TEXT: Danial Carroll
  
  Call of Cthulhu is a Trademark of Chaosium Inc. and is used with their permission via the OBS Community Content program.  
  For more information please visit Chaosium’s website: www.chaosium.com
  Desert Dune CC0 Photographs: https://www.pexels.com
   
  The Big-Game Hunt © 2020 Danial Carroll
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
  CREDITS
  WRITING
  Danial Carroll 
  LAYOUT
  Danial Carroll
  CARTOGRAPHY
  Danial Carroll 
  COVER PAGE
  Danial Carroll
  INTERIOR ART
  Linus Larsson
  PRE-GEN CHARACTER ART
  Olabode Ajiboye & Danial Carroll
  SPECIAL THANKS
  William Adcock & David McCann
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 2
  BACKGROUND ......................................................................................... 2
  PLAYER-CHARACTERS .......................................................................... 2
  BEGINNING PLAY - LONDON, ENGLAND .......................................... 3
  CAIRO, EGYPT ......................................................................................... 3
  Alternate Routes ............................................................................................... 5
  Embarking ........................................................................................................ 6
  THE GREAT SAND SEA ........................................................................... 6
  Random Encounters ......................................................................................... 6
  THE GHOST TOWN .............................................................................. 10
  THE NATURALIST'S CAMP .................................................................. 11
  Living Quarters ............................................................................................... 12
  Laboratory ...................................................................................................... 12
  THE AMBUSH ......................................................................................... 12
  AL JAWF, LIBYA ....................................................................................... 14
  THE ECLIPSE ......................................................................................... 15
  EMI KOUSSI, CHAD ............................................................................... 15
  The Caldera ..................................................................................................... 15
  THE CLIMAX .......................................................................................... 19
  Fight! .............................................................................................................. 19
  Teach a Lesson ................................................................................................ 19
  Plea for Empathy ............................................................................................ 19
  Plea for Euthanasia ......................................................................................... 19
  CONCLUSION ........................................................................................ 19
  REWARDS ................................................................................................ 20
  NPCS AND MONSTERS ......................................................................... 20
  HANDOUTS ............................................................................................ 22
  Corporal Fletcher's Journal ............................................................................. 22
  The Naturalist's Diary ..................................................................................... 23
  Keeper's Transcripts ........................................................................................ 28
  PRE-GENERATED VILLAINS ............................................................... 30
  
  2
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  INTRODUCTION
  The Big-Game Hunt is set in the Victorian “Gaslight” era, and 
  uses the Pulp Cthulhu rules, focusing more on adventure and 
  combat than investigation. It is intended as a one-shot for 3 
  to 5 players.
  BACKGROUND
  Terence Ashworth was once a renowned and successful big-
  game hunter, but was forced to retire due to failing health, 
  much to his chagrin. His one regret in life was never getting 
  to hunt the fabled “Six-legged Rhinoceros.” Despite his best 
  efforts, he was simply unable to pin down the creature's 
  location. (See The Truth Behind the Legend, page 15, for the 
  full story of the Six-legged Rhinoceros.)
  A few months ago, however, Ashworth overheard a 
  fellow hunter discussing the creature at their Gentlemen's 
  Club, complete with the new information of where it could 
  be found—the Tibesti Mountains in the Sahara Desert. 
  Specifically, Emi Koussi, the highest peak of the range. This 
  was followed up by something with which Ashworth was 
  previously unaware, and that was that the creature was no mere 
  beast, but was actually intelligent.
  Despite this revelation, Ashworth's resolve to have the 
  creature killed and displayed in his trophy room never wavered, 
  and he left the club immediately to make plans for it to be 
  hunted.
  Having made contacts in the British Army during his time 
  spent in Africa, Ashworth was able to arrange for a Section 
  of 20 soldiers, lead by one Corporal Fletcher, to act as his 
  hunting party. Unfortunately for Ashworth, the Corporal 
  learned from the Tibesti locals of the creature's sapience, and 
  so turned around, sending one of his men ahead with a letter 
  to Ashworth explaining that they would be returning as soon 
  as “this blasted sandstorm ends.” Though the letter made its 
  way to Ashworth, the Corporal and his Section were never 
  heard from again.
  PLAYER-CHARACTERS
  Having come to the conclusion that men of good conscience 
  are of no use to him, Ashworth uses his many global contacts 
  and financial clout, to bring together a group of assassins, 
  bounty hunters, and the otherwise unscrupulous.
  Unlike a typical Pulp Cthulhu adventure, where the player-
  characters are Heroes, those in this adventure are villains.
  Provided for use in this scenario are six pre-generated (pre-
  gen) villains, each with unique traits and Pulp talents. They 
  have been given three character-appropriate talents each, 
  which Pulp Cthulhu classes as "high pulp", so if the Keeper 
  prefers the default of two talents, they may ask each player to 
  remove one of their choosing.
  If the players are creating their own characters, they will need 
  to be reminded that they are playing villains, and as such, some 
  of the archetypes—such as Steadfast and Swashbuckler—may 
  not be suitable without being completely inverted.
  Below is a brief summary of the included villains:
  • Noah Clarke is the classic mad scientist, or more 
  accurately, mad engineer. The kind whose greatest 
  aspiration is building a giant death ray to take over 
  the world. In the meantime, he’s content wielding his 
  patented lightning gun.
  • Alison Girard is a femme fatale who uses her looks to get 
  what she wants in life. If that doesn’t work, she happily 
  resorts to poisons.
  • Rana and her hyena D’ba are inseparable, and are so in 
  sync with each other that observers may believe they share 
  one mind.
  • Ren Shinoda is a ninja—or kunoichi—skilled at striking 
  with precision from the shadows with her katana.
  • Marcus Matheson is the stereotypical loner cowboy, 
  rarely looking out from under the brim of his hat, and is 
  as quick on the draw as any cowboy of the silver screen.
  • Alexi “The Bear” Vasiliev is a jolly giant. He is just as 
  likely to be found laughing heartily with a drinking 
  comrade, as he would be laughing heartily crushing an 
  enemy's skull between his huge hands.
  WE COULD BE HEROES
  If either the Keeper or players are not comfortable 
  playing villains, all of the pre-gens—except perhaps 
  Alison Girard—can easily be played as Heroes, 
  though this change will affect the ending of the 
  scenario.
  With the goal of the scenario being the capture 
  of Guk-Keh, this will likely become more of a moral 
  quandary than a straight-out battle, as the Heroes 
  would be fighting a being who has done nothing 
  wrong. If they continue regardless, they would likely 
  incur significant Sanity point loss at what equates 
  to murder.
  
  3
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  BEGINNING PLAY - 
  LONDON, ENGLAND
  The Big-Game Hunt begins in a large Victorian manor in 
  London, England. It is March of 1882, and all of the villains 
  are ushered into a spacious, rectangular, wood-panelled 
  smoking room on the second floor. Around the room are 
  several large taxidermied predatory animals, such as a bear, 
  lion, and cheetah, all posed in aggressive manner upon two-
  inch high, beveled mahogany pedestals, each with an engraved 
  brass nameplate identifying the species. Upon the walls are the 
  busts of many other large animals, such as a moose, rhinoceros, 
  and warthog, likewise mounted upon beveled mahogany 
  boards with nameplates. In the center of the room are eight 
  large leather-upholstered chairs arranged in a circle.
  The villains should be given a moment to introduce 
  themselves to each other (if they wish to), and look around 
  the room. If they do, they notice that amongst the taxidermied 
  animals there is an empty pedestal, like the others, but larger 
  in width and length than even the bear's. It, too, has a brass 
  nameplate, but unlike the others, it is unengraved.
  Soon enough, a double-door opens up at the far end up the 
  room, and Terrance Ashworth enters in a wheelchair being 
  pushed by a nurse. “I should be fine here, m’dear,” he says, and 
  the nurse stops to help Ashworth out of the chair, handing 
  him a walking cane. He starts towards the group, and the nurse 
  exits, leaving the wheelchair in the room.
  “Well aren’t you a motley lot,” he remarks as he limps to one 
  of the chairs in the circle. He then gestures to the other chairs, 
  and says, “Sit, sit.”
  Ashworth then introduces himself, and explains why he has 
  brought them here. Presuming that a group of assassins won’t 
  want to hunt an animal, he spins a tale that he feels they would 
  be more likely to accept, which only contains snippets of truth.
  Ashworth tells of how he had sent out a hunting party to 
  capture his “white whale”, the fabled six-legged rhino (Moby 
  Dick is 30 years old at this point, so the term should be well 
  known). If any of the villains can pass an Extreme Know roll, 
  they have heard rumors of the beast. He continues, saying that 
  the party was ambushed, and his prize stolen, and that he is 
  tasking the villains to reclaim it for him for the princely sum of 
  £10,000 each—£2,000 now, and the rest on their return with 
  his trophy. This may be haggled up to £2,500 up-front with a 
  successful Persuade roll.
  Ashworth then informs them that the thieves have set up 
  camp on Emi Koussi, the Tibesti Mountains, in the Sahara, 
  and that he has already made travel arrangements for them 
  to Cairo, Egypt. Once there, a man known only as Orson will 
  meet them. Ashworth finishes by asking if anyone has any 
  questions.
  In answering any, the Keeper should be mindful not to give 
  away any information about the Section of soldiers, or the fact 
  that the creature is alive and sapient, as these are revealed over 
  the course of the scenario.
  CAIRO, EGYPT
  Upon arrival in Cairo in early April, Ashworth's contact, Orson, 
  is waiting for the villains on the dock. As the last of them steps 
  off the gangway, a group of 1D4 young men bump into them, 
  D'BA (RANA'S HYENA)
  D'ba is a large female spotted hyena, and is a Pulp 
  character in her own regard. Legends say that she 
  has been by Rana's side since birth, though hyenas 
  are only known to live 10-20 years, so most attribute 
  her longevity to mystical influence. In reality, D'ba 
  had a pup who took her mother's place upon her 
  death.
  The Keeper may control D'ba when not specifically 
  under direction by Rana.
  D'ba, spotted hyena 
  STR  95 
  CON  55 
  SIZ  60 
  DEX  75 
  INT  — 
  APP  — 
  POW 50 
  EDU  — 
  SAN  — 
  HP  23 
  DB: +1D4 
  Build: 1 
  Move: 12
  Combat
  Fighting  
  30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1D4 
  Dodge   
  37% (18/7)
  Skills
  Intimidate 50% (25/10) 
  Stealth 75% (37/15) 
  Track 30% (15/6)
  Pulp Talents
  • Keen Vision: gain a bonus die to Spot Hidden 
  rolls.
  • Keen Hearing: gain a bonus die to Listen rolls
  • Scary: reduces difficulty by one level or gains 
  bonus die (at the Keeper’s discretion) to 
  Intimidate rolls.
  Armor: 2-point tough hide and fur.
  
  4
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  CHASING THE THIEVES
  If the villains chase after the thieves immediately after 
  realizing they've been robbed, the Keeper should initiate 
  a chase scene. It is up to the Keeper whether the thieves 
  stick together or separate, but if they do separate, they 
  should not diverge too drastically else the villains end up 
  lost in a city they neither know, nor speak the language of, 
  which, while not game-breaking, will end up wasting time 
  that could be otherwise spent adventuring. Suggested 
  locations and hazards are listed below:
  The Bazaar
  Directly off the port is a fish market and bazaar. It is 
  quite busy, and in particularly dense sections a DEX roll 
  is required to weave through the crowd. An Intimidate 
  roll may also prove useful in scaring them into dispersing, 
  though with an Extreme success they become too scared, 
  and panic, making traversal just as difficult as it would 
  have been had they failed.
  Further into the bazaar, one of the thieves knocks over 
  a merchant's basket of fish, which requires a DEX roll 
  to not slip over on. A failure not only loses movement 
  points, but does 1D3 damage from hitting the pavement.
  First House
  Once out of the bazaar, the thieves run into the first open 
  door they find, closing it behind them. A villain may opt 
  to smash the door open with a STR roll, but it is actually 
  not locked, and can be simply opened with the handle 
  (using 1 movement point).
  Second House
  Through the first house, the thieves run up to the second 
  floor, where they head outside and jump from the balcony, 
  across an alleyway, to an adjacent balcony. This requires 
  a Jump roll from all attempting it. Failure could mean 
  either landing in the alley below, taking 1D6 damage 
  unless a second Jump roll is made to hit the ground 
  running, or grabbing onto the edge of the opposite 
  balcony with a DEX roll. A Climb roll is needed on their 
  next movement to clamber back up.
  Rooftops
  Exiting the second house, the thieves climb up onto the 
  roof. A Climb roll is needed to get up there, followed 
  by Jump rolls as they leap from roof to roof. A fall from 
  this height does 1D10 damage, though the result can be 
  halved with a successful Jump roll to stick the landing.
  Assuming the thieves and villains have made it this far, 
  the Keeper may choose whether to continue along the 
  roofs, or to take the chase back down to the street.
  Anyone who finds themselves on the street while 
  the chase is continuing above should make either Spot 
  Hidden rolls to visually see where people are running 
  and jumping, or Navigate rolls to track their general 
  direction. To rejoin the chase, they either need to enter a 
  door (with a Luck roll will determining if it's locked or 
  not), or make a Climb roll to scale a wall.
  For the sake of simplicity, all 4 thieves have been given 
  the same combat ability and skills.
  Thief #1 
  STR  50 
  CON  50 
  SIZ  65 
  DEX  55 
   
  HP  11 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 7
  Thief #2
  STR  55 
  CON  50 
  SIZ  70 
  DEX  50 
   
  HP  12 
  DB: +1D4 
  Build: 1 
  Move: 7
  Thief #3
  STR  55 
  CON  55 
  SIZ  60 
  DEX  50 
   
  HP  11 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 7
  Thief #4
  STR  50 
  CON  55 
  SIZ  65 
  DEX  55 
   
  HP  12 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 7
  Combat
  Brawl  
  40% (20/8), damage 1D3 
  Dodge  
  Half DEX
  Skills
  Climb 40%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 30%, Language 
  (English) 25%, Listen 40%, Locksmith 50%, Navigate 
  25%, Sleight of Hand 80%, Spot Hidden 35%, Stealth 
  40%.
  
  5
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  ALTERNATE ROUTES
  Four alternate routes are provided (pages 8-9) if the Keeper 
  wishes to use them. They all work out to roughly the same 
  travel time once boat travel has been factored in, with the main 
  difference being the number of oases passed through, and the 
  distance between them. For instance, on the eastern Benghazi 
  route, the longest distance between oases is 10 days, whereas 
  on the Aswan route, it is 23 days. As most of the travel in 
  Pulp games is "red lined" anyway, none of this has any practical 
  effect on gameplay, and is only included for the sake of flavor. 
  The choice of route does, however, affect the verisimilitude of 
  the narrative, as the western Benghazi and Aswan routes both 
  bypass the Great Sand Sea, as well as the western Benghazi 
  route missing the actual path of the solar eclipse. If choosing 
  these routes, the Keeper could simply shift their locations, as 
  it is unlikely that any players will know their exact placement.
  THE GUIDE
  Karim is a small, lean, and unkempt man. He is 
  not only the camel wrangler, but the navigator and 
  translator, so should be portrayed as a coward, hiding 
  or fleeing at the first sign of danger, and returning 
  only when the coast is clear so that he may be 
  kept alive (at least until Emi Koussi is spotted). If 
  the Keeper does choose to use him as a “red shirt,” 
  they should make sure that he has passed on any 
  necessary navigational knowledge prior.
  Karim, age 28, camel wrangler 
  STR  55 
  CON  75 
  SIZ  50 
  DEX  65 
  INT  55 
  APP  50 
  POW 70 
  EDU  40 
  SAN  70 
  HP  12 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 14
  Combat
  Brawl   
  25% (12/5), damage 1D3 
  Dodge   
  32% (16/6)
  Skills
  Animal Handling 60%, Credit Rating 5%, 
  Language (Own) (Egyptian) 40%, Language 
  (English) 31%, Natural World 50%, Navigate 70%, 
  Ride 75%, Survival (Desert) 50%, Track 30%.
  apologizing in Egyptian ("aasef"), before casually walking 
  away. Each villain should make a Spot Hidden roll. Those who 
  succeed notice that their wallet/purse has been stolen. One of 
  the thieves looks back, and upon realizing they've been made, 
  yells to the others to run ("doosu"). If any of the villains choose 
  to take chase (see Chasing the Thieves, opposite page), they 
  will be doing so without any of their weaponry, as that is still 
  packed in their luggage. Once the chase is over—regardless of 
  the outcome—Orson runs up behind them, struggling to catch 
  his breath, as if he'd been trying to keep up the entire way.
  If they chose to take any weaponry from their luggage, this 
  costs them time, and the thieves automatically escape with all 
  their money. If this happens, it is up to the Keeper whether 
  they will have Orson pay for all subsequent expenses on 
  Ashworth's behalf (with the debt being subtracted from their 
  remaining payment), or have him simply recognize one of the 
  men, in which case he can ask around for the location of their 
  den, and let the villains deal with them as they may.
  Once the thief encounter is over, Orson aids the villains in 
  procuring camels and supplies, as well as finding a guide. If the 
  players take the Benghazi or Aswan paths, Orson could simply 
  say that he knows a man at that location who can sell them 
  camels, though he will still help them find a guide in Cairo 
  before they depart.
  Orson is a shady fellow, asking the villains to remain outside 
  while he meets with various people, asking around for a guide. 
  This is mostly a red herring, sprinkling a little suspicion onto 
  the fact that Ashworth is not telling the whole truth. Eventually 
  the contact leads them to a man named Karim, who is willing 
  to guide them to Emi Koussi. He not only has the navigational 
  skills to get there, but also the necessary knowledge on 
  surviving in the Sahara (see The Guide, opposite).
  Upon meeting Karim and procuring the necessary camels, 
  Orson leaves them. Because this is a Pulp scenario, the 
  acquisition of supplies can simply be skipped, and presumed 
  that they are able to find everything needed for the journey, 
  including food, water, and camping gear. If the villains choose 
  to take anything supplemental to the necessities, they can, but 
  depending on the item, may require a Luck roll to determine if 
  Karim (or Orson before he leaves) have the contacts to procure 
  it. Adding more weight may also require more camels.
  For every two riders (inc. Karim), six camels are needed 
  (two for riding, one for water, one for food, one for equipment, 
  and one pack camel). Each can carry up to 450 lb., needs to 
  drink every 7 days, and eat every 2 days. Due to the weight of 
  water, they only have enough for 20 days, so need to refill at 
  oases along the way. On average, a team of camels can travel 25 
  miles (40 km) a day, perhaps more if recently watered. Karim is 
  adept at coaxing the beasts to walk longer and faster, but in his 
  absence, daily Animal Handling rolls are required.
  
  6
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  SAHARAN PREDATORS
  Despite being the largest desert in the world, the 
  Sahara has a plethora of fauna. While the majority 
  would pose no threat to a human, those listed below 
  could, and may be encountered on the journey from 
  Cairo to the Tibesti Mountains:
  • African Golden Wolf: Closely related to the 
  grey wolf, but smaller in size, and are most 
  threatening in packs. For stats, average the rolls 
  of a jackal and wolf (Malleus Monstrorum, p.266 
  and 273 respectively).
  • Striped Hyena: Smaller than spotted hyenas 
  such as D'ba, and with different markings (as 
  their name suggests). As with the wolf above, 
  hyenas are most threatening when encountered 
  in packs. Stats for spotted hyenas can be found 
  in the Malleus Monstrorum (p.266), which could 
  be used for striped hyenas if minimum roll 
  values are used. 
  • Saharan Horned Viper: A scaly, sandy-colored, 
  side-winding snake with recognizable horns 
  protruding straight up above its eyes. See 
  Snake, Venomous in the core rulebook (p.339) 
  for stats.
  • Deathstalker: One of the most dangerous 
  species of scorpion. While only about 2 inches 
  long, its venom is a powerful mixture of 
  neurotoxins. Roll 2D10 damage if stung.
  Route
  Distance 
  (miles)
  Days' 
  Travel
  Oases 
  Passed
  Longest 
  Between
  Cairo (N)
  1268
  51
  6
  15 days
  Cairo (S)
  1094
  44
  5
  14 days
  Benghazi (W)
  1091
  48
  5
  10 days
  Benghazi (E)
  1047
  46
  4
  13 days
  Aswan
  1000
  45
  1
  23 days
  AVERAGE BANDIT
  STR  50 
  CON  50 
  SIZ  65 
  DEX  50 
  INT  40 
  APP  50 
  POW 50 
  EDU  40 
  SAN  50 
  HP  11 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 7 
  MP: 10
  Combat
  Brawl   
  50% (25/10), damage 1D3 
  Machete 
  50% (25/10), damage 1D8 
  Dodge   
  25% (12/5)
  EMBARKING
  Once the camels have been bought, the villains are right to 
  embark. As soon as they have, Karim casually asks if they are 
  following the soldiers, referring to the Section that Ashworth 
  had sent out previously. Whether they inquire further, Karim 
  elaborates, telling of the British soldiers that had come 
  through Cairo only a month before, also seeking the Tibesti 
  Mountains, and how his friend, Ahmed, had been their guide. 
  He won’t know any more details, and has not heard from his 
  friend since, so can only assume they’re still en route. He quips 
  optimistically that they might pass them. The true fate of 
  Ahmed is revealed in The Ghost Town (page 10).
  At this time of year (April), the temperatures in the Sahara 
  are reasonable—around 86°F (30°C) in the day, and 55°F 
  (13°C) at night—so there is no need to seek shelter during 
  the middle of the day, like would be necessary in the height 
  of summer. 
  THE GREAT SAND SEA
  Roughly a third of the way into their journey, the villains arrive 
  at the Great Sand Sea. This is the region that people envision 
  when thinking of the Sahara—nothing but huge, rolling sand 
  dunes as far as the eye can see. Such a region is known as an 
  erg, and while there are many ergs throughout the Sahara, the 
  Great Sand Sea is the largest. 
  If the villains took the Aswan route, they would not 
  realistically pass through any ergs, though for the sake of the 
  narrative, the Keeper should still have them come across some 
  large dunes at some point, and simply not mention a name.
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
  While the Great Sand Sea is ostensibly empty, the list of 
  Saharan Predators (below) could be used for a random 
  encounter, either while traveling, or camping for the night. 
  Another option could be to have a small gang of bandits attack 
  (see Average Bandit, opposite, for stats).
  
  7
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  Intended Route (Cairo Northern Route)
  Days to Destination (approx.)
  
  8
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  Cairo Southern Route
  Aswan Route
  
  9
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  Benghazi Eastern Route
  Benghazi Western Route
  
  10
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  THE GHOST TOWN
  At the far edge of the Great Sand Sea, the villains come across 
  an abandoned village that’s in the process of being overcome 
  by advancing dunes. From a distance, they are able to see that 
  the buildings are no different to any others in the area—one 
  or two story rendered brick—but won’t be able to discern its 
  abandonment until closer.
  As the villains approach, all should make a Spot Hidden 
  roll. Those who succeed spot a person sitting slumped against 
  the nearest wall. Upon closer inspection, they notice that the 
  person is wearing a British military uniform. Closer again, and 
  they notice that the front of the uniform is covered in now-
  dried blood. If they inspect even further, they discover that the 
  man is dead, and has been for some time. A large gash across 
  his carotid artery is evidently the cause of death, and accounts 
  for the amount of blood upon his uniform. The soldier's 
  Martini–Henry rifle is laying on the ground by his limp hand, 
  implying that he was holding it until death (see "Table XVII: 
  Weapons", page 403, in the core rulebook for details on the 
  Martini-Henry rifle). As the villains soon discover, this soldier, 
  and all of his Section, were killed by sand-dwellers (see Sand-
  Dwellers, page 12, for details). They should all make a Sanity 
  roll for the sight (0/1D3 loss).
  Entering further into the village, more dead soldiers are 
  found around the central square, all in similarly wounded states 
  to the first. Further Sanity rolls should be made. Karim panics, 
  and start calling out, "Ahmed!" (the name of his friend). After 
  a few tries with no response, he dashes into buildings looking 
  for him. If the villains ask what he is doing, he reminds them 
  that his friend was the soldiers’ guide.
  The village is completely abandoned by those who lived 
  there, with only a few larger furnishings remaining. It is obvious 
  that it was abandoned with deliberation rather than a sudden 
  exodus. Many of the buildings surrounding the square show 
  obvious signs of a fight, with bullet holes pitting the walls, and 
  broken-down doors and shutters, many of which also show 
  claw marks. Inside the buildings are more dead soldiers, but 
  also blood stains on the floors that have no bodies nearby, and 
  seem to be smeared in the direction of the doorways. These 
  are from the sand-dwellers dragging away their own casualties. 
  With a Luck roll, a keen-eyed observer notices a bloody 
  footprint from one of the sand-dwellers stepping in some 
  spilled blood. It appears human, if slightly small. 
  Ghost Town & Naturalist's Camp
  
  11
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  THE SKELETAL PUPPETEER
  Each attack on the puppeteer not only strikes the 
  formless spawn, but the skeletons that are supporting 
  it. Because the puppeteer has no vital organs to hit, 
  and the skeletons' silhouette is so thin, attacks made 
  with an impaling weapon (including bullets) have 
  one penalty die added.
  The combined skeleton has 12 hit-points, and 
  upon reaching zero becomes too broken to support 
  the formless spawn any longer, at which point it 
  "dismounts". It is up to the Keeper whether the 
  formless spawn continues to fight, or slinks away 
  back to its cleft.
  Puppeteer, skeletal abomination
  STR  45 
  CON  15 
  SIZ  110 
  DEX  70 
  INT  40 
  APP  — 
  POW 15 
  EDU  — 
  SAN  — 
  HP  12 
  DB: +1D4 
  Build: 1 
  Move: 7 
  MP: 3
  Combat
  Attacks per round: 4
  In combat, the puppeteer uses the phalanges of 
  both skeletons' hands as claws.
  Fighting 
  45% (22/9), damage 1D4+1D4
  Dodge  
  35% (17/7)
  Armor: The formless spawn itself is immune to all 
  physical weapons, even enchanted ones—wounds 
  simply snap closed after being opened. Spells may 
  affect it, as may fire, chemicals, or other forces. 
  However, the skeletons have no such immunities.
  Sanity Loss: 1/1D10 Sanity points to see a 
  puppeteer.
  At some point, the villains hear a wail coming from the 
  largest building in the village. It is Karim, having found 
  the body of his friend. Joining him, they find a makeshift 
  stronghold in one of the upstairs bedrooms, with a single table 
  pushed up against the doorway as a barrier, and the bulk of 
  the Section’s ammunition supplies piled in the back corner. It’s 
  clear that the battle culminated here, as there is more blood on 
  the floor and walls than in any other building.
  Karim is found on the floor, cradling his friend’s upper 
  body in his arms, weeping. Of the other corpses in the room, a 
  Spot Hidden roll reveals that one has different insignia upon 
  his uniform. This is Corporal Fletcher, though a Hard Know 
  roll is needed for them to identify the specific rank. Karim is 
  inconsolable for a while, so the villains have little more to do 
  than explore the building and/or village. 
  Besides being able to the salvage the remaining supplies, the 
  only other item of note is Corporal Fletcher’s journal, which 
  may be found amongst his belongings in the room with his 
  body. As the sand-dweller attack was a sudden ambush, there 
  is no mention of it in the journal. However, it does mention 
  his correspondence with Ashworth (see Handouts: Corporal 
  Fletcher's Journal, page 22), as well as his discovery of the 
  six-legged rhino's sapience.
  With The Ambush (next page) of the sand-dwellers due 
  to occur at nightfall, the Keeper should use the intervening 
  time to have the villains find the naturalist's camp, as there 
  is an antidote to the sand-dwellers' blow-dart poison there. 
  Depending on where they are in the village, the Keeper may 
  have them spot a lone camel atop a nearby sand dune, which 
  leads them to the camp if followed, or perhaps one of the 
  villains may see the top of a distant tent out of an upstairs 
  window, or see the glint of the sun reflecting off something 
  metal or glass, or perhaps they hear the sound of a camel 
  dying in the distance. As long as the camp is brought to their 
  attention, the means of its discovery is inconsequential. One 
  encroaching dune separates the camp from the village, so that 
  it can't be seen from ground level.
  Karim does not follow them to the camp, opting instead to 
  stay with his deceased friend.
  THE NATURALIST'S CAMP
  The camp consists of two medium-sized tents—one of which 
  is set up as living quarters, while the other is filled with tables 
  of laboratory equipment—both of which are atop a small 
  rocky outcropping on the desert plain beyond the dunes. 
  Several camels are tethered to one side, with evidence that 
  more had been present but had broken free. One encroaching 
  dune separates the camp from the village, so that it can't be 
  seen from ground level.
  A naturalist and his assistant had been living here, studying 
  the sand-dwellers. The sand-dwellers had not minded the 
  intrusion, as the scientists had kept their distance, but 
  unfortunately, on the night prior to the villains' arrival, the 
  naturalist had been working in the laboratory when a formless 
  spawn of Tsathoggua seeped up through a cleft in the rock and 
  attacked him. His screams drew the attention of his assistant, 
  who was subsequently attacked as well. In the time since, the 
  formless spawn has been slowly consuming both.
  
  12
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  SAND-DWELLERS
  This obscure race appear emaciated, most likely 
  from the scarcity of food in the desert, and their skin 
  looks as though it is encrusted with sand. Though 
  humanoid in morphology, they are easy to discern 
  at a distance due to their large eyes and ears. They 
  dwell in caverns deep in desert areas, and come out 
  at night to prowl and hunt for prey.
  Sand-Dwellers, stalkers of the wastes 
  STR  50 
  CON  65 
  SIZ  45* 
  DEX  65 
  INT  50 
  APP  — 
  POW 50 
  EDU  — 
  SAN  — 
  HP  11 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 10
  Combat
  Attacks per round: 2
  In combat, sand-dwellers have the usual range of 
  unarmed attacks open to humanoids, in addition to 
  its claws.
  Blow-gun: Some sand-dwellers carry blow-guns 
  and poisoned darts. See Blow-Dart Poison Effects 
  table (opposite page) for details.
  Fighting 
  30% (15/6), damage 1D6 
  Blow-gun 
  25% (12/5), damage special (see  
   
   
   
  above) 
  Dodge  
  30% (15/6)
  Skills
  Listen 60%, Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 55%.
  Armor: 2-point rough hide.* 
  Sanity Loss: 0/1D6 Sanity points to see a sand-
  dweller.
  *Note: These stats have been intentionally altered for 
  the purposes of this scenario.
  LIVING QUARTERS
  Inside the tent are two separate foldable cots (camping beds), 
  as well as one travel trunk at the foot of each. A small foldable 
  table and chairs are in the corner. Strangely, a lit lantern hangs 
  above the table, despite being day time. This was left behind 
  by the assistant when he ran to investigate the naturalist's 
  screams.
  LABORATORY
  Within this tent are a handful of tables, each with various 
  scientific instruments such as a microscope, Bunsen burner, 
  glass flasks and vials, as well as biological samples in varying 
  states of dissection. Upon entering, a successful Listen roll 
  alerts the villain to a rustling noise at the very back of the 
  tent. There they discover the corpses of the naturalist and 
  his assistant—both little more than skeletons with some 
  connective tissue remaining—covered in a gelatinous black 
  slime. As they approach, the slime with quiver, and coalesce 
  somewhat, as if startled. If the villains back away and let it 
  be, it may simply return to its meal, but if they harass it in 
  any way, it promptly pulls the remains of the two corpses into 
  itself, and use them as its own skeleton, forming a two-headed, 
  four-armed, four-legged abomination with black slime in the 
  place of muscles. Then, with a cliched squeal, it attacks (see 
  The Skeletal Puppeteer, previous page, for stats).
  Once the puppeteer is dealt with, the villains are free to 
  look around the laboratory, which is likely to be in ruins after 
  the fight. Here they find the naturalist's notes on the sand-
  dwellers, including their poisoned blow-darts (see Handouts: 
  The Naturalist's Diary, page 23). He mentions working on 
  an antidote, some of which can be found in 2D6 labeled vials 
  nearby. Each vial is a single dose, and with a successful Science 
  (Chemistry) roll, 1D6 more doses can be synthesized using 
  the equipment and samples on-hand. A single hypodermic 
  syringe—the large, stainless steel kind of the era—is found 
  nearby that the vials can be inserted into for use. Loading a 
  vial into the syringe during combat takes one round, and using 
  it takes another. If Alison Girard is in the party, her experience 
  with syringes allows her to load and administer one in a single 
  round.
  THE AMBUSH
  Upon their return to the village, Karim is found in the town 
  square, digging a grave for his friend, who is on the ground 
  nearby wrapped in a bed sheet. He found a shovel in the 
  Section's inventory, and more would be available should the 
  villains choose to assist him (though he won't ask for help). By 
  the time the grave is dug, and his friend is placed within and 
  covered, the sun has set, and lanterns have to be lit. Karim asks 
  if the villains can help him find sufficiently large rocks to make 
  a cairn while he goes inside to collect his friend's possessions.
  Whether the villains chose to do as Karim asked or not, as 
  soon as he is inside the Keeper should call for Spot Hidden 
  rolls from all. Those who are successful notice pairs of silvery 
  discs surrounding them at a distance in every direction, 
  
  13
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  BLOW-DART POISON EFFECTS (CHOOSE OR ROLL 1D10)
  Roll
  Sense Affected
  Effect
  1
  Vision (sight)
  The victim's sight becomes overwhelmed with brightness, like walking from 
  a dark room into daylight, but without the subsequent adjustment, forcing 
  them to squint, or close their eyes completely. The distraction adds a Penalty 
  Die to all skill rolls.
  2
  Audition (hearing)
  Every sound the victim hears becomes amplified immensely. Even something 
  as faint as wind through trees sounds like a burst steam vent. The distraction 
  adds a Penalty Die to all skill rolls.
  3
  Gustation (taste)
  The victim's tongue becomes so over-sensitized that they can even taste their 
  own saliva and plaque, making them feel ill. If the Keeper chooses, they may 
  call for a CON roll for them to not vomit. The distraction adds a Penalty Die 
  to all skill rolls.
  4
  Olfaction (smell)
  Every smell in the victim's vicinity becomes intensified and overwhelming, 
  including the smell of their own breath. If the Keeper chooses, they may call 
  for a CON roll for them to not vomit. The distraction adds a Penalty Die to 
  all skill rolls.
  5
  Somatosensation (touch)
  The victim's skin becomes overly sensitive, to the point that their clothing 
  feels painful against them. The distraction adds a Penalty Die to all skill rolls.
  6
  Thermoception (temperature)
  The victim feels the temperature climb suddenly, and they start sweating 
  profusely. If the Keeper chooses, they may call for a POW roll for them to 
  fight the urge to remove their clothes to cool down. The distraction adds a 
  Penalty Die to all skill rolls.
  7
  Proprioception (kinesthetics)
  Unlike the other senses, where they go into overdrive, this sense shuts down, 
  making the victim unaware of where their body is in space, causing them to 
  become clumsy and uncoordinated, dropping their DEX to its half value, and 
  adding a Penalty Die to any physical skills (such as Climb or Jump).
  8
  Nociception (pain)
  Not only does the area around the puncture sear with pain, but the victim's 
  entire body begins to ache unbearably. The distraction adds a Penalty Die to 
  all skill rolls.
  9
  Equilibrioception (balance)
  The victim becomes afflicted with vertigo, to the point that they almost cannot 
  stand or walk without stumbling, dropping their DEX to its half value, and 
  adding a Penalty Die to any physical skills (such as Climb or Jump).
  10
  Mechanoreception (vibration)
  The victim can sense every vibration around them, from footsteps to sound. 
  The distraction adds a Penalty Die to all skill rolls.
  means that they have been struck by the dart, and should roll 
  a 1D10 against the Blow-Dart Poison Effects table (above) 
  to determine its effect. Alternatively, the Keeper may choose 
  which effect to apply.
  Unlike other poisons in Call of Cthulhu, which do physical 
  damage, the sand-dweller blow-dart poison affects the 
  different senses, so results in varying penalties. Subsequent 
  doses either affect a different sense, or double the effect to the 
  shimmering in the darkness like cats' eyes. An Extreme success 
  allows them to notice humanoid silhouettes attached to the 
  discs, barely contrasted against the night sky. These are sand-
  dwellers—the same ones that attacked the Section.
  The villain with the lowest Luck should make a roll. A 
  success means that they hear a blow-dart whisk right past 
  their ear, narrowly missing them. If more than one are tied 
  for lowest Luck, each should make their own roll. A failure 
  
  14
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  same sense (e.g. applying a second Penalty Die). The effects of 
  the poison last for 1D6 hours, though an Extreme CON roll 
  halves the time.
  If the villains simply take cover, the sand-dwellers continue 
  the barrage of blow-darts from the darkness. However, as soon 
  as they take action, the sand-dwellers cease fire and run down 
  into the village to attack (see Sand-Dwellers, page 12, for 
  stats). Sanity rolls should be made for seeing these uncanny 
  humanoids (0/1D6 loss).
  The sand-dwellers are running from a far enough distance 
  that the villains are able to ready their weapons, and should be 
  able to get at least one round of fire off before the sand-dwellers 
  reach them. They have an innate hunters' intuition that allows 
  them to determine which threats take priority over others, so 
  they send a number of fighters to each villain equal to that 
  villain's Fighting (Brawl) skill divided by 20 (rounded down). 
  For example, a villain with Fighting (Brawl) 90% is attacked by 
  4 sand-dwellers (90÷20=4.5). It is also recommended that the 
  Keeper apply the Mooks rule (Pulp Cthulhu, page 62) during 
  this attack, as the number of foes will be difficult to defeat 
  otherwise. If the Keeper chooses to have the sand-dwellers use 
  their blow-guns during combat, it should be done sparingly, as 
  the penalties the poison imparts may unbalance the fight. It 
  also requires the sand-dweller to step away from combat to fire 
  accurately, which counts as fleeing, or else a Penalty Die should 
  be applied if fired within melee.
  After the fight, the villains find Karim missing. If they enter 
  the building he ran in to and search for him, a Listen roll 
  reveals a whimper coming from a toppled wardrobe. Whoever 
  opens the door receives a kick from a startled Karim. As it 
  counts as a surprise attack, they need to make a Dodge roll to 
  avoid it, taking 1D3 damage if they don't. Karim apologizes 
  profusely, claiming that he thought they were "one of those 
  monsters." If the villains fail to find Karim, he runs out of the 
  building, screaming, "Don't leave without me!"
  Once he has calmed down, Karim asks, once again, if 
  someone can help him build a cairn. If no one does, he simply 
  does it himself. Once complete, he begins some rites in 
  Egyptian, and places Ahmed's possessions atop the cairn.
  If the villains ask to leave this night, Karim reminds them 
  that the camels need to sleep, and that a tired camel is a 
  grumpy camel. If they still decide to leave, the Keeper should 
  ask for some Animal Handling or Ride rolls as they depart, 
  with the camels acting unpredictably upon failure, to which 
  Karim responds, "I did try to tell you."
  AL JAWF, LIBYA
  About two-thirds of the way into the journey, the villains 
  arrive at Al Jawf—a large town around the area's largest oasis. 
  Karim suggests they stop here for the night, getting a good 
  night's rest, and restocking their supplies. The Libyans here 
  are the ones who informed Colonel Fletcher of the six-legged 
  rhino's sapience.
  While there are no hotels in Al Jawf, Karim has no 
  trouble securing board for the night, as the locals are more 
  than welcoming. That night, while sat down for dinner with 
  their host family, the patriarch of the house, Mohamed—a 
  weathered elderly man in a dust-covered white keffiyeh—asks 
  what brings them through Al Jawf (Karim translates for both 
  parties). Below are some suggestions on Mohamed's responses 
  to the villains:
  • If the villains mention Ashworth's lost hunting party, or 
  their ambush, Mohamed simply laughs. He explains that 
  the six-legged rhino cannot be killed, so if they failed to 
  return, then they either succumbed to bandits...Or the 
  hands of the beast itself. 
  • If they mention the six-legged rhino, Mohamed nods, 
  and say that he is familiar with the legend. If they ask for 
  details, the Keeper should provide a truncated version 
  of the story (opposite page), beginning from when they 
  arrived in Egypt, and ignoring the specifics of dates, 
  simply saying, "a long time ago". The Keeper should also 
  make sure the detail of the eclipse is mentioned, as this 
  comes into play during The Eclipse (opposite page). 
  • If the villains ask about the British soldiers, Mohamed 
  says that he knew of their arrival in Al Jawf, and the fact 
  that they turned around the very next day after hearing of 
  the legend.
  • If the sand-dwellers are brought up, Mohamed's 
  demeanor turns somber, and he goes silent. Kalim speaks 
  with him, to which he replies no more than, "The men of 
  the sand are not spoken of here. There is a reason you will 
  find no one outside until morning."
  Trying to leave the house at any time after dusk results in 
  a stern warning from their hosts. If they hadn't asked about 
  the sand-dwellers before hand, Karim translates their warning: 
  "The night belongs to the sand-men." Should the villains 
  ignore this warning, it is up to the Keeper whether they face 
  any sand-dwellers outside or not.
  As the villains are leaving the next morning, Mohamed 
  gives them one parting word of advice: should they find their 
  missing hunters are without their trophy, do not seek it out. It 
  will only end in tragedy. With that, he slaps one of the camels' 
  rump and start them on their way.
  
  15
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  THE ECLIPSE
  While the dates in this scenario are quite flexible, the Keeper 
  should have the villains halfway between Ma'ţan as Sarra and 
  Emi Koussi on May 17, as there was a real-world total solar 
  eclipse in this area on that date. It began at 7:03AM local time, 
  with totality starting at 8:07AM and lasting just less than a 
  minute.
  The eclipse begins a mere 50min after sunrise, but even then 
  it would not be noticeable right away unless looking directly 
  at the Sun for some reason. To account for these factors, 
  the Keeper should first ask for a Luck roll, to find out who 
  is awake, with those failing still sound asleep in their tent, 
  followed by a Spot Hidden roll by those awake, to see who 
  notices the Sun's disc becoming obscured. If no one does, the 
  Keeper should have Karim point it out, perhaps waking those 
  who are still asleep.
  At the moment of totality, as the sky turns black, a monstrous, 
  unearthly bellowing is heard, carried by the winds from Emi 
  Koussi, which by this time is just becoming visible over the 
  horizon. It is such an unnatural noise that Sanity rolls need 
  be made for hearing it (0/1D3 loss). Despite its alien nature, a 
  Psychology roll can still detect a hint of mourning in its tones.
  EMI KOUSSI, CHAD
  Emi Koussi is a long-dormant, high pyroclastic shield volcano, 
  and is the highest peak in the Sahara. Despite the desert 
  surrounding it, Emi Koussi's elevation means it can get down 
  to 32°F (0°C) on winter nights, and has even been known to 
  snow—once every 7 years on average—which is why Guk-Keh 
  was determined to take his mother there. In late May, at the  
  time the villains arrive, this won't be a concern.
  From the relatively flat desert sands to the rim of Emi 
  Koussi's caldera is roughly 34 miles, with an average grade of 
  9%. While a 9% grade is not particularly steep, it does reduce 
  walking speed by about 30%, which means that traversing it 
  takes two whole days. If the Keeper wishes, they could have 
  The Eclipse (above) take place while the villains are leaving 
  their final camp, midway up Emi Koussi. While the placement 
  is off geographically, it would make hearing the mournful 
  bellowing more believable, being only about 17 miles from 
  Guk-Keh's lair.
  Karim goes no further than this final camp.
  THE CALDERA
  Atop the volcano is an 8 mile (13km) wide caldera, surrounded 
  by 1000ft (300m) scarps. Guk-Keh's lair is located upon the 
  THE TRUTH BEHIND 
  THE LEGEND
  In the winter of 932, a hairless baby gnoph-keh was 
  born. As was the gnoph-keh tradition, any baby 
  born with such "deformities" was to be sacrificed to 
  the deity Ithaqua, as it would not survive in their 
  arctic home regardless. The baby's mother, Karra-
  Keh, could not bear to see this happen, so fled her 
  homeland with the baby wrapped in layers of animal 
  pelts, searching for warmer climes.
  Karra-Keh made it all the way to Egypt before 
  her child, Guk-Keh, showed any signs of comfort, 
  so that is where they set up home. While Guk-Keh 
  thrived in the heat, unfortunately for Karra-Keh, she 
  did not, and her health deteriorated year after year. 
  In October of 977, Guk-Keh learned from the 
  local humans of mountains to the south-west, 
  where the temperature gets so cold in winter that 
  it sometimes even snows—The Tibesti Mountains. 
  Guk-Keh and Karra-Keh immediately set off into 
  the Sahara.
  On the morning of December 13th (Dec. 8th 
  Julian date), shortly after setting out for the day, the 
  sky began darkening as the moon eclipsed the sun. 
  Karra-Keh asked to sit and admire the cosmic event, 
  which Guk-Keh was more than happy to oblige. 
  After totality, Guk-Keh stood to set off once again, 
  only to discover that Karra-Keh had passed during 
  the display.
  Wanting his mother's final resting place to be 
  a cold one, Guk-Keh continued on, eventually 
  making it to the Tibesti Mountains' highest peak, 
  Emi Koussi, where he was able to bury his mother, 
  as he had seen the Egyptians do with their dead. 
  Not wanting to abandon her, Guk-Keh decided 
  to stay on Emi Koussi, and claimed it as his new 
  home. Every eclipse since, Guk-Keh has mourned 
  his mother, the bellows of which can be heard far 
  and wide.
  Gnoph-keh are polar bear-sized, with six legs, 
  and one large horn protruding from their head. They 
  would normally be covered in long white fur, but as 
  Guk-Keh is hairless, his skin turned dry and leathery 
  under the Saharan sun. As the years passed, tales of 
  Guk-Keh filtered out of the Sahara and into Europe, 
  where he was dubbed the "Six-Legged Rhinoceros."
  
  16
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  in natron, appearing at first glance to be snow. Dug into its 
  scarps are numerous sand-dweller caves. For generations, the 
  sand-dwellers here have worshiped Guk-Keh as a deity, and do 
  anything to protect him.
  Whether the villains arrive at day or night—though it 
  should be night if they camped mid-way up the mountain—
  each villain needs to make a Stealth roll. Inverse to what may 
  be expected, arriving in the daytime incurs a bonus die due to 
  the sand-dwellers being nocturnal. If failed, the sand-dwellers 
  instantly notice their arrival, and a vocal alarm is sounded, 
  Emi Koussi Topography
  southern scarp, at the highest peak, overlooking the caldera—
  his kingdom. It is a peaked stone structure, akin to an Egyptian 
  pyramid, albeit much smaller, irregularly-sided, and with 3 
  small towers rising from points on its circumference. Atop 
  the tower closest to the caldera, a large seat has been carved 
  into the stone from which Guk-Keh can look out over his 
  kingdom. When the villains arrive, Guk-Keh is inside his lair.
  Just off-center of the caldera is a second, nested caldera 
  named Era Kohor, another 1000ft deep, and roughly 1.2 
  miles (2km) across. The floor of this second caldera is covered 
  
  THE SIX-LEGGED RHINO
  Guk-Keh, mutant gnoph-keh
  STR  150 
  CON  110 
  SIZ  150 
  DEX  70 
  INT  70 
  APP  — 
  POW 100 
  EDU  — 
  SAN  — 
  HP  26 
  DB: +3D6 
  Build: 4 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 21
  Combat
  Attacks per round: 5
  May attack with its vicious claws and tremendous bulk. 
  Once per round, the gnoph-keh may bring its terrible 
  horn to bear on one target.
  Fighting 
  45% (22/9), damage 1D6+3D6 
  Horn Gore 
  65% (32/13), damage 1D10+3D6 
  Dodge  
  35% (17/7)
  Sandstorm: able to summon a small sandstorm, 
  restricting visibility to 9 feet maximum, costing the 
  creature 1 magic point per hour, and yielding a sandstorm 
  with a radius of 100 yards; that radius may be increased 
  by 100 more yards for every extra magic point expended.
  Generate Heat: can raise the air temperature by 
  expending magic points. For each magic point spent, the 
  temperature goes up by 18°F (10°C) for an hour (in a 
  100-yard radius). If the creature desires, it can combine 
  its heat and sandstorm attacks.
  Armor: 5 points of leathery hide.
  Spells: none.
  Sanity Loss: 0/1D10 Sanity points to see Guk-Keh.
  17
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  
  18
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  Any villains with long-range weapons can fire at any time, 
  though the Keeper should not roll for success or damage, 
  instead describing the targets as simply collapsing to the 
  ground and being trampled over by their brethren. At some 
  point, the Keeper should have the advancing sand-dwellers 
  fire a barrage of blow-darts. Due to the number, the Keeper 
  should once again forego rolling, and instead ask each villain 
  for a Luck roll to determine if they are hit as the darts rain 
  upon them.
  Before the sand-dwellers and villains meet, the sandstorm 
  closes in, reducing visibility to a mere yard or two due to its 
  intensity. This lack of visibility affects both sides, so should not 
  incur any form of penalty.
  Unlike the attack in The Ambush (page 12), this encounter 
  should be more descriptive and tense. Due to the poor visibility, 
  a villain may see a dark form in the storm ahead, getting a 
  chance to sneak up on them, or perhaps they themselves have 
  been stalked and are set upon in a flurry of claws. Also unlike 
  the previous attack, it is recommended that the Keeper keep 
  combat in this scene as one-on-one, and not use the Mooks 
  rule. If a villain wants to identify a figure in the storm from any 
  further than arm's reach, they may make a Spot Hidden roll. 
  If they succeed, they can differentiate between the silhouette 
  of a sand-dweller and ally. If they fail, they simply can't tell. 
  If a villain chooses to shoot at a figure in the storm without 
  first identifying it, the Keeper may ask for a Luck roll. Failure 
  means that they've hit one of their fellow villains. Due to the 
  noise and ferocity of the storm, all surprise attacks should be 
  allowed without opposition.
  As soon as any villain loses half their hit-points, or at any 
  time prior at the Keeper's discretion, a booming voice is 
  heard above the storm yelling, "Stop!" in Egyptian ("aaddu"). 
  Immediately, the sandstorm dissipates, and the sand-dwellers 
  freeze momentarily before scattering. The villains notice that 
  practically every sand-dweller is looking up at Guk-Keh in his 
  tower. Guk-Keh rises from his throne, and jumps down to the 
  caldera floor, over 1000ft below, with a loud thud and cloud 
  of dust. The sand-dwellers all flee to their caves. While they 
  worship Guk-Keh, they also fear him.
  Guk-Keh strides directly towards the villains (or gallops if 
  there is a significant distance to close). Sanity rolls will need 
  to be made now (0/1D10 loss). If any of the villains take pot-
  shots at him, he continues his path, unflinching. Once he is at 
  a suitable distance, he speaks Egyptian in a deep guttural voice, 
  saying, "Why have you come to my home—my Kingdom!" and 
  holds his arms out gesturing to his surroundings. If he notices 
  someone needing to translate, or if no one speaks Egyptian at 
  all, he snorts, "English?" (the Keeper may change this if the 
  predominant language amongst the villains is any other). Guk-
  Keh then repeats himself, slowing it down as if speaking to 
  which brings many more swarming out of Era Kohor. The 
  Keeper may describe as many sand-dwellers as they like here, 
  as the villains won't be fighting many of them anyway. Seeing 
  this horde will require a Sanity roll (0/1D6 loss).
  The sand-dwellers start running at the villains, but as they 
  are crossing the distance, a sandstorm begins to form. Unlike 
  a regular sandstorm, which arrives as a wall, this one appears 
  to be encircling the area, building up in size at the same time 
  as its eye closes in. This has been created by Guk-Keh, who 
  has expended all of his magic-points to create the biggest 
  sandstorm he can muster. As it begins, the sand-dwellers 
  momentarily pause, looking towards the lair. As they do, Guk-
  Keh appears atop the nearest tower, taking a seat upon his stone 
  throne. Due to the distance, the Keeper should postpone the 
  Sanity roll until Guk-Keh is faced in person later. The sand-
  dwellers then perform an action halfway between a nod and 
  a bow before turning back towards the villains and resuming 
  their sprint.
  SAND-DWELLER CAVES
  Due to their slight size, the entrance to a sand-
  dweller cave is little more than a hewn cleft in the 
  rock. If a villain chooses to enter one, they need to 
  make a SIZ roll, with the difficulty determined by 
  the table below.
  SIZ
  Difficulty
  0-49
  Regular
  50-89
  Hard
  90+
  Extreme
  Inside, they find a slightly larger tunnel. The 
  ambient light filtering in attenuates sharply, so an 
  artificial source of light is needed to progress any 
  further, else they quickly find themselves in pitch 
  darkness.
  Due to their keen hearing, it won't be long before 
  the sand-dwellers are alerted to the intruder, and 
  defend their home with ferocity. If more than one 
  villain has entered, only the leader is able to attack 
  due to the narrowness of the tunnel, though the 
  Keeper may allow the second-in-line to attack with 
  a penalty die if they wish. Similarly, only one or two 
  sand-dwellers are able to attack at a time, however, 
  as soon as one falls, another takes its place.
  
  19
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  children. If the villains question how he knows English (or any 
  other), he says that his mother taught him all the languages of 
  the humans.
  THE CLIMAX
  There are many ways this final encounter could play out. The 
  following are a few suggested paths:
  FIGHT!
  Gnoph-keh are extremely dangerous creatures, so a straight-
  out fight is not recommended unless the Keeper is content 
  with the scenario likely ending with the death of the entire 
  party. With his five allowed attacks, Guk-Keh could easily kill 
  an average Pulp Cthulhu PC in a single round. Even one attack 
  has a small chance of killing a lower hit-point PC in one go. 
  For this reason, it is recommended that the Keeper perhaps 
  opt to not use all five, or if they do, spread them around the 
  group instead of focusing all five on one villain.
  TEACH A LESSON
  In this option, Guk-Keh still fights the villains, but without 
  the intent to kill. Instead of using his claws or horn to attack, 
  he is more likely to swat the villains away with the back of his 
  hand. Despite pulling his punches, this attack still does 3D6 
  damage (DB), and also sends the villain flying back a distance 
  of 100-SIZ feet.
  Once every villain is prone or unconscious, Guk-Keh 
  chastises them for their actions, and tells them he is letting 
  them live so that they may return to the world of men and 
  spread the word that any who follow in their footsteps will not 
  be so fortunate.
  PLEA FOR EMPATHY
  Guk-Keh is not the villain in this scenario. Besides the 
  occasional human snack, he has never acted maliciously. In 
  this option, Guk-Keh pleads with the villains to just leave 
  him alone to live out his life by his deceased mother's side. 
  The Keeper should have him Dodge all attacks, and forfeit 
  his own turn, constantly saying things such as, "Why are you 
  doing this?" If Guk-Keh loses half his hit-points, he becomes 
  angered, and the Keeper should switch to Fight! or Teach a 
  Lesson for the remainder of the fight.
  PLEA FOR EUTHANASIA
  This is the saddest option, and perhaps also the least satisfactory 
  for the players. Here, Guk-Keh resigns his fate to the villains, 
  saying that he is tired of being hunted, and looks forward to 
  seeing his mother soon. If choosing this option, the Keeper 
  should aim for maximum emotional impact by describing the 
  pain being inflicted upon Guk-Keh in gruesome detail, and 
  upon receiving the killing blow, should whisper something 
  like, "I'm...coming...mother."
  CONCLUSION
  If the villains manage to slay Guk-Keh, they hear a slow 
  clapping from a distance, and turn to see three men riding 
  towards them with the rest of their caravan in tow. This is 
  Pierce, Ashworth's personal taxidermist, Spence, his assistant, 
  and Youssef, their guide. Even before introducing himself, 
  Pierce quips, "I hope you didn't damage the hide too much. 
  It's going to be a right bugger to stuff out here as it is."
  Ashworth, knowing that the corpse would not survive the 
  month-long trip back to Cairo, sent them out just behind the 
  villains so that they can work on the trip home. All involved 
  know it's not an ideal situation, but neither is returning with 
  a rotten carcass.
  The villains then return to Ashworth for the remainder of 
  their reward, which he happily hands over in his study. He 
  then excitedly takes them into the smoking room to show 
  them his prize on display, which is where the scenario ends.
  INSIDE GUK-KEH'S LAIR
  Should the villains make their way into Guk-
  Keh's lair at any time, they find it has a very simple 
  layout. The entrance is on the western side, and opens 
  directly onto an antechamber, which in turn opens 
  onto the living area, which consists of a large bed 
  made of various animal furs, as well as a hearth filled 
  with ashes and a handful of animal bones. Off the 
  living area are 3 short halls leading to the 3 towers, 
  as well as a dark room filled with the remains of 
  countless animals, all ranging in states of decay from 
  mere bones, to the head of a jackal that was likely 
  killed today. There are even some human remains 
  amidst the carrion (0/1D4 Sanity point loss). If the 
  Keeper wishes, one of these may have a note on their 
  person which could provide a plot hook leading into 
  their next scenario.
  
  20
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  Should the villains opt to leave Guk-Keh be, they pass 
  Pierce and his party on their way back down Emi Koussi. 
  Pierce looks confused, and asks, "Well, where is it?" It is up 
  to the Keeper how they proceed, but Ashworth will not hand 
  over any money, and states how disappointed he is with them 
  all, saying, "You were meant to be the best of the best, and 
  you've failed me. Get out of my sight."
  REWARDS
  Because the PCs in The Big-Game Hunt are villains, they are 
  not rewarded upon the morality of their actions as a typical 
  scenario would. Instead, their rewards a more self-centered.
  • Taught those thieves a lesson  . . . . . . . . +1D2 Sanity points
  • Killed more than 6 sand-dwellers . . . . . +1D6 Sanity points
  • Killed the puppeteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +1D10 Sanity points
  • Killed the six-legged rhino . . . . . . . . . +1D10 Sanity points
  • Spared the six-legged rhino . . . . . . . . . . +1D3 Sanity points
  • Got paid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +1D4 Sanity points
  NPCS AND MONSTERS
  Terrance Ashworth,  
  age 74, retired big-game hunter 
  STR  35 
  CON  45 
  SIZ  65 
  DEX  50 
  INT  65 
  APP  25 
  POW 50 
  EDU  65 
  SAN  50 
  HP  
  11 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 3 
  MP: 
  10
  Combat
  Brawl   
   
  25% (12/5), damage 1D3 
  Elephant Gun 
  85% (42/17), damage 3D6+4 
  Dodge  
   
  25% (12/5)
  Skills
  Credit Rating 75%, Fast Talk 50%, Listen 80%, Natural 
  World 75%, Navigate 70%, Ride 60%, Spot Hidden 65%, 
  Stealth 40%, Track 35%.
  Orson, age 51, Ashworth's agent 
  STR  45 
  CON  50 
  SIZ  70 
  DEX  40 
  INT  70 
  APP  40 
  POW 55 
  EDU  70 
  SAN  55 
  HP  
  12 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 5 
  MP: 
  11
  Combat
  Brawl   
   
  25% (12/5), damage 1D3 
  Dodge  
   
  20% (10/4)
  Skills
  Appraise 50%, Charm 30%, Credit Rating 45%, History 
  25%, Language (Egyptian) 75%, Law 30%, Library Use 60%, 
  Psychology 25%.
  Karim, age 28, camel wrangler 
  STR  55 
  CON  75 
  SIZ  50 
  DEX  65 
  INT  55 
  APP  50 
  POW 70 
  EDU  40 
  SAN  70 
  HP  
  12 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 
  14
  Combat
  Brawl   
   
  25% (12/5), damage 1D3 
  Dodge  
   
  32% (16/6)
  Skills
  Animal Handling 60%, Credit Rating 5%, Language (Own) 
  (Egyptian) 40%, Language (English) 31%, Natural World 
  50%, Navigate 70%, Ride 75%, Survival (Desert) 50%, Track 
  30%.
  Mohamed, age 77, gracious host 
  STR  45 
  CON  55 
  SIZ  60 
  DEX  45 
  INT  60 
  APP  25 
  POW 50 
  EDU  60 
  SAN  50 
  HP  
  11 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 3 
  MP: 
  10
  Combat
  Brawl   
   
  25% (12/5), damage 1D3 
  Dodge  
   
  22% (11/4)
  Skills
  Animal Handling 50%, Credit Rating 10%, Cthulhu Mythos 
  6%, First Aid 50%, History 40%, Natural World 30%, Ride 
  40%, Survival (Desert) 35%, Track 20%.
  Puppeteer, skeletal abomination
  STR  45 
  CON  15 
  SIZ  110 
  DEX  70 
  INT  40 
  APP  — 
  POW 15 
  EDU  — 
  SAN  — 
  HP  
  12 
  DB: 
  +1D4 Build: 1 
  Move: 7 
  MP: 
  3
  Combat
  Attacks per round: 4
  In combat, the puppeteer uses the phalanges of both 
  skeletons' hands as claws.
  Fighting 
  45% (22/9), damage 1D4+1D4 
  Dodge  
  35% (17/7)
  Armor: The formless spawn itself is immune to all physical 
  weapons, even enchanted ones—wounds simply snap closed 
  
  21
  THE BIG-GAME HUNT
  after being opened. Spells may affect it, as may fire, chemicals, 
  or other forces. However, the skeletons have no such 
  immunities.
  Sanity Loss: 1/1D10 Sanity points to see a puppeteer.
  Sand-Dwellers, stalkers of the wastes 
  STR  50 
  CON  65 
  SIZ  45 
  DEX  65 
  INT  50 
  APP  — 
  POW 50 
  EDU  — 
  SAN  — 
  HP  
  11 
  DB: 
  0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 
  10
  Combat
  Attacks per round: 2
  In combat, sand-dwellers have the usual range of unarmed 
  attacks open to humanoids, in addition to its claws.
  Blow-gun: Some sand-dwellers carry blow-guns and 
  poisoned darts. See Blow-Dart Poison Effects table (page 
  13) for details.
  Fighting 
   
  30% (15/6), damage 1D6 
  Blow-gun 
   
  25% (12/5), damage special (see above) 
  Dodge  
   
  30% (15/6)
  Skills
  Listen 60%, Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 55%.
  Armor: 2-point rough hide. 
  Sanity Loss: 0/1D6 Sanity points to see a sand-dweller.
  Guk-Keh, mutant gnoph-keh
  STR  150 
  CON  110 
  SIZ  150 
  DEX  70 
  INT  70 
  APP  — 
  POW 100 
  EDU  — 
  SAN  — 
  HP  
  26 
  DB: 
  +3D6 Build: 4 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 
  21
  Combat
  Attacks per round: 5
  May attack with its vicious claws and tremendous bulk. Once 
  per round, the gnoph-keh may bring its terrible horn to bear 
  on one target.
  Fighting 
  45% (22/9), damage 1D6+3D6
  Horn Gore 
  65% (32/13), damage 1D10+3D6
  Dodge  
  35% (17/7)
  Sandstorm: able to summon a small sandstorm, restricting 
  visibility to 9 feet maximum, costing the creature 1 magic 
  point per hour, and yielding a sandstorm with a radius of 100 
  yards; that radius may be increased by 100 more yards for 
  every extra magic point expended.
  Generate Heat: can raise the air temperature by expending 
  magic points. For each magic point spent, the temperature 
  goes up by 18°F (10°C) for an hour (in a 100-yard radius). If 
  the creature desires, it can combine its heat and sandstorm 
  attacks.
  Armor: 5 points of leathery hide.
  Spells: none.
  Sanity Loss: 0/1D10 Sanity points to see Guk-Keh.
  
  22
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  HANDOUTS
  CORPORAL FLETCHER'S JOURNAL
  
  23
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  THE NATURALIST'S DIARY
  
  24
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  
  25
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  
  26
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  
  27
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  
  28
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  KEEPER'S TRANSCRIPTS
  Colonel Fletcher's Journal
  February 15, 1882
  Heading into desert tomorrow with reluctance. Ashworth 
  must have serious clout to command a military Section. All to 
  hunt animal that may not even exist.
  March 10, 1882
  Al Jawf locals say rhino is no animal, but intelligent being. 
  Whether legend or no, my men and I are not murderers. Will 
  send one of the men ahead in morning with letter advising 
  Ashworth of return.
  March 18, 1882
  Sandstorm hit as approaching Great Sand Sea. Luck on 
  side, found abandoned town to shelter in.
  The Naturalist's Diary
  February 4, 1882
  Oh, my Lord, the rumours have proved to be true. There 
  is indeed a race of sand-dwelling men in the Sahara. This is a 
  remarkable discovery. I’ve only made preliminary observations 
  thus far, but they seem to live in tribal communities, and 
  are wholly nocturnal, spending the daylight hours sleeping 
  in caves. I’m no geologist, but the caves appear to me to be 
  crafted, rather than natural. 
  It’s been difficult to get a clear look at them, but under last 
  night’s full moon, and with the aid of a spyglass, it appeared to 
  me that their skin was coated in sand, though its uniformity 
  seems to suggest a natural covering. Perhaps some kind of 
  mineral excretion? One other discernible feature was their 
  enlarged eyes and ears, likely an adaptation to their nocturnal 
  nature. Save for these traits, they appear almost human, albeit 
  emaciated, which is unsurprising given the scarcity of food out 
  here. I will continue my observations for as long as our supplies 
  hold out.
  
  29
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  February 16, 1882
  This day will be forever etched in my memory. After securing 
  further supplies at Awjila to allow us to continue our research, 
  I resolved to try something bold. The sand people had shown 
  no hostility towards us, despite our nightly observations, so 
  at dusk I approached them, offering a gift of food and water. 
  I noticed some initial trepidation on their behalf, but after a 
  moment, their apparent elder came forward and took them 
  from me, retreating immediately after. The encounter, though 
  fleeting, was nonetheless exhilarating. Seeing one up close, and 
  briefly coming in contact with its hand, I can confirm that their 
  sandy covering is indeed part of their skin, as none came loose 
  whatsoever. Another physiology I was unable to discern until 
  this encounter was that their fingers have large claws in place 
  of fingernails. They are truly remarkable beings. This exchange 
  was enough to satiate my curiosity, and I have no further plans 
  to directly interact.
  March 18, 1882
  An exceptionally violent sandstorm has hit us today. While 
  we were outside securing the camp, we saw soldiers riding past, 
  presumably heading to the abandoned village for shelter. I can’t 
  say for sure, but their uniforms appeared to be British. Once 
  the storm has cleared, we might pay them a visit and see if 
  they have any surplus supplies for sale, saving us another trip 
  to Awjila.
  March 19, 1882
  I’m afraid I fear the worst for our military neighbours. The 
  sandstorm continued on today and into the night, presumably 
  keeping them from leaving the village, and just a few hours 
  ago we heard gunfire coming from that direction. Were they 
  attacked by bandits? The sand people? As I write this, the 
  gunfire has ceased, but the storm is still too strong to risk 
  venturing out, so I can only speculate.
  March 20, 1882
  My fears were confirmed this morning. After a near 
  sleepless night, we rose to find the sandstorm had subsided, so 
  headed to the village to investigate last night’s gunfire. It was a 
  bloodbath, with all evidence pointing towards the sand people. 
  I have no idea why they would have attacked the soldiers when 
  they have shown little more than apathy towards us. Perhaps 
  they were provoked or threatened? I do admit a morbid hope 
  that one of their slain had been left behind that I may have 
  examined it upon my dissection table, but it seems they are 
  quite diligent in the removal of their deceased. This explains 
  their avoidance of discovery until now. As a consolation, I 
  was able to recover several of their blow-darts from the scene, 
  which I will be able to study, and hopefully create an antidote 
  for should we ever find ourselves on the receiving end of one.
  April 2, 1882
  Today proved to be enlightening, to say the least. Needing 
  to know exactly how it works, I drew up the courage to test 
  the blow-dart poison on myself. From observing the sand men 
  hunting, I knew it would cause no physical harm, but was 
  completely unprepared for its true effects. Upon the first dose, 
  my hearing became immensely heightened. I swear I could 
  hear sand blowing across the floor! It was quite maddening. 
  The effect wore off after a few hours thankfully. After some 
  recovery time, I was ready for a second dosing. To my surprise, 
  it affected a completely different sense, and I was hit with an 
  intense bout of vertigo, nearly knocking over a table as the 
  room spun around me. Further testing is in order, but I suspect 
  the other senses will be affected by subsequent dosings.
  April 14, 1882
  Huzzah! I’ve had a breakthrough in the synthesis of the 
  poison antidote tonight. Having spent the night in the 
  laboratory, I’ve managed to make a small batch, which self-
  administered testing has shown to work wonderfully. I should 
  probably finish up for the night, and share my findings with 
  (trails off the page).
  
  30
  PRE-GENERATED VILLAINS
  NOAH CLARKE, AGE 36, MAD SCIENTIST
  STR 50 
  CON 40 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 50 
  INT 90
  APP 60 
  POW 70 
  EDU 80 
  SAN 70 
  HP 20
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 7 
  MP: 14 
  Luck: Roll 2D6+6 ×5
  Archetype: Egghead
  Backstory
  Noah came from a family of wealth, and was always intelligent, 
  but with that intelligence came precociousness. He entered 
  the University of Oxford, but despite his family's clout, was 
  expelled for expressing some less-than-benevolent project 
  proposals. Using his personal trust fund, he set up his own 
  laboratory and workshop, and continued his work in secret. 
  His family eventually found out, and cut him from any further 
  financial support, so now uses his unique skills to make 
  weapons of destruction for sale on the black market.
  • Description: slender, pale, and cleanly-shaven, with  
  unkempt blonde hair; wears a lab coat everywhere he goes; 
  5' 7", 160 lbs.
  • Ideology/Beliefs: materialist—reality is nothing more 
  than chemistry and physics.
  • Meaningful Location: his workshop in London.
  • Traits: manic; obsessive; know-it-all.
  Combat
  Brawl 
  25% (12/5), damage 1D3
  Screwdriver 
  25% (12/5), damage 1D4
  Lighting Gun 
  50% (25/10), damage special*
  Dodge 
  25% (12/5)
  *The Lighting Gun does not use ammunition, but instead requires 
  charging via a crank. It can be cranked and fired in the same round 
  for 1D6 damage, but each extra round spent cranking adds one 
  extra die to the damage roll, e.g. 2 rounds of cranking results in 
  2D6 damage. Each crank also takes 10% from the malfunction 
  threshold, e.g. 1 crank: 90%, 2 cranks 80%. If rolled damage is 
  greater than the target’s base hit-points, they instantly disintegrate 
  into a cloud of ash.
  Skills
  Credit Rating 50% (25/10)
  Fast Talk 50% (25/10)
  Language (Own) (English) 80% (40/16)
  Library Use 80% (40/16)
  Locksmith 40% (20/8)
  Mechanical Repair 80% (40/16)
  Science (Mathematics) 60% (30/12)
  Science (Chemistry) 45% (22/9)
  Science (Engineering) 70% (35/14)
  Science (Physics) 75% (37/15)
  Spot Hidden 50% (25/5)
  The player has 40 skill points to allocate to any skills they desire, 
  apart from Cthulhu Mythos.
  Pulp Talents
  • Weird Science: may build and repair weird science 
  devices.
  • Gadget: starts game with one weird science gadget 
  (lightning gun).
  • Photographic Memory: can remember many details; 
  gains a bonus die when making Know rolls.
  Note: for a game that does not use the optional rules for weird 
  science, replace the Weird Science talent with the Resourceful 
  talent.
  
  31
  PRE-GENERATED VILLAINS
  ALISON GIRARD, AGE 28, ASSASSIN
  STR 40 
  CON 50 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 60 
  INT 80
  APP 90 
  POW 70 
  EDU 50 
  SAN 70 
  HP 22
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 14 
  Luck: Roll 2D6+6 ×5
  Archetype: Femme Fatale
  was in the syringe, but regardless, it killed him. Knowing she 
  would be tried for murder, Alison packed up what she could 
  that night, took all the money they had, and fled. Knowing she 
  could never return to her life as a chemist, she embraced her 
  new life as a criminal, offering her unique services for the right 
  price, so that she may continue living the lifestyle to which she 
  had become accustomed.
  • Description: shapely and beautiful, with green eyes and 
  long black hair; 5' 10", 130 lbs.
  • Ideology/Beliefs: Alison is an atheist.
  • Meaningful Locations: the laboratory in the attic of her 
  house.
  • Traits: alluring; glamorous; cunning.
  Combat
  Brawl 
  75% (37/15), damage 1D3
  Switchblade 
  75% (37/15), damage 1D4
  Double Derringer 
  60% (30/12), damage 1D10+1
  Syringe (mnvr)* 
  75% (37/15), damage 4D10
  Dodge 
  30% (15/6)
  *Alison carries a purse filled with syringes containing various 
  poisons. Due to the grappling required to inject the syringe into 
  the target, this is considered a fighting maneuver rather than an 
  attack. For the sake of combat, it should be assumed that she will 
  use a fast-acting poison such as curare or cyanide (4D10 damage). 
  See the Call of Cthulhu Rulebook, pg. 128, for more details on 
  the use of poisons.
  Skills
  Charm 70% (35/14)
  Credit Rating 58% (29/11)
  Disguise 25% (12/5)
  Fast Talk 25% (12/5)
  Language (Own) (French) 50% (25/10)
  Language (English) 40% (20/8)
  Locksmith 50% (25/10)
  Psychology 60% (30/12)
  Science (Chemistry) 60% (30/12)
  The player has 40 skill points to allocate to any skills they desire, 
  apart from Cthulhu Mythos.
  Pulp Talents
  • Outmaneuver: character is considered to have one point 
  higher Build when initiating a combat maneuver.
  • Smooth Talker: gain a bonus die to Charm rolls.
  • Stout Constitution: may spend 10 Luck to reduce poison 
  or disease damage and effects by half.
  Backstory
  Alison was once a successful and respected chemist in Paris, 
  France. She was, however, living in an abusive marriage. One 
  night, while working in her home laboratory, her husband came 
  in drunk, and started getting physical. In a moment of panic 
  and self-defense, she grabbed a syringe off her workbench and 
  stabbed him with it. To this day, she can't recall exactly what 
  
  32
  PRE-GENERATED VILLAINS
  RANA, AGE UNKNOWN, BOUNTY HUNTER
  STR 45 
  CON 60 
  SIZ 40 
  DEX 65 
  INT 70
  APP 70 
  POW 90 
  EDU 60 
  SAN 89 
  HP 20
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 18 
  Luck: Roll 2D6+6 ×5
  Archetype: Mystic
  • Description: lithe and beautiful, with black hair tied into 
  thick braids; anachronistically wears Ancient Egyptian 
  garb; 4' 11", 110 lbs.
  • Ideology/Beliefs: Rana believes in the old gods of Egypt,  
  and worships Anubis.
  • Significant Person Animal: D'ba.
  • Treasured Possessions: An onyx scarab she keeps on a 
  necklace.
  • Traits: cunning; chaotic; ferocious.
  Combat
  Brawl 
  80% (40/16), damage 1D3
  Khopesh 
  50% (25/10), damage 1D6+1
  Hyena 
  30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1D4
  Dodge 
  32% (16/6)
  Skills
  Animal Handling 70% (35/14)
  Credit Rating 11% (5/2)
  Cthulhu Mythos 10% (5/2)
  Intimidate 70% (35/14)
  Language (Own) (Egyptian) 60% (30/12)
  Language (English) 10% (5/2)
  Natural World 50% (25/10)
  Occult 65% (32/13)
  Psychology 30% (15/6)
  Stealth 50% (25/10)
  Track 75% (37/15)
  The player has 40 skill points to allocate to any skills they desire, 
  apart from Cthulhu Mythos.
  Pulp Talents
  • Animal Companion: starts game with a faithful animal 
  companion (see D'ba (Rana's Hyena), page 3, for details), 
  and gains a bonus die when making Animal Handling 
  rolls.
  • Mythos Knowledge: begins the game with a Cthulhu 
  Mythos Skill of 10 points.
  • Resilient: may spend Luck points to shrug-off points of 
  Sanity loss, on a one-for-one basis.
  Note: Being a Mystic, Rana will know some spells. It is the 
  Keeper's discretion as to how many and which, though her 
  connection to Anubis, the god of death, should inform their 
  decision.
  Backstory
  Rana's history is shrouded in mystery. Some say she was 
  orphaned as a baby and raised by a clan of hyenas, while others 
  say she is the daughter of a witchdoctor. Rana revels in such 
  mythology, and will never reveal if either is true (or neither), 
  and is more likely to embellish upon them herself.
  
  33
  PRE-GENERATED VILLAINS
  REN SHINODA, AGE 32, ASSASSIN
  STR 40 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 45 
  DEX 90 
  INT 60
  APP 70 
  POW 65 
  EDU 50 
  SAN 65 
  HP 25
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 13 
  Luck: Roll 2D6+6 ×5
  Archetype: Outsider
  • Description: alabaster and dainty, with straight black hair 
  tied into a ponytail; 5' 2", 110 lbs.
  • Ideology/Beliefs: Buddhist.
  • Meaningful Locations: A small forest shrine in the 
  mountains of her home village in Mie Prefecture.
  • Treasured Possessions: Her katana, passed down through 
  generations of her family.
  • Traits: cold; quiet; brutal.
  Combat
  Ninjutsu 
  75% (37/15), damage 1D3
  Katana 
  80% (40/16), damage 1D8+1
  Shuriken 
  75% (37/15), damage 1D3
  Dodge 
  45% (22/9)
  Skills
  Credit Rating 32% (16/6)
  Disguise 25% (12/5)
  First Aid 60% (30/12)
  Language (Own) (Japanese) 50% (25/10)
  Language (English) 10% (5/2)
  Listen 50% (25/10)
  Locksmith 30% (15/6)
  Psychology 50% (25/10)
  Spot Hidden 50% (25/10)
  Stealth 70% (35/14)
  Throw 75% (37/15)
  Track 40% (20/8)
  The player has 40 skill points to allocate to any skills they desire, 
  apart from Cthulhu Mythos.
  Pulp Talents
  • Rapid Attack: may spend 10 Luck points to gain one 
  further melee attack in a single combat round.
  • Shadow: reduces difficulty by one level or gains bonus die 
  (at the Keeper’s discretion) to Stealth rolls, and if currently 
  unseen, is able to make two surprise attacks before their 
  location is discovered.
  • Night Vision: in darkness, reduce the difficulty level of 
  Spot Hidden rolls and ignore penalty die for shooting in 
  the dark.
  Backstory
  Ren was born into a family of shinobi (more commonly known 
  as ninjas in the West). While the era of the ninja ended in the 
  17th century, Ren's bloodline continued to teach and practice 
  their ways. Having been trained since childhood, it is all she 
  knows.
  
  34
  PRE-GENERATED VILLAINS
  MARCUS MATHESON, AGE 36, BOUNTY HUNTER
  STR 60 
  CON 90 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 80 
  INT 50
  APP 70 
  POW 50 
  EDU 40 
  SAN 50 
  HP 30
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: Roll 2D6+6 ×5
  Archetype: Rogue
  Backstory
  Marcus was a cowpoke turned lawman in the American 
  "wild west", and though he found satisfaction in bringing 
  ne'er-do-wells to justice, he constantly felt constrained by the 
  institutionalized laws and procedures, and felt that too many 
  criminals were getting off scot-free because of them. Leaving 
  his position, he took matters into his own hands and turned to 
  bounty hunting, enforcing his own brand of vigilante justice.
  • Description: rugged and tanned, with a perpetual five 
  o'clock shadow, and graying, scruffy brown hair; 5' 7" 160 
  lbs.
  • Ideology/Beliefs: Marcus is a Christian, and believes that 
  every man needs to pay for their crimes while their feet 
  are still planted on God's green Earth.
  • Significant Person: None. He is very much a loner.
  • Treasured Possessions: His twin Schofield revolvers.
  • Traits: untrusting; detached; arrogant.
  Combat
  Brawl 
  70% (35/14), damage 1D3
  S&W Schofield (×2)* 
  90% (45/18), damage 1D10+2
  Winchester '73 
  60% (30/12), damage 2D6+1
  Hunting Knife 
  70% (35/14), damage 1D4+2
  Hog-tie (mnvr)** 
  70% (35/14)
  Dodge 
  50% (25/10)
  *Marcus has a penchant for dual-wielding his Schofield revolvers. 
  If the Keeper chooses not to allow the dual-wielding optional rule, 
  the only difference will be halving the number of shots available 
  before needing to reload.
  **This maneuver results in the target becoming immobilized until 
  freed by a third party, or making an Extreme STR roll. It may be 
  replaced by the Rope Use skill from Down Darker Trails if the 
  Keeper so desires (with the necessary skill points skimmed from 
  other skills).
  Skills
  Charm 50% (25/10)
  Credit Rating 25% (12/5)
  Fast Talk 30% (15/6)
  Intimidate 50% (25/10)
  Language (Own) (English) 40% (20/8)
  Psychology 30% (15/6)
  Ride 70% (35/14)
  Spot Hidden 50% (25/10)
  Stealth 40% (20/8)
  The player has 40 skill points to allocate to any skills they desire, 
  apart from Cthulhu Mythos.
  Pulp Talents
  • Rapid Fire: ignores penalty die for multiple handgun 
  shots.
  • Quick Draw: does not need to have their firearm 
  “readied” to gain +50 DEX when determining position in 
  the DEX order for combat.
  • Beady Eye: does not suffer penalty die when “aiming” 
  at a small target (Build –2), and may also fire into melee 
  without a penalty die.
  
  35
  PRE-GENERATED VILLAINS
  ALEXI “THE BEAR” VASILIEV, AGE 50, BOUNTY HUNTER
  STR 90 
  CON 70 
  SIZ 90 
  DEX 50 
  INT 40
  APP 50 
  POW 60 
  EDU 50 
  SAN 60 
  HP 32
  DB: +1D6 
  Build: 2 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: Roll 2D6+6 ×5
  Archetype: Two-Fisted
  reputation, it wasn't long until the criminal underworld sought 
  him out as hired muscle. Having sold the farm after his father's 
  death, he jumped at the employment opportunity.
  • Description: Herculean in stature and physique, with 
  short black hair and a thick beard; 6' 4", 265 lbs.
  • Ideology/Beliefs: Russian Orthodox.
  • Significant Person: His late father.
  • Meaningful Locations: The wilderness outide his 
  hometown of Nizhniy Novgorod.
  • Treasured Possessions: The skull of the bear he killed, 
  with knife still embedded in its eye socket.
  • Traits: fearless; jolly; insouciant.
  Combat
  Brawl 
  90% (45/18), damage 1D3+1D6
  Throwing Knife 
  80% (40/16), damage 1D4+1D3
  Dodge 
  30% (15/6)
  Skills
  Charm 90% (45/18)
  Climb 40% (20/8)
  Credit Rating 21% (10/4)
  Intimidate 80% (40/16)
  Language (Own) (Russian) 50% (25/10)
  Language (English) 30% (15/6)
  Psychology 70% (35/14)
  Throw 80% (40/16)
  Track 60% (30/12)
  The player has 40 skill points to allocate to any skills they desire, 
  apart from Cthulhu Mythos.
  Pulp Talents
  • Heavy Hitter: may spend 10 Luck points to add an 
  additional damage die when dealing out melee combat.
  • Tough Guy: soaks up damage, may spend 10 Luck points 
  to shrug off up to 5 hit points worth of damage taken in 
  one combat round.
  • Hardened: ignores Sanity point loss from attacking other 
  humans, viewing horrific injuries, or the deceased.
  Backstory
  Alexi grew up on a farm outside Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia. 
  Never one to shy away from manual labor, he grew into a 
  mountain of a man. Whenever they would get the chance, he 
  and his father would go hunting in the nearby wilderness. On 
  one fateful day, his father was attacked by a Eurasian brown 
  bear. In a panic, Alexi threw a knife at the creature, hitting it 
  right in the eye. The throw had so much force that it pierced 
  the skull, impaling its brain, and killing the bear instantly. 
  Unfortunately, Alexi's father did not survive the encounter. 
  To the shock of on-lookers, Alexi was seen exiting the forest, 
  covered in blood,  cradling his father with both arms, as well 
  as the bear's severed head. Alexi quickly gained a reputation 
  as "the man who killed a bear with his own hands," which 
  over time evolved into the nickname, "The Bear." With such a 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu (CoC) (BRP) [multi]/Cthulhu by Gaslight (1890s)/CoC - Gaslight - The Big Game Hunt.pdf