn’t seem to be one for waiting before doing stuff. Let the PCs state their actions and intentions. ■ If they wish to talk, Necahua shares any details they still don’t know of her research, as presented in the Necahua’s Plan sidebar in Appendix: Necahua’s Temple. As she talks, however, Necahua urges the PCs to move on and get ready for their next trip. ■ If the PCs tell Necahua about their deal with Mahuitzin, she is thankful for their honesty and orders her men to carry the message back to her temple; she always feared Mahuitzin might be onto her scent, and this proves she must deal with him soon – but first, she wants to focus on the spirit trips and on deciphering the omens.

When the PCs are ready to leave, Necahua puts them on the boat and tells them to row into the lake. The boat contains enough supplies and provisions to keep the boat functional and the PCs fed for a one-week trip. As the PCs begin to row away from Necahua, the wellknown multicoloured mist surrounds them… Proceed to Scene 32. 73

Scene 32: the flooded worlD As the PCs row their boat through the coloured mist, they lose sight of the lake shores, of the ruined calpolli, of the frantic people trying to rebuild, of the white pyramids of Tenochtitlan… then, as the fog lifts, they are still rowing a boat across the water, only there are no shores, no land, anywhere in sight. The entire world is water. The PCs have travelled to the Spirit World again; this time to the Fourth Sun, the age of the flood – the era immediately preceding the current time, when the people drowned and became fish. The whole world has been drowned; there’s not a single spot of solid ground, not one point of reference to guide the boat by. The sky is all a uniform, cloudy grey from one end of the heaven to the next; there is no sun, no stars. Ask the PCs to perform an Easy Discipline Check (difficulty: 3(1)); those that fail the check are so disoriented by the maddening uniformity of the landscape that they suffer one disadvantage on every use of the Perception or Discipline skills during the rest of the scene. Let the PCs state their actions or intentions; as they decide on what to do now, a huge tentacle surprises them and coils around their vessel! Proceed to Encounter 25.

They don’t attack the PCs, but strike back when attacked; for every fish-creature the PCs provoke into a fight, add a michintecatl to the encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs survive the fight, the tentacled beast retreats into the depths, while many more fish-men climb the boat or grab it from underwater; the PCs are boarded. The fish-men don’t immediately attack; they just stare at the PCs with curiosity. The PCs realise that the people of this era have already begun turning into fish. The flood itself must have happened millennia ago, giving survivors time to adapt to life underwater and become this aquatichumanoid hybrid; they will likely complete their full transformation into the fish of the PCs’ era in a few millennia more. ■ If the PCs attack these fish-men, create a fair encounter, using michinteca. If the PCs survive this second encounter, the remaining fish-men flee. Proceed to Scene 33. ■ If the PCs attempt to communicate with the fishmen, they reply in an archaic form of the Nahua tongue; hard to understand, but close enough to establish reasonable communication. Proceed to Encounter 26.

Encounter 26: The Fish-Folk Let the PCs lead the conversation with the michinteca, using the following excerpts as part of the michinteca’s dialogue and answers: ‘We mi-chin-te-cah’. ‘An-ces-tors fell off land-world, we des-cen-dants, we off-spring’. ‘We live on wa-ter-world’. ‘This sky-world. This end-of-the-world. You on skyworld. You from a-bove. You from sky-world. You, surface-be-ings, hea-ven-be-ings, sur-face teo-tli’. ‘We sense you. Great-Thing sense you’. ‘We want to feed you to Great-Thing. But you strong. Stron-ger than Great-Thing. You migh-ty sur-face teo-tli’. ‘You strong. You come live to wa-ter-world. You guide

Encounter 25: Fins and Tentacles Some huge, many-tentacled beast is attacking the PCs. Create a +1 encounter using the tentacle beast. During the battle, strange creatures, like humanoids but with the scaly skins of fishes, board the PCs’ boat. 74

us’. In short, the michinteca believe the Surface is a heavenly realm where nothing lives, so they think the PCs are some sort of divine emissaries, related to their legendary ancestors that ‘fell from the surface’ and ‘into the water’.

the eight omens

The michinteca are awed by the PCs’ strength and wish them to move underwater to be their advisors, or rulers, or whatever similar role the fish-men’s very primitive mind can conceive of. If the PCs try to explain their circumstances or anything related to the dream, the fish-men get very excited about it: ‘You dream us. You make us. You migh-ty’. ‘Come to wa-ter-world. Des-ti-ny. An-swers’. ‘The wa-ter-mark. You be-come like us’. ‘We bite you, you can come down to wa-ter-world, you can swim and breathe and live. We bite you, we give you the wa-ter-mark’. What the michinteca are trying to say is, their bite and claws carry an infectious disease that interferes with the victim’s breathing system; in fact, if any PCs lost health during the previous encounter, it’s likely they are already infected. That’s actually how they managed to become fish-men and survive underwater for so long. Ask the PCs to perform a hard Knowledge, Medicine or Rites check (difficulty: 9(1)). If the check succeeds, they learn all this whether the fish-men tell it to them or not. If the PCs agree to follow the fish-men, proceed to Encounter 27. If the PCs refuse, the fish-men flee underwater, eager to tell their brethren about their encounter with the divine surface spirits, and leave the PCs alone on their boat; run Scene 33.

Scene 33: the world underwateR The PCs are again aimless and drifting across the featureless sea of the flooded world. If the PCs so wish, let them attempt Knowledge or Perception checks to find their position; regardless, there is simply no way to steer their ship over this unending water, this faceless sky. The PCs may rest, draw cards or try to regain Spirit during this time. Soon, however, they begin to lose track of exactly how long has passed. There seems to be no time in this desolation. If a PC suffered any damage during encounter 26, he begins to have trouble breathing. This condition works as a temporary but very disabling injury, imposing a disadvantage on all the Skillsl the PC tries to use. If a PC is affected by this condition, or if the michinteca told the PCs about their ‘watermark’, their ability to grant water-breathing through their bites, ask the PCs to perform a Normal Knowledge or Medicine Check (difficulty: 6(1)): ■ A failure with a negative consequence causes the PC to suddenly become infected – if he wasn’t already – with the condition, either by accidental contact with the affected character or by having been too close to the fish-men during the previous scene. ■ A success with a positive consequence infects the character that made the check, but also confirms the fish-men or their pet can spread a condition that hampers the victim’s ability to breathe air, while in turn giving him the power to breathe water with no problem. ■ A normal success confirms the above information and it reveals the condition should disappear after a few days, but prolonged or repeated wounds or contact with the fish-men would, after a few years, turn the affected character into a fish-man himself. This must be how the michinteca survived the flood; this disease is what allowed them to become aquatic creatures, and what will eventually turn most of them into the fish of the PCs’ era.

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■ A success with a positive consequence suggests that, as the fish-men’s infection altered the affected PCs’ ability to breathe, so should the PC’s blood affect the fish-men too, making them unable to breathe water properly. And they would have no defence against such a disease, or any idea of how to stop it.

The condition may be cured normally with the Medicine skill or Titici magic. If an affected PC dives under the water, all disabling effects from the injury disappear, and he finds he can breathe water as easily as he breathed air, and thus remain underwater indefinitely. The effects of the injury return one round after the PC resurfaces. If the PCs, affected or not, wish to dive underwater and explore the other side of this strange world, they discover it is the opposite of the bleak surface. This is a thriving, varied environment with thousands of plant and mollusc species of uncounted colours and forms, moving all around like a spilled watercolour mix under the surface. If the PCs are infected with the fish-men’s strange condition, they may dive indefinitely with no ill effect. The small molluscs and strange plants ignore the PCs, but offer a dazzling spectacle, and most are safe to eat if the PCs so wish. If the PCs dive several times, or for several hours, they eventually find a group of swimming michinteca, who came to seek the PCs, inspired by the other group’s tales of the ‘migh-ty sur-face be-ings’. These michinteca also offer to infect the PCs and invite to their underwater realm; if the PCs agree, proceed to Encounter 27. If the PCs insist on remaining on the surface and rowing until something happens on the surface, they begin losing their sense of time. The maddening, featureless surface makes it impossible to count hours or distinguish between day or night, and after a while even the PCs’ sleep and food cycles begin to become irregular. After unmeasurable hours (or days) of this, a group of michinteca surfaces and begs the PCs to come underwater: their people are dying, and they believe only the PCs’ ‘divine power’ can save them. Proceed to Scene 34.

Encounter 27: The Underwater Tribe The michinteca lead the PCs underwater, across amazing underwater algae forests and scintillating coral grottoes, through a world that is as dizzyingly full of life as its surface is bare, until they reach a gigantic underwater cave complex, dozens of fish-men zipping in and out its myriad entrances. The michinteca are exceedingly primitive, little more than cavemen, and have nothing but the barest hunter-gatherer organisation, with no leaders or hierarchy. They welcome the PCs as great and mighty beings, paying them abject submission (whether the PCs killed some of their own or not; among other things, these fish-men seem to be devoid of human emotions or attachment). Some of the michinteca advance to greet the PCs and introduce them to the group: ‘These great sur-face teo-tli’. ‘They dream us. They cre-ate us’. ‘They spi-rits of the sky, dream our world in-to be-ing’. ‘We wor-ship. We o-bey. We hunt for them. We die when they say. We go where they say’. ‘Wel-come migh-ty sur-face teo-tli’. The michinteca understand the PCs dreamed them into existence through their spirit trip, and that they somehow have the answer the PCs are looking for, but they don’t know what that answer is, or how to give it. So, they invite the PCs to stay and guide them for as long as they wish, hoping it will benefit both parties. The michinteca celebrate the agreement with a feast – consisting of crustaceans, molluscs, underwater kelp, and the mangled body of a member of another tribe; the PCs receive first choice of every morsel and are generally treated as honour guests. Now, their life as the lords of the fish-man tribe has officially begun.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER During their time with the fish-men, the ‘sickness’ allows the PCs to breathe underwater without trouble, but they still need to perform Athletic checks and actions to succeed at complex underwater movements such as ascending or diving. The PCs may also rest, draw cards and try to regain Spirit during this time – except for actions that require lighting fires, of course. 76

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The huge tentacled thing the PCs battled, the ‘GreatThing’ of the fish-men, is a kind of teotl for the michinteca, who worship it and give it food. The thing lives in a different cave complex, near the michinteca, and serves as a security filter against raids from rival tribes or incursions from the rare dangerous animal. The Great-Thing doesn’t attack or register the PCs, so long as they remain underwater and in the fish-men’s company. The michinteca mark the place where the PCs’ boat is still moored as a sacred spot, and send a few of their own to guard the ‘holy place’. As new members of the tribe, the michinteca invite the PCs to gather small snails, shrimps, kelp and other foodstuffs with them; it’s a straightforward task, as there are very few large predators in this underwater world created by the flood. There are no fish of any kind either; they will only exist thousands of years from now, when the michinteca evolve into the fish the PCs know in their era. Let the PCs mingle and interact with the michinteca as they wish. The michinteca are barely smarter than a monkey – certainly less smart than the ape-men from the PCs’ first dream – and let the PCs do most of the talking, teaching or interacting.

During the fight, the Water serpents have an advantage on all confrontations, as the PCs are less accustomed to move underwater.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs survive the fight, the michinteca come out from under every rock and coral formation, bowing to the PCs as their divine protectors. The wounded michinteca hunter is bleeding out. If the PCs nurse him back to life, the other fish-men are silently thankful; but if the PCs let him die, they cheer and celebrate, carrying their comrade’s body back to the lair for eating. It seems a dead companion is a far better catch than a couple stinking kelp bulbs. As the hunting party returns to the caves, a group of michinteca messengers intercept them. They have dire news and plead the PCs for help – two hunters and one child have fallen ill. They are choking, as if they couldn’t breathe any more… Run Scene 34.

If the PCs attack any of the michinteca, the others show fear but don’t retaliate, treating the PCs as their absolute masters. After one or two days of this situation, run Encounter 28.

Encounter 28: The Hunt After some time as the michinteca’s spiritual guides, the PCs are invited to forage with the fish-men. Today, the PCs are out in a vast kelp field, helping the michinteca forage a kind of weird purple bulbs – that happen to taste delicious – when suddenly one of the fish-men cries out in pain. Instead of helping their tribesman, the other michinteca scatter to the four currents; the hapless fish-man has been trapped by a water serpent – a vicious undersea predator the size of a chinampa. When the creature spies the PCs, it decides to try new flesh and leaves the broken body of the michinteca behind, dashing at the PCs with jaws open in anticipation. Create an encounter using one or two Water serpents.

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Scene 34: the like cures the likE

‘upper world’, and try to grow food there; but many would die in the process, killed by starvation and exposure if not by the sickness. The tribes may adapt and survive in time, but they may not. Furthermore, after years of adaptation, this may stop their evolution into fish and turn them back into humans – humans without a land to return to.

When the PCs reach the fish-men tribe caves, they see the michinteca have three very ill members.

If the check succeeds, the PCs realise the michinteca that spent more time with them – those they fought with or against, those that sought their company or went to forage with them more frequently – were not affected; the only ones infected were those the PCs had less contact with. This means the PCs’ presence is as much the deterrent as the source of the fish-men’s sickness.

Two hunters and one child – it’s still hard to the PCs to determine whether they are male or female – are floating limply, coughing and choking, their hands occasionally clutching at their throats. Their kin refer to them as ‘half-dead’, and appear very worried; if the tribe loses as many people in such a short time, it will become much weaker and more vulnerable to predators, rival groups and other illnesses. However, these symptoms are unlike anything the michinteca had ever seen before. They are at a loss, and turn to the PCs begging them to help. As the PCs declare their actions, suddenly, one of the michinteca that led them here bends over, begins choking, and goes limp as well, floating helplessly and clutching his throat like the others. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Medicine or Knowledge Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the check succeeds, the PCs confirm the symptoms are the same as the ‘watermark’ that the michinteca carry in their bites. This means several things: ■ After receiving the ‘watermark’, the PCs somehow infected the michinteca back. ■ The affected michinteca may be saved by being taken to the surface. ■ This sickness is not caused by spirits – but by blood and close contact.

If the check obtains a positive consequence, the PCs get the idea that if blood was the cause, blood may be the cure. If the PCs have the michinteca taken to the surface, the remedy succeeds – the affected victims begin breathing normally again. However, the fish-men tell them this is no solution: they cannot live on the sea surface, where there is no land to grow food. They may eventually learn to carry large amounts of food, move their homes closer to the 78

In short, they need a cure. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Medicine, Rites or Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)).

The answer is for the PCs to perform a blood sacrifice to cure the michinteca; an infusion of the PCs’ blood, in a much stronger dose than the light contact that caused the illness, will reverse the effect and cure it. The PCs know this if both checks succeeded, or if they got a critical success on either of them. If they don’t learn this information or deduce it on their own, ask them to Perform an easy Perception Check (difficulty: 3(1)) for a small clue, such as ‘blood is the answer’, ‘similar treats similar’ or ‘what sacred fluid powers all magic and all healing?’ For this is the dream’s message: A sickness comes from the blood. One the PCs understand it, at least one of them must self-inflict t least 1 point of damage and perform a Medicine or Rites action against a Level 1 TSE. The action gains 1 advantage if the PC self-inflicts an injury. If the action fails, another PC must try it; if all PCs fail, they have failed to solve this dream, and are doomed to remain in the Spirit World forever – or until someone else rescues them during another adventure. If the action succeeds, the PCs have succeeded in turning their blood into a healing mixture that, when given to the michinteca, will make them immune to the effects of the illness. Once the michinteca are saved, they escort the PCs back to their boat, thankful with the ‘heavenly spirits’ that taught them and saved their lives. As the PCs swim upwards, the multicoloured mist surrounds them…

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Scene 35: waking up from the fifth dreaM For the first time, the PCs have come out of the dream on the same exact spot from which they left the mortal world. Night has fallen on the world. The PCs are back in Lake Tetzcoco, near the shore of Tenochtitlan – except the Lake is not flooded any more, and most of the houses have been rebuilt, the barricades taken down, and the glorious white temples of Tenochtitlan shine bright under the moon. How long did they dream this time? As the PCs come out of the water, they realise the aftermath is the same as it has been in all other dreams – all wounds and injuries have disappeared, save for death, and one of them is clutching an obsidian piece. As the PCs wander searching for either Necahua or Mahuitzin, a group of Shorn Guards come to meet them and take them to the witch. The Shorn Guards tell the PCs this time they were missing for 13 days. Then, they lead the PCs across back alleys and courtyards, all the way to the stairway of the small pyramid that leads to Necahua’s Temple. When the PCs finish the ascent, the moon is already high in the sky, and Necahua stands among the thirteen columns at the top of her pyramid, waiting for the PCs. When the PCs give Necahua the obsidian piece, she shows them the other four, arranged in a halfcompleted figure on the ground between the columns. Necahua adds

the fifth piece, which fits snugly with the others, showing there is only one piece missing. The shape of the complete object is evident now – it will be a mirror. A round obsidian mirror. ‘The mirror of Tezcatlipoca. The sign of the moon, of the masked sun. Now it all makes sense. It is him that sends us this message. It is through him that we shall face the threat. The next dream shall have the answer. The next dream…’ ‘But now, now we have to deal with our earthly enemies, we have to turn our attention to the mortal threats. Before the final answer, we must have a final reckoning’. ‘I know the Aztec King. I have known him closer than most people in the world can claim. And I know, I have always known, he is not fit to face this threat’. ‘The King to face the threat, the tribe to face the threat, must unite the entire world against it; must rally all peoples to unite under a single banner. Moctecuhzoma is many things, many good things, but he is not that King’. ‘I have to consult the stars, I have to read the Tonalli. I must crossreference the symbols. There is a king, a king that Moctecuhzoma has greatly vexed in the past; one that is proud of word and pure of heart. He would lead the peoples of the Anahuac against the coming threat. If denied this, he will side with the coming threat and become the great traitor of the world. We must avoid that. He must be the one… but I must consult the Tonal, first’.

‘You. You have a task, while I do this. You have something to do’. ‘The merchant, the spy, the man that sought you. Mahuitzin. He is a great servant to Moctecuhzoma, a great leader of the King’s forces, and a great enemy of my plans’. ‘Seek Mahuitzin. Find what he is looking for. Follow his steps. Warn me of his plans’. ‘I will watch the stars, you will watch Mahuitzin. And then…’ Necahua’s words trail off as her gaze rests on the near-finished obsidian mirror on the floor of her temple. She turns away from the PCs and orders them to return to Mahuitzin as double agents – the exact assignment Mahuitzin intended the PCs for – except Necahua expects them to report to her, not to him. Whoever the PCs intend to really side with, it is time for them to seek Mahuitzin. Read the following aloud as the PCs leave Tenochtitlan towards Mahuitzin’s quarters: As you sneak out under the moon, heading out of the city and into the outskirts where Mahuitzin keeps his secret base, your bones – no, your very souls – get a frightful chill as a bloodcurdling shriek pierces the darkness. ‘Alas for my children… Flee Tenochtitlan!’, says the voice of a woman; an otherworldly, ghastly cry... ‘Alas for my children! ALAS FOR MY CHILDREN!’

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vi. Alas for my childreN 81

Scene 36: the Scene 37: hauntinG ghostbusterS Encounter 29: The Child-Stealer

W

H I L E LE AV I N G T H E city of Tenochtitlan in

search of spymaster Mahuitzin, the PCs hear the eerie call of a ghostly entity – a woman, crying for her children to leave the city… ‘Alas for my children! Where Will I find them, now? Where will I hide them, now?’ ‘They are lost, lost! Alas for my children!’ Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Rites, Knowledge or Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)). Success on this check confirms the cry comes from a Cihuateotl, a spirit-woman; the ghost of a mother that died in childbirth. Such spirits tend to haunt the Mexica countryside and city suburbs, stealing unattended children to take to the Spirit World, but they rarely appear so close to areas as densely populated as Tenochtitlan.

■ If the PCs decide to investigate the sound, they encounter the Cihuateotl all right, already carrying off a small boy, a macehualtin peasant kid from the suburban calpolli; create an encounter using a Cihuateotl.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs defeat the Cihuateotl, the kidnapped kid wakes up as if from a trance, and helps the PCs find the way back to his house. The teary-eyed parents have nothing to give, but gladly share a corn-and-tortillas dinner as thanks. Once the PCs have dealt with the Cihuateotl, or if they ignore its call, proceed to Scene 37.

About an hour later, the PCs reach the outskirts of the city, and the vicinity of Mahuitzin’s headquarters. As the PCs search for the path that leads to Mahuitzin’s hidden house, a group of Mexica soldiers come out from the shadows, and lead the PCs to it. Read the following aloud: Mahuitzin’s secret headquarters is fancy, yet discreet, built against the boulders in such a way as to be hidden from the city’s view. There are torchlights inside, indicating the Master of the House is awake. When the PCs enter the house, they find Mahuitzin indeed awake and working, surrounded as always with his sycophants, aides and captains. He beams when he meets the PCs, and invites them to sit with him among the cushions – a rare honour, even for a pochteca’s close associates. Run Scene 37 Conversation.

Scene 37 Conversation: The Task Let the PCs conduct the conversation with Mahuitzin as they wish, asking or reporting what they want. ■ If the PCs reveal Necahua’s plans and the spirit travels, Mahuitzin looks genuinely surprised and concerned:

‘By the wind, then she is no charlatan. I almost hoped… but if her prophecies have proven true, they cannot be discarded so easily. Should we let her continue her research?... Yet, she has dabbled in forbidden magic; it is my duty to oppose her. Tell me, my friends. She has used you, but she saved your lives. What is your opinion of her?’ ■ If the PCs talk about Necahua’s idea to replace Moctecuhzoma, he grows somber:

‘Well, however right… however charming… the witch may be, I cannot allow her to conspire against the King; prophecy or not, she must be stopped.’ ■ If the PCs tell Mahuitzin about Necahua’s orders to spy on him for her, he gives out a hearty laugh: 82

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‘Necahua tries to spy on me?! It’s as if I challenged her to a magic duel, or to see who fucks the king best! At least I do know my limitations, mind you!’ ■ If the PCs lie to Mahuitzin about their deal with Necahua, ask them to perform a Hard Charisma Check (difficulty: 9(1)). ■ If the check succeeds, Mahuitzin believes they are still working for him and welcomes them back into his service. ■ If the check is a failure, Mahuitzin detects the ruse and understands Necahua is trying to play him at his own game, but pretends the PCs deceived him anyway. Ask the PCs to perform a Hard Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to detect that Mahuitzin wasn’t fooled. ■ If the check is successful with a negative consequence, it counts as a failure, but the PCs automatically detect Mahuitzin wasn’t fooled.

AFTER THE C O NV E R S AT ION Once the first exchange with Mahuitzin ends, he waves dismissively at the air and stares into the PCs’ eyes. ‘All this Necahua business must wait, however. Right now, we are overwhelmed with… a more pressing matter. You have experience with the spirit world, right? Mahuitzin wants to give the PCs a new assignment. Let the PCs ask questions and make comments, using the following excerpts as part of Mahuitzin’s dialogue and answers: ‘In the days since we last met, Tenochtitlan has gone from one tragedy to another.We are barely getting up from the lake going crazy; now, like the flood washed them up,

we are up to our elbows in ghosts’. ‘Cihuateteo, dead women. They are not uncommon; they appear every few seasons, steal a kid or two… but this time there are a lot, hundreds of them’. ‘They also have this annoying new habit of talking. Normally it’s just frightening cries and moans, but now they actually form words, and it’s treason to repeat them but everyone’s heard – leave Tenochtitlan, they say. Alas for my children that stay in Tenochtitlan. Enough to make some people rethink their residence, I bet’. ‘So, the King put some guards on the case, but I reckon the people are scared enough, what with the comets and fires and floods; a mobilisation of soldiers on the streets will do little to calm things down. So, I told the King, why send an army when we have access to a capable, stealthy, combat-proven team of supernatural specialists?’ ‘Not just you, really, but it’s best not to flaunt the full number of task forces at one’s disposal. You are the best-prepared, however. So, I need you out there’. ‘That’s your task. Every cihuateotl dispatched is money in your purse. That’s your assignment for now. We’ ll return to your witch and her omens when this is dealt with’. ‘If there’s nothing else… welcome to the ghost squad’. The PCs are to begin their hunt as soon as they are ready; this very night, if possible. Mahuitzin promises them 50 gold to share among themselves for every defeated cihuateotl. The PCs may rest and draw cards first, and ask Mahuitzin for any equipment they think they need. Once the PCs are ready to start ghost-hunting, run Encounter 30.

Encounter 30: Crying Nights The PCs are sent to patrol the countryside around Tenochtitlan and the city’s outer calpolli neighbourhoods to find cihuateotl spirits. The good news is that a cihuateotl is relatively easy to track from its trademark bloodcurdling cries; the catch is that hearing those frightening cries is the worst part of finding one. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception or Survival (difficulty: 6(1)) check. ■ If the check succeeds, the PCs find their way to a cihuateotl after approximately an hour of roaming the countryside. But if the check suffered one negative consequence, the character must perform a Discipline action, confronted by a cihuateotl’s Competent Skill; if a character loses the confrontation, he is spent until the cihuateotl attacks him. ■ If all PCs fail the check, they don’t find a cihuateotl during the current hour of search; repeat the check after another hour. If the next check succeeds, the cihuateotl they didn’t find will be added to the encounter.

If the PCs found a cihuateotl, create an encounter using one cihuateotl, o two cihuateotl if all PCs failed the previous check to find one. Each cihuateotl has a stolen kid which it intends to eat later, at its lair in the spirit world, seeking to fill the insatiable void it feels for its lost children. It falls on the PCs to rescue the child and defeat the thing. The children are enthralled, as in a trance, and don’t take part in the fight. During the fight, the cihuateotl keeps screaming its litany with phrases such as ‘alas for my chil-

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dren’, ‘please leave Tenochtitlan’, ‘my poor children, where will I take them…’ Ask the PCs to perform a normal Knowledge or Rites Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to understand that a cihuateotl, predatory as it is, gets its power from anguished empathy - from crying over the very lives it threatens. The fact there can be so many cihuateotl spirits hunting at the same time, and their new ability to articulate words – these precise words, urging the people to leave Tenochtitlan – means they have become far more powerful, worried, and even sentient, than before. This means the spirits worry that the lives they feed on are in more danger than ever. If the check is successful and obtains a positive consequence, the PCs understand that the cihuateotl invasion is, in fact, the Sixth Omen.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs defeat the cihuateotl, the stolen children wake from their stupor and ask the PCs to lead them back home. Taking a child home to their parents – which show their gratitude by giving the PC something to eat, or a few cocoa beans – requires an additional hour. The PCs may also allow the children to return on their own; most are able to find their way back home, but they might get caught by a cihuateotl again. Once the stolen kids are dealt with, the PCs may resume their search; run this encounter again, until four hours have passed, at which point dawn breaks and all cihuateotl spirits return to the Spirit World. If the PCs wish to go back to Necahua to report on Mahuitzin’s activities, proceed to Scene 38. When the PCs have spent four hours of game time hunting cihuateotl spirits, they may return to Mahuitzin’s lair to rest, draw cards and get treatment for their wounds and injuries. If the PCs return to Mahuitzin’s lair, he pays the PCs 50 quachtli for each defeated Cihuateotl. Then, he lets them rest all day and sends them to hunt again during the following night. Run this encounter again, letting the PCs return to Mahuitzin during the day and to hunting during the night, until the PCs decide to seek Necahua or have fought and defeated a total of 5 cihuateotl spirits. When the PCs try to contact Necahua, or when they return from having fought the fifth cihuateotl, Mahuitzin sends them to continue their spy work on Necahua; proceed to Scene 38.

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Scene 38: back to the templE This scene begins when, either on their own or at Mahuitzin’s behest, the PCs return to Necahua’s temple to continue their missions for her. As the PCs enter the city, a group of Necahua’s agents approaches to lead them to the temple. The PCs are taken up the temple stairs; Necahua waits at the top of the pyramid, ecstatic. ‘My warriors, my friends, we are on the verge of solving the riddle. I’ve consulted the symbols, and have no doubts that the ghost plague you have been dealing with is nothing but the Sixth Omen! Are you ready for your next mission?’ If the PCs wish to prepare first, Necahua allows them a couple of hours to rest, draw cards, regain spirit or anything else they need. As stated in Chapter IV, the PCs’ quarters are on Area N3 of the main temple (see Appendix: Necahua’s Temple). If the PCs wish to slip past Necahua’s guards and spy on her during this rest, ask them to perform a Stealth Action, confronted by the Mediocre Skill of Necahua’s Shorn Guards. If the PCs win the confrontation, they may freely explore Necahua’s Temple; go to Scene 39. When the PCs are ready to begin their sixth dream trip, Necahua asks them to meet at Area N1 of her temple, where she performs the rite to send them to the Spirit World. Proceed to Scene 40.

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Scene 39: spying on the witcH This scene only takes place if the PCs manage to slip past Necahua’s guards to spy around the Witch’s lair, either on Mahuitzin’s behalf or by their own initiative. If the PCs haven’t yet explored Necahua’s temple, read the following aloud as the scene begins: Necahua’s temple resembles the inside of the great temples of Tenochtitlan, except the imagery of the Saints and Spirits carved on the walls is mixed with other, less identifiable, more monstrous beings. Necahua clearly worships both sides of the spirit world – the upper and the lower realms.

Let the PCs explore the dungeon freely, referring to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide their steps, and describing the section corresponding to the code of the chamber they move to. The PCs begin at area N3. Every time the PCs reach an area marked X on the map, ask them to perform a normal Stealth Check (difficulty: 6(1)). ■ If even one of the PCs fails the check, the guards have heard something. The PCs must perform a Stealth action, confronted by the Cuahchic warriors Competent Skill. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, create a -1 en-

counter, using Cuahchic warriors and teotl priests.

■ If the PCs are defeated, the guards don’t leave them

bleeding out, but traumatised instead. While unconscious, the PCs see the multicoloured fog, and wake up in the Spirit World again; run Scene 40.

■ If the PCs defeat the guards, let them keep exploring the temple, referring to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide their steps. ■ If the PCs enter and leave area N7, or use the exits on areas N2 or N11, they activate Necahua’s magical wards, and the multicoloured mist surrounds them again; run Scene 40.

Scene 40: the children of huitzilopochtlI Read the following aloud when the scene begins: As the multicoloured mist surrounds you again, the first thing you notice is the silence. Not absolute silence, but the low noises of the lakeshore – the buzzing of flies, the chirp of crickets, the splash of a water lizard. It sounds like a quiet evening in the marshlands outside the city; and when the fog lifts, the darkening sky and the reedy landscape confirm your perception. You are somewhere around the vast swamps of the Anahuac. The PCs have indeed been transported to the shores of Lake Texcoco, back when it was all an endless setting of untamed swamp, just before the founding of Tenochtitlan. Their dream has taken them to the year 2-House of Acamapichtli the Elder’s reign over the Acolhua – the birth year of the Mexica Empire. Ask the PCs to perform a normal Knowledge, Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to identify the region as the lake area of Tenochtitlan. If the check is success with a positive consequence, the PCs realise the city hasn’t been built yet. Let the PCs state their actions and intentions. When they have interacted with their environment for a while, they hear running and shouting from behind them; then, they see a group of armed men running across the tall grass. These men have the dress, adornments and weapons of the early Chichimec Nahua; many of them are wounded, with blood curtains gushing from their backs and foreheads. When they see the PC, they go stiff and raise their weapons. Ask the PCs to perform a Charisma action, confronted by the mediocre Skill of the Mexica rank soldiers. If the PCs win the confrontation, the Nahua realise they are not their enemies, and approach them with cautious uneasiness. They speak classic Nahua, indicating this is a relatively recent past. 85

■ The Nahua quickly tell the PCs that ‘the Acolhua are behind them’, and invite them to join their fight. Whether the PCs agree to help the Nahua or not, the Acolhua catch up with them while they talk, and attack both parties, assuming they are allies anyway. Run Encounter 31.

If the PCs defeated the Nahua fugitives, they must face the Acolhua regiment alone; if the PCs are with the Nahua, they fight the Acolhua together. Create a -1 encounter (or a +2 encounter if the PCs are alone, to account for the lack of support), using a combination of New World characters.

■ If the PCs lose the confrontation or attack the new arrivals, the Nahua assume they are enemies; create a fair encounter using Mexica rank soldiers. If the PCs survive the encounter, they come across the Acolhua that were pursuing the Nahua, and they attack the PCs too. Proceed to Encounter 31.

AFTE R TH E ENC OUNTER

Encounter 31: The Acolhua War Party After the PCs deal with the Nahua fugitives, they can see who they were fleeing from: a fully-armed and threatening Acolhua troop, relentlessly marching across the reeds. As opposed to the wounded and wavering Nahua, the Acolhua are well-equipped, their helmets and shields glinting in the fading sunlight as they march toward their quarry with no care or hurry. Ask the PCs to perform a normal Knowledge Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to determine they are in a dream of the Acolhua-Mexica war, 200 years before their time. The Acolhua army, one of the mightiest in the region, spent years hounding and routing the Mexica, an upstart tribe at the time, from every settlement across the Anahuac. This forced the Mexica to settle in the reedy shores of Lake Texcoco, which in turn led to the founding of Tenochtitlan; the PCs may realise now they are about to witness history.

But first they must survive the night; the Acolhua are not in the mood to parley or discern, and attack any non-Acolhua on their path. 86

If the PCs survive the encounter, they may take the Acolhua’s weapons (normal shields, helmets and maces). If there are any Nahua or Acolhua survivors, the PCs may interrogate them to understand the situation. The NPCs confirm this is year 2-House of the reign of Acamapichtli the Elder – that is, the era of the Mexica-Acolhua conflict – and that the Acolhua are running the Mexica off everywhere, at every turn. Any PC with at least 1 point in Knowledge automatically knows the founding of Tenochtitlan should take place any moment now. When the PCs are ready to continue exploring, proceed to Encounter 32.

Encounter 32: The Fleeing Tribe About a half hour after their encounter with the Acolhua brigade, the PCs come across a line of refugees – women, children, elderly; all from the Mexica tribe, trudging along the swampy ground. A few warriors protect the group, but they are mostly defenceless civilians. If the PCs are with the Nahua survivors from the previous encounter, they greet these women and children with genuinely affectionate displays: it’s clear they were kin. If the PCs are wearing Acolhua gear, the Mexica refugees panic

and huddle against each other as the warriors nervously stand up to the PCs. They don’t attack, but the PCs need to perform a Charisma Action, confronted by a rank soldier’s Mediocre Skill, to stop them from running away. If the PCs approach in peace or come with the Nahua survivors, the group welcomes them and introduces the PCs to their leader, the young warrior Ocelopan. Ocelopan is one of the Mexica headmen that follow the priest Cuauhcoatl – which any Mexica PC should automatically recognise as the historical figure that found the first site of Tenochtitlan – and is all too willing to talk to the newcomers. Let the PCs ask the questions or make the comment they wish, using the following excerpts as part of Ocelopan’s dialogue answers: ‘I am the one called Ocelopan, the leader of this clan’. ‘We are many leaders, many clans, from many settlements of this region, all harassed by the Acolhua’. ‘We all follow Cuauhcoatl; the priest of Huitzilopochtli. He is our Teomama, our Teotl-bearer. He speaks with the voice of Mexi Huitzilopochtli, and we listen’. ‘We used to live in Cuauhmixtitlan; we worked as mercenaries, we sold our arms to other tribes, we won wars for them. But we sacrificed the daughter of the Acolhua King, so the Acolhuas don’t want us in the region anymore’. ‘The Acolhuas strike us in Cuauhmixtitlan, in Azcapotzalco they strike us. They routed us from Chapultepec, where we served them as mercenaries, where we sold them our arms’. ‘But that is what Huitzilopochtli wants; he wants us to be at war. He wants us to rule over these lords, not to be their allies’.

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‘We, the Mexica, are the children of Mexi Huitzilopochtli; he promised these lands to us long ago, in the beginning, when we left Aztlan’. ‘These will be our lands; Cuauhcoatl, our Guide, our Teomama, says these will be our lands. Cuauhcoatl leads us around the region, across the lakes; he leads us away from the Acolhua attacks’. ‘While Cuauhcoatl leads us, he waits for a signal from Huitzilopochtli, he waits for Huitzilopochtli to say ‘ here, this is the place’, so that we know this shall be our land, there we shall settle’. ‘Meanwhile we follow Cuauhcoatl, and we fend off the Acolhua. But one day we shall stop fleeing, and Huitzilopochtli will tell Cuauhcoatl of the right place’. Then, the subject turns to what the PCs are doing there. Unlike other NPCs from the dream world, Ocelopan doesn’t seem aware that the PCs are dreaming, or that he is part of their spirit-trip. However, he understands the PCs slaughtered his enemies, so he sees the PCs as allies – or at least a potential aid against the Acolhua. ‘You are no friends of the Acolhua; you may march with us’. ‘We need to reach the Mere of Acatitlan to get these people safe; Cuauhcoatl will meet us in the Mere, he asked all tribes to meet him there’. ‘However, we also need to find Tenoch, another one of our leaders who is nearby; we need to find Tenoch and his group, we must warn them about the Acolhua movements. But we also must protect our own group’. ‘If you want to be of use, you can either help escort our women and children to the Mere of Acatitlan, or help find Tenoch’s group and warn them of the Acolhua’.

It’s time for the PCs to take part in history. If necessary, make sure they understand that helping the Mexica is their way off this dream, and the path to solving the spirit-world’s puzzle. They can help search for Tenoch’s lost group, and meet the man that will become the first king of the settled Mexica, or lead the refugees to safety and meet Cuauhcoatl, the priest that found Huitzilopochtli’s omen and led the Mexica to the site of Tenochtitlan. Either way, Ocelopan treats them as allies, and allows them a few moments – nothing more – to rest, prepare or gear up as needed. Then, it’s up to the PCs to decide how they will help. ■ If the PCs choose to help the search for Tenoch, run Encounter 33. ■ If the PCs choose to help es-

cort the refugees to the Mere of Acatitlan, run Encounter 34.

Encounter 33: Stalking Across the Stalks The PCs join Ocelopan’s party to seek Tenoch, another Mexica leader, and his clan, to warn them about the Acolhua movements in the region. The group consists of Ocelopan, the PCs and three other Nahua scouts; the rest of Ocelopan’s warriors have remained behind to lead the civilians to safety. The PCs spend several hours with the other scouts, combing the area looking for traces of Tenoch’s group. Ask the PCs to perform an Athletic or Survival action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards to keep pace with the Nahua scouts; any PC that fails suffers exhaustion. After the first day, ask the PCs to perform a normal Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 6(1)), representing the search efforts of both PCs and NPCs.

■ If the check succeeds, the group finds the tracks of a group of Nahua that could well be Tenoch and his people; proceed immediately to Encounter 35. ■ If the check is a success with a negative consequence, the group finds the tracks but also finds a party of Acolhua scouts. ■ If the check fails, the group doesn’t find the tracks, and the Acolhua scouts attack during the night.

Create a fair encounter, using a combination of New World characters. The Mexica scouts accompanying the PCs don’t need to be accounted for during the battle; they are assumed to be fighting other Acolhua soldiers (that’s why the encounter is only +1). A PC that failed both the Action and the Check at the beginning of this encounter is spent during the first round of this fight. If the PCs survive the encounter, the other Mexica also defeated their Acolhua after great effort, and they may continue exploring. Ocelopan does not allow them to rest, however, as they cannot afford delays to find Tenoch. Proceed to Encounter 35.

Encounter 34: Walking the Wetlands While Ocelopan marches off to find Tenoch and his people, the PCs agree to help lead Ocelopan’s people to safety. According to the scouts leading the tribe, the Mere is still a couple of days from the group’s position; but after the few first hours they should clear Acolhua territory and enter the Tepanec-dominated Acatitlan region, where they will have safe passage. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception or Survival Check (dif-

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ficulty: 6(1)), representing the perceptions of both the PCs and their NPC allies.

armed warriors are Tenoch’s people… but they are under attack by a massive Acolhua force.

■ If the check succeeds, the group senses there are Acolhua scouts watching from afar; if allowed to leave, they may return with a stronger force. If the PCs wish to engage the scouts, create a -1 encounter, using a Scouts and Ahtlatl throwers. If the PCs win the fight, they may return to the main group and continue watching over them.

■ Create a +1 encounter, using a combination of New World characters. Neither Tenoch’s people nor the Mexica scouts accompanying the PCs need to be accounted for during the battle, as they are assumed to be fighting with other Acolhua, which vastly outnumber the Mexica in this battle.

■ If the check is a success with a

■ If the group found the tracks

positive consequence, the PCs ambush the scouts. ■ If the check is a success but with a negative consequence, the PCs may engage the scouts but one of them already managed to disengage and warn the larger force.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once the Acolhua scouts are dealt with (or not), the Mexica scouts decide to lead their people on for the whole night, so that they won’t risk camping in Acolhua lands. This requires the PCs to help the children and elderly, and to stay awake themselves. Ask the PCs to perform an Athletic action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. A PC that loses the confrontation suffers exhaustion. A PC who obtains a positive consequence can spend it to help another PC succeed. As the PCs accompany the tribe’s forced march across the Acolhua marshes, proceed to Encounter 36.

Encounter 35: Rendezvous at the Reeds As dawn begins to lighten the sky, the PCs and their scout companions spy a group of armed warriors in the distance. ■ If the group didn’t find the tracks during Encounter 33, the 88

during Encounter 33, the camp belongs to the Acolhua; they mobilise immediately when they see the PCs and order pursuit. However, just when the Acolhua catch up with the PCs, Tenoch’s people appear out of nowhere and ambush the Acolhua, who were distracted by the PCs’ timely arrival.

■ Create a -1 encounter, using a combination of New World characters. Neither Tenoch’s people nor the Mexica scouts accompanying the PCs need to be accounted for during the battle, as they are assumed to be fighting with other Acolhua.

AFTE R TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs survive the battle, they may take the Acolhua’s gear and greet Tenoch, the Mexica warlord that will become the lead of his nation for the next couple of decades. Most of the Mexica survived the fight too, and they spend little time crying for their few losses; right now, the priority is to move on. After the battle, Tenoch and Ocelopan hold a quick council, deciding the tribe must proceed to the Mere of Acatitlan to meet the others; Ocelopan’s scouts and the PCs are tasked with muddling the group’s tracks and taking out any Acolhua scout that may be on their trail.

Ask the PCs to perform a Survival Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards, to keep the Acolhua off the trail of Tenoch’s people. Whether the PCs win or lose the confrontation will affect the outcome of a future encounter. Proceed to Scene 41.

Encounter 36: The Mere of Acatitlan The PCs have managed to escort the fleeing Mexica tribe for almost a whole night; it’s been hard, but they are all hardy people. Then, one of the Mexica scouts from the group returns with reports of a large Acolhua force in the vicinity. ■ If the PCs intercepted the Acolhua scouts during Encounter 37, the Acolhua haven’t discovered them yet, but they are very likely to. However, the Acolhua border is very near; if someone distracted the Acolhua just enough, the Mexica tribe could cross over to Tepanec territory and be safe.

The PCs are of course expected to volunteer for the task. If they do, they must intercept the Acolhua warriors and lead them away from the Mexica, as the bulk of the tribe safely crosses the border into the Mere of Acatitlan. The PCs find the Acolhua party easily; they were really very near. Ask the PCs to perform a Stealth, Survival or Perception Action against the Acolhua rank soldiers’ Mediocre Skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they successfully distract the Acolhua and must fight only a few advance soldiers before running off into the wetlands. Create a -1 encounter, using rank soldiers, rank spearmen, ahtlatl throw-

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ers, and warriors; If the PCs win the fight, their task is fulfilled, and they may double back to the Mere of Acatitlan to join the rest of the Mexica, having successfully delayed the Acolhua force – proceed to Scene 41. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they have all but sacrificed themselves to save the Mexica – the Acolhua pursue and surround them, forcing them into a nearly unwinnable fight. Create two fair encounters, one after the other, using rank soldiers, rank spearmen, ahtlatl throwers, warriors, and temple guards. If the PCs survive both battles, the remaining Acolhua retreat, frightened by the PCs’ skill and ferocity. The PCs have not only saved the Mexica; they have miraculously defeated impossible odds and survived to tell the tale. They may now rejoin the Mexica in the Mere of Acatitlan. ■ If the PCs don’t volunteer to distract the Acolhua, or if they failed to stop the Acolhua scouts from warning a larger force during Encounter 34, the Acolhua quickly catch up with them and ambush the Mexica group. The PCs’ only chance now is to help the Mexica defeat an overwhelming force.

Create a +2 encounter, using rank soldiers, rank spearmen, ahtlatl throwers, warriors, and temple guards. If the PCs survive the fight, the Mexica have defeated the Acolhua force, but only at the cost of heavy losses, the marshlands drowned with the blood of warriors, women and children. Even so, the survivors owe it to the fallen to survive, so the tribe must go on to the Mere of Acatitlan.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs survive the encounter with the Acolhua force, the tribe can finally cross into the Tepanec marshes, and a few hours later they finally arrive, undisturbed, to the Mere of Acatitlan. There are a few Mexica settled there, camping among the reeds. They are but a handful, tired and hungry as Ocelopan’s tribe. Some of them get hopeful looks when they see their kin approach and get up to ask about Ocelopan, but are disappointed to learn that neither him nor Tenoch’s people are accounted for yet. Also, the priest that summoned the Mexica here, the Teotl-bearer Cuauhcoatl, hasn’t let himself be seen; apparently, he’s performing some rite at a large islet inside the marsh. The scattered Mexica are still waiting for him to come out and explain what this is about. Meanwhile, let the PCs – finally – rest, heal themselves and regain Spirit as they wish. Then, proceed to Scene 41.

Scene 41: the eagle and the serpenT As the scene begins, the people of Tenoch arrive to the Mere of Acatitlan, where the other few Mexica survivors have haphazardly gathered and remain waiting for any word from the priest Cuauhcoatl. Ocelopan’s tribe arrived almost two days earlier, and were eagerly waiting for their kin to catch up with them. If the PCs were with Ocelopan’s tribe, they see Tenoch’s group arrive; his people are diminished, tired and weakened, as they had to fight many Acolhua to get here. If the PCs went with Ocelopan himself to find Tenoch, they have at last reached the Mexica gathering at the Mere of Acatitlan, and may now rest, draw cards, heal themselves and regain spirit. The gathered Mexica celebrate the arrival of their kin, gathering around, distributing food, playing music, singing and telling jokes. Their joy is short-lived, however; suddenly, the sounds of marching soldiers reach them. The Acolhua have found them. Read the following aloud: The first screams take you by surprise, as some of the refugees from the outer camp run towards you, only to fall dead a few paces away, their blood mingling with the muddy water. Then it’s all a panic as the Acolhua soldiers march into the Mexica camp, smashing skulls, throwing children to the water, skewering the men and women where they stand. ‘Why?’ cry some of the women, ‘why can’t they leave us alone? They have killed our men, they have slain our warriors, they won’t let us stay anywhere! Where will we go?’ The PCs are soon caught up in the attack and must fight; if not for the Mexica, for their own survival. ■ If the PCs played Encounter 35 and kept the Acolhua off the trail of the Mexica, these attackers are just a loose band of raiders; create a -1 encounter, using scouts and archers.

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■ If the PCs failed to stop the Acolhua scouts, or didn’t play Encounter 35, this is a full-fledged strike force; create a +2 encounter, using jaguar warriors, eagle warriors and temple guards.

peoples into the swamp, having the tallest Mexica carry the children, the elderly and the ones that cannot wade the marshlands. Thus, they avoid being tracked by the Acolhua.

a tall, regal man with ritual paint, a hummingbird headdress and black paint over his arms and face. This is Cuauhcoatl, the Teomama of the Mexica, the Voice of Huitzilopochtli and spiritual guide of the refugees.

If the PCs survive this battle, their next step also depends on their previous actions:

If the PCs fail the check, or if they don’t suggest the idea, Tenoch comes up with it on his own, but not before some more Acolhua appear and attack the tribe; create a fair encounter, using rank soldiers, rank spearmen, ahtlatl throwers, warriors, and temple guards.

Read the following aloud when the PCs meet Cuauhcoatl:

■ If the PCs played Encounter 36

and volunteered to intercept the Acolhua force, there are no more Acolhua soldiers to battle for now; proceed to Encounter 37. ■ If the PCs didn’t volunteer to in-

tercept the Acolhua force, or didn’t play Encounter 36, they still must fight a second wave of Acolhua raiders; create a +1 encounter, using rank soldiers, rank spearmen, ahtlatl throwers, warriors, and temple guards. If the PCs survive, proceed to Encounter 37.

Encounter 37: The Founding The Mexica have survived the Acolhua raid, but there must be more of them nearby. Some of the Mexica leaders, Ocelopan included, suspect the Tepaneca must have allowed the Acolhua into Acatitlan, to let two potential rivals take care of each other without taking the blame themselves. Right now, however, the most pressing concern is to get the people to safety. Ask the PCs to perform an Easy Knowledge check (difficulty: 3(1)); non-Mexica characters suffer one disadvantage on the check. If the PCs succeed, they remember this episode of Mexica history, and know that the Mexica escaped the Acolhua by hiding under the waters. If the PCs suggest hiding under the waters, Tenoch and Ocelopan agree that it’s a brilliant idea, and immediately set out to lead their

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When the plan to ‘hide in the waters’ is in motion, all the surviving Mexica, women, children and elderly included, wade into the swamp, hoping to throw the Acolhua off their scent once and for all. The PCs are assigned to guide the procession; ask them to perform a normal Stealth or Survival Check (difficulty: 6(1)). ■ If the check succeeds, the PCs have safely lead the Mexica past the Acolhua raiders, and the tribes are now truly safe; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the check fails, the Acolhua sense the Mexica in the water and wade after them; the PCs must help kill them to the last man, or else they’ll call reinforcements and all will be lost. Create a fair encounter, using eagle warriors, scouts, archers and ahtlatl throwers. If the PCs survive the fight, proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTE R TH E ENC OUNTER Once the last Acolhua scouts have been dealt with, the Mexica are at last clear of their pursuers; they spend the rest of the night hiding waist-deep in the waters, but safe. The next morning, a small contingent of Mexica priests comes out of the reeds and approaches the shore to help the Mexica tribes out of the water. Leading the priests is

The imposing figure that greets everybody as they climb out of the water can be no other than Cuauhcoatl, the God-bearer of Huitzilopochtli, the Mexica’s Grand Priest. As Tenoch, Ocelopan and the other clan leaders bow to him, he bows back and intones, loud enough for all the survivors to hear: ‘I have talked with Huitzilopochtli and he has spoken; he has shown me the sign we were waiting for. But first we have to mark this place, for here we were bathed, we were baptised; here the Waters held us and birthed us again. This place shall henceforth be known as Temazcaltitlan, and we shall have burning flags here to remember our deliverance from danger and mud’. The Mexica cheer and cry upon hearing this; Cuauhcoatl answers by chanting a heartfelt rite and bleeding himself over the pond. He has thirteen flags planted on the shore, and orders the Mexica to set them on fire. Then, the old priest grows solemn, his eyes glint, and he looks over all his gathered flock. ‘Come now, my children’, he says. ‘See what our Teotl has shown us, what he showed to me, to Ococoaltzin and to Xohimimitl, see what we saw. Come!’ With these words, the priests guide the Mexica – and the PCs – to a shallow pass, and lead the way across an islet in the middle of the marshland. Atop the islet there’s a rock, and on it grows a Tenochtli cactus; standing on the tenochtli, there’s an eagle devouring a ser-

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pent, the two beasts’ blood mingling with the cactus’ pricks and pears. ‘This is what Huitzilopochtli was waiting to show us. We thought we were expelled, we were homeless, we were cast out; we thought we were the ones nobody wanted. But today our Teotl shows us it was not so; today we know we were being led here, to this place’. ‘Here we will build, and here we will lay the foundation, and those that run us off today, will end up our slaves; those that demand tribute to let us stay in their lands will beg to pay tribute to us, so we let them live’. ‘The Acolhua despise and chase us now, but they know our children and lineages are mingled with theirs; they will agree to give us a King of their blood, and Azcapotzalco will have to acknowledge us, and Colhuacan will have to acknowledge, and we shall be an altepetl of our own, and grow in power, and make alliances and conquer’. ‘Thus the Empire of Mexico Cuauhmixtitlan, the domain of the Mexica begins… with a temple to Huitzilopochtli here, in the place of the Great Omen’. The Mexica break out in tears after the speech, and they scramble to touch the cactus, to worship the symbolic eagle - which miraculously does not fly away, or acknowledge the reverent Mexica, while it continues its dinner - and to thank the old priest Cuauhcoatl. In the commotion, the priest marches up to the PCs and smiles at them. ‘Ah, the spirit travellers. The ones that dreamed us. Was the lesson clear? Was the dream satisfactory?’ ‘You see, Huitzilopochtli did not tell me to seek this place. He told me to make it. I lured the eagle with magic, I lured it with that dead snake; I made the omen, so I could inspire the people. Nobody wants us anywhere else, so I had to make a desirable place out of this forsaken marsh; but it will suffice, and it will inspire, and from hardship we shall wrest strength. ‘I picked the tenochtli, because everyone knows Tenoch will be our leader, and he will want to remember this day, to glorify this site. And we will name the city Tenochtitlan when he dies; in his honour, of course, but they all shall forever picture the tenochtli, the eagle, the omen. The eagle, the serpent, cuauh, coatl… well, I can claim Huitzilopochtli gave the order, not me. ‘But in truth there are no sacred places, you know? Not even to the teotl. There are no preordained homes. Always the Mexica have been wanderers, and wanderers we shall remain; as we won our home while escaping an enemy, so shall we lose it while escaping another. As we reached our home by water, we shall leave it by fire’.

‘Yet, by giving people a common purpose, we create nations; by giving them symbols, we create worlds. Whether we flee or fight, what matters is not the place, but the people. How funny, how fitting that, for the people to survive, they must be given the illusion that the place matters’. ‘This, thus, is my lesson to you: abandon the sacred place, burn the flag… but always protect the people’. As the PCs ponder the priest’s last words, the multicoloured mist covers the scene, announcing the end of the spirit journey. The last the PCs receive is a glimpse of the eagle on the tenochtli, eating the serpent, surrounded by mist, as if a timeless symbol of…

Scene 42: waking from the sixth dreaM Then the fog lifts, and the PCs find themselves in the mortal world again. As always, they feel rested and healed, and may keep any equipment found during the dream; more importantly, they have the sixth obsidian piece. Necahua’s smoky mirror can be assembled now. Then, read the following aloud: As you realise you now have the final mirror piece, you notice you are in the streets of Tenochtitlan, near the Temple of Huitzilopochtli. The dream brought you to the place where the Mexica found Cuauhcoatl’s omen, now paved over and built around. Every time you have returned from the spirit world, it has been just in time to witness the next omen. However, nothing special happens this time; you’re simply standing in the streets – some people wander about, but nobody even looks at you. There’s no omen to greet your return. Save for the obsidian piece. It seems to hum, to warn…

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Scene 43: an omen is a warninG As the PCs wake from the last dream, they notice the obsidian piece in their possession is fuming. There’s actual mist – the multicoloured mist of Necahua’s spell – coming out of the obsidian piece. If the PCs examine it closely, they notice the piece is also humming, vibrating ever so slightly, as if it wanted something to happen. What happens after this depends directly on what the PCs said to Mahuitzin, and who they appeared to side with, during Scene 37 in Chapter VI. ■ If the PCs went in search of Necahua, or Mahuitzin detected the PCs tried to deceive him in Scene 37, the mist carries an urgent message from Necahua, right inside the PCs’ heads:

‘Warriors! There is no time to lose! The merchant’s forces, the sneaking spy’s forces, are at my house now! They are at my house with stone and fire! Please come! The black mirror is all but assembled! If Mahuitzin stops us now, everything is lost! The world is lost…!’ When the PCs move to Necahua’s lair, proceed to Scene 44. ■ If the PCs warned Mahuitzin about Necahua’s plan in Scene 37, the mist disperses and a group of soldiers encounter the PCs in the streets, taking them to Mahuitzin’s lair.

Once in the spymaster’s presence, he tells the PCs of his plans to attack on Necahua. ‘My friends, the Nobles have decided, the ancients have decided. I relayed Necahua’s case to those that would… understand the situation, and they have given their command’. ‘The witch Necahua may have the best interests of the Anahuac at heart, but she cannot go on unsupervised. I’m moving to her lair to bring her in. If she wants to save the city, she’ ll have to work with the city. I expect you to back this up’. Without another word, Mahuitzin dismisses the PCs and mobilises his forces for an attack on Necahua’s

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lair. The PCs may rest and prepare as they wish while the soldiers organize the strike force; then, Mahuitzin gives the order. Whether the PCs are on Necahua or Mahuitzin’s side, they must now go to the temple as soon as possible. When the PCs move to Necahua’s lair, proceed to Scene 44. ■ If the PCs successfully deceived Mahuitzin in Scene 37, the mist becomes a flock of vultures, which then transform into a group of Necahua’s agents. The agents approach the PCs to bring them back to the witch: Necahua has learned that Mahuitzin intends to attack the temple, and she needs the PCs by her side for the defence.

The guards lead the PCs back to Necahua’s lair, where they are assigned a post at the temple entrance (area N1 in Appendix: Necahua’s Temple). The PCs may rest, draw cards, replenish consumables and tend to their wounds; then, Necahua gives them her last instructions: ■ Once the battle begins, the PCs must discreetly fight their way to her chambers in Area N6 of the map. ■ To this end, Necahua tells the PCs how to open the door in the Throne Room (Area N5) with the black dust on the four torches. ■ Necahua also gives the PCs the code to open the access to Area N7 (1, 3, 7, 11; or 11, 7, 3, 1 if the PCs had already cracked the previous code). ■ Once in Necahua’s secret chambers, the PCs must gather all the obsidian pieces and escape the temple; what matters above all is for the mirror to be assembled.

Once the PCs have understood their duties and are ready to protect the temple, run Scene 44.

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Scene 44: the raid on the templE The Mexica government has decided to deal with Necahua and ordered a raid on her temple. She has chosen to resist, and it’s time for the PCs to choose a side. The scene begins when both the PCs and Mahuitzin’s soldiers have arrived to Necahua’s temple for the attack. ■ If the PCs arrive with Mahuitzin’s attacking force,

or after the attack has begun, they must climb the temple’s outer stairs. The scene begins when the PCs finish the climb and reach the top of Necahua’s pyramid. ■ If the PCs were assigned as temple defence, they are already at the top of the pyramid, waiting for the rush of invaders.

If the PCs haven’t explored Necahua’s lair before, read the following aloud as the scene begins: Necahua’s temple resembles the inside of the great temples of Tenochtitlan, except the imagery of the Saints and Spirits carved on the walls is mixed with other, less identifiable, more monstrous beings. Necahua clearly worships both sides of the spirit world – the upper and the lower realms. Refer to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide the PCs’ steps through the area, describing the section corresponding to the code of the chamber they move to; as the scene begins, the PCs are in area N1. Wherever the PCs move, they see Mexica warriors fighting each other or dying against the bloodied temple walls; neither side gives or asks for any mercy. Every time the PCs reach an area marked X on the map, they must fight a small force of enemies. ■ If the PCs are on Mahuitzin’s side, create a -1 encounter, using Cuahchic and Teotl Priests. ■ If the PCs are on Necahua’s side, create a -1 encounter, using rank soldiers, rank spearmen and warriors.

If the PCs defeat the enemy force, let them keep exploring the temple, referring to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide their steps.

If the PCs enter and leave area N7, or use the exits on areas N2 or N9, they activate Necahua’s magical wards, and the multicoloured mist surrounds them again; run Scene 45.

Scene 45: the pieces of the PuzzlE Read the following aloud: The mist takes you again when you were leaving Necahua’s dungeon; she must have cursed all her exits with paths to the spirit world. But before you can give it much thought, the mist dissipates, and you are surprised to find yourself in an environment you recognise – a court of tlachtli ball. Two men hold a one-on-one match, before thousands of Nahua onlookers. The crowd, the decorations and the military presence indicate this is a very important game, and the players are very high-ranking people. One of the players is a strikingly beautiful man, thin and delicate as a woman but spirited and aggressive in his playing style. The other one is… by the teotl, it’s King Moctecuhzoma II, the Mexica tlatoani. And he doesn’t look that much younger; this must have taken place no more than 10, 20 years ago. Then, his opponent must be equally noble; perhaps the lord of a vassal state… You’ve been transported to a tlachtli match between kings. Describe the tlachtli game briefly; both players hit the balls with their hips, knees and elbows, masterfully preventing it from falling to the ground while trying to put it through a stone hoop in the middle of the court. The PCs have little to do other than watch, but soon King Moctecuhzoma’s lithe opponent gets the upper hand and wins the game. Moctecuhzoma goes livid, but he manages to force a gracious congratulation to the winner. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Knowledge Check (difficulty: 6(1)); non-Mexica characters suffer one disadvantage. ■ If the check succeeds, one of the PCs recalls a story about a ball game between Moctecuhzoma and King Nezahualpilli of Tetzcoco; a game caused by a bet among the two statesmen. Nezahualpilli’s victory was

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regarded as an ill omen and a slight on Moctecuhzoma’s authority. ■ If the check is a critical success, the PC also remembers the origin of the bet: Nezahualpilli foresaw a foreign invasion against the Anahuac, and Moctecuhzoma had derided the prediction, so they’d decided on a tlachtli game to settle it.

Meanwhile, the game has ended and the king’s respective courts, retinues and well-wishers have formed lines and crowds to talk to their leaders, or at least see them more closely. The kings are talking as friends, laughing at some private joke; then, Nezahualpilli’s voice rises over the crowd and he makes a grand gesture, pointing to someone in his entourage. A teenaged girl comes forward, and Nezahualpilli puts her hand into Moctecuhzoma’s hands, indicating he will let the girl go to Moctecuhzoma’s palace to live with him; presumably as a consolation prize to safeguard the losing king’s honour. Both courts explode in hails and blessings, and the crowd cheers with joy. Then the PCs recognise the girl. Even at this distance, even at this age, there can be no mistake.

ers in the Eastern Sea, and discussed them with his sages. His wizards consulted the stars, and concluded that the foreigners were a danger to all the Anahuac, adding that Tezcatlipoca would soon send omens to confirm it. When Nezahualpilli had tried to convince Moctecuhzoma of his fears, the Mexica King downplayed his fellow’s suspicions; the ball game was a direct consequence of that argument, and is the direct cause of this party. ■ If the PCs inquire about Necahua, ask them to perform a Charisma or Perception action, confronted by a TSE that plays one card. If the PCs win the confrontation, they learn that everyone knows she was one of Nezahualpilli’s illegitimate offspring, unable to inherit his noble standing. He favoured her, however, which everyone knows as well; it’s even rumoured he taught her things forbidden to women.

Once the PCs have learned at least two of the above facts, let them roleplay their time at the local fair, investigating more if they wish or simply having a good time. Then, run Encounter 38.

It’s Necahua. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to notice that a member of Nezahualpilli’s retinue is not happy; a teenage boy, dressed as a prince, who looks at the kings with anger. ■ If the check is a success with a positive conse-

Encounter 38: Actor Assassins

quence, the PCs notice the kid seems worried about Necahua, and she also quickly glances sideways at him.

While the PCs wander about the festival, they come across a suspicious sight.

Then, the crowd disperses and the peasants begin the after-game celebration, with music, traditional foodstuffs and street performers, as both kings and their attendants leave for the palace. Let the PCs realise they are actually in Tenochtitlan, but the seasonal decorations suggest this festival happened about ten years before their time.

There’s a group of masked men, huddling in the shadow of an out-of-the-way building; they are dressed like street actors, but they talk in hushed tones as they sheathe darts and knives. Then, paying no mind to the party around them, they slip out of the city square, towards the northern gate – the one that leads to the Tetzcoco ferry.

Let the PCs mingle with the local folk and talk about the ongoing event and the visit of the Tetzcocan nobles.

If the PCs ignore this mysterious group, proceed to Scene 46.

■ As soon as the PCs talk or listen to anyone, ask them to perform a Charisma or Perception action, confronted by a TSE that plays one card. If the PCs win the confrontation, they overhear that many people argue whether Nezahualpilli’s gift was symbolic appeasement or a disguised, symbolic insult, since Moctecuhzoma’s sister is one of Nezahualpilli’s ‘lesser’ wives.

If the PCs follow these suspicious characters, ask them to perform a Stealth Action, confronted by a Xolotl assassin’s competent skill.

■ If the PCs ask about the ball game, they confirm what’s known from history (no check needed): Nezahualpilli got reports about mysterious invad96

■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, some of the disguised characters escape, while the rest confront the PCs. Create a -1 encounter, using Xolotl assassins. If the PCs survive the fight, proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they follow the group for the better part of an hour, until they reach

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the northern pier of Tenochtitlan and head towards a moored boat. At the other end of the pier, the PCs notice a large, ornate vessel, protected by many armed guards – clearly the boat of Nezahualpilli, in which the Tetzcoca King will eventually depart for his city, perhaps tomorrow. Apparently ignoring the Tetzcoca boat, the disguised NPCs approach their own dark boat and prepare to leave. ■ If the PCs allow them to leave, nothing else happens during that night; proceed to Scene 46. ■ If the PC move to intercept them, create a +1 encounter, using a combination of Xolotl assassins and a indigenous leader. If the PCs survive, proceed to After the Encounter.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs defeat the assassins, they may keep their equipment, which includes knives, poisoned darts, small atlatl slings, a few poison flasks, their ritual animal masks and a total of 45 quachtli in jewellery. Also, the PCs may interrogate one of the assassins if they left any alive: ■ The assassins pretend they are a harmless troupe of street performers, leaving the festival for a well-deserved rest after a day of hard work entertaining the Mexica children.

Scene 46: the mirror in the mirroR As the PCs wander the Tenochtitlan festival, a street wizard, a peddler of magical trinkets, approaches them obsequiously. His hair is tied up in a weird black-andwhite headdress, there’s a black-and-blue line painted across his eyes, and his eyes are overly open and bulging as he talks to the PCs: ‘The mirror shine on you, good people, the mirror shine! Here it is, your dream, here it is! I am the seller of your dream, the mirror, the black mirror, the enemy of both sides, isn’t it?... Here it is! Gaze upon it and pay nothing, because payment reflected amounts to nothing, and the mirror shows nothing… or does it? Here, here it is! Your answer and your dream… free or charge… or not… hee hee… mirror shine, mirror shine! Get it? Black smoke… shine! Heee heee…!’

■ Ask the PCs to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Xolotl assassin’s competent Skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, the prisoner confesses they were paid to ambush Nezahualpilli’s royal boat on its way back to Tetzcoco, set it on fire and make it look like an accident, but they don’t know who the customer was (they honestly don’t know). Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Knowledge Check (difficulty: 6(1)) (non-Mexica suffer 1 disadvantage) to remember that Nezahualpilli died just a couple of years before the First Omen took place, and the details of his death were curiously never made public. However, this means whoever tried to kill him during his visit to Tenochtitlan must have failed, because this festival took place almost a full decade before the PCs’ time. Does that mean that someone tried to kill Nezahualpilli for years? But who… and why? ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, the prisoner spills that their leader should know the full details of the contract, but he escaped as soon as the fight began.

Once the PCs have dealt with the Xolotl assassins, they may return to the festival; proceed to Scene 46.

After saying this, the peddler disappears down a side alley, having previously given the PCs a round obsidian mirror… one exactly like the one Necahua intended to assemble from the pieces the PCs gathered. If the PCs examine the mirror, read the following aloud: As you look in the obsidian surface, the familiar multicoloured mist swirls in it; not around you, but within the mirror itself. After showing a few ephemeral, fleetingly familiar shapes, the mist seems to coalesce and disperse… and the mirror reveals an image; an image that is not your reflection. In the mirror you see Necahua; not the adult Necahua you encountered in the real world, but the young Necahua, the teenaged girl you just saw used by the Tetzcoca king as a placating gift. You see this girl in the

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court of Nezahualpilli, surrounded by the culture, arts and education of Tetzcoco in its prime. Nezahualpilli hugs her, loves her… he is her father. And he teaches her; he teaches her to read the stars, to paint symbols on paper. And his sages, the great sages of Tetzcoco, teach her to perform sacrifices, to bleed herself, to beg to the gods, to consume the mushrooms, to breathe the mist, to read the stars, to paint her body black. Nezahualpilli raises his daughter to be wise, to be powerful, to be a mighty priestess… Then the mist covers the image again, and when it disperses, you see Nezahualpilli dead in his bed, surrounded by well-wishers and grieving relatives. Among them there’s the teenage boy you saw after the ball game, the one that didn’t agree with Necahua leaving. He doesn’t cry; he only squints and tightens his fists. You are witnessing the death of the Tetzcoca King, which happened two years ago in your time, but in this dream is still the future… Then, the sovereign’s corpse spontaneously bursts in flames, as if burned from the inside; some of the witnesses cringe or step back, but the priests remain stern and composed, and cast incantations at the fire, mouthing something about a curse. The teenage prince turns his back on the burning carcass of his father and leaves the room. Hidden on the palace roof, spying on the prince from the shadows, there is a Xolotl assassin, just like the ones the PCs saw earlier tonight. When the prince disappears from view, the assassin lifts his mask. He is Mahuitzin. Not yet a rich, fat pochteca, but still a lean, efficient killer. Yet there’s no doubt that it’s him. As you feel the chill of recognition, he puts the mask back on, and leaps away into the shadows… Then the mist covers the mirror again, and you hear the murmur of the wind, taking the shape of three words: Nezahualpilli was right. Then the multicoloured mist really surrounds the PCs, and they are jaunted back to the mortal world. They are still in Tenochtitlan, at the exact same spot they were during the spirit dream, in the northeast city square; only this time there is no festival, no party, no people, no noise… the night is heavy with silence and thick with expectation. And Mahuitzin’s men surround the PCs. ‘Where… were… you?’

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Scene 47: a little bird told mE As the PCs return from their last spirit trip, they find themselves surrounded by the soldiers of the merchant Mahuitzin, who was ordering a raid on the temple of Necahua, the Witch, the last time the PCs saw him. Since then, the PCs have learned it was Mahuitzin who killed Nezahualpilli, the King of Tetzcoco, three years ago; and it was probably this job which earned him his high rank in Moctecuhzoma’s secret service. But why? And how? So many questions. And yet, right now it’s his time to ask. ‘Where have you been?’ Let the PCs reply – or not – as they wish. Mahuitzin is not in the mood for much talking, anyway. If the PCs were on Mahuitzin’s side during the temple raid, he simply orders them escorted to the palace; if they were on Necahua’s team, he has the PCs bound, fettered and dragged to the palace as prisoners. During the trip to the palace, Mahuitzin says nothing but the following: ‘While you were… wherever it is that the witch sends you, the Seventh Omen appeared. Some black mirror, with magical images… of all the stupid things…’ Regardless of what the PCs say or ask, Mahuitzin replies only that all their questions shall be answered in the palace. If the PCs are led as prisoners, Mahuitzin’s guards strip them of all weapons and gear and throw them into jail. If they are still working for Mahuitzin, he summons the PCs to his audience chamber inside the palace – a small, discreet office, curiously smaller and plainer than the spymaster’s lavish field quarters. Either way, proceed to Scene 47 Conversation.

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Scene 47 Conversation: What He Said Whether in a cell or in his office, Mahuitzin meets the PCs within an hour after their arrival to the palace. Mahuitzin has very specific things to say to the PCs; they may answer as they wish and even interject their own questions. In any event, use the following excerpts as part of Mahuitzin’s dialogue. ‘While you disappeared, we finished the Temple raid and rounded up everyone inside. I foresee a featherful of executions by the next moon’. ‘Necahua allowed herself to be captured, which makes no sense; why did she make us fight our way to her if she was going to turn herself in anyway…? But then I thought, of course, she’s planning something. And it involves the guys she just sent to the Spirit World.’ ‘So, I gave the order to watch out for your return. And meanwhile, the funniest thing happened’. ‘Some fishermen found this black stork – which, curiously enough, is Necahua’s nahual spirit – carrying a black mirror. They took the mirror and the bird to King Moctecuhzoma… and the mirror had a warning all right. It showed some metal-clad, hairy-faced men… not unlike our foreigners from the Eastern Sea… just like everyone’s been warning everyone about, isn’t it?’ ‘Well, the king doesn’t want any noise about these foreigners; he feels it could threaten his rule. Paranoid little people, politicians are. So, he ordered his sages to state that they couldn’t decipher the omen, and that the mirror disappeared before we could understand its meaning. That’s seriously the official story we’re feeding

SIDEBAR: NEZAHUALPILLI’S CHILDREN

the people. * sigh *’ ‘But the mirror did not disappear, mind you; my men have it well guarded as we speak. And I have pretty strong evidence to believe it’s another of Necahua’s doings. So that leaves us with your part in all this’. ■ If the PCs mention their last spirit trip, Mahuitzin confirms any information they may have failed to obtain during the dream, as detailed in the Nezahualpilli’s Children Sidebar. ■ If the PCs confront Mahuitzin about assassinating Nezahualpilli, he holds their gaze, unblinking:

‘There are things larger, and more important, than any one man, be he a public servant, a murderer, or even a king. Peace is one such thing. Peace is far more important than the life of any one citizen of the Anahuac. Moctecuhzoma may not be the most competent or worthy ruler; yes, he may even be a coward... but he understands that. Nezahualpilli understood that. Ixtlilxóchitl, proud and noble as he is, does not. So… do you understand that?’ After saying this, Mahuitzin sends the PCs directly to Necahua’s shrine, without speaking with her, even if she is alive; he can’t risk the PCs revealing what they know to Necahua. Proceed to Scene 49.

AFTER TH E C ONVERSATI ON When the questioning ends, Mahuitzin’s final orders depend on Necahua’s current situation. That, in turn, depends on the PCs’ professed stance on Necahua, and whether they convinced Mahuitzin of it, during their previous conversations, particularly Scene 37.

Nezahualpilli’s son Ixtlilxóchitl was a favour-

Thirteen years ago, Moctecuhzoma of Tenochtitlan and Nezahualpilli of Tetzcoco did have a tlachtli bet, to settle Nezahualpilli’s claims about the hair-faced invaders from the East: he wanted Moctecuhzoma to take immediate action against them, while Moctecuhzoma favoured a moderate approach.

ite to succeed him, but Moctecuhzoma pressed the

Nezahualpilli won, which was taken as an ill omen for the Mexica.

Ixtlilxóchitl didn’t agree to his half-brother’s ap-

To placate the defeated and offended Moctecuhzoma, Nezahualpilli gave his daughter Necahua to him as a concubine. Everybody in the Anahuac knows that Nezahualpilli died under mysterious circumstances two years ago.

Tetzcoco officials into choosing Cacamac, one of Nezahualpilli’s illegitimate children, and the son of Moctecuhzoma’s sister. To date, Cacamac rules Tetzcoco as a puppet of Tenochtitlan. pointment, claiming – perhaps rightly – that the election was rigged by the Mexica, and Tetzcoco has been divided between the two brothers for the last two years.

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■ If the PCs didn’t specifically convince Mahuitzin of Necahua’s guilt or innocence, he has kept her imprisoned to see what he can get out of her:

‘Necahua is still in her cell. I need you to talk to her… see if there really is some sense to her predictions.’ ■ When the PCs are ready to talk to Necahua, go to Scene 48. ■ If the PCs convinced Mahuitzin that Necahua is working for the common good, he has hidden her inside the palace, and allowed her to continue her research:

‘See, my orders were to execute Necahua… but I have been covering up the threat of the Eastern foreigners for far too long not to suspect that there may be some truth to the warnings. So, I kind of… saved her… and gave her a fully-equipped shrine here in the palace’. ‘Well yeah, she’s officially dead, but… well, she basically works for us, now. A witch-spy for the Triple Alliance’. ‘Anyway, I need you to debrief her on your last spirit trip, and work with her to give me some intelligence on what to do next’. When the PCs are ready to talk to Necahua, go to Scene 48. ■ If the PCs revealed Necahua’s traitorous plan to Mahuitzin, or actively convinced him that she is dangerous, he had her executed while the PCs were in the spirit world.

‘Necahua’s dead. We put her to death during your trip. In fact, I think the bird-thing that brought us the mirror… Did I tell you that was her nahual shape? … Anyway, doesn’t matter. I’m pretty sure she’s dead now’. ‘The point is, now we need you to make sense of her ramblings. She left a lot of loose ends, a lot of unfinished research. You were working closely with her, so if anyone’s got a chance of getting anything useful out of it… Well, you get my point. I’m giving you access to it all – her notes, her rituals, even that black mirror she, or the bird-thing, showed the King’. ‘You examine the stuff, you learn what you can, you share it with me. No double-crossing, no half-truths this time. You do that, you go free, and you get a well-paid job in the bargain’. When the PCs are ready to comply, go to Scene 49.

Scene 48: picking up the PieceS The PCs are led to Necahua’s presence, either in her jail cell or her new, secret quarters in the Tenochtitlan Palace. In any case, she looks far less majestic and much more down-to-earth than in all their previous meetings. It’s even a bit sad to see her without all the paraphernalia, the followers, the smoke clouds, the decoration. Necahua cries in delight upon seeing the PCs and eagerly stands up to meet them, even if they sided against her during the previous chapter. ‘My friends… my warriors! You have returned from yet another trip… the sixth omen was not the last!’ ‘The mirror, the mirror itself was the Seventh Omen… I was not wrong, and I’m not wrong now: An Eighth Omen will yet come, one from the very Earth!’ ‘But you’re here because Mahuitzin allowed it. So, he wants you to get something from me. What is it?’

Scene 48 Conversation: Treading on Truths Let the PCs conduct the conversation with Necahua as they wish. Possible subjects, and Necahua’s answers, depend on the PCs comments and questions. Most of all, Necahua wants the PCs to tell her about their last trip; she confirms what they saw is what really happened, as detailed in the Nezahualpilli’s Children Sidebar. ■ If the PCs ask Necahua about her own findings, she tells her interpretation of the latest omens, as detailed in the Necahua’s Final Thoughts sidebar. ■ If the PCs talk about the strange bird that took the complete obsidian mirror to Moctecuhzoma, she confesses:

‘I gathered the mirror pieces after I sent you on that last trip. I could not wait’. ‘Then, just before the spymaster’s men destroyed my temple, I sent my nahual bird with the mirror; to take 100

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it to safety, yes… But also to let Moctecuhzoma see the threat, the real threat... and the mirror showed him. It’s the foreign invaders, of course. You knew, I knew, we always knew that. The mirror will show you too, if Mahuitzin lets you see it’. ‘But the mirror is not the complete answer, of course. It fulfilled its purpose as the Seventh Omen, and it warned of the coming of these people; but the other omens make it clear – these people will destroy the Anahuac’. ■ If the PCs question Necahua about what they saw about her in the dream version of the mirror, she also confirms the story:

‘A man foretold the omens before I did. He knew what Tezcatlipoca would say before it was said. He was Nezahualpilli, the son of Great Nezahualcoyotl and the greatest statesman the Anahuac has ever seen…’

‘And I believe you are the key to defeat this plague’. ‘When my father gave me to Moctecuhzoma, his intention was not really to placate the Mexica King. He let everyone believe so, of course… but he talked to me first’. ‘In truth, my father intended me to act as Moctecuhzoma’s influence, to lead him to a greater understanding; my father believed that, if the King could not be swayed from the throne room, he might be persuaded from a lover’s bed. He wanted to use me to turn Moctecuhzoma’s mind toward the invaders, to make him see the need to… take action about them’. ‘But then my father died, and Moctecuhzoma spit on my family and my people’s sovereignty by bullying the council into appointing Cacamac, the son of his sister, over my brother Ixtlilxóchtil’.

‘Nezahualpilli was my teacher and father; the rival Kings of Tetzcoco are my half-brothers. My father… he gave me to Moctecuhzoma as a gesture for a lost bet’.

‘Then I knew Moctecuhzoma could not be made to see reason, either from the bed or from the throne. Instead, I trained and researched in secret… and then the omens came’.

■ If the PCs reveal that Mahuitzin killed Necahua’s father, her expression immediately changes. For a moment, the PCs see again the Necahua they know – an aloof, theatrical and arrogant Nahual sorceress, full of passion… and vengeance. Her air of madness returns.

‘Ixtlilxóchitl, not Cacamac, should be my father’s successor. I wanted to conspire to crown him… But that wasn’t enough, either. I was tired of leaving things to kings. I was tired of leaving things to politicians. Of leaving things to men’.

‘So it is, is it?... So it is’. ‘You… you have told me this. You learned this. The mirror… The mirror wanted you to know this, but you freely chose to tell me’. ‘You have set the vulture of wrath upon Tenochtitlan, my friends. Ah, I’m half-tempted to let those bearded invaders take this cursed land, its cursed men and their cursed intrigues, let them all be washed away in an ocean of black blood… But no. Better a careful revenge. A surgical revenge. And you will help me with this’. ■ If the PCs mention the eighth omen, Necahua shows, as always, that she’s not one to wait around.

‘When the Eighth Omen appears, we’ ll think about it. Who knows if we’ ll still be alive when it comes?’ ‘No, we must think about what we already know. Let us move; let us get things done’.

A F T E R T H E CON V E R SATION Regardless of the rest of their conversation, Necahua makes sure to tell the PCs the following: ‘The real danger, as the fifth dream suggested, as the flood warned, is an illness. The invaders will bring metal weapons, will enforce new gods and death penalties, but they will also bring a deadly plague’.

‘Mahuitzin will want you to rummage through my things, to examine the mirror. I believe the spirit world gave you a way to prevent, or even cure, the coming plague. There is a ritual among my stuff… it’s still untested, researched only from omens and symbols… but it should work. Use the ritual. Make the cure’. If the PCs did not reveal that Mahuitzin killed Nezahualpilli, Necahua is beginning to have doubts: ‘At first, I wanted you to smuggle the cure and the mirror to my brother in Tetzcoco; but now I understand… other things’. ‘Moctecuhzoma’s inability to see clearly was my failure. Turning the king was my duty, not as a wife, but as a daughter. I failed my father. I should have been there to convince the King, to appeal to his heart… but I abandoned him, I made my own plans’. ‘I was angry, I was vengeful… And I did not want to be the great woman behind the great man. It was the best I could ever hope to get from Moctecuhzoma, and I was raised to be more than that’. ‘I had always intended to use my wisdom to favour Ixtlilxóchitl. But now, after the omens… I don’t know’. ‘I… I leave the decision in your hands. Make the cure… take the mirror… and save us’. 101

If the PCs did reveal Mahuitzin’s involvement in the assassination of Nezahualpilli, Necahua’s last instructions are for the PCs to contact Ixtlilxóchitl:

There are men. Countless men, a sea of men, marching across the jungles. Are these the Eastern jungles, the Southern realms?... You’ve never been there.

‘Once you make the cure, retrieve the mirror, and my nahual will take it to Ixtlilxóchitl; he shall win the war and return Tetzcoco to sanity; he shall shake the yoke of the Mexica and unite the Anahuac against the invaders’.

The strangest thing is, these men are clad in silvery metal, and ride on the backs on deer; their faces, sickly pink like illness victims, like nails and tongues, are full of hair, as the dragon warriors in your first dream… Are these the invaders? Are these metal-clad spooks the coming ruin of the Anahuac…?

‘Meanwhile, I will deal with Mahuitzin. Mahuitzin first, and then Cacamac. But first… make the cure’. When the conversation with Necahua ends, the PCs are taken to her cache of tools, notes and treasures. Proceed to Scene 49.

Scene 49: the assembled picturE This scene begins when the PCs are led to Necahua’s cache of notes, research and magical trinkets, with the approval of spymaster Mahuitzin, whether Necahua is still alive or not, to make use of her investigations. After ransacking Necahua’s Temple, Mahuitzin’s men gathered her stuff in a single chamber, organising it as best as the palace sages could. The PCs may take and study anything they need, but they cannot remove anything from this room. To make sure of it, Mahuitzin has assigned a detachment of Shorn Guards – these are in the King’s service, not Necahua’s – to watch the PCs’ every movement while in the chamber. When the PC examine the room, they find Necahua’s personal notes and research on the omens and their meaning, plus the complete obsidian mirror that carries the Seventh Omen. ■ If the PCs examine the mirror, read the following aloud:

There it is, the real mirror… well, if it can be considered real, being made from six pieces of spirit stuff and all. Feels solid enough, anyway. And cold… eerily cold, in fact. As you look at the polished surface, the multicoloured mist swirls and coalesces inside it just like its dream version; then, when the mist disappears, you see something you’ d never seen. 102

As you wonder, you see these men begin to fight; they have long metal knives that don’t bend when they hit, and twisted wands that spit thunder and smoke… their gigantic, monstrous deer emit chilling cries, like the cihuateotl spirits… and there’s blood… yet the smoke, the mud, the fog… you can’t see who they are fighting. Why can’t you see who they’re fighting? Why are they fighting? Is this what will happen to Tenochtitlan, what will come to the Anahuac? Is this the war that will lay waste to the world? Then the vision ends, the coloured mist covers the surface, and the mirror goes dormant again. This is what King Moctecuhzoma saw, what he chose to downplay via an official statement that it was some ‘undecipherable omen’. ■ If the PCs examine Necahua’s notes, they learn all the information given in the Necahua’s Final Thoughts sidebar.

After reading Necahua’s notes, the PCs may perform the ritual as described in the instructions and make themselves carriers of the cure. If they wish to do so, have them repeat to you the steps they follow; if they correctly carry out the instructions described, the ritual succeeds automatically. If they want to solve this through the cards, ask them to perform a Rites action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. If the ritual succeeds, the PCs only need one last catalyst to trigger the cure – the eighth spirit dream.

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SIDEBAR: NECAHUA’S FINAL THOUGHTS The PCs may learn the following directly from Necahua as she tells it to them, or by reading her personal notes: FOURTH DREAM: ‘Dragons? Then it’s true, and the foreigners mount dragons as easily as they mount deer?... Should be try to dominate our dragons…? But that’s not possible… Nobody can truly control the cosmic beasts, how do the foreigners…?’ FIFTH DREAM: ‘If the fifth dream means what I think it does, then the greatest threat to our people is the plague: a deadly plague that the invaders will bring with them to the Anahuac. Like my warriors experienced among the michinteca, this illness is not deadly to the foreigners, only to those not of their kind. This means their blood carries the sickness but can’t be hurt by it, as my father taught me’. ‘My father said that, once an illness is gone, the spirits remain in the body and actually protect it against new spirits invading the body. If that’s the case, then the warriors’ spirit dreams, where they met foreign peoples of every era and every stock, were for one purpose and one only: For their blood to gather evil spirits and make them immune to the sickness – to the specific sickness of the foreigners from the East’. ‘Then the cure must be made from the blood of my warriors!... But first we need to concoct the catalyst, we have to drink the potion that will make it work…’ SIXTH DREAM: ‘A warning to leave, a reminder of how they arrived… now, the Mexica must leave Tenochtitlan… But must them leave by escaping… or by being deposed…? Is it their choice to make? Is it mine?’ ‘The mirror, the mirror itself is the Seventh Omen. It was so obvious. I should have known’. ‘The threat are the foreigners. The mirror said as much, with no parable or hidden meaning. And Moctecuhzoma won’t help. Or will he?’ ‘I have sent my bird form to the King with the mirror. Let him see and deny that. If we shall all die, let him at least know…’

‘Still he managed to deny the evidence! To discard the signals! Has there been a more undeserving, infuriating…?’ ‘The last omen will come from earth too,; but I may well die first, executed for trying to save the Anahuac. Dead at the hands of the clueless, the stubborn, the fools, as my father was. Is that my destiny? To abandon all hope, abandon my brother…?’ ‘Better focus on the cure. My warriors have the solution, and evidently the eighth dream trip will give their blood the last ‘evil spirit’ needed to make the medicine. No time to wait, though. We need to start with the cure, for we don’t know how long the Eighth Omen will take…’ THE CURE FROM THE INVADERS’ PLAGUE ‘If my divinations are right and the spirit journeys have prepared my warriors’ blood to carry the cure from the plague, then we need to make a potion to trigger its healing ability. What we need is: Sap from the Tollan Tree – rare, but I took the precaution of gathering a few samples decades ago. Milk of the Tenochtli – easy to acquire; have already gathered some flasks. Blessed water – must be blessed just before enchantment; any Nonotza charm should work Mix the sap, milk and water over a brazier lit with three balls of copal, and pronounce the Tizitl prayer from the Lost Book of Topiltzin. When it’s boiling, each warrior must take three sacred Tenochtli needles and bleed himself from tongue and both thumbs over the mix. Then they must drink the medicine. If my divinations are right and the ritual is performed correctly, any warrior that has made the Eight Spirit Trips and drunk the medicine will now have the cure in his blood. That warrior need only bleed himself over any meal, or any gourd of water, and whoever partakes of that meal, of that water, shall have the cure in their body, and their blood shall be a cure for others, and so shall the cure spread; like an inverse sickness, like a plague of health, of life. Oh, I so pray that this works…’

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When the PCs have activated the mirror, and read Necahua’s notes, proceed to Encounter 39.

Encounter 39: Of Course, there was a Guardian Suddenly, as the PCs examine Necahua’s things, they trigger one of her many magical wards, and black mist begins to come out of the mirror. Soon, the black fog fills the entire chamber, and in the middle of it, something takes shape. It is a black jaguar, with a white skull painted on its face and a fleshless bone protruding where its left hindpaw should be. He’s Necahua’s guardian and protector, her friend. And any Mexica character can immediately recognise that he’s Tezcatlipoca, supreme protector – and trickster – spirit of the Nahua peoples. Before the PCs decide what to do, he talks: ‘Four warriors. Four champions. I myself was once divided in four pieces. Or was it six? Eight? I’m always two, but also two, but also three, but also four’. ‘Are you me? Are you so arrogant as to pretend to do my job?’ ‘To do my works on Earth, you must prove you can face the smoky mirror’ Then, the black jaguar breaks in four pieces, like glass, as if he was only a reflection in a mirror; and each of the four pieces takes the shape of one of the PCs. Create a fair encounter, using the PCs’ Mirror Doubles. They are exact copies of the PCs, but play cards like regular NPCs. During the fight, the Mirror Doubles taunt the PCs with their greatest fear and guilt, showing they ‘know their dark side’; you should use what you know about the PCs to develop good taunts. If you’re using the four pre-made characters included in this adventure, these are a few suggestions: Cuauhtli: ‘Who do you serve? While your people drowned in the flood, you were acting as errand boy for the nobles… While your neighbour’s children were stolen by the ghosts, you were licking the sandals of the king’s servants!’ ‘You’re a dog at the heels of the nobles… of those that didn’t even think you worthy of sacrifice! And now look at you! Once a lackey, always a lackey!’ Hiapsi:

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‘The wind does not listen anymore; the deer does not acknowledge you anymore. You smell like human, you smell like city… and that smell never comes off!’ ‘This noise in your head, in the air… Can you even manage two straight thoughts? I don’t need to talk to you… You’re not worth talking to. Your totem does not talk to you. You’re a husk, stuffed with noise. Killing you will be a blessing’. Xocoxóchitl: ‘You were chosen… and you ran off at the first chance you were offered… you were afraid to die, afraid to be a saint, afraid of purity! You act all dutiful, but deep down you are so relieved that you didn’t have to die to help the people!’ ‘You are no worthy avatar of a Teotl… you fled sacrifice… you became impure! Your body is beautiful, but I see your soul… ugly… corrupted… deformed!’ Yosá: ‘You filth! You shame! You consort with blasphemers… You lied! You didn’t come to skin them alive but to help them! You didn’t come to bleed, but to hug and kiss, to sow little flowers! ‘You didn’t come to rescue your saint, but to leave it to rot in the Mexica dungeon! You are a coward and a turncoat! What will you do next? Break your weapon and use the pieces to make a stool for Moctecuhzoma?’ If the PCs survive the encounter, the black mist becomes multicoloured, and the PCs are transported… taken to the spirit world again.

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viii: giants and monsterS Scene 50: the beginning of timE

A

FTE R FI G H T I N G T H E avatars of Tezcatlipoca that

protected Necahua’s possessions, the PCs are surprisingly jaunted to the spirit world an eighth time… but they didn’t witness or hear of any omen. They should be wondering; what triggered this trip? Read the following aloud as the scene begins: As the multicoloured mist dissipates, you sense something is changed… something is… off, this time. This is not the same as the previous trips. You feel it with your gut, your intuition. Then, your more earthly senses are assailed from multiple sources: fierce growls, fresh blood and animal cries of pain and terror. You look around: Again you are in some kind of jungle, of primal environment with monstrous vegetation and hard, rocky soil. There is no light in the sky, no sun or moon; you need to imagine most of the details about the environment – but the shrieks and howls are clear enough. Out there, something is killing something else. Then you see two red points of light among the shadows, and before you can register it, a dark, monstrous thing leaps at you with a bloodcurdling roar…

Create a fair encounter using Obsidian jaguars. During this encounter, any PC that doesn’t have the ability or means to see in the dark suffers one disadvantage on any check or action requiring sight. If the PCs survive the battle, they have a few moments to explore their environment. ■ Ask the PCs to perform a Hard Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to get a sense of their surroundings. They are in a volcanic region, with a hard stone ground and sharp shifts from high to low terrain; a misstep could result in falling to one’s horrible death in the darkness. Vegetation is dark, huge and misshapen, as in other primal environments the PCs have visited during their dream trips. ■ Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Knowledge or Rites Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to recognise this world as the time of the First Sun. This is the origin of the world, the beginning of all things, when Tezcatlipoca created the first creatures – misshapen giants and ogres, to populate the world, and set himself as the First Sun. But Tezcatlipoca himself was incomplete, having lost a foot to the First Dragon, Cipactli. Thus, his world was flawed and incomplete as well, and he didn’t give proper light. So, He came down from Heaven, leaving the world in darkness, and sent monsters to eat the giants so that he could start creation anew.

What was the purpose of Necahua, or Tezcatlipoca or whoever brought them here? There’s no way to know for sure. Are they to remain here forever? Are they to die here, at this doomed failure of a world? ■ Finally, ask the PCs to perform a Hard Knowledge, Perception or Rites Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to understand what’s wrong and how they were transported to the spirit world this time.

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If the check is successful, the PCs realise these are their physical, whole selves; they are not dreaming. Usually, a trip to the spirit world requires the traveller’s mortal body to transform into spirit-stuff before leaving the solid plane; this time, they are here in her true, physical, mortal bodies. They were physically transported to the dream world. In practical terms, this means that any wounds or injuries suffered this time will carry over when they return. If they return; as this is not a dream, there’s no guarantee they’ll find their own path back to the real world. And since, they are fully here, in both their physical and soul selves, dying won’t take them back either – they must find another way. Regardless of the result of the previous checks, the PCs realise they have the obsidian mirror; somehow it travelled with them to the Spirit World. ■ Ask the PCs to perform an Easy Perception Check

(difficulty: 3(1)) to notice that here, in this lightless world, the mirror does emit some light – a pale, gloaming beam, but enough to make a huge difference against total darkness. But before the PCs decide what to do with it, they are surrounded – others were drawn to the light. Run Encounter 40.

Encounter 40: The First Mortals A group of misshapen humanoids, ranging from two to five metres tall, approach the PCs, slowly, from every direction. They are huge, malformed ogre-like things; some have two heads, other two bodies, others are limp or lame. Some walk hunched and drool instead of speaking, others seem blind or sick. Some are naked and unarmed; others have crude clothing made of animal skin, or cumbersome clubs made from tree trunks. These must be the flawed creations, the first mortals that Tezcatlipoca created when he first experimented with giving life to a world. The giant-things look aggressively at the PCs and their light source; they seem undecided whether to recoil from the mirror or take it from them. If the PCs try to parley with or intimidate the ogres, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by the Ogre’s mediocre skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, the ogres are cowed; they can’t communicate intelligibly, and even if they could they would be too frightened to try.

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■ If the PCs get a critical success, the ogres flee, scared of the PCs’ piercing light and commanding presence. Proceed to after the encounter. ■ If the PCs fail the confrontation, or if they attack the ogres, they must fight. Create a +1 encounter, using Ogres.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER Once the PCs have dealt with the group of ogres, they notice others are coming; the light is still drawing them in. However, something interrupts their arrival – a pack of jaguar things jumps at them and begins slaughtering them mercilessly. If the PCs wish to take part in the battle, create a +1 encounter using a combination of Ogres and one Obsidian Jaguar. If the PCs survive the fight or wish to slip away while the beasts feast on the ogres, they clear the area with no trouble: run Encounter 41.

Encounter 41: A Light at the End The PCs can get away from the carnage between ogrethings and jaguar-things by walking up an elevation in the treacherous terrain, their mirror serving as a portable moon to illuminate this darkness. In fact, what the PCs must do to escape this hellish dark world is point the mirror to the sky, giving the dark heavens a semblance of their lost sun; after all, the smoky mirror is the symbol of Tezcatlipoca, and he used to be the Sun of this world, however imperfect. If the PCs don’t deduce it on their own, ask them to Perform a Normal Knowledge or Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)); if the check is successful, give them some clue, such as sarcastically commenting that ‘what this world needs is a sun’, asking something like ‘what would Tezcatlipoca do?’, or reminding them that ‘the sun cycle happened when the teotl saints cast down the sun of their predecessor and replaced it with their own sun’. If the PCs don’t get the idea of pointing the mirror to the sky, the ogres will keep on following the PCs, attracted by the light, or randomly stumbling onto them in the dark; repeat Encounter 40 until the PCs die or think of pointing the mirror at the sky.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs point the Mirror of Tezcatlipoca to the dark sky of the First Sun, the pale light splits the night open, creating a crack; a rift from the point the PCs aimed the mirror at, all the way to the ground. This crack is no

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less than an opening; a door back to the mortal world, and the PCs have but to walk to it to return. Now they have encountered the ogre-things, they have collected all the antibodies they need to develop immunity to the coming plague, and don’t need to stay in the Spirit World any longer. When the PCs walk up to the rift, they realise some – not many – of the ogre-things are fleeing towards it as well, frightened by the jaguars. If the PCs wish to intercept these ogre-things, create a -1 encounter using Ogres. If the PCs survive the encounter, they may exit the spirit world for the last time; proceed to Scene 51.

Scene 51: necahua’s giftS Read the following aloud when the Scene begins: As you cross the rift into the mortal world, you are in Necahua’s chamber again; there’s no trace of the few ogres that crossed before you – perhaps they were whisked to a different point of the physical realm. When the last of you steps back into the physical world, the rift disappears, and then you realise; the mirror has disappeared as well, for whatever mysterious purpose Tezcatlipoca may need it for in the future. Then you lift your gaze… Mahuitzin’s Shorn Guards are still here. The guards look at the PCs with surprise, but they don’t ask any questions: they are used to the unusual, and simply let the PCs continue their research as desired, although one of them leaves to tell Mahuitzin what just happened. It is now time for the PCs to decide what to do. ■ If the PCs haven’t yet created the medicine potion, they may do so now: it only requires them to follow the instructions given in the Necahua’s Final Thoughts sidebar. Let them tell you what they do; if it matches the instructions in the sidebar, they succeed automatically. If they wish to let the cards resolve it, ask them to perform a Rites or Medical action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards.

■ If the ritual succeeds, the PCs are now carriers of the cure for the plague. From now on, any PC that bleeds himself over a meal or drink transmits his immunity to any other character that partakes of that meal of drink. A simple flask of water, mixed with blood from that PC, is now a dose of medicine against the plague. This can be used to produce large amounts of medicine, easy to spread. ■ If the PCs wish to return to Mahuitzin – or to Necahua, if she still lives – proceed to Scene 52: it’s time to end the adventure. ■ The PCs may also examine Necahua’s shrine further before the end. Mahuitzin’s guards don’t allow the PCs to take anything from the chamber, but a character may hide or palm one of the items by succeeding on a Stealth action, confronted by a Cuahchic’s Competent Skill. If the PC gets a critical success, he may smuggle two items. See the Necahua’s Stash sidebar for a full list of items. ■ Besides her notes, Necahua owned a vast collection of codices and notes, which may grant one advantage to any Knowledge or Rites action performed in this chamber. ■ Besides the cure for the plague, there are countless alchemical reagents and ingredients in the chamber; these allow the creation of any potion or other consumable magical item. Any character that uses these components may create a single consumable that imitates the effects of a single New World Spell, simply by knowing that spell (having it available as part of a magical school talent) and working in this chamber for an amount of days equal to the spell’s spirit point cost. ■ The chamber is filled with ritual paraphernalia such as candles, dry seeds, conch shells, blessed cactus needles, jewellery, feathers and other animal parts, which can be used as consumable additions when performing a ritual, spell or Transcend attempt within the chamber. These trappings give one advantage to the action, spell or ability performed. ■ There are also several idols and religious symbols of the Four Cardinal Dragons and the various avatars of Tezcatlipoca, from the skull-headed wizard to the black jaguar, from the smoky mirror to the beautiful prince. ■ Finally, Necahua owns a vast cache of magical items; see the Necahua’s Stash Sidebar.

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Scene 52: the 400 roadS The ending of the adventure depends entirely on the PCs’ decisions up to this point. Ask them to perform a Normal Knowledge or Rites Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the check is successful, they have learned the meaning of all Eight Omens and their associated Spirit Dreams: ■ First Omen: The enemies will come from the East

(column of fire); Be aware!

■ Second Omen: They will burn our temples, the cities will fall (temple burning); stop them before they come! ■ Third Omen: Saints and Spirits will strike the earth

(lightning bolt); it will be a war of dragons!

■ Fourth Omen: We must strike back at them (three comets towards the East); three comets, three peoples, the triple Alliance! ■ Fifth Omen: They will bring a plague (the flood); your blood is the cure! ■ Sixth Omen: Tenochtitlan will fail to stop them (the Cihuateotl); the triple alliance needs to unite under one leader! ■ Seventh Omen: They are the Spaniards (the black mirror); Don’t be their Friends! ■ Eight Omen: A war of race, of caste, will come, we will be lesser beings (the monstrous humans); Every tribe of the world must join against the foreigners!

It is now time to choose what to do: ■ If the PCs return to Mahuitzin with the cure, he will hire the PCs as permanent agents, and charge them with going to the four corners of the Anahuac and beyond, each with a retinue of similarly immunised agents, spreading the cure as far and wide as possible - to anyone that swears fealty to the Mexica, of course. ■ If the PCs return to Necahua (and she is alive), she escapes the palace in her bird-form to take a sample of the medicine to Ixtlilxóchitl in Tetzcoco, so that he orders its distribution throughout his domain. ■ If the PCs keep the medicine for themselves and es-

cape Tenochtitlan, they must decide whether to spread it on their own or not. 108

■ If Mahuitzin survived, he tries to convince Moctecuhzoma of standing up to the Spaniards, but the King is stubborn in his policy of trying to placate them; thus, Mahuitzin betrays the king and sends the PCs (or his own assassins) on a mission to poison Cacamac, just like he poisoned Nezahualpilli three years ago, so that Ixtlilxóchitl becomes ruler of Tetzcoco. If Mahuitzin sent the PCs on a mission to spread the medicine, they may ‘do the dirty deed’ when they make their stop in Tetzcoco. ■ If the PCs are not available to perform the assassination, Mahuitzin’s assassins fail, he is executed and Tetzcoco and Tenochtitlan remain at odds when the Spaniards arrive. ■ If the PCs are available, they succeed, and Tetzcoco becomes unified against the Spanish – and against Tenochtitlan. This forces Moctecuhzoma to finally oppose the Spaniards, lest he risk civil war against the Triple Alliance. ■ If the PCs told Necahua that Mahuitzin killed her father, she has Mahuitzin assassinated and returns to Moctecuhzoma, finally seducing him into deposing Cacamac, allowing Ixtlilxóchitl to rule Tetzcoco, and forming a common front against the Spaniards. ■ If the PCs wish to turn their back on the Mexica and the Tetzcoca and return to their respective peoples to rally them against Tenochtitlan, their tribes follow them against both the Spaniards and the Mexica, which forces them to join Ixtlilxóchitl’s separatist league; this allows Ixtlilxóchitl to defeat Cacamac and unify Tetzcoco, but it splits the Triple Alliance in two, with the Tenochtitlan half being an ally of the Spaniards and the Tetzcoco half being their enemy.

Ending the adventurE Depending on the PCs’ choices and their consequences, the ‘Native Side’ of the Conquest War gets the following Goals: ■ +1 Goal If Mahuitzin is alive at the end of the adventure, as he will use his spy network to promote unity between the Mesoamerican peoples. ■ +1 Goal if Necahua is alive at the end of the adventure, as she will use her magic and knowledge to

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NE C AH U A ’S STASH

POCHTECA GOLDEN BRACELET

The lab that Necahua left is filled with magical treasure, including the following:

ACTION: Discard one card to ‘find’ an amount of gold in your purse equal to the discarded card’s value. This ability may only be used once, but it’s replenished whenever the wearer rests (draws cards).

MAGICAL SILVER MIRROR It allows any character that sees his reflection in it to perform an Easy Rites check (difficulty: 3(1)) to learn whether there’s any active, undiscovered magical effect currently on his person. The mirror reveals the number of active effects on the character and the magic school they belong to, but not their exact nature.

CONDOR SKULL BRACELET REACTION: After consuming one raw bird, gain one Spirit. If the bird was a condor, you can Transcend. Limited to once per Scene.

CLAY IDOL OF TEZCATLIPOCA

XIHUITL FEATHERED STAFF

INSTANT: Gain two magical resistance against New World magic until the end of the round. Limited to one use.

While wielding this staff, when you cast a Xihuitl spell, its Spirit cost is reduced by one.

BLOOD OF THE CHOOSEN VIRGIN

FOUR SPIRIT WORLDS MATS

Apply to the skin, to gain one advantage towards unarmed Melee actions. The effects last for 24 hours; there is enough paint to cover two persons, or to give one person two successive coats.

A set of four ornate coloured mats that, when arranged on the floor in a certain way in a 2x2 meter pattern, give any character standing on them:

TEZCOCO’S JADE BRACELET

REACTION: After taking damage, lose one Spirit to reduce the damage taken by two.

A jade bracelet that grants its wearer one advantage on any checks and actions made to resist or confront the effects of supernatural illnesses. prepare either the Mexica or the Tetzcoca against the Spanish invasion. ■ +2 Goals if Tetzcoco and Tenochtitlan form a common front against the Spanish invasion. ■ +1 Goal if Tetzcoco is unified under Ixtlilxóchitl, with or against Tenochtitlan. ■ +1 Goal if the PCs spread the medicine on their own.

When the PCs are ready to leave to report to Necahua or Mahuitzin, proceed to Scene 52. Tetzcoco remains divided, and when the Spanish arrive they find Anahuac just as they found it in the real world. Don’t forget to send us your group’s results, as we will tally the goals of all players worldwide, and the outcome will define the official setting of Dragons Conquer America!

■ +1 Goals if the PCs spread the medicine with Mahuitzin’s or Ixtlilxóchitl’s help. ■ +3 Goals if the PCs take the medicine to both Necahua and Mahuitzin (unless one of them is dead). ■ -2 Goals if Tetzcoco remains divided at the end of the adventure, as one of the two forces will take the Spanish side. ■ -3 Goals If the PCs didn’t succeed in the adventure, either because they died, became lost in the spirit world or abandoned the mission halfway. In this case, Tenochtitlan remains decided to appease the invaders,

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Appendix: necahua’s templE U

S E TH I S D O C U ME N T as a reference when the

PCs are exploring the lair of Necahua the witch. There are several moments throughout the adventure in which the PCs could be free to explore Necahua’s lair, particularly in Chapters IV, VI and VII.

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This section is intended for use with the Necahua’s Temple Map, where the chambers and relevant locations are coded for easy reference. The text herein describes the content and events of each location.

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X-MARKED SPOTS Every time the PCs reach an area marked X on the map, create a -1 encounter, using Mexica characters (if the PCs are protecting the lair) or a combination of Temple guards, temple protectors and Teotl priests (if the PCs are sneaking around or attacking the lair). If you’re playing Chapter IV or Chapter VI, the PCs may avoid the encounter by performing a Stealth Action, confronted by the Guards’ Competent Skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, they may continue their exploration, referring to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide their steps.

If the PCs are defeated during Chapter IV or VI, the guards don’t leave them bleeding out, but traumatised instead. While unconscious, the PCs see the multicoloured fog, and wake up in the Spirit World again. ■ If you’re playing Chapter IV, run Scene 26. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VI, run Scene 40.

If the PCs win the fight, they may continue their exploration, referring to the Necahua’s Temple appendix to guide their steps.

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Area n1. main templE

Area n2. open courT

This is a square chamber at the top of a small pyramid. There are four open doorways, two on the north wall and two on the south, from which the PCs have an open view of the city. Judging from the sight, Necahua’s temple is not far from the royal palace, but far enough to remain unnoticed as one of the city’s smaller temples.

This is a square, open stone court with no walls or ceiling, and a view to the whole city. There are thirteen carved wooden columns, each marked with one of the 13 tonal symbols of the Mexica ritual calendar. The PCs have been here before; these columns were here when they returned from their first dream trip, all those days – feels like years – ago.

■ If the PCs are playing Chapter IV, daylight illuminates the chamber. ■ If they are playing Chapter VI or Chapter VII, it’s night time and the chamber is lit with eight fire sconces in the corners.

At the centre of the chamber there’s an altar dedicated to the four cardinal dragons; a 3-metre tall, fourfaced stone idol with one dragon head looking out each of the four cardinal directions. There are several depressions and receptacles around the idol, meant for blood and burning offerings.

Judging from the sight, Necahua’s temple is not far from the royal palace ward, but far enough to remain unnoticed as one of the city’s smaller temples. ■ If you’re playing Chapter IV, the area is under open daylight. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VI or Chapter VII, it’s nighttime and there are four standing torches lighting the courtyard.

There’s a stone portcullis on the floor near the idol; it covers a descending staircase that leads to Area N3.

The thirteen columns are a powerful ritual focus; any character trying to use a magical talent, regain Spirit or transcend does so with one advantage while in this room.

The four open doorways lead to a boardwalk around the pyramid top; the north side of the boardwalk leads straight into Area N2.

There’s a small building to the South, accessible via two open doorways. If the PCs enter this building, describe Area N1.

If you’re playing Chapter VII, or if the PCs caused an unusual amount of noise or mayhem getting to this chamber, there may be guards patrolling the walkway.

The courtyard’s North side leads to a descending staircase that leads out of the temple, away from the pyramid and into the open street.

If you’re playing Chapter IV or VI, ask the PCs to perform an Easy Stealth Check (difficulty: 3(1)), with 1 disadvantage if they made noise or a disturbance recently.

If the PCs take this exit, they’re leaving the witch’s lair, which activates Necahua’s magical wards, and the multicoloured mist surrounds and transports the PCs to the spirit world.

If you’re playing Chapter VII, or if at least one PC fails the Stealth check, it means there are guards coming around the boardwalk. The PCs have exactly 2 rounds (1 round if the check was a critical failure) to vacate the chamber; if they remain on Area N1 after that, create a fair encounter, using a combination of Temple guards, temple protectors and Teotl priests (if the PCs are wandering the temple against Necahua’s wishes) or a combination of rank soldiers, rank spearmen and jaguar warriors (if the PCs are defending the temple on Necahua’s behalf).

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■ If you’re playing Chapter IV, run Scene 26. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VI, run Scene 40. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VII, run Scene 45.

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Area n3. common quarterS This is the largest and most frequently used section of Necahua’s lair. It consists of a central chamber where Necahua’s priests and soldiers can eat, relax and engage in ritual activities or training, plus several adjoining chambers (marked N3A, N3B and so on) with open doorways. Necahua’s priests and acolytes live in most of these chambers, but a few are vacant. If the PCs became agents of Necahua during Chapter IV, their lodgings are in chambers N3C and N3D. If you’re playing Chapter IV or Chapter VI, the chamber is full of bustling acolytes and distracted guards; the PCs may leave unnoticed by any of the chamber exits. ■ If the PCs wish to talk to the acolytes, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Teotl priest’s mediocre skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they learn a few facts (you decide which and how many) from the Necahua’s Plan sidebar on Chapter IV. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation with a critical suc-

cess, they overhear one of the acolytes talking about how ‘Sister Xitli hid Talaoc’s gift in her quarters to avoid punishment’, while vaguely pointing at the Eastern chambers. This gives the PCs one advantage to find the treasure on Area N3F if they explore it. If you’re playing Chapter VII, this is where the main battle between Mahuitzin’s men and Necahua’s forces is taking place, and the PCs are swept into the fight. ■ If the PCs attack Mahuitzin’s men, create a fair en-

counter, using a combination of Cuahchic warrios and archers. ■ If the PCs attack Necahua’s guards, create a -1 encounter, using a combination of Temple guards, temple protectors and Teotl priests. ■ If the PCs survive the encounter, they may leave or explore the chamber while the fight continues around them.

Area N3F has a hidden stash by one of Necahua’s followers. If the PCs explore this chamber and they haven’t found the hidden stash in a previous exploration, ask them to perform a Hard Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)). If the check is successful, the PCs find a lovingly wrapped bundle, containing a beautiful dried flower and a magical shield. There are five exits from Area N3: ■ On the main hall’s southern wall, there’s a flight of stairs that lead up to Area N1. ■ The ascending staircase on the East hallway leads up to Area N4. ■ The descending staircase on the West hallway leads down to Area N8. ■ The exit from the South hallway leads to the stairs that descend into Area N9. ■ The descending staircase on the north hallway leads to the outside and the temple’s outer North wall. Leaving this way activates Necahua’s magical wards, and the multicoloured mist surrounds and transports the PCs to the spirit world. ■ If you’re playing Chapter IV, run Scene 26. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VI, run Scene 40. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VII, run Scene 45.

Area n4. sacred hallwaY This chamber is the entrance to Necahua’s personal quarters, and as such is heavily guarded. As soon as the PCs approach the entrance, they encounter a squad of shorn guards at the ready. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VII and the PCs sided with Necahua, the guards allow the PCs through; Mahuitzin’s forces haven’t reached this area yet. ■ If the PCs are exploring the dungeon without Necahua’s permission, the guards don’t waste an instant attacking: Create a +1 encounter using Temple guards, temple protectors and Teotl priests.

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Once the PCs come past the shorn guards, they gain access to a wide stone passage, its walls marked on each side with a succession of ten square engravings. Each of these engravings represents one of the 20 numeric symbols of the Mexica count. ■ Ask the PCs to perform a Hard Perception or

Knowledge Check (difficulty: 9(1)).

■ If the PCs actively declare they are inspecting the symbols, they gain 2 advantages on the check. ■ If the check succeeds, the PCs notice the symbols

representing numbers 1, 3, 7 and 11 are slightly misaligned, as if by an architectural mistake – a rare occurrence in Mexica construction. There’s no special way to interact with the carvings, but this may give the PCs a clue to solve the riddle in Area N6. At the end of the Hallway, there’s a grand staircase that opens into Area N5.

Area n5. throne rooM This grand chamber is the most impressive of the complex, with gilded tapestries, lavish ornaments and great painted carvings of the Four Cardinal Dragons. The chamber is always lit by four candle sconces, with flames of wondrously varying colours – one black, one blue, one red and one white. This combination of light colours gives the chamber a dizzying, otherworldly ambience. Necahua’s throne, a tall carved chair, rests on a stone dais against the far wall. The throne has a carving of four black stars forming a square – a symbol of black sorcery. Such trappings are in stark, brazen defiance to Mexica law; no wonder Necahua wants to keep these holdings secret. The chamber is empty and there seem to be no exits. ■ If (and only if) the PCs declare they examine the

room, let them know each of the four coloured torches has a container rack just below the fire sconce; on this rack, there are powders of four colours – red, white, blue and black, on separate containers. 114

■ If the PCs sprinkle a pinch of dust over the torch, the fire will turn the colour of the dust used – sprinkling the red dust turns the torch red, the blue dust turns it blue and so on. ■ If the PCs turn all four torches black – as indicated by the square of black stars on the throne – the black light gives an ultraviolet, neon-like glow to the chamber, revealing a door that wasn’t visible before on the north wall.

The secret door opens into a hallway that leads to Area N6. ■ If the PCs don’t decipher the clue of the four black stars on their own, you may let them perform a normal Perception, Knowledge or Rites Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to give them some clue, like suggesting they look around the chamber with utmost attention, indicating that stars represent fires according to Mexica symbolism, or suggesting that there is less black than other colours in all the dust racks.

Area n6. necahua’s chamberS This small, square stone chamber contains very wellfurnished, ornate living quarters. There are good quality draperies, a niche with a nice, clean washing basin, and a beautiful bed with expensive sheets. There are two straw chests on a corner. One contains a very well-stocked wardrobe of fancy dresses, golden jewellery and feathered ornamentations; the other a collection of luxury pigments and body paints. The contents of both chests could be worth a total of 500600 quachtli in the open market. ■ Necahua has put a poison curse on both chests. If a character other than Necahua touches any of the items in either chest, ask him to perform a hard Athletic Check (difficuly: 9(1)). ■ If the PCs already faced this trap in a previous chapter, it has been replaced and they must perform the check again.

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■ If the check fails, the character is afflicted with a deadly, supernatural illness that may only be cured by the applicable spells of the Titici School. ■ The illness won’t manifest until 13 hours after con-

tagion, so an afflicted victim should not immediately notice they have been infected. There seems to be no exit from this chamber, but there are 20 small square carvings, each a bit smaller than a human palm, on the East wall. Each of the carvings represents one of the 20 symbols of the Mexica numeral system. The carvings may be pressed into the wall, as if they were buttons. ■ If a PC presses the four correct carvings –the ones representing numbers 1, 3, 7 and 11 – a section of the wall slides to one side, giving access to Area N7. ■ If the PCs want to examine the buttons before

pressing them, ask them to perform a Hard Perception, Knowledge or Rites check (difficulty: 9(1)). If the check succeeds, let them know some buttons open a lock and some others spring a trap, but nothing else. ■ The clue to find the right buttons is on the carvings of the hallway at N4. ■ If the PCs already used the correct combination in a previous chapter, Necahua has replenished the trap and changed the code so that the buttons must be pressed in inverse order (11, 7, 3, 1); pressing them in any other order will spring the trap as if the PCs had pressed the wrong buttons. ■ If a PC presses any button other than the correct

four, the wall remains closed and a trap activates, filling Area N6 with poison gas. Any character inside the chamber must perform an Athletic action, confronted by a TSE playing two cards, or suffer 1 point of damage for every point of difference between his result and the TSE’s result.

Area n7. the secret templE This is Necahua’s safest and best-hidden retreat, her magical study and personal temple. Very few of her fol-

lowers even know this room exists, and none that do live very long. The chamber is a small square room, with relatively bare and plain walls, to encourage a quiet environment for mediation. There’s a calendar circle engraved on the floor, with four small depressions on each of the four cardinal corners. These hollows are intended to receive sacrifice – either burnt offerings or blood – and the calendar carvings are, in fact, small canals to lead the blood or burning oil from the centre of the carving to the four basins. There are stone pedestals and shelves on the walls, containing Necahua’s personal notes and records. Examining these codices reveals all the facts listed in the Necahua’s Plan sidebar in Chapter IV. ■ There’s a small jade box on one of the shelves, containing any of the obsidian pieces the PCs may have discarded, lost or given to Necahua. The PCs may pick them up with no risk or penalty.

If any character other than Necahua stands at the centre of the ritual carving on the floor, it activates her magical guardian – a monstrous, nameless creature from the Spirit World. ■ If any PC steps at the centre of the calendar circle engraving, the room fills with black mist and the demon crosses into the mortal realm, immediately attacking anyone in the chamber. Create an encounter using the Chivo. ■ If the PCs already defeated the Chivo in a previous chapter, it doesn’t appear this time - Necahua has had no time to summon a proper replacement.

Once the PCs have defeated Necahua’s guardian, they may freely use the floor carving for meditation or rituals. The room is a powerful sacrificial chamber, conferring the following benefits: ■ Anyone trying to transcend by sacrifice on this chamber receives one advantage on the attempt. ■ Any spell that requires a sacrifice to activate gains one positive consequence to its overall effectiveness if cast here. ■ Any Mesoamerican character that rests (draws cards) by meditating on this circle automatically gains 1 Spirit in addition to any other Spirit points obtained normally.

As soon as the PCs leave this chamber, they activate Necahua’s magical wards, and the multicoloured mist surrounds them. ■ If you’re playing Chapter IV, run Scene 26.

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■ If you’re playing Chapter VI, run Scene 40. ■ If you’re playing Chapter VII, run Scene 45.

Area n8. guard quarterS This area is very much like Area N8, only a bit smaller, and confined to barracks and long-term living quarters.

■ If the PCs attack Necahua’s guards, create a +0 encounter, using a combination of Temple guards, temple protectors and Teotl priests.

If the PCs go past the guards in the central chamber, they may inspect the guard’s rooms, marked N8A to N8F. Some are empty, while some are X-Marked, indicating guards may come if the PCs rummage through them. There’s a hidden cache in Area N8D. If the PCs explore this chamber and they haven’t found the treasure during a previous exploration, ask them to perform a Hard Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)). If the check is successful, the PCs find a carefully wrapped and scented bundle, containing a beautiful dried feather, a set of

If you’re playing Chapter IV or Chapter VI, the central chamber is full with off-duty soldiers; they are relaxing or practising, and take little notice of the PCs. ■ If the PCs try to enter further into the chamber, some of the guards may block their path; treat as an X-Marked Section (see page 111) regarding Stealth and possible combat, except the encounter is +1 instead of -1 (there are many guards here). ■ If the PCs wish to act nonchalant and talk to the guards, ask them to perform a Stealth or Charisma action, confronted by a Mexica guard’s mediocre skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they learn a

few facts (you decide which and how many) from the Necahua’s Plan sidebar on Chapter IV.

■ If the PCs win the confrontation with a critical success, one of the guards tell them that ‘Talaoc reported sick, but in truth he’s hiding from his superior officer, because everyone knows of his forbidden fling with Sister Xitli of the priest quarters. They think I didn’t notice, but I saw him hide some jewels in his bedroom’. When he says this, the soldier points at a room on the South side; this gives the PCs 1 advantage to find the treasure on Area N8D if they explore it.

If you’re playing Chapter VII, Necahua’s guards are fighting off the agents of Mahuitzin. The PCs may turn around and explore other areas without calling attention to themselves, but if they enter the chamber they must fight. ■ If the PCs attack Mahuitzin’s men, create a -1 encounter, using a combination of Cuahchic warriors, eagle warrios and ahtlatl throwers.

mystical reagents and a magic amulet. The only exit from this chamber is the large stairway leading back to the temple’s hallways and to Area N3.

Area n9. dungeoN A large, dismal area below Necahua’s temple, the dungeon is a stifling maze of narrow stone corridors, ill-lit with small, flickering sconces. The place invites claustrophobia and a feeling of being chased. The areas marked N9A to N9H are the cells where Necahua keeps her prisoners – five-metre deep stone pits, where prisoners are left to languish and die unless Necahua pardons them. Most pits are empty, but a few have dried bones or unidentifiable refuse. If you’re playing Chapter IV and the PCs escaped the dungeon, they have just come out of the pits at N9B.

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As soon as the PCs try to move anywhere else in the dungeon, a hulking brute charges them – he’s Necahua’s jailor, a gigantic thug that has received so many magical enhancements from his mistress over the years that he is more ogre than man now. Create an encounter with Necahua’s jailor (use the stats of an Ogre), unless the PCs have already defeated him in a previous chapter. If the PCs survive the encounter, or if they defeated the jailor previously, they may inspect the dungeon, or leave it to explore the rest of Necahua’s lair. There’s nothing of interest in the pits, except for three prisoners. If the PCs have already met any of the three prisoners in a previous chapter, that prisoner is not present this time; they have escaped or been executed by now.

N9A If the PCs haven’t met him in a previous chapter, there’s a young warrior inside one of the pits. His name is Talaoc, and he was thrown here for ‘seducing’ one of Necahua’s priestesses called Xitli. Talaoc refused to renounce Xitli, and thus was imprisoned as penance for his impure love. He expects to get out in a couple of days and resume his secret affair with Xitli anyway. If the PCs give him Xitli’s gifts (the mystical reagents and the amulet from N8D), or let him know that Xitli is imprisoned here too, he resolves to free his beloved and escape Necahua’s service.

N9C If the PCs haven’t met him in a previous chapter, there’s a captive man in one of these pits. His name is Xantolli, and he’s a spy and assassin in the employ of the master spy Mahuitzin. Xantolli was caught spying, and is awaiting execution for threatening to expose Necahua to the King. If the PCs help him escape, Xantolli offers to join them during their exploration.

N9H If the PCs haven’t met her in a previous chapter, there’s a languishing, disconsolate woman in this jail. Her name is Xitli, and she used to be a proud member of Necahua’s trained priestess, but she fell in love with Talaoc, one of the guards. Xitli’s mistresses ordered her to confess that Talaoc had seduced and abused her, but she didn’t betray her love, and was thus cast out of the order and thrown in a pit. Her mistresses were to take her case to Necahua to decide whether she lives or dies, but Xitli fears for the life of Talaoc whether she’s found guilty or innocent. If the PCs give Talaoc’s gift (the magic shield found at N3F) to Xitli, or let her know that Talaoc is a prisoner here too, she decides to escape; otherwise, she refuses to leave her jail for fear of what will happen to Talaoc. If the PCs help free both Xitli and Talaoc and return their respective gifts to them, the lovers let the PCs keep the items, with their extra thanks: Xitli uses her magic to weave the reagents into both the amulet and the shield, giving both items a permanent bonus of 1 advantage when the user attempts to Transcend or regain Spirit in any way. If the PCs let Xitli and Talaoc escape the temple, they may find them in later adventures as enemies or allies. The only exits out of the dungeon are the staircase that leads back up and to Area N3, and an old sewer chute that leads outside of the temple through the drain. If the PCs decide to leave the area from the sewer exit, they activate Necahua’s warding spells and the multicoloured mist seizes them again. ■ If you’re playing Chapter IV, the mist takes the PCs to Scene 26.

If the are in the dungeon without Necahua’s sanction, Xantolli offers to join the party as an assistant NPC; he’s a skilled warrior and spy, but won’t fight Mahuitzin’s men. If you’re playing Chapter VII and the PCs took Necahua’s side, Xantolli attacks them instead; create an encounter using Xantolli the Spy.

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Campaign: conquistador’s golD

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‘The settler-conquistadors knew the fury of the aroused Indian lords; voyagers, explorers, and the friars did not’. Inga Clendinnen, Ambivalent Conquests

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H E C O N Q UI S T A DO R’ S G O L D is a campaign for the Dragons Conquer America RPG. In it, you take the part of a member of Hernán Cortés’ expedition, caught in a race to find a lost cargo of Spanish Gold in the New World, all the while avoiding the raging tribal war in the territory, which your own boss, Cortés, is doing his best to fuel and intensify.

The adventure takes place in several locations across the Mexica-Totonaca region of Mesoamerica. What the player characters (PCs) accomplish during their investigation in these locations will not only decide their success, but also affect the fate of the entire expedition – and ultimately decide the war of conquest.

Getting starteD The Conquistador’s Gold is intended for 4 to 5 starting player characters, belonging to the Spanish or Portuguese culture. The adventure includes four premade characters with built-in motivations to take part in the mission; If you wish to use other characters, just make sure they have a reason to accompany Hernán Cortés’ expedition into mainland America in 1519. Before play, the Game Master should read the Adventure Background section at least once. Then, she should read the first section of the Introduction section aloud to her players, to begin the adventure.

Adventure Text Most of the text in this adventure is descriptive text, which directly details what happens on every encounter. Descriptive text is written in normal type, no shading. Green italit is read-aloud text is meant to be told to your players as it is written, as it contains information as their characters experience it.

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Green small informative text contains data that doesn’t directly pertain to the player characters’ actions or knowledge, but the GM should keep in mind as she narrates and organises the current encounter.

Adventure backgrounD In 1513, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar was appointed governor of Cuba, and granted a few dragons and a royal encomienda to manage the affairs and the many Spanish settlements of the island. Although the conquest of the West Indies was carried out in the name of the Spanish Crown, many governors and captains of the dragon fleet did as they wished with the first conquered territories, abusing the local population and keeping as much gold as they could to themselves. Velázquez was no exception; a few years into his governorship, he’d amassed a small fortune in bribes, stashed funds and little amounts skimmed off the crown’s money. When the crown sent inspectors to ensure the royal money was being put to good use, Velázquez became desperate to hide his ill-gained funds. He decided to bury most of his stolen wealth in the unexplored Western continent, away from royal inspectors, native malcontents and jealous peers. Thus, Velázquez funded an expedition, ostensibly to search for treasure or Indian communities that could be used for labour, and sent one of his agents, the shrewd nobleman Francisco De Montejo, aboard one of the ships, with 50,000 ducados in gold. Montejo’s mission was to oversee the burial of the gold in a remote continental location, without the knowledge of the crew, and then return. However, the expedition clashed with the powerful native tribes; only a few survivors, including Montejo and the captain, Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, made it back, barely alive, to report on their failed mission. The chest with Velázquez’ fortune was indeed left behind at the mainland, but abandoned; lost to the natives.

Pedro De Alvarado Distressed, Velázquez sent a second expedition, led by his cousin Juan De Grijalva, with the same misleading orders – to find gold, natives to enslave, and new territories. Aboard the mission he sent Montejo again,

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urging him to recover the gold behind Grijalva’s back. Velázquez also sent another of his relatives, the violent murderer Pedro De Alvarado, with instructions to help Montejo with his ‘special mission’, no questions asked. During Grijalva’s expedition, Montejo confided in Alvarado, revealing the existence of the lost gold. He proposed he and Alvarado made common cause against Velázquez, looking for the gold but reporting the mission as a failure whether they succeeded or not. If they found the gold, they’d divide it among themselves and tell Velázquez the natives had stolen it forever. Enticed by the fabulous treasure, De Alvarado gladly fell in with Montejo, and even mounted an expedition on his own, following a native river inland with his own ship, in search for the lost gold. Alvarado’s independent venture found nothing, and Montejo sent him back to Velázquez under the pretense of insubordination; in fact, he intended Alvarado to sweeten the governor’s ear and convince Velázquez of financing yet another expedition. They succeeded; when Montejo returned with the rest of the expedition, a short while later, Montejo and De Alvarado convinced Velázquez to dismiss Captain Grijalva without honours, and to order a third incursion into the new territories, this time under the command of the well-known hidalgo, Hernando Cortés. When Cortés was gathering his crew – hand-picked soldiers, adventurers and veterans from Indian campaigns and dangerous expeditions – Montejo and De Alvarado were quick to insinuate themselves among the crew. Cortés even asked for De Alvarado’s help recruiting more men, as he was an experienced soldier of many battles. De Alvarado wasted no time in gathering a team of murderers and cutthroats, mostly personal friends or survivors from Hernández De Córdoba’s first expedition. Alvarado told these men their mission was to assist Cortés in whatever endeavour… and look for the rest of the gold when the Captain wasn’t looking. Unknown to Cortés, Velázquez and even De Alvarado, Montejo already had a plan: a scheme to put all three of them at each other’s throats, and keep the lost gold, plus the glory of the upcoming expedition, to himself.

The Race As soon as the expedition was set up, Montejo filtered rumours of the lost gold among the crew. Then, he told the governor that the secret was out, and the other captains would try to secure Velázquez’ gold for themselves. Hearing this, Velázquez changed his mind and

tried to stop the mission. This almost aborted Cortés’ expedition, and soon some soldiers spread the rumour that there was a stash of Spanish gold hidden in the New World. When Cortés got wind of it, Montejo and De Alvarado told him about the treasure, thus earning his trust. By now, Montejo had the favour of Velázquez, Cortés and De Alvarado, and all three believed him to be secretly on their side. Under Montejo’s advice, Cortés and De Alvarado resolved to depart even without the blessing of Velázquez, and seek the treasure together, if they could. Meanwhile, Montejo secretly told Velázquez about Cortés’ rebellious plan, and promised the Governor that he’d work against Cortés from within the expedition. Spurred by Montejo, Velázquez tried to stop Cortés’ ships at the very pier, but the expedition, also spurred by Montejo, left before the Governor could stop it. Once Cortés’ ships set sail, Montejo made his next move. He had one of the other ships sabotaged, which forced the remaining vessels to stop and help with repairs; meanwhile, he had Alvarado’s ship press on ahead, arriving to New World territories two days before Cortés did. De Alvarado interrogated the locals, but they knew nothing about the lost gold – except that they babbled about some ‘rich kingdom on the West’. When the expedition caught up with him, De Alvarado blamed his pilot for speeding ahead; Cortés pretended to believe his story and punished the pilot. By this point, Cortés had realised something was up, though he believed De Alvarado was the only traitor. He kept his suspicions to himself, and began to pay more attention to taking the new lands. Thus the weeks went on, and Cortés kept conquering local tribes and advancing through the New World, and his focus seemed to shift from the search to the conquest. Meanwhile, Montejo and Alvarado kept by his side, with an eye open for any clues for the gold; they reasoned the chest must have been taken in a direction they hadn’t explored yet. And so the expedition continues to this day. Now, the more Cortés learns about the ‘golden kingdom’ in the West, which locals called Culua, or Mexica, the less he seems to care about the treasure search. Conversely, De Alvarado keeps his own agents busy, clandestinely inquiring about the lost gold, often kidnapping and torturing natives to get information, to no avail. Velázquez, outraced, scrambles to gather coin, men and ships for another expedition to chase after Cortés. Montejo just watches from the sidelines, letting his scheme unfold itself. 121

Enter our Heroes It is now the second half of the Year of our Lord 1519, and Cortés has encamped in the native region of Quiahuiztlan, hoping to establish a power base from which to investigate the fabled Mexica inland empire. He’s renamed the settlement to Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, and established an armed garrison to operate from there. The garrison has received some reinforcements from other conquered sites and small outposts that Cortés left behind, and is now ready to begin exploring the mainland. The PCs are among these reinforcements, who had been left behind at the start of the expedition. Now, they are called to the presence of Guiomar De Sandoval, the youngest of Cortés’ captains. The Captain has a mission for them; a mission that, unknown to any of the people involved, will change the course of history and decide the War of Conquest…

PLAYER CHARACTERS After you’ve become familiar with the adventure background, give each player one of the four pre-made characters included with the adventure, or let them create their own characters, who must have a reason to join Cortés’ expedition. Once every player has a character, proceed to the Introduction section to begin the game.

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IntroductioN They treat you like beggars. When Captain Cortés arrived to the village, calling for able women and men to join an expedition to the New World, you volunteered eagerly, hoping to make your luck in an adventure for the glory of the Empire. This had been exactly what you hoped for when you first came to the uncharted lands so long ago. But this – huddling in a clammy cellar, among the fish barrels and coal sacks, after being left behind for the Lord knows how many weeks in that godforsaken islet with the reinforcement garrison – is a far cry from the glorious quest you imagined. It borders on insult, you think, as you wipe the dripping water from your face and wonder if everyone ended up sitting right below a cellar leak or it was an honour reserved for you only. While you are thinking thus, the ship gives a little lurch and Octaviejo, the third shipmate, climbs down the cellar ladder, beaming with his toothless smile. ‘We have arrived! There’s the Captain! We’ve seen the Captain’s flag!’ Quickly you all scramble up to the deck; the rain has mostly abated, the sun is high on the sky… and there it is. A wide streak of land to the West – real land, with jungle and beaches and rocks, with hills and forests, with cliffs and reefs and inlets. And just ahead of you, in a palisade on the headland, you see Spanish soldiers, and the flag waving to the midday coast breeze. You’ve seen it before; it’s the standard Cortés ordered made on the eve of the trip. You can barely read the inscription from here, but you remember what it says: Brothers and sisters, let us followeth ye sign of ye Holy Cross with true faith, for it shalt leadeth us to victory. This is the New World. You have arrived. The PCs are part of a garrison that was left behind near Santa María de la Victoria, a conquered native site, before Cortés and Alvarado pressed on to the mainland. The PCs and their dragon had been assigned to a nearby islet for the better part of three months, until Cortés could safely send for them – or ask for reinforcements. A few days ago, the request finally came, and the PCs, along with their dragon and a few other soldiers and supplies, were brought to the main coast to replenish

the needs of Cortés’ new settlement – the outpost that he’s named Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz. Read the following as the PCs climb off the boat and reach the coast. Vera Cruz is a small outpost, but it’s as well defended as Cortés could manage. The palisades are sturdy and well-built, and the soldiers are ready and organised. In fact, three out of four expedition members are soldiers, although at present most of them are walking around camp, chatting away, cleaning their guns and shaking sand from their boots. Let the PCs wander the camp or ask around, so they may roleplay a bit before things get moving. Most of the camp is made of tents and blankets set up over an old native village, save for some wood and stone quarters that have been built for, or taken by, the expedition’s senior officers. Soldiers come up and down the area, as well as some near-naked natives that appear to be submissive, or at least tolerant, towards the intruders. There’s also an ordnance stand where the PCs may request ammunition or food rations. While the PCs get acquainted with their new surroundings, a guard approaches them, with orders from Captain Guiomar de Sandoval, one of the expedition officials, to bring the newcomers to her presence. The guard leads the PCs to Sandoval’s office – a flapping tent at the edge of camp. Read the following aloud when the PCs go to the meeting: Guiomar de Sandoval is the youngest and most stoic of Cortés’ captains; that may be why she does not have wood or stone quarters yet. Nonetheless, the inside of her tent is as clean and well supplied as the quartermaster’s store. When you enter, she’s hunched over a long box, trying to fit three arquebuses inside; then she straightens up and turns to face you. ‘God and the Crown, recruits. Welcome to Spain!’ Sandoval laughs as she says the last phrase, and invites the PCs to sit as they wish on the benches and boxes arranged around her tent. Let the PCs lead the conversation with De Sandoval, using some or all the following excerpts as parts of her orders and replies: ‘You are the reinforcements from Santa María, right?

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I say, you have the look as I did right by summoning you, by my faith’. ‘We are beset by special worries and have special needs, of which I shall talk presently; so, sit and listen, and you will see it is much to your interest and a good fit for your skills’. ‘After we left you at Santa María, the Captain encountered emissaries from the fabled kingdom the natives call Culua, or the Mexica empire. They exist, I have seen them with my very own sinner’s eyes’. ‘It is understandable, thus, that now the Captain needs to focus all his thought on finding a way into their lands, and so cannot look to… other issues’. ‘More to the point; there’s a chest, a load of gold, lost on these lands. Spanish gold, which Governor Velázquez intended to stash here during the first expedition, the one led by Hernández de Córdoba’. ‘As you might remember, the first expedition fell to the indians. Well, apparently this forced the crew to drop the chest God knows where’. ‘Many of the soldiers here were at that expedition and don’t even know there was a secret chest aboard one of their ships, much less what happened to it after the natives dispersed them’. ‘But the chest remained here all right, or Velázquez would not have sent this mission, by my faith. It’s lost somewhere in these lands. Someone took it’. ‘So, while our Captain and his lieutenants seek the fabled treasures of the native empires, we have the task to find 50,000 ducados in Spanish gold’. ‘Of course, a stash of hidden gold would fire up the greed of most of the men, who perhaps feel they are getting the short stick of the plunder so far. But there’s even a few captains that have given at least some thought to that loot’. ‘In any case, whoever finds the gold’s trail will not care who it belonged to; they will keep it to themselves’. ‘That is, unless the gold was returned to Velázquez’. ‘As you know, Governor Velázquez seemed to take offence at the way the Captain organised the expedition, and has been hounding our steps from the first day’. ‘The Captain told us that Velázquez changed his mind out of jealousy… but I think the Governor wanted to stop the Captain because he thinks we intend to find and keep his lost gold’. ‘And of course, there are many brigands and ne’erdo-wells that would like to get their paws on the stash… but I think it would be better, in fact, to give it back’. 124

‘The Captain has no use for Spanish gold, not with a kingdom’s worth of plunder waiting ahead of us. However, sending the stash back to Velázquez could placate him, and maybe stop his senseless opposition of our Holy Quest. Instead of having an enemy hounding us, we would have a thankful benefactor covering our backs’. ‘That’s where you come in’. ‘You are not with the main troop, but you are loyal to the Captain – or so I want to believe’. ‘As I said, many soldiers here, among them Captain Pedro De Alvarado himself, are of a mind to go off after that treasure and then flee back to Cuba, instead of dutifully following their Captain as they swore to do’. ‘I need a team to find Velázquez’ gold, if it still exists, before anyone else gets their hands on it. A team that will not keep the gold to themselves, or call attention to their search, and instead will, with much discretion and skill, ensure it makes its way back to its rightful owner, with the compliments of our Captain. Do you by good fortune know of a team that may be suited for such a task?’ ‘Such a team would have to roam the vicinity – to travel back and forth between here and the natives’ towns – and collect any clues they can find. They should also watch out for what our troops, what the other captains, intend’. ‘It won’t be an easy task – Cortés has begun to pit the local tribes against one another, and the land is falling to war and conflict; or about to fall’. ‘Regardless, I trust you can do it. Should you find the loot I’ve referred to, or learn of any trickery or plot from any of the soldiers under the Captain’s command, or De Alvarado, or any of the other Captains, even if he were of a higher rank than me, you should endeavour to report it back to me as soon as possible’. ‘If you agree with what I have just said and stated, please say it is so. And if not, let us go on as if these words were unsaid, for I shall deny that I ever talked about the subject, and neither the Captain nor me will regard you any the worse for it’. Let the PCs react as they wish to these news. You may tell the PCs they’ve heard rumours about this treasure; some of the premade characters were already hoping to find it. If the PCs doubt De Sandoval’s sincerity, ask them to perform an Easy Charisma or Perception check (difficulty: 3(1)). ■ If the check is successful, the PCs confirm Sandoval is sincere; she honestly thinks the Captain needs no

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other gold than what he’s set to get from the coming campaign. De Sandoval truly hopes to return the gold to Velázquez, expecting to take the Governor off Cortés’ back. ■ If the check is a success with a positive conse-

quence, the PCs also detect Sandoval has not consulted with Cortés in this matter, and decided to send the gold away for the Captain’s own good, whether he agrees or not. If the PCs confront Sandoval about her plan, or ask to talk to Cortés directly, she politely avoids the subject, saying the Captain is too busy to deal with the issue, or with the PCs (which is also completely true). De Sandoval assumes the PCs accept the mission unless they explicitly state otherwise, and regardless of whether they honestly wish to help or intend to steal the money for themselves. Unless the PCs plainly reject the task, De Sandoval tells them what she knows so far: ‘I do believe that most of the soldiers must have been ignorant about Velázquez’ Gold during the first expedition; I swear I do. However, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe one of them has kept the secret. Maybe someone here knows more than they’re telling about the gold and where it disappeared to. So, I’ d start by making discreet inquiries around the garrison’. ‘Then, there’s this other thing… well, it could be nothing. But it could be our best lead, too’. ‘There’s a native town nearby, a town by the name of Cempoallan’.

Sandoval gives the PCs a medallion with the image of Saint Jerome; she looks a bit uncomfortable about handling the item. ‘Doña Marina, the Captain’s native witch-consort, made a few of these amulets when she was converted to the Faith. They allow our troops to understand the tongues of the local peoples’. Make sure the PCs record that they now have a Charm of Saint Jerome, which will allow them to communicate in other tongues as well as Doña Marina, Cortés’ famous native witch lover. Some Christians, Captain De Sandoval included, are somewhat uneasy about using a blessed amulet that involves native pagan magic, but the image of Saint Jerome and the fact that Marina was already baptised when she made the amulets may calm their concerns. In any event, a Christian character suffers no corruption from wearing this amulet. Captain Sandoval also gives the PCs a map of the surrounding region. The map’s badly drawn and incomplete, but it allows the PCs to travel between Vera Cruz and the nearest two native settlements: Quiahuiztlan and Cempoallan. After giving the PCs these things, Captain De Sandoval nods, wishes the PCs good luck, and then dismisses them as if nothing had happened, with no further instructions save to report back to her if they find out anything about the stolen gold. Once the PCs leave Sandoval’s presence, regardless of their decision or sincerity, proceed to Chapter I.

‘The Captain was there a few days ago; he talked with the town principals. There was some unexplained business, where the Captain interrogated some native tax collectors and then set them free’. ‘Nobody knows why the Captain risked the wrath of the natives to capture these men, nor why did he arrange for their escape later. He says it was some plot to put the local tribes against each other’. ‘But… Well, If anyone in these lands knew something about Velázquez’ lost gold, it would be local tax collectors’. ‘So, you can go to Cempoallan, ask around there’. ‘Even if you can’t find these native taxmen, Cempoallan is a very big town, some say bigger than our own cities back home. If there’s been news of foreign gold lost around these parts, chances are someone at that town has heard of it’. ‘You’ ll need this’. 125

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Friar mateo navarrO O N E O F T H E most experienced men in the expedition, Friar Navarro is

a veteran soldier from the deepest Spanish country, with service credentials from the wars of Flanders and Italy. Later in life he became ordained as a missionary, although he’s retained the rough manner and discipline of a trained soldier. Contrary to the inquisitor stereotype, Friar Navarro is very interested in the Indians, has learned much of their ways and maintains they are not savages, having often defended them from his own Church.

F

R I AR M ATE O N A V A RRO had already lived his full

life, and a full life it was, before even sailing to the New World. He would have never believed a life as long as his could begin again with such force, with such new purpose. Mateo Navarro couldn’t remember a single day that he did not serve the Holy Church. As a child he was an altar boy, as a youth he was a sacristan and he preached to the neighbourhood with his fellow students. and even then he was pious and chaste; he didn’t join the goliardos in their revelry, he sought not the love of women. He didn’t seek the consolation of other men, as many of his peers ended up doing; he was utterly devoted to God, his only love the Church. When he was fully ordained as friar, he saw it simply as a continuation of the straight, unerring path he had chosen since he had begun walking, and he gave himself to it without a second thought. He kept a modest parish, and was well-loved by his congregation. He had lived a good, pious life, and had nothing more to ask of God. He expected to spend the remainder of his years tending to his flock, and die content. Then the Inquisition was created, and Friar Mateo was recommended for it as a reward for his long years of pious service. He served as a scout and preacher for the Holy Office, a ‘good cop’ charged with dissuading heathens before the judges came down on them. As the Castilian domain grew, this put Mateo in contact with people and cultures he’d never met, or in some cases even imagined. He enjoyed scouting, meeting other people, and he was good at his job. He converted many heathens; he saved many from the Tribunal. For years, he tried to tell himself this was just further advancement in the straight line, continuing the life he’d set

out to live. But the contact with these people changed him as much as he changed them. he’d begun seeing, questioning, wondering. When Columbus discovered the West Indies, Friar Mateo finally understood what had happened inside him. His old life, his pious life, didn’t continue. It had began anew. He had become a missionary, a traveller. The Inquisition had turned him from a young unambitious parish priest to an old man with a wanderlust, with a yearning to see the World and its people. So he signed up to join the Holy Office’s operations in Hispaniola, wondering at the people, cultures and customs he would encounter in a wholly New World. To date, Friar Mateo has lived ten years among the Carib Indians, bringing them salvation as the Church dictates, yes; but also bringing them what sciences and arts he’s learned from his own church and those of the other peoples he’s encountered in his travels. He shares the Word of God, but also solace from the abuses of laymen. And most importantly, he’s learning from them. They have given him a new life, one that had barely begun when he left for the New World; the life of a traveller.

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Doña carlota de duero y rojaS A B R A V E H I D A L G A and natural leader, Doña Carlota left the safe haci-

endas of her family, a part of lesser Spanish nobility, for a chance to make her luck in the New World. Despite her civilian background, she intends to pull her own weight in the Cortés expedition, which she insisted in joining as a venture partner, not a hired hand. She’s good at listening, reading people and detecting bullshit, and she’s of course heard the rumours about the lost gold, which stirs her lust for mystery and adventure.

T

H E R O JAS O F Duero were an old-blood dynasty of

landed gentry from Western Castile. With an old tradition of landlords and knights, the family was wellrespected and regarded even at the high circles of local nobility, who knew you could always count on a Rojas to be loyal, dutiful and proper. For generations, every male child of the Rojas served in some capacity at the Castilian navy or court, and every female was married into another rich, respectable family, thus expanding and cementing the Rojas’ long-standing network of allies and business associates. Such were the expectations that fell on Carlota, the youngest scion of the Rojas dynasty, when she was born to Don Carlos, the latest male upright gentleman out of the line, and his dutiful wife Constanza. As the oldest of three children, Carlota was her father’s favourite, and she got away with some things other young ladies didn’t, such as riding a warhorse, shooting an arquebus, voicing her opinion at the dinner table and even rejecting a couple of arranged marriage proposals. She grew up headstrong and focused, and fully expected to inherit her father’s business and status in the family, to the chagrin of all of her aunts and more than one male acquaintance. The most worried were Domingo and Cristóbal, Carlota’s younger brothers, who weren’t ready to have a woman lead the family in their stead.

never proven; the rest of the family, including Carlota’s dutiful mother, strongly supported the verdict, expecting it would force the firebrand to finally settle down. Cheated of her inheritance, faced with a choice between finding an upright male to marry or fighting her way through sixteen generations of her family, Carlota chose to tell her family to stick it up; she bribed a lawyer to release the dowry to her, in cash, and took the next ship to the New World. If Castile denied her the role of a landlord, perhaps the New World would allow her the role of an adventuring settler. She embarked with only one suitcase, a few loyal servants, and the certainty that this course, set on a trackless sea with an uncertain destination, was the right one - the destiny that had always awaited her. Carlota’s family was quick to let her disappear, and agreed to remember her in hushed tones as a tragic, cautionary tale of mental illness, as tends to happen in the best circles. Life went on, Carlota’s brothers achieved positions of renown at court, and the Rojas of Duero continue to be respectable, dependable and upright. As for Carlota, she’s still writing her story, so she doesn’t know the ending yet. She expects it will surprise her.

Carlota’s dreams were cut short when her father died suddenly, apparently without a will, and a sympathetic judge agreed to share his estate among Diego and Cristóbal, leaving only a dowry, albeit a sizable one, for the eldest daughter. Carlota long suspected her brothers of having the will hidden or destroyed, but it was 129

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Doña maría isabel mendozA A M E M B E R O F the Sabinite Order of warrior nuns and dragon rider in

training, Doña María Isabel is both an accomplished soldier and a relentless seeker of justice, dedicated to weeding out sin from people’s hearts, often bloodily cutting out said hearts in the process. Doña María Isabel is brave, virtuous and inspiring; when she can’t persuade by example, she uses Señora de Dolores, her blessed sword. Deep down, she is a bit smitten with the Captain, and convinced that God is unambiguously on Cortés’ side.

P

E R H APS H E R PA RE N T S , like all the people that

leave their babies at the church’s gates, thought Christ would give her a better upbringing than they could. Perhaps they intended, or at least hoped, for her to become a dragon rider one day, and that’s why they chose the Sisters of Saint Sabra. Whatever their intentions, Isabel has always believed, always known, that it was the Will of God that her caretakers, whoever they were, left her that morning, in that basket with a white blanket, at the door of the Sabinite Temple. She knows it’s a sin to give importance to oneself, but - who else but God could have set her in this path? Like other orphans of her kind, Isabel gave the nuns a hard time; she was rebellious, she liked to talk back, she engaged the boys in fisticuffs. She had forced Pere, who was twice her size, to eat dirt and swallow it after he’d said those things about Isabel’s food. More than a decade later, riding the winds on the back of a scaly beast out of ancient legend, she would still remember Pere eating dirt and swallowing and smile despite herself. Even after muttering a dozen Ave Marias to atone for the memory, she still smiled. But one things the nuns could never fault was Isabel’s faith. She was as pious as the most zealous of the Mothers, and as dedicated to the sacraments as the oldest of the scholars. She knows, however, that when they sent her to the warrior nuns for training, it wasn’t her faith or zeal which marked her as a candidate. No, it was the fisticuffs. The cheek. She was meant to fight;

she hadn’t yet reached her tenth year when she met Sister Doncela and took her first spear lesson. Like many other dragon riders, Isabel was trained together with her mount. Gracia, a five-ton leatherer, was barely out of the clutch when they assigned her to Isabel, and they remained inseparable from that moment on. It was Gracia that saved Isabel from that crazy wingless worm on the reconnaissance mission. The high command didn’t expect Isabel to encounter trouble on a routine patrol, much less to find a full-grown wild dragon, with its own cave and hoard, in the middle of the Castilian hills. It’s true Isabel’s spear was the coup de grace, but it was Gracia who, honouring her name, fought and defeated the other dragon, to protect her rider. Isabel donated the entirety of the dragon’s hoard to the Order, of course, but they allowed her to keep one item - the blessed Toledo sword with the crown of the virgin on the hilt. Isabel has wielded Señora de Dolores ever since, as further proof that God watches - and blesses - her holy path. And now? Now there’s a man. A man surely blessed by God, for he, armed with nothing but a couple of guns and a ragtag platoon, has made headway into the heathen lands, converting the Indians to the Faith of God. Isabel knows this is her calling. She knows God wants her to follow this man, to give her sword and her dragon to his cause. Pride is a sin, yes, but it is her fate, her duty, to join the evangelisation of the New World. 131

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Esteban de fereS A H A R D - A S - N A I L S , H A L F - M O O R I S H mercenary, Esteban cares

not about his superiors’ ulterior motives; his code is to obey and be a good soldier. Esteban is the best melee fighter of the team, but his greatest asset is a focused, Mohammedan willpower, which makes him near fearless in a fight. Although his family converted to Christianism two generations ago, he still blurts out the occasional Arabic imprecation when battle lust or excitement get the better of him.

E

S TE B AN D E F E RE S is a quiet man. Some of the

other footmen joke that there is no mouth beneath that mushy beard, so rare it is to see it open. But Esteban remains quiet because he is thinking. He thinks of the fall of Al-Andalus, of how things changed in the last few centuries. He thinks of the World before he was born, a World of flapping silks and scented oils, of humming recitations and kneeling to the sand. A long-lost world, that only exists in his mind and the tales of his grandparents, as told by their grandparents’ grandparents. A World that he can only know in the old books his great-great-uncle Ebrahim smuggled out of Algarve, and in his dreams. He dreams of great, shining armies, with great aljanyar swords and iron helmets reflecting the sun as they march on ancient cities. He dreams so often that it has started to come to him also when awake. That is why Esteban is quiet. He is quiet like his family was when they left Granada to convert to Christianity, when they changed their name to De Feres and joined the growing Castilian power. They were quiet then. And quiet they remained when others called them traitors, when marriages broke and promises fell apart as they left their friends and extended families behind. Quiet they remained, when Granada finally surrendered to the Castilian kings, and the sons of the sons of those friends and families were seized and forced to adopt the world that Esteban’s family had quietly embraced generations before. They remained quiet as they saw their World give way to theirs, as they tried to believe there was no ‘ours’ or ‘yours’, but a single nation, one empire, born out of two roots. They quietly failed, and quietly they went on. Their silence spared them the raids, the arrests, the public humiliations. They quietly stood by as they

saw those people, those strangers that their grandparents said were their people, taken into the shadows, dragged into the light. They quietly stood aside as a few suspected, looked at them sideways, wondered if they were real Christians. Esteban doesn’t wonder if he is a real Christian, or a real Muslim. He wonders, yes, whether a real Christian or a real Muslim can in fact exist; he wonders about the reasons that push people to fight and die in the name of their identity. But he doesn’t doubt himself. He knows he is fully, wholeheartedly ready to fight and die, like Mohammed was; to sacrifice himself, like Jesus did. That is enough for him. That is enough for a soldier. Esteban thinks, quietly, he wonders, what it all means, what is the real reason behind it. But he is not impatient for the answers. He knows what he is, what he is willing to be. He has the zeal and discipline of an Almoravid warrior, and the faith and fervor of a Christian crusader. Whether that makes him one or the other - that is inconsequential. He has his sword and his faith. He has his dreams. And he quietly carries them into battle.

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Noble

26

Doña Carlota de Duero y Rojas

F

Hidalga

Spanish

2

6 Left her inheritance be-

1

x

hind for a life of adventure in the New World

0

Brave (good) Ashamed of being poor (bad)

0

Arrogant (bad) Classist (bad)

5

10

1

4

1

3 5x

x

0 3x 1 3 4

x x

x

2 1 1 0 3

x

5x 0 2x

Expedition leader

Common spells: Pater Noster and Ave Maria. Ritual: praying. Noble: rank 1, peasant economy, owned favour 2. 134

2x Duelist pistol

2

Range

-

-

J

-

-t hFe e Ci g h Brt o - m e- n s

Primitive. Secondary weapon, piercing, concussive, reach 10, fast draw Very slow reload (two actions to reload). Pistol (20m range. It can be shot in Melee range with one advantage) Duelist dagger

2

1

-

B

C

Br

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Forged. Secondary weapon, fast draw Between the cracks (REACTION: Suffer one disadvantage to ignore hard armour) Protection 1/1 Strong gambeson

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

Br

-

-

Normal. Soft armour 1 Undergarment

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Peasant

36

M

Esteban de Feres

Conquistador

Spanish

2

3 He has moorish ancestry

0

Brave (good) Duty to serve Spain (bad)

3 x

0 1

50

6x

x

0

6

2

Hardened veteran

1 0 3x 2 2 0 1 0 5x 0 1

x

3x 2 5x Common spells: Pater Noster and Ave Maria . Ritual: Protecting the faithful. 136

Conquistador sword

3+

3

-

-

B

-

Ct hCe eBr - m e- n s i g h- t o

Forged. Thrusting (REACTION: After declaring an attack with this weapon, lose one damage to gain piercing) Steel shield

-

-

-

-

C

-

C

-

Br

-

-

-

-

-

R

-

C

Br

-

-

-

-

Forged. Protection 4/4. Shielding 4

Conquistador armour

-

-

Forged. Hard armour 2. Encumbrance 2. Heavy (Suffer one disadvantage towards Athletics and Stealth)

Coat of mail

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

Br

-

Forged. Hard armour 1. Encumbrance 1. Undergarment

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Peasant

51

M

Friar Mateo Navarro

Inquisitor

Spanish

2

3 Former soldier turned

1

missionary Defender of the

0

natives (neutral) Severe (neutral)

0 x

30

3x

Duty to serve Spain (bad)

6 4

5

1

x

0 0 0 2 1 2 3 4x

x

Old testament scriptures, godly influence

1 1 5

x

x

3x 2x

x

5x

x

Universalist

Common spells: Pater Noster and Ave Maria. Ritual: praying. 138

Poleaxe

4

4

-

-

F

C

Brt h -e e -i g h- t o - m e- n s

Forged. Concussive. Polearm Spike (REACTION: Lose concussive to gain piercing). Spear stance (UNIQUE REACTION: -1 damage and lose Concussive to gain one Reach) Strong gambeson

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

Br

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Normal. Soft armour 1 Undergarment

-

Godly icon

(REACTION: After you suffer Corruption, reduce it by one. Limited to once per Scene)

Camouflage cape

(One advantage towards Stealth when not moving and you are in a non-urban environment)

139

Noble

21

F

Doña María Isabel Mendoza

Dragon rider

Spanish

2

3 Aspires to become a seeker

0

of justice and an errant knight

x

Must follow the knight’s

3

code (neutral) Reckless (bad)

0

Infatuated with Cortés (bad) Imperialistic (bad)

0

40

1

3

1

3x 2 0 2 0 5

x

3 1 1 x 2 3

x

1 5x 0 4x

Dragon master

Common spells: Pater Noster and Ave Maria. Ritual: Protecting the faithful. Noble: rank 1, 140

Conquistador sword

3+

3

-

-

B

-

C t hCe eBri g h -t o - m -e n s

Forged. Thrusting (REACTION: After declaring an attack with this weapon, lose one damage to gain piercing) Steel shield

-

-

-

-

C

-

C

-

Br

-

-

-

-

F

C

C

Br

-

-

-

C

Br

-

-

-

-

Forged. Protection 4/4. Shielding 4

Rider spear

2

5

Normal. Thrusting (REACTION: Suffer one deterioration to gain piercing) Riding weapon (When you use the talent mounted charge, +2 damage) Conquistador armour

-

-

-

-

-

-

R

-

Forged. Hard armour 2. Encumbrance 2. Heavy (Suffer one disadvantage towards Athletics and Stealth)

Coat of mail

-

-

-

-

-

-

C

C

Br

-

Forged. Hard armour 1. Encumbrance 1. Undergarment

Dragon light armour

141

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Villa rica de la vera cruZ 143

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145

T H E P C S H A V E arrived to the first location in the adventure: the set-

tlement of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz. Cortés has turned this native town, formerly known as Quiahuiztlan by the locals, into his first fortification in the New World, and established his meagre force as a growing power in the Mexica territory. Vera Cruz, or ‘the Villa’, as some of the Spanish call it, is little more than a large outpost or garrison on the edge of a Totonaca town. It is occupied by no more than 2000 people, between Cortés’ 600 Spanish adventurers, some Totonaca locals hired as servants, and a handful of Yokot’an Maya that the Spaniards brought as mercenaries, aides or prisoners from their first victories.

SIDEBAR: VILLA RICA DE LA VERA CRUZ These data are available to any PC that asks or looks around while in the outpost. This settlement used to be some native village, but the Expedition took over it, and the locals have been forced to accept Spanish presence in their lands – for now. Cortés has re-christened the area to Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, which means Rich Village of the True Cross, and claimed it for the Spanish Crown. The natives are called Totonaque, and they are subject to the Mexica, or Culua, who demand tribute from them in gold, food and living captives. Cortés has promised to help liberate the Totonaque, but must prove his ability to stand up to the mighty Mexica empire before the Totonaque agree to an alliance. The settlement’s highest-ranking officials have all received permanent quarters, with assigned guards and wood or brick walls. Lower-ranking officials and soldiers live in tents. Every soldier, regardless of rank, is expected to fulfil a guard rotation. Guard turns change every eight hours, at dawn, noon and evening every day. If the PCs wish to report for duty, they should present themselves to Sergeant García at the command tent. While the soldiers are idle, they spend their time drinking or playing dice outside their tents. There’s a small ordnance stand that provides ammo and food rations to the soldiers.

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Iñiguez, the Town’s quartermaster, handles building materials, general supplies and work orders. There’s also a medical pavilion where the expedition’s many wounded and sick receive round-theclock attention. Finally, there are a few specially-arranged pleasure tents, where soldiers may hold intimate encounters among themselves or with those natives hired or captured for this purpose. If the PCs wish to learn specific information about the settlement, ask them to perform an Easy Charisma Check (difficulty: 3(1)). If the check is successful, the PCs learn the following specific data: The Villa’s official cabildo, or town council, is led by Alonso Hernández Portocarrero and Francisco De Montejo, Spanish officials appointed by Cortés. The town’s top military officials are Pedro De Alvarado and Guiomar de Sandoval – the latter being the officer that talked to the PCs. The town council’s first official act was to sign a plea for Cortés to be their official military leader and chief justice; many see this move as an attempt from Cortés to get clear of the accusations of Governor Velázquez, who charged Cortés with treason for starting the expedition without his blessing. Being elected as military governor by a body of colonists would put Cortés under the direct authority of the Crown, not Velázquez, thus making it impossible for the Captain to be accountable for treason.

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W

H I L E THE PC S are in this area, let them in-

teract with the other soldiers and their native companions as they wish. There are many possible encounters in Villa Rica, depending on what the PCs want to do while they are here (see Encounter 1). If the PCs wish to look around the area, read the following aloud: Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz is a small settlement bordering the native town of Quiahuiztlan. It consists of about two dozen precarious wood and brick houses, plus some fifty military tents and a high palisade. Above it all there stands one of the pennants that Cortés brought, showing the colours of Castile and the legend ‘Brothers and sisters, let us followeth ye sign of ye Holy Cross with true faith, for it shalt leadeth us to victory’. The outpost overlooks one side of a high cliff, providing its residents with an excellent military position should push come to shove. Quiahuiztlan, the large native village at the foot of the cliff, seems to be peaceful, or at least tolerant of the Spanish, but one can never be too cautious when in foreign lands.

Encounter 1: Starting Point You should run this encounter every time the PCs wish to go somewhere inside the Vera Cruz settlement. ■ If the PCs are returning from Cempoallan (Chapter II) or the surrounding country (Chapter III), the Garrison guards attempt to stop their entrance, but Captain Guiomar De Sandoval sends a squad to pick the PCs up personally; proceed to Encounter 15. ■ If the PCs wish to search for specific information on the lost gold or the Native tax collectors that Cortés questioned, run Scene 1. ■ If the PCs wish to report for duty at the command tent, run Scene 2. ■ If the PCs want to interact with the Spanish soldiers, proceed to Scene 3. ■ If the PCs wish to buy or request supplies, go to Scene 4.

Most of the people you see in camp are Spanish soldiers, elated about the adventure ahead but also relieved for having a well-guarded respite between campaigns. A few native villagers, which the soldiers refer to as Totonaque, snoop around the conquistador’s camp, looking to barter, gossip, or simply watch the strange invaders up close.

■ If the PCs want to find medical supplies or treatment, run Scene 5.

After exploring the town for a bit, let the PCs know a few of the facts listed in the Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz sidebar.

■ If the PCs wish to report to Captain Guiomar De Sandoval, go to Scene 8.

■ If the PCs want to investigate the locals, go to Scene

6.

■ If the PCs want to look for Pedro De Alvarado or Cortés himself, run Scene 7.

■ If the PCs wish to leave the settlement, go to Scene

9.

SIDEBAR: UNWANTED ATTENTION If the PCs ask openly or too much about subjects related to the lost gold, they draw attention to themselves, as some of the other interested parties learn there’s somebody new asking about the treasure. Every time the PCs ask too many questions or ask the wrong people, the text will let you know that the PCs draw attention to themselves.

If the PCs draw attention to themselves 3 times (or more), the news reach Francisco de Montejo, the mastermind behind the conspiracy against Cortés, and he puts out a contract on the PCs. Montejo cannot have them killed without raising suspicion, so he’ll try to make it look like an accident, a mistake or an ‘indian attack’. Several scenes and encounters in this chapter have added fights and complications if there’s a contract on the PCs; the text will indicate what happens and the possible consequences.

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Scene 1: the 50,000 ducado questioN This scene takes place if the PCs openly ask about the lost gold around the Vera Cruz garrison. Ask the PCs to Perform a Charisma or Perception action, confronted by the stats of spanish soldiers. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they learn nothing, but they draw attention (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). ■ If the PCs get a success with a negative consequence, they learn that several survivors of Hernández de Córdoba’s failed expedition, where the gold first disappeared, are currently here at the Villa. However, the PCs’ inquiries draw attention (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). ■ If the PCs get a normal success, they learn the above information plus ONE of two facts, depending on what they asked about specifically: ■ If the PCs asked about Velázquez’ gold, the sol-

diers mention a veteran, by name of Ahumada, who served with Hernández de Córdoba during the first expedition and was among the wounded survivors of Cortés’ last battle; he should be somewhere around the garrison. ■ If the PCs asked about the native tax collectors

that Cortés set free, the soldiers say that they belonged to the Culua, or Mexica tribe, and usually collected tribute and treasure from the local tribes. Apparently, Cortés had them imprisoned and then set free, to ingratiate himself with both the Mexica and the local peoples, the Totonaque. This all happened in the nearby town of Cempoallan, which the PCs may reach in less than an hour on dragonback. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, they get both the above answers, regardless of what they asked; this suggests that the native tax collectors may have come across the lost gold, maybe even seen it. Perhaps Cortés set them free in exchange for this very information. 148

If the PCs search for Ahumada, run Encounter 2. If the PCs wish to leave for Cempoallan, go to Scene 9. If the PCs wish to continue exploring Vera Cruz, return to Encounter 1 to guide their steps from here.

Encounter 2: The Cold Trail When the PCs begin asking for the man known as Ahumada, ask them to perform a Charisma or Perception action, confronted by a settler. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they learn nothing, but they draw attention (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). ■ If the PCs obtain a success with a negative consequence, they learn that Ahumada died a while ago, but draw attention to themselves during the investigation (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, some soldiers confirm that Ahumada did survive the last battle, but died from a native illness a couple of days after the founding of the garrison. If the PCs ask about Ahumada’s body, they learn it was burnt to prevent contagion. ■ If the PCs obtain a success with a positive consequence, they find Doña Olalla, a dragon rider, who was Ahumada’s lover. She tells them the above information, but she adds that it’s very suspicious – no other soldier died of the same illness, either in the garrison or in the previous weeks of travel.

If the PCs ask Doña Olalla about Ahumada’s symptoms, she tells them that he died after hours of horrible muscle spasms and seizures. Ask the PCs to perform a Hard Knowledge or Medicine Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to identify the symptoms as caused by a rare seizure illness of the tropics… or by a poisonous nut popular among Eastern assassins. If the PCs wish to ask the Villa’s quartermaster about the presence of poisonous nuts in the garrison’s stores, run Scene 4. If the PCs want to ask the garrison physicians about Ahumada’s death, proceed to Scene 5. Otherwise, return to Encounter 1 to guide the PCs’ next step.

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Scene 2: duty rosteR While the PCs explore Vera Cruz, they can always report to the Garrison’s command tent to be assigned duty. Sergeant García, the assignment officer, keeps an updated list of pending tasks and orders, so there’s never a shortage of things to do. If the PCs report to Sergeant García, he gladly offers them the available duty roster: ■ Instruction: If the PCs let Sergeant García know they are newcomers to the Villa, he sends them to report for military instruction with Commander Elena Fiado, a recruit trainer. Leave the current scene and run Scene 3. ■ Guard Duty: If the PCs already reported for instruction, or if they introduce themselves as experienced soldiers, they may report for guard duty. Turn shifts take place every eight hours, at dawn, midday and nightfall. If the PCs sign for the next guard shift, proceed to Encounter 3. ■ Priority Tasks: Sergeant García may assign the PCs to one of the current, special ‘priority’ tasks. García assigns each priority task once the PCs have dealt with the previous one:

1. If the PCs volunteer for a first priority task, proceed to Encounter 4: Troublesome Troopers. 2. If the PCs solved the first priority task and volunteer for a second one, proceed to Encounter 5: Abusive Action. 3. If the PCs already dealt with two priority tasks and volunteer for a third one, proceed to Encounter 6: Stolen Supplies. 4. If the PCs have dealt with three priority tasks, or don’t wish to involve themselves with them, García charges them with instruction, guard duty or an alternative assignment.

■ Alternative assignment: There’s always room for extra hands to help build the garrison’s outer walls. If the PCs wish to help with wall-building, ask them to perform an Athletic (or Profession, if the profession would help in this situation) action, confronted by a TSE that plays one card. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they were very useful: they spend a full day helping construction and are paid 10 gold for their workday. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they are more a hindrance than a help for construction, and are dismissed with no pay after a couple of hours. ■ Alternative assignment: There’s a permanent need for soldiers that keep curious natives, peddlers and beggars from swarming over the garrison. There are several checkpoints at the roads and entrances leading to the Villa; the PCs are always welcome to help man these checkpoints. If the PCs sign to watch a checkpoint, ask them to perform a Charisma or Discipline action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards.

If the PCs win the confrontation, they spend a full day at a checkpoint, and manage to keep several native hawkers and gossips at bay. There’s no other compensation for doing this. If the PCs lose the confrontation, a couple of local hawkers and layabouts manage to slip or talk their way past the PCs’ watch, which gets them dismissed from the post and fined 5 golds for allowing disruptions in camp. If the PCs obtain a success with a positive consequence, they manage to strike a few conversations with the natives, without letting them inside the garrison. This gives the PCs a rare insight into the Totonaca natives; consult the Native Informants sidebar and allow the PCs to ask the questions given there, or simply give them a few of the facts listed.

Encounter 3: Guard Duty Every time the PCs report for guard duty, let them rest (draw cards, etc.) and tend to their gear and injuries. The Villa is an orderly, well organised place, and the Totonaque town around it keeps it safe from wild beasts; guard duty is, ironically, one of the least dangerous tasks the PCs may perform while in Vera Cruz. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the check succeeds, the PCs spot someone trying to slip past the Villa’s entrance. Unless there is a Contract on the PCs (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar), that someone is a soldier 149

trying to sneak out of the Villa to have a secret romantic encounter in the wilds or smuggle supplies with the Natives. ■ If the PCs try to stop the soldier, ask them to perform an Athletic, Survival or Charisma action, confronted by a Spanish Soldier’s Competent Skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, they may either bring the soldier back to camp, which grants each of them 1 experience point, or accept a bribe of 5 gold (total) to let the soldier go. Either way, nothing else happens during that night.

If there is a Contract on the PCs (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar), the person the PCs spot is a Totonaca woman wandering the entrance suspiciously. If the PCs approach her, she tries to hide and go around them. If the PCs follow the Totonaca, she leads them to an ambush: Create a +1 encounter, using level 1 and 2 New World characters. ■ If the PCs survive the encounter, they may interrogate any surviving Totonaca, who confess that a masked Spaniard paid them to kill the PCs and make it look like a ‘random Native attack’. The Totonaca don’t know who hired them, but they show the PCs the Spanish coins they received for the deed.

Once the PCs’ guard turn is over, they may return to the start of Scene 2 to perform another task for Sergeant García, or return to Encounter 1 to go elsewhere.

Encounter 4: Troublesome Troopers The first time the PCs report for a priority task at the Command Tent, Sergeant García sends them to deal with a gang of rowdy drunken soldiers that are carousing somewhere at the edge of the garrison and refuse to report for duty. The PCs are to convince these agitators to report back, or beat them into submission if necessary. Lethal force is discouraged, but the PCs may need to defend themselves. If the PCs take the assignment, they have no trouble finding the unruly soldiers; they’ve camped in an out-of-the-way spot behind some rocks at the edge of the Villa, but aren’t really trying to hide. The troopers are boisterous, aggressive and flat-out refuse to come quietly. ■ If the PCs wish to parley with the drunken soldiers,

ask them to perform a Charisma or Discipline action, confronted by a Spanish Soldier’s mediocre skill. The PCs suffer one disadvantage because of the soldiers’

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ugly disposition and drunken state; or two if the one doing the talking is a woman, as they show content for her. If the PCs win the confrontation, they intimidate the soldiers into returning to their posts; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, or wish to beat the soldiers into obedience, create a fair encounter using level 1 and 2 Spanish characters. ■ If there is no contract on the PCs (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar), the soldiers don’t use weapons, only fists; if the PCs lose the battle, they are traumatised, not bleeding out. ■ If there is a contract on the PCs, someone poisoned the carousers’ drinks with a special herb that made them more aggressive, and they draw their weapons, fighting the PCs to the death.

If the PCs win the battle – and don’t kill the rioters – the soldiers meekly limp back to their assigned posts; proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs successfully convinced or defeated the rioters, Sergeant García pays each of them 10 gold for dealing with the situation. If the PCs killed the rioters, Sergeant García fines each PC with 5 gold for excessive force, though he understands it was self-defence and charges the PCs with no crime. If the PCs lost the fight, they are sent to the medical pavilion; proceed to Scene 5. If the soldiers were poisoned, ask the PCs to perform a Hard Perception or Medicine Check (difficulty: 9(1)), giving them 1 advantage if they actively examine the soldiers’ drinks. If the check succeeds, the PCs discover someone laced the soldiers’ mead with a stimulant drug.

Encounter 5: Abusive Action The second time the PCs report for a priority task at the Command Tent, Sergeant García asks them to look into an ugly situation: some soldiers found a badly beat-up native woman at the edge of camp. The girl already said the attacker was a soldier from the garrison, but the culprit hasn’t been identified. The girl is currently under the protection of the troop’s dragon riders, who keep her as a guest in their camp. The PCs are to meet with the girl and do their best to find which soldier mistreated her, so that justice may be meted out.

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The PCs must mention they are here to investigate the beating, or else have a dragon rider in their group; otherwise, the dragon rider sentries bar the PCs from access to their camp. If the PCs gain access to the dragon rider quarters, they are led to the presence of the abused girl, a formerly beautiful, young Totonaque with a bruised, swollen face. The girl tells the PCs what she’s already told other officers: ■ She came to Vera Cruz to sell fruit; she had an official permit to trade inside the Villa (she didn’t, but it isn’t relevant to the case). ■ When she was leaving the camp after selling her

stock, one of the garrison soldiers beat her because she refused to have sex with him (this is true).

■ She doesn’t know the man’s name, but is certain to identify him if he was in her presence. ■ Her description of the man is, unfortunately, quite generic – ‘hair-faced, pale-skinned, uniformed, dirty’ – but she is certain he was a regular trooper, not an officer. ■ The girl defended herself; the aggressor would have a few bruises and scratch scars on his face.

If the PCs interrogate the dragon riders, they have come to a few conclusions: ■ The investigation is common knowledge and the aggressor hasn’t been found yet, so he must be in hiding; however, soldiers trying to leave camp are being searched and interrogated, and nothing has turned up so far. ■ The best lead in the case is the place where the soldiers found the girl – the camp section reserved for Captain De Alvarado’s men. ■ The soldiers that found the girl are under De Alvarado’s orders, but she already confirmed none of them was the culprit. The above clues should be enough for a PC to deduce that the attacker was one of the soldiers under Pedro De Alvarado’s command, and he is currently hidden, protected by his colleagues, inside his troop’s camp section. If the PCs don’t deduce it on their own, ask them to Perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to earn clue that nudges them towards that conclusion, such as ‘culprits rarely go far from a crime scene’ or ‘if he hasn’t been found it’s because not everyone is looking’. ■ If the PCs ask the garrison guards about the case, the guards confirm they have orders to stop and search anyone other than an officer trying to leave camp. Ask the PCs to perform a Charisma Action, confronted by a Spanish Soldier’s mediocre skill; if the PCs win the

confrontation, a guard mentions that one Lieutenant Bocanegra warned them he intended to send some soldiers to join Captain De Alvarado in his exploration of the nearby area, and they were not to be stopped or delayed in any way, by order of the Captain himself. ■ If the PCs ask around the camp section reserved for Captain De Alvarado’s men, the soldiers bar their way, telling them the Captain is currently away from Vera Cruz and nobody can investigate his men in his absence. Ask the PCs to perform an easy Perception or Charisma check (difficulty: 3(1)) to deduce the guards are withholding information. ■ If the PC insist or confront the guards, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Spanish soldier’s mediocre skill to make the guards confess that their orders – not to allow anyone to investigate the case in the Captain’s absence – came from their superior, Lieutenant Bocanegra. ■ If the PCs ask to see Lieutenant Bocanegra, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Spanish soldier’s mediocre skill; if the PCs win the confrontation, the guards summon Bocanegra. Proceed to Encounter 5 Conversation. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, or if they are left with nothing to say to the guards, they must retreat for now. Return to the start of Scene 2, but the case remains unsolved, and the PCs may not perform another priority task for Sergeant García until they’ve found a way to solve the case. ■ If the PCs try to slip into De Alvarado’s camp section unseen, ask them to perform a Stealth action, confronted by a Spanish Sentry’s competent skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, they may reach Lieutenant Bocanegra’s tent unimpeded. Proceed to Encounter 5 Conversation. ■ If at least one PC fails the check, or if the PCs try to force their way into the camp section, create a fair encounter using level 2 and 3 Spanish Soldiers. If the PCs win the encounter, the commotion has attracted Lieutenant Bocanegra; proceed to Encounter 5 Conversation. If the PCs lose, the soldiers leave them traumatised instead of bleeding out; the PCs are led to the medical pavilion (Scene 5).

ENC OUNTER 5 C ONVERSATI ON: THE BOC ANEGRAS The encounter ends when the PCs succeed in being taken to the presence of Lieutenant Bocanegra, one of Captain Pedro de Alvarado’s officials. Lieutenant Bocanegra is a Spanish officer with no bruises or 151

scratches in his face, which marks him as innocent from the beating; however, he reacts hostilely to the PCs’ investigation. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Charisma or Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to deduce Bocanegra is hiding something. ■ If the PCs confront Bocanegra about the case, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Spanish officer’s mediocre skill. Apply 1 advantage or 1 disadvantage depending on whether the PCs use particularly good (or bad) arguments. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, Bocanegra doesn’t confess to anything, but offers each of them 20 gold to stop their investigation, or better, to tell the dragon riders there are no clues leading to De Alvarado’s camp. If the PCs accept the bribe, proceed to After the Conversation. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, Bocanegra has them ejected from his troop’s camp section. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive conse-

quence, or if they resist Bocanegra’s bribes or ejection attempts, a young soldier interrupts the conversation. The young man introduces himself as Andreu ‘Breaker’ Bocanegra, the lieutenant’s son. He confesses to attacking the girl, but warns the PCs to leave him and his father alone, lest they know why he’s known as ‘Breaker’. For his part, Lieutenant Bocanegra insists on the 23 gold bribe and appeals to the PCs’ empathy: ‘I know you’ ll agree that a man should be judged by his commitment to God and his nation; by his honour, rather than by a single mistake. Would you hurt the career of a promising, good-natured lad, for some foreigner woman that we won’t see again? Why are protecting the enemy against our own people, our own loyal boys?’ If the PCs accept the bribe, proceed to After the Conversation. ■ If the PCs insist on taking the Bocanegras to justice, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Spanish Officer’s competent skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, Andreu turns himself in and allows the PCs to take him, confident that the law will favour him over ‘that Native bitch’. Proceed to After the Conversation. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, or if they attack the Bocanegras, create a +1 encounter using a combination of level 3 and 4 Spanish Soldiers. If the PCs survive the battle, they can take them to the dragon riders or to Sergeant García to stand trial for their actions. Proceed to After the Conversation.

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AFTER TH E C ONVERSATI ON There are many ways this case may end. ■ If the PCs decide to leave the Bocanegras alone or accept the lieutenant’s bribe, they can tell the dragon riders that the soldiers of De Alvarado’s section are innocent; the dragon riders don’t believe them, but the investigation is later dropped when the Native girl gets tired and asks to be escorted back to her people. There is no reward, but Sergeant García considers the case solved and allows the PCs to move to the next priority task. ■ If the PCs caught Andreu Bocanegra, the Native girl identifies him easily and he’s put under arrest, expecting ‘Captain De Alvarado to return and make justice’. Sergeant García pays 10 gold to each PC for solving the case, plus the dragon riders add a boarding pistol for one of the PCs as a bonus reward. ■ If the PCs arrested or killed Lieutenant Bocanegra, Andreu’s father, they draw attention to themselves (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). ■ If the PCs killed either of the Bocanegras, Sergeant García withholds their payment as a penalty for excessive violence, but the dragon riders intercede in the PCs’ favour, alleging they acted in self-defence and that Lieutenant Bocanegra tried to deceive the Vera Cruz government; hence, the PCs suffer no legal sanctions. The dragon riders also gift one of the players with a boarding pistol, for standing up to the abusers.

When the PCs have dealt, or failed to deal, with the case, return to the start of Scene 2.

Encounter 6: Stolen Supplies The third time the PCs report for a priority task at the Command Tent, Sergeant García sends them to look into a perplexing case that nobody has had time to deal with yet: someone’s been stealing food and materials from several cabins and tents in the Villa. Sergeant García gives the PCs a list of written robbery reports: they include the date and time that the thefts were discovered, and the affected individual or group. Stolen goods include weapons, tools, oil and various types of food. The PCs are to check the robbed sites and try to ascertain the guilty parties. Every robbery victim has the same story: the thief took advantage of guard turn shifts to enter the storehouse from the cabin window or under the tent flaps, and take a few boxes or bags – nothing more than could be carried by a single man – to commit the crime. Some places were robbed more than once.

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If the PCs interrogate camp sentries, they confirm they haven’t heard or seen anything unusual, not even once. Whoever is doing this is a ghost, a shadow, or is hiding somewhere that doesn’t require him to pass through any checkpoint.

■ If the PCs ask about a place big enough to hide a ship near town, Sergeant García tells them that a team of explorers, from the unit under Captain Diego De Ordás, found some large caves on the hill’s East side, but they have not been used.

Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to discover that most places in the list are in the Eastern site of the camp.

■ If the PCs wish to interrogate Diego De Ordás’ men, they deny any involvement and accuse the PCs of slander. Sergeant García is forced to intervene to prevent bloodshed; when he appears, ask the PCs to perform a Charisma Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. If the action succeeds, Sergeant García orders a raid on the men’s quarters, and his soldiers find some of the stolen supplies in the tents of two of Ordás’ soldiers. Proceed to After the Encounter.

If the PCs look for tracks in the most recent theft sites, ask them to perform a Hard Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 9(1)). If the PCs succeed, they find a trail of stealthy steps leading East. If the PCs find any clue pointing to the East of the Villa, ask them to perform a Normal Perception or Knowledge Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to notice there’s an unguarded opening on the camp’s Eastern wall. There are no guards here because the place is a tall precipice that leads down to the cliffs and the sea. A bad, or even mediocre, climber, risks falling to his death if he tries to take that route. If the PCs search around the edge of the cliff, ask them to perform a Normal Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to notice a few gunpowder splotches – unspent gunpowder, like the one that would fall from a box or bag – and some scratch marks, indicating someone carrying a bag of gunpowder tried to climb down that path. ■ If there is a Contract on the PCs (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar), a group of Totonaca warriors jump out of the bushes and attack the PCs. Create a +1 encounter, using level 1 and 2 New World characters. The Totonaca don’t strike to kill, but they do try to push the PCs over to their death. ■ If the PCs are defeated, they are only traumatised (not bleeding out); but the Totonaca throw them off the cliff, killing them anyway. ■ If the PCs win the battle, they may interro-

gate any surviving Totonaca, who confesses that a masked Spaniard paid them to kill the PCs and make it look like a falling accident. The Totonaca don’t know who hired them, but they show the PCs the Spanish coins they received for the deed. Ask the PCs to perform a Hard Perception or Order Check (difficulty: 9(1)), with 1 advantage if the PC has a sailor background, to deduce that the type and quantity of stolen material, plus the tracks leading to the coast, suggests the stolen supplies are meant for a ship. Such a ship should be hidden, or the dock sentries would have heard something.

If the PCs wish to explore the base of the cliff, they need to climb down, or else ask permission to deploy their dragon in the Villa’s territory. ■ If the PCs don’t have a dragon, or don’t think of using it, they must climb down: ask them to perform an Athletic Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards (or one card if the PCs are using a rope). If a PC fails the action, he must succeed on a second Athletic Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards; if the second action fails, the PC falls to his death; if he success the PC survives but takes 2 unpreventable damage. ■ If the PCs request permission to use their dragon or win the Athletic confrontation, they reach the bottom of the cliff, and a path that leads to a cave complex under it. There are a group of sentries on the path, who attack the PCs on sight; create a fair encounter, using a combination of level 1 and 2 Spanish Soldiers. If the PCs survive, they find a gigantic cove, connected to the sea, where a large ship has been hidden. The stolen supplies are all on the ship’s cellar. Proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs find the clues revealing the hidden ship under the cliff or the involvement of Ordás’ men, the thieves confess: they intended to desert the Expedition and return to Cuba. The robbers and their fellow conspirators are arrested, pending judgement and trial by Captain Cortés, and Sergeant García gives 20 gold to each PC for a job well done. Proceed to Encounter 1 to let the PCs choose their next step. This, however, calls the attention of Francisco De Montejo, the true architect behind the conspiracy against Cortés (see Encounters 43 and 60 xx), and the PCs draw attention to themselves (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar).

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Scene 3: brothers in armS If the PCs wish to mingle with the other soldiers like normal Expedition recruits, they may report for instruction with Commander Elena Fiado, head of squad training, or look for off-duty soldiers at the bonfires and common areas. The discipline around camp is surprisingly strict for a ragtag band of civilians and mercenaries. Soldiers are expected to behave like a cohesive troop, and their rules and instruction aim to increase their teamwork and organisation, even though they aren’t technically a sanctioned army. Cortés intends to remind everyone in the Expedition that they are a conquering force, not hidalgos on a pleasure trip. If the PCs report for instruction, ask them to Perform an Athletic or Discipline action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they spend a whole day exercising with the soldiers and gain 3 experience points; they also bond with the soldiers, who point the PCs to the gambling tents and pleasure houses in case they are looking for some recreation. ■ Every PC that loses the confrontation suffers exhaustion. If the PCs get a success with a negative consequence, it counts as winning the confrontation, but the PCs also suffer exhaustion.

After instruction, Commander Fiado asks the PCs to report to Ensign Jiménez for some errands. If the PCs performed well during instruction, the task is optional, and the Commander asks because she was impressed by the PCs’ skill; if the PCs underperformed, the task is mandatory, and the Commander gives it to the PCs as punishment. ■ If the PCs report to Ensign Jiménez for errands, run

Encounter 7.

■ If the PCs want to hang out with off-duty soldiers, run Encounter 8. ■ If the PCs wish to visit gambling tents or pleasure houses, run Encounter 9. ■ If the PCs want to do something else, return to

Encounter 1 to help them review their options. 154

Encounter 7: the ensign’s errands Ensign Jiménez, the amenities officer, is a gruff, grumpy man with little time for nonsense. If the PCs announce that Commander Fiado sent them, he curtly refuses their help, but then gives them two tasks anyway, announcing he expects them done ‘before yesterday’. First, he requests the PCs suffocate a rebellion among the recruits, who are demanding a meal increase. Their leader is one Corporal López; Jiménez expects the PCs, as fellow recruits, to convince López to stand down and abandon his absurd demands. Second, Jiménez is tragically short of ammo. He desperately needs new stocks, but the officials have denied his many requests. So, he asks for any surplus ammunition that the PCs come across during their missions; he’ll pay its full price for their trouble. ■ If the PCs talk to López, he tries to turn them to his side, showing them that the meal rations that Jiménez assigned are absurdly small. ■ To solve the situation, the PCs must either talk López and his cohorts into being content and remembering soldiers must make sacrifices, or convince Jiménez that he can afford to increase meal rations a little, or else convince both of reaching a compromise, halfway between the current standard and López’ demands. ■ If the PCs try to convince López or Jiménez, ask them to perform a Charisma Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards; if they wish to convince both, they must perform 2 such actions. ■ If the PCs convince López, Jiménez thanks them by reloading all their ammunition. ■ If the PCs convince Jiménez, López thanks them by gifting them with a set of ‘lucky’ (that is, weighted) dice to cheat at gambling. ■ If the PCs convince both, they get no reward (neither side is entirely thankful) but earn an extra 2 experience.

The PCs may always return to bring Jiménez any surplus ammunition they’ve found; he’ll buy it from them for the full price. When the PCs are finished, they may join the other soldiers for a drink in Encounter 8, or for a bit of entertainment in Encounter 9. If the PCs don’t wish to relax with the soldiers, return to Encounter 1 to help them choose their next step.

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Encounter 8: Troop Talk The Vera Cruz Garrison teems with off-duty soldiers coming and going on minor errands, chatting at their tents or having a drink near a bonfire. ■ If the PCs want to sit, chat and drink with the soldiers, they learn every fact they hadn’t yet learned from the Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz Sidebar. Plus, they may perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards, to hear one or all of the following rumours:

‘Pardiez! Everybody knows Governor Velázquez changed his mind on the eve of our departure, and wished to stop the expedition! What I ask myself is why, hm? Did the Captain offend him? Or is there some truth to that stolen gold shit?’ ‘Some of the officers – the usual crew, Ordás, Velázquez de León and that padre, Juan Díaz, you know the sort – appear to echo the Governor’s sentiment, and have been pushing for Cortés to turn back. Understandable, I guess’. ‘But I would rather keep an eye on the other officers – you know, the supposedly loyal, like that beast De Alvarado, which as you know is the Governor’s cousin –, the ones that appear to support the captain, but only because they have some personal, some secret agenda. No, I don’t know what that is, and God save me from making assumptions, but mark my words – that Alvarado is up to something, and he ain’t the only one’. ‘Well, there’s supposed to be some Spanish gold lost around these parts, abandoned by some sailors or something… but come on, right? Did we come to the other side of the world to rescue Spanish gold? Of course not’. ■ If the PCs have been to Cempoallan (Chapter II), they may want to ask about a possible traitor among Cortés’ captains, or a Spanish official that could be interested in delaying the peace talks with the Totonaca. If the PCs inquire about this, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they learn that there’s a very open faction that opposes the trip and wishes to return to Cuba. Nobody talks about it, but everyone in camp knows. The opposition leaders are all Governor Velázquez’ friends; Diego de Ordás, Father Juan Díaz and their ilk. However, this faction wants the Expedition to stop and go back, not to be delayed. It’d be against their interests to stall negotiations with the Cempoalteca. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive, while the soldiers accuse Diego De Ordás and his malcon-

tents, some of them make offhand remarks about Francisco De Montejo, who has acted as a kind of unofficial mediator between Cortés and the dissenters. It’s ‘remarkable how Montejo and Pedro De Alvarado remain loyal to the Expedition, despite their friendship with Governor Velázquez’. ■ If the PCs have been to the Cempoallan Market District (Scene 13 in Chapter II), and wish to ask about Tax’kát, the lost Totonaca child, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they learn that a kid matching Tax’kát’s description was brought to camp after Cortés’ first meeting with the ‘fat chieftain’, and was sent as part of the Cempoalteca ‘volunteer caravan’. The soldiers remember the kid was sent to work with the Quartermaster, or maybe at the medical pavillion. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, they meet a soldier that knew Tax´kát, and knows the kid is dead. He contracted a strange disease and his body was burned to prevent contagion. They should ask at the medical pavillion for details. ■ If the PCs ask about the stolen gold, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. If the PCs win the confrontation, they confirm that a few soldiers were on that first expedition, but knew nothing about any hidden gold during the trip. They are honest; some of them bitterly regret not having noticed or stolen the gold, but they weren’t aware of its existence. However, some of the soldiers mention Cempoallan, a city to the South. Cempoallan is supposed to be the hub of the local natives’ civilisation; if there were news of lost Spanish gold to be had, Cempoallan would have them. ■ If the PCs ask about the campaign against the Mexica and Cortés’ Expedition itself, they are introduced to Robledillo, a very talkative corporal that has some insights on Cortés’ campaign. If the PCs buy him a drink or lend him money for one, Robledillo has the following to say:

‘Ah, I reckon the Captain’s already decided we will march on this Mexica Empire. Why else did he go to all the trouble of building this outpost?’ ‘And they fear our approach, you mark my words… These Culua, or Mexica, for by both names do their subjects refer to them, and not with kind words, it seems, these Mexica, I say, pleaded with the Captain not to advance into their lands!’

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‘Even better, they showered the officers with gifts… which they haven’t deigned to share with us, of course. But there was much treasure and many gifts, such as not even the nobles of Spain themselves have seen, I wager. All this they gave, just so that we wouldn’t come closer to their lands’. ‘That smells like some serious loot waiting ahead, don’t it? Don’t get me wrong, maybe we can trade for it. But who knows what disposition these Indians will be in, eh? Mebbe we’ ll need to drop the ol’ fear of God onto them’. ‘Bless me, we are not here to pillage or anything, but it’s our duty to wipe heresy and idolatry from these lands, with the good guide of Christ, and if the natives should fail to renounce their ways… well, that’s what I say anyways’. ‘All due respect, many here think going inland is folly… they, and God keep me from saying such things, say the Captain is wrong; that our small force can’t possibly defeat some fabled empire, damn their treasures and their fear’. ‘But see, the Captain has a plan. See, these lands belong to these Mexica, right? Right. But the people that live here are not Mexica, and that’s hard for us to see, because to us they seem to be the same colour and wear the same clothes, but they are different nations, as different from each other as we are from, I don’t know, the French or the English’. ‘Aye, the locals call themselves Totonaque, I believe, and get this – they are the vassals of the Mexica. And none too happy about it, I’ ll bet’. ‘So, if the Captain’s half as smart as I know him to be, he’s decided to use these oppressed people. Mebbe as allies, to convince the Mexica to yield to us, mebbe as weapons

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should the Mexica, eh, lose their fear’. ‘Again, some of the soldiers, most of them the Governor’s crew, of course, are against this plan, and they want nothing to do with the Mexica, and they want to return to Cuba and end the Expedition with the establishment of this village. Small wonder, as they have large haciendas back at Fernandina and Española. But us? What awaits us, I ask you?’

AFTE R TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs asked about the gold, or were told rumors about it, they draw attention to themselves (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar), plus De Alvarado’s agents approach them to learn more about their plans; proceed to Encounter 10. Otherwise, return to Encounter 1 for the PCs to choose their next step.

Encounter 9: Free Time There are many options for entertainment in Vera Cruz if one knows where to look. The PCs may have heard of the gambling tents and the pleasure houses around camp. If the PCs wish to visit one of the pleasure houses, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays three cards. If the action succeeds, the PCs get hold of an unoccupied tent and find a willing partner among the soldiers (of the gender the PC’s choice). The PCs may also partner among themselves if they wish. If the PCs wish to gamble with the soldiers, they are invited to a dice game. ■ Only one of the PCs may play. ■ A PC that wants to play must

declare how much they are betting (no more than 5 gold per game).

■ Then, ask the PC to perform a normal Perception check (difficulty: 6(1)), with one advantage if the PCs have the lucky dice from Corporal López. ■ If the PC is successful, he has won that night’s game: he wins back whatever he bet before the game, plus an amount of gold equal to the difference between his result and the TSE’s. ■ If the PC gets a success with a positive consequence, they earn double the money and draw attention to themselves (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). ■ If the PC loses the confrontation, he simply loses the money he bet at the start. ■ The PCs may only perform one gambling action in a single night, as there’s only so much money and free time available to the other soldiers.

AFTER TH E ENC OUN TE R If the PCs won a game or found an available pleasure tent, De Alvarado’s agents have taken notice of them: proceed to Encounter 10. Otherwise, return to Encounter 1 for the PCs to choose where to go now.

Encounter 10: A Clash of Crews This encounter takes place if the PCs called attention to themselves in Encounter 8 or 9. Read the following as the PCs prepare to return to their business: As you stand up and wipe your hands, you see three individuals approach you. At the centre, an armoured woman. She seems petite when compared to their companions, but her fierce, steely gaze and close-cropped hair

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mark her as a war veteran. She wears dragon rider livery and sports a red scar from neck to brow. Her lithe movements seem better suited to an acrobat, or a sailor, than to a dragonry officer. Right behind her walks a giant of a man, with dark skin and a big, bushy black beard. He wears his greasy hair in a long braid, and his eyebrows are so thick as to cover his eyes, save for the occasional evil glint. He carries an arming sword and a huge musket. On her other side there’s a tall, lanky man, with a frighteningly pale complexion and inexpressive eyes. His hair blond almost to the point of whiteness, his face thin and clean-shaven, he seems to be the polar opposite of his burly companion. He isn’t armoured, but wears a huge inquisitor’s cross on a chain hanging from his pencil neck. He looks you over as a snake would regard a bird.

Scene 4: the garrison storeS This scene takes place when the PCs wish to buy supplies at the Villa’s storehouses. There’s an ordnance stand that distributes rations and ammunition; also, the quartermaster’s office stocks tools and general supplies.

These people are De Alvarado’s agents in charge of the treasure search, and the PCs’ main rivals in the adventure. They heard of the PCs’ arrival to Vera Cruz, and want to get a good look at them now, before they have to kill them all.

■ If the PCs wish to visit the ordnance stand, go to Encounter 11.

The female, who seems to be the leader of the trio, steps ahead and greets the PCs:

Encounter 11: The Ordnance Stand

‘God and Castile, good people. I am Doña Cristina Díaz, dragon rider in the service of Captain Pedro De Alvarado, and these are Señor Pérez Negro, my bodyguard, and Friar Cosmes of the Holy Inquisition’.

This large, well-guarded tent holds standard supplies that it then provides to the garrison soldiers. Here, the PCs may request ammunition and a daily meal.

‘I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. We understand that you have arrived to the Villa in a… special capacity, shall we say?’

■ If the PCs have not done so this day, they may request their ammunition reloaded and a single day of military rations each.

‘Far be it from me to pry into another’s business, which is a most ugly sin, don’t you agree? Be as it may, we just wanted to bid you the warmest of welcomes to Vera Cruz. The Good Lord knows poor Captain Cortés, may our Mother Mary watch his health, needs as many hands as possible these days’.

■ The PCs may request weapons or armour (of normal quality) by getting a special order; Captain de Sandoval will gladly provide it if the PCs ask her personally, and Sergeant García may also grant the permission if they are currently running priority tasks for him. If the PCs obtain a special order, they may request a single weapon and armour suit each (100 gold in total).

‘Well, we don’t want to waste any more of your time. We’re sure you have plenty of tasks to occupy you; otherwise, what would you be doing here? Ha ha. Good evening!’ If the PCs confront the three soldiers, or try to bait them into more talking, Doña Cristina claims a busy schedule and the trio excuse themselves. It’s clear, however, that they intended to warn the PCs. Let the PCs know they are tired and in need of sleep. After they’ve had a good night’s rest, go to Encounter 1 to choose their next step.

■ If the PCs go to the Quartermaster’s store, go to Encounter 12.

■ The PCs may also have their gear repaired here by putting in a request. The repair job is usually ready by the next day, unless the item was too heavily damaged or broken, in which case it may be better to secure a special order to have it replaced. ■ Finally, there’s a nun working at the stand, name of Mother Antonia; her task is to bless the soldiers and their gear. She can perform Priesthood Scriptures miracles on any character, weapon or armour set, but she expects a donation to the garrison’s chapel in return. In theory, donation is optional, but in practice a single blessing is worth roughly 8 times the spirit points required to use it in gold.

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■ Mother Antonia is also authorised to permanently enchant a weapon or armour set, making it magical. For Mother Antonia to enchant an item, the PCs must bring her a weapon or armour set, pay 50 gold, and then pray with her for a full day, after which they must try to transcend. If they succeed, the item becomes magical. ■ If the PCs ask Mother Antonia about item blessing or enchantment, she mentions a favour they could do to her: if the PCs obtain a ‘heretic’ – that is, Totonaca or Mexica – magical item in the course of their travels, they may bring it to Mother Antonia for research (and likely for destruction, after she’s researched it). Once the magic item is exorcised, Mother Antonia could use the spirit obtained from it to permanently enchant one of their items for free, and she would pay them half the price of the item in gold for their trouble.

Once the PCs finish their business with the store, return to Encounter 1 to choose their next step.

Encounter 12: The Quartermaster The Garrison’s Quartermaster is a man called Iñiguez, a stocky veteran turned clerk, as fierce a haggler as he used to be a warrior. At Iñiguez’ store, the PCs may buy items. The Quartermaster doesn’t stock weapons, armour or food – that is strictly ordnance – but any other item is a possibility. You may restrict very expensive or inadequate items, of course. As Iñiguez also has a workshop to craft the work orders, he is always on the lookout for crafting parts; if the PCs can get their hands on resources, Iñiguez will offer to buy them. ■ If the PCs are investigating the death of Ahumada (see Encounter 2), they may ask Iñiguez about poisonous nuts: he is familiar with them, but he’s never stocked anything like it. Furthermore, if anyone had such things in Vera Cruz, they would almost certainly be confiscated, and thus Iñiguez would know it. He promises to keep an eye out for the PCs, but he doesn’t think there are poison nuts in the garrison.

Scene 5: the medical PavilioN Any military expedition has wounded men, and the Vera Cruz infirmary is always busy with the sick and the injured. If the PCs become traumatised or bleeding out during their stay in Vera Cruz, they wake up here, after one or two days unconscious, with all their wounds and injuries healed. While in the Villa, the PCs may come here at any time for medical treatment or healing miracles; healing has no cost for Vera Cruz soldiers, but the PCs need to spend a full day here to receive proper treatment. ■ If the PCs receive medical treatment here and there is a Contract on them (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar), someone poisons their medication: ask the PCs to perform an Athletic action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. ■ If the check fails, the PCs become poisoned and will die within 24 hours unless the poison is properly diagnosed and tended to. ■ You may ask other PCs to perform a Hard Knowledge, Medical or Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to discover a PC has been poisoned. The check gains 1 advantage if the PCs investigated the deaths of Ahumada (from Encounter 2) or little Tax´kat (from Scene 13). The local physicians are no help, as the symptoms resemble a normal sickness, and don’t administer the proper treatment unless they somehow discover the PC has been poisoned. ■ If the check succeeds, the poisoned PC will be cured by the local physicians.

■ If the PCs are searching for Tax’kát, the lost Totonaca child from the Cempoallan Market District (Scene 13 in Chapter II), Iñiguez tells them the kid worked with him for a while; ‘smart golfillo, quick as a whip, eager to learn and be useful’. However, after he sent Tax’kát to do a few errands at the medical pavillion, Alvarado’s soldiers assigned the kid there permanently ‘because of his good eye and quick feet’.

The PCs may also make idle chat with the physicians or their patients (those that can talk anyway), who tell them that Cortés’ army defeated two native forces on its way here, in two battles at places called Cotoche and Centla, but at least thirty men fell in battle, and many more lay wounded, having their permanent injuries tended to even now.

Once the PCs finish their business with the Quartermaster, return to Encounter 1.

■ If the PCs help to heal the wounded men, they bond with the soldiers; take note of this for later use.

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■ If the PCs are investigating the death of Ahumada (see Encounter 2), they may ask the physicians about the symptoms for the seizure sickness and the poison nut: Father Moreno, head physician of the pavillion, thinks it’s too paranoid to assume someone’s poisoning soldiers, but confirms that the symptoms are almost identical. ■ If the PCs ask about Tax’kát, the lost child from the Cempoallan Market District (Scene 13 in Chapter II), they meet a physician, Captain Susana De Trujillo, who tells them Tax’kát died a while ago, some time before the PCs first arrived to camp:

‘Sure, the kid was a great worker, and he seemed mostly happy to be here, although he sometimes said he missed his mom. Anyway, I did not ask for him to be assigned here. The order came from Alvarado’s soldiers’. ‘And a pity too, because the kid died from some native sickness just a couple of days after he started working here’. ‘It was similar to the seizure sickness; spasms, rigidity, sudden lack of breathing. The same thing that killed sergeant Ahumada, surely; most likely the kid caught it from him’. ■ If the PCs have asked about both Tax’kát and Ahumada, the physicians still think it’s too paranoid to assume a conspiracy, but let the PCs know that in fact Tax’kát asked the same thing once, before he came to work at the pavillion. He’d wanted to know whether Ahumada’s symptoms could be caused by poison. ■ If the PCs ask who assigned Tax’kát to the medical pavillion or who else in camp did he have contact with, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. If the PCs win the confrontation, the physicians confirm it was Alvarado’s men, under orders by some unknown officer from their camp; they can’t get more specific than that. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, one physician thinks he remembers that it was under the orders of ‘that inquisitor, Friar Cosmes’.

Once the PCs have finished their business in the Medical Pavilion, turn to Encounter 1 to help them choose their next path.

Scene 6: the nativeS Although the Villa is considered a Spanish outpost and is run by conquistadors, the bulk of its population are Natives. Most of them are Yokot’an mercenaries brought from Cortés’ first campaigns, but there are also prisoners and local hirelings from Totonaque lands. If the PCs wish to investigate the Natives, they must go to the special sections set aside for them in the Villa; the Yokot’an have built their own huts beside the Garrison, and have their own guards and timetables. The Totonaca live among the Spaniards, but also keep to their own, separate groups. Whenever the PCs approach a Native group to ask them about their people, ask them to Perform a Charisma Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards. The PCs gain 1 advantage on this action if they investigated, or are investigating, the abused Native woman (see Encounter 5). If the PCs lose the confrontation, it means they are thrown out of the Native camp, or the Natives they approach become intimidated and walk away. If the PCs win the confrontation, they find someone with the time and willingness to listen; consult the Native informants sidebar to consult the answers the PCs get to their questions. Language is not an issue, as the PCs carry the Charm of Saint Jerome. After the PCs are finished with the Natives, let them decide their next step. If the PCs wish to leave for Quiahuiztlan or Cempoallan, go to Scene 9. If the PCs want to investigate the soldier known as Ahumada, go to Encounter 2. Otherwise, return to Encounter 1 to help the PCs decide their next step. 159

SIDEBAR: NATIVE INFORMANTS Consult this list of facts every time the PCs perform a successful Charisma action to get information from the Totonaca or Yokat’an natives. If the PCs got a success with a positive consequence, they obtain the bold-typed answers to their respective questions. If the PCs ask about the Native tribes themselves, these are the possible answers: ■ The Natives are not a single ethnicity, but belong to several tribes. Most are Yokot’an warriors from the provinces of Catoche and Centla, where Cortés had his first military victories; a few are Totonaca locals from the nearby town of Quiahuiztlan. ■ The Yokot’an are an advanced culture that lives in large fortified cities to the East; they are split from the Maya Empire that governs the faraway lands beyond the jungle. Despite their architectural and scientific advances, the Yokot’an live close to the earth, and like to run naked, fight bloody and eat dirty, which may look barbaric to the Spanish but the Spanish look more barbaric to them, dressing in metal and riding on the backs of deers. ■ The Totonaca are less advanced, more super-

stitious and much less warlike than the Yokot’an, but they are great craftsmen and builders. Almost all of their villages are sprawling towns with more than 1000 inhabitants. They have their own language, but have spoken Nahuatl, the tongue of their Mexica masters, for centuries now. ■ The Totonaca are native to this region; their

closest settlement is Quiahuiztlan, which surrounds the Villa itself. They also have three large cities, of which Cempoallan, the largest, is only a journey’s march south from here. ■ The Yokot’an, in whose honour the Spanish gave

the name ‘Yucatán’ to their lands, live far to the Southeast, but Cortés left many military outposts in their lands already. If the PCs ask about the Mexica, the Natives have this to say: ■ The Mexica, or Culua as the Yokot’an call them, are the mightiest tribe in the world. They have conquered all the lands between the Maya Empire to the South and the Chichimeca wastelands to the North, and between the Western and Eastern seas.

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■ The Mexica refer to their domain as the

Anahuac, that is, ‘land of the Nahua’, which is how they call their ethnicity. ■ The peoples under Mexica domain, like the Totonaca, have to pay tribute to the Mexica, and must often accept Nahua governors and puppet rulers. They have even been forced to adopt Nahuatl, the tongue of the Mexica, as their common speech. ■ The Mexica are powerful, ambitious and ostentatious; they believe themselves divinely appointed to rule the land, and treat others as their natural vassals. But they are also very cultured and advanced, and a few tribes even submitted to them willingly. ■ Mexica cities are architectural wonders and prosperous urban centres, where gold and jewellery flow like water, where everything is at peace and nobody goes hungry. Or that’s what they say, anyway. ■ Mexica lands are established around a great lake; an inner sea to the West of here. to reach it, one needs to walk one or two weeks in a straight line from Cempoallan. But the path goes through Mexica conquered territory; it can’t be done without their consent. ■ The main reason why the Natives have allowed Cortés to pass through their lands, or even joined his forces, is the hope to see someone stand up to the Mexica after so many centuries.

If the PCs question the Natives about the lost gold, they draw attention to themselves, plus the natives know very little: ■ They don’t know anything about Spanish expeditions or lost gold, but that there was a soldier, one Ahumada, that talked about such things. The Natives would suggest the PCs seek this Ahumada. ■ When Cortés was last at Cempoallan, he interviewed some Mexica Tax Collectors; they might have known something about the lost gold. The PCs should go to Cempoallan; even if the Mexica know nothing, it is the largest city hereabouts, and any news about lost treasures would have likely passed through there. ■ Three people – a soldier woman, a priest and a large hair-faced man – were asking about the same subject a while ago.

If the PCs are investigating the death of Ahumada (see Encounter 2), they may ask the Natives about poison nuts:

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■ The Natives immediately confirm those nuts exist, and that they have a similar effect to the seizure sickness. However, they believe the PCs are ‘stupid’ for asking about such harmful foods, and spend most of the conversation trying to convince the PCs that death nuts ‘are not for eating’. ■ If anyone wanted to procure such nuts, they would have to get them from a wizard, or from the Cempoallan market; everything’s for sale there.

If the PCs have been to the Cempoallan Market District (Scene 13 in Chapter II) and wish to ask about Tax’kát, the lost Totonaca child, the natives tell them what they know: ■ Many Totonaca children came to work here when Lord Xicomecoatl of Cempoallan assigned ‘volunteers’ to help the Spanish at the Garrison. ■ Tax’kát is a common Totonaca nickname, meaning ‘little bee’. ■ A kid with that name was working at the medical

pavillion, but he died of some rare illness, ‘probably caught from the hair-faces’. If the PCs ask about the Natives’ forces and weapons, they learn the following:

■ The natives have dragons and divine magic too, but their magic is much more destructive and hard to perform than the European’s casual blessings, and their dragons are much larger and as likely to turn against them as they are to help them. That’s partly why they must be given sacrifice.

■ All the natives are in awe of Spanish firearms and the ‘giant deer’ they ride. Some are simply curious about their ‘magic’, while others are scared out of their wits.

If the PCs ask about the relationship between the Natives and the Spaniards, the Natives say the following: ■ The Totonaca, like the Mexica, call the Spanish teotl, which means ‘spirit-people’ or ‘demons’. The Yokot’an, more pragmatic, call them dzul; ‘foreigners’. ■ All Natives in the Villa are here to follow Cortés and serve him in exchange for his promises of land and plunder. They don’t judge whether the Spanish are right or wrong, holy or unholy, nor do they see themselves as subject to the invaders; they are partners at best, and hired hands at worst, in a military campaign. ■ Actually, the Natives are split about the invaders; some believe they are dangerous, while some are grateful to them. Some think they are lice-ridden dregs from a backward country, and some believe they are he portent of a new era, for good or ill. Some of the Natives follow Cortés out of fear, and would like nothing better than to be released and return to their villages, while others believe they are part of some blessed army destined to conquer the world.

■ Only the largest Native cities have dragon protectors; they call them ‘storm snakes’ or ‘cloud snakes’ in their respective tongues. The lord of all dragons is the Feathered Snake, which the Mexica call Quetzalcoatl; it is He that cloud snakes answer to, not mortals. ■ Both the Totonaca and the Yokot’an share a similar faith, just like several European nations follow Christianity. In their faith system, ancestor spiritwizards control the natural forces, and they must be appeased with sacrifice. ■ For the natives, ‘sacrifice’ doesn’t exactly mean killing; more accurately, it means giving life in return for life. Killing a child on an altar, burning crops at a shrine, and fasting oneself in prayer are all, at the core, the same practice – paying with one’s life and blood for the life the spirit world gives to the mortal world.

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Scene 7: looking for the leaderS This scene takes place if the PCs seek Captain Pedro de Alvarado, or want to talk personally to Cortés himself. If the PCs have been to Cempoallan and have a Message for Cortés, Captain Guiomar de Sandoval asks for their presence immediately. Proceed to Encounter 15. ■ Ask the PCs to perform a Perception or Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. ■ If the PCs fail the confrontation, they draw attention to themselves (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). ■ If the PCs obtain a success with a negative consequence, it counts as a win, but they also draw attention to themselves. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they learn that both captains have left. ■ If the PCs have not yet been to Cempoallan,

Cortés is either in Quiahuiztlan or Cempoallan, conferring with the Totonaca lords, while Pedro De Alvarado left on a scouting mission. ■ If the PCs have already been to Cempoallan,

Cortés and De Alvarado left together on some undisclosed business, and nobody seems to know what it was about. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, they learn that De Alvarado’s absence means that he left his cabin all but unguarded.

If the PCs want to follow either of the captains into their missions, go to Scene 9. If the PCs want to take advantage of Pedro De Alvarado’s absence to investigate his quarters, run Encounter 13. Otherwise, proceed to Encounter 1 to help the PCs choose their next step.

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Encounter 13: The Secret of Pedro De Alvarado If the PCs have already encountered Pedro De Alvarado in the wilderness, he’s just returned to Camp; they may not investigate his quarters for now. The PCs must wait one week, the time required for De Alvarado to leave on his next mission, before playing this encounter; meanwhile, return to Encounter 1 to guide their next step. If the PCs arrive during Pedro De Alvarado’s absence and want to investigate his unguarded quarters, ask them to perform a Stealth action, confronted by a Spanish Guard’s Competent Skill. ■ Every PC that wins the confrontation manages to slip past De Alvarado’s Guards and enter his cabin unseen. ■ A PC that fails suffers no other consequence than being unable to find a moment when the guards turn to the other side; he is not caught, but he cannot enter the cabin with the PCs that succeed. ■ But, if even one PC gets a failure with a negative consequence, all the PCs are caught and arrested; proceed to Encounter 14.

If any PC manages to enter De Alvarado’s cabin, read the following aloud: The inside of De Alvarado’s office is like the man himself – grandstanding, overbearing and heartless. The furniture seems both too ostentatious for a military settlement and too impersonal to actually provide any sense of home. There are a few weapons in display, likely trophies from past campaigns, but precious little decoration otherwise. The desk is bare, but the drawer is unlocked. There are three chests, one open and showing some clothing in disarray, two more apparently locked. Let the PCs state their actions and intentions to search the captain’s quarters. The desk drawer has a few letters, mostly military commands from Cortés - to join this or that squad in advance, to share the spoils of some attack in this way or that, to scout a road ahead of the main troop, and so on. There are also some missives from what appears to be one of De Alvarado’s underlings; they are all signed simply with the letter ‘C’. ■ The mysterious underling’s letters talk about a ‘task’, of undisclosed nature, and how it’s being carried out with no results so far, which De Alvarado seems to be impatient about. This ‘task’ seems to be some sort

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of investigation, and the sender hasn’t yet found what the captain sent them to find, at least judging from the letter dates. The fact the ‘task’ is not specified and the sender avoids using their own name is very suspicious, but there’s no way to confirm the reason. The open chest contains only De Alvarado’s clothing and some wearable jewellery of little worth. The two closed chests are locked; if the PCs wish to open them, ask them to perform a Crafting action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards. If the PCs win the confrontation, they have opened one of the chests; they must succeed again to open the other one. ■ The first chest the PCs manage to open contains smaller boxes, envelopes and older letters. They pertain mostly to De Alvarado’s previous exploits as a young soldier in Spain and the island of Cuba; they include the letter that Diego Velázquez sent De Alvarado to come work with him years ago, when the island was still under the rule of the Columbus brothers.

Of greater interest are a few of Velázquez letters from the later years: first off, they confirm Velázquez and De Alvarado are not-so-distant cousins. Then, one of the letters in particular, dated only last year, does mention the expedition where the gold was stolen. Velázquez asked De Alvarado to join Grijalva’s second expedition, with instructions to assist one Francisco De Montejo in finding ‘anything the first expedition might have left behind’. The letter doesn’t mention the stolen gold; if the PCs don’t deduce it on their own, ask them to perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to deduce that Velázquez sent this Montejo find the gold, but wanted to keep Alvarado in the dark about it if possible. There’s another letter where Velázquez mentions the third expedition – this one – and expresses hope that Cortés will succeed in his endeavour; he says it in such a way that suggests De Alvarado was not intended to join this expedition. The last letter by Velázquez is much more enlightening. It asks De Alvarado to return to Cuba immediately, reminding him that Cortés is a traitor and a rebel, and that sooner or later he shall be hanged by order of Their Majesties. He adds a threat: ‘and should you think of using accusations or exposure as part of your defence, please do not doubt that treason and sedition are far more serious transgressions than withholding a few coins’. There’s also a suspicious letter from Francisco De Montejo, who now signs as the mayor of Vera Cruz. Montejo asks De Alvarado to be patient, and suggests

‘supporting Cortés’ is the best course for now, but assures De Alvarado that ‘the plan is underway’. ■ if the PCs have proof of the Black Skull Scheme, they can match Francisco De Montejo’s letter to the handwriting in the Zapoteca notes: this marks Montejo as the mastermind behind the scheme. The PCs now have proof of Montejo’s plot.

Finally, there are two letters from Cortés in the chest. In one, he accepts De Alvarado’s request to help him recruit people for the Expedition. It’s obvious De Alvarado insinuated himself into Cortés’ trip without his cousin’s approval. In the other, much shorter letter, Cortés suggests that Governor Velázquez ‘knows that we know’ and scolds De Alvarado for trying to ‘take matters into your own hands’, expressing confidence that ‘we will work together in the future’. Other than these letters, the most interesting thing to be found in this chest is a half-filled notebook. It contains maps, sketches and small notes of the many ‘Indian’ tribes that De Alvarado has encountered and, in most cases, decimated… and has several mentions of ‘the stash’. The notebook doesn’t go into specifics, but it clearly shows ‘the stash’ is something De Alvarado was looking for, and he mentions ‘the river search’ was fruitless save for a few looted native villages, and that the gold must have gone inland, to the West, or one of the ‘two later expeditions’ would already have found it. Alongside these scribbles, there’s a copy of a gold coin, such as would appear by coal-rubbing the coin’s relief under the paper. The coin used for the marking was of Spanish mint, dating from almost a decade earlier, long before the first expedition to the mainland. ■ The second locked chest the PCs manage to open contains 500 gold in jewellery and expensive clothing looted from the native tribes. If the PCs wish to loot this chest, they can each carry a maximum of 25 gold in treasure for each point they have in the Athletic Skill.

To leave De Alvarado’s cabin, the PCs must perform another Stealth Action, confronted by a Spanish Guard’s mediocre skill – as they don’t expect to guard against someone sneaking out of their captain’s quarters. If the PCs are carrying loot, they suffer one disadvantage on the action. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they leave as quietly as they arrived. ■ If the PCs get a success with a negative consequence, they leave quietly but make enough noise to arouse the guards’ suspicion and draw attention to themselves later (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar).

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■ If even one PC loses the confrontation, all PCs are surrounded by guards. If there is a Contract on the PCs, the guards have orders to kill them and make it appear like they were traitors: create a +2 encounter against a combination of Spanish characters. If the PCs survive, they must flee the Villa before anyone notices they have killed De Alvarado’s men; run Scene 9 right away.

If the guards don’t attack, the PCs are instead arrested and taken to Captain Sandoval for trial. Proceed to Encounter 14. If the PCs successfully took anything from De Alvarado’s quarters, be it a letter, a weapon or even a single gold coin, someone will notice later, which will draw attention to the PCs (see the Unwanted Attention sidebar). If the PCs manage to slip out of De Alvarado’s quarters unseen, you may turn to Encounter 1 to help them choose their next step, to Scene 8 if they want to report their findings to Captain De Sandoval, or to Scene 9 if they wish to leave in search of Cortés or De Alvarado in the surrounding areas.

Scene 8: captain de sandovaL Run this scene every time the PCs report to Captain Guiomar De Sandoval, the woman that first contacted them, be it because they have news to share or because they were arrested during their investigation. Sandoval’s tent is accessible to the PCs during their entire time in Vera Cruz; they may call on her at any moment about several subjects. She’s still living in the most austere conditions, all her furniture consisting of boxes and benches, but she gladly invites the PCs to sit on them as if they were chairs in an audience hall. ■ If the PCs want to talk to Captain De Sandoval about their investigations in the Vera Cruz Garrison (Chapter I), proceed to Scene 8 Conversation. ■ If the PCs bring news from Cempoallan (Chapter II), proceed to Encounter 15.

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■ If the PCs learned the Secret of the Empty Chest at The Thunder (See Scene 17), they may report their mission success. Proceed to Scene 20: The End.

Scene 8 Conversation Enact this conversation every time the PCs have something to report from their Vera Cruz investigations. ■ If the PCs report about Ahumada and his death (see Encounter 2), Captain De Sandoval believes he must have indeed been murdered, and she even fingers a suspect. On Pedro De Alvarado’s camp there’s a woman, a dragon rider that’s served in three different wars and is trained in various poisons. The assassin’s name is Doña Cristina Díaz, and Sandoval recommends the PCs stay clear of her - at least for now, as they have no proof of her involvement, and they could become her targets instead. ■ If the PCs report having found letters in Pedro De Alvarado’s possession, Captain De Sandoval looks very concerned, as this is an act of espionage which could land the PCs - and her - on the gallows. Thus, she readies a written grant for the PCs to investigate Totonaca lands in the name of Cortés, and orders them to leave the Villa as soon as possible; proceed to Scene 9 straight away. ■ If the PCs report having met Doña Cristina and her men, Captain Sandoval looks alarmed, and believes this means the PCs have already been marked as Doña Cristina’s targets. She advises the PCs to leave Vera Cruz at their earliest convenience, and gives them a written grant to investigate Totonaca lands in Captain Cortés’ name. ■ If the PCs report the betrayal of Diego de Ordás’ men (see Encounter 6), Captain De Sandoval heard of it already, and plans to tell Cortés about the matter, so he can be prepared against further sedition attempts. She gives each PC 10 gold for their help to find the conspirators. ■ If the PCs report an attempt on their lives (if there is a Contract on them, as per the Unwanted Attention sidebar), Captain De Sandoval is alarmed. This means Pedro De Alvarado, or some other party interested in the lost gold, is targeting competitors. Sandoval hastily writes a written grant for the PCs to investigate the surrounding area, and then orders the PCs to leave Vera Cruz as soon and as quietly as they can. In fact, if the PCs are more or less geared up now, she encourages them to leave straight away (Scene 9) and tell nobody – not even her – where they’re going.

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Encounter 14: Arrested

‘So these are your spies, Sandoval. They have made a great job’.

If the PCs are brought to Sandoval because they were arrested, she allows the guards to take them to an isolated cabin ‘for interrogation’. If the PCs retrieved any items from De Alvarado’s cabin, Sandoval claims them for safekeeping. After a while, Sandoval goes to the PCs’ cabin and asks the guards to leave her alone with them, at which point she asks for the full story. Let the PCs brief the captain on what happened in their own words; run Scene 8 Conversation.

Then his expression turns grim, but his gaze remains friendly.

After the PCs’ debriefing, Sandoval tells them she will arrange for their escape, and orders a few of her most trusted men to ‘escort the PCs to Santa María de la Victoria, as prisoners’. Sandoval’s men will take the PCs out of Vera Cruz; however, they will have orders to release the PCs as soon as they are out of sight of the garrison. Before leaving, Captain De Sandoval suggests the PCs not to return to Vera Cruz until a couple of weeks have passed, while she counters the accusations against them with proof of De Alvarado’s conspiracy. However, if the PCs find something about the lost gold before that time, they are to return to the garrison as soon as they can. This said, Sandoval bids the PCs godspeed and leaves their cell. A few hours later, a team of soldiers comes to take the PCs out of Vera Cruz. Proceed to Scene 9.

Encounter 15: Urgent News If the PCs have returned to camp with news from Cempoallan (Chapter II) or another location (Chapter III), Captain De Sandoval receives them immediately on her tent. If the PCs already confronted Montejo at Sandoval’s tent, proceed directly to After the Encounter. Otherwise, read the following when the PCs enter Captain Sandoval’s tent: The first thing you notice is that Captain Sandoval is not alone. In fact, her tent is filled with soldiers, and they all look at you intently. Sandoval stands before them, seemingly trying to calm them down, and looking at you with dignity. Amid the soldiers sits a man, who’s obviously in command of the whole troop. He seems used to luxury, but doesn’t seem to be bothered about having to sit on Sandoval’s precarious furniture of boxes and stools. Then you recognise the man - he’s Francisco de Montejo, one of Cortés’ right-hand men and the mayor of Vera Cruz. He smiles at you.

‘My friends… by looking for that lost treasure, you might have saved our lives’. If the PCs ask what Montejo is doing there, or what he knows, Sandoval acknowledges his presence. ‘Mayor De Montejo has been appointed by Captain Cortés to receive the reports of your mission in Cempoallan. He… was apprised of your exploits, and I told them of my plan to return the lost gold’. ‘And might I say’, Montejo interrupts, ‘the Captain wholeheartedly agrees. Returning the gold to Governor Velázquez is a brilliant idea’. ‘Yes, well…’, Sandoval continues, visibly bothered; ‘Captain Cortés asked Mayor De Montejo to oversee your activities from this point onward. He expects your news from Cempoallan; whatever you would have told me, it’s now for his ears as well’. If the PCs have a Calpixque Hostage, he fingers Montejo as the man that gave them the treasure box years ago: ‘That man… That is Atlantatl! That’s the man who gave us the tribute!’ If the PCs agree to give their report to Montejo, proceed to Encounter 15 Conversation. If the PCs challenge Montejo or attack him, he sets his guards on them. ‘I knew you had something to do with this secret scheme against our expedition. I’ d be happy to keep you alive for confession, but it doesn’t seem like you’ d accept that. Guards!’ Create a +2 encounter, using a combination of Spanish characters. ■ If the PCs have proof of Montejo’s plot, they may show it during the encounter; upon seeing it, Captain De Sandoval orders the fight to stop and demands to see that proof; then, she orders Montejo in chains. Take note that now Montejo is arrested, and proceed to After the Encounter.

If the PCs survive the fight, Captain De Sandoval orders them to flee Vera Cruz immediately; their new orders are to find the lost gold and send or take it back to Cuba on their own, or else die trying - for they cannot come back to Vera Cruz now. Proceed to After the Encounter.

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ENC O U NT E R 15 CON V E RSATION Let the PCs choose what to tell Montejo and Sandoval. Use the following excerpts as Montejo’s answers depending on what the PCs say: ■ If the PCs have a Message for Cortés, Montejo

and Sandoval look at each other, then Montejo nods gravely:

‘This matter merits serious consideration. I believe we should endeavour to convince the Totonaca of our good will, so that they can request our military aid. ‘This will secure peace with the Totonaca, but also give us an excuse to get Tizapancingo out of the way, and then advance into Mexica lands’. ‘We need to deliver proof that the Mexica escaped on their own. The Captain has given me this - it’s a Mexica magical charm. ‘They tell me the Indians use it to appear and disappear with their dark magics; who knows, really? The Captain’s witch, Malintzin, says she found it in the escaped Mexica’s cell. For all I know she made it herself; in any case, we only need Xicomecoatl to believe it’. ‘I shall send this to Xicomecoatl right away, as proof that we did not aid the Mexica evasion’. If the PCs refuse to follow this course, Montejo tells them it’s not their decision. ‘As Mayor of Vera Cruz, I am entitled to decide the course that best protects its citizens; and the Captain has given me full powers to deal with this situation’. Unless the PCs directly confront Montejo, he dispatches some envoys with the package right away; the plan will proceed as he commanded. Take note that the PCs have Planted Evidence of the Mexica Escape. If the PCs have also Delivered Reparations for the Razed Villages and Delivered proof of the Zapoteca Setup, They now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence. ■ If you haven’t marked the Attack on Actopan,

Montejo orders the PCs to travel to Cuetlaxtlan and Cuyuxquihui to agitate the local tribes against the Mexica:

Actopan on their own, without requiring our involvement at all’. ■ If you already marked the Attack on Actopan, Montejo congratulates the PCs.

‘Great job setting the Indians against each other! The Captain himself couldn’t have done it better’. ‘Now we can march against the Mexica at Tizapancingo, as soon as Xicomecoatl sends us an official request for aid. Go tell him that - that’s the only thing we’re waiting for’. ■ If the PCs bring proof of the Black Skull Scheme or the Location of the Black Skull Ambush, Captain De Sandoval leaps at the news and demands to see the notes. Without waiting for Montejo, she immediately orders two dragons sent to warn the scouts of the Zapoteca ambush. ■ If the PCs want to join the raid, Montejo lets them leave with his blessing.

‘Go, go save our people. I’m proud of you; Spain is proud of you. Just be sure to return safely. And bring me any news you have to report!’ The PCs may now proceed to Encounter 60 in Chapter III. ■ If the PCs show proof of Montejo’s plot with the Location of the Black Skull Ambush, Captain De Sandoval orders him arrested right after giving her previous orders. Proceed to After the Encounter, taking note that Montejo is arrested. ■ If the PCs mention the Razed Villages, Montejo shakes his head.

‘This business with the lost gold… it’s brought out the worst of many of us. It’s a shame the innocent indians have to pay for our ambitions’. If the PCs accuse Doña Cristina and his companions of the massacre, Montejo doesn’t even blink. ‘Oh, of course it was them. Who else would Alvarado order to search for the gold among the local villages?’

‘Before we can march into Tizapancingo, we need to clear the path - and there’s a very big obstacle there. This town, called Actopan, stands in our way to Tizapancingo. We cannot risk attacking it; we want the Mexica to keep their guard down until we hit Tizapancingo’.

‘I’ ll speak bluntly. Doña Cristina’s group are your rivals in this race. If they succeed, you fail, and the other way around. Whoever finds the gold first, you or them, Captain Sandoval or Captain De Alvarado, decides what happens to it’.

‘This is where you come in. I need you to fly in your dragon to a few local towns - towns known for their resistance to the Mexica’.

‘I’m not taking sides in the race, but I certainly disapprove of what Alvarado’s catspaws have done, and their methods in general’.

‘Talk to the people of these towns, use their anger against the Mexica; chances are, they’ ll march on

‘They did not act against Spanish law, so we cannot charge them with anything - but I will personally talk to

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Captain De Alvarado. I’ ll make sure he sees the error of his ways and stops his mistreatment of the natives’. Montejo also orders an envoy sent to Xicomecoatl, with gifts in gold, and a letter acknowledging that the two villages were indeed destroyed by Spanish soldiers; however, the letter will give the names of Doña Cristina and her helpers, fingering them as sole culprits. The letter also promises that these three individuals will be punished to the full extent of ‘God’s Law’. With this, the PCs have now Delivered Reparations for the Razed Villages. If the PCs have also Planted evidence of the Mexica Escape and Delivered proof of the Zapoteca Setup, They now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence. ■ If the PCs know the Secret of the Empty Chest, they may report the end of their mission. Proceed to Scene 20.

If the PCs finish the conversation with Montejo in good terms, he leaves with his guards, saying he trusts the PCs ‘will keep doing what’s right’. Proceed to After the Encounter.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once Captain de Sandoval is left alone with the PCs, she has her own orders for the PCs, depending on what they reported. ■ If the PCs know the Secret of the Empty Chest, they

may report the end of their mission. Proceed to Scene 20.

■ If the PCs brought proof of the Black Skull Scheme or Directions to the Black Skull Ambush, Captain De Sandoval wasted no time sending troops to support the soldiers; if the PCs wish to join the mission, they should leave for Encounter 60 right away. ■ If the PCs brought proof of Montejo’s Plot, Sandoval secures it nervously.

‘It’s no small thing, to accuse the Mayor of Vera Cruz of scheming against Captain Cortés. I will personally deliver this to Captain Cortés, right away’. If Montejo has not been arrested, Sandoval will present the proof to Cortés and let him decide what to do with it. If Montejo is arrested, Captain De Sandoval accompanies the PCs to interrogate him; proceed to the Montejo’s Motives Sidebar. ■ If the PCs explored the razed villages and accused Doña Cristina directly, Captain De Sandoval promises to take the matter to Cortés, who will surely do the same that Montejo intended - send envoys to Xicomecoatl,

bearing gifts and appeasements, and accusing Doña Cristina of an independent, unsanctioned crime, for which she shall be promptly punished. The PCs have now delivered reparations for the razed villages, if they hadn’t before. If the PCs have also Planted evidence of the Mexica Escape and Delivered proof of the Zapoteca Setup, They now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence. ■ If you haven’t marked the Attack on Actopan event, Captain Sandoval agrees with Montejo that the PCs should stir things up at Cuetlaxtlan and Cuyuxquihui; she marks both these places in the PCs’ map if they didn’t have directions there yet. ■ If you already marked the Attack on Actopan, Sandoval gives the PCs a letter, written and signed by Cortés himself, promising military aid to the Cempoalteca in case they need it. The PCs are to deliver this letter to Xicomecoatl’s palace. Take note that the PCs now have an Official Edict indicating they have business with Xicomecoatl in the name of Cortés. ■ If the PCs have a Message for Cortés, but suggest that Cortés should not help the Totonaca, but should instead agree to the Mexica’s wishes and leave the region, or at least promise to leave it, Sandoval sees worth in this idea, and promises to put the matter to the Captain’s consideration right away.

Ask the PCs to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays 4 cards. The PCs gain one advantage if they found proof of Montejo’s Plot, and suffer one disadvantage if they became Outlaws in Cempoallan or were arrested in Vera Cruz. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, Cortés agrees to Sandoval’s suggestion and the expedition prepares to leave these lands… for now. Vera Cruz will remain as the Spanish embassy to the Mexica and Totonaca, as Cortés’ main army retires to consolidate power the villages that Cortés has already conquered in Yok’atán.

In return, the Mexica fulfil their part of the bargain, and send the promised treasure, plus the long-sought maps to the ancient city. The PCs now have Directions to The Thunder if they didn’t already, and Sandoval sends the PCs to look for it immediately. Proceed to Chapter III, taking note that the PCs have Directions to The Thunder and took the Mexica Side in the negotiations. ■ If the PCs have NOT played Encounter 13 yet, Captain De Sandoval has a special mission for them.

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SIDEBAR: MONTEJO’S MOTIVES If the PCs bring proof of Montejo’s Plot and ensure Montejo is arrested, they may interrogate him, either as the guards take him, or later in his confinement tent, about his motives or his true goal. Montejo trusts that his goals were worthy, and claims that he had Castile’s best interests at heart. ‘Of course I did not do this for the gold. Who needs a chest of Spanish gold with a whole world of conquest ahead of us? Cortés understood that; as soon as he learned of the Mexica, he switched his attention from the treasure we lost to the much larger treasure we were set to find’. ‘I it to ago. only

did not lose Velázquez’ gold as I claimed. I gave the natives during the first expedition, two years I did not know who they were at the moment; I cared that it was in native hands’.

‘Why, to inspire the search, of course. To incite the greed of idiots like Velázquez and Alvarado, and have them move their butts off Cuba… there was a continent, a whole continent of riches and new territories to claim for the crown, and those petty penny-pinchers were content with their encomiendas at the small islands of the Colón brothers!’ ‘Cortés understood. When I told him my plan, he was the only one that saw beyond his nose, the only one that saw the opportunity in discovering and claiming this territory. Alvarado understands nothing beyond his reflection in mirrors; but he was easy to manipulate with the promise of daring campaigns and heroic exploits. By giving them something to look for, I led them to finally explore and discover this wondrous world, which Europe shall conquer eventually anyway. There’s no way to stop that. What we can decide is who is in charge of the conquest. 1‘All I needed to do was make sure that gold remained lost, remained in native hands… and it would be the pebble that started the avalanche! Turns out the indians were obliging enough to actually steal the gold from the other indians! I only learned this during the second expedition last year, when I first found Cempoallan while Alvarado’s attention was… elsewhere’. ‘And oh great fortune, the Mexica of Cempoallan were making maps of the bandits’ territory… Now we know where the gold was taken. What happened to it? Who knows. We don’t need the gold. We only need ‘a’ gold, ‘a’ nameless, hidden treasure, and the tide of history will lead the full force of Europe’s ships and armies to this New World. That’s why I stole the Indian scribe’s maps during the second expedition last year 168

- Psh, I burned them, don’t you even think about it -; to keep them out of reach! To dangle the lost treasure as a carrot in front of Alvarado, and others like him. Alvarado is a wonder; wherever you point him at, people die. His peers back home are no different’. ‘Well, have you seen the wrath, the bloodthirst, that Alvarado has brought down on these heathens? The good man already wants to set fire to Cempoallan and massacre its citizens! I didn’t even need to suggest it! Now imagine... the whole of Europe is coming now! A thousand ships, a thousand Alvarados! All wanting their piece of the cake! All guests at my table! For I shall be the gracious host... I shall be the Adelantado of the New World!’ ‘Oh, I’m not worried about my future. You see, I did not betray Cortés, only Velázquez - and Velázquez does not know it. Anyway, his authority was doomed the moment we set sail without his blessing. I also betrayed the indians, yes, but they shall not be the ones to judge me. ‘I think - no, I know - that Cortés will see my deeds as the work of a hero and a patriot, and he won’t only pardon me; he will reward me. Well, might I remind you Cortés was in on this little plot too… It’s in his best interest to keep me near and loyal. Alvarado, not so much. You, even less so’. ‘I think that, when the dust settles, Alvarado and his dragon bitch will be reprimanded for harsh measures, you will be imprisoned or discharged for trying to make deals with the indians behind the Captain’s back, and I shall be acknowledged as the man that made the Conquest of the New World possible’. If the PCs think of asking whether Montejo ever opened Velázquez’ treasure box, he looks bemused for an instant. ‘Why, of course not… Velázquez kept the key, as a safeguard so he could later know whether his chest had been opened… wait, why? Why do you ask this?’ Then Montejo goes pale and opens his eyes wide. ‘What do you mean, bastards? What do you MEAN?’ After talking to Montejo, the PCs have enough evidence to send Proof of the Spanish’ Innocence to Xicomecoatl in Cempoallan. The PCs cannot threaten or attack Montejo; he is Cortés prisoner, and only Cortés can decide his fate now. What the PCs must decide is whether to continue with Montejo’s plan and let the imminent military conquest of the New World play out, or focus on the treasure search and let God sort things out. Who knows, they may try to do something about it, to change history somehow… but how?

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‘All the evidence you have gathered, and the investigations I have conducted on my own, suggest that Pedro De Alvarado, the Captain’s ally and rival in the treasure search, might be acting against the benefit of the expedition’. ‘I have no authority to order an investigation on Alvarado, but I could ask his cabin’s guards to look the other way, so that Alvarado’s quarters were relatively unguarded… let’s say, tonight’. If the PCs agree to this mission, Sandoval makes sure they understand it would be treason if they’re caught, and she cannot admit to any involvement in this. If the PCs are still willing to do it, Sandoval sends some of her men with orders to distract De Alvarado’s guards. For the rest of the night, the PCs have one advantage on any Stealth action performed in or near De Alvarado’s camp or cabin. It is now time for the PCs to decide where to go:

Scene 9: leaving vera cruZ If the PCs want to leave the Vera Cruz garrison, their ability to leave depends on what they have done before. ■ If the PCs are being escorted out by Captain De Sandoval’s men, the soldiers lead the PCs out of the Villa and then, when nobody’s looking, let the PCs go. They tell the PCs not to return for a while, on the Captain’s orders, and wish them luck. Proceed to Encounter 16.

■ If the Attack on Actopan hasn’t yet happened, the PCs may wish to visit Cuetlaxtlan or Cuyuxquihui; proceed to Scene 16.

■ If the PCs try to simply leave through the main exit, they must convince the guard they are on official business.

■ If the PCs have an official edict enabling them to

■ If the PCs have a written grant to investigate the area from Captain De Sandoval, they succeed automatically; proceed to Encounter 16.

■ If the PCs wish to spy on Alvarado’s quarters as per Captain De Sandoval’s suggestion, proceed to Encounter 13.

Otherwise, getting out requires the PCs to perform a Charisma Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. The PCs gain 1 advantage if they bonded with the soldiers during Scenes 3 or 5. The PCs may spend 15 gold to sweeten the deal, gaining 1 advantage on the action. All these advantages are cumulative.

speak to Xicomecoatl, they may proceed to Cempoallan’s ceremonial centre in Scene 12.

■ If Montejo is arrested and the PCs suggest or ask to interrogate him, you can consult the Montejo’s Motives Sidebar. ■ If the PCs have gathered Proof of the Spanish’

Innocence, they may go to Xicomecoatl’s palace in Encounter 29 with the good news.

■ If the PCs have Directions to the Thunder, they may want to try their luck there; proceed to Scene 18 in Chapter III. ■ If the PCs wish to go somewhere else, return to Encounter 1 to guide their next step.

■ If the PCs win the confrontation, the guard suddenly remembers that Captain De Sandoval has given instructions to let the PCs through. Proceed to Encounter 16. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, the guard heard nothing about any official business, and the PCs must wait eight hours, until the next guard shift, to try again. If the PCs have played Encounter 13, the guards surround them and order them arrested for spying on Captain De Alvarado; proceed to Encounter 14. ■ If the PCs obtained a success with a positive consequence, the guards tell them that Doña Cristina, Pedro De Alvarado’s dragon rider, wanted to know at what time the PCs left the garrison, and advise the PCs to be on the lookout for De Alvarado’s people.

If the PCs try to slip through the guard unseen, ask them to perform a Stealth action, confronted by a Spanish guard’s competent skill (or by a guard’s mediocre skill if they do it during the night).

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HANDLING DRAGONS

DOÑA LUZIA

The average European dragon mount can carry up to five human-sized passengers. All European domesticated dragons are Christian, and only accept Christian women as riders.

If the PCs don’t have a dragon, a dragon rider finds them on the road the first time they leave Vera Cruz, and introduces herself as Doña Luzia de Lanza, Knight of the Spanish Army and scout. Doña Luzia’s job in Cortés’ Expedition is to carry troops across enemy territory. She has orders to take the PCs wherever they wish, no questions asked, but being noble she doesn’t answer to them but directly to Captain De Sandoval. Add Doña Luzia and her dragon mount, Justiniano, to the PCs’ companions. They won’t enter specific areas with the PCs, but will take them to any city or settlement they want, and wait outside until the PCs need transport again.

Although they are fully loyal and under their riders’ control, Cortés doesn’t allow dragons near his conquered settlements, for safety reasons. Instead, the expedition keeps its dragons near the ships, on a special section of the nearest pier. The PCs can summon their dragon once they leave a location, and use it to travel to another location, although the dragon itself cannot enter many areas. Where a dragon is allowed, the text will indicate how it may enter the area. Otherwise, it’s assumed the dragon waits for the PCs in a safe spot outside the area, and remains available to travel once they leave for another location. ■ If even one PC loses the confrontation, the guards remain alert and the PCs cannot leave this way. They may try again in eight hours, when the guard has shifted. ■ If all PCs win the confrontation, run Encounter 16.

Encounter 16: Where Do We Go Now?

Encounter 17: Neighbourly Visit If the PCs wish to explore Quiahuiztlan, the Totonaca town that surrounds the Vera Cruz settlement, they need only walk for a few minutes to arrive. Read the following when the PCs approach the town:

Once the PCs have a dragon, ask them to decide where are they headed.

The Native Town of Quiahuiztlan is a large settlement, with what must be thousands of thatch-roofed, square stone buildings, speckled with trees, groves, gardens and colourful tilled lands. Stone walls surround the town, and two large pyramids – temples to the locals’ divine spirits – adorn its central plaza. There are four cemeteries with large stone gravesites, one for every town quarter.

■ If the PCs want to explore the nearby Totonaca town of Quiahuiztlan, run Encounter 17.

As you approach the town, two Totonaca guards come to you, wanting to know your business.

■ If the PCs are pursuing Pedro De Alvarado and want to catch up with him in the wild, proceed to Encounter 59 in Chapter III.

If the PCs have - and show - a written grant giving them leave to investigate Totonaca lands in the name of Spain, the locals acquiesce immediately; proceed to Encounter 17 Conversation.

Once the PCs are out of sight of the camp, they may summon their dragon to travel to another location.

■ The PCs may head to the nearby native town of Cempoallan, which ends Chapter I. Proceed to Chapter II. ■ If the PCs have directions to somewhere else, they may explore other areas of the Totonaca country; proceed to Chapter III.

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If the PCs don’t have a written grant, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Totonaca Guard’s competent skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they are welcome into the settlement, except their dragon is not allowed inside; the PCs gain one advantage on any use of their Charisma skill while they are inside Quiahuiztlan.

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■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, the Totonaca don’t like the idea of allowing strangers into their town. They allow entrance if the PCs insist, and only because the Totonaca want to keep a civil contact with the Spanish force for now. However, the PCs suffer one disadvantage on any use of their Charisma skill while they are inside Quiahuiztlan.

Once the PCs have entered Quiahuiztlan, proceed to Encounter 17 Conversation.

EN C O U NT E R 17 CON V E RSATION : T O T O NAC T ALKIN ’ The PCs may ask around Quiahuiztlan to learn the following information, no cards required: If the PCs ask about Captain Cortés, the Totonaca let them know that he already left for Cempoallan. The locals don’t know why he went there or what he’s looking for, but they expect he will help them against Mexica rule. ■ If the PCs ask about the Totonaca people or the Mexica situation, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Totonaca guard’s Competent Skill, applying the advantages or disadvantages acquired in the previous action. If the PCs win the confrontation, they may ask any of the questions listed in the Native Informants sidebar.

A F T E R T H E CON V E R SATION The PCs are strongly encouraged to leave Quiahuiztlan once their inquiries are finished; to help their quick departure, the Totonaca remind them that Cempoallan is a good place to ask about these things.

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T H I S C H A P T E R B E G I N S when the PCs arrive to Cempoallan, the larg-

est city in the Totonaca region. The sprawling metropolis, one of the most important urban centres of the New World, lies a few kilometres south of the Vera Cruz outpost. It takes one full day to arrive without a dragon, but only a short flight with one. The PCs may rest (draw cards and restore health) during their trip to Cempoallan.

T

H E FI R S T TI ME the PCs reach Cempoallan, read

the following aloud:

The Totonaca city of Cempoallan is easily the most impressive sight you have encountered so far in the New World. It’s at least as large as Sevilla, the economic centre of your country, and looks equally populated. The city’s white stone buildings shine like silver under the sun, and its streets are a sea of colour, not unlike a flower garden, thanks to its countless market stalls, richly-garbed passersby, and actual gardens and orchards in every square. The streets are lined with rivers, aqueducts, flowered fountains and waterfalls over stone staircases. All this gives Cempoallan the look of some olympian landscape out of a mythology book. This, then, is the Totonaca capital. Finding a specific cargo here would be, at best, a challenge; if the cargo was hidden and lost God knows where or when, your chances don’t look good at all. If the PCs have a dragon, they must land it on the fields outside the city; it will wait for them there. Once the PCs enter the city, they are overwhelmed by a thousand sights, smells and sounds; either it’s market day, or this is a full-time market city, with a permanent surplus of every commodity, from pets to weapons, from flowers to jewellery, from street acts to spells. The PCs already know the following about Cempoallan:

■ Its inhabitants are Totonaca people, and refer to themselves as Cempoalteca. ■ The city is subject to the Mexica, the oft-cited ‘Golden Kingdom in the West’. ■ Cortés was here a couple of weeks ago to pacify the people, who accepted to let the Spanish force stay in their lands in return for their eventual help against Mexica domination. ■ Cortés and the city’s leaders agreed to a truce and exchanged gifts; furthermore, the Cempoalteca gave the Spaniards several Totonaca to serve as carriers and messengers at Vera Cruz. 176

■ The ruler of the city is known as ‘the fat chieftain’ by the Vera Cruz soldiers.

Anything else the PCs wish to learn about the city, they must investigate on their own. If the PCs wish to ask around the locals, proceed to Chapter II Conversation. Once the PCs have a lead to follow or know where they want to go, proceed to Encounter 19.

Chapter II Conversation: Cempoalteca Communications If the PCs approach the people for information, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a civilian, suffering one disadvantage as they don’t trust hair-faced people. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, the locals avoid their questions and refuse to speak to them; if they succeed, they may ask one question from one of the locals. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, they may ask as many questions as they wish, and they also gain access to the answers in bold type to each question. ■ If the PCs ask about the city itself, they learn the name ‘Cempoallan’ means ‘place of many waters’ in the Mexica tongue. The Mexica gave it the name when they saw its many fountains and waterways. The city is divided in walled boroughs, mostly taken up by farmers and their lands. The central area is the Ceremonial District, which houses the city’s palace and temples. There are also neighbourhoods set aside for the Mexica and Zapoteca communities in the city. ■ If the PCs ask about the city leaders, they learn the Tecuhtli, or Lord, of Cempoallan, is called Xicomecoatl. This must be the one the Villa soldiers refer to as ‘the Fat Chieftain’. Currently, Xicomecoatl is in a meeting with Cortés himself at his palace in the Ceremonial District.

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■ If the PCs ask about the gold, they learn that the person to ask about military loot is Mux’tin, the captain of the city guard. He may be found at the ‘Skull Houses’, the city’s barracks. In fact, of late there have been a couple of Spanish visitors to the city besides Cortés and the PCs; but captain Mux’tin should know more. ■ If the PCs ask about Mexica tax collectors, the

locals point them to the city Mexica Quarters, the enclosure where the conquerors of Cempoallan have their embassy and isolated, privileged community. All tribute and goods in the region pass through the House of Accounts, the Mexica tax offices in Cempoallan. ■ If the PCs ask for Cortés, they learn he is cur-

rently visiting the city leaders at the Ceremonial District. The PCs may perhaps be allowed into the meeting, as they are part of Cortés’ Expedition. ■ If the PCs ask about available services or

things to do in the city, the locals refer them to the Market District, claiming it is the largest in the world. There are many Otomitl blacksmiths in the market, selling the best weapons in the world; there are also Tameme porters that will take visitors anywhere in the city for a small fee. ■ If the PCs ask about the Mexica, they learn they have sent permanent ambassadors to make sure that Cempoalla pays tribute to their Empire, and many of them live in the city as privileged citizens. There is even a palace for Moctecuhzoma and his envoys in the city, and they have built a small ‘Mexica neighbourhood’ around it, which contains the ‘House of Accounts’, where all the taxes and tributes of the region are collected.

■ If the PCs approach these men, their priest asks them if they are a part of the Teotl-folk expedition, the foreigners that seek an alliance with their people. ■ If the PCs refuse to talk, the three men walk away, very offended, but the PCs are free to leave and continue their search; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs confirm they are part of Cortés’ expedition, the three men tell them they have a problem that could be best be solved by someone with no official ties to either the Mexica or the Cempoalteca – someone that has proven to have skill, cunning and special magic. The men add that there would be a rich reward for that someone. ■ If the PCs wish to know more, they are to ‘seek Tlatkan’Un’ at the Three Rings Shrine, in the Ceremonial Centre. There is no hurry; the matter can wait until the PCs have time. ■ If the PCs ask for more details, the three men insist that all will be explained in the Three Rings Shrine and repeat that the PCs should ‘ask for Tlatkan’Un’. ■ Whether the PCs agree or not, the three men leave, making clear the PCs should make their way to the Ceremonial Centre whenever they are interested in a profitable venture.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER Once the PCs have finished taking to the three mysterious men, they may continue exploring Cempoallan; proceed to Encounter 19. If the PCs want to go to the Three Rings Shrine right away, proceed to Scene 12.

A F T E R T H E CON V E R SATION

SIDEBAR: TAMEME PORTERS

Once the PCs have talked to a few passersby or chosen their next destination, a group of Cempoalteca approaches them to talk; proceed to Encounter 18.

If the PCs wish to hire tameme porters to carry them around the city, they must pay one gold each for the service; the porters will take barter items as needed.

Encounter 18: A Job Offer After the PCs have asked around Cempoallan for a while, three men approach them in the street. The strangers that walk towards you must be some sort of dignitaries. They wear luxury robes and jewellery, and one of them has a priest’s scars and tattoos. These men have a delicate, almost effeminate air around them, but they also have a commanding presence. In fact, most bystanders scamper away from their path. They motion for you to talk to them.

Hiring a tameme makes no difference to the PCs’ mission; travel times and distances are the same, and they should play scenes and encounters normally and in the same order. However, it may prevent a wounded or injured party member from becoming fatigued. If the PCs need to be stealthy or have become Outlaws or Fugitives, they may not hire tameme porters.

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Encounter 19: The City of Many Waters Play this encounter whenever the PCs are exploring Cempoallan; their chosen path should indicate which scene to play from here. If the PCs have become Outlaws in Cempoallan, refer to the Outlaws Sidebar. If the PCs are at a loss about where to go next, they may ask some of the locals for leads; run Chapter II Conversation. ■ If the PCs seek Guard Captain Mux’tin at the Skull Houses, go to Scene 10. ■ If the PCs go to the City’s Mexica quarters, go to Scene 11. ■ If the PCs go to the Ceremonial District, the government centre of Cempoallan, go to Scene 12. ■ If the PCs go to the Market District, go to Scene 13. ■ If the PCs have Directions to the Zapoteca Neighbourhood, they may visit the Zapoteca community in Cempoallan; proceed to Scene 14. ■ If the PCs wish to leave Cempoallan, go to Scene 15.

Scene 10: the skull houseS If the PCs seek Guard Captain Mux’tin, they must go the Skull Houses, a military office at the Eastern edge of town. Read the following aloud when the PCs visit the Skull Houses for the first time: When you finally reach the Skull Houses, you see it is a three-building plaza, full of military decorations and marching guards. You also see the reason for the place’s nickname: the walls are completely covered with carvings of tiny clay skulls. At least five hundred young soldiers are receiving instruction at the central courtyard; their movements are smooth and well-timed, but a bit too eager, as befits inexperienced recruits. Their trainer is an officer with strange face paint, who yells orders in a disquieting tone while he brandishes a feathered staff at the cadets. A squad of soldiers – not recruits – advance towards you as you enter the courtyard; even before they speak, it’s obvious they want to know your business here.

SIDEBAR: OUTLAWS

If the PCs have liberated the Totonaca slaves in Scene 17, proceed immediately to Encounter 21.

If the PCs have attacked guards or broken the law while in Cempoallan, they are Outlaws, and are attacked by Totonaca guards every time they return to Encounter 19.

If the PCs have become Outlaws in Cempoallan, they may not enter the area as there are too many guards that would recognise them; return to Encounter 19.

Whenever the PCs return to Encounter 19, a group of guards attack them as they stroll through Cempoallan; create a +1 encounter using level 1 and 2 New World characters. ■ If the PCs win the encounter, they remain outlaws, but may continue exploring Cempoallan. ■ If the PCs lose, they are traumatised as opposed to bleeding out, and taken outside the city as prisoners. Proceed to Encounter 45.

While the PCs remain Outlaws, they may not go to Scenes 10, 11 or 12, as there are too many guards actively looking for them in those areas. The PCs may visit Scenes 13, 14 and 15 freely, but they are still attacked again every time they return to Encounter 19.

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If the PCs ask to see Captain Mux’tin, they need to show a written grant giving them permission to investigate the Totonaca territories; if they don’t have or don’t show it, ask them to perform a Normal Charisma Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to gain access to the central offices. If the check fails, or the PCs don’t give Mux’tin’s name, they are not allowed inside the Skull Houses at this moment; proceed to Encounter 19 to guide the PCs’ next step. If the check succeeds, or if the PCs show a written grant, they may see the Guard Captain. Proceed to Encounter 20.

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Encounter 20: The Captain of the Guard The PCs are taken to the largest of the three ‘Skull Houses’. Nine brightly-coloured flags flap in the frontispiece, and three large guards stand at attention. The soldiers escort the PCs past these guards and into the building. You are led into a relatively sparse office, where a well-dressed soldier talks with two young officers. All these men seem of noble birth, and they all seem to value their physical appearance at least as much as their military gear. The older man stands up and regards you with an inquisitive stare, not as if he’s wondering who you are, but as if he’s calculating your combat skills. He continues to stare in silence as your guards say something to him in their tongue; it’s clearly about you, as his gaze darts from the guards to you. Then, he regards you and speaks. ‘Now we understand each other. I am Guard Captain Mux’tin. What business could the mighty sorcerers from the East have with me?’ Guard Captain Mux’tin is what Europeans would call a true gentleman. He dresses his finest and keeps a noble composure, while remaining assertive, martial and commanding. He chooses his words carefully, but he doesn’t flinch from a confrontation. He flaunts his handsome features and noble manners, but he doesn’t hide his battle scars. Despite being from such a different culture, he’s the model of the Spanish caballero; if he was a Castilian, he would be a ‘vuesa merced’. Proceed to Conversation.

Encounter

20

E N CO UNTER 20 CON VERSATI ON: M E ETI NG MUX’TI N Mux’tin has deduced the PCs are with Cortés’ group, but he won’t try to hide his curiosity. He can’t imagine what they want from him, but he plays no games; he just looks the PCs in the eye and expects them to state their business straight. He won’t insult them, but he’ll brook no bullshit. Let the PCs do the questioning and roleplay the encounter. ■ If the PCs start talking about the lost gold or other Spanish explorers before them, Mux’tin looks at them as if he knows something.

‘Gentlemen, I think what you mean to ask is whether my men have seen visitors from your people… people that are not your captain Cortés, right? People like you, maybe… not quite sanctioned by your own leaders’. ‘Yes, I think that’s what you are looking for. Perhaps a specific name, a specific face, hm? I might have a look at the matter, see what our records have to say. Our people don’t care about your inner politics, after all…. Well, except when they might harm us, of course. If you are on the side of the Cempoalteca and willing to stand with us, you’ ll have no trouble proving it. You see, I happen to need assistance. Off-the-record assistance, just like you’. ‘A group of Mexica collectors passed through our city a few days ago and took some slaves to their camp. Among these slaves was… someone dear to me. We cannot claim our slaves back; they are part of the peace agreement the Mexica impose on us. But a group of foreign invaders, the same ones that have already defied Moctecuhzoma’s law, attacking a Mexica camp?... well, nobody would wonder about that’.

‘The Mexica camp is small, nothing that a squad of mighty foreign wizards can’t deal with easily. I think you’ ll find liberating those slaves is a quick job – just the time needed for me to unearth those records you’re looking for’. If the PCs agree, he marks the Mexica Slave Camp on their map. If they refuse, the captain sends them away politely, commenting they should reconsider before the slaves are sacrificed, or otherwise taken beyond their reach. ■ If the PCs are investigating the issue of the ransacked Totonaca villages, for Xicomecoatl or another Cempoalteca dignitary, and ask Mux’tin about it, he smiles wryly.

‘Yes, that business. Very uncomfortable for us all, isn’t it? You promise to help our people, but you attack our surrounding towns just to show you can… And our leader needs your help, so he doesn’t know whether to react against this or let it pass. Everyone’s showing their true colours here’. If the PCs suggest that the attacks were perpetrated by someone else, Mux’tin’s expression changes. ‘Well, of course that would be a better explanation than your people taking such an… awkward political misstep, wouldn’t it? Sadly, my men found irrefutable proof that it was your people behind the attack – bits of your explosive powder; some of your metal bullets; tracks of your ironshod giant deer. ‘Of course, some of your people might be acting without, or even against, your Captain’s orders, might they not? And I bet that would make you want to look into the matter’. ‘Very well then, I will show you the way to the attacked villages, so you can see for yourselves. There is always more than one explanation to everything… but me, I’m betting on the awkwardness’.

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Mux’tin gives the PCs Directions to the Razed Villages. The PCs may now travel to these places anytime by proceeding to Encounter 55 in Chapter III. Regardless of the PCs’ questions and answers, the meeting has ended; Mux´tin’s soldiers lead them out of the Skull Houses. Proceed to Encounter 19 to lead the PCs’ next step.

Encounter 21: The Guard’s Gossip This encounter takes place if the PCs return to the Skull Houses after liberating the slaves from the Mexica Slave Camp at Scene 17. The PCs are immediately led to Mux’tin’s presence, and he greets them as old friends. ‘I see I was right to trust you. Pa’xanan told me what you did… the Cempoalteca are in your debt, and I shall be sure to inform our Lords at the earliest opportunity’. ‘During your adventure, my men had time to inspect the visitors’ records, and they found reports that some individuals matching the description of your people visited this city before Captain Cortés, a short while after we had the first news of your coming’. ‘Contrary to your Captain Cortés, these strangers did not seek, and in fact tried to avoid, a meeting with our Lord Xicomecoatl. Instead, they went straight to the Mexica Quarters here in the city, for some undisclosed business; then they left Cempoallan for good. Or so we thought’. ‘Well, that’s the strange thing, isn’t it? We heard nothing of them for a year, and then your Cortés arrived. And lo, the sneaky strangers returned’. ‘Yes, they came again after your Cortés settled in Quiahuiztlán, over a year after their first visit. It was only days ago. This time, they visited only one place the city’s Zapoteca neighbourhood. Why? I can’t begin to guess. The Mexica and Zapoteca quarters are both off limits for the guards, and out of our jurisdiction’. ‘However, one of my lieutenants’ - and here Mux´tin throws a knowing glance at one of the young handsome youths in his company, who returns a quirky smile - ‘... well, he heard some rumours. It seems these hair-faced strangers, when they were here the first time last year, asked about some Mexica calpixque, or tax collectors. Specifically, the calpixque that come from Tenochtitlan and pick all treasure from the Mexica House of Accounts. Whatever their business here, these strangers did ask about those Mexica tax collectors’. ‘And well, that’s all. We have nothing more for you about these strangers. ‘But we do have something about the calpixque, if you’re interested’. 180

‘It turns out that, some days ago, your captain Cortés was involved with the capture and escape of three Mexica calpixque in this city. The calpixque charged with picking up the tribute from the Mexica House of Accounts. Only a fool would assume this was all a coincidence’. ‘Well, our records show that these collectors left the city by the West gate. They passed furtively through the Mexica quarters, and then just left Cempoallan. The gate guards didn’t dare stop them’. ‘So, the West Gate leads straight to Actopan, an ancient settlement of my people that has been turned into a Mexica city. I don’t know if this concerns you or how, but the three Mexica officials went there. My guess is they remain there, or else at the Tizapancingo garrison further West, under the protection of their people’. ‘If by any chance you, who for some reason come to our city like your stealthy compatriots did, happen to also be seeking the three calpixque - well, that’s where they are’. ‘The thing is, Actopan is under Mexica control. And the garrison there is far stronger than the one you fought before; you’ d need to mobilise a large force against the Mexica to free Actopan and look for your tax collectors’. ‘My advice? Visit the surrounding cities, such as Cuetlaxtlan and Cuyuxquihui, first. Incense them against the Mexica. Inspire them to revolt. They keep attacking Mexica outposts in the region, anyway’. ‘Our people, particularly the Cuetlaxteca, are waiting for any excuse to revolt against the Mexica, and they would gladly help you cause trouble at Actopan’. ‘Your involvement in the battle doesn’t even need to reach your captain; it would go on record as a Totonaca uprising, and to your people it would look as just another local skirmish’. ‘Do what you wish with the information I have given you; I now have confidence that you will help the Totonaca, not harm us. Or it’s in my best interest to believe that’. ‘In any event, if I were you I’ d start by asking the Mexica officials in the city, or perhaps the Zapoteca - or Bini’zá, as they call themselves - about other hair-faces visiting their quarters’. ‘As I said, we have no authority over the Zapoteca or Mexica communities. And I don’t doubt for an instant that your stealthy strangers chose to do their business at those two specific places for that exact reason. But if you convince them to let you pass, they may have more information about these strangers and just what they were doing there’.

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‘My men know nothing more. But if you ever need anything else, feel free to ask; we’ ll do what we can to help you’.

If the PCs have no tribute for their entrance, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Mexica Guard’s Competent Skill.

After this conversation, the PCs have the location of the towns of Actopan, Cuetlaxtlan and Cuyuxquihui, all within a few hours’ flight of Cempoallan, and all under Mexica control. They also have directions to the Zapoteca neighbourhood inside the city.

■ The PCs gain 1 advantage if they have a written grant to investigate Totonaca lands in the name of Cortés, or if they mention the Mexica tax collectors that were imprisoned and escaped a couple weeks back.

The PCs will get no other useful information from Captain Mux’tin, but they may stay at the Skull Houses as guests for as long as they need. When the PCs are ready to leave, let them choose their next step: ■ If the PCs want to start their search by visiting the Mexica Quarter in Cempoallan, go to Scene 11. ■ If they want to visit the Zapoteca community, pro-

ceed to Scene 14.

■ If they wish to go to Actopan or some other nearby town, go to Scene 15. ■ If the PCs want to go somewhere else within the city, return to Encounter 19 to guide their next step.

Scene 11: the mexica quarteR This scene takes place when the PCs visit the cloistered Mexica neighbourhood of Cempoallan. Here, the Mexica conduct their business as the city’s ruling elite, from gathering tribute and prisoners to hosting their countrymen on their diplomatic trips. The Quarter even includes a palace for Moctecuhzoma himself, for the rare occasions when he deigns to visit the city. Some Mexica guards stop the PCs as they approach the neighbourhood, claiming no foreigners – particularly not hair-face wizards – are allowed into the area. If the PCs have become Outlaws in Cempoallan or Fugitives of the Mexica, the guards chase them away; they must return to Encounter 19. If the PCs have Chawaná’s Gift Box for the Mexica scribe, the guards let them in automatically; go to Encounter 22.

■ The PCs also gain 1 advantage if they specifically say what the Ancient Society suggested during Encounter 32: That the Spanish are planning to move to a treasure-filled place away from Mexica lands, but only the Mexica scribe’s maps have the location. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, the Mexica are intimidated by the ‘Eastern Strangers’ and grudgingly let them pass. You may now proceed to Encounter 22. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, the guards apologize, saying that the Mexica enclosure used to be open ground, but the Moctecuhzoma administration has barred it from the general public as part of its campaign to segregate the Mexica elite from their subjects. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they have no choice but to turn back. If they want to force or sneak their way in, make sure to suggest that trying to take on Cempoallan’s entire Mexica garrison amounts to suicide. If they insist, feel free to throw endless encounters with Mexica Guards at them until they die – they earned it. ■ If the PCs manage to escape after fighting Mexica guards, they have become Fugitives of the Mexica; this will affect their exploration of Cempoallan from this point onward.

If the PCs leave the Mexica area, go to Encounter 19 to guide their next step.

Encounter 22: Tiny Tenochtitlan If the PCs manage to infiltrate the Mexica enclosure, read the following aloud: Magnificent as Cempoallan is, it did not prepare you for the splendour of its Mexica quarter. Separated from the rest of the city by a white wall painted with colourful glyphs of spirits and ancestors, the conquerors’ neighbourhood has been organised with such dedication and attention to detail that it doesn’t seem built by mortal hands. The walls and streets are spotless, with a delicate balance of pristine white and dazzling decorations; purity and beauty entwined. Every immaculate staircase matches a lavish garden; every stream and fountain is a symmetrical counterpart to a promenade 181

or balcony. The area’s very colour arrangement seems to obey a larger design, and even the citizens’ garb and movements appear to match the area’s layout in some cosmic order. At the centre of the neighbourhood there’s a quiet, imposing pyramid, as large as Cempoallan’s tallest temples and palaces. This must be Moctecuhzoma’s palace; the stately quarters for the Mexica King’s visits, and his people’s power centre in this city. The Mexica – for surely that’s the culture the passersby belong to – are quiet and serene, as befits a nation that has conquered its way to the top, past the need for struggle and survival, and can now focus on higher pursuits. By subjugating their neighbours, the Mexica have ensured peace; by ensuring peace, they have earned the luxury of idleness, comfort and contemplation. This is a people at the peak of their culture and power; a civilisation at its cenit. And, as you walk among them, it’s clear they feel superior to you; they don’t make any effort to hide it, with gestures that range from quiet disdain to open disgust.

Encounter 23: The Mexica Temple This squat pyramid facing Moctecuhzoma’s palace is the Mexica religious centre in Cempoallan. Here, the Mexica elite conduct their rites apart from their Totonaca subjects, which are only invited to participate as sacrificial victims. There is currently no mass or sacrifice in progress at the temple, but the priests are glad to receive the PCs and speak to them.

ENC OUNTER 23 C ONVERSATI ON: THE MEXI C A P RI ESTS If the PCs show willingness to talk, the priests voice their concerns right away: ‘We Mexica are justly worried about the presence of such a powerful force as yours in these lands; we wonder if your intent truly is peaceful. But you could help appease this uneasiness by showing your goodwill to the Mexica people’.

Even after the PCs gained entrance to the Mexica neighbourhood, there’s a limit to the areas they have access to. Most Mexica buildings are off-limits to foreigners, which ironically includes their Cempoalteca hosts; however, they are willing to meet with the Spanish to discuss certain diplomatic issues. These are the PCs’ choices inside the Mexica Quarters:

‘There is a danger in Cempoallan, a temple to one of our Saints, which the Totonaca have overtaken and perverted to their own seditious ends. If you would look into this matter, the Mexica of this city would know you as a friend; we would make sure to tell the messengers that Great Moctecuhzoma has nothing to fear from such noble personages’.

Regardless of how they got in, the PCs are allowed to stroll around the quarter and visit the Mexica Temple.

‘If you would earn the gratitude of the Mexica, go to the Great Temple, in this city’s Ceremonial Centre. Our brothers, the priests there, shall apprise you of the situation and you shall see that our need is great, and our cause is just’.

If the PCs brought Chawaná’s Gift Box, they may visit The Place of Accounts, where the Mexica tally the tribute from the Totonaca, or the Tlacuilo House, where the Mexica Head Scribe keeps the city’s maps and written records. If the PCs have a written grant, asked about the escaped Mexica tax collectors, or otherwise convinced the guards that they come in representation of Cortés, two Mexica bureaucrats approach them. The envoys say the PCs may visit any open building in the Mexica quarter (the Temple, the Tlacuilo House or the Place of Accounts), but their ‘hosts would be grateful’ if the distinguished visitors met with them at the Place or Accounts first, for ‘a business of mutual interest’. ■ If the PCs wish to visit the Mexica temple; proceed to Encounter 23. ■ If the PCs go to the Place of Accounts, go to

Encounter 24.

■ If the PCs head to the Tlacuilo House, run Encounter

25.

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After the priests have said this, they let the PCs ask their own questions, although their knowledge is limited. The priests know nothing useful about the lost gold. For any information on the PCs’ inquiries, they suggest a visit to the Tlacuilo house – the office of the Mexica Head Scribe. If the PCs mention the defaced shrines, the Zapoteca, the attacks on surrounding Mexica outposts or the Un Takám, the priests politely suggest the PCs take the matter to the officials at the Place of Accounts. AFTER THE CONVERSATION When the PCs are done with the priests, they may go to the Mexica Place of Accounts (Encounter 24), to the Tlacuilo House (Encounter 25) or out of the Mexica quarters and back into Cempoallan, to choose their next step (Encounter 19).

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If the PCs wish to honour the priests’ request, they should go to the Great Temple at Cempoallan’s Ceremonial Centre (Scene 12).

Encounter 24: The Place of Accounts Arguably the most important building of Cempoallan, the Mexica Place of Accounts is the address where all Totonaca cities send their taxes, the vault that stores all tribute until a caravan takes it to Tenochtitlan, and the office that tallies the goods and handles their transport. It is the best guarded place in the Totonaca nation, even more than the government palace of Cempoallan, and the true power centre of the city. The building known as the Place of Accounts is relatively small and discreet, but it looks very solid and well-protected. Many elite-looking guard squads patrol its entrances, and a whole troop stands at attention on the main gate, looking directly at you. If the PCs were previously invited to visit the Place of Accounts, the guards grudgingly let them through; otherwise, the PCs must perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Mexica Guard’s competent skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, or if they were invited to the building earlier, a Mexica diplomat comes to greet them, bearing a smoking censer and a ceremonial manner. Proceed to Encounter 24 Conversation. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they may not enter the Place of Accounts. If they insist or try to sneak inside, throw them an endless number of encounters against Mexica Guards until they die or escape; in the latter case, they have become Fugitives of the Mexica. ■ If the PCs cannot enter the Place of Accounts, they must turn to the Mexica Temple (Encounter 23) or the Tlacuilo House (Encounter 25). If the PCs have become Fugitives of the Mexica, or if they have nothing else to do in the Mexica Quarter, return to Encounter 19 to guide their next step.

EN C O U NT E R 24 CON V E RSATION : I NT E R VI E W W ITH THE E N E M Y A Mexica attendant ushers the PCs through a short, ornate gallery, to a small office where three Mexica officials, each dressed and painted in a different colour, greet them and invite them to sit. If the PCs agree to parley with the officials, they introduce themselves as the Calpixque, the tribute officials of Cempoallan, and state their business straight away.

‘Greetings, o mighty lords from beyond the sea. We Mexica are very honoured to have you as guests, and our lands were eagerly awaiting your arrival’. ‘We feel the need to talk to you, to share words with you’. ‘It has come to our attention that the Totonaca, our subjects, our friends in this region, have struck a truce with you and intend to help you settle in their coast’. ‘We are sure the mighty Teotl foreigners have no need to advance further West, where they would only find occupied land. Such grand lords as you must be mighty dignitaries, enabled to tell their Speaker, their Leader, their Coltés, these words: there is nothing for the great and worthy Teotl people in these lands. Please convey our message’. ‘A few days ago, a delegation of tax collectors, of fellow calpixque from Tenochtitlan, came here to pick up the tribute we had gathered from the Totonaca. Xicomecoatl, the Lord of Cempoallan, ordered them imprisoned’. ‘We thought Cempoallan was revolting against us, we prepared for battle. But then Coltés, your lord, came to us, he heard us; he helped our calpixque escape. We thought he was helping us against a Totonaca revolt’. ‘We know this to be true; our calpixque told us it was indeed Coltés’ men hat freed them’. ‘But we have heard rumours from the government palace, from our people near Xicomecoatl. We have heard that it was Coltés himself who suggested the defiance, it was him that ordered our envoys captured, who told the Totonaca to defy us in the first place’. ‘If this is true, then the mighty Teotl foreigners are two-faced, smiling both to us and to the Totonaca, while they plot the downfall of both. It would mean your people seek to harm the Mexica, to harm the Totonaca, not help them. You will understand this is a matter of great concern to us’. ‘But perhaps it was not Coltés, perhaps it was another Teotl dignitary, who riled the Totonaca against us’. ‘We know this: Some of your mighty people – we don’t know if it was you or some of your principals, your captains – came to Cempoallan not long after our tax collectors were freed’. ‘These persons came and visited the Zapoteca community in Cempoallan. This is a great city, a mighty city, and there are many peoples, many tribes, within its walls. The Zapoteca are among the most dangerous, the most warlike. In other times, in other Suns, they had a great Empire over the southern lands. They envy the 183

Mexica for our might, for our dominion. One of your envoys, of your dignitaries, came to the Zapoteca. He riled them up against us. ‘We believe this envoy was not Coltés; we think he was another Captain, with his own plans, with his own goals. We believe this because he also roused the Zapoteca against Coltés, against the Teotl from the East. Against your people’. ‘Perhaps it was this other captain as well, this other mighty speaker, who riled the Totonaca against us, who incited the revolt, who suggested the capture of our calpixque’. ‘In short, perhaps Coltés should look inside his house and see who is trying to divide his people, to make him into an enemy of the peoples of the Anahuac’. ‘If Coltés wants peace, then he is not in league with these agitators, these double-speaking teotl peoples’. ‘If these agents are truly acting against his orders, then Coltés will doubtlessly order a withdrawal from our lands. If he is not intent on invading Mexica lands, he has nothing to lose by proving this, by retreating from the Totonaca region, by leaving us and the Cempoalteca alone’. ‘If you go back to your Coltés, if you tell him to retreat from our lands, from the Totonaca lands, then the mighty teotl will be proving their goodwill and peaceful intentions. We are confident wise Coltés will see reason and comply with our humble request’. If the PCs mention the Un Takám, the Mexica officials give forced smiles. ‘Yes, we know of these terrorists, these enemies of the peace. We have fought the Un Takám for years; we have scattered many of their terrorist cells across the Totonacapan, but we still search for their main hideout’. ‘Why do the mighty Teotl bother themselves with the Un Takám? Why… why do you even know of their existence?’ ‘Ah, but you are telling us about them. You are trusting us with this contact. You do this in good will, or that’s how you want to make it look’. ‘Very well. If you have information about the Un Takám, if you know where they are hiding, the Mexica would be generous and grateful to the mighty Teotl foreigners’. If the PCs ask the Mexica about the lost Spanish gold, they all flinch and look at each other knowingly. Then, one of them smiles as if he just remembered something. ‘Oh yes, the lost treasure of your people. We have heard of this’.

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‘Why, we are the Place of Accounts of Cempoallan – every unmarked gem, every found feather, every confiscated cacao bean in these lands passes through our vaults sooner or later’. ‘These secret agents, these spies from your people… they went to the Tlacuilo house, to our Head Scribe offices, once, many months ago. They avoided seeking us, talking to us. They entered the Mexica Quarter saying they came in Coltés’ name, but they avoided us. They went straight to the Tlacuilo. They were looking for something your people had lost’. ‘Perhaps this person ordered the capture of our calpixque, so they could learn something about that treasure. Could it not be so? ‘Perhaps this person is threatening peace in our lands, putting your Captain and expedition at risk, to find this lost treasure of yours’. ‘We did not mention this earlier because we had to confirm you were not in league with these spies. But you asked us openly about your lost treasure, so now we know. We know you’re not with the ones that tried to avoid us, that harassed our tlacuilo’. ‘Go to the tlacuilo house, ask him; he’ ll tell you what happened’. ‘But we do sympathise. We will help you’. ‘This is our offer. Go to your leaders. Give them our message. Tell them it is a good thing to leave our lands. Meanwhile, we shall search our records for this treasure of yours. Had your furtive spies come to us, we would have told them the same thing. Tell your leaders to retreat from Quiahuiztlan, from our domain. In return we shall search our records, we shall find any report of your treasure. We shall find it for you, we shall send it to your camp with additional treasures from our glorious city, from our great treasury. This is a good deal for the Teotl people, for the Mexica people. Tell your leaders that’. If the PCs question, accuse or otherwise challenge the Mexica dignitaries, their smiles freeze in place: ‘The Teotl principals are mighty indeed, to speak thus’. ‘We are not so might. We do not rule Cempoallan, but we rule its people. We have no power over Lord Xicomecoatl, but we can demand the lives of any citizen, of any visitor, inside the city. Regardless of the mighty Teotl people’s deal with the Totonaca, as long as you are in Cempoallan, we can demand your life. We can have you arrested, or imprisoned, or sacrificed to our Saints’. ‘We do not wish that. We do not wish to anger Coltés. We wish the Mexica and the Teotl people to have peace. Do the honourable lords wish to have peace?’

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‘If you want the Mexica to allow you here, to let you wander Cempoallan freely, we beg you to prove your peaceful intent’.

Encounter 25: The Tlacuilo House

‘Investigate these agitators, these traitors among your people. Ask our tlacuilo, ask around the Zapoteca neighbourhood if you wish. You have our leave to do these things’.

This is the smallest and least guarded building inside the Mexica Quarters, and it’s unlikely the PCs would notice it if they don’t have directions for it.

‘But do it quick. In thirteen days, the Mexica’s permission for you to visit and settle in Totonaca lands shall expire’. ‘We have nothing more to say to the honourable, noble lords of the Teotl’.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs agree to relay the Mexica officials’ terms back to Cortés, they now have a Message for Cortés and may leave Place of Accounts; Proceed to After the Encounter. The Mexica also want the PCs to investigate the Zapoteca; they give the PCs Directions to the Zapoteca neighbourhood, in case they want to inquire there. Regarding Cortés’ guilt on freeing the Mexica tax collectors, the officials are telling the truth; you can ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception check (difficulty: 6(1)) to confirm it. This may be a misunderstanding, but the Mexica honestly believe Cortés ordered the liberation of the three calpixque. If the PCs are working for Lord Xicomecoatl to investigate the case, they now have good reason to believe that Cortés did lie to the Totonaca lord. If they want proof of the Spanish innocence in the matter, they may need to fabricate such proof – or return to Vera Cruz to confront Cortés directly about this. If the PCs angered the Mexica and got an ultimatum, they now have thirteen days to end their business in Totonaca lands, before the Mexica – all the Mexica – see them as enemies and order the Spaniards expelled from these lands. Today the PCs are on day 1 of the Mexica ultimatum; count every day of game time that passes from this moment. When the PCs have reached day 13, they become Fugitives of the Mexica, which will affect their further actions and encounters. From here, the PCs may visit the Mexica Temple (Encounter 23) or the Tlacuilo House (Encounter 25) if they haven’t already. Otherwise, they may return to Encounter 19 to choose their next step.

If the PCs received advice or instructions to visit the Tlacuilo House, they may enter freely; there are guards, but they don’t bar access to the building. Read the following aloud the first time the PCs enter the area. The Tlacuilo House turns out to be a beautiful, open courtyard surrounded by roofed walkways. On the courtyard there is a fountain and several stone tables, getting sunlight through a white canvas that protects the area from the weather. A dozen of Mexica women and men pace back and forth around these tables, carrying paper rolls, pigments and smoking censers, while another dozen pry over rolls and charts spread on the surface, analysing or adding lines and colours to their contents. A young attendant girl, no older than fifteen, walks up to the PCs and asks them their business. She seems a bit intimidated by the foreigners, but she also seems to know who they are. If the PCs ask to see the Head Scribe or the scribes’ maps, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. The PCs gain 1 advantage if they have a written grant to investigate the Totonaca, if they brought Chawaná’s Gift Box, or if they say they are looking for a map to a treasure-filled place away from Mexica lands. If the PCs win the confrontation, the girl leads them to Totolli, the Head Scribe of Cempoallan; proceed to Encounter 25 Conversation. If the PCs lose the confrontation, there is no one in the building that can answer their questions at the moment, and they should return later. Proceed to After the Encounter.

ENC OUNTER 25 C ONVERSATI ON : THE H EAD SC RI BE Totolli, the Head Scribe of Cempoallan, is a smiling, older man with a white tunic, ear piercings and a painted face. He keeps his long gray hair tied in an ornate ponytail. Totolli likes to talk about his work, and welcomes the PCs warmly. ■ If the PCs ask about Totolli himself, he explains that a Tlacuilo is a Mexica scribe; a mix of chronicler,

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artist, calligrapher, clerk and cartographer, all rolled up into one. It is their duty to write the letters and catalogue the maps – an invaluable task in Mexica society. ■ If the PCs ask about the Lost Gold, Totolli gives them the first straight answer they have obtained so far: Spanish explorers came to Cempoallan long ago, months before Cortés, asking for this very treasure. They spoke to Totolli, just like the PCs are speaking to him now. ■ If the PCs ask about the maps the Spaniards were looking for, or the maps to the Totonaca lost city, Totolli tells the full story:

‘There is a city… a lost, ancient city of the Totonaca. They called it Ta’ híli, The Thunder. It was lost centuries ago, before the Mexica overtook these lands’. ‘The Totonaca still look for The Thunder, but nobody knows its location. It is a legend to many of them, their sacred place of origin, much like Aztlan is to us’. ‘We confiscated most Totonaca maps when we conquered this city. I had seen most of those maps, and a few seemed to give clues about The Thunder’s location. I made copies of said maps’. ‘Many months ago, long before we ever heard of you or your Coltés, these men, men like you, hair-faced men, came through my house. They were asking about maps of the area’. ‘They were violent, they were impatient, they took many maps from me – among them, the maps to The Thunder’. ‘I do not know if these men wished to find The Thunder or something else. All I know is they were of your people, hair-faced foreigners; they were rude, they were violent; they stole my maps’. ‘I had a second copy, a backup of those maps; not as good, sadly, but enough to find The Thunder with it’. ‘The copy I had… well. I sent it away. I was scared that your people would come after this copy too! I don’t like violence. I had my apprentices take the map to Tizapancingo, a city to the Northwest’. ‘I know The Thunder is somewhere far North of here… but without the maps, without the source materials stolen, I cannot give you the location. I am sorry. Your only hope is my second copy of the map, which must be reaching Tizapancingo as we speak’. ‘However… however. Wait. Tizapancingo is a wellarmed garrison, one of our stronger holds. You won’t be allowed entrance there. And your group alone is not enough to force their way inside’.

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‘Even if Coltés marches with you, your force would first have to pass through the city of Actopan, which is also under our control. To seek your map, you’ d need Mexica permission to cross our lands, and you don’t have that’. ‘I suggest returning to your Lord Coltés. Ask him for a letter, a written oath that you shall leave our lands. Give that letter to our leaders, our calpixque, here in Cempoallan. With that, you can convince the Mexica to bring the map to you. They can have it fetched from Tizapancingo in scant days’. ‘You wouldn’t have to cross dangerous Mexica territory, you would get what you want, you would avoid the bother of going all the way there yourself, and you would have peace with the Mexica’. ‘Just tell your Coltés to promise, to sign a written oath, not to advance into our lands, in exchange for the map, and my lords will surely order it delivered to you’. ‘May the Saints guide your steps’. To help the PCs’ search, Totolli shows them a set of maps showing the surrounding region. These maps show the Mexica have important military blockades in several places around Cempoallan, which would certainly hinder Spanish advance through these lands. These maps give the PCs Directions to Actopan, Cuetlaxtlan, Cuyuxquihui and Tizapancingo; they also confirm that a ground force must go through Actopan before travelling to Tizapancingo, or before going deeper into Mexica lands. If the PCs threaten or attack Totolli, his guards rush in. Create a +2 encounter using Mexica characters; even if the PCs survive, they must flee the Mexica Quarters, and they have become Fugitives of the Mexica.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs threatened Totolli, they are Fugitives of the Mexica and must flee back to Encounter 19 right away. If the PCs left the Tlacuilo House in peace, the PCs may visit the Temple (Encounter 23) or the Place of Accounts (Encounter 24) in the Mexica Quarter. Otherwise, they may head out to the streets of Cempoallan and decide their next course of action (Encounter 19).

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Scene 12: the centre of cempoallaN Play this scene whenever the PCs visit the government and ceremonial centre of Cempoallan. The Centre is a huge, beautiful plaza in the middle of the city, which contains the local government palace and pyramid temples. Read the following aloud when the PCs visit the Ceremonial Centre for the first time: A vast plaza the likes of which you hadn’t seen before, the Centre of Cempoallan is bustling with people, a many-hued ocean of priests, bureaucrats, temple worshippers, messengers, couriers and passers-by, flowing around the great buildings of the city. The tall pyramids – you count four at first glance – are crowned with what seem to be temples, where these people worship their magic idols. The court is dotted with smaller structures, such as fountains, elevated platforms, walkways and column arrangements. Standing behind it all, presiding over the plaza as an imposing guardian, is the great Cempoallan Palace, site of Totonaca rule and power centre of this nation. ‘That’s where the fat chieftain works’, you think for a moment, before the place’s majesty overwhelms you again. There are many places to visit and things to do here. If the PCs have Directions to the Defaced Shrines, they may look for them among the smaller temples in the district; proceed to Encounter 30. If the PCs ask the locals or look around for a while, they learn the following: ■ There are are at least two pyramid temples, each apparently dedicated to a different teotl saint. If the PCs wish to visit the Great Temple, go to Encounter 26; if they want to see the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, go to Encounter 27. ■ There’s a tlachtli ball game court, where the PCs can watch, and even bet on, a match; proceed to Encounter 28. ■ There’s the government palace, where the PCs

would not be allowed entry; but they might already

have learned that Cortés himself was seen there a short while ago. If the PCs wish to go there, run Encounter 29. ■ The PCs can attend the masses held at one of the smaller temples of the plaza; proceed to Encounter 30. ■ The PCs may also consult with the Tonalli Seers at the Three Rings Shrine, where people are getting in line to have their fortunes told; run Encounter 32.

If the PCs wish to leave the Ceremonial Centre, return to Encounter 19 to guide their next step.

Encounter 26: The Great Temple If the PCs are returning here with Sister Kaná’s Feather Headdress, proceed directly to After the Encounter. If it is the first time that the PCs come to the Great Temple pyramid, they notice a heavy crowd occupying the full length of the pyramid staircase. A sacrifice is taking place. Read the following aloud as the PCs approach the scene: There are hundreds of Totonaca witnesses on the stairs of the Great Temple, all looking upwards. At the summit of the pyramid, two priests – a man and a woman – are cutting the heart out of a warrior. It is a clean, quick act, and nobody seems bothered by it; even the sacrificed warrior looked proud of his fate, right until the moment that the flint knife crushed his chest. The priest and priestess each take a bite of the bloody heart, and then throw it into a pyre behind them. Then they turn their palms to the heavens and chant something you can’t make out; the entire crowd joins in the chant. It seems to be a joyous occasion for everyone. Then, a number of acolytes and attendants, including several children, help the priests to clean the altar, remove the corpse and bless the space with sacred censers and water. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception or Knowledge Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to notice that one of the officials is not Totonaca, but a Mexica priest, and he seems to be overseeing the ritual; this must mean the Mexica have imposed their sacrificial tradition over the Totonaca people. If the check is a success with a positive consequence, the PCs also notice that the idols in the temple resemble the Mexica warrior spirit that the Spaniards call 187

Huichilobos, and they are not part of the main structure; the Mexica must have brought their war saint here, to have the Totonaca worship him as part of their compliance to the conquerors’ laws. If the PCs wish to go all the way up to the temple, they must wait a while until the ceremony finishes and the crowd disperses; then, the priests will be ready to speak to them. Proceed to Encounter 26 Conversation.

ENC O U NT E R 26 CON V E RSATION The priests recognise the PCs as the new arrivals that intend to ally with the Totonaca against the Mexica. Predictably, the Totonaca priest and priestess greet them warmly and smiling, while the Mexica overseer stares at them all with mistrust. Before the PCs ask anything, the Totonaca priests ask them what they want; they seem to speak in the name of the Mexica overseer. ■ If the PCs ask about the temple, the priestess tells

them it is a shrine to the Fire and Solar spirits of the Mexica, which has been the official Totonaca religion for decades now. They gladly accepted the sacrifice custom from their conquerors, for it brings them closer to the celestial spirits. ■ If the PCs ask about the Zapoteca conspiracy or the lost gold, the priests know nothing about the subject, and ask the PCs to go to the Skull Houses and ask the guards there. ■ If the PCs wish to talk more or about other sub-

jects, the overseer frowns and tells them to leave, unless they are willing to pay their respects to the Mexica faith. ■ If the PCs say they were sent here from the Mexica quarters or Xicomecoatl’s palace, the overseer cracks a smile and nods, finally agreeing to speak to the PCs.

■ The overseer is willing to tolerate the PCs, and may even be grateful to them, if they help him with a problem:

‘This House of worship is beset by enemies on all sides, the unruly Cempoalteca themselves being the most vexing’. ‘The Temple of Quetzalcoatl – that pyramid you can see over there – is dedicated to one of our most ancient spirits, the Great Dragon that rules over the land. But the Cempoalteca priests have perverted his worship, and we fear they may bring the dragon’s wrath down upon us’. ‘These false Quetzalcoatl priests hold the stupid belief that the Great Dragon does not require sacrifice,

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and refuse to perform the adequate rites. Therefore, If you wish to prove that you are friends of the Mexica, you should use your vaunted power – the one you have indiscriminately wielded to turn the Totonaca against us – and convince the priests of Quetzalcoatl to see the right path’. ‘Talk to them, bribe them, intimidate them, bewitch them – whatever it is you Teotl people use. Their highest priestess, the one called Sister Kaná, is the main proponent of the blasphemous doctrine. If she were persuaded, or… removed… Quetzalcoatl would, perhaps, forgive this wretched city, and not devour us in his just wrath’. If the PCs agree to help the Mexica overseer, they are to visit the Temple of Quetzalcoatl at night to assassinate Sister Kaná, or else to speak to her and convince her to allow sacrifices in her temple again.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs return here with Sister Kaná’s dragon headdress in their possession, the Mexica overseer rewards them with sacred jewellery and idols worth a total of 100 gold in gold. Until then, there is nothing else for the PCs to do at the Great Temple; return to the start of Scene 12 if the PCs wish to keep touring the Ceremonial Centre, or to Encounter 19 if they wish to go somewhere else in Cempoallan.

Encounter 27: The Temple of Quetzalcoatl If the PCs approach the Quetzalcoatl Temple, they may climb the outer staircase of the pyramid that leads to it. If the PCs come as sightseers to the temple exterior, they see many visitors and supplicants go up and down the staircase, looking to receive, or having received, the temple’s blessings. If the PCs approach by night, to fulfil the mission from the Great Temple overseer, ask them to perform a Stealth or Perception action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they find a way into the temple’s inner chambers, and reach the room of Sister Kaná, where she is alone in prayer. Proceed directly to Encounter 27 Conversation. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they must climb the stairs to approach the temple exterior.

Once the PCs reach the summit, two Totonaca priestesses greet them and ask them if they wish to pay homage to the Great Dragon.

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■ If the PCs perform any kind of religious rite here, they earn two corruption for practicing non-Catholic rituals, but they receive a Nonotza blessing from the priests. ■ If the PCs ask about the temple itself, the priest-

esses tell them that it used to be dedicated to the Sky and the Wind, as the Totonaca worshipped natural forces without ascribing them names or faces; when the Mexica brought their dragons and saints, the Cempoalteca simply adopted the new names and identities for Sky and Wind, and now this is a temple to the Dragon Quetzalcoatl, who rules over heaven. ■ If the PCs ask about Sister Kaná, human sacrifices or the Mexica priests at the Great Temple, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Totonaca priestess’ competent skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, the priestesses lead them to Sister Kaná’s chambers inside the temple; proceed to Encounter 27 Conversation. ■ If the PCs ask about anything else, or lose the previous confrontation, the priestesses cannot help them, but encourage the PCs to visit the other shrines in the Ceremonial Centre. Return to the beginning of Scene 12 to guide the PCs’ next step.

EN C O U NT E R 27 CON V E RSATION : S I S T E R KAN Á If the PCs are here because they already accepted and fulfilled sister Kaná’s mission, proceed directly to After the Encounter. If this is their first time here, read the following aloud when the PCs are alone with Sister Kaná: The Head Priestess of Quetzalcóatl is a gaunt, young woman dressed in an ornate robe and a feathered dragon headdress. Her skin is marked with ritual paintings, and her ears and fingers are full of jewellery and piercings that hide the scars of sacrificial bloodletting. She looks surprised and perhaps a little angry to see you, but she makes no emotional display; she simply stares at you and speaks calmly. ‘The hair-faces are bold to have come here, after what you have done to our temples. What is it you seek with the Temple of the Great Dragon?’ From here, the PCs’ words and actions will dictate what happens. ■ If the PCs ask what the Spanish have done to the Cempoalteca temples, or offer to help Sister Kaná, she explains that many shrines all over Cempoallan have appeared vandalised, their idols burned or hacked away, and christian crosses crudely painted over the

walls. Sister Kaná intends to bring a formal complaint to Lord Xicomecoatl, demanding that the foreigners are expelled from Totonaca lands. ■ If the PCs suggest that maybe the Spanish did not do this, Sister Kaná asks: then who did? Who would stand to gain by framing the Spaniards for defacing Cempoalteca temples? Then, she challenges the PCs to find the real culprit; if they do, she will reconsider her stance towards the Spanish. ■ If the PCs ask about the defiled temples, Sister Kaná tells them of three locations: one here, in the Ceremonial Centre, near the Temple of the Pillars; and two in different spots in the Market District. If the PCs are honest about Spanish innocence in this, they should investigate these sites to find the real perpetrator. If the PCs agree to this, they get directions to the defaced shrines. ■ If the PCs ask about human sacrifices and the Mexica Temple overseer, Sister Kaná sighs; she knows the Mexica intend to force her to implement human sacrifice, but she refuses to do so. She is convinced that Quetzalcoatl, despite being a dragon, is also a highranking spirit, and thus he requires no human tribute. The Mexica priests claim that her practices are blasphemy, while she is convinced that they are the blasphemous ones, and that Quetzalcoatl would side with her. ■ If the PCs offer to help Sister Kaná, she refuses, insisting that her beliefs are her responsibility – and of those priests that freely decide to follow her. If the Mexica decide to act against her, she trusts that Quetzalcoatl will intercede in her favour, or, at the very least, avenge her eventually. ■ If the PCs try to convince Sister Kaná of implementing human sacrifice, or if they confess that the Mexica overseer sent them to dispose of her, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by Sister Kaná’s competent skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, Sister Kaná realises her faith is endangering the lives of her worshippers and underling priests; she decides to leave Cempoallan and leave to her successor to comply - or not - with the Mexica’s requirements. She will leave the city that very night; she intends to make a pilgrimage in search of Quetzalcoatl, something that, deep inside, she had always wanted to do. ■ If the PCs ask about the lost gold, Sister Kaná knows nothing about the subject, but suggests the PCs visit the Three Rings shrine, home of the best seers of the Totonaca nation. ■ If the PCs attack, create an encounter using Sister Kaná. 189

■ If the PCs survive the battle, ask them to perform a Stealth Action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards, to leave the temple unnoticed. If they lose the confrontation, some priests see them leave, and soon the news spread that they killed Sister Kaná; the PCs are now Outlaws in Cempoallan (see the Outlaws sidebar).

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs killed Sister Kaná or convinced her to leave Cempoallan, they may take her dragon headdress as proof of their fulfilled mission. If the PCs return after having found the culprit of the temple defilings, Sister Kaná gives them her thanks and promises to denounce Lady Yajzil to Lord Xicomecoatl. The PCs have now delivered proof of the Zapoteca Setup. If the PCs have also Planted Evidence of the Mexica Escape and Delivered Reparations for the Razed Villages, They now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence. Sister Kaná also rewards the PCs with a Nonotza blessing that lasts for as long as they remain in the Ceremonial Centre, and gives them one bracelet of Quetzalcoatl’s blessing. BRACELET OF QUETZALCOATL’S BLESSING REACTION: While wearing this, after being the target of a healing spell, regain one additional health point.

Once their business in the Temple is concluded, the PCs may return to the beginning of Scene 12 to continue exploring the Ceremonial Centre, or to Encounter 19 to choose their next course of action.

Encounter 28: The Tlachtli Court If the PCs wish to experience a Tlachtli game, there is an open court with daily ceremonial games being held between the city warriors, slaves and nobility. Any time the PCs visit the Tlachtli Court, there is a game scheduled for midday; if the PCs come after midday, they must wait until the next day to watch a game. The first time the PCs watch a Tlachtli game, read the following aloud: 190

You join a thick crowd that surrounds a long stone court, a few metres below ground level. In this lowered field there are four Totonaca, divided in two teams, and dressed with loincloths and leather protections over their waists, knees and elbows. Both teams seem to be trying to keep a round ball in the air, at the same time forcing the other team to drop it. The ball is like nothing you have ever seen; it bounds and leaps as if it had a life of its own, as if it was enchanted to bounce off the players and the ground. In the middle of the court there is a stone ring, overhanging one of the walls; besides attempting to keep the ball off the ground, both teams try to put it through that ring. The players’ strength and agility, and the ferocity with which they jump and twist to hit the ball, makes it look like a fight more than a game. The whole thing is a thrilling, exotic spectacle, not unlike watching a dance contest between cats or crickets – if the cats or crickets hated each other. The PCs are among the first Europeans to witness the Mesoamerican ball game, in this case the Cempoalteca version. The PCs can talk to the audience, bet on the game result or even try and play themselves. ■ If the PCs ask about the game, they learn that most people call it Tlachtli, and it seems to be a popular pastime of the Totonaca, Mexica and other peoples of the New World. The onlookers also let them know that the springing nature of the ball comes from the substance it is made of; a special sap from a sacred tree, that makes objects malleable like dough and at the same time hard as wood. This sap would be a terrific trade item to bring back to Spain. ■ If the PCs wish to bet on the result of a game, let them state how many pesos they wish to stake (no more than 10, by the local rules). Then, ask them to perform a normal Perception check (difficulty: 6(1)), to choose the best team. If the PCs win the confrontation, they win native jewellery and art objects worth as much gold as the amount they bet. If the PCs lose the confrontation, they simply lose their stake.

Once the game has ended, the PCs may not bet in another scheduled game until the next day. There is a daily match, starting around noon. ■ If the PCs want to participate in a game, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a civilian. If the PCs win the confrontation, they convince the game organisers to let them try their luck; however, there are two warnings. One, while PCs will receive a share of the wagers if they win, they will have to pay the winners if they lose. Two, the heavy ball is likely to cause injuries to inexperienced players.

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The rules are simple: Prevent the ball from falling to the ground, and cause your opponents to drop it. You can only touch the ball with your hips, knees and elbows. The game lasts for two hours; the team that dropped the ball less times in that period is the winner. There’s an exception – if a player manages to put the ball through the stone ring in the middle of the court, that player’s team wins the match automatically and the game ends. If the PCs decide to play, they must choose two party members to be their team, and challenge a local Cempoalteca team. Onlookers gather around, wagers are made, and the game begins. Use the stats of 2 Cuahchic for the opponent’s team.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once the game has ended, the PCs may leave the Tlachtli court and continue their exploration of Cempoallan. If the PCs played a Tlachtli game, the locals bet heavily against them; any PC that bets in favour of themselves earn jewellery, quachtli blankets and cacao beans worth 50 gold if they win, but they lose only 10 gold if they lost. When the PCs are ready to move on, return to the beginning of Scene 12 to continue their tour of the Ceremonial Centre.

■ If the PCs are Outlaws to the Cempoalteca authorities, the guards attack immediately; proceed to Encounter 31 right away. ■ If the PCs say they come with Cortés, the guards inform them he left the palace mere hours ago. He intended to return to Quiahuiztlan, in case the PCs want to catch up with him. ■ If the PCs try to talk the guards into letting them pass, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Temple guard Competent skill. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, the guards still don’t let them pass, but tell them they need a Letter of appointment or Official Edict that states they have business with Lord Xicomecoatl. The Guards tell the PCs they may get such a document from influential characters in the city; they should look around and try to make allies among the elite. ■ If the PCs bring a Letter of appointment or Official Edict, or if they get a success with a positive consequence in the confrontation, the guards let them pass and see the Lord Xicomecoatl; proceed to Encounter 29 Conversation. ■ If the PCs try to sneak or force their way into the palace, create a +2 encounter, using a combination of Temple guards and Temple protectors.

Encounter 29: The Palace of Cempoallan

■ If the PCs survive the fight, more guards arrive and the PCs must flee; return to Encounter 19, taking into account the PCs are now Outlaws to the Cempoallan authorities.

Read the following aloud the first time the PCs approach the palace of Cempoallan:

If the PCs leave the palace peacefully, return to the beginning of Scene 12 to continue their exploration of the Ceremonial Centre.

The Grand Palace of Cempoallan is an imposing structure on the Western edge of the Ceremonial Centre. While not as tall or ancient as the temple pyramids across the plaza, it’s much more ornate, filled with statues, paintings and coloured carvings of the Totonaca saints and spirits. A great stairway, flanked by painted, jaguar-faced columns, leads to the main entrance, where a squad of elite-looking Totonaca warriors stand at the ready. People keep coming in and out of the palace, all welldressed and serious-looking. The guards, however, advance to stop you. If the PCs have obtained Proof of the Spanish’ innocence, the guards let them pass immediately; proceed directly to After the Encounter. Otherwise, if the PCs try to enter the palace, the guards bar their passage; civilians are not allowed inside without an official edict.

ENC OUNTER 29 C ONVERSATI ON : L O RD XI C OMEC OATL Read the following aloud when the PCs are allowed inside the Grand Palace of Cempoallan: The inside of the grand palace is festooned with fine fabrics, paintings and art objects. Fragrant copal incense braziers light the corridors, and wide open windows allow the light from the outside to heighten the colours in walls and floor. An elegant usher leads you, past a large statue of some monstrous jaguar-headed thing, to an inner courtyard, ending in a large staircase that in turn leads to a larger audience chamber. There, sprawled in a massive stone chair, surrounded by a retinue of gorgeous young men that sit on the steps laughing, sharing mead jugs and fruit bowls, is Xicomecoatl, the impressive Lord of Cempoallan. 191

He looks up in half-surprise when you approach, but greets you with genuine joy. ‘By the saints! The great lord of the foreigners just left my halls early today, and now more of his people see fit to grace my presence with theirs! The spirits smile on me this evening!’ Let the PCs state their business and intentions to Lord Xicomecoatl. ■ If the PCs mention the lost gold, Xicomecoatl

laughs; he remembers reports of hair-faced strangers, one or two years ago, coming to Cempoallan to look for something they’d lost in the area. The Lord thought it was a bizarre rumour, and forgot all about it until he first learned of Cortés’ arrival earlier this year. The Lord has no more information or interest on the subject; if the PCs wish to search for their people’s lost treasure in Totonaca lands, he couldn’t care less. ■ If the PCs brought an Official Edict offering to help the Cempoalteca against the Tizapancingo Garrison, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a TSE that plays four cards. If the PCs win the confrontation, they have convinced Xicomecoatl of asking the Spaniards for aid now; you may now proceed to Encounter 33 and the final act of the adventure. Otherwise, the Lord says there are things, unfortunate situations, delaying an alliance between their peoples. ■ If the PCs suggest that Xicomecoatl officially petitions Cortés for military aid against the Mexica, without showing an Official Edict or Proof of the Spanish’ Innocence, he agrees – on one condition. The Spanish must prove themselves worthy of an alliance with the Totonaca. This sounds strange to the PCs, as usually the people that beg for help are not the ones that demand a show of goodwill. If the PCs mention this to Xicomecoatl, he says there have been troublesome reports, threatening to delay the alliance between their people. ■ If the PCs ask what’s delaying the alliance with the Spaniards, Lord Xicomecoatl grows somber. Certain things have been happening lately – things that could mean the Spanish are not the great allies the Totonaca want to believe. He was just discussing these things with Cortés before the PCs arrived. ■ First, a couple of Cempoalteca villages were razed, their people stolen and their temples burned. The natural suspects would be the Mexica, but the tracks suggested mounted soldiers, black powder and metal bullets: this would indicate the Spanish are not the friends of the Totonaca. ■ Second, everybody – the PCs included – knows a group of Mexica tax collectors came to Cempoallan 192

last week, and the Spanish ordered them incarcerated, to show the Totonaca they should not fear Moctecuhzoma. The official version is that the tax collectors escaped, which worries Xicomecoatl greatly as it is. However, there’s a rumour that it was in fact the Spanish themselves that set the Mexica envoys free, working behind the backs of both the Mexica and the Totonaca. ■ Third, someone’s been painting Christian crosses on Cempoalteca idols all across the city. This is a grievous insult to the Totonaca, even considering Cortés’ previous rudeness to the Cempoalteca’s faith; and again, the Spanish are the people’s favourite suspects.

Cortés already told Xicomecoatl these three rumours are all lies and slander, and insisted that the Spanish are friends of the Totonaca. The Lord claims to believe Cortés, but his noblemen and some sectors of the population, particularly the Mexica and their supporters, are pressuring Xicomecoatl to cancel the alliance with the invaders. Therefore, Xicomecoatl will tell the PCs the same thing he said to Cortés: if the Spanish want an alliance, they must bring proof that these three things, these three rumours, are false. The PCs now have a Message for Cortés, and Xicomecoatl expects them to deliver it as soon as possible. AFTER THE CONVERSATION If the conversation ends without the PCs convincing Xicomecoatl, they must now leave the palace and find proof that the accusations against the Spanish are false. Xicomecoatl’s advisors approach the PCs while they’re leaving, and suggest a few pointers to begin their investigation: ■ If the PCs wish to investigate the ransacked villages, they should consult with Guard Captain Mux’tin of the ‘Skull Houses’, the city’s military garrison. ■ If the PCs wish to look into the defaced temples situation, the advisors give them Directions to the Defaced Shrines, one near the street temples here in the Ceremonial Centre, and a couple more in the Market District. ■ If the PCs wish to learn who let the Mexica tax collectors escape, they should ask around the Mexica Quarter – or in their own camp in Vera Cruz.

Then, the PCs are led outside the palace; return to the start of Scene 12 to continue the PCs’ tour of the Ceremonial Centre, or to Encounter 19 if the PCs wish to look somewhere else in the city.

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A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs bring Proof of the Spanish’ innocence, Lord Xicomecoatl receives them with great honour and celebration, and seems genuinely relieved that he may trust the Spaniards now. His need for support against the Mexica outweighs his natural suspicions, after all. Xicomecoatl orders couriers to leave immediately for Vera Cruz, with orders to request Spanish aid to take Tizapancingo; proceed to Encounter 33.

Encounter 30: The Lesser Temples Besides the great pyramid temples, there are several smaller, ground-level shrines, dedicated to various spirits and purposes. If the PCs wander around the street-level temples, they encounter a mob between two of these buildings. Read the following aloud as the PCs approach the crowd: Two groups of cempoalteca seem to be facing off between two religious buildings in the plaza. These buildings are large enough to seem important, but relatively unassuming; they have carved stone columns and a basrelief pattern of human faces on their walls. A priest has come out from each building; both wear grandiose attire and body paint, and heckle each other angrily. Behind each priest, a furious Cempoalteca mob cheer for their priest and yell their enmity at the other group. In the middle of the debate, one of the priests looks at you and points at your faces and clothing, screaming something in the Totonaca language. His opponent calls at you. ‘Tell me, friends’, he shouts, ‘ is it not true that the great Teotl foreigners wish only our well-being? Is it not true that you are our allies and friends?’ Let the PCs try to articulate an answer, then continue reading aloud: The priest continues his rant as if you hadn’t said anything. ‘I have prayed every night, for your great Teotl army to vanquish the Mexica and deliver us from their yoke... Every night, I tell you!’ ‘You are a fool’, interrupts the other priest from across the lane, ‘these savages are the threat! The Mexica have given us nothing but stability, progress and riches! Would you trade peace with our long-standing neighbours for a blind trust in these rapacious strangers?’ The other priest’s partisans accompany his words with screams of support; ‘ hear hear!’ and ‘go back to your shrine, agitators!’

‘It is you and your followers who have their wits dimmed’, replies the priest that called you, ‘ from spending so many decades licking the your masters’ sandals, so that you have forgotten the taste of clean air! Down with the Mexica!’ ‘Down with the Mexica!’ echo the priest’s followers, and for a moment it seems violence will erupt between both groups. What happens next depends on what the PCs do – or might have done recently. ■ If the PCs are Fugitives of the Mexica, before they can do or say anything, the other priest screams and points at the PCs, screaming ‘down with the traitors! Guards! Guards!’, which summons a Mexica patrol; proceed to Encounter 31. ■ If the PCs try to stop the argument, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a teotl priest’s competent Skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, the Mexica partidaries of the other shrine disperse grudgingly, after threatening both the PCs and the other priest with death ‘when the Mexica guard hears about this’. When both crowds have dispersed, the Spanishsupporting priest invites the PCs to his shrine to talk; proceed to Encounter 30 Conversation. ■ If the PCs do nothing, or fail to stop the argument, a Mexica patrol appears, causing both groups to disperse and both priests to discreetly return to their shrines. Then, the Mexica soldiers approach the PCs and warn them to keep out of the city’s ‘inner politics’. ■ If the PCs challenge or provoke the guards, they attack; proceed to Encounter 31. If they remain calm, the guards continue their patrol, giving them threatening looks but otherwise leaving them alone. Then, the priest that defended the PCs peeks out and invites them to his shrine; proceed to Encounter 30 Conversation. ■ If the PCs choose to ignore the whole situation, they may go on their way; continue to After the Encounter.

ENC OUNTER 30 C ONVERSATI ON : THE FRI ENDLY P RI EST If the PCs accept the priest’s invitation to talk with him at his shrine, he introduces himself as Mahtayani, preacher of the farming spirits. He wishes to apologise for drawing the PCs into his quarrel with ‘those Mexica sycophants of the cloud shrine’. Mahtayani also wishes to help the Spanish force; he is honest in his conviction that they will help the Totonaca people, and has important information for the PCs. 193

While the PCs have this conversation, use the following excerpts as parts of Mahtayani’s comments and answers: ‘Thank you for speaking with me. I have things to say, things that may be of importance to both our peoples’. ‘First, I am sorry for what happened… outside. Some of our people have become… comfortable, in the Mexica’s shadow. They have grown so used to slavery that they are afraid of freedom’. ‘If you have the time, visit the pyramid of Quetzalcoatl. The Mexica priests have been harassing its mistress; she may benefit from a visit’. ‘The Mexica priests at the Great Temple conduct sacrifices almost every week… they say it is a great honour, but do they sacrifice their own? No, the honour is reserved for us, for the Cempoalteca people… quite a curious privilege, yes, quite unusual’. ‘However, that is not why I wanted to talk to you. Listen…’ ‘You may know that some of our temples have been defiled… marred with images of your faith. It is an offence to our people; your symbol, your… cross, defacing our idols, our stones’. ‘The most recent defilings took place in a stone near here, in this same plaza, and in a couple altars at the Market district. Go there, see for yourselves if you don’t believe me’. ‘I… do not think it was your people that did this. I know your captains and priests don’t truly respect our rites, but this insult is too crude, the provocation too obvious. No, I believe someone intends to pit the Totonaca and Teotl people against each other’. ‘The foreigners, your people, would be ill-advised to anger a 194

whole nation, a nation that surrounds you. The Totonaca would be wasting their only chance to finally get some allies against a decadeslong oppression. No, I don’t think either of our people would benefit from crossing each other’. ‘So… who do you think stands to gain from this?’ (Mahtayani is obviously thinking of the Mexica). ‘There is another community in Cempoallan. There are many tribes, many peoples here, but there is one… just like everyone, they used to be mightier before the Mexica came… We know them as the Zapoteca, and they have many towns to the South. Their calpolli here, their neighbourhood in Cempoallan, is small for the city, but larger than their largest villages. They are an important presence in our lands’. ‘The Zapoteca are also divided. One half favours the Mexica, the other half hates them. They have conspired, for and against, for decades on end. If the Mexica are secretly plotting against our peoples, it is likely the Zapoteca know’. ‘That is what I have to say to you. Make use of my advice as you wish. Know that many of us, many of the Totonaca, of the Cempoalteca, are on your side; we are hoping you will stand with us when we throw off the Mexica yoke. Will you be the same, or worse, as the Mexica, later?... perhaps. I choose change, and let the winds scatter the seeds where they may’. ‘May the spirits blow a good wind in your direction’. After talking to Mahtayani, the PCs have Directions to the Defaced Shrines, here in the Ceremonial Centre and in the Market District. They also gain Directions to the Zapoteca Neighbourhood, if they didn’t have them already.

The priest dispatches the PCs with a blessing and lets them continue their travels; proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUN TE R The ‘street temples’ area has many smaller shrines and altars, dedicated to individual spirits, or even to dead people. If the PCs have Directions to the Defaced Shrines, they can now find and examine one such shrine – a standing stone slab, a bit shorter than a human adult, carved with bas-reliefs that seem to represent a priest, or maybe a teotl saint, wielding magic powers. Someone has crudely painted a Christian cross over the idol. ■ When the PCs approach to examine the vandalised stela, an old watchman insults them, while he complains that ‘their Mexica allies’ haven’t allowed him to scrub off the paint. If the PCs don’t deduce this on their own, ask them to Perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to notice that this means the Mexica guard wants the idol to remain blemished – which is, at least, suspicious. ■ Ask the PCs to perform a Hard Knowledge or Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to notice the paint used is made from native dyes, not European paint. It is likely these dyes were bought here in Cempoallan, as it is the most cosmopolitan and well-stocked city for miles around. Perhaps the dye merchants of the Market District would know more about this.

When the PCs have finished their business in the small temples area, return to the beginning of Scene 12 to guide their next step.

Encounter 31:

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Guards! Guards! This encounter takes place if Mexica guards attack the PCs during their visit to the Ceremonial Centre. Before the encounter begins, the PCs may attempt to flee; ask them to perform an Athletic or Stealth action, confronted by a Mexica Guard’s competent skill. The PCs gain 1 advantage from the area being so crowded. If the PCs win the confrontation, they may escape and continue their visit peacefully; return to the beginning of Scene 12 to guide their next step. If the PCs lose the confrontation, or they don’t want to evade the fight, create a +1 encounter using a combination of Mexica characters.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs survive the fight, they must flee the Ceremonial Centre, as everyone has seen them fight Mexica soldiers now; they have become fugitives of the Mexica if they weren’t already. If you already played Encounter 30, the pro-Spanish priest whispers to the PCs from a corner and calls them to hide in his shrine. If the PCs accept, proceed to Encounter 30 Conversation. If you haven’t played Encounter 30, the PCs have no choice but to flee the district; return to Encounter 19 to decide the PCs’ next course of action.

Encounter 32: The Three Rings Shrine Read the following aloud the first time that the PCs visit the Three Rings Shrine: You come to a structure of three concentric stone rings, marked with stepping stones and small coloured carvings. Inside the rings, four priests measure shadows and clouds, taking notes on paper; at the edge of the rings, another four priests attend four lines of people that wait their turn to receive either guidance or a blessing. Every kind of Cempoalteca stands at these lines; men, women, children, elderly, the rich and the poor; whatever they give at this shrine, it’s popular – and makes no class distinction.

Otherwise, let the PCs approach the Three Rings if they wish. This is a place of divination; the people get in line to get predictions and advice for the current day or week, based on the person’s birthdate and tonal spirit. If the PCs so wish, they may get in line for a prediction. ■ If the PCs get in line for a prediction, they suffer two corruption for taking part in a heretic ritual, but they receive a tonalli guidance spell. The spell is free of charge, but everybody else in the line has given a voluntary donation in exchange for it. ■ If the PCs ask for Tlatkan’Un, two of the priests nod and take the PCs to a smaller building near the Three Rings. Go to Encounter 32 Conversation.

ENC OUNTER 32 C ONVERSATI ON : THE ANC I ENT SOC I ETY The PCs are taken to a private chamber next to the Three Rings, where a group of priests, including the three envoys that approached them in Encounter 18, has gathered to greet them. The priests introduce themselves: they are the Ancient Society, a secret group dedicated to the rescue of Totonaca ancestral culture. ‘Tlatkan’un’, a Totonaca slang word for ‘high priest’, was only the password for the PCs to find them. Use the following excerpts as part of the priests’ dialogue and answers to possible PC questions: ‘We apologise for the cover-up; as you shall see, we take our goals very seriously’. ‘You see, the Totonaca is an ancient nation, as old and powerful as the mightiest tribes. Ancient ruins, temples and cities built by our ancestors, still cover these lands from the edge of the Great Water to the deep valleys in the West. Sadly, our glorious past is largely forgotten, our ancient ruins abandoned, our sacred relics lost. Our decadent king cares only for his parties and loverboys, and our masters, the Mexica, have blocked all attempts to preserve or unearth our ancient past’. ‘Someone has to preserve the flame of Totonaca history; someone has to light the darkness of the lost millennia. That is what we do; that is what the Ancient Society strives for’.

The priests that attend the site are fantastically dressed, and make a great show of their blessings and measurements; a few of the people even cheer and clap at their ocassional ‘ hum’ and ‘ah’ while they examine the signs on the sky.

‘We aim to rescue Totonaca history, the priceless vestiges of our magnificent culture, from the ignorance of our leaders, and from suppression by the Mexica tyrants. That is why we must operate from the shadows; our enemies are many and powerful.’

If the PCs have Directions to The Thunder, proceed to After the Encounter directly.

‘But we are not alone; the Ancient Society has great sway behind the high circles of Cempoallan, and many 195

nobles close to the Lord give us their support. In fact, our influence is such that… ah, but you are foreigner. You don’t care about our politics’.

Cempoalteca society, will be in your debt if you succeed’.

‘We need your help in a very important matter that lies, well, just outside our range of influence’.

If the PCs agree to the Ancient Society’s request, they must go to the Mexica quarters in Cempoallan (Scene 11) and attempt to get an appointment with their Tlacuilo, or Head Scribe. Otherwise, the priests beg the PCs to reconsider before letting them leave.

‘Our greatest city, the legendary site of The Thunder, was the cradle of our power and civilisation centuries ago. However, it was abandoned in time out of mind, and its location was lost forever. One of the Ancient Society’s oldest and most dear ambitions is to find The Thunder, and claim it back for the glory of the Totonaca’. ‘When the Mexica came to Cempoallan, decades ago, they confiscated all maps, all records, all books. We assumed The Thunder was truly lost then’. ‘But lo! a few months back, our spies revealed something – the Mexica Head Scribe, their tlacuilo, in this city, was researching into The Thunder. He sought data, bought maps, gathered stories. The Mexica are looking for The Thunder, we are sure’. ‘We have no authority over the Mexica, despite our espionage network. But the mighty Teotl foreigners, who have come to our lands with such force that the Mexica are already concerned, should have no problem entering the Mexica Quarters in Cempoallan and… interrogating their Head Scribe about The Thunder. Or better, procuring any details about its location’. ‘The Ancient Society is, as we told you, very wealthy. We can offer a mighty reward in exchange for reliable leads to The Thunder’s location. Even better, we can arrange a meeting… a meeting between you and Lord Xicomecoatl, the ruler of Cempoallan. How does that sound?’ ‘If you agree to do this for us, you must go to the city’s Mexica quarters, their exclusive calpolli in Cempoallan. The guards might bar your way, but we trust your skill and resources to surmount any obstacle’. ‘To help you gain the Mexica’s trust, we suggest you tell the Mexica that your people are looking for an ancient treasure up north, and that you intend to leave these lands; they want nothing more than see you go from their territory. Then, add that you need a map to make the trip, a map that is in the Tlacuilo’s possession. I bet my tattoos that the guards, or their superiors, will see the bargain of getting rid of your forces in exchange for some old scrolls’. ‘Ah, we do not know if you truly intend to leave or not – that would be for you to decide. But even if it is a lie – small lies for great goals is always a good trade’. ‘However you choose to do it, the Ancient Society, one of the oldest and most influential groups in 196

‘May the spirits guide you, and… we’ ll begin talking to our palace contacts about you’.

Proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs return to the Ancient Society with Directions to The Thunder, the priests are overjoyed, raining praise upon the Spanish and their great power, and reward the PCs with 800 gold in jewellery and fine clothes. In addition, they give the PCs a Letter of Appointment to meet with the Lord of Cempoallan in person, the ‘fat king’ Xicomecoatl. When the PCs have finished their business in the Three Rings shrine, return to the beginning of Scene 12 to continue the PCs’ exploration of the Ceremonial Centre, or to Encounter 19 if they wish to leave the area.

Encounter 33: A Call to Arms This encounter takes place when the PCs convince Lord Xicomecoatl of Cempoallan to ask the Spanish force for help against the Mexica garrison in Tizapancingo. Read the following aloud at the start of the encounter: Lord Xicomecoatl calls for his generals and advisors without dismissing you; they pour into the chamber mere minutes later, all looking severe and purposeful. Xicomecoatl gives them a speech and they argue for a while; you can’t fully make out what they are saying, but it’s clear they are rushing into an official decision to ask the Spanish for military help against the Mexica. They nod and agree so quickly and automatically that you wonder if the meeting was needed at all. Then, Xicomecoatl proudly gives the final order, and everybody rushes out as swiftly as they came; some of his officials come to you, smiling and grateful. The officials have instructions; the PCs are to accompany a delegation of Totonaca dignitaries to Vera Cruz, where they shall petition Cortés for military help. The convoy will depart the following morning; the PCs may request provisions for the trip, and make any preparations they deem necessary in that period.

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If the PCs have any unfinished business in Cempoallan, they have the remainder of this day and night to conduct it; proceed to Encounter 19 to lead the PCs anywhere they want to go.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R The PCs are now heading back to Vera Cruz, having helped the alliance between the Spanish and Totonaca peoples. Proceed to Scene 19 in Chapter III to begin the last act of the adventure.

Scene 13: the market districT Play this scene whenever the PCs enter Cempoallan’s huge marketplace, a vast maze of stalls and stores, larger than some European towns. Everything is for sale here, from ornamental animal parts to foodstuffs, from weapons to slaves. The PCs may buy anything, as long as it’s available in Mesoamerican cultures (no horses or wheeled vehicles, for example). Also, a few of the items the PCs may procure merit their own encounter: ■ If the PCs search for poison nuts like the ones that may have killed Ahumada back at the Garrison, see the poison nuts sidebar. ■ If the PCs wish to buy weapons, they are referred to the Otomitl dealers of the market’s Southern Quadrant; proceed to Encounter 34. ■ If the PCs seek the dye merchants, run Encounter

35.

SIDEBAR: POISON NUTS If the PCs are investigating the possible poisoning of Ahumada and others at the Vera Cruz Garrison, they find several merchants that sell the poison nuts here. The nuts are 30 gold a piece; the merchants will take Spanish coins or barter items if needed. If the PCs ask about foreigners buying such nuts from the local merchants, ask them to Perform a Charisma or Perception action, confronted by a pochteca’s competent Skill. If the PCs succeed, they find a merchant that remembers a Spanish woman, armoured and black-haired, who bought a few nuts here, but it wasn’t recently. The merchant distinctly remembers this happened last year. The woman was with some soldiers, some hair-faced men, but the merchant doesn’t remember their faces or anything more specific about them; after all, all hair-faces look the same. He only remembers the woman because it was unusual for a foreign woman to buy poison nuts and know what she was looking for. If the PCs wish to test the nuts, ask them to Perform a Medicine action, confronted by a TSE that plays two cards. If the action succeeds, the PCs confirm these nuts may be used to kill a person with symptoms similar to the seizure sickness.

■ If the PCs have directions to the defaced shrines, two

If the PCs get a failure with a negative consequence, they are accidentally poisoned while examining the nuts.

■ After the PCs make their first purchase or re-

If any living being consumes one of these nuts, or any food laced with powder made from these nuts, they must succeed at an Athletics action, confronted by a TSE that plays three cards, or die within 24 hours from seizures and a lack of breathing. The effect may be cured by any healing magic that can neutralize poisons.

of them can be found at this district; go to Encounter 36. turn from any of the above encounters, a woman approaches them as they tour the market; go to Scene 13 Conversation. If the PCs wish to leave the Market District, return to Encounter 19 to guide their next step.

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S CE N E 1 3 C O N V E RSATION : A M OTH ER’S PLE A If the PCs have already talked to Cha’nakú, proceed directly to After the Conversation. Read the following aloud after the PCs have made the first few rounds or a purchase in the Market District: Out of the corner of your eye, you notice movement among the crowded marketplace lanes; it’s a Cempoalteca woman, pushing her way through the shoppers… and, seemingly, towards your position. She looks a disquieting mix of angry and desperate; you’re half-tempted to draw your weapons, but she is ragged, frail and clearly no threat to anyone. ‘You’, she gasps as she approaches, ‘you…’ After a wheezing stop, she looks you in the eye, her cheeks eroded with tear lines, and pleads, no, demands: ‘You have to let my child go’. The woman’s name is Cha’nakú; during Cortés’ last visit, one of his men conscripted her only son, an eightyear old kid named Tax’kat, as a servant and helper. According to the woman, the boy was too young to object, so they probably thought he was going of his own free will; but Cha’nakú knows he must be scared and alone in the Spanish garrison. ‘You have kidnapped my baby, you have him in your Quiahuiztlán fortress, you have to return him to me’. Cha’nakú expects the PCs to look for little Tax’kat back at Vera Cruz and bring him back to Cempoallan. If the PCs agree to this, Cha’nakú will keep an eye out for them whenever they return to the marketplace, to see if they have brought her son back. If the PCs refuse, she backs down into the crowd, spewing a string of terrifying, Cempoalteca-language curses at them. AFTER THE CONVERSATION Every time the PCs return to the Market District, Cha’nakú seeks them out and asks for news of her son. ■ If the PCs know what happened to Tax’kat and tell her the truth, Cha’nakú lowers her head ominously and the PCs almost can hear her heart breaking. Slowly, she vows to weave a curse that will find the Spaniards and strike them all with an agonising death, but she also promises that curse will spare the PCs. Then she retreats, never to be seen again by the PCs. ■ If the PCs haven’t found Tax’kat or opt for a white lie, Cha’nakú begs them to keep trying until her child is back in her arms; she will ask again when they return.

After the PCs finish talking to Cha’nakú, return to the beginning of Scene 13, to lead their next step. 198

Encounter 34: The Weapon Masters The Otomitl community in Cempoallan is famed for their warfare skills and weaponcraft. If the PCs look for weapons, everybody recommends they look at the Otomi smiths’ street. If the PCs follow the suggestion, read the following aloud: After navigating the massive market crowds for a while, you finally reach a long avenue, lined with weapon stands and stores. Otomi salesmen look just like Totonaca to you, but they all wear strange headdresses with overhanging stone pieces, likely as marks of their trade. As you look around the stalls, a merchant calls out to you in the Nahua tongue, offering an impressive-looking macahuitl mace. If the PCs wish to talk to the salesman, he offers them what – admittedly – they can find in any store of this neighbourhood: exceptional quality, Mesoamericanstyle armour and weapons. However, this is not what he really wants. After the PCs have seen some of his wares, the merchant leans in and points at the PCs’ firearms. The Otomi is interested in studying guns and their workings; he has a good grasp of basic mechanics, and thinks he could reproduce the process employed to make them. If the PCs agree, he would gladly buy a gun from them – any gun, rifle or pistol – at double the price. If the PCs refuse, he makes it clear that the offer stands; any time the PCs return to the market, they may seek him out, and he will gladly buy a firearm from them at the offered exchange rate.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER Other than their meeting with the curious arms merchant, the PCs may buy any weapon or armour of Mesoamerican design, including magical versions, while in the Otomi smiths street. Otomi weapons are just like normal weapons of the same type, but they are considered Forged, which increases their price by 30%. When the PCs’ business with the Otomi weaponsmiths is finished, return to the beginning of Scene 13 to guide their next step.

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Encounter 35: Painting the Picture If the PCs look for the dye merchants, they find that a whole section of the Market district is fully dedicated to the trade of pigments, inks and derived articles, from writing paper to clothes. If the PCs ask about the defaced shrines, the ink merchants all claim innocence, and more than a few show actual indignation about the desecration of their holy sites. ■ If the PCs have red dye samples from the defaced shrines, any merchant in the area can confirm the pigments were bought at Cempoallan. However, nobody has seen any Spaniards at the dye market before the PCs. ■ If the PCs have black dye samples from the defaced shrines, one of the merchants identifies it as Zapoteca ritual paint. It’s used mostly for sacrifices and war prayers, but it can also serve as camouflage for nocturnal activities. ■ If the PCs succeed on a Normal Perception or Charisma check (difficulty: 6(1)), or have black dye samples, a couple of merchants remember that some traders from the Zapoteca neighbourhood were around a few days ago, buying large quantities of paint – but it could have been for any purpose. The dye merchants can give Directions to the Zapoteca Neighbourhood if the PCs ask for them.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once the PCs are done in the dye market, they can continue exploring the District. ■ If the PCs haven’t met Chawaná, go to Encounter 37. ■ If the PCs already met Chawaná, return to the beginning of Scene 13 to keep exploring the Market District, or to Encounter 19 to go elsewhere in Cempoallan.

Encounter 36: The Writing’s on the Wall If the PCs are investigating the vandalisation of Cempoalteca monuments and have directions to the defaced shrines, they can find two of them in the Market District. ■ The first shrine is in a crossroads at the North side of the Market District. It’s a painted pillar, a little shorter than a man, showing the Wind, Sun and Sky spirits piled upon each other. Its delicate paint job has been defaced with a crude. Blood-red Christian cross.

■ If the PCs rub or scrape the cross for samples to take to the dye market, they gain red dye samples. ■ If the PCs succeed on a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)), they can confirm this doesn’t look like European paint, plus the style of the graffiti seems… off, like it was done by someone that isn’t really used to draw Christian crosses. ■ The second shrine used to rest against a building at the East side of the Market District. It is, or was, a squat wooden idol of a smiling man with a clay bowl. Little else can be gleaned from the effigy, which was overturned and burnt; it’s now little more than a charred ruin. ■ If the PCs search the surroundings, too many people have walked by and too many days have passed for any useful tracks to be found; however, if the PCs succeed on a Hard Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)) they notice traces of… something. It may well be dried black dye. If the PCs take samples, they gain black dye samples. ■ If the PCs examine the burnt effigy, ask them to succeed on a Hard Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to discover the charred wood doesn’t smell like it was burned by the means familiar to the PCs. There’s a whiff of something stronger, more aromatic, like the native censers and essences, but no trace of gunpowder. Whoever made this fire used local, not European, arson techniques.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs examine both shrines, ask them to perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to notice that there seem to be a lot of shrines and sacred effigies around the Market District; however, only the defaced shrines are derelict. Every other shrine was pristine, well-maintained, and there were even people cleaning some of them while you passed by. For some reason, the vandalised shrines have not been touched or repaired in the days since the incident. That is, at the very least, curious. ■ If the PCs are Fugitives to the Mexica, a patrol intercepts them at this point, and attacks them – no demands, no warning, no call to surrender. Which is also strange coming from the lawful, civilised Mexica. Create a +1 encounter using Mexica characters. ■ If the PCs survive the encounter, they may freely continue their search; Cempoalteca people simply move out of the way, and the city guard does not intervene. It seems the Mexica and Totonaca law enforcement groups are not in cooperating terms.

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■ If the PCs haven’t met Chawaná, go to Encounter

37.

■ If the PCs already encountered Chawaná, they may continue their investigation. ■ If the PCs have dye samples, they may go to Encounter 35 to have them assessed at the dye market. ■ If the PCs want to leave the area, proceed to the beginning of Scene 13 to continue exploring the Market District, or to Encounter 19 if they wish to go somewhere else in the city.

Encounter 37: Chawaná While the PCs conduct their business at the Market District, they notice someone following them. It’s a nondescript Totonaca man, with a heavy cloak and a discreet headdress, deceptively gazing downwards as if he was lost in thought. Regardless of whether the PCs confront or try to evade the man, he faces them and introduces himself. Use the Chawaná Sidebar to enact the encounter with the man.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R After he’s said his piece, regardless of whether the PCs agree to follow his advice, Chawaná simply leaves, even if they attack him. If the PCs insist on getting more information out of him, he repeats: ‘Follow my advice or not. If you do, we may all get some of the answers we haven’t found yet’. After Chawaná leaves, the PCs may return to the beginning of Scene 13 and continue exploring the Market District.

SIDEBAR: CHAWANÁ Chawaná, a Totonaca radical and secret agent, is a key player in the adventure and the search for the lost Spanish Gold. The success or failure of the PCs’ quest may hinge on how they deal with this man, and how much the PCs allow him to help or deceive them. When the PCs first meet Chawaná, let them lead the conversation, using the following excerpts as part of Chawaná’s dialogue. ‘Many greetings, strangers. This is a most fortuitous encounter. Call me Chawaná, if you wish. I am Cempoalteca and I am your friend. ‘You have been looking into matters that affect us, that affect the Totonaca. I want to help the Totonaca’. ‘I have this information. Someone has been trying to delay peace between our peoples. Someone in your camp. I don’t know who; all hair-faces look the same. But many of your people have come to our city in the past months. Yeah, many’. ‘I don’t know why one of yours would want our peoples to make war. But I know he seems to do. ‘I assume this individual acts without the knowledge of your Captain Cortés, yes’. ‘I have watched you for a while, and I know now whoever these parties are, you are not in league with them. This traitor to Cortés is a traitor to you, I think’. ‘I do not mean to offend. If you desire to kill me because what I suggest, then kill me, but then you lose what I have to say. I propose cooperation. We both want peace between hair-face and Totonaca. We can work together to guarantee that peace’. If the PCs attack Chawaná or reject his proposal, he goes away; return to the encounter the PCs were playing and proceed to After the Encounter. If the PCs agree to hear Chawaná out, he leads them to an out-of-the-way spot, where he tells them his story. Chawaná’s dialogue includes the following: ‘I belong to a… group concerned with the welfare of the Totonaca. We believe this welfare requires the expulsion of the Mexica from our lands. The Mexica, sadly, are the mightiest nation in the world, and not easily expelled’.

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‘We… my group, that is… have watched you since your arrival to our coast, when your ships came last year’. ‘Yes, last year, I’m sure. Some of your captains disembarked, some of them came here’. ‘If these captains never told your people that they’ d discovered Cempoallan, it must be because they had something to hide, right?’ ‘When they were here, these captains heard of the Mexica. They talked to the Zapoteca, to a radical group among the Zapoteca. ‘They conspired to steal from the Mexica, to trick the Mexica. And then your men left. We thought we had seen the last of them. But now your people are back, and this time you are not furtive, you are not few. This time you have smoke and mounts and soldiers’. ‘These men that came here last year… that didn’t tell your people they had been here… we recognised one of them among your principals. We don’t know his name, but he’s like all of you – deathly pale, hairfaced, metal-clad. And he was with your Captain Cortés’. ‘When that man and his agents were here last year, they played us. They promised to rid us from the Mexica. They talked to my group. ‘But then they left. And now they have returned, and while your Cwwaptain Cortés marches and struts with his thunder weapons and mounts and metal garments and talks of peace, these men have returned furtively; they have returned few. They have talked not to us this time, but to the Zapoteca radicals. And now they are looking to put both the Mexica and the Spanish against us’. ‘We thought you were allies. Our Lord thinks you are allies. But these furtive men, these men that promised friendship last year and sow discord today, these men we saw with your Captain… these are not our allies. And my group believes…I want to believe… they are not your allies, either. Not allies of your Cortés’.

If the PCs do NOT have Proof of the Black Skull Scheme, Chawaná gives them Directions to the Zapoteca Neighbourhood if they didn’t have them already. ‘We have spies among the Zapoteca. We know this hair-faced spy, this two-faced principal of yours, talked to the Zapoteca’. ‘He’s been using Zapoteca agents to stir things up against you, and against my people. He and the Zapoteca want my Lord to expel you from our lands, or at least delay your advance’. ‘I don’t know why a man wants to delay the advance of his own group. But one can guess at many possible motives; all secret, all sneaky’. ‘If you go to the Zapoteca neighbourhood, seek Ni’xye the trader. She is a friend to our cause, and will give you any help you need’. If the PCs have NOT been to the Tlacuilo House in the Mexica Quarter, Chawaná gives them a leather case containing an expensive-looking quetzal quill and some jewellery. The PC now have Chawaná’s Gift Box. ‘When your people came here last year, they sought maps; charts the Mexica had. You may want to seek the Mexica map-maker, the tlacuilo; ask him about this. If you do, this tribute box might get you past the guards at the Mexica Quarter’. ‘Seek the tlacuilo scribe. Goodbye!’ If the PCs question Chawaná about his motivations, ask them to Perform a Charisma action, confronted by Chawaná’s competent skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, Chawaná confesses he is part of a secret anti-Mexica group known as Un Takám, the ‘Brothers of Wind’. He honestly believes what he says: that one of Cortés’ close aides has been incensing the various local tribes against the Spanish behind the Captain’s back. It falls to the PCs whether to believe him or not, and to act in consequence. Return now to the encounter the PCs were playing.

‘Do you wish peace or discord between the Totonaca and your people? ‘If you wish peace, if your Cortés wishes peace, then these men are your enemies too’.

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Scene 14: the bini’zÁ Read the following aloud the first time the PCs enter the Zapoteca Quarter of Cempoallan: It’s like a mad dream. Moving from the whiteness and majesty of the Cempoalteca gardens and fountains, you seem to have stepped into a new city; one splashed with a million colours and figures, like a vision of the Otherworld. Everyone and everything is painted, bejeweled, adorned, decked with the most llamative colours and garments you could have imagined, and many you couldn’t. What’s that… thing on that woman’s head? Are those the child’s ears? Are they earrings? Butterfly wings clipped to his head by some enchantment? Is that colourful umbrella made of… leather? Wait… by God… is it human skin? Why is it painted so? Why does it all look so devilish and yet so eye-catching? Back home, only the upper classes dress this colourfully, but even the attire of the lowest citizen here would strike a scion of French nobility blind on the spot. You become physically dizzy with the images, the feathers, the tattoos, the panoply of pictures, icons, and, and things. And the walls. The walls in this neighbourhood. Every inch of every surface is carved and painted with a god, a spirit, a demon, a monster, a host of them; a crowned thing from the heavens, a feathered thing out of a nightmare, a swirling pattern that seems to engulf you as you pass by. How do people live here without going crazy? Do they? The PCs have entered the Zapotecalpolli of Cempoallan, although that’s only how the Mexica and Cempoalteca call it. For the locals it is Hish Bini’zá, the ‘People’s Town’, and it’s the most outlandish area of Cempoallan, for visitors and citizens alike. Bini’zá arts, customs and purposes remain mysterious and misunderstood to most other peoples of the Anahuac; the Spanish haven’t even contacted these strange people so far. Or have they? At this point, the PCs have two possible avenues of investigation. 202

■ If the PCs inquire among the locals, go to Encounter

38.

■ If the PCs were sent by Chawaná, they may ask for Ni’xye the trader; a few locals point the way to her shop. Proceed to Encounter 39.

If the PCs have nothing else to do here, they must return to Encounter 19 and go somewhere else in the city.

Encounter 38: Zoning the Zapoteca If the PCs try to ask around the Bini’zá folk, ask them to perform a Charisma or Perception action against a citizen, suffering one disadvantage as they do not trust the PCs. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, the Zapoteca ignore them, or play along for hours just to have fun at the PCs’ expense, but it doesn’t lead anywhere. go back to Encounter 19 to go somewhere else in the city. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they may get information and gossip from the Bini’zá; proceed to Encounter 38 Conversation. ■ If the PCs draw weapons or threaten the Bini’zá in any way, create a +2 encounter using Bini’zá Warriors.

If the PCs survive the encounter, they must flee the neighbourhood or become eventually overwhelmed by more warriors and killed; regardless, they can’t visit the area anymore and Scene 14 becomes unplayable for the rest of the campaign.

Encounter 38 Conversation What the PCs learn from the Bini’zá depends entirely on the questions they ask. ■ If the PCs ask about previous Spanish visitors to the Zapoteca neighbourhood, some locals confirm the hair-faces have indeed been around, ‘all slithering and furtive-like’. They must have met with ‘the anti-Mexica people, the Black Skulls’. ■ If the PCs have clues about the defaced shrines, they may ask who bought the dyes. The locals claim not to know anything about it; a lot of Bini’zá people buy dyes at the market, ‘as you can see if you look around’. ■ If the PCs ask about groups or individuals that may be working against the Spanish, the locals admit that there’s not a single Bini’zá citizen that believes the hair-faces are good news. However, the most actively xenophobic group in their neighbourhood are a radical sect known as the Black Skulls.

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■ If the PCs ask about the Black Skulls, the locals openly mock them and leave them alone, claiming ‘whoever asks about the Black Skulls finds them soon enough’.

‘We’re just another tribe in this beautiful land. The Mexica pay too little respect to the untamed wilderness; the Totonaca pay too little respect to death and suffering. Other than that we’re just the same as them’.

■ If the PCs ask about the Bini’zá opinion on other people, the locals answer with smarmy variations of ‘oh, we like everybody, we are a very friendly people’; but then add a mean jab at the specific people the PCs asked about, such as:

‘We have our humble city of Zaachila, with our humble lord Guzio’pí. His father used to make some trouble for the Mexica, but rest assured, those days are behind us now’. The Bini’zá avoid talking extensively about their past, but they make sure to hint at their mighty and warlike history. If anything, the Bini’zá seem to be bitter about not having the supremacy of their ancestors, yet content to mock the current powers and their clumsy politics.

‘The Mexica think themselves mighty, but they can’t pull it off. They don’t know how to be mighty. Their heads are not fit for their headdresses. In fact their crowns keep slipping off their heads, so much that they hire servants to follow them and put the crowns back in place constantly. Half the taxes they get are spent on paying these people’.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER

‘Since you came here, the Cempoalteca are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Not that they don’t like it, mind you. Their lord is so fond of the stuck position he often performs his ceremonial acts in groups of three. In the end, they will side with whoever has it bigger. The military, I mean. And yours is so big, we can tell’.

Otherwise, they can’t get anything else out of the Bini’zá; return to Encounter 19 to guide the PCs somewhere else in the city.

‘The hair-faces… what’s not to like about you? You’re so clean, your smell carries over the wind like the bouquet of battle and glory… Your beards so full you should put flowers on them… and your big-ass exploding weapons, and your big-ass mounts, no wonder everyone drops to their knees in fright just by watching your approach… A people to be gaped at and admired, if there was one. Anyone can see why the mighty, brave Mexica call you teotl’. ■ If the PCs ask about other tribes in these lands, the

Bini’zá mention a few:

‘There’s the Chichimeca, the naked northern savages; we have very little contact with them, but you should ask the Mexica. They are kin, after all’. ‘There’s our neighbours the Hnanhu; they call them otomí in Cempoallan. they’re good to make our tools and to kill each other. The Mexica buy them at bulk discount at their cities and villages’. ‘There’s the Chontal, who you already know because they followed you all the way from their jungle. Surely of their own free will’. ‘And then there’s the Pur’ hepecha Empire far to the West. Again, ask the Mexica about their character; the Pur’ hepecha have fucked their Western border so hard that they’re practically married now’. If the PCs ask about the Bini’zá themselves, they claim to be nothing special.

If the PCs asked or were told about the Black Skulls, they have an unexpected encounter before leaving the Zapotecalpolli; proceed to Encounter 40.

Encounter 39: Ni’xye the Trader If the PCs ask about Ni’xye the Trader, they encounter her store – one of several unremarkable pottery stalls in a little street market – easily enough. If the PCs have Proof of the Black Skull Scheme, proceed directly to After the Encounter. The woman called Ni’xye is a nondescript Bini’zá woman of thirty-something years, with smiling eyes and the hair picked up into a complex braid around her head. She nods knowingly when you approach, but then she proceeds to arrange her wares absently, as if she hadn’t seen you. If the PCs ask or mention anything related to the lost gold, Chawaná or the vandalised shrines, she nods again without looking up and replies in heavily-accented, but unmistakable, Castilian Spanish. Let the PCs lead the conversation, using the following excerpts as part of Ni’xye’s answers: ‘This is all related to one of your people, an Expa’nhol from your camp, who has been visiting our neighbourhood’. ‘Our friend Chawaná, he watched you. We watched them, too. Your compatriots, the sneaky men. Ever since they first came here last year, we watched them’. ‘This man, the leader of these men, he introduced himself as the Atlan’Tato. That’s the name he’s used 203

among us ever since. He says it’s an Expa’nhol title, that he’s a principal, a person of respect. The true name he has among your people, we don’t know’. ‘The Atlan’Tato was in Cempoallan long, long before your expedition came. He visited the Mexica then, not us. We did not know what he wanted then; we thought he was witch-people, with his strange looks and attire’. ‘He looked the same as you, as all your people do: the same’. ‘The Atlan’Tato sought the Bini’zá leadership. He wants to stir everyone against everyone’. ‘Your Cortés and Lord Xicomecoatl talked peace; they wish to use each other against the Mexica, but they talked peace’. ‘This man, the Atlan’Tato, wants to delay that peace. We don’t know why, but that’s what he wants’. ‘The Zapoteca of Cempoallan are led by the Lady Yajzil. She is a lawful subject and an ally of the Cempoalteca lords, but mistrusts you and your forces. She has tried repeatedly to convince Lord Xicomecoatl of expelling you from our lands’. ‘The Atlan’tato suggested the Bini’zá deface the Cempoalteca shrines and incriminate you. He showed the Bini’zá your cross, your symbols; he showed them how to paint them’. ‘Yajzil thought it was a good idea; she ordered the purchase of the dyes, her men carried out the act, and she bribed the Mexica officials to let it happen’. ‘We know Lady Yajzil ordered this done, but we have no proof. Furthermore, that is not our primary concern’. ‘What matters is the Atlan’tato contacted other people among the Bini’zá. He contacted them since the first time he came, last year’.

‘Our advice is this. If you sneak into the Black Skull lair and find proof that they’re scheming with the Atlan’tato, you can take this proof to Lady Yajzil, or bring it to us to take it to her’. ‘First, this would cause Yajzil to realise she can’t trust the Atlan’tato. Both Yajzil and the Black Skull would stop their cooperation with him. The defacements would end, the incriminations would end’. ‘Second, we would learn what the Atlan’tato is planning with the Black Skull, and maybe his true goal. Or even his true identity’. ‘This is our advice. You don’t have to take it. This is how we can help you, if you so decide’. After this, Ni’xye returns to her activities as if nothing happened, acting as if she’d been haggling with the PC all this time. If the PCs ask Ni’xye about her (or Chawaná’s) motivations to help them, she is straight and clear: ‘The Un Takám, the group Chawaná belongs to, works for Cempoalteca freedom, works agains the Mexica. We Bini’zá should work against the Mexica, too. I help the Un Takám; I believe it is convenient to do so’. ‘The Un Takám wants peace, too. We are all the enemies of the Mexica. If peace with our people frees you to advance West, it benefits our interests. Not to mention that, well, we’ d have peace’. Regardless of what the PCs choose to do with her information, Ni’xye has nothing else to say about the matter. She ignores them – unless they want to actually buy pottery from her, which she sells to them at normal price – and goes on with her day.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER

‘These people are our most radical group, the Black Skull. They are fanatics, who wish to restore the ancient Bini’zá supremacy. They hate everyone; the Cempoalteca, the Lady Yajzil, the Mexica, you’.

If the PCs bring Proof of the Black Skull Scheme, Ni’xye offers to have it sent to the Lady Yajzil; otherwise, she suggests the PCs bring it to her themselves. Yajzil doesn’t think the PCs are in danger – as long as they behave.

‘The Atlan’tato contacted the Black Skulls behind Yajzil’s back. This is suspicious, for Yajzil and the Skulls don’t like each other; they are rivals. They must not know that your man is working both sides; even if they do, their goals must ultimately be at odds, because Yajzil works for the Cempoallan government and the Black Skulls work against’.

■ If the PCs let Ni´xye deliver the proof, the news will reach Xicomecoatl, which clears the Spanish of the temple defilings; the PCs have delivered proof of the Zapoteca Setup. If the PCs have also Planted Evidence of the Mexica Escape and Delivered Reparations for the Razed Villages , they now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence.

‘This can only mean one thing: your man must be double-crossing both of them, making them work for what they believe to be their respective goals, but getting something else out of it. Something else entirely’.

If the PCs don’t have the proof yet, Niu´xye gives them directions to the Black Skull Lair: an old catacomb at the Southeast edge of the Bini’zá neighbourhood. She also indicates the house of Lady Yajzil, so

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they can go there if they get proof of the Spanish spy’s dealings with the Black Skull. Once the PCs are done talking to Ni’xye, they may choose their next step freely. If the PCs go to the Black Skull lair, play encounter Encounter 40. If the PCs want to go to the house of Lady Yajzil, proceed to Encounter 41. Otherwise, the PCs have nothing else to do in the Zapoteca neighbourhood; return to Encounter 19 to guide their next step in Cempoallan.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs were taken outside the Zapoteca neighbourhood, they may now return there in a short walk. ■ If the PCs have directions to the Black Skull Lair from Ni’xye the trader, they can now get there on their own. Proceed to Encounter 42. ■ If the PCs aren’t looking for the Black Skull Lair or don’t know how to get there, ask them to perform a Normal Perception or Survival check (difficulty: 6(1)). The PCs gain 1 advantage to the check if they actively look for the lair, or if they think to retrace the assassins’ steps.

Encounter 40: The Zapoteca Zealots

■ If the check succeeds, the PCs encounter a mysterious catacomb at the East End of the Zapotecalpolli; proceed to Encounter 42.

As the PCs wander the streets, a group of masked assassins surrounds them. Their bodies are painted red and black; their wooden masks evoke smiling, mocking faces.

If the PCs fail the check, or don’t want to return to the Zapoteca neighbourhood or the Black Skull lair, proceed to Encounter 19 to lead their steps elsewhere.

The strangers demand something in the Bini’zá tongue; they want the PCs to surrender and accompany them. If the PCs resist or attack the assassins, the assassins strike then and there, intending to carry the PCs outside their neighbourhood anyway, once they’re dead. Create a +1 encounter using assassins. If the PCs go with the assassins willingly, they take the PCs outside the Zapoteca neighbourhood, to the outskirts of Cempoallan itself. There, in a desolate hill overlooking the city, they attack the PCs by surprise. Create a +1 encounter using assassins. If the PCs survive the encounter, they may search the bodies of their attackers. ■ They were all Bini’zá men and women, their bodies painted black so as to camouflage themselves in the shadows. ■ All the assassins wore small obsidian amulets in the shape of black skulls; the PCs may take these if they wish. ■ The assassins carried broken weapon pieces, small stone beads and various Totonaca-style tokens such as torn garments and worthless baubles. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to deduce these tokens all belonged to Cempoalteca soldiers. The assassins intended to kill the PCs outside the Zapotecalpolli and leave these clues in the scene, to frame the Cempoalteca for their deaths.

Encounter 41: The Flower Lady of the Bini’zá If the PCs seek the House of Lady Yajzil, the leader of the Bini’zá community in Cempoallan, everyone in the neighbourhood can help them find the way. The house of the Zapoteca Lady is a square stone building, with painted walls and columns that represent kind goddesses and nature motifs. It may be a little whiter, plainer and more sober than the rest of the colourful Bini’zá neighbourhood, but you can’t be sure. After a while among these maddening streets, one’s notions of taste get scrambled. The Lady’s guards ask the PCs for their business. Let the PCs roleplay the encounter as they wish, but the guards eventually let them pass. Yajzil has given orders to allow any hair-faced foreigner into her house, as she wants to meet the enemy ‘up close and personal’. Besides, she can summon enough bloodthirsty Zapoteca guards to kill the PCs without a chance. Read the following the first time the guards escort the PCs into Lady Yajzil’s presence: You come to a square chamber with open walls and sparse columns, all light and ambience coming from eight censers hanging from the ceiling. There are nine burly-looking guards, three against each wall, watching you from the shadows. At the centre of the chamber there’s a raised platform, accessible by a few stone steps, where three women kneel, smiling. They are dressed in the manner of the 205

locals, with long flowered tunics and complex braids around their heads. The one in the middle, however, is much fatter, has a much larger braid and wears a lot more jewelry. There seems to be more of her, in every sense, than any other person in the chamber, a fact she knows – and relishes. You assume the guards mean her when they hail ‘Lady Yajzil, the Flower Lady of the Bini’zá’.

‘And you, you hair-face trespassers… you may leave with your lives this time. But go quickly. And tell… yes, tell your Atlan’tato that he has incurred the wrath of Guzijo and the Bini’zá, that he shall be cursed and hounded by shadows, and death awaits him if he ever comes back here. Warn him so, tell him that Yajzil said so, that he shall be flayed alive and caked in salt if he ever returns to the Hish Bini’zá’.

The Lady smiles at the PCs and inquires about her business. Let the PCs conduct the conversation as they wish.

Whether the PCs brought proof or not, Yajzil has her guards show them the door.

If the PCs let Yajzil do the talking, or if they ask about the Bini’zá in general or the Lady herself, she scoffs: ‘The Bini’zá are at peace with the Mexica, at peace with the Cempoalteca. We desire to maintain that peace. I’m not required to explain myself or my people to you. You, on the other hand, have yet to convince me that you don’t upset the balance of power in our land. It is you who must justify your presence, or leave now’. If the PCs question her about the Spanish spy or the defaced shrines, she accepts the blame without blinking. She, however, refuses to mention her Spanish ally or acknowledge his existence. ‘I ordered the Cempoalteca shrines defaced with your symbols. It was my idea and mine alone. I expect it will help Xicomecoatl see you as the disrespectful, predatory invaders you really are. Why, I reckon it has helped already’. ‘As I said, I don’t have to apologise or justify myself. These are our lands and our laws; you are invading, you are intruders. You are not welcome here. Xicomecoatl will soon see reason, and enforce your expulsion himself. You’ d be wise to get out, to turn back to your ships and your lands, before that happens’. If the PCs bring Proof of the Black Skull Scheme, Yajzil freezes for a second and then demands to see the notes up close. As she examines the notes and the Spanish handwriting, her face goes ashen. ‘So, your people are deceitful to the core. Deceit upon deceit; no single hair-face is to be trusted’. She takes a few seconds to compose herself, and continues: ‘Leave my presence. We shall not meet again. The Black Skull shall be dealt with. Too long have they schemed under our nose; too long have we allowed them to go unchallenged’. At this, Yajzil stops and screams ‘Bring me the Black Skull leaders at once!’, after which two of her guards scamper out immediately; then, she turns back at you. 206

■ If the PCs resist the guards, or if they challenge or threaten Yajzil, she orders them killed on the spot. The PCs must flee or be killed; there are too many Zapoteca guards to fight. Even if the PCs survive, the Hish Bini’zá is now forbidden to them, and they cannot play any encounter in Scene 14 for the rest of the adventure.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER If the PCs have Proof of the Black Skull Scheme, they have nothing else to do in the Zapoteca neighbourhood, and may now return to Encounter 19 to decide their next step. If the PCs showed Yajzil the Proof of the Black Skull Scheme, she will confess to Xicomecoatl and bring the Black Skull to justice herself, providing Xicomecoatl with Proof of the Zapoteca Setup. If the PCs have also Planted Evidence of the Mexica Escape and Delivered Reparations for the Razed Villages, they now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence. If the PCs have no proof, but left the House of Yajzil in relatively diplomatic terms, they may now continue exploring the Hish Bini’zá; proceed to Encounter 40. If Yajzil ordered the PCs attacked or expelled, they must return to Encounter 19 and may not come back to the Zapoteca neighbourhood or play any Scene 14 encounter for the rest of the adventure.

Encounter 42: The Black Skull Catacombs Read the following the first time the PCs approach the Black Skull Catacombs: As you approach the East End of the Zapoteca neighbourhood, you come upon a lonely, quiet plaza, with a square courtyard and four tall idols with painted demon faces. Two flights of stairs lead down a lower level that seems to continue under the plaza. If the PCs come down the stairs, they reach an underground gallery: You are in a dim tunnel, barely lit by the blue light of

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hanging censers. The play of light casts flickering shadows on the faces carved on the walls, making it look like they change expression as you advance. There are stone slabs at regular intervals on the walls, with strange glyphs that would seem to be names. This must be some tomb, or mausoleum of the Zapoteca. At the end of the tunnel there’s a square tall slab, carved with the life-size bas-relief of a Zapoteca warrior with a monstrous, fanged face. His right hand is risen, palm out towards the viewer, as if halting your advance, and his left hand is shown carrying the bloody, severed head of a man, surely a defeated enemy. Ask the PCs to perform an Easy Perception or Crafting Check (difficulty: 3(1)) to notice the carving wears a skull medallion exactly like the one worn by the assassins that surrounded them earlier. The skull is carved in bas-relief, and the indent is the right size to match one of the real medallions.

have attacked you, while a few others look like monsters or animals. There are several chambers around the main hall; the PCs may explore them at their leisure. If the PCs think of being stealthy, ask them to perform a Normal Stealth Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If all PCs succeed on the check, they may search the area undetected. If even one of the PCs fails the check, or the PCs don’t try to be quiet, more guards find and attack them. Create a +1 encounter using assassins and one Teotl Priest. If the PCs survive the encounter, the lair is now deserted; they may now explore it without problems.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER There are several interesting objects to be found in the Black Skull Lair. The PCs find the following without having to make any checks or play cards:

■ If the PCs fail the check, or if they don’t have a medallion, they are attacked as they try to figure out the door mechanism: create a -1 encounter using assassins. If the PCs survive the encounter, they may now use the assassins’ medallions to open the door.

■ Several maps of the surrounding region, mostly drawn by the Bini’zá. Some of them have annotations by a Spanish hand, indicating the places of Spanish troops and locations such as the Vera Cruz and Santa María outposts.

■ If the PCs fail to open the door, they have nothing else to do in the Zapoteca neighbourhood, and must return to Encounter 19 to follow other leads.

■ Many weapons, mostly jade knives and wooden maces, as well as Black Skull uniforms.

If the PCs figure how to open the door, they come into another gallery, this one without sarcophagi slabs, but full with coloured monstrous carvings like the streets above. As the PCs advance through the tunnel, more Black Skull assassins come at them; create a -1 encounter using Assassins. If the PCs survive the encounter, they finally come to a wide open chamber, with better and warmer lighting than the previous tunnels; they have reached the Black Skull Lair. Proceed to Encounter 43.

Encounter 43: The Secret of the Zapoteca Read the following aloud as the PCs enter the main chamber of the Black Skull Lair: You come to a well-lit square chamber. The light here is very different from the corridors, as the eerie blue glow of the censers has given way to the vivid blaze of large torches on the walls. The shadows dance by the yellow flame, giving disturbing life to the carved monster motifs on the stone. Several warrior masks adorn the walls, some representing smiling faces, like the ones on the assassins that

■ Several stashes of Cempoalteca-style clothing, clearly taken from dead Cempoalteca soldiers. These would seem to be intended as a disguise. ■ Many niches containing pieces of broken Cempoalteca weapons and Totonaca-style tokens. ■ A stack of notes, with a mix of Bini’zá glyphs and Spanish scribbles, indicating the movements of Spanish troops around Vera Cruz. ■ Some other notes and scribbles indicate where to leave dead bodies so they appear close to Cempoalteca guard posts, and how to kill them in such a manner that it resembles a Cempoalteca ritual sacrifice.

The above should be enough for the PCs to deduce what’s happening, but if they don’t, let them perform a Hard Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to arrive at the conclusion: The Black Skull are planning an ambush on Spanish soldiers, and they intend to make it look like the Cempoalteca killed and sacrificed them. What’s more, a Spanish agent is helping with this plan. The PCs don’t recognise the handwriting, but whoever’s helping with this scheme is undoubtedly a Castilian – a man from the Expedition. If the PCs take any of these items, they now have Proof of the Black Skull Scheme; if they take the scrib207

bled maps and notes, they also have the Location of the Black Skull Ambush. ■ If the PCs have a letter by Francisco de Montejo from exploring Encounter 14 in Chapter I, they confirm these scribbles have Montejo’s handwriting; he’s the furtive visitor that has been coming to Cempoallan since the last year, and he’s the man behind the whole scheme. The PCs now have Proof of Montejo’s Plot.

As the PCs search these clues, ask them to Perform a Hard Perception check (difficulty: 9(1)) to notice a secret compartment in one wall. If the check succeeds, the PCs also find a hidden cache containing the following: ■ 100 gold in jade jewellery, mixed with 40 gold in actual Spanish coin of Cuban mint, doubtlessly coming

DIDXA’WATU ACTION: Spend 2 Spirit and touch this object to the forehead of a recently dead individual, you may force it to speak and answer truthfully to a single question asked in a languague they knew in life, after which the soul departs permanently and may not be questioned again.

from the Vera Cruz garrison. ■ A small jade sceptre with a skull-shaped tip. This is

a Didxa’watu, a Bini’zá magical item, and a character trained in Rites can use it to interrogate dead people. ■ If the PCs use the Didxa´watu on the dead Bini’zá

guards, the dead guards can confirm any of the following facts (2 Spirit points per question):

■ A Spanish spy calling himself the Atlan’tato

came and dealt with their leaders.

■ If the PCS don’t know the way or don´t wish to go to Lady Yajzil, they may now return to Encounter 19 and go elsewhere in Cempoallan. ■ If the PCs wish to leave the city right away, proceed to Scene 15.

Scene 15: leaving cempoallaN This scene takes place when the PCs head out of the city of Cempoallan. Their manner of leaving depends on what they have done in the city. ■ If the PCs are Outlaws in Cempoallan, or have Directions to the Thunder, the city guards rush after them to stop their escape from the city; go to Encounter 44. ■ If the PCs have not yet encountered Chawaná, the Un Takám agent, he accosts them before they leave; proceed to Encounter 46. ■ If the PCs have a Message for Cortés, Chawaná intercepts them even if they met him already. Proceed to Encounter 46. ■ If the PCs are free to leave, proceed to Encounter

47.

■ This man is not in league with Cortés; the whole plot to lead the Spanish and Cempoalteca to war was his idea.

Encounter 44: Don’t Let Them Escape

■ Most of the Black Skull agents have currently left their lair, to ambush the Spanish soldiers around their outpost.

If the PCs are Outlaws in Cempoallan, read the following as they leave the city:

■ The Black Skull don’t know the true identity

of the Atlan’tato, nor the name he uses among the Spanish.

Once the PCs are done exploring the lair, they must choose their next step.

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■ If the PCs spoke to Ni´xye the Trader in Encounter 39, they may now go to Encounter 41 and show the clues they found to Lady Yajzil, the Zapoteca leader.

As you approach the main exit from the city, a large detachment of soldiers block your path. They are Totonaca guards from Cempoallan, and they don’t look willing to let you leave just yet. Among the troop leaders, you see a small dragon, with the shape of a snake but with black feathers over its scales. It flies in a zipping, whipping fashion among the guards, ready to strike at their command.

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The Totonaca guards demand the PCs surrender peacefully. If the PCs comply, the guards take them prisoner; go to Encounter 45. If the PCs resist or try to argue with the Cempoalteca, Create a +2 encounter using a combination of Temple guards and Temple protectors and a Xtakát Luwa. ■ The guards don’t strike to kill

but to traumatise; the Xtakát Luwa has a 50% chance of striking to kill (if it whips the target with its fangs instead of its tail tip). ■ If the PCs have a Message for Cortés, another group of Totonaca guards appears mid-fight and stops the battle. This second guard group orders the first squad to stand down and let the PCs pass; When the fighting dies down, both guard groups retreat and the PCs are left alone with a single Totonaca soldier – Chawaná, the agent of Un Takám. Turn to Encounter 46.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R

■ If a PC wants to keep an item from the guards, ask him to Perform a Stealth Action, confronted by a Temple guard’s competent skill. The PC has 1 disadvantage because of the difficult situation, plus 1 disadvantage if the item he wants to hide is larger than his hand.

Once the PCs are in their cell, the guards inform them of their crimes, which the PCs should know well enough if they are Outlaws, and let them know they shall remain here pending judgment from the Lords of the City. ■ If the PC have Directions to The Thunder, the guards add a disturbing comment: besides what they actually did, the PCs are accused of murdering the priests of the Three Rings Shrine. The PCs don’t remember doing this; if they played Encounter 32, they may remember these priests as the secretive members of the Ancient Society. Who murdered these priests, and why frame the PCs for it?

If the PCs are defeated, they are traumatised, not bleeding out, unless the Xtakát Luwa reduced a character to 0 health with its fangs. The guards capture any surviving PCs and take them to prison; proceed to Encounter 45.

Once the guards have listed the PCs’ crimes, they feed the PCs and tend to their wounds; the PCs may draw cards, recover Health, etc.

If the PCs defeat the guards, they may finally leave the city. Proceed to Encounter 47.

■ If the PCs try to escape, they must perform an Crafting action confronted by a TSE that plays two cards to open their cell door; then, create an encounter using one Xtakát Luwa, which was guarding the door.

Encounter 45: Captives of Cempoallan If the PCs have been arrested by Cempoalteca soldiers, they are led to a stone building outside the city limits – one of the Cempoallan Dungeons. The PCs spend the night in a square stone room. The guards don’t chain them, but they take away their weapons and magic items.

■ If the PCs rest and spend the night quietly, proceed to After the Encounter.

If the PCs survive, they may recover their weapons and gear, take the guards’ weapons – normal maces and shields, plus 20 gold in totonaca beads – and have become Outlaws (see the Outlaws sidebar) if they weren’t already. The PCs may now leave the Cempoalteca dungeon; proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC O UN TE R If the PCs escaped the cell, they may leave the city (Encounter 47) or risk going back to finish their business (Encounter 19). If the PCs passively await their judgment, their fate depends on what they have done so far. ■ If the PCs have Directions to The Thunder or a Message to Cortés, a Totonaca official arrives the next day; he has orders to take the PCs from the dungeon. The guards don’t argue and turn the PCs over to this official. As the mysterious personage leads the PCs away from the dungeon, he reveals himself – he’s not a soldier, but a disguised spy: Chawaná, the agent of Un Takám. Go to Encounter 46. ■ Otherwise, the PCs remain in jail for a few days, during which the guards keep feeding and treating them well; after a while, the PCs learn something strange happened and the Cortés expedition was forced to turn back and leave the region.

If the PCs’ crimes were relatively small, such as trying to force their way into a forbidden area or escaping from the guards, they are set free to look for their companions; go to The End. If the PCs’ crimes were more serious, like murdering an important individual or killing at least a full group of Cempoalteca soldiers, they are sentenced to die in the sacrificial altars. Is this the end of our heroes’ adventures? Will they try a daring escape? Will they die on a Cempoalteca altar? Will they ever rejoin their compatriots? Whatever happened to Cortés’ expedition? The answer lies in future adventures. Proceed to The End.

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Encounter 46: Chawaná’s Choices

‘I did not tell you this before because I wanted to make sure which side you were on’.

If the PCs have played Encounter 37, they already know Chawaná; go straight to Encounter 46 Conversation.

‘You cannot be on both the Mexica and Totonaca sides. Cortés tried to save face with both tribes; now you know this is untenable’.

If the PCs haven’t met Chawaná, but have Directions to the Thunder, he hasn’t befriended them and now has a reason to kill them; he attacks immediately. Create a +2 encounter using Chawaná and Temple guards. If the PCs survive the fight, proceed to After the Encounter. If the PCs have neither met Chawaná nor have Directions to the Thunder, consult the Chawaná sidebar. After Chawaná has introduced himself, proceed to Encounter 46 Conversation.

ENC O U NT E R 46 CON V E RSATION Once Chawaná is alone with the PCs and has their attention, he asks just what have they been doing in the city, with a mix of admiration and incredulity. Let the PCs lead the conversation with Chawaná; he simply nods and interjects small hums of approval or disappointment depending on whether the PCs narrate a success or a blunder. What Chawaná says afterward depends on what the have done in the city. ■ If the PCs don’t have Directions to the Thunder but

they have a Message for Cortés, Chawaná begs them not to take the Mexica side. ‘I know what transpired with the Mexica tax collectors. It was indeed your Captain Cortés that ordered their freedom. However, the man that suggested their capture was the other one… the official I do not know the name of. The spy that’s been coming to this city behind Cortés’ back’.

‘I know this because the Un Takám has spied on your people, on your forces, every time, every minute your Captain has been in Cempoallan. This man, the doublespeaking official, convinced Cortés of imprisoning the calpixque as a way to make peace with our people’. ‘But when this man saw the tax collectors, he changed his mind; he ssuggested Cortés not interrogate them; he suggested they were free’. ‘Cortés agreed to both ideas, because he saw it made him look good to both the Mexica and Cempoalteca’. ‘It did; it was a good stratagem. Your people deceived the Mexica, yes, but you also deceived our lord. You risked the peace with us. I think this man, this advisor of Cortés, would only take this risk for some other reason. I think he intended to get rid of the Calpixque, to prevent their interrogation’. 210

‘If you choose the Totonaca side, you need to act upon it’. ‘When you return to Cortés with the news from Cempoallan, tell him the Totonaca want help against the Mexica. Tell him we request his military aid’. ‘If you do this, Cortés will have a reason, an excuse, to act against the Mexica. He will have a true ally instead of an uneasy truce’. ‘Tell Cortés to write a letter offering our lord your arms, your assistance against the Mexica’. ‘If you do this, I will… produce… evidence that the Mexica tax collectors escaped on their own, to assuage the doubts of our lord’. ‘Bring a letter, an offer of military aid, from Cortés, and I will see, the Un Takám will see, that the tax collector case is closed, that the Cempoalteca forget this business’. If the PCs agree to Chawaná’s proposal, he promises to exonerate Cortés from the Mexica escape right away. The PCs have now planted evidence of the Mexica Escape; if the PCs have also Delivered Reparations for the Razed Villages and Delivered proof of the Zapoteca Setup, They now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence. If the PCs reject the proposal, Chawaná begs them to reconsider and lets them go. Proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs don’t have either Directions to the Thunder or a Message for Cortés, Chawaná suggests the PCs visit the surrounding towns.

‘It seems that, to get what you want, you will need to go through the Mexica blockade. I have a suggestion that may help you a little, and help us a lot. A suggestion that will clear the terrain for you to search for your people’s lost treasure, and will spark the fire of our freedom from the Mexica’. ‘The Mexica calpixque, the ones everyone is looking for, are currently hiding in either Actopan or Tizapancingo, to the West of here’. ‘You need to be free to search there, but the Mexica presence is strong at both places’. ‘If you visit the nearby towns, the settlements of Cuetlaxtlan and Cuyuxquihui, you’ ll see they are occupied by honest people, by brave people’.

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‘The Cuetlaxteca, the Cuyuxquiteca, are tired of the Mexica. They are constantly in arms against the Mexica, constantly in strife. Theirs is a war zone’. ‘A foreign ally, a strong foreign ally, can easily rouse these people against the Mexica, you can rally them against Actopan’. ‘You don’t even need to involve Cortés, involve your captains, in this. It would be enough that you appeared, riding your dragon, and presented yourself as an ally against the Actopan garrison’. ‘By all means, ask Cortés for his leave if you need to. I am sure he will grant it. Subverting our people against the Mexica is an easy task, and one that can’t be blamed on your people. Your Captain’s diplomatic efforts would not be hindered by this; you will help him with this’. ‘Cortés will be very proud, very satisfied of this deed’. ‘Do this, and you shall have two strong allies against the Mexica, against the town of Actopan. Do this and you shall start a revolution. Do this… and you shall conquer a city. And then the Mexica cannot stop you from searching for your people’s treasure; not anymore’. Regardless of whether the PCs agree to his proposal or not, Chawaná asks them to think about it and lets them leave; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs have Directions to the Thunder, or they question Chawaná about the deaths of the Ancient Society priests, he grows somber.

‘Well… I guess this is it’. ‘I am sorry. You are brave and worthy warriors. But the Un Takám goes first’. That said, Chawaná whistles and a band of assassins surround the PCs. Create a +2 encounter using Chawaná and assassins. If the PCs survive the fight, proceed to After the Encounter.

■ If the PCs have done, or let someone else do, all three of these things: ■ Delivered reparations for the razed villages ■ Planted evidence of the Mexica Escape ■ Delivered proof of the Zapoteca Setup

They now have Proof of the Spanish’ innocence, and may now go to the Palace of Xicomecoatl (Encounter 29) with the good news if they so wish. Otherwise, the PCs may now, finally, leave Cempoallan. Proceed to Encounter 47.

Encounter 47: Next Stop If the PCs manage to leave Cempoallan at last, they may now return to their dragon, which remains quietly perched outside the city. Let the PCs decide their next destination. ■ If the PCs wish to return to the Vera Cruz Garrison, run Encounter 1 (Chapter I). ■ If the PCs know about the Mexica Slave Camp, they may go to Encounter 54 in Chapter III. ■ If the PCs have Directions to the Razed Villages, they may go to Encounter 55 in Chapter III. ■ If the PCs have Directions to Actopan, Cuetlaxtlan or Cuyuxquihui and wish to visit these towns, proceed to Scene 16 in Chapter III. ■ If the PCs have the Location of the Black Skull Ambush, they may want to warn the Vera Cruz garrison at once (return to Encounter 1 in Chapter I) or hurry out to stop the Ambush themselves (Encounter 60 in Chapter III).

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs departed amicably with Chawaná, he gives them a feather token for one of the PCs to wear on their clothes; any ally of the Un Takám in the Totonaca region will recognise the mark and assist them. The PCs now have an Un Takám Token. ■ If the PCs killed Chawaná, they find the maps to The Thunder in his body; this confirms he killed the Ancient Society priests, perhaps for the maps.

But why did the Un Takám want the maps to The Thunder? He and his agents also carried a total 30 gold in Cempoalteca beads and jewellery. 211

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T H E T O T O N A C A C O U N T R Y surrounding Cempoallan and Vera Cruz is

the first land that Europeans have explored at length and settled in the main continent of the New World. Its terrain, however, is still mostly unknown to Spanish forces; the PCs are among the first scouts of this wondrous new territory. This chapter covers every area surrounding Cempoallan, and every possible mission the PCs may undertake around the Totonaca Country. The PCs will only visit separate scenes according to their specific goals and missions.

■ If the PCs intend to explore the nearby Totonaca towns surrounding Cempoallan, such as Actopan, Cuetlaxtlan or Cuyuxquihui, play Scene 16. ■ If the PCs have directions to specific camps or out-

posts in the open country, such as the Mexica Slave Camp, the Razed Villages or the lost site of The Thunder itself, proceed to Scene 17. ■ If the PCs just want to scout the wilderness, or are

looking for a specific group of people in the unmapped region, such as Pedro De Alvarado’s raiding party or the Black Skull Ambush, proceed to Scene 18. ■ If the Totonaca and Cortés have made an alli-

ance and agreed to march to the Mexica outpost at Tizapancingo, proceed to Scene 19.

■ If the PCs want to fly to Cempoallan for more information or to report mission results, go to Chapter II, or straight to Encounter 19 if they have already been to Cempoallan. ■ If the PCs want to return to the Spanish garrison at

Vera Cruz, go back to Encounter 1.

Scene 16: Totonaca townS This scene takes place when the PCs wish to fly to the Totonaca towns near Cempoallan, including Actopan, Cuyuxquihui and Cuetlaxtlan. The dragon flight to any of these towns, be it from Cempoallan or Vera Cruz, takes just a few hours. If the PCs wish to rest, draw cards and regain Spirit, they 214

must land their dragon, stretch their legs and add at least 4 hours to their travel time. If the PCs make a stop, you may want to have them come across a hostile party to make the trip more eventful. If you want the PCs to have an encounter during their rest, run Encounter 53. Once the PCs have finished the trip, they must land their dragon just outside their destination, as such a large creature cannot enter a Mexica or Totonaca village. ■ If the PCs go to Cuetlaxtlan, run Encounter 48. ■ If the PCs go to Cuyuxquihui, play Encounter 49. ■ If the PCs go to Actopan, run Encounter 50.

Encounter 48: The Town of Cuetlaxtlan After a little over four hours flying in an almost straight line southward, the PCs arrive to a small city amid verdant hills. Read the following aloud the first time the PCs approach Cuetlaxtlan: The weather has turned noticeably warmer as you come to a dense woodland, a few kilometres South of Vera Cruz. You can’t help but wonder at the manner of creatures or spirits that might be lurking around such a wild forest. Then you glimpse a wide valley at the Southeast end of the jungle; there you can see white stone pyramids and other buildings, and a small patch of tilled lands to the East. This must be the Mexica garrison of Cuetlaxtlan. After the PCs land their dragon, a squad of Mexica guards advance to stop them. The guards claim that this is territory under the rule of the Excan Tlahtoloyan, and the PCs are not allowed in here.

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■ If the PCs comply, they may leave peacefully; return to the beginning of Chapter III to guide their next step. ■ If the PCs challenge the guards, create a +2 encounter using level 2 to 4 Mexica character. If the PCs survive the encounter, they may proceed to the town; proceed to Encounter 48 Conversation. ■ If the PCs pretend to retreat, they may try to double back stealthily and reach the town undetected; ask them to Perform a Stealth action, confronted by a Mexica Soldier’s mediocre skill; the PCs suffer 2 disadvantages due to the amount of Mexica guards in the area, or one if they mentioned they made their approach carefully.

If at least one PC loses the confrontation, the Mexica give chase; the PCs may either retreat to Scene 16 or engage the encounter previously mentioned. If all the PCs win the confrontation, or they manage to defeat the soldiers, they may go around the Mexica garrison and reach the town; go to Encounter 48 Conversation.

Encounter 48 Conversation If the PCs reach the civilian residential area beyond the Mexica guard posts, a group of Totonaca wave at them and motion for them to hide in one of the houses. There, the neighbours introduce themselves as the Cuetlaxteca resistance against the Mexica. Puxku’hpatni, one of their leaders, wishes to talk to the foreigners that engaged the Mexica. Let the PCs lead the conversation freely, using the following excerpts as Puxku’hpatni’s replies and comments:

‘Greetings, foreigners. We are the people of the town the Mexica called Cuetlaxtlan’. ‘We had heard of your people, riding dwarf mixcoatl mounts, and shooting smoke and thunder from your sceptres’. ‘And we saw what you just did with the Mexica soldiers. Nice’. ‘They have a garrison around us, but the Mexica are not our friends. We have been resisting their rule for years’. ‘Last season they hanged three calpolli heads for insurrection, so we sacrificed four of their officers. To their own war saints, too’. If the PCs ask about Cuetlaxtlan, Puxku’hpatni speaks bitterly. ‘We come from several towns, several tribes around the area. The Mexica put their garrison here to rule over all of us’. ‘The Mexica consider this land theirs, and claim tribute and slaves. They have instituted flower war on us’. ‘Flower wars are mandatory fights between enemy forces; the winner takes slaves from the loser. We have no choice but to take part, as the alternative is to let them slaughter us’. ‘It’s also a chance, however slim, of killing or even capturing some Mexica rich kid with a military rank. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s worth the wait. The Mexica pay good ransom for their rich kids’. If the PCs offer their help, or just let the Cuetlaxteca talk, Puxku’hpatni and his peers reveal their plan. ‘Your arrival has the garrison on edge, scared. They will surely come here to intimidate us into staying put’. ‘We are taking advantage of that. We’re using the confusion you

caused to strike at their garrison while they’re down here’. ‘Tonight we will fight the Mexica. We could use you in the battle’. ‘If you want to join us, fine. If you don’t, please don’t side with the Mexica. We wouldn’t want to sacrifice or imprison you; You smell bad’. If the PCs decide to leave the Cuetlaxteca to their revolution, they will free their people and march on Actopan within the week. Take note that the Attack on Actopan will happen, unless you have done so already. Consult the Attack on Actopan Sidebar to take note of the time remaining until the event. The PCs may now return to the beginning of Chapter III and go somewhere else. If the PCs stay and help the attack against the Mexica, the Cuetlaxteca mutineers sneak into the garrison that very night. Meanwhile, the PCs may ask for healing and minor items such as food and blankets; they may also regain spirit and draw cards as they wait for the attack. It all happens as the neighbours predicted: upset about the arrival of the PCs, most of the Mexica soldiers leave the garrison to patrol the town and to watch that the people don’t organise or side with the foreigners. Meanwhile, the freedom fighters go around the Mexica fortress to attack it. If the PCs take part in the operation, they must fight two straight encounters: ■ First, create a fair encounter using level 1 and 2 Mexica characters, as the insurrection force must kill some Mexica patrols on their way to the garrison, to stop them from giving the alarm. If no Mexica managed to escape the PCs may rest and draw cards before moving on to the next encounter.

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■ Immediately afterwards, create a +1 encounter using level 2 and 3 Mexica characters, as the group infiltrates the Mexica garrison.

Among the verdant hills of the northern region, you finally spot a pyramid and a few other stone buildings among the trees. The pyramid complex oversees a small town; it all looks peaceful enough.

NOTE: These battles actually involve a lot more enemies, but the PCs only have to deal with the ones listed in their encounter, as the Cuextlaxteca freedom force takes on the rest. They also involve taking fortified positions, sneaking upon enemies, etc. All of this is left for the GM to play out.

As soon as the PCs approach the area, however, they come under attack.

If the PCs survive all three battles, they have taken part in the liberation of Cuetlaxtlan. Proceed to After the Encounter.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R The following day, as the Cuetlaxteca round up the surviving Mexica guards and ransack the fortress for weapons and supplies, the PCs have a moment to speak to the rebellion leaders. Turns out Puxku’hpatni and his comrades intend to call out to the other nearby tribes and move into Actopan now that they have dealt with the Mexica garrison; if the PCs wish to join, they are welcome too, as long as they don’t side with the Mexica. ■ After sending messengers and stocking a reasonable militia, a decent Cuetlaxteca force can reach Actopan on foot within three days. ■ The Cuetlaxteca suggest meeting with the PCs at Axpump’ulu Hill, a small rise near Actopan, in four days. They can march to Actopan together from there.

If the PCs agree to these terms, they now have Directions to Axpump’ulu Hill if they didn’t have them already. If the PCs don’t set a rendezvous with the Cuetlaxteca, or choose to leave them be, they will attack Actopan anyway. Take note that the Attack on Actopan will happen, unless you have done so already. Consult the Attack on Actopan Sidebar to take note of the time remaining until the event. Now, you may proceed to the beginning of Chapter III to decide the PCs’ next step.

Encounter 49: The Cuyuxquihui Garrison After a long, eight-hour flight northward, the PCs spy a small fortified settlement amid wooded hills. Read the following aloud the first time the PCs approach Cuetlaxtlan:

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Ask the PC handling the dragon to perform a riding action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. If the PC loses the confrontation, all PCs must perform an athletic action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards, or suffer one unpreventable damage from a strong wind and hailstorm that appears out of nowhere and strikes their mount. The PCs may avoid the sudden windstorm by leaving the area; if they do, return to Chapter III to choose their next destination. If the PCs still want to land their dragon amid the supernatural weather, the PC handling the dragon must perform a riding action, confronted by a TSE that plays 4 cards. If the PCs loses the confrontation, all PCs suffer fatigue from the chilling wind, flying debris and hailstones that meet them upon contact with the ground. As soon as the PCs land, the storm abates, as if it had possessed a will of its own; the PCs notice, however, a swirl of black clouds spiraling back towards the near pyramid. The black clouds spin and implode around the pyramid top with a low rumble, until the sky is clear and the weather is clam again, as if nothing had happened. Ask the PCs to perform a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)). If the check succeeds, the PCs notice some figures trying to sneak away from their position; they are Mexica scouts that spied on the PCs and are now running back to report that the PCs have arrived. If the PCs try to stop them, perform an Athletic action confronted by an Scout’s Competent skill. ■ If at least half the PCs win the confrontation, or one of them gets a positive consequence, the PCs overtake the scouts: create a fair encounter using Scouts. If all of them are successful, or two get a positive consequence, they manage to Ambush the Scouts. If the PCs survive the encounter, they may interrogate the Mexica to confirm that the magic attack came from the pyramid – the Cuyuxquihui garrison was trying to scare the PCs away.

Whether the PCs catch, kill or leave the scouts, they must now choose whether to continue towards a hostile Mexica garrison. If the PCs turn back, return to the beginning of Chapter III to guide their next step.

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If the PCs press on towards the Cuyuxquihui garrison, they may draw cards and try to regain Spirit before the battle. Once they’re ready for battle, the PCs approach the outer wall of the settlement, made of painted stone like other Mexica structures. There’s an open gate that allows passage into the garrison; some watchmen are posted at the entrance, and they look nervously at the PCs as they make a stand to stop their advance. Create a fair encounter using Mexica soldiers. If the PCs survive, they may now enter the Cuyuxquihui outpost. While the PCs advance towards the pyramid, soldiers from all around the outpost scramble to make a stand there, while some of them rush to intercept the PCs. Create a +0 encounter using Mexica soldiers. If the PCs survive, all remaining soldiers at the garrison gather at the pyramid to repel the attack. As the PCs approach the pyramid, they see a robed figure climbing down the stairs towards them – it is a Mexica Priest, the one that cast the storm at them. The priest begins intoning another spell, while his guards rush the PCs. Create a +2 encounter using a Teotl priest, Temple guards and Temple protectors. If the PCs survive this battle, the remaining Mexica soldiers scatter at the death of their priest; the PCs have single-handedly taken the Cuyuxquihui Mexica garrison.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R The garrison’s warehouses are more than enough to fill the PCs backpacks and their dragon with weapons, ammunition, food, supplies, tools or any kind of item from the equipment list, as long as it can be found in the Mexica culture. The garrison vault holds enough treasure in Quachtli blankets, gold dust and other barter items for the PCs to take 90 gold worth of loot each. They simply have no space to carry the remainder. Finally, with the garrison under their control, the PCs may now visit the Totonaca town surrounding it. If they don’t, the Cuyuxquiteca people themselves approach the garrison to see what happened. Some of them appear breathless, armed and ready for battle. When the Cuyuxquiteca see that hair-faced strangers have already defeated their oppressors, they all fall silent, and nod their cautious approval to the PCs. ‘So these are the hair-faces, the Teotl foreigners’, they murmur with a mix of gratitude and mistrust.

■ The Cuyuxquiteca ask the PCs if they plan to stay and defend the outpost with them. This would require the PCs to remain in Cuyuxquihui several days, to make sure to be here by the time the Mexica return to retake the fort. ■ If the PCs mention Actopan, the Cuyuxquiteca decide to contact their Cuetlaxteca allies and organise an attack on Actopan within the week. Their force can reach Actopan within five or six days. ■ Take note that the Attack on Actopan will happen, unless you have done so already. Consult the Attack on Actopan Sidebar to take note of the time remaining until the event. ■ The Cuyuxquiteca tell the PCs that they will meet with their allies at the mount known as Axpump’ulu Hill, overlooking Actopan. If the PCs want to join them there, the freedom fighters set the date five days from now; the PCs now have Directions to Axpump’ulu Hill, if they didn’t already. ■ After they have talked with the PCs. the Cuyuxquiteca appoint some guards to lead the garrison defence against the imminent Mexica return. ■ The Cuyuxquiteca share any treasure the PCs haven’t taken among their own people; if the PCs object, the Cuyuxquiteca remind them this loot was originally taken from them.

Once the PCs’ business in Cuyuxquihui is finished, they may leave the settlement. Return to the beginning of Chapter III to guide their next action.

Sidebar: Attack on Actopan If the PCs engage the Mexica garrisons at Cuetlaxtlan or Cuyuxquihui, the inhabitants may then move on to attack the Mexica-controlled town of Actopan. If that happens, you should mark the Attack on Actopan on your campaign notes. When you mark the Attack on Actopan, the event is five days away. Count the in-game days that passes after you mark the event; the PCs may do whatever they wish in that time, but the attack will happen regardless of their further actions. If the PCs play Encounter 50, what happens will depend on whether the Attack on Actopan has taken place or not.

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Encounter 50: Actopan

to halt the PCs’ advance, and warn them not to enter Actopan.

The City of Actopan is a day’s walk, or two hours’ dragonflight, West of Cempoallan. The city rests right on the West road; in fact, the road itself was built to communicate Actopan with Cempoallan, and later improved by the Mexica, who have connected it to their lands further West.

If the PCs have an Un Takám Token, one of the guards is a secret Un Takám agent, and indicates so by touching a similar feather among his neck trimmings; he takes the PCs out of sight of the other guards to talk. Proceed to Encounter 50 Conversation.

Read the following aloud the first time the PCs see Actopan: Even from a safe distance, Actopan is an impressive city. Smaller than Cempoallan, it’s still too large for you to take in at once. The main Western road, which crosses a wide river at the city juncture, goes across town like the ancient Roman highways; the city is a splatter of coloured points, like an immense flower garden, planted on its path. There are several town quarters on both sides of the river, each with different plazas and pyramid temples, and a vast expanse of villages and farmland around it. The river has been turned into channels and artificial lakes surrounding the settlements; a monumental water-channeling system, the likes of which you had only heard about in legend. What truly concerns you, however, is the mesa overlooking the town, and the great Mexica garrison built there. It’s the largest Mexica military settlement you’ve ever seen; it would have to be, given the size of the city. You don’t know if its sentries have seen your dragon from here, but it’ d be wise to land before they do – No European explorer has ever come this far into the New World. For a brief instant, as you look for a discreet landing spot, you realise: the Mexica garrison overlooks Actopan the exact same way that Vera Cruz overlooks the Native town of Quiahuiztlan. If the PCs have Directions to Axpump’ulu Hill, they may want to land their dragon there to meet their Totonaca allies before they attack the city; proceed to Encounter 51. If you have marked the Attack on Actopan and it already happened, the Totonaca have taken the Mexica garrison and the PCs may now finally explore the city; proceed to Encounter 52. If you haven’t marked the Attack on Actopan or it hasn’t happened yet, the PCs may wish to visit the city on their own. In this case, they should land their dragon in a nearby safe spot and walk to the entrance. When the PCs approach the city gates, the guards – Mexica soldiers – look startled and alert; they gather 218

If the PCs approach the guards to talk, ask them to perform a Charisma action against a Mexica guard’s competent skill. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, the guards refuse to listen or allow passage to the PCs; they claim these are Mexica lands, and that the teotl people are declaring war on the Mexica if they force their way in (which is true). ■ If the PCs fail with a negative consequence or attack the guards, create a +2 encounter using a combination of Mexica characters. ■ If the PCs survive, they may escape Actopan; proceed to After the Encounter. If they insist on entering the city, more guards rush to stop them; keep throwing +2 encounters at them until they escape (proceed to After the Encounter) or die of stubbornness. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they still can’t get past the guards, but they may talk to them. Proceed to Encounter 50 conversation. ■ If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, go to Encounter 50 conversation, but the PCs also get the answers in bold type.

ENC OUNTER 50 C ONVERSATI ON This conversation only takes place if the PCs win a Charisma Action against an Actopan guard, or if they have an Un Takám Token. First, the guard warns the PCs that they won’t be allowed into Actopan under any circumstance; the Mexica have warned all their garrisons against the teotl invaders; trying to force through would constitute an open declaration of war against the Mexica invaders. The rest of the guard’s replies depend on what the PCs ask. Use the Answers in Bold Type only if the PCs got a positive consequence or had an Un Takám Token. ■ If the PCs ask about the maps, the guard has no idea of any maps, but he can’t let them look here. The maps must have been taken to the records office at Tizapancingo, but to get there the PCs would have to go through Actopan (or the Tizapancingo garrison) anyway, thus declaring war to the Mexica.

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■ If the PCs ask about the calpixque tax collectors, the guard confirms they passed through Actopan, but won’t let the PCs search inside the city. In fact the three calpixque are in the city. But the Mexica garrison would have to fall before the PCs can come get them. ■ If the PCs insist on entering the city, or try to negotiate access through Actopan without asking for the Tlacuilo’s maps or the three tax collectors, the guard tells them that the Mexica absolutely won’t allow it. Actopan and Tizapancingo are vital chokepoints to access Mexica lands; as long as the Mexica Garrison stands, Actopan is off-limits to any foreigners. ■ If the PCs ask about these native towns, the guard mentions Cuetlaxtlan and Cuyuxquihui, and gives the PCs directions to these places if they didn’t have them yet. Cuetlaxtlan is larger and more rebellious, and so its garrison is relatively strong. Cuyuxquihui has a much smaller garrison but also a smaller population. ■ If the PCs threaten with attacking Actopan, the

guard tells them that would immediately put the whole Mexica nation, with its many tributaries, against the Spanish. The only way that Actopan can fall and the PCs remain allowed to enter it, would be if the Native tribes rallied against it – and the smaller Mexica garrisons at every town will prevent that from happening. After talking to the guard, the PCs should leave Actopan the way they came from; proceed to After the Encounter. If the PCs attack the guards, create a +2 encounter using a combination of Mexica characters. ■ If there was a friend of Un Takám among the guards,

he retreats from the battle, but does not help the PCs.

■ If the PCs survive, they may escape Actopan; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs insist on entering Actopan, they have to keep fighting more and more guards until they die or escape; proceed to After the Encounter.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R After the conversation, it should be clear the PCs cannot enter Actopan for now; they must create a diversión – one that’s so large that it will clear the Mexica garrison from the city. A good first step would be to visit the nearby Totonaca towns, which have fought Mexica domination for decades. ■ If the PCs wish to visit the town of Cuetlaxtlan, go

to Encounter 48.

■ If the PCs want to try their luck at Cuyuxquihui, go

to Encounter 49.

■ If the PCs want to go somewhere else, return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next step.

Encounter 51: The Attack on Actopan This encounter takes place if the PCs wish to take part on the Attack on Actopan and have Directions to Axmpump’Ulu Hill. When the PCs reach the place known as Axpump’Ulu Hill, they notice it’s a bare mound overlooking the Actopan territory, but at enough distance that any people on it will be unnoticed by the Mexica garrison. If the Attack on Actopan has not yet taken place, the PCs find a few Totonaca soldiers wandering the hill; they scout warily, pretending they have no business here. ■ If 3 or more days of in-game time have passed since you marked the Attack on Actopan, the PCs encounter some runners from the town they have visited, and they may camp with them to wait for the remaining force. ■ If only 1 or 2 days of in-game time have passed since you marked the Attack on Actopan, the PCs must wait until the 4th day for their allies to show up. The PCs may leave the hill and return later; proceed to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their destination.

If the PCs meet their allies or stay until they arrive, they may rest, draw cards and try to regain spirit. The next day, all of the reinforcements from the nearby towns have arrived, and now a sizable guerrilla, easily surpassing 5,000 soldiers, has gathered on Axpump’Ulu Hill. Even some Totonaca resistance fighters from Actopan itself have slipped out of the city to join the rebel force, or to share access points and guard positions. If the PCs want to help the attack strategy, they may approach the man known as Puxku’hpatni, and the Freedom Fighters from Cuetlaxtlan – the unofficial leaders of this force. They intend to divide the troops in three lines; one to draw the Mexica’s attention from their garrison, another to climb their hill and strike at them from behind, and a third one to fall on any reinforcements that arrive after engagement starts. If the PCs suggest a better strategy, the freedom fighters hear it out; you may give them bonuses for coming up with an idea. Now, the battle begins.

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This encounter involves thousands of warriors on both sides; the PCs only take part in a few of these battles, against a very small percentage of the enemy force. The PCs must survive three straight encounters, as follows: First, the insurgent troops border the town towards the Mexica garrison, routing any patrols they encounter. Create a -2 encounter using a combination of Mexica characters. Then, the attacking force makes a run to the mesa where the Mexica garrison is built; they have to fight a force of Mexica soldiers defending the rise. The rebels took the Mexica by surprise, but the enemy has the higher ground. Create a fair encounter using a combination of Mexica characters.

Encounter 52: Actopan After the Attack If the PCs arrive or remain in Actopan 5 or more days after you marked the Attack on Actopan, they find the city under Totonaca control. Read the following as the PCs wander the razed city: The Totonaca rebels have struck back at the Mexica with a vengeance for their decades of oppression. The once beautiful town is now a ravaged ruin, with the Totonaca militia still dividing the spoils.

If the PCs survive, they may join the final attack, taking over the Mexica fort. Create a +1 encounter using a combination of Mexica characters.

Dozens of pyres burn with the bodies of Mexica soldiers and citizens; Mexica houses have been burnt with their whole families inside. Many Mexica, and even Totonaca, civilians are led into enclosures, presumably to serve as the winners’ slaves. You assume these prisoners are those that opposed the Totonaca uprising, and are now paying for the choice of throwing their lot in with the defeated Mexica.

If the PCs survive all three battles straight, they have won the Attack on Actopan. Proceed to After the Encounter.

As you approach the rise where the Mexica garrison used to stand, a group of Totonaca milita come down to meet you.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R

The new town owners come to see what the PCs want. If the PCs have an Un Takám Token or Directions to Axpump’ulu Hill, the Totonaca recognise them as allies and let them pass; proceed to Encounter 52 conversation.

The PCs may now rest, draw cards or try to regain spirit; they have earned it. They may also share the loot from the Mexica garrison; 30 gold in minor barter items for each PC. ■ If the PCs thought to capture enemies alive, they

may ransom them to the Mexica for 10 gold in barter items for each prisoner. Priests and Guard Captains are 25 gold a head. The Totonaca handle the return of the prisoners and the PCs’ payment, a few days later. If the PCs stay in the garrison to search for the tax collectors or the Mexica maps, proceed to Encounter 52. Otherwise, return to the beginning of Chapter III to decide the PCs’ next step.

If the PCs are here unannounced and uninvited, ask them to Perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Totonaca warrior’s mediocre skill. The PCs suffer one disadvantage if they became Outlaws during their stay in Cempoallan; they gain one advantage if they have a written grant to explore Totonaca lands in the name of Cortés. ■ If the PCs win the confrontation, the Totonaca let them pass, recognising them as enemies of the Mexica and sanctioned by the truce between Cortés and Xicomecoatl. Turn to Encounter 52 conversation. ■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, the Totonaca turn them away, claiming no foreigner may visit Actopan until the new government is named. If the PCs comply, return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next step. ■ If the PCs try to sneak or force their way in, create a +1 encounter, using Totonaca Warriors. If the PCs survive, they may now escape to their dragon and to the beginning of Chapter III. ■ If the PCs insist on going through the Totonaca, just throw them endless encounters with Totonaca warri-

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ors until they die or escape; the Totonaca paid blood and sweat for this territory, and they’re not in the mood to let a foreigner in mere days after they got rid of another.

EN C O U NT E R 52 C O NV E R S AT ION Once inside the conquered Mexica fort, the Totonaca lead the PCs to where they keep their Mexica prisoners. It seems that three of these prisoners, three Mexica calpixque, tax collectors, asked to speak to the ‘teotl foreigners’ as soon as they heard the PCs were in town. The calpixque are three Mexica dignitaries, with impressive piercings in their ears and lips, colourful tunics on their bodies and golden jewellery on their limbs. Even with the dust of the Totonaca prison and the humiliation of capture, they look as high dignitaries – as people of worth. Let the PCs conduct the conversation with the calpixque as they wish; use the following excerpts as part of the calpixque’s answers and comments. ‘We knew you would come here, we knew you would find us’.

this is all that you desire, that you don’t wish to harm or destroy the Mexica, that you don’t want to be the enemy of the Excan Tlahtoloyan’. ‘So we will talk about the treasure, and the terrible destruction that the mighty Teotl bring on their wake will be guided elsewhere, you will take your conflicts elsewhere, you will leave our land to us, the Totonaca land to our Totonaca allies’. ‘In exchange for this, we will talk about the treasure’. ‘We are calpixque of the Excan Tlahtoloyan, envoys from Tenochtitlan and Great Moctecuhzoma. We travel the land collecting the tribute from the many allies of the Mexica, from North to South, from East to West’. ‘We met your Coltés when we came for the tribute from Cempoallan, when the Totonaca had us imprisoned, when Xicomecoatl ordered us imprisoned instead of giving the tribute’. ‘Coltés send a message and had us liberated, and then he met us, he spoke to us. He asked what we knew, and we told him’.

‘Your Captain, your Coltés, told us that what we know is very important to your people’.

‘What we told Coltés when he met us was this: you are not the first hair-faced captain, the first teotl explorer, that we have met’.

‘So we will tell you, we will tell you what we know because Coltés let us escape, he liberated us from the Totonaca prison, and he told us what we know was important to you’.

‘We met the first of your people, the first of your mighty teotl envoys, last year when they came to the Totonacapan from the Eastern Sea’.

‘Coltés did not tell us to tell you. But we will tell you because it is important, because we wish to help the mighty Teotl people, so they may continue their travels away from our lands’. ‘We know that the mighty Teotl have come seeking for treasure, that they have helped the Totonaca rabble only to find treasure. We know

‘We know they were your people because the one we spoke to, the one we saw, was also marching with Coltés when we saw him in Cempoallan. The one we spoke to was a Captain of Coltés’. ‘The name of this man was Atlantatl. That’s the name he gave us, that’s how he told us he was called’.

‘We met Atlantatl last year, when his people first landed here in Totonacapan’. ‘We told him we were envoys from great Moctecuhzoma of the Mexica, gathering tribute from surrounding lands, from the many allies of the Excan Tlahtoloyan’. ‘Then he, the Atlantatl, gave us a box, a coffer, which he said contained tribute for the Mexica. Tribute for our King. That he, as foreigner, intended to pay respects to the authority of the Aztec Empire. He gave us that box, saying it was filled with gold, gold given as tribute to the Aztec Empire, and then he left’. ‘We never opened the box. Totonaca rebels, Totonaca bandits, stole the box from us the next day; the very next day after we met Atlantatl’. ‘We don’t know where they took the box, but they attacked us at the North border, at the far north, near the Tecolutla river’. ‘We have mapped those lands, we have made charts of those lands, of the North border, of the Tecolutla country of Totonacapan. Our Tlacuilo had maps of those lands’. ‘If the tlacuilo sent those maps away for safekeeping, they must be at the Records Office in Tizapancingo; that’s where documents await to be taken to Cempoallan or to Tenochtitlan. If you seek these maps, they must be at Tizapancingo’. ‘Your Coltés didn’t seem to care about the maps or where the gold was; what interested him was that this other man, this Atlantatl, gave the box to us one year ago’. ‘Coltés also asked if we opened the box, if we saw the gold; we said no, we did not see it for it was stolen from us, because Totonaca bandits took it from us the next day near 221

Tecolutla. Then he did not care anymore about the box or the maps’.

been taken to Tizapancingo, the strongest Mexica fort in the area.

‘That is what we know, what Coltés thought was important, days ago when he liberated us from the Totonaca prison’.

When the PCs are ready to leave, let them return to their dragon, which keeps peacefully waiting for them at the spot where it landed. From here, the PCs must decide where to go:

‘The mighty Teotl, the mighty and grateful Teotl, will now do as their Coltés, and liberate us from the Totonaca prison in return for what we have said’. That’s all the Calpixque have to say, but it should be enough to leave the PCs wondering just what Cortés knows about their search and the lost gold… and who is this Atlantatl. The PCs now have a message for Cortés, if they didn’t already. It now falls on the PCs to decide what to do with the Calpixque and the information they gave. If the PCs ask for the Calpixque to be liberated, the Totonaca demand the PCs pay their ransom; 200 gold in jewellery and gold. They are high dignitaries and demand a high price. If the PCs agree, the Totonaca rebels let the calpixque go back to Tenochtitlan. ■ If the PCs want to take the Calpixque back to Vera

Cruz to ask them to identify the man they know as Atlantatl, they can only take one of the Calpixque with them – there’s no more room in the dragon – and they must pay for the Calpixque’s ransom. If the PCs do this, take note that they now have a Calpixque Hostage, which they can bring along anywhere from this point. ■ Also, there’s now a Contract on the PCs if there wasn’t one before, because as soon as Montejo’s spies see that the PCs have one of the calpixque with them, he’ll order them killed by any means necessary, to stop them from returning to camp. ■ If the PCs ask about Tizapancingo, the Totonaca say

that it’s too well-guarded, that bringing it down would require a larger force, which the Totonaca cannot muster on their own. Now, if the Spanish forces joined the attack, well…

Once the PCs have finished dealing with the Calpixque and the Totonaca rebels, proceed to After the Encounter.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R The PCs have nothing else to do in Actopan. If they wish to trade for supplies, they may try their luck at the rebel camps among the razed city, but the Actopan market itself was destroyed in the attack. If the PCs ask around about the maps, everyone tells them that any important Mexica documents must have

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■ If the PCs wish to seek Cortés and confront him about what the three Calpixque said, return to Encounter 1. ■ If the PCs wish to return to Cempoallan, go to Encounter 19. ■ If the PCs want to keep exploring Totonacapan, return to the beginning of Chapter III to pick their next destination.

Encounter 53: Soldiers and Scouts This encounter takes place only if the PCs wish to rest during their exploration of Totonacapan in Scene 16. If you wish the PCs to have an encounter during their rest, pick one of the following encounters, or draw a card to choose it randomly: 1. The PCs encounter a small group of Mexica soldiers carrying Totonaca slaves. If the PCs approach the Mexica, they warily say they are leading these slaves to camp. If the PCs succeed on a Charisma Action, confronted by a Mexica Soldier’s Competent Skill, the soldier indicates the location of their camp, and now the PCs have Directions to the Mexica Slave Camp if they didn’t already. ■ If the PCs attack the Mexica, create a fair encounter, using a combination of Mexica characters. If the PCs survive the encounter, they may take the Mexica weapons (normal maces and shields) as well as 10 gold each in gold dust and other trade items.

2. The PCs are waylaid by Totonaca bandits. Create a +1 encounter using Totonaca Warriors. ■ The PCs may stop the fight by succeeding on a Charisma Action, confronted by a Totonaca Warrior’s Competent Skill. The PCs gain 1 advantage or suffer 1 disadvantage to the action depending on which team outnumbers the other.

If the PCs survive the encounter, they may take the bandits’ loot: 10 gold each in barter items. 3. The PCs encounter Spanish scouts from Vera Cruz; a small troop,but well-armed and skilled.

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The scouts offer to escort the PCs back to Vera Cruz if they so wish. ■ If there is a Contract on the PCs, the scouts at-

tack the PCs: create a +1 encounter, using Spanish Scouts and Spanish Soldiers. If the PCs survive the fight and interrogate the defeated soldiers, they confess that Doña Cristina, Pedro De Alvarado’s dragon rider, paid them to kill the PCs and make it look like an ‘Indian ambush’. 4. The PCs encounter Spanish scouts from Vera Cruz; as the previous result, but these don’t attack even if there is a Contract on the PCs. 5. The PCs meet a group of Zapoteca, or Bini’zá, scouts. The Zapoteca attack the PCs on sight; Create a +0 encounter using Assassins. If the PCs survive the fight, they find maps among the bodies of the scouts: maps indicating Spanish movements through the area. The PCs now have Directions to the Black Skull Ambush, if they didn’t already. 6. The PCs meet a travelling Totonaca merchant on his way to Cempoallan. The PCs may buy any item in the equipment list from this merchant, as long as it’s of Native origin. ■ If the PCs ask the merchant for news or ru-

mours, he mentions that Totonaca rebel forces have been more active and aggressive, emboldened by Spanish presence, and how it threatens and distracts the Mexica. If the Attack on Actopan already happened, the merchant mentions that ‘they even razed the city of Actopan to the ground, sacrificing every Mexica they found to their own Saints’. ■ If the PCs attack the merchant, his guards come to help: Create a +2 encounter, using Totonaca Guards. If the PCs survive the fight, they may take any item they wish as long as they may carry it, plus 15 gold each in barter items.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once the PCs deal with the encounter, or if you decide not to put the PCs through an encounter right now, they may now rest, draw cards and try to regain spirit. Then, they may continue their travels to the encounter they were heading to originally. If the PCs had no fixed destination before the encounter, return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose one.

Scene 17: secret settlementS This scene takes place when the PCs are scouting for places that aren’t in maps, unless someone specifically marked them on the PCs’ map. If the PCs are on their way to the Mexica Slave Camp, proceed to Encounter 54. If the PCs are seeking the Razed Villages, proceed to Encounter 55. If the PCs have Directions to the Thunder and want to go there in person, go to Encounter 56.

Encounter 54: The Slave Camp The Mexica Slave Camp is very close to Cempoallan; the PCs arrive after barely an hour of dragonflight. Read the following aloud as the PCs approach the slave camp: You come near an outpost, protected between two hills and fed by a nearby stream. The Mexica have built stone walls to cover the two possible access to the outpost, and from here you can see the movement of guards around the ramparts. There’s a small stone enclosure and a patio between the walls; you see several people walking around – those must be the slaves. Before you can examine the scene with further detail, you see the guards begin pointing and running to their posts… they have noticed you. If the PCs land their dragon and try to approach the Mexica face to face, proceed to Scene 54 Conversation. If the PC try to attack the slave camp with their dragon, without landing, they have to fly between two hill slopes, filled with Mexica archers and slingers that can fire missiles at the PCs from coves and battlements at several heights. ■ Create a fair encounter using a combination of Mexica characters.

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■ Since the PCs are fighting from dragonback midflight and the Mexica are shooting from the hill slopes, both sides are restricted to using ranged weapons and attacks. ■ The dragon takes no part in the encounter, as it’s assumed to be blasting the Mexica guards below while the PCs deal with the archers. ■ If the PCs survive the encounter, they have routed the Mexica and freed the slave camp; proceed to After the Encounter.

S CE N E 5 4 C O N V E RSATION If the PCs land their dragon and approach the encampment in person, a group of Mexica guards advance to meet them; they are willing to parley. ■ If the PCs ask about the Mexica or the encampment, the guards tell them it’s a rest and resupply station, to keep slaves and other captives as the Mexica carry them from one city to another. All of the slaves here are freely given as tribute by nations under Mexica protection; they were not taken by force, and most are quite happy with their lot. All of this is true, which the PCs may confirm with a Normal Perception Check (difficulty: 6(1)). ■ If the PCs request that the Mexica deliver the prisoners, ask them to Perform a Charisma Action, Confronted by a Mexica Guard’s Competent Skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, the Mexica agree, as long as the PCs pay for the slaves. This requires a total of 150 gold (the total value of the slaves). If the PCs lose the confrontation or refuse to pay, the Mexica laugh in their faces at the request. ■ If the PCs attack or demand the Mexica to surrender, create a +2 encounter using Mexica characters. If the PCs survive both encounters, the remaining Mexica guards flee, leaving the camp unprotected and the slaves freed; proceed to After the Encounter.

If the PCs leave peacefully, they may return to their dragon and leave (go to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next destination) or fly back to the camp to attack it on dragonback (return to the beginning of Encounter 54 for the mechanics of this attack).

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once the PCs have dealt with the Mexica guards, they may free the slaves, a dozen Totonaca young men and women. At first, the Totonaca assume the PCs are their new owners; let the PCs decide whether to clarify that or not, but if they want to take possession of the slaves, the PCs must lead them to Vera Cruz, as the Totonaca would have nowhere else to go. If the PCs set the slaves 224

free, they happily return on foot to their families in Cempoallan or the nearby towns. ■ Only one slave refuses to go with the PCs under any circumstance – Pa’xanan, a young military officer from Cempoallan. Pa’xanan is the apprentice of Captain Mux’tin, leader of the Cempoallan Guard, and wishes to return to his master. The PCs may offer him a ride back to Cempoallan on their dragon; otherwise he’ll walk. ■ If the PCs killed or routed the Mexica guards, they may help themselves to the loot in the camp; enough supplies for the PCs to camp and feed themselves for weeks, plus 40 gold in various barter items, including quachtli blankets, jewels and gold.

After the PCs deal with the Mexica slave camp, return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next destination.

Encounter 55: The Razed Villages Play this encounter if the PCs are looking into the two Totonaca villages that show signs of an attack by Spanish soldiers. The two villages marked on the PCs’ map are somewhat remote from Cempoallan, requiring an eight-hour flight to arrive; however, they are quite close between them, within a few minutes’ dragonflight of each other. Read the following aloud when the PCs approach the first village: This seems to have been a small settlement of stucco huts and farmland near a river outlet. It’s abandoned now; if there were dead bodies, the locals moved them long ago. If the PCs explore the village, they need no check or action to notice the bullet holes and gunpowder traces that mark this unmistakably as a Spanish attack. This village was destroyed, its people killed, by the hands of Spanish soldiers. Once the PCs come to this conclusion, ask them to perform a Hard Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 9(1)) ■ If the check succeeds, the PCs notice that there are no marks of horseshoes at all. This, combined with the number and frequency of shot marks, indicates this attack was the work of a single dragon unit – three or four soldiers on dragonback, and nobody else. ■ If the PCs get a positive consequence with their success, the boot marks and dragonfire burn pattern indicate that the massacre was committed by two people – a large, heavy armored man with heavy boots, and

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a shorter, more slender individual, both armed with long-range muskets, while a third accomplice, doubtlessly a dragon rider, burnt the village from above. If the PCs have met Doña Cristina and her two accomplices, there should be no doubt about who did this. If the PCs have learned enough and wish to return, proceed to the beginning of Chapter III to pick their next course of action. If the PCs wish to visit the second village after exploring the first, they find the exact same marks – bullet holes and gunpowder, indicating the village was indeed massacred by Spaniards. ■ If the PCs failed the check at the first village, ask

them to perform it again, only this time they gain 1 advantage. ■ If the check succeeds, the PCs gain the information of a positive consequence on the previous check – that is, that the attack was committed by two people on foot and a single accomplice on dragonback – plus, if the PCs have visited both villages, they realise that both attacks happened within minutes of each other. ■ If the PCs succeed with a positive consequence on the second check, they deduce that the same group attacked both villages; they razed one and then immediately moved to attack the other, intending it to look like the work of two separate Spanish forces. This was not a large-scale attack, but was intended to look like one.

If the PCs visit both villages, while they explore the second they encounter a group of angry Totonaca, convinced that the PCs are guilty of the attack. Ask the PCs to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Totonaca warrior’s Competent Skill. The PCs suffer 2 disadvantages on this action if they haven’t deduced who committed the raids. If the PCs win the confrontation, they manage to convince the Totonaca that this was not an attack sanctioned by Spanish authorities, but a rogue incursion by a handful of soldiers. The Totonaca let the PCs pass, under the promise that the actual guilty parties will face justice. If the PCs lose the confrontation, the Totonaca attack; create a +2 encounter, using a combination of Totonaca Warriors.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs survive the encounter with the Totonaca, they have now learned all they can from exploring the villages; you may now return to the beginning of Chapter III to decide their next destination.

Encounter 56: Trip To The Thunder If the PCs have obtained Directions to the Thunder, they may try to travel there themselves, and learn firsthand what happened to Velázquez’ gold. The Thunder ruins are far away, about 200 kilometres north of Cempoallan and Vera Cruz. Even on dragonback, the trip takes more than 8 hours; therefore, the PCs must land their dragon and rest at least once during the trip. The long flight north takes the PCs over a country full of forested hills and speckled with Totonaca cities. When the PCs land to rest – after no more than six hours, as their dragon cannot handle such a long flight – they may either try to land near a village or far from civilisation. ■ If the PCs land near a village, the Totonaca are friendly to them – particularly if the Attack on Actopan already happened, which would mean that the whole Totonaca country has gotten news of the Spanish foreigners.

The PCs may ask the locals for food and shelter, and may also barter for other items at standard exchange rates. If the PCs wish to talk to the locals, the Totonaca tell them the north border, where the PCs are headed, is dangerous country; outside of Tecolutla, a trading river town, the area is all wilderness, infested with bandits and barbarian raiders. The Totonaca warn the PCs to be careful, even with their ‘midget mixcoatl’, if they insist on taking that route. If the PCs ask about the Totonaca and their country, the locals say Totonacapan has existed for hundreds of years, and shall exist for hundreds more. They wish only to be left alone, but the Mexica keep expanding in all directions; it’s likely that they will all end up as subjects of Tenochtitlan. Other than that, and the raids from the Chichimeca and Wastek at the north border, the Totonaca lead a peaceful, contented life. If the PCs ask about The Thunder, the Totonaca tell them those are old stories; nobody has found the actual city in centuries. To tell the truth, Totonaca peasants don’t much care or pay attention to such tales. However, if the PCs find the ruins, they should make sure to tell the lords of Cempoallan, who will be very happy to claim they have ‘recovered their people’s lost legacy’. After the PCs have rested a full night, proceed to After the Encounter. 225

■ If the PCs make camp in the wilderness, a pack of wolves attack them during the night, while the party is sleeping (save any PC that volunteered to take a guard shift).

If all the PCs were sleeping, the one with a highest Perception rank wakes up at the sound of the beasts, and must choose to fight the first round alone or spend his action waking the others up. Create a +1 encounter using wolves, taking note of those PCs that remain asleep when the fight begins. If the PCs survive the fight, they may now rest for the remainder of the night, without further incidents. Proceed to After the Encounter.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R After the PCs rest, they may draw cards and try to regain Spirit. ■ If Doña Cristina Díaz, the dragon rider in Alvarado’s service, is still alive, she surprises the PCs as they prepare to leave again: she intends to kill them for the maps right here and now. Create an encounter using Doña Cristina Díaz and either Pérez Negro and/ or Friar Cosmes if they’re alive as well.

When the PCs are ready to continue their journey and they have finally killed Doña Cristina, proceed to Encounter 57.

Encounter 57: The Thunder Hideout Finally, after long days of searching and long hours of dragon flight, the PCs arrive at the spot marked in their map as the site of the ancient ruins of The Thunder, the legendary Totonaca city. According to what the PCs have learned, the chest with Velázquez’ lost gold went missing near this area. Read the following as the PCs approach the Thunder site: You’ve been flying over dense, inaccessible jungle for the better part of an hour now; no wonder this place has been lost for centuries. And then, you see it. A pyramid. And then another. The now familiar stone temples and idols of the local peoples, jutting out of the treetops like huge fingers tangled in green yarn. You have found The Thunder. The only nearby clearing where the PCs could land their dragon is an old stone walkway, overgrown with vines and roots, in the far northern end of the city. 226

Once the PCs land there, they may enter The Thunder on foot. Read the following as the PCs walk into The Thunder: Regardless of the wild sounds – mostly birds and slithering things in the undergrowth –, there’s a weird silence in the site, as if the ruins themselves commanded the jungle to hush, and you to stop listening. Nonetheless, the jungle has grown unrestrained over the ruins of The Thunder, with whole stone buildings buried under tree groves, the roots engulfing the stone stairways and the branches forming a canopy that filters the sun rays like a fisher’s net over arches and columns. Here and there a taller structure, like a pyramid or a stone idol, peers between the crowded tree landscape, but even these are covered with green moss. After centuries of abandonment, The Thunder and the wilderness, the ruins and the jungle, have become one and the same thing. Wait a second, what was that? Ask the PCs to perform a Perception Check, confronted by an Un Takám agent’s competent skill. If the check succeeds, the PCs realise someone’s watching them. If the check is a success with a positive consequence, the PCs identify at least a half-dozen people, hidden among the bushes and behind the ruined columns. ■ If the PCs show peaceful intent, or they have an Un Takám Token, a group of men and women wearing dirty clothes and piecemeal weapons and armor, plus Un Takám feather tokens, slowly come out of hiding. They surround the PCs, aiming at them with bows and atlatl, and demand to know their business in The Thunder. Proceed to Encounter 57 Conversation. ■ If the PCs act suspiciously or hostile, if they killed Chawaná in Chapter II, or if they took the Mexica Side when reporting to Captain Sandoval in Encounter 15, the Un Takám agents attack.

Create a fair encounter, using a combination of Un Takám agents and an Un Takám leader. If the PCs survive, they may search the bodies and the surroundings; proceed to After the Encounter.

ENC OUNTER 57 C ONVERSATI ON: S O I T WASN’T DESERTED The Un Takám are as surprised as the PCs about this encounter; they ask the questions first. They want to know ‘why the hair-face invaders are sending people to the ruins’. ■ If the PCs mention the chest with Velázquez’ lost gold, the Un Takám agents look at each other in confusion, but their leader freezes on the spot. She shakes

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her head, lamenting the ‘stupid mistake’ of stealing that chest from the Mexica taxmen. Then, she orders her people to lower their weapons, and asks the PCs to sit down to hear the story of the lost gold. If the PCs accept, the leader introduces herself as Maxkí, as the Un Takám band share their food and camp with the PCs. Proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs claim to come in the name of the Ancient Society of Cempoallan, the Un Takám agents shake their heads in frustration; it would seem this is not the first time they cross paths with the Ancient Society.

Ask the PCs to perform a Charisma action, confronted by an Un Takám Leader’s mediocre skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, the Un Takám agents let them leave, on the condition that they must never return or tell anybody what they found. Plus, they must give all of their maps to the Un Takám people, to ensure nobody will use them again. If the PCs get a success with a positive consequence, the Un Takám give them 100 gold each in jewellery as a bribe to remain silent, but still require them to leave. If the PCs comply, they may return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next destination. If the PCs lose the confrontation, or refuse to leave, the Un Takám leader sighs; she doesn’t like to spill innocent blood. Then, she orders his people to attack. Create a +1 encounter, using a combination of Un Takám agents and an Un Takám leader. If the PCs survive, they may now search the bodies and the surroundings; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs mention Chawaná, the leader of the Un Takám nods in recognition. She admits that Chawaná is their group’s agent in Cempoallan, and that he’d previously sent messages about the PCs.

Sadly, if the PCs came to The Thunder after meeting Chawaná, it means they have either betrayed him or know too much to be left alive: they made a costly mistake coming here. Ask the PCs to perform a Charisma action, confronted by an Un Takám Leader’s competent skill. The PCs gain 1 advantage if they have an Un Takám Token. If the PCs win the confrontation, the leader decides to trust them and let them stay; Chawaná is usually a good judge of character. She introduces herself as Maxkí, and invites the PCs to stay in the Un Takám lair. Proceed to After the Encounter. If the PCs lose the confrontation, the Un Takám decide they have to die now, lest they tell anybody the location of this hideout. Create a +1 encounter, using a

combination of Un Takám agents and an Un Takám leader. If the PCs survive, they may now search the bodies and the surroundings; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs claim to be allies of Un Takám against the Mexica, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by an Un Takám Leader’s competent skill. The PCs gain one advantage to the action if they’re telling the truth, plus one advantage if they have an Un Takám Token.

If the PCs lose the confrontation, the Un Takám command them to leave the ruins immediately. If the PCs comply, they may return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next destination. If the PCs refuse, the Un Takám guerrilleros attack: Create a +1 encounter, using a combination of Un Takám agents and an Un Takám leader. If the PCs survive, they may now search the bodies and the surroundings; proceed to After the Encounter. If the PCs win the confrontation, the leader of the Un Takám nods and decides to trust them. She introduces herself as Maxkí, and asks if all the hair-face invaders are allies of Un Takám, or only the PCs; regardless of their answer, she lets them ask their questions now. Proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs claim to have found the map or the city by accident, or without knowing what was there, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by an Un Takám Leader’s competent skill. The PCs gain one advantage to the action if they’re telling the truth.

If the PCs win the confrontation, the Un Takám agents let them leave, after they promise not to come back; plus, they must leave all of their maps here in the city. If the PCs succeed with a positive consequence, the Un Takám let them keep their maps, but still require them to leave. If the PCs comply, they may return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next destination. If the PCs lose the confrontation, or refuse to leave, the Un Takám leader orders them dead, grudgingly choosing to sacrifice the PCs to keep the secret of her people’s hideout. Create a +1 encounter, using a combination of Un Takám agents and an Un Takám leader. If the PCs survive, they may now search the bodies and the surroundings; proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER Once the PCs have dealt with the Un Takám leader and her people, they may investigate the story behind the Un Takám and The Thunder.

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If the PCs killed the Un Takám leader and her people, the other Un Takám agents in the ruins flee, and the PCs are now free to explore The Thunder. By investigating the abandoned camps and the old journals and notes by the Un Takám leaders, the PCs can now deduce the full story, as described in the Secret of Un Takám Sidebar.

■ If the PCs win the confrontation, they arrive at a devastated Mexica outpost. The walls have been torn down, the idols burned and most of the soldiers slaughtered. A troop of about twenty Spanish soldiers are rounding up the survivors and loading them with chains; their captain is none other than Pedro de Alvarado. Proceed to After the Encounter.

If the PCs remain in The Thunder as guests of the Un Takám, in friendly terms, the rebels let them camp and stay with them. Plus, their leader tells the PCs the full story described in the Secret of Un Takám Sidebar.

■ If the PCs lose the confrontation, they are ambushed by angry Mexica survivors, who are enraged about De Alvarado’s attack and make a barrage of surprise ranged attacks against the PCs’ dragon. Create a +2 encounter, using a combination of Mexica characters. The Mexica automatically win the Initiative, but the PCs may use their dragon during this battle.

If the PCs took the Mexica Side when reporting to Captain Sandoval in Encounter 15, they may sell this location to the Mexica in exchange for 1,000 gold in gold and jewels; the Mexica, however, will never make use of this knowledge, for the Un Takám will leave this hideout forever after the PCs’ arrival. If the PCs know the Secret of the Empty Chest, they may now report their mission success – such as it is. Proceed to Encounter 1 if the PCs wish to return to Vera Cruz right away. Otherwise, when the PCs finish their business in The Thunder, they may return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose their next step.

Scene 18: the wildS

■ If the PCs survive three rounds of this encounter, De Alvarado and his men appear at the end of the third round and help them defeat - and slaughter - the Mexica. Proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER Read the following aloud when the PCs encounter De Alvarado: Stepping over the mutilated bodies of dead Mexica, you encounter a tall and handsome Spanish captain with a shining cuirass. When he removes his plumed helmet, his blonde hair and beard, and his cold blue eyes, unmistakably confirm his identity as Captain Pedro De Alvarado, second in command to Cortés. Even after the bloody carnage, he has lost none of his poise or arrogance, and greets you with the slightest raise of his eyebrow. He takes a second to nail a Mexica survivor’s hand to the ground with his sword, and smiles at you smugly as the warrior screams.

Run this scene every time the PCs wish to explore the wilds surrounding Cempoallan and Vera Cruz.

‘Do I know thee, recruits? Am I to understand the Captain thought I needed reinforcements?’

■ If the PCs are looking for Pedro de Alvarado’s expe-

De Alvarado and his men chuckle at the remark, but his inquiring gaze is dead serious as he tries to place your faces and understand who you are.

dition, run Encounter 59.

■ If the PCs have directions to the Black Skull Ambush, they may try to stop it on their own; run Encounter 60. ■ If the PCs are only wandering aimlessly in search for adventure, proceed to Encounter 61.

Encounter 59: Pursuing Pedro If the PCs want to try and catch up with Pedro de Alvarado during his scouting mission, it takes them about four hours to perform a sweep of the surrounding territories; then, ask them to perform a Riding or Survival action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards.

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De Alvarado intends to keep scouting the area, so he doesn’t have much time for talking. He expects the PCs to state their business of stop wasting his time.

ENC OUNTER 59 C ONVERSATI ON: A MEETI NG OF MI NDS De Alvarado doesn’t really want to talk to the PCs, but curtly replies to their questions for a short while, mostly to keep appearances. ■ If the PCs mention the lost gold, De Alvarado pretends not to care, with an off-hand remark about the soldiers’ gossip, and leaves to continue his scouting.

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Sidebar: Secret of Un Takám If the PCs talk to the Un Takám leader, or search the abandoned camps, journals and old records in The Thunder, they learn the following: ■ The Un Takám are a group of rebels and bandits that fight to free Totonacapan from Mexica domination. They have conducted raids and guerrilla warfare against the Mexica for years, from a hidden base the Mexica haven’t been able to find. ■ This is the Un Takám’s long-hidden base. The ancient city of The Thunder, thought lost to the Totonaca for centuries, is now the headquarters of their resistance. From here, the Un Takám spread all across the Totonacapan, striking at Mexica forces and running back here to hide. ■ Two years ago, a group of Un Takám raiders stole a weird chest from Mexica tax collectors. It didn’t resemble anything they had ever seen. ■ The raiders brought the chest to Maxkí, one of the Un Takám leaders in charge of the Thunder forces. She’s the one that faced the PCs earlier. ■ The Un Takám discovered the chest was locked; it had never been opened, and they didn’t have the key. So, Maxkí ordered the lock forced. But the Un Takám were disappointed to see the chest contained nothing but pebbles and broken seashells. Why had anyone put such worthless cargo on such a wondrous, locked container? ■ Time went on; the Un Takám forgot about the

weird coffer, and began using it to stash clothes and other stuff. They even stole from the same tax collectors a couple more times, as seasons passed. ■ But then, more than a year later, Chawaná, the Un Takám spy in Cempoallan, reported that some strangers, some foreigners with faces full of hair, were in the city, asking about that strange coffer and where it had been lost.

no invading force, either hair-faced or Mexica, ever came, and they again forgot about it… until now. ■ When Maxkí and the other leaders heard reports of a large contingent of hair-faces settling in Quiahuiztlán and visiting Lord Xicomecoatl in Cempoallan, they feared; so they sent Chawaná to contact these hair-faces, to see whether they were dangerous, and if necessary use them against the Mexica. ■ To rest easier, Maxkí sent the strange chest, which had been empty for months, to Chawaná, with orders to hide it… or destroy it. ■ Chawaná hid the chest in plain sight, disassembling it and giving its parts as tribute when Cortés visited Cempoallan and Xicomecoatl asked for volunteers and materials to help the Spanish build Vera Cruz. ■ Thus the Spanish carried the lost coffer back with them, in the form of disassembled wooden planks and construction materials. The lost Spanish chest – or what’s left of it – has been part of Vera Cruz itself for weeks now, and only Chawaná and Maxkí knew it… until today. ■ Regarding the contents or the chest, of the fact that it was supposed to contain Spanish gold, the Un Takám honestly never knew or suspected anything. They did think it was weird for such a chest to contain only sand and seashells, but never saw the gold or suspected its existence. ■ What actually happened to the 50,000 ducados, or if they ever were inside that box, remains anyone’s guess.

Once the PCs learn this story, make a note that they now know the Secret of the Empty Chest.

■ Worse still, these strangers gathered maps from the Mexica in Cempoallan – maps that could be put together to decipher The Thunder’s location. ■ According to the dates, this happened last year, around the date of Velázquez’ second expedition in search for his lost gold. ■ For a while, the Un Takám lived in fear, sure that their hideout would be discovered. However,

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■ If the PCs mention Doña Cristina, De Alvarado speaks of her highly, and proudly acknowledges she is his best soldier, ‘even better than my brother Gómez but be a sport and don’t tell him I said that’. ■ If there is a Contract on the PCs (as described in the Unwanted Attention sidebar) and they mention the attempts on their lives, De Alvarado feigns ignorance, and wonders why he should care that some scouts have enemies among the troop. This, however, secretly confirms the PCs’ identity to him, and he now knows without a doubt that they’re Sandoval’s agents after the treasure.

Ask the PCs to perform a Hard Charisma or Perception Check (difficulty: 9(1)) to discover De Alvarado is lying; but even if they succeed, he doesn’t admit it. ■ If the PCs confront Alvarado about the deaths

of Ahumada or Tax’kát, he obviously denies all involvement.

‘I know I have been called a pox on our enemies, but such a feat would seem to be beyond even my abilities… for now! At which all his men laugh, and Pedro looks halfmockingly, half-menacingly at the PCs. ■ If the PCs ask about Cortés or De Alvarado himself,

he scoffs:

‘I am a man of action, not words. If thou wants to know about me, follow the exploits, not the rumours. Farewell!’ AFTER THE CONVERSATION After a brief talk, De Alvarado leaves to continue his scouting mission. If the PCs wish to join De Alvarado’s mission, he allows them to fly with his people, and participate in the sacking of another Mexica outpost. ■ Create a fair encounter, using a combination of Mexica characters and Totonaca Warriors.

De Alvarado doesn’t seem to mind that some of the defenders are Totonaca; he is equally bloodthirsty against everyone. ■ If there is a Contract on the PCs, add 2 levels to

the encounter, as several Totonaca Warriors on De Alvarado’s payroll join the fight against the PCs, to make it look like they died at the hands of natives. ■ If the PCs survive the battle, they can also confirm

that De Alvarado’s men take some natives apart for torture and ‘interrogation’. If the PCs want to know what

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the interrogation is about, De Alvarado’s men take the prisoners away and dismiss the PCs. After the incursion, De Alvarado heads back to camp with his men, this time forbidding the PCs from following him. The PCs may explore the wilderness on their own (Encounter 61), move on to Cempoallan if they have the directions (Chapter II), or return to Vera Cruz (go to Encounter 1).

Encounter 60: The Black Skull Ambush This encounter takes place if the PCs have directions to the Black Skull Ambush and wish to move to stop it. The ambush site is a hill pass near Quiahuiztlan, where a troop of Diego de Ordás’ men is scheduled to spend a few days scouting, according to the notes from the Zapoteca and the Spanish traitor. The trip to the site is less than an hour on dragonback, either from Vera Cruz or Cempoallan. Read the following aloud as the PCs approach the ambush site: You come to what clearly is a Spanish encampment. There are about a dozen soldiers coming and going around the area, including some scouts surrounding the perimeter. A few of the soldiers signal you to land your dragon. If the PCs want to talk to the soldiers, they must land their dragon and approach them. The soldiers’ leader, one Lieutenant Landa, welcomes the PCs thinking they are a relief troop. ■ If the PCs pretend to be a relief troop and allow the soldiers to leave, they may take their place at the ambush site. ■ If the PCs tell Landa about the ambush, this worries and alerts the whole troop.

Let the PCs plan their strategy. The ambush won’t take place until one of two things happen: 1. The PCs wait at the ambush site until nightfall, or 2. The PCs leave the area with the soldiers, in which case the ambushers attack them on the move. When either of these conditions is met, read the following aloud: As night falls, puffs of smoke begin appearing all around you. Then, black clouds start forming above you, and before you know it the sky is dark and you’re under a heavy storm. You already think this cannot be a natural phenomenon, and then you notice the black smoke is

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taking the shape of men – of Zapoteca warriors, appearing out of the smoke like storm spirits. There are dozens of Black Skull assassins surrounding the PCs. The PCs’ dragon, and any soldier NPCs accompanying them, are suddenly occupied with their own attackers, leaving the PCs to face several attackers on their own. Create a fair encounter, using Assassins and a Teotl Priest. ■ If the PCs survive the encounter and both Landa’s

soldiers and Captain Sandoval’s two dragon squads remain with them, they have defeated the ambush; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ Otherwise, the PCs must fight through another +2

encounter just like the previous one.

■ If the PCs survive the second encounter and are assisted by either Landa’s soldiers or Captain Sandoval’s dragon squads, they have defeated the ambush; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ Otherwise, the PCs must fight through a third fair

encounter, as there was nobody to help them against the ambushers. If the PCs survive, they have finally defeated the ambush.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R If the PCs survive the ambush, alone or with NPC aid, they may take their share of the assassins’ belongings (50 gold each in jewellery and barter items for each of the three encounters the PCs fought through). The PCs also encounter further instructions from the Zapoteca’s mysterious Spanish ally, indicating they should make it look like the Totonaca killed the soldiers. If Lieutenant Landa is still with the PCs, he recognises the handwriting in the notes – it’s from Don Francisco De Montejo, one of Cortés right-hand men and the current Mayor of the Vera Cruz outpost. The PCs now have proof of Montejo’s Plot. Once the PCs have dealt with the ambush, return to the beginning of Chapter III to decide their next course of action.

Encounter 61: Wandering the Wilds This encounter takes place only if the PCs wish to explore the Totonaca wilderness in search for adventure. If you wish the PCs to have an encounter during their exploration, pick one of the following encounters, or draw a card to choose it randomly: 1. The PCs encounter some ancient Totonaca ruins. If the PCs wish to land or rest in the ruins, ask them to Perform a Hard Perception or Knowledge Check (difficulty: 9(1)). ■ If the check succeeds, the PCs find ancient hieroglyphs indicating the location of an ancient Totonaca citadel. ■ If they wish to decipher the location, ask them to Perform a second Hard Perception or Knowledge Check (difficulty: 9(1)). ■ If the first check was successful with a positive consequence, or if the second check succeeds, the PCs decipher the map, and realise the positions of the stars indicate the location of a lost Totonaca city called ‘The Thunder’. The PCs have gained Directions to the Thunder, if they didn’t have them already.

The PCs may spend the night at the ruins with no further trouble. Proceed to After the Encounter 2. The PCs encounter a swarm of giant bees, which attack their dragon in flight. Create a +1 encounter using giant bee swarm. If the PCs survive, proceed to After the Encounter. 3. The PCs encounter Totonaca scouts hunting across the area. If the PCs approach the Totonaca, they greet them cordially, but prefer to continue on alone, as the PCs and their dragon are too noisy for them to hunt anything effectively. The Totonaca are good hunters, and have lots of food to sell to the PCs in exchange for barter items. ■ If the PCs attack the Totonaca, create a +1 encounter using Totonaca warriors. If the PCs use their dragon in the fight, the Totonaca flee in panic. If the PCs survive, proceed to After the Encounter.

4. The PCs come to a river where they may land, rest and refill their waterskins. If they do, they see a man drowning, or at least his hand coming out of the water; if the PCs approach, they discover it was an Ahuizotl. 231

■ Create an encounter using an Ahuizotl. If the PCs survive, proceed to After the Encounter.

5. The PCs encounter a storm that batters their dragon with wind and rain. Ask the dragon rider to perform a Riding action against a TSE that plays 3 cards to fly the dragon safely through the storm. ■ If the action succeeds, the dragon rider must

perform a second Riding action against a TSE that plays 3 cards to safely cross the storm. ■ If the second action succeeds, or the first action was successful with a positive consequence, the PCs are safely out of the storm; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the action fails, the dragon is caught in the winds; every PC loses one health and they become lost in the storm. ■ The PCs must succeed at a Normal Perception or Survival Check (difficulty: 6(1)) to find their way back to the beginning of Chapter III and decide their next destination; if the check fails, they are lost and must run Encounter 61 again before finding their way again. ■ If the action is a failure with a negative consequence, it counts as a normal failure, plus a lightning bolt lands on the dragon; all PCs must perform an Athletic or Riding action against a TSE that plays 3 cards, losing health equal to the difference between final action values.

Once the PCs have experienced the consequences or success or failure, the storm abates, and you may proceed to After the Encounter. 6. The PCs encounter a mixcoatl, a flying serpent, a bit larger than their dragon but smaller than the average local dragon. The beast hovers in front of them, deciding whether to eat them or not. If the PCs attempt to parley with the mixcoatl, ask them to Perform a Charisma action against a TSE that plays 3 cards. If the action succeeds, the mixcoatl listens to the PCs’ words and then leaves, amused at the bravery of these mortals. If the PCs ask the mixcoatl about their mission or the Totonaca lands, he just laughs at them and says this: ‘You hair-faces are made of deceit. You deceive each other, deceive yourselves. What you look for is a deception, the clues you’ve been given are deceptions. And each deceiver is being deceived in turn. There isn’t a thing in your quest, in the goal 232

you pursue, that is not a lie’. That said, the Mixcoatl leaves without another word. If the action fails, or if the PCs attack the mixcoatl, create an encounter using a mixcoatl dragon. The PCs’ dragon may act and fight in this battle; the dragon rider can decide whether to act in her turn or give her turn to the dragon, playing cards and making combat choices in the dragon’s name. If the PCs survive the meeting, proceed to After the Encounter.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER Once the PCs deal with the encounter, or if you decide not to put the PCs through an encounter right now, they may now rest, draw cards and try to regain spirit. Then, they may continue their travels to the encounter they were heading to originally. If the PCs had no fixed destination before the encounter, return to the beginning of Chapter III to choose one.

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Scene 19: the battle of tizapancingO Play this scene once the PCs have convinced Xicomecoatl, the Cempoalteca lord ,to officially request Spanish military aid against the Mexica. The PCs escort Xicomecoatl back to Vera Cruz, where both forces prepare for a historic diplomatic meeting.

For a moment, looking at the greed, the lust for plunder that peeks behind the grim purpose of Cortés’ captains and soldiers, you wonder if you’re doing the right thing. But the flags with the symbol of Christ and the Spanish crown still flap to the wind; the Lord still looks down on you with His blessing. What can be wrong? The PCs have been chosen to march with the first Spanish incursion into Mexica controlled territory, a battle that History shall record as the prologue to a long and bloody invasion. If Montejo was arrested, Captain De Sandoval allows the PCs to interrogate him if they haven’t done so already; he confesses he always was on Velázquez’ pocket, and did it all to become Adelantado of the Indies instead of Velázquez or Cortés. Otherwise, the PCs must ready themselves as they wish; they may rest, draw cards and try to regain Spirit. Once they’re ready to march with the troop, proceed to Encounter 62.

The trip to Vera Cruz requires about a full morning’s journey; the convoy reaches the Spanish garrison by midday. The PCs may fly or scout ahead to warn Cortés of the coming of the Totonaca visitors.

Encounter 62: Dissidents

In any event, Lord Xicomecoatl and his retinue find the Spanish garrison ready to receive them, and the leaders of both groups enact an official request for aid, granting Cortés permission to intervene militarily against the Mexica in Totonaca territory.

As the troop – just over four hundred soldiers in all – prepares to leave, the PCs come across a small commotion in a corner of the garrison. It’s the corner assigned to Diego de Ordás and his men, which the PCs may know from their first missions at Vera Cruz.

Read the following aloud after the Ceremony: After a quick exchange of words and gifts, Cortés and Xicomecoatl embrace and swear a temporary alliance. Both Cortés and Malinalli, his mysterious witch-lover, are all smiles and poise, but you can tell they are eager to begin pillage incursions into the Western lands, which this deal finally allows. With this, Cortés takes the first solid step to beat Governor Velázquez to the treasures of this land; now, truly, the conquest of the New World has begun. After the ceremony, Cortés orders half his soldiers and captains, an elite force of foot mercenaries and dragon riders as the Western World has rarely seen together, to march West to the occupied city of Tizapancingo. You and your patron, Captain De Sandoval, are part of this company, and Cortés himself leads the march. How strange it is, to be among Catholic soldiers again. The smell of war, of dirt and horse sweat, the clangour of steel, gun salutes and snare drums, plunging you back to earth, after so many days in a strange otherworld of serene music, demon-painted walls and perfumed men.

If the PCs approach the commotion, they find that some soldiers are arguing, struggling and pushing others out of the way, heading not to the Villa’s main exit, but to the beach. They are loaded with baggage and supplies for a sea journey. One of the other soldiers tells the PCs that Friar Juan Díaz, one of the garrison priests, has convinced a few men to desert and turn back to Cuba. Cortés is already on the other side of the Villa, beginning the march to Cempoallan; the deserters expect to be off before he or another official notices it. ■ If the PCs try to stop the deserters and talk to them, Friar Juan Díaz confronts them angrily:

‘You can’t stop us! God is on our side!’ ‘I know you, Captain Sandoval’s pampered favourites’. ‘Cortés promised this would be a raid of exploration and pillage, not a long-term campaign for his own aggrandizement. Nobody signed up for this; you can’t begrudge these good christians for wanting to return to their haciendas in Cuba’.

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If the PCs wish to convince the mutineers to stay, ask them to perform a Charisma action, confronted by a Christian missionary’s competent skill. Apply one advantage or one disadvantage to the action, depending on whether the PCs use good or bad arguments. If the PCs win the confrontation, the mutineers grudgingly agree to stay and take part in the attack on Tizapancingo. Mark that Juan Díaz stayed with Cortés, and proceed to Encounter 63. If the PC lose the confrontation, or let the deserters leave unmolested, they continue their hurried preparations to set sail. Mark that Juan Díaz left for Cuba and proceed to Encounter 63. ■ If the PCs run back to warn Cortés about the deserters, they find Captain De Sandoval, who immediately sends soldiers to stop the deserters and bring them to Cortés. Cortés fines the deserters, taking one horse or its value in coin from each of them, and forces them, including Juan Díaz, to march with him ahead of the troop. Mark that Juan Díaz stayed with Cortés, and run Encounter 63. ■ If the PCs leave the matter be and join the Tizapancingo advance force without saying anything, mark that Juan Díaz left for Cuba, and move to Encounter 63.

Encounter 63: The Path to Tizapancingo Read the following aloud to narrate the trip to Tizapancingo: The next morning, Cortés’ armed force, consisting of 400 Spanish soldiers plus a thousand Chontal mercenaries, reaches the outskirts of Cempoallan, where thousands of Totonaca warriors join your force. Xicomecoatl himself marches ahead his troops, bravely sitting in a canopied palanquin, followed by his whole court of beautiful officials, each carried into battle by six tameme porters. The Fat Chieftain salutes Cortés, and they stop the march to exchange formal addresses and oaths; you watch from afar as they embrace like old comrades and then turn to give the order to advance. And suddenly you and the Totonaca are all part of the same formation. It’s remarkable how different, yet similar, the military organisations of both worlds are. The Chontal and Totonaca go to war almost naked, with no mounted force or dragons of any kind; they are also much more contained and disciplined than your rowdy mercenary 234

unit, and they have a higher proportion of war priests than a Christian army. Yet you are alike in essence; all of these soldiers have that look, the one that you have learned to recognise in your long years of experience. Foot soldiers don’t understand life as civilised, civlian people do. They don’t delude themselves that anything is precious or irreplaceable. They are all ready to die, willing to lay down their lives in the name of the rites of their culture or the ambition of their leaders. In this, New World soldiers resemble you more than they resemble their own lords and families. The expendable troops of any nation are all a single class, and their noble masters another one, regardless of language, faith or culture. The journey to Tizapancingo takes a little over two days, due to the slow movement of infantry troops; even dragon units like yours have to walk most of the time, with permissions for dragon flight given only scarcely, and only for brief reconaissance jaunts. Her dragon is there. And she is on it, waiting her turn to scout like everyone else. And you know she’s watching you, though she doesn’t look in your direction. Doña Cristina Díaz, Alvarado’s chief dragon rider. ‘That’s her’, says Captain De Sandoval, having spotted Doña Cristina at the same time as you. ‘She and her two friends, Pérez Negro and that creepy friar, are the only other squad with knowledge of the Tizapancingo maps. They know about you, and they know that you know’. Just then, the sentries give out a warning; native scouts have spotted the outskirts of Tizapancingo. Captain Sandoval’s expression hardens. ‘And here we are’. ‘As soon as the battle begins, as soon as our first troops break into Tizapancingo, sneak the city and find the maps. They’ ll try the same. Your job is to do it first’. After this conversation, the PCs notice a gradual increase in farmsteads and tilled land; they are approaching the lands under Tizapancingo’s protectorate. Let the PCs make any preparations they wish in the eve of the battle; this is their last breath before their mission begins. When they are ready to continue, the PCs notice that… wait, is that a battle? Have the attacks already started? No.

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Some soldiers, both Spanish and Totonaca, are attacking the farms, setting fire to the thatched houses and routing the terrified civilians. ■ If the PCs allow this to happen, assuming it’s an in-

evitable part of warfare, the troop marches on, ignoring these incidents, and soon all the fields southeast of Tizapancingo are burning from the raids of the advancing force; a warning of what’s coming to the city. Proceed to Encounter 64. ■ If the PCs express any desire to stop the pillaging, Captain De Sandoval agrees and heads out with a small troop, including the PCs, to at least go look into the matter. She yells for the raiders to stop, demanding an explanation, and even kicks a Spanish soldier that was trying to run away with two stolen chickens.

As Captain De Sandoval leads the troop among the pillagers, freezing the Totonaca hearts as much as the Spanish ones, the leader of the raid faces you: it’s Pedro De Alvarado. He’s flanked by Doña Cristina and her men, just like you’re escorting Captain De Sandoval. She speaks first, barely reining in her anger. ‘Say Alvarado, is this how we teach Christian values to the local populace?’ ‘Why, Captain, I believe it is’. ‘The Captain ordered no Totonaca harmed. Not even with the aid of other Totonaca’. ‘Aren’t you the friend of the disposessed, now? I must warn you that it’s not fashionable anymore for smelly soldiers to be canonised. You chose the wrong career path’. ‘That must be why you wear more perfume than me, Alvarado. But I’m not here to trade quips. Order your men to stop and return what they’ve stolen. Right now’. ‘Or what, Captain De Sandoval?’ At this, Doña Cristina pulls out her estoc, and her companions shift into a combat stance. She looks at you intently, not bothering to hide that she’s dreamed about this moment for a while now. Captain De Sandoval reaches for her sword, but doesn’t dare to answer Alvarado’s challenge right away. He’s of a higher rank than her, and she started this fight; Cortés might not like such dissension. Involuntarily, almost agains her will, she glances sideways at you. As always, what happens next depends on the PCs’ actions. ■ If the PCs try to stop the confrontation, be it by intimidating or by pacifying Alvarado’s forces, ask them

to perform a Charisma action, confronted by Pedro De Alvarado’s competent Skill. If the PCs win the confrontation, everyone lets go of their weapons, and Alvarado orders his men to return to the ranks. If the PCs get a critical success, Alvarado also orders the pillagers, both Totonaca and Spanish, to return what they’ve stolen from the peasants. Then, the voice of a man screams approval. Go to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs draw weapons, standing with their Captain, Doña Cristina and her two companions leap at the PCs immediately. Create an encounter using Doña Cristina, Pérez Negro and Friar Cosmes. Captain De Sandoval and Captain De Alvarado take no part in the fight – they’re sword-dueling each other.

As soon as one of the PCs or one of the NPCs falls down, be it traumatised or bleeding out, a roaring order comes to stop the battle; proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs tell Captain De Sandoval to turn back and leave Alvarado alone, she agrees and lets go of her weapon.

‘My loyalty to this expedition is greater than my need to show you manners, Alvarado. And greater than yours’. ‘Yeah, yeah, you tell yourself that tonight, while you keep praying that the Captain will notice you’. As Sandoval and the PCs return to their place in the troop, Alvarado’s men and many Totonaca, continue raiding the farms. They keep at it all the way to Tizapancingo. Proceed to Encounter 64.

AFTER TH E ENC OUNTER A sudden command stops everyone in their tracks. It’s the Captain, Hernando Cortés himself, with Cristóval de Olid and other lieutenants. The PCs cannot see Cortés clearly, as they stand facing the sun; but they can hear as he quickly and curtly demands the pillaging to stop. ‘Yeah, yeah’, spits Alvarado, ‘and you’ ll have your biographer write how generous you were, and how you made us return every chicken. You hypocrite’. Despite his defiance, Alvarado turns back and angrily orders his men to stop the raids and return what they stole. Cortés just smiles with self-satisfaction, and turns back to ride with his other captains. Sandoval rides behind him, but she nods at you in silent thanks for your support.

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Somebody else turns to look at you as she walks away. Doña Cristina won’t forget this. When you form rank again, Cortés is already haranguing the troop. You cannot make out all the words, but you notice something to the effect that if any soldier, Spanish or Totonaca, is caught pillaging or stealing, it shall mean they were using this ‘righteous attack’ as an ‘excuse to rob and kill’. He also says something like ‘traitors to the Expedition and myself ’, and that traitors shall be put to death. You also notice he hadn’t said anything before Sandoval intervened. And so the encounter ends. Let the PCs draw cards if they need it during the last stretch of the journey; a few hours later, the troop finally reaches Tizapancingo. Run Encounter 64.

Encounter 64: The Battle Read the following when the trip continues: As Tizapancingo, a large city with the Totonaca-style pyramids and structures the PCs are now faimilar with, comes into view, a group of envoys comes to meet your army. Sandoval has you march to the front, so you’ ll be on hand whatever happens. Xicomecoatl, the Totonaca Lord, advances to meet these envoys; Cortés and his witch, Malinalli, come right behind. You listen to their words from a distance, The diplomats come from Tizapancingo. They’re asking for mercy. It turns out the Mexica garrison retreated from the city when they saw the Totonaca forces approaching; Tizapancingo is defenceless. The three envoys, crying and pleading, ask why do Cortés and Xicomecoatl wish to harm them, to harm their people. The people of Tizapancingo are willing to offer tribute for their lives, but they beg the invading army to turn back, to leave their city be. Cortés nods gravely and confers with Malinalli. Xicomecoatl believes it’s ‘a ruse by the cowardly Tizapancinca’, to save their Mexica masters; Alvarado demands the army attacks even if the story is true, claiming that ‘the Mexica will come to us then’. Behind him, Doña Cristina and her men are already on dragonback, just waiting for a signal. Sandoval orders you to do the same. Then 236

Cortés

summons

his

captains,

including

Alvarado and Sandoval, to gather and discuss the situation. Alvarado commands both your group and Doña Cristina’s to join them, not willing to take his eyes off you. The PCs are witness to a serious debate between the captains of the Spanish Expedition. Cortés does not wish to be seen as the butcher of harmless citizens, but he doesn’t want to turn back after having come so far into native territory. He believes the army should take possession of the city and accept whatever tribute they are offering. Captain De Sandoval, however, thinks the army should not squander its strength if they are no Mexica to fight; she suggests leaving them alone. Cristóval De Olid agrees, but he insists the army should accept the tribute first. Malinalli thinks entering the city is a deathtrap, and the Mexica and their allies must be laying in ambush; Xicomecoatl was not invited to this conference, but he said the same thing earlier. Alvarado thinks the army should just attack the city and let God sort out the survivors; Doña Cristina, without waiting to be asked for her opinion, backs Alvarado’s proposal. This is rude of her, for sure, but it opens the door for you to intervene if you wish. Here, the PCs have a chance to give their opinion in a discussion that may alter the course of history. ■ If the PCs say nothing, or support Cortés’ proposal, Sandoval changes her vote to enter the city as well, and Cristóval De olid joins the initiative to outvote Alvarado. The Spanish army will take Tizapancingo peacefully, and accept tribute from its locals. Proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs agree with Olid and Sandoval that the army should leave Tizapancingo alone and retreat, Cortés grudgingly sees wisdom in this plan, but agrees to ask the locals for tribute. Proceed to After the Encounter. ■ If the PCs back Alvarado and Malinalli in making a preemptive strike against the city, Sandoval looks at them in stunned surprise, and Doña Cristina smiles as if she had beaten the PCs at something. Cortés yields, or pretends to yield, to the majority, and orders an attack on Tizapancingo.

As the trumpets blare the attack signal and the terrified Totonaca envoys run back to the city to prepare the defence, Sandoval, disappointed in the PCs and ‘hoping they knew what they were doing back there’, orders them to break rank at the first opportunity and search for the House of Records and the lost maps.

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Alvarado looks intently at Doña Cristina – her orders are the same. The race to find the maps is on.

Encounter 65: The Race

Before the PCs can break rank to look for the House of Records, they must take part in the first engagements, as Cortés’ army thunders into Tizapancingo, crashing and burning everything down.

The PC must fly through the city of Tizapancingo and find the Hall of Records before Doña Cristina and her men do.

Create a +1 encounter, using Totonaca Warriors. As the PCs are riding their dragon, neither side can use close-combat weapons or attacks. The dragon takes no part in the encounter, as it’s busy setting fire to houses and other ground troops. If the PCs survive the encounter, ask them to Perform a Stealth action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards, to slip past the main battle and enter the city. If at least one PC succeeds on the action, they find a way out of the battle and into the city; proceed to Encounter 65. If the action fails, create another fair encounter as detailed above, allowing the PCs another action, confronted by another TSE that plays 3 cards, after the encounter. Repeat this until the PCs successfully break from the main battle (proceed to Encounter 65) or die.

A F T E R T H E E N COU N TE R Once it’s decided that Cortés’ army will spare the city of Tizapancingo, the PCs’ role depends on exactly what was decided during the meeting with Cortés’ captains. ■ If the army entered Tizapancingo, the locals cower and spit before their conquerors, but they don’t attack. Now, while Cortés and Olid meet with the city leaders and make inventory of the city treasury, Sandoval and Alvarado signal their respective teams to search Tizapancingo for the maps.

The race is on. Proceed to Encounter 65. ■ If the army turned back without entering Tizapancingo, Cortés and Olid demand the tribute offered in return for peace. Here, the PCs may think of asking the city envoys to include the Mexica maps with the tribute; if they don’t, Captain De Sandoval suggests it anyway, but award the PCs 5 extra experience points if they come up with the idea first.

When the Totonaca envoys arrive with the Mexica maps, Sandoval asks for the maps and gives them to the PCs, asking them to leave right away to find the lost gold. The PCs now have Directions to The Thunder, and are ready for their last mission. Proceed to Scene 17.

Ask the PCs to perform a Riding action, confronted by a TSE that plays 2 cards. The PCs gain 1 advantage if the city is currently under attack. If all PCs lose the confrontation, Doña Cristina’s group reaches the Hall of Records first; proceed to After the Encounter. If at least one PC wins the confrontation, they have found the Tizapancingo Hall of Records; they must now reach it before Doña Cristina does. Ask the PCs to perform an Athletics, Riding or Survival action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. The PCs gain one advantage if they obtained a positive consequence in the previous action, plus one advantage if they defeated any member of Doña Cristina’s group during Encounter 63. If all PCs lose the confrontation, they find Doña Cristina’s group leaving the Hall with the maps; proceed to After the Encounter. If at least one PC wins the confrontation, they have reached the Hall of Records before Doña Cristina. They cannot land their dragon in their street, so they have to ask it to wait for them outside the city while they enter the building. If the Spanish entered the city peacefully, the Totonaca guards protecting the hall allow the PCs to pass; proceed to Encounter 65 Conversation. If the city is currently under attack, create a -2 encounter, using Totonaca guards. If the PCs survive the encounter, they may enter the Hall of Records now. Proceed to Encounter 65 Conversation.

ENC OUNTER 65 C ONVERSATI ON The Hall of Records of Tizapancingo, like all Mexica architecture, is a beautiful stone building with colourfully decorated walls. The tlacuilomeh librarians are intimidated by the PCs, but still demand they spare the records and documents in the hall. ■ If the PCs attack the librarians, they offer no resistance and are easily killed; the PCs may now search for the maps. ■ If the PCs ask for the maps to The Thunder, the librarians tell them they have no such thing, as they don’t know the package from the Cempoallan tlacuilo

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contained such maps; however, they let the PCs search for the maps.

frontation, they may finish the battle; otherwise, their enemies have escaped with the maps.

■ If the PCs ask for some maps the tlacuilo of Cempoallan sent here, the librarians do know which maps the PCs are talking about, and gladly give them to the PCs. Proceed to After the Encounter.

■ If the PCs failed to even find the Hall of Records, they spot Doña Cristina’s dragon leaving the city, and must now give chase.

■ If the PCs push the librarians aside, or promise not

to harm the records, they may search for the maps on their own.

If the PCs search for the maps of The Thunder, ask them to perform a Perception or Knowledge action, confronted by a TSE that plays 3 cards. The PCs gain one advantage if they saw the tlacuilo’s other maps during Encounter 25, plus one advantage if they obtained a positive consequence in the action to find the library. They suffer one disadvantage if they attacked the librarians, plus one disadvantage if they attacked the entrance guards. If the PCs win the confrontation, they find the maps; they now have Directions to The Thunder. Proceed to After the Encounter.

A FT E R T H E E N COU N TE R What happens after the encounter depends on whether the PCs won or lost the race to the Thunder maps. ■ If the PCs found the Hall of Records before Doña Cristina, she intercepts them as they are leaving the building. Create an encounter using Doña Cristina Díaz, Pérez Negro and Friar Cosmes. If any of the three was defeated or killed during Encounter 63, they don’t appear in this battle.

If the PCs have directions to the Thunder, they may disengage at any time by succeeding on an Athletics or Stealth action, confronted by Doña Cristina’s Competent Skill. If they succeed, they have escaped the fight with the maps. ■ If the PCs found the Hall of Records, but Doña Cristina got there first, it’s the PCs that intercept Doña Cristina as she is leaving the building, after both teams have dispatched their dragons to the city outskirts. Create an encounter using Doña Cristina Díaz, Pérez Negro and Friar Cosmes. If any of the three was defeated or killed during Encounter 63, they don’t appear in this battle.

Since Doña Cristina’s team already has the maps, they escape the fight if the PCs fail to damage them during the first round. Ask the PCs to perform an Athletics action, confronted by Doña Cristina (or her surviving companion)’s Competent Skill. If the PCs win the con-

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Create an encounter using Doña Cristina Díaz, Pérez Negro and Friar Cosmes. If any of the three was defeated or killed during Encounter 63, they don’t appear in this battle. Both teams’ dragons take part in the battle, and attack each other on their own turns as their human riders fight among themselves. Since Doña Cristina’s team already has the maps, they escape the fight if the PCs fail to damage them during the first round. Ask the dragonrider PC to perform a Riding action, confronted by Doña Cristina (or her surviving companion)’s Competent Skill. If the PC wins the confrontation, they overtake their enemies and may finish the battle; otherwise, their enemies have escaped with the maps. After the fight, if the PCs defeated Doña Cristina or escaped with the map, they now have Directions to The Thunder if they didn’t already. They may return to Captain Sandoval, who immediately asks them to fly in search of the place in the maps; proceed to Scene 17. If Doña Cristina’s team escaped with the map, the PCs must return to Captain De Sandoval emptyhanded; their mission has failed. Proceed to Scene 20.

Scene 20: the enD Several days later, you are drinking with Captain De Sandoval, sharing the most recent news after the lost gold fiasco. Let the PCs lead the conversation as they wish; the Captain’s comments and answers depend on what the PCs did during the adventure. ■ If the PCs did NOT take the Mexica Side during their reports in Scene 15, Cortés is currently in Cempoallan, trying to impose Christian faith among the Totonaca.

‘There are precious little news; the Captain is still at Cempoallan, bringing down their idols and trying to force the locals into The Faith. You know, the usual’. ‘But the last time he was here, he had a letter written to the Kings of Spain. Aye, and he sent Hernández

conquista dor’s gold

Portocarrero with that letter, along with some of the gifts we got from the Mexica and Totonaca’. ‘Well, this should prove that the Captain is truly doing the Crown a service with this campaign, whatever Velázquez wants to claim’. ■ If the PCs took the Mexica Side during their reports in Scene 15, De Sandoval is now the last Spanish officer remaining in Vera Cruz.

‘Affairs go as well as could be expected, thank the Lord. Running this outpost is both a lot more work than I could have imagined, and much easier than I feared’. ‘Oh, the Mexica sent a few soldiers to help us keep the embassy safe. Have you seen them? Disciplined people, they are. They look brave’. ‘The Captain sends his regards, by the way; his messengers had little else to say, as he and Alvarado are busy retaking the Santa María outpost. I did tell you the Yok’atán took it back, didn’t I? Bah, surely Cortés and Alvarado have reconquered it as we speak. Those two men could have taken the Mexica Empire on their own, I tell you’. ‘No, I prefer to be at peace with the Mexica. I feel bad about our Totonaca hosts – they had such hopes on using us to gain their freedom – but such are the fortunes of war, and the ways of God our Lord’. ‘I guess if Father Díaz hadn’t returned to Cuba with the rest of Velázquez’ partidaries, we’ d be spreading the Word of God among the locals; for now, it’s enough to have our own church. Conversion will come when the Captain returns from Yok’atán’. ■ If the PCs brought proof of Montejo’s Plot, Captain De Sandoval goes on to tell he was arrested and sent away.

‘But we also sent Montejo in chains aboard that boat. That’s what eases my mind the most; mark my words, that man was the greatest danger to our Captain and our quest’. ‘Left to his own devices, he would have become Adelantado, as he called himself among the locals, and surely stolen all the credit and rewards due our own efforts, by my Faith’. ‘Now he’s out of favour with Spain, out of favour with Velázquez and out of our hair, thank the Lord. No, not the Lord – thanks to you. Cheers to that’. ■ If the PCs did not bring proof of Montejo’s Plot,

Captain De Sandoval finishes by telling Montejo was aboard that ship too. ‘Montejo volunteered to go as well, to help defend

the Captain’s case. But I don’t like it. He’s as likely to betray the Captain as he is to pretend loyalty for some ulterior motive’. ‘Oh, I bet my swords that, as soon as they set foot in Cuba, Montejo will go to Velázquez and convince him to send more captains against Cortés. Or worse, he will ask for Velázquez support and then ask the King himself to appoint him ruler of the New World, with a whole fleet just for him… Mark my words, that man will be trouble later on’. ■ If Scene 19 took place, the Totonaca are ambivalent about the Spanish.

‘Nothing else, nothing else… The Totonaca have kept control of Tizapancingo. The Mexica tried to return, but the locals routed them with extreme prejudice. We will have to watch that city closely’. ‘We still have the support of Xicomecoatl’s army; we can now advance into Mexica lands whenever we like. But I think the Totonaca are still stung about the Captain burning their idols and demanding they worship the Holy Virgin’. ‘I’m mostly ashamed for you, who went to all that trouble to prove that we weren’t the ones defacing their idols, only to have the Captain wreck them right to Xicomecoatl’s face. That’s spreading the Word for you’. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m as good a Christian as any. But I think this world would be much more peaceful if we weren’t forced to observe such rituals, such zeal… ah, don’t mind me. I’m just a soldier, what do I know’. ■ If the PCs killed Chawaná or the Un Takám agents at Scene 18, there have been some attacks…

‘Well, there’s somethign that worries me, to be honest. The Totonaca are… less tolerant of us than they used to. If we’re going to cross their lands, we should do it soon. They grow more hostile with every week. Soon they won’t ever allow us into their lands anymore, much less march with us against the Mexica… or anywhere else’. ‘I don’t know… it’s like some anti-Christian faction was gaining influence behind them, instigating the Totonaca rulers against us’. ■ If the PCs ended in good terms with the Un Takám and did NOT take the Mexica Side, the Spanish have new allies…

‘A few Totonaca men and woman came to my tent, claiming to be ambassadors of some lord’s coalition. They have offered their intelligence services in our war against the Mexica’. ‘We haven’t yet marched against the Mexica, and 239

conquista dor’s gold

already these agents have been incredibly useful, providing us with maps and schedules of the Mexica troops’ movements. We may yet conquer these lands’. ■ If the PCs killed Doña Cristina Díaz, Alvarado has become an enemy of the PCs.

‘Captain De Alvarado has not forgiven you for the death of his best dragon rider, mind you’. ‘Oh, I don’t think he begrudges you her life. No, he’s mad that you beat her, that you made him lose the race for the lost gold. He will get back at you because you made him look like a fool. But he will get back at you, soon as he can. Be… be careful, all right?’ ■ If the PCs failed to kill Doña Cristina Díaz, she is the

one that has sworn vengeance against the PCs.

‘You should watch your back against Doña Cristina, by the way’. ‘I can keep her away from you while in the garrison, but… keep a sharp eye when you’re out, that’s all I shall say’. ‘Well, I guess she will never forgive your meddling into that lost gold business’. ■ If the PCs failed to learn the Secret of the Empty Chest, De Sandoval considers it all a failure.

‘There I go, reminding you of all that. My apologies’. ‘No, it’s just that… I don’t hold it against you, all right? God knows it was a damn long shot, trying to find a single gold chest in a whole New World. If it even existed’. ‘Never mind. Perhaps this will be a step forward for us. A small step, toward focusing less on gold chests and more on… oh, you know… not being assholes to each other’. ‘Yeah, for most of us, this entire new continent is nothing but a stash of gold chests. I may be going against custom, here… but… I don’t know, all right? I don’t know why. But I am glad that we failed to find it. I am’. ■ If the PCs learned the Secret of the Empty Chest,

she has her own secret to share.

‘Ha ha, I just love how it all turned out’. ‘Yeah, isn’t that hilarious? The chest never had any gold at all! HA!’ ‘Oh, and… uh… well, I have something to tell you’. ‘There was a soldier, name of Díaz, I think... A soldier that worked for Velázquez, that later came aboard the second expedition, and is now among Cortés’ personal troops’. ‘This… this is for your ears only, all right? But this 240

soldier this Díaz… Well, he told me a story’. ‘Oh, he didn’t know anything about the fate of the lost chest… he had believed it was lost to the indians, just like everyone else’. ‘But he knew about the chest before that’. ‘This Díaz, he… you have to swear you won’t share this with anyone, soldiers. On your lives’. ‘Díaz, he told me… He told me that another Captain, one that didn’t work for either Montejo or Velázquez, paid him. Paid Díaz to switch the contents of the chest, before it ever left Cuba’. ‘Yes. If Díaz is to be believed, and I’m not saying he is to be believed, but if he is, the chest came here, but the 50,000 ducados never left Cuba’. ‘And Montejo never knew this; not even Velázquez, who always kept the key of the chest to himself – why, he may still have it hanging from his neck for all we know. They never had any idea that the chest’s contents had been switched by the time Montejo took it onboard during the first trip’. ‘Of course Díaz, didn’t tell me who the other Captain was, the man who paid him to switch the gold. But… well, he must have been a hidalgo, someone that was in Cuba and knew about the expedition. Someone that suddenly, overnight, had enough money to hire men and afford his own expedition, regardless of whether Velázquez backed it or not… A man that, when everyone else was looking for the gold, did not care that much about it. Because he’ d have spent it all already. A man that, aware of it all, cheated everyone else’. ‘…But why speculate? We may never know’. ‘You can look for Díaz and ask him for the whole story. His full name was something Bernardo… Bernal? Bernal Díaz Del something. Perhaps he made it all up; he’s quite good at telling a tale. But who knows, maybe he will tell you who his mysterious captain was’. ‘Oh, by the way… on another subject entirely… the Captain, our Captain, asked me to give you his apologies’. ‘No, he did not say why. I thought you would know’. However, Sandoval’s expression suggests that she knows.

t h e n e w daw n

NpcS NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS ( N P C S ) are characters controlled

by the GM. They are the key to many stories, and they can be friends, foes, or simply neutral. They can be as simple or as complex as the GM wants: she is in charge of developing their backstories, if they need them. While with many NPCs most interactions will consist of talking or trading, others might perform actions and engage in confrontations.

P

LE AS E , S E E D C A ’ S Core Book for the rules to use NPCs and the stats of common NPCs. The New Dawn campaigns introduce some new NPCs, some common (e.g. Drakkar warrior) and some named NPCs (e.g. Doña Cristina). These have been specially introduced for this campaigns in particular, but feel free to use them however you want.

Drakkar warrior LEVEL 2

INIT IAT IV E 6

skills C OMPETENT

6 (2)

MED IOC R E

5 (2)

attacks MELEE Rea c h 3, c o nc ussi v e

health 6

4

thr eshold 2

SOFT A R MOUR

2

HA R D A R MOUR

1

abilities SHIELD 3: ACTION (Melee): Uses this action against a Shooting action that targets him, gains one advantage. If he is successful, he cancels up to 3 of that damage. REACTION: If he loses a confrontation against an attack by up to 3 points, he cancels up to 3 of that damage. Limited to 3 times per Scene (in total, between the action and the reaction). CHARGE: REACTION: After performing a running action, if an enemy is within Melee range, it can automatically perform an attack against him, if successful, it will deal one additional damage. Having already performed an action does not cause Exhaustion for this additional action.

The New Dawn campaigns introduce the following new common NPCs: Drakkar warrior, Drakkar berseker, Michintecatl, Tentacle beast, Totonaca warrior, Un Takam agent, Un Takam leader, and Giant Bee swarm. And, the following named characters: Doña Cristina, Perez Negro, Frier Cosmes, Sister Kana, Chawana, and Xtakat Luwa.

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NO ID BEHA VIOUR : A GGR ESSIVE ‡ LA NGUA GES: O N E NA TIVE LA NGUA GE MOVEMENT: 1 0 METR ES SPEC IA L SENSES: NONE R ESOUR C E: 1 x LEA THER SHIELD 241

Drakkar berseker LE V E L 2

Michintecatl

I N I T I A T IVE 6

skills

LEVEL 2

INITIAT IV E 4

skills

COM PE TE N T

6 (2 )

C OMPETENT

4 (2)

ME D I OC R E

5 (2 )

MED IOC R E

4 (1)

attacks ME L E E R e a c h 4 , p i erc i n g

health 6 SO FT AR M O UR

attacks 5

thr eshold 3 2

MELEE Rea c h 2, v eno mo us 2

health 4

2

thr eshold 2

SOFT A R MOUR

HAR D AR M O UR

HA R D A R MOUR

abilities

abilities

BERSEKER: Cannot suffer extra damage as a positive consequence of an attack against him.

WATER-ONLY CREATURE: It can move on water at regular speed. If both the michintecatl and its target are submerged or partially submerged in water, the teomichin gains one advantage towards physical actions. It cannot survive outside water for longer than one minute and it suffers one disadvantage during that time.

CHARGE: REACTION: After performing a running action, if an enemy is within Melee range, it can automatically perform an attack against him, if successful, it will deal one additional damage. Having already performed an action does not cause Exhaustion for this additional action.

S I ZE : N O RMA L ‡ T Y PE : H U MA N O I D B E H AV I OUR : A G G RE S S I V E ‡ L A N G U A G E S : ONE NATIVE LANGUAGE M OV E M E N T : 1 0 M E T RE S S PEC I A L S E N S E S : N O N E R E S OUR C E : 1 x T W O - H A N D E D BA T T L E A X E 242

2

MICHINTECATL VENOM: REACTION: After being affected by this venom, you cannot breath in open air, but you can breath underwater. The venom’s effect disappear after 48/Xh, where X is the character’s Threshold, alternatively, it can be cured with a magical Medical action.

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NOID BEHA VIOUR : A GGR ESSIVE ‡ LA NGUA GES: N O N E MOVEMENT: 1 0 METER S SPEC IA L SENSES: UND ER W A TER BR EA THER (AN Y) R ESOUR C E: x -

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Doña Cristina

Tentacle beast LE V E L 4

I N I T I A TIVE 9

LEVEL 4

INIT IAT IV E 5

skills

skills C OM PE TE N T

2 (2 )

C OMPETENT

9 (3)

M E D I OC R E

1 (1 )

MED IOC R E

6 (2)

attacks

attacks M E L E E R e a c h 3 , g rappl e

2

MELEE Rea c h 3, pi erc i ng MELEE Rea c h 6

health 6

thr eshold -

health 8

3+ 3

thr eshold 2

S O FT AR M O UR

SOFT A R MOUR

1

H AR D AR M O U R

HA R D A R MOUR

3

abilities

abilities

It cannot suffer exhaustion and it has got 8 tentacles. Each tentacle attacks and suffers damage independently, but they move and suffer other effects as a unit (such as fear and venom). After a tentacle performs an action, reduce the beast’s Initiative by one until the end of the Round. After a tentacle dies, reduce the beast’s Initiative by one forever.

DRAGON RIDER: It rides an adult mediterranean dragon. CALM KILLER: Gains one advantage when attacking a Spent character or when attacking by surprise. STEALTHY: Gains one advantage towards Stealth and Perception.

WATER-ONLY CREATURE: It can move on water at regular speed. If both the tentacle beast and its target are submerged or partially submerged in water, the tentacle beastgains one advantage towards physical actions. It cannot survive outside water for longer than one minute and it suffers one disadvantage during that time.

S I ZE: L A RG E ‡ T Y PE : BE A S T B E H AV I O UR : C A U T I O U S ‡ L A N G U A G E S : NONE MO V E ME N T : 1 2 M E T E RS S PE C I AL S E N S E S : U N DE RW A T E R BRE A T H ER (A NY) RE S O U RC E : 8 x A N I MA L

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NO ID BEHA VIOUR : A GGR ESSIVE ‡ LA NGUA G ES: O N E EUR OPEA N LA NGUA GE MOVEMENT: 1 0 METR ES SPEC IA L SENSES: NONE R ESOUR C E: 1 x C ONQUISTA D OR ’ S SWO RD 243

Frier Cosmes

Perez Negro LE V E L 4

I N I T I A T IVE 7

LEVEL 3

INITIAT IV E 3

skills

skills COM PE TE N T

6 (4 )

C OMPETENT

8 (2)

ME D I OC R E

5 (2 )

MED IOC R E

5 (2)

attacks

attacks ME L E E R e a c h 4 , p i erc i n g

2+

RA N G E D R e a c h 1 0 , s eco n d a ry w ea p o n , pi er c i n g,

2+

health 7

thr eshold 2

MELEE Rea c h 2, c o nc ussi v e

health 7

SO FT AR M O UR

1

SOFT A R MOUR

HAR D AR M O UR

2

HA R D A R MOUR

abilities

abilities

DAGGER: REACTION: After dealing Melee damage, deal another instance of 2 damage.

MAGIC RESISTANCE 1

PISTOLS: This weapon’s range is only 20 metres, but it can be shoot in Melee range, gaining one advantage (this allows you to counteract Melee attacks with Shooting). He carries two and it would take him two actions to reload one. DUELIST INSTINCT: INSTANT: During a Melee confrontation force your opponent to play his next card or pass, even if he has a higher action value. Limited to once per confrontation.

3

thr eshold 2 2

SPELLCASTER 8: It knows the Patmos and Seven Seals Scriptures of magic and has 8 Spirit. TORTURER: Gains one advantage to obtain information through torture. CALM KILLER: Gains one advantage when attacking a Spent character or when attacking by surprise.

FIRST BLOOD: REACTION: After damaging a character for the first time during a Scene, if that character was not part of a Formation, he suffers Fear. CALM KILLER: Gains one advantage when attacking a Spent character or when attacking by surprise.

S I ZE : N O RMA L ‡ T Y PE : H U MA N O I D B E H AV I O UR : C U N N I N G ‡ L A N G U A G E S : ONE E U RO PE A N L A N G U A G E M OV E M E N T : 1 2 M E T RE S S PEC I A L S E N S E S : N O N E R E S OURC E : 1 x DU E L I S T S W O RD 244

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NOID BEHA VIOUR : A GGR ESSIVE ‡ LA NGUA GES: O N E EUR OPEA N LA NGUA GE MOVEMENT: 1 0 METR ES SPEC IA L SENSES: NONE R ESOUR C E: 1 x MA GIC OR NA MENT

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Sister Kana LEVEL 4

Chawana I N I T I A TIVE 3

skills

LEVEL 3

INITIAT IV E 4

skills

C O M PE TE N T

8 (3 )

C OMPETENT

8 (3)

MEDIOCRE

5 (1 )

MED IOC R E

5 (1)

attacks M E LE E R e a c h 6

health 7 S OFT AR M O UR

attacks 2

thr eshold 2 1

MELEE Rea c h 1, pi erc i ng, v eno mo us 5

2+

R A NGED Rea c h 10, sec o nda ry wea po n, pi e rcin g

2+

health 5 SOFT A R MOUR

thr eshold 1 1

H AR D AR M OU R

HA R D A R MOUR

abilities

abilities

MAGIC RESISTANCE 2

DAGGER: REACTION: After dealing Melee damage, deal another instance of 2 damage.

SPELLCASTER 12: It knows the Nahualotl, Tonalli, Titici, Tlachixqui, Xihuitl, and Necrophagic schools of magic and has 12 Spirit. WEATHER PRIEST: He is unaffected by his own Spells.

STEALTHY: Gains one advantage towards Stealth and Perception. CAMOUFLAGE: It gains one advantage towards Stealth. BLINDNESS VENOM: REACTION: After being affected by this venom, suffer blindness. Its antidote is the cuetlayochiti plant, which can be obtained as a forestry resource in Anahuac.

S I ZE : N O RMA L ‡ T Y PE : H U MA N O I D B E H AV I OUR : C A U T I O U S ‡ L A N G U A G E S : THR EE NATIVE LANGUAGES M O V E ME N T : 1 0 M E T RE S S PE C I A L S E N S E S : N O N E R E S O URC E : 1 x M A G I C O RN A M E N T

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NOID BEHA VIOUR : C UNNING ‡ LA NGUA GES: TWO N AT IV E LA NGUA GE MOVEMENT: 1 2 METR ES SPEC IA L SENSES: NONE R ESOUR C E: 1 x C A MOUFLA GE C AP E 245

Xtakat Luwa LE V E L 3

Totonaca warrior I N I T I A T IVE 8

skills

LEVEL 2

INITIAT IV E 3

skills

CO M PE TE N T

3 (3 )

C OMPETENT

6 (2)

ME D I O C R E

2 (1 )

MED IOC R E

5 (2)

attacks

attacks

ME LE E R e a c h 2

4

ME LE E R e a c h 5

2

health 6

thr eshold 2

SOFT AR M O UR HAR D AR M OUR

MELEE Rea c h 6

health 5 SOFT A R MOUR

2

2

thr eshold 2 2

HA R D A R MOUR

abilities

abilities

LONG JUMPS: It can jump up to 15 meters forwards or up to 5 meters upwards.

SHIELD 3: ACTION (Melee): Uses this action against a Shooting action that targets him, gains one advantage. If he is successful, he cancels up to 3 of that damage. REACTION: If he loses a confrontation against an attack by up to 3 points, he cancels up to 3 of that damage. Limited to 3 times per Scene (in total, between the action and the reaction).

CAMOUFLAGE: It gains one advantage towards Stealth.

RANK SOLDIER: Gains one advantage towards Discipline while in a Formation. SHIELDWALL: He does not become Spent after using the defensive stance action. REACTION: After an adjacent member of his Formation is the target of an attack, he can benefit from the protection of this shield. This effect stacks with any Protection he may gain from his own shield. It stacks.

S I ZE : S MA L L ‡ T Y P E : DRA G O N B E H AV I O UR : AG G RE S S I V E ‡ L A N G U A G E S : NONE M OV E ME N T : 1 5 M E T E RS S PE C I A L S E N S E S : N O N E R E S O U RC E : 2 x A N I MA L 246

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NOID BEHA VIOUR : A GGR ESSIVE ‡ LA NGUA GES: O N E NA TIVE LA NGUA GE MOVEMENT: 1 0 METR ES SPEC IA L SENSES: NONE R ESOUR C E: 1 x STONE SPEA R

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Un Takam agent LEVEL 2

Un Takám leader I N I T I ATIVE 4

skills

LEVEL 3

INIT IAT IV E 6

skills

C O M PE TE N T

2 (3 )

C OMPETENT

6 (3)

MEDIOCRE

3 (1 )

MED IOC R E

3 (2)

attacks

attacks

M E LE E R e a c h 2 , c o n cu s s i ve

3

R AN G E D R a n g e 1 0 , ra d i u s 3 , f i r e, f l ames 2

health

2+

thr eshold

MELEE Rea c h 2, c o nc ussi v e

3

R A NGED Ra nge 10, ra di us 3, fi re, fla mes 2

health

2+

thr eshold

SO FT AR M O UR

SOFT A R MOUR

HAR D AR M O U R

HA R D A R MOUR

abilities

abilities

SMOKE BOMB: ACTION: Throws a smoke bomb to the ground in front of himself, then he gains two advantages towards a Stealth action to escape the scene or hide close by. Requires to be done in a busy area, allowing him to move out of the cloud undetected. Limited to once per Scene.

SMOKE BOMBS: ACTION: Throws a smoke bomb to the ground in front of himself, then he gains two advantages towards a Stealth action to escape the scene or hide close by. Requires to be done in a busy area, allowing him to move out of the cloud undetected. Limited to once per Round.

S I ZE : N O RMA L ‡ T Y PE : H U MA N O I D B E H AV I OUR : A G G RE S S I V E ‡ L A N G U A G E S: ONE NATIVE LANGUAGE M O V E ME N T : 1 1 M E T RE S S PE C I A L S E N S E S : N O N E R E S O U RC E : 1 x Q U A U H O L O L L I

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NOID BEHA VIOUR : A GGR ESSIVE ‡ LA NGUA G ES: T WO NA TIVE LA NGUA GES MOVEMENT: 1 2 METR ES SPEC IA L SENSES: NONE R ESOUR C E: 1 x QUA UHOLOLL I 247

Giant bee swarm LE V E L 4

Assassin

I N I T I A T I VE 5

skills

LEVEL 3

INITIAT IV E 7

skills

COM PE TE N T

1 (3 )

C OMPETENT

8 (3)

ME D I OC R E

1 (0 )

MED IOC R E

5 (1)

attacks ME L E E R e a c h 8

health 8

attacks X

thr eshold -

MELEE Rea c h 2, pi erc i ng

2+

R A NGED Rea c h 10, sec o nda ry wea po n, pi ercin g

2+

health 5

thr eshold 2

SO FT AR M O UR

SOFT A R MOUR

HAR D AR M O UR

HA R D A R MOUR

abilities

abilities

Non-fire attacks can only deal it one damage. It does not gain Exhaustion and it can perform one attack against each character within its Melee range.

DAGGER: REACTION: After dealing Melee damage, deal another instance of 2 damage.

After successfully attacking, it deals as much damage as the action value difference between itself and its opponent. FLYER: It can fly. While flying and even if it is already Spent, it can perform one free movement action that won’t make it Spent. REACTION: After declaring an attack while flying, it increases its reach by 2.

S I ZE : L A RG E ‡ T Y PE : S W A RM B E H AV I O UR : AG G RE S S I V E ‡ L A N G U A G E S : NONE M OV E ME N T : 1 2 M E T E RS S PEC I A L S E N S E S : N O N E R E S O U RC E : 1 x A N I MA L 248

1

STEALTHY: Gains one advantage towards Stealth and Perception. CALM KILLER: Gains one advantage when attacking a Spent character or when attacking by surprise. FIRST BLOOD: REACTION: After damaging a character for the first time during a Scene, if he was not part of a Formation, he suffers Fear.

SIZE: NOR MA L ‡ TYPE: HUMA NOID BEHA VIOUR : C UNNING ‡ LA NGUA GES: TWO N AT IV E LA NGUA GE MOVEMENT: 1 2 METR ES SPEC IA L SENSES: NONE R ESOUR C E: 1 x ITZTLI K NIFE

1