Death and
Diamondsa! r t x E
Supplemental Material for No Quarter #11’s Ternon Crag Adventure Location
T
he following supplemental material expands the information included in the No Quarter #11 article, “Death and Diamonds.” The majority of this information is intended for GMs and includes expanded descriptions of locations and personalities as well as rumors and plot hooks.
I Am The Law
E
nforcement of Ternon Crag’s laws falls squarely on the broad, but overburdened shoulders of Brue and his deputies. Due in part to the recent rush of new residents, Brue and his men are much slower in their response to trouble. Thus, bar fights, robberies, and duels in the streets are typically over by the time they arrive. To help combat this, Brue occasionally deputizes a trusted individual to assist him. However, the sheer danger of the job has resulted in the untimely deaths of many people, some of which were Brue’s close and dear friends. This puts him in a bind—he’d rather have someone he can trust completely, but doesn’t want to see them killed, leaving him the option of deputizing a less reputable person, which comes with its own problems. Most of the time, Brue deputizes an individual for an extremely short period of time, such as during a riot or larger than normal bar brawl. Depending on the crime, punishment in Ternon Crag can range from relatively mild to brutally severe. Outside of town, justice falls on the hands of whoever is there to mete it out. It is not unusual for miners to string up claim jumpers and thieves near mine entrances as a warning to passers-by. When Brue is involved, he serves as judge, jury, and executioner as the situation warrants. What follows is a brief list of crimes and their punishments in Ternon Crag:
By Dan Weber • Art by Andrew Arconti
(*) Usually preceded by a pistol whipping when arrested.
North Crag Hammer and Gad Offices Once the real power in Ternon Crag, ‘the Gad’ is now facing harsh reality as their influence falls far shorter than they once believed. When they selected Brue Westrone as the Marshal Chief, they believed he was someone they could manipulate. Brue’s almost immediate control of the lawless streets made him invaluable to the town. Brue also made it clear he would not be the Gad’s man. Thye left him in the position out of necessity, but his popularity with the Craggers, combined with Old Thom’s vocal support, have now made him impossible to remove legally. Originally, the Gad had thought about hiring Alten Ashley to “fire” Brue, but a quick conversation with the monster hunter proved he had no interest in such things. Brue has cleaned up the streets once before, and it was good for business—they hope he continues to do so.
The Last Gambit Jarok Croe and his Cutthroats keep a set of rooms in the saloon’s cellar. Although this is not
Friends in Low Places Common (DC 10): The Redstone brothers are a group of four Rhulfolk who hire themselves out to prospectors in need of strong backs and arms. Only the desperate or ignorant seek their assistance, since many of the claims they have worked for suffered some sort of accident, whether it be cave-in, missing equipment, injuries, etc. Uncommon (DC 15): In almost every instance, the Hammer and Gad has purchased the claim from the desperate prospector soon after such an accident. Rare (DC 20): At least one of the brothers has some sort of supernatural ability. Some say he’s a sorcerer with an affinity for working with stone. Obscure (DC 25): The Redstones are on a permanent retainer with the Hammer and Gad, but their actual positions with the company are a mystery.
Long Arm of the Law Common (DC 10): Until recently, Cygnar has ignored the goings-on in Ternon Crag and allowed fugitives to hide in town and live in relative peace. Uncommon (DC 15): With the war’s steady escalation, Cygnar can no longer allow its enemies to hide in plain sight as it has in the past. It is said Scout General Rebald himself has dispatched one or more spies to Ternon Crag to watch the movements of Asheth Magnus and his men. Rare (DC 20): The most plausible candidate is Latan Pyke. He is the newest resident of note in town, and his apothecary skills point to service as a surgeon in Cygnar’s army. Obscure (DC 25): Pyke is under almost constant surveillance by Magnus’ men. Whether Steelhead mercenaries or loyalists, Pyke’s every move is observed and reported back to The Traitor. Very Obscure (DC 30): If the Loyalists catch Pyke in the service of Cygnar, his life is forfeit.
mentioned in polite conversation, it is fairly common knowledge that these criminals can often be found here. Rumors persist there is a set of secret tunnels connecting the Last Gambit to the riverbank. Anyone investigating hard enough learns these rumors are true—the tunnel can be accessed behind one of the cellar’s supply racks and leads to a wellconcealed exit south of the ferry. His motivations unclear, Croe has made rumblings he thinks he would make a better Marshal
Chief than Brue Westrone. Given his criminal past, this seems likely more of a joke than a real interest, but the Hammer and Gad may consider even someone of his standing if it gave them more control over affairs in the town.
Pip & Pop’s Trade Emporium Smaller shops backed by the Hammer and Gad, including Spider’s Prospecting Supply, are slowly but surely chipping away at the gobbers’ business and they are at a loss for what to do. Pip secretly wonders if a few small fires might increase their customer base again. So far, he has not disclosed this with anyone and he realizes that he would need outside assistance to put off such a brazen act.
Death and Diamonds: Ternon Crag Extra
• Public Drunkeness 1 night in Crag Gaol* • Fightin’ 1 night to 6 months in Crag Gaol* • Cheatin’ (at cards, dice, etc.) money split between cheated parties, 1 months hard labor in a Hammer & Gad mine* • Thievin’ – Possessions given to damaged party, 1 year hard labor in a Hammer and Gad mine* • Rapin’ – Death* • Claim Jumpin’ – Death* • Killin’ (unjustified) – Death*
Spider’s Prospecting Supply A failure as a miner, Spider had the wherewithal to sell his strike to the Gad in exchange for enough money to open his own shop, with conditions, of course. The shop primarily caters to prospectors and panners, although Spider is expanding his merchandise as Pip & Pop’s Emporium falls on harder times. The Gad and Hammer take the lion’s share of his profits—far more than anyone could imagine—but Spider seems strangely content about this arrangement.
Willitt and Sons Jackworks Otis’ other son, Mat, was wooed away from the family business when Magnus came to town. Wishing to see the world outside the dusty mining town, Mat offered his services as a bodger and jack handler to the mercenary. 2
Death and Diamonds: Ternon Crag Extra
Impressed with the young man’s abilities, Magnus hired Mat on and has him working on his mechanika and warjacks at the Hull Estate. With this perceived betrayal, Otis announced his son dead to him, even going as far as to scratch out the ‘s’ in Sons on the Jackworks sign. Mat has not been back to see his father since hiring on with Magnus, but is trying to convince his brother, Karl, to join him.
Crag Gaol This ruined outpost has yet to be fully explored. Brue does not have the time or manpower to dig through the sealed chambers, snaking tunnels, and natural caverns connecting them beneath the Gaol. Some prisoners swear they heard voices coming from the floors of their cells, but Brue’s brief investigations have found no access to any area beneath the dungeons. He would be more than happy to allow someone he trusted to do the exploring for him. Unfortunately, trust is in short supply these days. The Idrian ruin’s only surviving tower houses a Caspianmade telescope shipped to Ternon Crag at great expense. While it was once used to watch over the Greybranch Gap for threats coming from the Marches, Brue’s deputies now train its glass eye to the west, now that Magnus spends the occasional night in Ternon Crag.
Brue Westrone Brue is a man caught in the middle of events that could spiral out of his control at any moment. Not only is the Hammer and Gad looking to remove him 3
from his post, but the presence of Magnus and the loyalists lit a slow-burning fuse on a powder keg he fears will destroy the town. Recent sightings of skorne in the Bloodstone Marches only add to the town’s tensions. Brue is fiercely devoted to Ternon Crag, and would give his life to protect it or its inhabitants. He constantly watches the situations in town for angles he can use to his advantage. Brue’s integrity is above reproach, something the Gad discovered too late to remove him from office. Few people, other than Old Thom, know Brue’s history before his arrival in Ternon Crag, a mystery he would prefer to maintain. His skill with pistol and rifle is legendary in these parts, with some claiming him to be second only to Alten Ashley, which the monster hunter acknowledges begrudgingly. Brue is confident he could take Magnus unaware if it came to dealing directly with the warcaster, but knows the ensuing orgy of revenge Vinter’s loyalists would embark upon would destroy the town as completely as any fire. As it stands, he keeps his opinion to himself just in case more people than he knows are in the Traitor’s employ.
South Crag Krieltown When in Ternon Crag, Boomhowler’s mercenaries head through Krieltown in search of trollkin interested in joining his company. Many younger trollkin leap at the opportunity to get out of the Crag and set out on a more adventurous path.
“Old Thom” Jaspers Place Hukley Massiter invited Old Thom to join the Hammer and Gad when the company was formed, but Thom was not interested in their idea of honest business. Thom’s refusal to join Hukley has driven a wedge between the pair. Recently, accidents at several of the Thom’s mines has him wondering how deep the wedge cut into Hukley’s pride. Old Thom is one of a handful of people who knows Brue’s history. He saw potential in the hard-as-nails adventurer when he hired him on as a bodyguard five years ago. When the Crag needed a new Marshal Chief, Thom put his name in as a candidate. To Brue’s surprise, he was elected. Thom’s pride in Brue’s work is evident, leading some to suggest behind closed doors Brue might be Thom’s son.
The “Pit” Chapel The Preacher, once a prospector like so many others in town, subscribes to neither Morrow nor Menoth, but instead an amalgam of the two religions. This riles Menoth’s congregants to no end, but Morrowans in the Crag have found the blending a fresh breath to their faith. The Preacher has scratched symbols from both faiths as well as several unidentifiable symbols into the walls of the Pit as well. The Preacher’s sermons are typically screeching fire and brimstone affairs that can be heard well away from the Pit. He is often seen talking to himself when he is seen outside the shack or Pit, typically in some unrecognizable
The Outskirts The Flophouse Sitting atop a lone hill east of town, Ternon Crag’s first inn and former bordello, the beautiful Bloodstone Rose, fell on hard times. Known now as the Flophouse, the building houses the destitute and transient, providing bargain basement rates for rooms once reserved for the town’s most well-heeled visitors. The inn’s interior retains little of its past glory. Faded, peeling wallpaper covers a few walls and most of the inn’s original furnishings have been looted or wrecked and replaced with cheap, rough-hewn wooden tables, chairs, and beds. Even the gilded fixtures have been picked clean of their gold leaf, replaced with squat candles and sputtering lamps. The entire first floor serves as a common room, while the upper rooms are typically rented out hourly by the town’s ladies of the evening. The Flophouse’s owner, an odious and unlikable Scharde Islander known only as Rutt (Rog8/Gmg4), has one rule in his establishment: “don’t let me catch you at (insert illicit activity) in my place.”
Ternon Crag Graveyard The Ternon Crag graveyard is little more than a patch of land surrounded by a crude iron fence and is clearly visible on the west side of the road leading to Scarleforth Lake. The few grave markers, such as they are, are roughly carved and quickly ruined by the weather. Names and dates fade rapidly, or are etched away by the desert sands. The graveyard has had its share of body theft, but Craggers do not overly concern themselves with the threat of the undead or worse, laughing at the thought of a shambling army of corpses attacking North Crag.
The Haunted Mine Common (DC 10): Almost five miles east of Ternon Crag stands the Gadley Mine. In AR 589 Silas Gadley and his crew of thirty were killed in a horrible cave-in. Only Joss Gadley, Silas’ brother, survived. The mine is avoided by locals and is rumored to be haunted. Uncommon (DC 15): Joss Gadley (Male Midlunder, Exp6) was in charge of mine safety at the time of the collapse. He blames himself for the deaths, spending his days begging for drinks he promptly cries into at Sanity’s Bastion. Rare (DC 20): Recently, strange noises and lights have been noticed coming from the Gadley Mine shaft. Joss desperately wants to investigate, but his ruined leg prevents him from going himself.
Greybranch Gap Safe to travel year round, Greybranch Gap serves as a gateway to the Bloodstone Marches. Even the harsh sandstorms that blow west through the Gap do not prevent travel, but simply make it more onerous. The Gap itself is not without some peril; in areas the path is barely wide enough for a man on foot to lead a horse and
wagon. Desert predators, like the Dune Prowler, ambush travelers from time to time, so anyone venturing through the Gap is warned to arm themselves before leaving Ternon Crag.
Scarleforth Lake Rumors persist of a large flying shape traveling between the lake and the Castle of the Keys to the east some decades past. The lake is deep and dark, and most of the prospectors avoid traveling its surface when they can. The barbarians east of the lake show signs of the Panner’s Pox as well, leading many to believe there is something tainted about the lake’s waters and to avoid the area east of it if possible.
Death and Diamonds: Ternon Crag Extra
tongue. The Preacher suffers from the Panner’s Pox, and many in his current congregation have started showing signs of the disease as well. It is said he has been to the Castle of the Keys, but will not speak of it when pressed; instead launching into a sermon warning against exploring in “Caen’s accursed places.”
Sightings of strangers around the lake and near the Castle of the Keys are on the rise. Vaguely elven and always spotted at a distance, these individuals have yet to interact with prospectors in the area. Eerily fleet of foot, the strangers’ appearance has prospectors keeping weapons closer at hand, day or night.
Disappearing Miners Common (DC 10): A few miners have disappeared in the Greybranch foothills recently, although no evidence of foul play has been found. Uncommon (DC 15): Although most of those missing are miners, some were prospectors exploring near the Castle of the Keys. Rare (DC 20): All of the affected mines recently broke through into some type of underground cavern complex. Obscure (DC 25): Since the disappearances, glimpses of emaciated, hunched figures have been seen in the dead of night near these mines. Any attempt to pursue them has proven useless.
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