TEXT: A Visit to Keepsake:
  The Hunt Begins
  This adventure is designed for use with the playtest document 
  for N.E.W. The Roleplaying Game.  For more information about 
  N.E.W. please visit www.woinrpg.com.
  As a playtest document, this adventure should not be viewed 
  as a finished product. The playtest document evolves con-
  tiually, and some references may become inaccurate or 
  out-of-date.
  Please use the EN Publishing forum found at www.enworld.
  org if you have questions, comments, or playtest reports.
  As well as this adventure, players should have a copy of the 
  SANTIAGO player’s guide, also available for free from EN Pub-
  lishing.  That guide introduces the players to the far future gal-
  axy, planets, and notable characters.
  EN PUBLISHING
  7 Rutland Court, Balaclava Road
  Southampton, Hampshire
  England SO18 6RX
  Based Upon 
  Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future 
   
  and The Return of Santiago
  Original Novels by 
  Mike Resnick • http://mikeresnick.com
   
  Used under license
  EN Publishing is an 
  imprint of EN World.
  Please visit
  http://www.enworld.org
  A FAr Future Adventure For
  StArting ChArACterS
  Writing 
  Malcolm Northwinter
  Art 
  Elizabeth Allen
   
  Chaz Kemp
   
  Joe Ketterer
   
  Magnus
   
  Jeff Porter
  Cover 
  Joe Ketterer
  Maps 
  Joe Ketterer
   
  Jeff Porter
  Playtest Joseph Bradshaw
   
  Eric Glusing
   
  Anthony Russell
  Layout 
  Eric Life-Putnam
  Producer Russell Morrissey
  Adventure one oF the SAntiAgo Adventure PAth
  
  SANTIAGO: A MYTH OF THE FAR FUTURE
  A VISIT TO KEEpSAKE: THE HUNT BEGINS
  ii
  Table of Contents
  Table of Contents ................................................................................ii
  Introduction .........................................................................................1
  Adventure Overview .....................................................................1
  Requirements .........................................................................1
  Background ......................................................................................1
  Adventure Layout ..........................................................................2
  Chapter 01: The Suliman Brothers ................................................3
  Gathering on Corvus ................................................................... 4
  Locating the Ship .......................................................................... 4
  The Ambush .....................................................................................5
  The Ship .....................................................................................7
  Capture the Suliman Brothers .................................................. 8
  Wanted: The Suliman Brothers ................................................. 8
  Can’t We Just Go Here Instead? ....................................... 8
  Chapter 02: Somewhere to Relax ................................................ 9
  From Corvus to Keepsake .......................................................... 9
  The Bar Fight ................................................................................... 9
  Negotiating a Cost .......................................................................11
  Accusations of Poaching ..........................................................12
  Giles’ Steel Fist .....................................................................13
  Chapter 03: The Gambler ..............................................................14
  Giles and the Angel ...........................................................14
  The Angel ...............................................................................14
  Stolen Fair and Square ..............................................................14
  Where Is Stern?.............................................................................16
  Games of Cards ...................................................................16
  Ballad of the Inner Frontier ............................................. 17
  While We’re Waiting .................................................................... 17
  The First Lead ................................................................................18
  Conclusion .....................................................................................20
  Appendix 01: Game Rule Information ......................................21
  Dual-shot Sonic Pistol ................................................................21
  NPCs ..................................................................................................21
  Halfpenny Terwilliger .........................................................21
  Sebastian “Nightingale” Cain ...........................................21
  
  1
  SANTIAGO: A MYTH OF THE FAR FUTURE
  A VISIT TO KEEpSAKE: THE HUNT BEGINS
  Introduction
  BACkground
  On Deluros VIII, the huge capital world of the race of Man, 
  the nerve center of the Democracy, there are eleven govern-
  mental departments and 1,306 men and women charged with 
  the task of finding and terminating Santiago. They doubt that 
  Santiago is his given name, they suspect that some of the 
  crimes attributed to him were committed by others, they are 
  almost certain that somewhere in their files they possess his 
  photograph or holograph but have not yet matched it with its 
  proper identity—and that is the sum total of their knowledge 
  of him.
  W
  elcome to Santiago, a Myth of the Far  
  Future. This adventure, A Visit to 
  Keepsake: The Hunt Begins, is the first of eleven 
  modules that will take the heroes across the 
  galaxy in search of a legendary bandit whose 
  capture, dead or alive, is worth twenty million 
  Credits to the human government.
  Adventure overview
  The campaign starts off with the party already in action on 
  the planet of Corvus, where each has found his or her way to 
  the local post office where sit the three holograms of a local 
  band of thieves and murderers, the Suliman brothers. Wheth-
  er they got to this point individually or together, rumors that 
  there are more than just three of the brothers at work on Cor-
  vus drive them to join forces if they’re to collect the reward.
  Successful or not, the heroes next find their way to Keep-
  sake, a world to which bounty hunters are known to travel. 
  In the tradertown of Moritat, at a bar called Gentry’s Empo-
  rium, the heroes receive their first lead on a man every bounty 
  hunter has been seeking for almost thirty years, Santiago. 
  With the possibility of a twenty million Credit reward loom-
  ing over them and news that the Angel, a notorious bounty 
  hunter with a reputation for catching every outlaw he’s ever 
  gone after, has recently come to the inner frontier, the party 
  will want to leave as quickly as they can for the planet of Port 
  Étrange. It is there that the group will meet Halfpenny Terwil-
  liger, a gambler on the run, and retrieve some information 
  regarding Santiago from a man named Stern.
  Requirements
  This adventure makes use of the rules from  N.E.W. The 
  Roleplaying Game.
  The adventure is designed to be played with a party 
  size of five players and a Game Master. The encounters 
  and experience awards assume a party of beginning 
  characters with little to no prior experience point 
  awards. If the adventure is run with a different party 
  size or higher levels, the encounters will have to be 
  adjusted to provide enough experience to advance the 
  characters.
  What’s O.L.D. is N.E.W.
      N.E.W. The Roleplaying Game is a science fiction table-
  top RPG pubished by EN Publishing.  It contains rules for 
  character creation, combat, starships, travel, monsters, 
  the environment, and more. 
      N.E.W.’s companion game, O.L.D. presents rules for 
  medieval fantasy roleplaying. Both games are fully 
  compatible.  This adventure, however, requires only the 
  science-fiction rulebook.
       The setting (detailed in the Player’s Guide and the 
  Campaign Guide) is an Advancement Level 9 setting, with 
  FTL travel but no time travel or transporter technology. 
  Psionics exist, but are rare and generally distrusted. FTL 
  travel is very advanced, allowing a ship to cross  the en-
  tire Milky Way in two weeks. That’s roughly FTL-50 or or 
  125,000 times the speed of light.
  
  2
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  introduCtion
  Five hundred reports come to them daily, two thousand 
  leads are followed up each year, munificent rewards have 
  been posted on half a million worlds, agents are sent out 
  armed with money and everything that money can buy, and 
  still those eleven departments exist. They have outlived the 
  last three administrations; they will continue to survive until 
  their function has been fulfilled.
  SAntiAgo
  According to popular rumor—since you can’t really call it fact 
  if nobody alive can prove they were present, Santiago com-
  mitted the first of what would come to be millions of crimes 
  almost thirty years ago from the present day, being 3286 
  G.E. under the leadership of the Democracy. From that first 
  crime sprung another, and then a third, until there were so 
  many reports of a criminal calling himself Santiago or a band 
  of criminals working for Santiago that the government was 
  forced to step up and offer their aid in his capture.
  A warrant was put out at every major post office through-
  out the Inner Frontier, where it was assumed Santiago did 
  most of his work. Unfortunately, with their lack of a reason-
  able description or hologram, the Democracy could only offer 
  their reward and hope for the best.
  After that first posting, Santiago’s crimes only became 
  more elaborate and in some cases deadly. Cargo supply ships 
  on their way to worlds just being settled were destroyed or, 
  on the chance that they did make dock, were found barren 
  of anything with which they’d left the supply station. Whole 
  groups of the pioneer corps were found dead after the govern-
  ment hadn’t heard from them in weeks. Eventually, it became 
  protocol to issue military assistance for even the cartogra-
  pher’s guild when a member visited a new planet to chart it 
  for the Democracy.
  The human government wasn’t all Santiago attacked, 
  though. Word came through varying channels, both secure 
  and otherwise, that the bandit king had set his sights on 
  countless alien cultures and worlds as well. It seemed his 
  greed knew no limits and his cruelty knew no bounds. Thus, 
  the government eventually reached the conclusion that they 
  would need to enlist more esoteric means of action against 
  Santiago. The bounty for his capture, dead or alive, was in-
  creased to twenty million Credits and word was sent out to 
  every bounty hunter, whether deputized by the Democracy or 
  not, that man’s government was tired of playing games with 
  the scoundrel.
  the Angel
  When word of the increased bounty on Santiago reached the 
  Outer Frontier, it was received by several would-be heroes, 
  including a man known only as the Angel. With the prospect 
  of a prize such as Santiago in his sights, the deadliest man in 
  the galaxy dropped everything and moved his operation to 
  the Inner Frontier, where he has since begun his own search 
  for the legendary bandit.
  Adventure lAYout
  In each chapter we present a quick overview of the current 
  situation and the party’s goals. We then detail individual 
  scenes that are likely to occur. Each scene is presented in a 
  format of title, tag-line, and keywords. Keywords include:
  Scene Type: Action, Exploration, Exposition, Puzzle, So-
  cial, Hybrid.
  Duration: Montage (a few hours or days), Real-time (a few 
  minutes), Tactical (round-by-round).
  XP: Enemey combatants grant XP as normal; additionally, 
  scenes may have their own separate XP rewards which are 
  gained for full or partial completion of the scene’s goals.
  Below are two examples of tag lines found in this adventure.
  Exploration. Montage. 
  When they leave the post office, the search begins. Clever 
  use of their attributes can get the heroes to the ship faster 
  when they decide to leave with their gathered informa-
  tion. The scene ends when the heroes either run out of 
  time (by failing 2 attribute checks) or decide to move on. 
  The more information they get before they head for the 
  ship, the better…
  Action/Social. Tactical. 
  Giles Sans Pitié waits for the party by their ship. As they 
  approach, he stops leaning against the hatch and stands 
  tall while flexing his steel fist. The bounty hunter looks 
  none too happy that the group has arrived...
  
  3
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  introduCtion
  Chapter 01: The Suliman Brothers
  I
  n this chapter, the heroes meet up on Corvus 
   and go after a family of outlaws with a price 
  on their heads. After a lengthy search of their 
  area of the planet, the heroes locate the broth-
  ers’ ship and capture them to recover stolen 
  goods and claim the bounty.
  gAthering on CorvuS
  exPoSition.
  The heroes will need to join forces to find and capture the Suli-
  man brothers.
  As with the start of any campaign, there are many ways in 
  which the party can form. In this case, the heroes can be in-
  dividuals who just happen to be on the Inner Frontier planet 
  of Corvus for their own reasons, or they may be specifically 
  seeking out the Sulimans. Whether or not they already know 
  each other becomes irrelevant when they realize that teaming 
  up will be their best option to bring in the villains. For each 
  individual or group background, pick the most likely scenario 
  below and read it aloud.
  JuSt viSiting
  You probably never intended to get involved with the 
  law while on Corvus. Unfortunately, whatever plans you 
  have here will need to be put on hold, because you’ve 
  just received word from a couple locals that the Suliman 
  brothers are hiding on the surface of the planet and 
  something inside of you—a sense of justice, a willingness 
  to help others, or maybe greed now drives you to start 
  looking for the  criminals.
  As it turns out, you’re not the only one on the prowl at 
  this hour. Several other seemingly brave souls have come 
  out in search of the Sulimans, and the lot of you have 
  ended up sharing the wall at the local post office, where 
  three of the curly-haired outlaws, John, Ike, and William, 
  stare back at you from holographs on the wall. Rumor has 
  it that Phin and Alonzo Suliman are somewhere on the 
  planet as well, though neither has a warrant out for his 
  arrest at this time.
  looking For trouBle
  When word reached you  that the Sulimans may be 
  shacked up on Corvus, you probably assumed it was fate, 
  circumstance, or just your time to shine. In any case, here 
  you are, standing in the local Post Office, reviewing the 
  wanted posters on the wall until you find the three you’re 
  looking for. Ike, John, and William Suliman each stare back 
  at you from holographs, their family’s signature curly hair 
  prominent in three different shades of color.
  Whether you find it fortunate or not, there are others 
  here with you. They, too, are looking over the pictures 
  of the brothers. One man even comments as he walks 
  
  4
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  introduCtion
  away in resignation that the wall is missing the last two 
  Sulimans; Phin and Alonzo.
  Use this occasion to let the heroes introduce themselves, 
  brag about their presence in the Ballad of the Inner Frontier 
  if they have a verse, or anything else they may want to get out 
  to build their image for the party.
  If anybody takes time to look around, it’s a little after 6 pm 
  galactic standard time, and the sun on this planet will be up 
  for another four hours, at least. Because the post office is en-
  tirely automated, there is nobody here except for the heroes. 
  A radio speaker in the corner plays one artist’s rendition of 
  the Ballad of the Inner Frontier by Black Orpheus. On the 
  same wall as the wanted posters for the Sulimans are three 
  other holographs.
  One poster offers 9,000 Credits for Billy Three-Eyes, who 
  has a cleft in his forehead given to him by Giles Sans Pitié 
  (Routine [10] INT check). The next has collected some dust 
  and depicts a man with a distinctive white streak through his 
  otherwise dark hair. Under the name Esteban Cordoba is the 
  offer of 65,000 Credits for his capture and return to Deluros 
  VIII for questioning. The last poster has no picture. Instead, 
  overly large print states that 20,000,000 Credits are offered 
  for the capture of Santiago, dead or alive.
  Once everybody has their take on the area and the rest of 
  the party, you can continue with the storyline.
  As strong, cunning, or stubborn as you may be, the 
  prospect of challenging five known criminals should be 
  enough to convince you that accepting an offer of help 
  would be a good decision. Besides, even if you wanted to 
  work alone, that just means you would have a handful of 
  new rivals to deal with in addition to finding and catching 
  the Sulimans, and that can get complicated.
  In the end, it should be a clear hindrance to work alone, but 
  that doesn’t mean the party has to stay right next to each 
  other the whole time. Give them a chance to spread out once 
  they have collaborated. Maybe they comb a larger area now 
  that they’re working together, or the less-than-brave mem-
  bers can remain grouped up during the search.
  loCAting the ShiP
  exPlorAtion. MontAge. 
  10 XP, plus 5 XP per success after 4
  Leaving the post office, the party sets out in search of the 
  outlaw family.
  When they leave the post office, the search begins. Clever 
  use of their attributes can get the heroes to the ship faster 
  when they decide to leave with their gathered information. 
  The scene ends when the heroes either run out of time (by 
  failing 2 attribute checks) or decide to move on. The more 
  information they get before they head for the ship, the better.
  Here are some examples of how the party can use their at-
  tributes. A DC 12 check should be sufficient in most cases.
   • By travelling with purpose or moving across rooftops of 
  one-story buildings, the hero covers more ground, and 
  can discover the ship more quickly (Challenging [13] 
  AGI check).
   • The hero may decide to bribe, strong-arm or otherwise 
  convince a local into giving up his vehicle for easier 
  travel (Difficult [16] CHA check). Subsequent checks 
  are used to drive the car safely or threaten others to stay 
  out of the way.
   • Speaking to locals who claim to have seen the Sulimans 
  may yield at least some useful information (Routine 
  [10] CHA check).
   • Procuring or stealing a vehicle means faster travel 
  around the area (Challenging [13] AGI check).
   • A quick search of the local database gives a list of areas 
  where ships have recently landed (Routine [10] INT 
  check).
   • The local sheriff’s hunting animal can help track down 
  the scent of the criminals (Challenging [13] CHA 
  check).
  As the scene comes to a close, the heroes reach the Suliman 
  brother’s ship.
  Four or More SuCCeSSeS
  Just ahead, you see a standard interstellar ship. There 
  are no unique markings on the ship and nothing special 
  stands out, but the information you’ve gathered assures 
  you that this is what the Sulimans came to Corvus in. It is 
  safe to assume you have some time before your quarry 
  shows up in case  you want to plan anything.
  
  5
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  introduCtion
  one, two, or three SuCCeSSeS
  Just ahead, you hear the whir and blast of engines 
  kicking on. When you get around the corner, you see a 
  man, matching the description of Ike Suliman, punch in 
  the code to shut the door to a basic interstellar ship. He 
  looks at you and waves, then makes a rude gesture as the 
  hatch begins  to close.
  FAilure
  You round the corner just in time to see an unmarked 
  interstellar ship taking off toward the atmosphere. 
  Looking closely through the hatch window, you make out 
  a roughly human shape  with curly hair.
  If the party ended the scene with 3 or fewer successful attri-
  bute checks, or they have nothing they want to prepare, move 
  on to the combat section.
  If the scene closes with at least 4 successful attribute checks, 
  the party can prepare an ambush, damage the ship, or do 
  anything else they want before they have to face the Suliman 
  brothers. They automatically gain access to the ambush turn.
  the AMBuSh
  Puzzle. reAl-tiMe.  (10xP Per hidden ChArACter)
  Each hero gets enough time for up to 2 attribute checks of 
  their choice. If they finished the last scene with 6 or more suc-
  cesses, they get a +1d6 bonus to each. If they finished the last 
  scene with 12 successes, they get a +2d6 bonus instead. Some 
  examples of what they can do include:
   • Hack the ship’s computer to open and close the hatch 
  without setting off the alarm (Difficult [16] INT 
  check), allowing members of the party to hide inside 
  the ship without being seen through a window (Chal-
  lenging [13] AGI check, with a -1d6 die penalty for 
  each character hiding beyond the first).
   • Damage the ship’s ability to safely take off by physically 
  breaking part of it (Challenging [13] STR or INT 
  check) or setting off the alarm while disabling the con-
  trols (Challenging [13] INT check).
   • Climb onto a nearby roof or the top of the ship (Rou-
  tine [10] AGI check) and hide on the rear slope (Chal-
  lenging [13] AGI check).
   • Climb into a discarded fuel barrel (Routine [10] AGI 
  check) and wait (Challenging [13] END check).
   • Duck around a corner (Routine [10] AGI check) and 
  
  6
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  introduCtion
  
  7
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  introduCtion
  The Ship
       The heroes should have an interstellar ship if the cam-
  paign is to take place on more than the three planets in 
  this adventure. They can take the Suliman’s ship, which 
  is a small (Class II) Highbeam Shipping trader.  
      The ship is unarmed, can carry up to 10 cargo units, 
  has a DEFENSE score of 31, AGILITY 6, 2 superstructure 
  points, SPEED 7, and requires a crew of 4. Its subluminal 
  engine is a Satellite Concepts SI-1 ion engine, and it has 
  a Transco Newstellar SH-1 hyperdrive for FTL travel.  Its 
  defenses consist solely of a Parsec Group SSC-2 civilian 
  deflector screen which gives the ship a minimal SOAK 
  of 2. 
      The ship is not designed for combat, and would not 
  last long in a fight. It does boast a small sick bay (+1d6 
  to medical checks), but the facilities are otherwise rela-
  tively spartan.
  watch for the Sulimans through a hole in the wall small 
  enough to avoid being seen, but also too small to fire 
  a weapon without stepping out into plain view (Chal-
  lenging [13] INT check).
   • Jump into the ditch on the far side of the ship (Routine 
  [10] AGI check).
   • Try to blend in with the surroundings (Challenging 
  [16] AGI check).
   • Find a warehouse jumpsuit to wear (Challenging [13] 
  INT check) and tell the Sulimans you’re here on busi-
  ness (Challenging [13] CHA check).
   • Stand around and convince the Sulimans that you 
  are here for an unrelated reason (Difficult [16] CHA 
  check) or that you only want to talk (Challenging [13] 
  CHA check).
  Any player who made at least 1 successful attribute check 
  during the setup is hidden well enough or able to convince the 
  Suliman brothers of their safety. That hero gets to act in the 
  surprise round during combat.
  After everybody has made their final check, you can move 
  on to combat
  
  8
  SANTIAGO: A MYTH OF THE FAR FUTURE
  A VISIT TO KEEpSAKE: THE HUNT BEGINS
  CAPture the SuliMAn BrotherS
  ACtion. tACtiCAl.  
  10 XP per brother
  SetuP
  The total area is 36 squares wide by 27 squares long. Several 
  hangars sit on either edge of the map, about 8 squares in, and 
  the Suliman’s inactive ship rests at the edge of a ditch between 
  and below them in position. Barrels are strewn about semi ran-
  domly, with some in groups and others singled out. A machine 
  to pump fuel sits blocking the hangar door on the right, while 
  the left is closed tight with an electronic lock. A good-sized 
  road leads from both hangars and the ship out toward the town.
  The heroes can initiate combat at any time once the Suli-
  mans round the corner if they’re hidden. Otherwise, the Suli-
  man’s realize something is wrong as they get to the edge of 
  the warehouses and make a run for their ship.
  Enemies
  5 human thugs (see N.E.W. RPG rulebook)
  AFterMAth
  Once the heroes have captured the Suliman brothers, or if 
  any got away, they can search the ship and confiscate stolen 
  valuables (art, Credits, and the like) equal to parcel 6 for 
  their level.
  wAnted: the SuliMAn BrotherS
  (MiSSion) exPoSition. reAl-tiMe. 
  15 XP per brother
  The heroes earn this reward if they’ve successfully captured 
  every brother, dead or alive, and turned them into the local 
  authorities. If any brothers got away, the heroes can either 
  continue their chase or move on after giving the authorities 
  all the information they can. With the rest of the family be-
  hind bars, it’s unlikely that any given brother will leave the 
  planet before trying to break his siblings out.
  If the party decides to turn in the ship and all of its con-
  tents to the authorities, they’re rewarded with the following 
  for their honesty:
   • 2,000 Credits
   • Their choice of interstellar ship
  Of course, they can certainly choose to keep the brothers’ 
  ship instead, as well as the parcel’s worth of valuables inside. 
  The authorities won’t question their motives and simply as-
  sume the goods were sold off prior to the brothers’ capture. 
  Because the brothers were hauling freight, their ship has no 
  added benefits and only holds up to 250 lbs. of cargo per 
  brother.
  Upgrading the ship requires one day per addition of medical 
  bed, or research station, but an engineer with the appropriate 
  attributes may be able to reduce this time by about half with a 
  successful Difficult [16] INT check DC 19. Engineering can be 
  used for this, or medicine for the medical beds..
  Can’t We Just Go Here Instead?
  During the time period of A Visit to Keepsake, the heroes may 
  decide to visit planets outside of the scope of the adventure. 
  Here are some suggestions in case they wish to do so and how 
  to provide them lead-ins back to the module. You can apply 
  one or more of these to any given planet. If they do anything 
  unrelated even to these,  play it by ear and use the descriptions 
  found for planets in the Player’s Guide and the Campaign Guide.
  The Angel—By the time they’ve reached Keepsake, the 
  heroes are well aware that the Angel has moved into the In-
  ner Frontier and is actively seeking the bandit king, Santiago. 
  Should one or more of them decide to seek him out, for good 
  or ill, he’ll give them one opportunity to back off. If they pur-
  sue him, he’ll likely kill one of them and tell the others they 
  can get their dead comrade cloned if they hurry. The cost to 
  do this is 2,000 Credits, but the scientist performing the pro-
  cedure will take a high quality item in exchange.
  Santiago—If the heroes  strike off on their own in search of 
  the scoundrel, they’ll get the same general response in the 
  majority of cases, which often amounts to a response such 
  as, “You and every other bounty hunter in the galaxy.” In 
  some cases, they’ll also be directed to Keepsake, where most 
  bounty hunters go and are sometimes more willing to trade 
  information regarding the search.
  
  9
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 02: SoMewhere to relAx
  Chapter 02: Somewhere to Relax
  I
  n this chapter, the heroes are directed to 
   Keepsake for a break. In the tradertown of 
  Moritat, they find Gentry’s Emporium, where 
  the owner decides they may be worth his im-
  portant information after they clear out his 
  bar of trouble makers.
  FroM CorvuS to keePSAke
  MontAge.
  When the heroes are ready to leave Corvus, they are directed 
  to the nearby planet of Keepsake and told this is a good loca-
  tion to find another job, meet up with other bounty hunters, 
  or just relax for a while before moving on. With luck, one of 
  these three reasons will appeal to each party member. If they 
  do decide to travel elsewhere, refer to the sidebar at right.
  On Keepsake, the heroes find themselves in the tradertown 
  of Moritat. Considering that it’s an hour past sundown here 
  when they land, accommodations can be found at Gentry’s 
  Emporium. Unfortunately, several overly drunk men have 
  started up a dangerous and potentially deadly bar fight.
  the BAr Fight
  ACtion. tACtiCAl. 
  10 XP per group
  Aside from just joining the fray, which is an entirely plausible 
  option, the heroes can also dissuade other participants from 
  continuing the fight through coercion (CHA), intimidation 
  (CHA), or reason (INT). They may also employ the use of the 
  security system (INT), which was conveniently smashed in 
  the first few moments of the brawl, should they decide to fix 
  it. If he could get out of the building safely, the barkeep, Gen-
  try, could probably get the police involved. He 
  certainly wouldn’t mind if somebody close to the door left to 
  contact them (AGI).
  If the heroes use these methods, it will require 4 successful 
  attribute checks to get one of the groups who are prolonging 
  the fight to back down. After that, it only requires two checks 
  for each of the other four.
  The difficulty for any check is going to be Challenging [13], 
  unless the target was attacked in the previous round, in which 
  case it rises to Difficult [16]. Failure on any check indicates 
  another round of combat, with or without the party. After 
  two failures, the group is beyond talking and the rest will have 
  to be dealt with in a physical manner.
  Should the party decide not to participate, the fighting dies 
  down after a few minutes and Gentry starts out as neutral 
  rather than friendly when they speak with him later. If they 
  make a considerable mess or directly attack him, Gentry will 
  start off as unfriendly instead, and although he’ll still give up 
  his information, it’s going to cost them a bit more. In either 
  case, you can continue to Negotiating a Cost, below.
  SetuP
  The bar is 21 squares long by 12 squares wide with the en-
  trance facing east. About 11 smaller tables dot the room with 
  chairs all around, while a larger table takes up the south end 
  of the bar for big games of cards or other gambling needs. A 
  piano in the north corner sits and plays music automatically 
  when turned on, and stairs lead to the second floor where 
  Gentry’s ladies do most of their business. The bar itself takes 
  up the center of the back wall and features various alcohols 
  safe for consumption by an even more varied crowd. A couple 
  of Gentry’s girls usually work the floor, waiting on tables, but 
  during the fight they escape upstairs to wait for everything 
  to calm down.
  Enemies
  4 martinets)
  4 drunkards
  2 rogue bounty hunters
  The martinets will close for melee with broken bottles 
  while the drunkards fire their pistols into the brawl.  The 
  two bounty hunters attack from either end of the bar.
  
  10
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 02: SoMewhere to relAx
  Martinet 
  Rank O
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 2
  This card player keeps a few tricks up his sleeve in case of 
  emergency.
  STR 3 (2d6); AGI 5 (3d6); END 3 (2d6); INT 4 (3d6); 
  WIL 3 (2d6); CHA 5 (3d6)
  Derived Statistics
   Initiative 3d6; Perception 12; Speed 7 (climb 4, jump 10’/6’)
  DEFENSE 25; MENTAL DEFENSE 19; HEALTH 9
  Broken Bottle 3d6 (1d6 cutting damage)
  SKILLS gaming, carousing
  Languages Terran
  Equipment Broken bottle, deck of cards, 30 Cr
  Drunkard 
  Rank O
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 1
  Even a universal translator cannot understand the 
  slurred speech from this creature.
  STR 3 (2d6); AGI 3 (2d6); END 4 (3d6); INT 4 (3d6); 
  WIL 2 (2d6); CHA 3 (2d6)
  Derived Statistics
   Initiative 3d6; Perception 12; Speed 5;  (climb 3, jump 6’/4’)
  DEFENSE 19; MENTAL DEFENSE 16; HEALTH 12
  Pistol 2d6 (2d6 ballistic damage)
  SKILLS carousing
  Languages Terran (universal translator)
  Equipment Pistol, 5 Cr
  Rogue Bounty Hunter 
  Rank I
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 14
  Lean and hungry, the mercenary sizes you up, trying to 
  find an advantage.
  STR 5 (3d6); AGI 6 (4d6); END 4 (3d6); INT 4 (3d6); WIL 4 
  (3d6); CHA 4 (3d6)
  Derived Statistics
   Initiative 5d6; Perception 15; Speed 9 (climb 5, jump 12’/5’)
  DEFENSE 28 (SOAK 8)’ MENTAL DEFENSE 22; HEALTH 12
  Laser Pistol 5d6 (2d6 heat damage; range 10)
  Stun Baton 4d6 (2d6 electricity damage; stun)
  SKILLS marksman, tactics, perception
  Languages Terran or Alien (by planet)
  Equipment Laser pistol, stun baton, riot armor, 100 Cr
  AFterMAth
  When everything has calmed down, the heroes are welcome 
  to have a look around (Routine [10] INT check). Lying on 
  the floor near either bounty hunter may be discarded or lost 
  weapons valued as treasure parcels 3 and 4. The martinets 
  may have left behind some Credit chips worth parcels 9 and 
  10 and one functioning quick release weapon sheath. Between 
  the drunkards and the rabble-rousers, they could probably 
  scrape up enough Credits to equal parcel 6 (or 5 if they kept 
  the ship and the stolen goods before).
  
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  negotiAting A CoSt
  exPoSition. reAl tiMe.  (10 xP Per tAlking Point)
  When they’re ready to continue, the heroes have an opportu-
  nity to rest for the night. Despite any misgivings he has, Gen-
  try will offer them a couple rooms and a meal. This is where 
  the interaction begins. The party will have an opportunity to 
  speak with Gentry about several topics. In each case, they can 
  use any of their attributes to build up their reputation, flat-
  ter or intimidate him, or get some insight into his motives. If 
  they just want to talk, the man is certainly willing to for a bit, 
  and as long as they get him to spill his information at the end, 
  how they get to that point shouldn’t matter.
  As you relax at a table in the emptying room, the 
  barkeep walks over, sets a bottle of clear alcohol on the 
  table, and offers some to the party.
  When he notices your reaction to his sudden presence, 
  he responds,  “It’s something they brew out Altair way. 
  Tastes kind of like gin. I figured I could bring some over 
  and you’d be kind enough to let me sit with you and help 
  you drink it.”
  If the party turns him down or tries to scare him off, Geron-
  imo walks away with a shake of his head, commenting that 
  they must not be who he was expecting. He is sure to take 
  the alcohol with him unless made to do otherwise. Soon after, 
  Sebastian Cain will come in and Gentry will divulge his infor-
  mation to the songbird in hushed tones. At that point, the 
  party will have another chance to get the information, though 
  they’d do well not to try and extract it while Cain is around.
  If anybody tries to start more serious trouble, you can have 
  the police break things up now that they’re around thanks to 
  the bar fight a little earlier, or Giles Sans Pitié can show up 
  to help Gentry seeing as his fellow bounty hunters were just 
  either hauled off to jail or killed and he needs a place to sleep.
  Assuming the party is amicable, continue below. Otherwise, 
  you can move on to combat with Giles or resolve the situation 
  through other means.
  Gentry sits down,  thanking you and handing out 
  glasses to any who want to sample his Altairi liquor. After 
  a few moments of relishing some for himself, he sits back 
  and smiles.
  “Good  stuff, if I say so myself. Did Giles Sans Pitié come 
  by you yet? No, I suppose not, seeing as you’re all here.”
  If asked to explain, Gentry does so, stating that Giles is bent 
  out of shape about the party capturing the Suliman brothers 
  before he could. According to the bounty hunter, they stole 
  his rightful claim, whether or not they knew it. The bartender 
  warns them not to get too close to the man’s robotic hand, 
  should they cross paths, as it has the strength to crush a 
  cinder block. Geronimo knows some information about the 
  heroes as well. He uses it to clue them into the fact that most 
  people know what anybody else is doing on the Inner Frontier 
  at any given time.
  “After all,”  he explains, “talk is cheap, and with the 
  business I see, information is easy enough to get.”
  He looks around  for a moment at each of you, “Not that 
  I want to start any trouble. I seen posters on just about 
  all you bounty hunters at one time or another. Ain’t no 
  skin off my ass. Hell, if Santiago himself walked in the door 
  and asked for one of my sportin’ gals, I’d trot him out the 
  prettiest one I’ve got. Not like he’s that hard to spot...”
  The old man cuts his conversation  short at this point 
  and his eyes lose focus, like he’s recalling something from 
  his past. He then gets up to leave without another word.
  At this point, if the heroes ask why he got up or what he’s 
  talking about, Gentry tells them it’s nothing. Whether they 
  press him or not, he’ll stop about three paces off and turn 
  back to them with a quick look around the room before tak-
  ing his seat again. The next part of the conversation makes 
  a couple of assumptions about the party’s reactions. If they 
  differ, tailor it to them as you see fit.
  “I don’t know much,”  Gentry admits in hushed tones. 
  “Do know one thing, though. Know he’s got a scar shaped 
  like this” —he traces a crooked S on the table— “on the 
  back of his right hand.”
  He responds to your reactions vigorously,  “Truth! Man I 
  used to run with spent a couple of weeks in jail with him. 
  Thing is, nobody knew it was him, ‘cept my friend, and he 
  didn’t have a clue either until Santiago’s gang came and 
  broke the other man out. One of’em called him by name.”
  Seeing his claim fall on deaf ears,  Gentry sits up a bit, 
  “Here I am, offerin’ to do you a favor, and you turn your 
  
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  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 02: SoMewhere to relAx
  nose up at it. Damned good thing for you I’m an old man 
  who ain’t got the wherewithall to give you a thrashing 
  for insulting me like that. I thought maybe you might be 
  interested in knowing who my friend is and where you 
  can find him.”
  Now Gentry’s ready to talk business. He’s well aware of what 
  the party received as a reward for capturing the Sulimans, and 
  he wants at least 240 Credits, so he’ll start by asking for 300 
  Credits (assuming the party is five characters) and let them 
  talk him down to that amount. He tells them honestly that he 
  will sell it to others. It will be up to the party to either buy his 
  silence or enforce it through other means. They can make up 
  these costs later in the module, and Gentry would be willing 
  to accept favors in lieu of cash. He’s sure to have a few minor 
  missions the heroes can go on if they want some variety and 
  wish to avoid spending very much money.
  Whatever the arrangement they come to, Gentry realizes 
  they may be hesitant or wondering why he’s just now giving 
  out this information.
  “I ain’t got anything against  Santiago,” says the old man. 
  “He ain’t ever done me any harm. Besides, the longer he 
  stays free, the longer you guys’ll stay on the Frontier 
  lookin’ for him, and the longer you stay out here, the more 
  money you’ll spend at Gentry’s Emporium.”
   He shifts in his chair uncomfortably  for a moment, 
  “Then again, I hear tell the Angel has moved in. Wouldn’t 
  want no outsider picking up the bounty fee. They say 
  he’s the best. I’ll bet you Black Orpheus gives him a good 
  twenty verses when he finally gets around to meetin’ him.”
  “So,” he continues, taking yet another swig, “I’m hedging 
  my bets as best I can. The Angel collects that money; he’ll 
  be back on the Rim before he has a chance to spend it. But 
  if you get it, you’ll spend a goodly chunk of it on Keepsake.”
  When all is said and done, he tells them what they paid for.
  Taking his payment, Gentry puts the money away 
  before he leans in, closer than before, and whispers, “Ever 
  hear of a world named Port Étrange? It’s the seventh 
  planet in the Bellermaine system.”
  He sits for a moment to let this information sink in, then 
  continues. “Just pass the  word you’re looking for Stern. 
  He’ll find you.”
  The old man adjusts himself in the chair and continues, 
  “A real sweet feller, Stern, once you get used to a couple 
  of his little peculiarities. See, he drinks too much and he 
  cheats at cards, and he ain’t real fond of people or animals 
  or aliens, and he out-and-out hates priests and women, 
  and he’s been known to have an occasional disagreement 
  with the constabularies. But taken all in all, he’s no worse 
  than most that you find out here, and probably better’n 
  some. Just tell ’em I sent you. It ought to get him to sit up 
  and take notice.”
  And with that, he again offers rooms and a sample of his 
  ladies to those willing if they haven’t taken him up on it yet, 
  for the usual price, of course.
  When the heroes do leave to their ship, whether it be that 
  night or the next day, they find a man leaning against the 
  hatch. The arm he has on the ship is very obviously not the 
  one with which he was born. This is Giles Sans Pitié, and he’s 
  none too happy to see them.
  ACCuSAtionS oF PoAChing
  ACtion/SoCiAl. tACtiCAl.
  As you approach your ship, you get a sense of déjà vu. 
  
  13
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 02: SoMewhere to relAx
  ings can be used for such actions with a good enough check 
  against Giles’ Perception.
  AFterMAth
  After dealing with Giles, the party can leave at any time. The 
  local authority usually doesn’t stand between quarrels related 
  directly to bounty hunters, so they’ll not argue over the man 
  if he’s dead. 
  From your recent encounters, you recognize the steel-
  fisted man before you as Giles Sans Pitié. He’s the bounty 
  hunter Gentry warned you about.
  The party can attempt to hide prior to being spotted, if they 
  wish to get away or get the drop on the rival bounty hunter, 
  but if they’re hoping to leave the planet any time soon, they’ll 
  eventually need to confront Giles. If they talk to him first, 
  continue below. Otherwise, move on to the combat section 
  afterward.
  Giles stands tall when he sees you and he flexes his 
  metal hand tentatively. A suit of navy kevlar is visible 
  under his basic clothing, and a laser pistol sits at his waist 
  beneath his real hand.
  “You and I need to talk,” he says menacingly. “Seems 
  you’ve been poaching my targets out from under me, and 
  I’d like my fair share of the earnings, seeing as you were 
  trespassing on my territory.”
  The heroes can pay Giles off, in which case he leaves after 
  putting a dent in their cargo hold to remind them not to do 
  it again, or they can challenge his claim and argue it out with 
  him. The third, and most likely, outcome is combat.
  Giles Sans Pitié 
  RANK III
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 50
  You and I need to have a little talk.
  STR 7 (4d6); AGI 6 (4d6); END 6 (4d6); INT 4 (3d6); 
  WIL 4 (3d6); CHA 3 (2d6)
  Derived Statistics
   Initiative 4d6; Perception 12; Speed 10 (climb 5, jump 12’/14’) 
  DEFENSE 28 (SOAK 8); MENTAL DEFENSE 22; HEALTH 18
  Metal Fist 5d6 (5d6 impact damage)
  HQ Laser Pistol 6d6 (3d6 heat damage; range 20)
  SKILLS tactics, unarmed combat, marksman, tracking, 
  intimidation
  Languages Terran
  Equipment 300 Cr, laser pistol, navy kevlar, cybernetic 
  hand
  The ship rests at the edge of Moritat, south-east of Gentry’s 
  Emporium. The road ends abruptly before reaching the ship, 
  leaving some open area to take off. There are few, if any places 
  to hide in the daylight, but various cars parked beside build-
  Giles’ Steel Fist
  Giles’ steel fist is an artificial arm as described in the 
  N.E.W. rulebook.  Normally worth 20,000 Cr, it adds 1 
  point to his STRENGTH (which was originally 6).
  It would take a Strenuous [19] INT check to remove 
  the steel fist without irreparably damaging it. It can be 
  sold for half price on a world able to afford it (Keepsake 
  is not such a world).
  
  14
  SANTIAGO: A MYTH OF THE FAR FUTURE
  A VISIT TO KEEpSAKE: THE HUNT BEGINS
  Giles and the Angel
  Even if the heroes didn’t kill Giles Sans Pitié, they prob-
  ably won’t ever see him again anyway, because the An-
  gel will kill him between now and the next adventure. If 
  the heroes find the Angel or follow Giles after sparing 
  him, hopefully the speed with which the ruthless An-
  gel kills Giles will help them understand the threat he  
  presents.
  Finding the Angel is easy enough—his fame makes 
  his presence on any planet common knowledge with-
  in hours. When the heroes arrive at the Angel’s hotel, 
  or when they follow Giles and discover his rendezvous, 
  they see their rival with the steel fist  confront the 
  emotionless assassin and clearly hear his final words.
  “I’m only going to make my offer to you once more, 
  Angel. Then, we’re gonna  have ourselves a problem.”
  The Angel obscures himself as well as he can, as if he 
  knows the PCs are there, and he responds icily, “I already 
  said no. It’s not my problem  if you can’t clean your ears 
  with that hand.”
  Giles raises his hand  in anger, and falls dead a mo-
  ment later, as blood welling from several small wounds 
  in his torso. The Angel whips around without acknowl-
  edging any observers, and he speaks to the clerk before 
  going to his room.
  The Angel
  The heroes will meet The Angel much later in this ad-
  venture path.  Needless to say, he far outmatches begin-
  ning characters..
  T
  his chapter concludes the module. The 
   heroes travel to Port Étrange to meet with 
  Stern and buy his information. While there, 
  they also meet with a potential new ally and 
  have to deal with some more former business 
  partners of the Sulimans’.
  Stolen FAir And SquAre
  ACtion. tACtiCAl. 
  XP per enemy
  Getting to Port Étrange is uneventful. As the heroes get to the 
  local hotel after landing their ship at the local spaceport, give 
  them an opportunity to notice an impending ambush. Several 
  armed men are hiding in the alley across the street. They can 
  be seen with a Challenging [13] INT check. Anybody who 
  sees them can act in the upcoming surprise round.
  Before you can reach the hotel, a woman approaches 
  you. She wears a shoulder holster with what looks like a 
  modified screecher inside over a combat vest.
  “You are the ones who captured the Suliman brothers, 
  are you not?”
  The woman knows quite well who the heroes are; she’s just 
  trying to keep them distracted long enough for her cohorts 
  to sneak up closer for a good shot. This is apparent with an 
  Challenging [13] INT check. If the heroes already knew 
  about the men in hiding, they get a +1d6 die bonus to this 
  check. Before the thieves jump out of the alley, the woman 
  continues.
  “The Sulimans were bringing their goods to us when 
  you captured them. Now my men and I are out several 
  hundred Credits, and we’re looking to make it right. Care 
  to offer up our property or is there going to be trouble?
  SetuP
  There’s only a little space to move around, and the heroes are 
  hemmed in by their adversaries. This section of the street is 
  only about 4 squares wide, and the door to the bar is open 
  if anybody wants to duck inside. Across the street are a run-
  down hotel and another building long boarded up.
  Chapter 03: The Gambler
  
  15
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 03: the gAMBler
  Enemies
  1 mercenary bandit
  3 common outlaws
  Mercenary Bandit 
  Rank II
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 22
  This woman wears a combat vest underneath a shoulder 
  holster. She brandishes a tech-enhanced screecher.
  STR 5 (3d6); AGI 6 (4d6); END 5 (3d6); INT 5 (3d6);
  WIL 4 (3d6); CHA 4 (3d6)
  Derived Statistics
   Initiative 5d6; Perception 15; Speed 9 (climb 5, jump 10’/6’)
  DEFENSE 28 (SOAK 5); MENTAL DEFENSE 22; HEALTH 15 
  Dual-shot Sonic Pistol 5d6 (3d6 sonic damage; range 11; 2 
  attacks once per turn)
  SKILLS Tactics, marksman, appraisal
  Languages Terran
  Equipment Dual-shot sonic pistol (see appendix pg. 21), 
  kevlar vest
  Common Outlaw 
  Rank O
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 4
  This petty thief lashes out when he realizes he has no 
  other recourse.
  STR 4 (3d6); AGI 6 (4d6); END 4 (3d6); INT 3 (2d6); 
  WIL 3 (2d6); CHA 4 (3d6)
  Derived Statistics
   Initiative 4d6; Perception 9; Speed 7 (climb 3, jump 8’/4’)
  DEFENSE 28 (SOAK 4); MENTAL DEFENSE 19; HEALTH 12 
  Pistol 4d6 (2d6 damage; range 10)
  SKILLS running, appraisal, thievery, stealth
  Languages Terran
  Equipment Pistol, leather armor
  AFterMAth
  After the heroes have either chased off or killed the last of the 
  thieves, they can find the dual-shot sonic pistol that was left 
  behind by the mercenary bandit. This is a high quality tech-
  enhanced weapon. More details on this weapon can be found 
  in Appendix 01. In addition, the group had about 120 Credits 
  between them, or roughly half what the heroes paid Gentry 
  for his lead if they paid more or less.
  
  16
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 03: the gAMBler
  The sheriff may or may not show up, but in case you decide 
  to, he can understand that the heroes were defending them-
  selves once they prove their status and explain that these 
  thugs were after them for bringing in the Sulimans back on 
  Corvus.
  where iS Stern?
  SoCiAl. MontAge. 
  100 XP per information gathered
  Now that they’ve dealt with the group trying to jump them, 
  the party can gather more information about Stern. They 
  can take as much time as they want, using their attributes 
  in various ways to learn more about the man. After four suc-
  cessful Challenging [13] checks or two Difficult [16] checks, 
  they know his full name is Jonathan Jeremy Jacobar Stern 
  and that he pretty much runs the planet. For each two checks 
  (or one at the higher difficulty) beyond those initial four, they 
  can learn one of the following bits of information. You can 
  continue on to While We’re Waiting when the heroes decide 
  they have enough information or if they fail two attribute 
  checks.
   •
  They learn of Stern’s presence in the Ballad of the Inner 
  Frontier.
   •
  He began life as the son of a miner and a whore, and 
  before he was done he’d set himself up as king of the 
  Bellermaine system.
   •
  In between, he learned how to gamble and did a pretty 
  fair job of it; he learned how to steal and became more 
  than proficient; he learned how to kill and did a bit of 
  bounty hunting on the side; and somewhere along the 
  way he learned the most important lesson of all, which 
  was that a king with no heirs had better never turn his 
  back on anybody.
   •
  A lot of people whisper that the real reason he’s set 
  up shop on Port Étrange is that he can’t control his 
  passion for women. Because of this, he’s decided to 
  do without them and had hunted up a world with a 
  humanoid race that willingly allows him to commit 
  terrible crimes of pleasure for which nobody has yet 
  created any words.
  Games of Cards
  Play a few games of cards to help set the mood by using op-
  posed CHA attribute checks.
  •	 Allow  the heroes to each roll a CHA check against 
  Terwilliger’s Perception (21). Mark who succeeds and by 
  what amount. Alternatively, an AGI check can be used to 
  palm a card and cheat.
  •	 Next,  roll the gambler’s CHA (7d6, including skill bo-
  nuses) against each player’s Perception. Again, note the 
  winner and by how much.
  •	 Check  each roll against the other. If a majority of play-
  er’s win, the one with the highest difference gets the 
  pot. Otherwise, Terwilliger wins the hand. In the event of 
  a tie, the winners split the pot 50/50.
  Since  Terwilliger has an ulterior motive, he may choose to 
  take up to a -2d6 die penalty to either of his values to allow 
  the players to win. He’s good for half the credits they paid to 
  Gentry, and says he’ll work on getting them the rest while 
  they speak with Stern. Of course, when they’re done, he has 
  another surprise for them.
  
  17
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 03: the gAMBler
  When the heroes are satisfied with their information gath-
  ering, they are directed to the local tavern.
  while we’re wAiting
  exPoSition/SoCiAl. reAl tiMe.
  It’s crowded, and despite the chrome tables and 
  hand-crafted chairs—leftovers from the hotel’s halcyon 
  days of glory—it feels as dingy and seamy as any other 
  Tradertown bar. The only chairs available are at a small  
  table occupied by a short, slender man sporting a shock 
  of unruly red hair.
  “Be my guests,”  the man offers as you approach. He 
  stares at your group for a moment before asking, “You 
  new around here?”
  The heroes have little opportunity to inquire about Stern 
  before the pale man speaks up.
  “He’s not here now, assuming you’re here for Stern, 
  and in case you’re not, we’ve got a hell of a news story 
  breaking here,” he remarks with a chuckle. “ Stern’s the 
  only person anyone ever comes to Port Étrange to see.” 
  Before you  can find the words to form a response, the 
  man leans across the table, extending a lean white hand.
  “Where are my manners.  I’m Terwilliger. Halfpenny 
  Terwilliger,” he adds as if he expects his name to mean 
  something.
  A successful Challenging [13] INT check will tell one of 
  the heroes that Terwilliger was written into the Ballad of the 
  Inner Frontier, and a Difficult [16] INT check will provide 
  more about his background and why he’s hiding out on this 
  planet. More information about this gambler can be found in 
  both the Player’s Guide and the Campaign Guide.
  After introductions are made, Halfpenny offers to send 
  word that the party is here to speak with Stern, then explains 
  that, as long as they’re not looking for money, he’ll probably 
  Ballad of the Inner Frontier
  He’s Jonathan Jeremy Jacobar Stern,
  He’s got lust in his heart, and money to burn;
  He’s too old to change, and too wild to learn,
  Is Jonathan Jeremy Jacobar Stern.
  
  18
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 03: the gAMBler
  be along soon enough. In the meantime, the gambler offers to 
  keep the heroes entertained with a few games of cards.
  This is another opportunity for the heroes to gather experi-
  ence they may have ignored or missed out on from Where is 
  Stern? Terwilliger can feed them anything they should know 
  with a little coercion and offers some information on his own 
  as the heroes continue to play cards with him. Treat a winning 
  hand as 2 successes in this regard and provide the relevant 
  information. In addition, Terwilliger knows the following.
   • The race Stern is obsessed with is called the Fali. They 
  are the local and natural inhabitants of Port Étrange.
   • Stern’s been around the Fali for far too long, and it’s had 
  an effect on his physical appearance.
   • The fali are a strange looking race, but can be quite beau-
  tiful, depending on how long a man’s been alone.
  After a while, the bartender approaches and explains that 
  Stern is ready to see them now. Halfpenny takes them across 
  the street to Stern’s office inside the run-down hotel and 
  waits downstairs while they go to meet with him.
  the FirSt leAd
  (MiSSion) exPoSition. reAl-tiMe. 
  60 XP upon conclusion
  Just as you grow tired of cards and bantering with 
  Terwilliger, the bartender walks across the room and 
  comes to a stop in front of your table. “ He wants you,” the 
  man says and turns away without another word.
  Terwilliger nods in the bartender’s direction,  then turns 
  to you, “I’ll show you the way.”
  You walk out through a side door,  across the dusty road 
  that was once a major thoroughfare, and into the smaller 
  of Port Étrange’s two functioning hotels. Terwilliger leads 
  you through a lobby that may have once been quite 
  elegant but now shows the signs of age and neglect: 
  sleek chrome pillars are tarnished, the ever-changing 
  choreopattern of colored lights is out of synch with the 
  atonal music, and the front door remains dilated for 
  almost a full minute after you pass through it.
  You approach a bank of elevators and walk to the last 
  one in line. Terwilliger summons it with a low command.
  “This’ll take you right to him,” he announces. “He’s got 
  the whole damned floor up there. Take one step out and 
  
  19
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 03: the gAMBler
  you’re in the middle of his parlor.”
  You get in and the door closes as you realize you don’t 
  know to which floor you should travel. Before you can do 
  anything about it, the elevator begins to  climb.
  When it comes to a stop, you emerge into a palatial pent-
  house. It’s fully fifty feet by sixty, and filled to overflowing 
  with objets d’art gathered—or plundered—from all 
  across the galaxy. In the center of the room is a sunken 
  circular tub with platinum fixtures, and sitting in the 
  steaming water is an emaciated man with sunken cheeks 
  and dark, watery eyes. His narrow arms are sprawled over 
  the edges of the tub, and you notice that his fingers are 
  covered by truly magnificent rings. He smokes a large 
  cigar that has somehow avoided becoming waterlogged.
  Standing on each side of the tub are a pair of humanoid 
  aliens, both obviously female. Their skins, covered with 
  a slick secretion that may or may not be natural, glisten 
  under the lights of the apartment. Their arms seem supple 
  and boneless, their legs slender and strangely jointed. 
  Each has a round, expressive face, with a generous, very 
  red triangular mouth and pink eyes that are little more 
  than angular slits. Both are nude and devoid of any 
  body hair. They have no breasts, but their genitalia, thus 
  exposed, seems close to human. There is a supple, alien 
  grace to them, which you may find fascinating or mildly 
  repugnant. Neither of them seem to notice you at all.
  “You’re staring,” says the man in the tub.
  The man introduces himself as Jonathan Jeremy Jacobar 
  Stern. He invites the heroes to join him in the hot tub, but 
  gets out and has the females put his robe on for him if they 
  all decline.
  Periodically during their conversation, the heroes will no-
  tice Stern trails off and stares at the fali. He’ll correct himself 
  quickly, though, and return to the point of their talk, all the 
  while letting his eyes drift back in the females’ direction.
  When it’s time to get down to business, Stern is actually 
  fairly straightforward, offering what he knows along with 
  proof, provided the heroes can return the favor in cash. He’ll 
  not trade his knowledge for less than 200 Credits, but if the 
  heroes offer more first, he will play on that he wanted more 
  before finally giving in to their sum.
  Stern doesn’t take well to threats, stating matter-of-factly 
  that his life’s as good as over anyway. He will, however, grow 
  increasingly worried if his favorite pets are put in harm’s 
  way. Like Gentry before him, Stern is willing to be paid off 
  in favors, though his pretty much relate to the fali or others 
  who’ve threatened him in his home.
  By the time the heroes are done talking with him, they 
  should be able to learn a few important bits of information.
   • His time in jail with Santiago was spent on Kalami Three, 
  seventeen years prior. The scoundrel was there under 
  the name Gregory William Penn.
   • His cell mate was between forty and fifty years of age, 
  stood about six feet, four inches tall and was heavyset 
  without being fat. He had black hair, brown eyes, and 
  was clean shaven.
   • The man spoke at least six alien languages and was quite 
  a chess player.
   • He bore a scar on his hand in the shape of a jagged “S.” It 
  was about two inches long.
   • They were in the jail for eleven days before some 
  criminals broke him out. One called him by name. They 
  cleaned out all of the information in the jail related to 
  Mr. Penn, leaving nothing to be traced back to the time 
  Stern had spent with him.
  He looks at you all for a moment, then smiles, “I get the 
  feeling you don’t believe me. Well, I can understand your 
  sentiment, seeing as without any records to back up my 
  claim, I could certainly be making the whole thing up. But, 
  if you’ll be patient, there’s more.”
   At this point, he goes back to the tub and has the fali 
  begin to rub his shoulders while he lights up another 
  cigar. After taking a healthy puff, he turns back to you.
   “Shortly thereafter I noticed a sudden dramatic increase 
  in my business. By the time I reached Port Étrange I had a 
  pretty strong feeling that I was dealing with Santiago, but 
  of course I was never so tactless as to ask.”
  He grins, confident that he’s got you listening again, “I 
  dealt primarily with a man named Duncan Black—a large 
  man, who wore a patch over his left eye—but from time to 
  time there were others.”
  A Streetwise, Engineering, or Tech check (DC 8) will tell the 
  heroes that almost anybody can have an eye replaced these 
  days. In fact, one of them may have done so at some point 
  prior to the start of the campaign. In any case, Stern swears 
  it’s true and continues on with his explanation.
  
  20
  SAntiAgo: A MYth oF the FAr Future
  A viSit to keePSAke: the hunt BeginS  ChAPter 03: the gAMBler
  “I continued to enjoy a very profitable arrangement. 
  Then, seven years ago, I received a shipment of goods that 
  eliminated any lingering doubts I may have had that I was 
  indeed doing business with Santiago.”
  He points to something on a nearby table, “Do you see 
  that paperweight over there? Why don’t you examine it?”
  The heroes find that the paperweight is actually a bar of 
  gold bullion. Upon inspection, they see an imprinted num-
  ber that Stern says they could easily verify corresponds with 
  the Epsilon Eridani robbery, a navy convoy hit by Santiago 
  around that time.
  “I kept it for a souvenir, never knowing when it might be 
  of some minor use to me,” he says with a smile.
  “Anyway, about a year after I received the gold shipment, 
  a smuggler named Kastartos, one of the agents I’d 
  been dealing with, approached me with a fascinating 
  proposition. Evidently he was displeased with his salary 
  or his working conditions; at any rate, he had decided to 
  turn Santiago in for the reward. Being a prudent man, he 
  decided not to do so himself, but offered to split fifty-fifty 
  with me if I would approach the authorities on his behalf. 
  I questioned him further, and eventually he gave me a 
  description of the man I had seen in the Kalami jail. There 
  were a few discrepancies, as might be expected with the 
  passage of eleven years, but it sounded like the same 
  man, and when he described the scar on his right hand 
  I was sure.”
  If they’re still interested in what happened, Stern explains 
  that he warned Black of the impending betrayal and Kastar-
  tos was never heard from again. Unfortunately, his business 
  with Santiago also stopped abruptly from that point forward.
  “I haven’t seen  Duncan Black in almost three years now, 
  and while it’s always possible that Santiago is dealing 
  with me through someone else, I very much doubt it.”
   “I don’t know where to find Black, and if I did, our talk 
  would cost you considerably more than it has, but I do 
  know that his ship bore a Bella Donna registry at the time 
  that we did business together.”
  At this point, Stern can’t seem to control himself for much 
  longer, but the heroes should have enough to go on anyway 
  and he bids them farewell as he begins to lecture the fali on a 
  more sensual massage.
  ConCluSion
  Back at the hotel, the party finds Terwilliger sitting in one of 
  their rooms, playing solitaire.
  He tells them that he had no luck getting them the money 
  he owes, but can make it up by helping them with the next 
  part of their journey, if only they’ll protect him from Man-
  Mountain Bates. He’s willing to beg if need be, and if there’s 
  any mention of Duncan Black, he perks up and says he abso-
  lutely knows where to find him. He’ll tell all he knows as soon 
  as they’re off the planet.
  To Be Continued.
  
  21
  SANTIAGO: A MYTH OF THE FAR FUTURE
  A VISIT TO KEEpSAKE: THE HUNT BEGINS
  new iteMS
  Dual-Shot Sonic Pistol (1,700 Cr)
  This tech-enhanced gun can fire twice in succession.
  High Quality (+1d6 to hit and damage)
  3d6 sonic damage; range 11; Size S; Weight 2lb; sidearm
  Once per turn, this weapon can be fired twice as one ac-
  tion with a -1d6 die penalty to each shot.
  nPCS
  Halfpenny Terwilliger 
  RANK O
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 6
  Pale skinned and red haired, this  twitchy little man 
  knows and sees much more than he lets on.
  STR 3 (2d6); AGI 7 (4d6); END 5 (3d6); INT 7 (4d6);
  CHA 8 (4d6); WIL 3 (2d6)
  Derived Statistics
    Initiative 4d6; Perception 21; Speed 9 (climb 5, jump 14’/3’)
  DEFENSE 31 (SOAK 4); MENTAL DEFENSE 19; HEALTH 15
  Sonic Pistol 4d6 (2d6 sonic damage; range 10)
  Thrown Card Deck 4d6 (no damage; blinded for one 
  round)
  SKILLS gaming (cards), carousing, bluffing
  Languages Terran
  Equipment 100 Cr, sonic pistol, card deck, mesh lining
  Appendix 01: Game Rule Information
  Sebastian “Nightingale” Cain 
  RANK IV
  Medium organic (mammal) - sentient 
  XP 88
  Also known as “Songbird,” Cain is a tall, lean man, his 
  face angular and almost gaunt, his eyes dark and world-
  weary. His jacket and pants are a nondescript brown, 
  their many pockets filled with shapeless bulges that 
  could mean almost anything on the Frontier. Only his 
  boots stand out, not because they’re new, but rather 
  because they are so demonstrably old, obviously 
  carefully tended yet unable to hold a polish.
  STR 6 (4d6); AGI 9 (5d6); END 6 (4d6); INT 6 (4d6);
  WIL 5 (3d6); CHA 5 (3d6)
  Derived Statistics
   Initiative 7d6; Perception 21; Speed 12 (climb 6, jump 18’/6’)
  DEFENSE 37 (SOAK 8); MENTAL DEFENSE 25; HEALTH 18
  HQ Pistol 7d6 (4d6 ballistic damage; range 11)
  age.
  SKILLS perception, tactics, reactions, marksman, tracking, 
  intimidate
  Languages Terran
  Equipment High quality pistol x2, navy kevlar
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/WOIN/Adventures/NEW/WOIN - NEW Adventure - Visit to Keepsake.pdf