TEXT: To the natives of Africa, the land is their sacred home: while it can be cruel, it also 
  provides for their every need. To the European governments, the continent is a vast stock 
  of natural resources and manpower waiting to be exploited. To both it is a land of mys-
  tery and superstition, with crumbling cities older than recorded time, natural wonders of 
  amazing beauty, and living cultures whose stories predate the written word. Welcome to 
  Africa, the Dark Continent, a land ostensibly controlled by the European nations, yet one 
  that does not willingly bow before their economic and military might. Trouble is brewing, 
  making an Africa an exciting and dangerous place for those in pursuit of adventure.
  New Leagues
  Below are new Leagues of Adventure suitable for player characters. They follow the 
  rules for the Rank Resource presented in the core rules.
  The Hunters Club
  Big game hunting for sport is a popular pastime among Europeans and native nobles 
  keen to act like their British overlords. The club has no interest in fauna beside how hard 
  it is to kill—the more dangerous the beast, the better. While elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, 
  and tigers are the most commonly hunted animals, the Club has taken a keen interest in 
  stories of prehistoric animals still roaming the Earth.
  Its clubhouses in London, East Africa (Mombasa), South Africa (Cape Town), and India 
  (Bombay) are decorated with the stuffed heads of beasts killed by members. Each year, 
  the various Club branches vote on who bagged the most impressive beast over the last 12 
  months. The winner is given the title of Master Hunter of that region, and is awarded a 
  temporary one level bonus Resource (as if he had level 2 or 4 in the League).
  Starting Skills: Pick two from Expeditions, Firearms, Stealth, Survival
  The Railway Club
  Founded in 1830 to promote the emerging railways, the Club initially opened its doors 
  to railway engineers, locomotive designers, and businessmen keen on investing in the new 
  form of transportation. In 1874, it expanded its membership to include travel enthusiasts 
  of both genders who espoused use of the railway over other forms of transport. Members 
  are jokingly known as “Chuffers” among the other Leagues.
  202106
  Author: Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tom Cadorette 
  Graphic Design: Robin Elliott
  Globetrotters’ Guide to
  The Dark Continent
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  This game uses the Ubiquity Roleplaying System, developed by Exile Game Studio (www.exilegames.com). Ubiquity Roleplaying 
  System, Exile Games Studio, and all associated logos and trademarks are copyright, Exile Games Studio, LLC. Used with permission.
  ©2012 Triple Ace Games. Leagues of Adventure and all related marks and logos are  
  trademarks of Triple Ace Games. All Rights Reserved.
  •             •
  
  Though based in London, it has small clubhouses 
  across the globe. Always located in major rail hubs, hos-
  pitality is open to any member. The current chairman, 
  James Pascal, a notable businessman who holds that 
  railways are the future of land travel, has an ambitious 
  (if somewhat eccentric) plan: he is raising funds with the 
  ambitious goal of building the Trans-Imperial Railway, a 
  railway that will stretch across Europe, Africa, and Asia 
  in an unbroken network, linking the distant parts of the 
  British Empire together.
  Starting Skills: Pick two from Bureaucracy, Linguis-
  tics, Pilot: Railway Engines, Science: Cartography, Sci-
  ence: Engineering
  Royal Astronomical Society
  Originally named the Astronomical Society of Lon-
  don, the organization received its royal charter in 1831, 
  whereupon it changed its name to its current incarna-
  tion. Intended to promote astronomical research (as-
  tronomy was largely performed by gentlemen rather than 
  scientists at the time), most of its current membership 
  comprises scientists and professors, though amateurs of 
  suitable social class are still permitted to join. 
  Most society members who travel overseas do so to 
  witness astronomical events which cannot be viewed 
  from Europe. A small number (considered eccentrics 
  among their peers) now venture abroad to map ancient 
  ruins and correlate their alignment with the heavens. 
  Many of these, it seems, are closely tied to celestial pat-
  terns, revealing that mankind’s early ancestors knew 
  much of astronomy.
  Starting Skills: Science: Astronomy and one Skill of 
  your choice
  Africa Gazetteer
  This is a turbulent time in Africa, especially in the 
  south, where Britain’s territory expands years on year. 
  With Leagues of Adventure spanning a decade and not 
  intended to be a history lesson, no attempt has been 
  made to detail the history and changing fortunes of ev-
  ery colony, protectorate, and territory. For the most part, 
  exact names of regions are background flavor, and saying 
  “British South Africa” should suffice. This section follows 
  the pattern laid down in the core rulebook. Countries 
  already described in Leagues of Adventure are not du-
  plicated here, though there may be additional notes and 
  places of interest.
  Egypt
  Egypt, land of the pharaohs and superpower of the 
  ancient world, is currently known as the Khedivate of 
  Egypt. Technically part of the Ottoman Empire, it has 
  been occupied by the British since 1882. Having arrived 
  to reinstate the khedive (the hereditary Ottoman vice-
  roy), weaken the military cabal threatening to turn him 
  into a puppet-ruler, and ensure political and economic 
  stability, the British have decided to stay. Their presence 
  is not universally tolerated by the Egyptians, though.
  Ruler: Khedives Tewfik Pasha (1879-1892), Abbas 
  Hilmi II (1892-1914); British Consul-General Earl of 
  Cromer (1883-1907)
  ALExANDRiA
  Located on the Mediterranean coast, Alexandria, like 
  other cities sharing its name, owes its origins to Alexander 
  the Great, who ordered it built in 331 B.C. to supersede 
  the Nile port town of Naucratis as the major center of 
  Hellenistic learning in Egypt. As a coastal port, it would 
  also serve as a link between Alexander’s home domain of 
  Greece and the fertile fields of the Nile Valley.
  Modern Alexandria is a city of contrasts. On the one 
  hand, it is a modern port-city, a vital link in Britain’s 
  global trade network. Wealthy citizens come here to 
  take the air, as do middle-class tourists with money to 
  spare. As a result, modern hotels are beginning to spring 
  up in the more respectable parts of the city. Mixed in 
  with these are the slums found in all major cities of the 
  world, side-by-side with the architecture and splendor of 
  the ancient world. While many monuments have been 
  damaged or destroyed by successive waves of invaders, 
  enough remain as testament to the city’s long and illus-
  trious past. Those desiring to view finds excavated in the 
  city may, from 1892, visit the Graeco-Roman Museum of 
  Alexandria. Those expecting to find a building rivalling 
  the British Museum are sorely disappointed, for the mu-
  seum occupies a five-room apartment. In 1895, it moves 
  into a larger building boasting 11 rooms.
  Alexander’s Tomb
  One of the greatest generals ever to lead an army to 
  war, Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. In 
  contrast to his dying request, which was that his corpse 
  be thrown into a river, the mighty king was placed in a 
  gold sarcophagus and transported to Egypt, where it was 
  entombed first at Memphis before being moved to Alex-
  andria a century later. That Alexander’s mortal remains 
  reached the city is evident from historical records, for 
  several Roman emperors came to the city specifically to 
  view the corpse. One, Septimus Severus (A.D. 145-211), 
  reputedly placed several secret books in the tomb before 
  ordering it shut so that, “none could read the books nor 
  see the body.” However, by A.D. 400, the tomb’s location 
  had become long forgotten.
  Since 1737, many Europeans have tried and failed to 
  locate the fabled tomb. Scilitzis, a Greek interpreter serv-
  ing the Russian consulate, claimed to have seen the tomb 
  in 1850. Beneath the Nabi Danial Mosque, he claimed, 
  leagues of adventure
  
  •       •
  •                  •
  
  was a secret room, the interior of which he viewed 
  through a small hole. Inside was a crystal coffin contain-
  ing a corpse bedecked in a golden crown, and scattered 
  around it were many scrolls and papyri.
  A decade later, Mahmoud Bey el Falaki, an Egyptian 
  astronomer and engineer, visited the mosque’s crypt. 
  While he made mention of finding a paved room from 
  which extended four passages of unknown length and 
  poor structural integrity, he made no claim to have 
  discovered the tomb. He sought permission to explore 
  further, but was denied. Since then, the crypt has been 
  off-limits to all explorers.
  Kom el Shoqafa
  Concealed beneath the modern streets is a labyrin-
  thine catacomb complex dating from the time of the 
  Ptolemaic pharaohs through to the Roman occupation. It 
  is reached by means of a spiral staircase, though the en-
  trance has been lost for centuries, and since paved over. 
  The lowest levels are partially flooded, and many of the 
  wooden sarcophagi and mummies placed here have rot-
  ted away to nothing. Further up, where the atmosphere 
  remains drier, they are in a remarkable state of preser-
  vation. In the center of the complex is a large hall, the 
  Hall of Carcalla. A Roman emperor, Carcalla was satirized 
  by the inhabitants of Alexandria when they heard how 
  he killed Geta, the joint emperor, in “self-defense.” As 
  punishment, Carcalla unleashed his legions on the city. 
  Those who died, put at 20,000 in local legends, were 
  placed in the catacombs.
  CAiRo
  The first port of call for globetrotters seeking to ex-
  plore Africa, and further afield in some instances, Cairo 
  is a bustling metropolis caught between the old and new. 
  While the east and center is distinctly medieval in style, 
  replete with its many mosques, bazaars, and churches, 
  the west is more European in style. Unsurprisingly, the 
  west is also the headquarters of the new government.
  Although the city’s population is predominantly Sun-
  ni Muslims, the second largest faith is that of the Coptic 
  Christians. Members of the Coptic Orthodox Church of 
  Alexandria, they have been separate from the Eastern Or-
  thodox Church since A.D. 451. By tradition, the church 
  was founded by Saint Mark, the apostle, in Alexandria. 
  Although the Pope has resided in Cairo since 1800, the 
  church retains its Alexandrian name. The Coptic Pope is 
  Pope Cyril V of Alexandria (r. 1874-1927).
  Ben Ezra Synagogue
  Located in Old Cairo, the Ben Ezra Synagoue, also 
  known as the El-Geniza Synagogue, has stood for over 
  1,000 years. Within its genizah, or literature storeroom, 
  are fragments of over 200,000 manuscripts dating from 
  A.D. 870 to 1880. Earlier manuscripts are written in Ara-
  maic, and later ones in Hebrew.
  Khedivial opera House
  Globetrotters looking for a pleasant evening of cul-
  tured entertainment undoubtedly end up in the opera 
  house at some point. Constructed in 1869, the mostly 
  wooden structure can seat 850 patrons. It is located in 
  central Cairo, close to Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Ca-
  thedral, which serves as the seat of the Coptic Pope.
  Museum of Antiquities
  Founded in 1835, the museum was forced moved to a 
  larger building in 1858 due to the growing size of its col-
  lection of artifacts. The collection remained there until 
  1878, when a catastrophic flood inundated the building, 
  weakening its structure. The Osiris Club donated one of 
  its storage facilities in Giza for the purposes of housing 
  the artifacts until a new museum could be constructed 
  (this opens in 1902). The collection is currently closed 
  to the public. Scholars and other interested parties may 
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  
  New Flaws
    Mental
  Territorial: Your character has a need to stake her 
  claim and drive others away from it. She will not 
  share that which is hers and even has difficulty tol-
  erating friends who encroach on her space. Most 
  often, this impulse applies to protecting a loca-
  tion, but it may also include supplies, privileges, or 
  mates—or all of the above. You earn a Style point 
  whenever your character’s protectiveness causes 
  conflicts with her friends or allies.
    Social Flaw
  Gone Native: For reasons of his own, the charac-
  ter has turned his back on his European lifestyle 
  in favor of living like a native. He disdains Western 
  norms for those of his adopted culture, wearing na-
  tive dress, living in a hut, obeying local customs, 
  and such like. He suffers a –2 penalty on all rolls 
  dealing with Europeans. You earn a Style point 
  whenever your character’s adopted lifestyle and 
  rejection of Western customs causes problems for 
  him or his companions.
  
  apply to the Department of Antiquities to view the arti-
  facts. Naturally, the Osiris Club has standing permission 
  for its members to view and inspect them, giving them 
  near-exclusive access to the ancient treasures.
  Pyramid Field
  Officially known as Cairo Airfield, Egypt’s sole per-
  manent airship landing site. Located a few miles beyond 
  the famous Pyramids of Giza, over which landing and 
  departing airships fly, it is a major airship hub. Techni-
  cally a civilian facility, it is nonetheless the headquarters 
  of the British Army in Egypt, and heavily protected. As 
  a reminder to any locals who might think British rule 
  is tenuous, HMAS Galahad, one of Her Majesty’s latest 
  military airships, is permanently moored here.
  THE CiTy oF THE DEAD
  Papyri and inscriptions mention many cities that ex-
  isted in the time of the pharaohs but are today lost, bur-
  ied beneath the endless sands. Of the countless names, 
  none stir the imagination more than the City of the Dead 
  (known in one obscure legend as Hamunaptra).
  Legends, for no hard facts are known, tell that the city 
  was the resting place for several pharaohs of the 19th 
  Dynasty, and a repository for Egypt’s fabulous wealth. In 
  occult circles, the city is supposedly the resting place of 
  two potent magical texts, named the Book of the Living 
  and the Book of the Dead. Various other stories tell that 
  the city is concealed by magic, only becoming visible at 
  certain times of the day (or year, in some versions), that 
  it is buried beneath the sand, only rising when the stars 
  are right, and that swarms of flesh-eating scarabs protect 
  it from intruders.
  No sensible scholar places any trust in the story, and 
  most who know of its name remember the ill-fatted Som-
  mers-Fraser Expedition, which set off in search of Ha-
  munaptra in 1889. The mutilated remains of the entire 
  party, save for one guide who was never seen again, were 
  discovered by nomads several months later.
  CLEoPATRA’S ToMB
  Last pharaoh of Egypt and a direct descendant of 
  Alexander the Great’s general, Ptolemy, Cleopatra VII 
  Philopator died, as every schoolboy of sound education 
  knows, in 30 B.C. While her life and the nature of her 
  death is well documented, what still remains a complete 
  mystery is the location of her tomb.
  One suggestion is that she lies somewhere in the 
  region of Abusir (formerly the Roman settlement of Ta-
  posiris Magna, not to be confused with a site of the same 
  name near Cairo), on the shore of the brackish Lake 
  Mariout in the Nile delta. Standing on a rocky ridge is a 
  scaled-down replica of the famous Alexandria Pharos (or 
  Lighthouse). Nearby stands a ruined temple dedicated to 
  Isis, goddess of nature and magic.
  Pi-RAMESSES
  The “House of Ramesses” is known to the world 
  only through the Bible, and a single ancient Egyptian 
  inscription dated centuries after its construction. The 
  Book of Exodus states it was one of the cities the en-
  slaved Israelites toiled to construct under the lash of the 
  tyrannical Pharaoh Ramesses. While its location is never 
  mentioned, the Bible does say the city was built to be a 
  great storage place. While the description is vague and 
  open to interpretation, many archaeologists have taken 
  this to mean it was a treasury. Ramesses is well known 
  to Egyptologists as “the Great,” and his treasury would 
  undoubtedly be stacked high with gold.
  TANiS
  Known to the ancient Egyptians as Djanet, Tanis first 
  enters Egyptian history late in the 20th Dynasty, the 
  last line of pharaohs in what Egyptologists call the New 
  Kingdom era. It numbers among the country’s many lost 
  cities. One story tells how Pharaoh Shishak plundered 
  Israel, bringing back with him the fabled Ark of the 
  Covenant (contrary to Ethiopian belief). The relic was 
  placed in a secret chamber, its location known only to 
  the king and his most trusted advisors. The story goes on 
  to say that an emissary of the Israelites came before the 
  pharaoh and demanded the Ark be returned. Thrice he 
  asked, and twice he was rebuffed. Finally he left, but not 
  before warning the pharaoh that doom would befall his 
  city. Within a week, a terrible sandstorm swallowed the 
  city, leaving its name to exist only in legend.
  ToMB oF NEFERKAPTAH
  Thoth, Egyptian god of knowledge, wrote a magical 
  tome in which were contained several potent spells. The 
  text was placed in a series of vaults beneath the Nile and 
  guarded by deadly serpents. Prince Neferkaptah, seeking 
  the power the text promised, located the vault and slew 
  the serpents. His victory was hollow, though, for Thoth 
  was greatly angered. They struck down his wife and chil-
  dren, driving the prince to commit suicide. Neferkaptah 
  was buried in the manner befitting his rank, and the Book 
  of Thoth placed in his sarcophagus. The curse laid upon 
  Neferkaptah has not yet ended, for his spirit is cursed to 
  protect the book until the end of days.
  Later legends say the book is still cursed. A tomb 
  robber, by the name of Setne, located the prince’s crypt 
  leagues of adventure
  
  
  and stole the magical text, using wards to keep the angry 
  spirit of Neferkaptah at bay. Alas, Setne became subject to 
  a curse. Seduced and tricked by a beautiful woman into 
  killing his family, Setne returned the text to Neferkaptah’s 
  care, and sought forgiveness from the gods.
  Adventure Seeds
  * Several Leagues have banded together to provide a 
  prize for a grand challenge. Starting in Alexandria, the 
  aim of the contest is to visit 16 other major cities founded 
  or renamed by Alexander the Great. Only land transpor-
  tation is permitted on a tour that will take in Turkey, 
  Iran, Iran, Turkestan (modern Turkmenistan), Tajikistan, 
  Afghanistan, and northwest India (modern-day Pakistan) 
  before ending back in Egypt. In order to prove they have 
  visited the cities, the contestants must collect an artifact 
  dating from the Alexandrian era. As if it wasn’t difficult 
  enough, several of the cities are lost to history!
  * Although the tower at Abusir was erected during the 
  reign of Ptolemy II (r. 285-246 B.C.), a shepherd recently 
  unearthed a cache of coins bearing the image and name 
  of Cleopatra. The Osiris Club is keen to get its hands on 
  these coins, as are several other Leagues. Unfortunately, 
  the scholar entrusted to decipher them for clues was re-
  cently murdered in Cairo and the coins stolen. A reward 
  is offered for their safe return.
  * The Osiris Club is currently offering a reward for 
  information leading to the apprehension of vandals who 
  tried to break into the coffin of Pharaoh Seqnenenre II 
  before driven scared off by a guard. Nothing was stolen, 
  and the Club is at a loss to explain the reason for the 
  intrusion. See the sidebar “The Staff of Ra.”
  * An occultist believes the Emerald Tablet, a text 
  known since the 11th century and popular among me-
  dieval alchemists, is not only a translation of a fragment 
  of the Book of Thoth, but reveals the secret of the loca-
  tion of Neferkaptah’s tomb. Believing he has cracked the 
  secret, he seeks globetrotters to accompany him on an 
  expedition to explore the tomb.
  British Africa
  The greatest superpower on the planet, it is little 
  surprise Great Britain is also the largest colonial power 
  in Africa. Much of its territory is based in the south, east, 
  and northeast of the continent, though its influence is 
  far reaching.
  BRiTiSH GoLD CoAST
  After dissolving the African Company of merchant, the 
  British assumed direct control of the Gold Coast region 
  of West Africa in 1867. Five years later, they expanded the 
  territory further by purchasing the Dutch Gold Coast.
  The Ashanti, whose lands lay further inland, had long 
  been trading partners with the Dutch, and the British 
  purchase now left them without a direct trading link 
  to the sea. Following an Ashanti invasion in 1873, the 
  British launched a campaign to quell the tribes once 
  and for all (the Third Anglo-Ashanti War, 1873-1874). 
  With their capital burned, the Ashanti were forced to 
  capitulate and agree to Britain’s harsh terms: the Ashanti 
  were to renounce all claims to the southern lands of the 
  Gold Coast, and keep the trade road to Kumasi, their 
  capital, open. Despite losing influence over neighboring 
  tribes, the Ashanti continued as an independent empire. 
  Britain’s true interests, though, lay not in protecting the 
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  
  •               •
  The Staff of Ra
  Known through inscriptions as Seqenenre Tao II, the phar-
  aoh’s name means, “He Who Strikes like Ra.” His other 
  name, Tao, simply translates as “Great,” and is used in a 
  manner similar to Alexander the Great.
  A ruler of the native 17th Dynasty, he came to power 
  around 1560 BC, and ruled for just a few short years. Dis-
  covered in the Deir el-Bahri cache in 1881 and unwrapped 
  in 1886, the royal mummy showed clear and dramatic evi-
  dence of a violent death. According to the historical texts, 
  the pharaoh died in battle against the Hyksos, invaders 
  who ruled northern Egypt under Pharaoh Apophis. Apo-
  phis was viewed by the Egyptians as the earthly incarna-
  tion of Apep.
  According to one legend, Seqenenre Tao was given a relic 
  known as the Staff of Ra to carry into battle by the high 
  priest of Ra. The staff was carried by the high priest, and 
  used each morning in rituals to drive away Apep, so ensur-
  ing the sun would rise. It was topped with a gemstone, 
  from which rays of light could be commanded to appear 
  and incinerate foes. Seqenenre chose instead to lock it 
  away in a vault he had constructed shortly after taking the 
  throne. Some say he had a vision in his youth, in which 
  he foresaw a greater need for the Staff to be wielded in 
  the future. In deliberately choosing not to take it on cam-
  paign, he all but guaranteed his own death. A little known 
  legend claims that he told the priest the secret of its loca-
  tion would “die within him”—a strange wording that has 
  perplexed scholars who know the legend.
  Most Egyptologists have interpreted “vault” to mean 
  ”tomb.” Since nothing resembling a staff was found with 
  his mummy, they see the story as just another fanciful 
  myth. The word “vault” was used quite deliberately, for 
  the pharaoh had a secret resting place built to hold the 
  staff—a vault protected by deadly traps.
  The cult of Apep would dearly love to find the Staff, for in 
  the wrong hands it could be used as a weapon to foil their 
  great and diabolical plan.
  
  Gold Coast ports, but in the lands north of the Ashanti 
  Empire (the so-called Northern Territories), which were 
  rich in gold. Desperate to keep the French and Germans 
  from capturing the territory first, the British invaded un-
  der a false pretext (non-payment of taxes), so initiating 
  the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War (1895-1896).
  Weakened after the last war, the Ashanti and unwill-
  ing to see their capital burn again, the Ashanti put up 
  only token resistance. The British declared the region 
  a protectorate in 1896, and exiled the Asantehene, the 
  head of the nation.
  Ruler: Governors William Brandford Griffith (1885-
  1895), William Edward Maxwell (1895-1897), Frederick 
  Mitchell Hodgson (1897-1900)
  CAPE CoLoNy
  Exchanged between the Dutch and British several 
  times, the Cape Colony, which lies at the southern tip 
  of Africa, has been in British hands since 1814. Although 
  Cape Town (on the southwest coast) is the capital, Port 
  Elizabeth (south coast) is the major hub for those whose 
  business ventures or expedition goals lie inland. Follow-
  ing the discovery of diamonds at Kimberley (in neighbor-
  ing Bechuanaland) in 1866 and the annexation of the 
  surrounding territory Kimberley in 1877, Port Elizabeth 
  became the start of a rail network stretching deep into 
  southern Africa.
  Ruler: British Governors Henry Brougham Loch 
  (1889-1895), Hercules Robinson (1895-1897), Alfred 
  Milnet (1897-1901); Prime Minister Cecil Rhodes (1890-
  1896), John Sprigg (1896-1898), William Schreiner 
  (1898-1900)
  EAST AFRiCA 
  PRoTECToRATE
  First colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century 
  as part of their eastern trading empire, Portugal had lost 
  interest in the land later known as Kenya within a cen-
  tury. By the time Europeans again cast their eyes to the 
  nation, it was ruled from Zanzibar. In 1888, the British 
  East Africa Company secured a 50-year lease over a 150-
  mile stretch of the coast snaking up from German East 
  Africa. By 1890, the British sphere of influence, defined 
  by treaty at the 1885 Berlin Conference, extended across 
  what is now Kenya and much of neighboring Uganda as 
  well. The treaty did not suit the natives, however, for as 
  usual they were not consulted. In 1890, Chief Waiyaki Wa 
  Hinga, who had signed a treaty with the BEAC but felt 
  aggrieved at his treatment, rose up and burned down a 
  British fort. In 1892, he was kidnapped by British agents 
  and executed for his crime. Before his capture, the chief 
  and his warriors became infamous for employing magic 
  against the Europeans. Indeed, witchcraft would remain 
  a thorn in the British side until the next century, when 
  aggressive attempts are made to stamp it out.
  In 1894, the British government took over the lease 
  from the failing BEAC, and hurriedly expanded west into 
  the interior, naming the territory the East Africa Pro-
  tectorate under governance of the Foreign Office, and 
  beginning a railway that would stretch from the capital, 
  Mombassa, to Lake Victoria (started 1895, finished 1901). 
  Expansion was followed by a wave of Indian immigrants 
  in 1896. Typical of colonials, the British placed the Indi-
  ans below themselves, but higher than the native black 
  population. In 1899, the central highlands are ravaged 
  by famine and plague.
  Ruler: BEAC Administrators George Sutherland 
  Mackenzie (1889-1890), Francis Walter de Winton (1890-
  1891), Lloyd Williams Matthews (1891-1892), Sir Gerald 
  Herbert Portal (1892-1893), Commissioner Arthur Henry 
  Hardinge (1895-1900)
  Mount Kenya
  Named Mount Kenia (“God’s resting place” in the 
  local Kamba language) in 1849 by Dr. Johann Ludwig 
  Krapf, a German missionary, Mount Kenya is the second-
  highest mountain in Africa. The mountain is a stratovol-
  cano comprising multiple peaks, the highest rising over 
  17,000 feet above sea level. Despite Krapf’s description 
  of the towering mountain, its existence was disputed 
  until 1883, when Scottish geologist and explorer Joseph 
  Thomson attempted the first ascent. Subsequent expedi-
  tions in 1887, 1892, 1893, 1894, and 1896 all made sig-
  nificant attempts, but none reached above 15,500 feet.
  In one of the high valleys, as yet unseen by Europeans, 
  is the shattered remains of a colonnaded temple. Weath-
  ered inscriptions in a tongue distantly related to ancient 
  Egyptian tell of a cave that leads into the underworld, 
  wherein dwell ancient gods and horrible demons.
  RHoDESiA
  The birth of Rhodesia is a bloody and violent one. 
  Until the mid-1800s, the European powers had little 
  interest in the rule of King Lobengula of the Ndebele 
  peoples or Mthwakazi (modern Zimbabwe), the land he 
  ruled. Lying north of the South African republic and east 
  of British Bechuanaland, it seemed an economically use-
  less territory. That changed overnight with the discovery 
  of gold in Mashonaland, a northern satellite province of 
  Mthwakazi inhabited by the Shona people.
  In 1888, the greasy palm of Cecil Rhodes, a British 
  mining magnate and politician, exchanged gold and fire-
  arms for mining concessions. Like most who exploited 
  the natives for their own gain, Rhodes’ dealings with the 
  king were less than honest.
  Armed with the treaty, Rhodes promptly founded the 
  British South Africa Company, and set about establish-
  leagues of adventure
  
  
  ing his claim in true colonial fashion. In 1890, a large 
  column of settlers protected by well-armed members 
  of the company’s private mounted police force (the 
  British South Africa Police) moved into Mashonaland. A 
  year later, ignoring King Lobengula, who tried to have 
  the treaty cancelled, the British government declared 
  Matabeleland and Mashonaland protectorates under the 
  control of Rhodes’ company.
  Looking to expand the territory and increase the pres-
  ence of white settlers, Rhodes used a raid by the Ndebele 
  against the Shona as a pretext to crush the monarchy. 
  The First Matabele War (1893-1894) pitted 100,000 na-
  tives against 700 BSAP soldiers. Seemingly overwhelm-
  ing numbers proved no use against artillery and machine 
  guns. Despite a few setbacks for the British, the war ended 
  with the death of the king and the establishment of white 
  rule in what had now become known as Matabeleland. It 
  was an act of aggression that would come back to haunt 
  the British with a vengeance a few years later.
  In 1896, preparations for supporting an uprising 
  against the Boers left the protectorate virtually defense-
  less. Sensing an opportunity for revenge, the Ndebele 
  rose up, sparking the Second Matabele War (1896-1897). 
  Great Britain won the day, though at the cost of the lives 
  of 2,000 settlers and extensive damage to property. The 
  territories of Matabeleland and Mashonaland became 
  provinces of the newly founded Rhodesia.
  Ruler: Administrators Archibald Colquhoun (1891-
  1894), Dr Leander Starr Jameson (1894-1896), Earl Grey 
  (1896-1898); Administrator of Mashonaland and Senior 
  Administrator of Rhodesia William Milton (1898-1901) 
  and Administrator of Matabeleland Arthur Lawley (1898-
  1901)
  Adventure Seeds
  * An eccentric, some might say mad, businessman 
  has agreed to marry his daughter to a Maasai chieftain 
  in return for a sizeable tract of land. He seeks globetrot-
  ters to escort the girl, who of course is totally against 
  the notion, from London to the East Africa Protectorate. 
  The girl will take every opportunity to escape her guard-
  ians, and is also the target of Prussian agents seeking to 
  kidnap her. Should she fail to arrive safely in time for the 
  wedding, the chieftain will declare the British honorless 
  dogs, and rise up in rebellion.
  * The Alpine Club is launching an expedition to reach 
  not only the highest point of Mount Kenya, but to place 
  flags on all three of the tallest peaks on the same expedi-
  tion. Unfortunately, the natives who live on the lower 
  slopes are aggressive toward interlopers, fearing the god 
  on the mountains will send “crashing white stuff” (ava-
  lanches) to punish them.
  * The Travelers Club is sponsoring two expeditions 
  to circumnavigate the globe by traveling only along the 
  Equator. Both expeditions are to begin in the East Africa 
  Protectorate, with one heading west and one heading 
  east. Detailed navigational records must be kept in order 
  to prove the expedition a success.
  * While in the East Africa Protectorate, the globetrot-
  ters spot smoke rising from over the horizon. Investiga-
  tion reveals a burning native village. The sole survivor, a 
  young girl, reports the settlement was attacked by a fire-
  breathing dragon. The guilty party is in fact a German 
  military unit sent to destabilize the area in preparation 
  for an invasion. The dragon is actually a steam tripod 
  (see Globetrotters’ Guide to Unusual Places) equipped 
  with a flamethrower.
  * Work on the new railway through the East Africa 
  Protectorate has ground to a halt due to a spate of vi-
  cious lion attacks. The lions are being controlled by a 
  witch doctor, who resents the railway running through 
  his tribe’s ancestral hunting grounds.
  * While Rhodes’ ventures in Rhodesia brings new 
  wealth to the British Empire, it also raises questions 
  among certain members of Parliament.
  * The Second Matabele War is not fought with just 
  bullets. The Ndebele leader, Mlimo, orders his witch doc-
  tors to call forth spirits to empower his army and weaken 
  the British. More disturbingly, he plans to awaken the 
  corpse of King Lobengula as host to a powerful demon. 
  Disturbance in the aetheric medium caused by the pow-
  erful rituals alerts the Ghost Club, which hastily arranges 
  an expedition to put an end to the supernatural threat 
  and slay the demon.
  City of Monkeys
  Only fools dismiss things they have not personally wit-
  nessed out of hand, for the world is a mysterious place. 
  One such tale that leaves most globetrotters chortling is 
  that of the City of Monkeys.
  Central and Eastern African tribes have long spoken 
  of a city wherein baboons act like men and men are 
  like beasts. Its location varies, but most stories agree it 
  stands on the slopes of a smoking mountain surrounded 
  by thick jungle. The natives fear the place, and never 
  venture near it or fear of angering the denizens.
  An outpost of ancient Egypt, the city, once called 
  Khemmenu, was built in the Egyptian style. A cult center 
  of Thoth, the deity of knowledge, invention, and magic, 
  the inhabitants kept a great number of baboons, at first 
  treating them as sacred beasts. As the human population 
  declined, the baboons were put to work as slaves.
  Over the millennia, the baboons took on more hu-
  manlike physical, mental, and social traits, while the 
  isolated human population dwindled, became inbred, 
  and finally descended into bestiality. Eventually, the two 
  species reversed roles.
  The baboons live, dress, and act like men, even speak-
  ing a crude language related to ancient Egyptian (char-
  acters who speak Ancient Egyptian have a –2 penalty to 
  Charisma rolls due to the different grammar and more 
  bestial tone). Lording over them from a grand palace is 
  a divine pharaoh who always takes the name Jubbah (a 
  variant of Djehuty, the Egyptian name for Thoth). The 
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  
  •                 •
  
  pharaoh has an army to keep order and raid neighbor-
  ing human lands for captives. The soldiers carry bronze 
  weapons of antique Egyptian design.
  Humans are seen as unintelligent creatures, fit only to 
  wait on their monkey masters. Incapable of speech aside 
  from grunts, they live in poor conditions, and toil under 
  the crack of the lash. New captives have their tongues cut 
  out, for in the perverted lore of baboons, humans stole 
  the power of speech from their ancestors.
  The baboons have forgotten the origins of the city. 
  Over the centuries, human art has been erased and 
  replaced to show the monkeys as masters and humans 
  as the inferior species. However, the erasure is far from 
  complete. Located on the outskirts of the city, in the 
  jungle, are the crumbling remains of statues depicting 
  human kings, while in a hidden necropolis in the nearby 
  hills are the tombs of human priests of old. The walls of 
  the crypts clearly depict the true origins of the city.
  Adventure Seeds
  * A globetrotter inherits, purchases, or otherwise 
  acquires a collection of antique coins. Among them is a 
  thin gold coin stamped with the head of a monkey wear-
  ing a pharaonic headdress and writing in an unknown 
  tongue. Could this be proof the City of Monkeys is real?
  Congo Free State
  Occupying a large portion of Central Africa, the Congo 
  Free State is not ruled by a colonial government, nor is it 
  a free land. Long ignored because of its thick rainforest, 
  dank swamps, disease, and stubborn natives, it became 
  the private holding of King Leopold II of Belgium in 1885. 
  Ruling in the king’s name is a governor and a cabinet of 
  Belgian bureaucrats, all of whom are directly appointed 
  by and answerable solely to Leopold.
  Unable to finance the running of an entire country 
  from his own treasury, Leopold promptly decreed that 
  any land not settled or cultivated belonged to the state 
  (i,e., Leopold). Part of the land was turned into the Free 
  Trade Zone, and the region parceled up and leased by 
  other European powers for 10- or 15-year periods. The 
  rest became Leopold’s private domain. Between 1892-
  1894, the Belgian’s warred against slavers supported by 
  Zanzibar. The war was not driven by charity or kindness 
  toward the plight of the slaves, but by base economics as 
  slavers were depriving the king of manpower.
  Life in the Congo Free State is harsh, and not just 
  because of the natural environment. Colonial adminis-
  trators are paid a pittance, with much of their salary only 
  being awarded upon retirement, and then only if their 
  superiors deem their work satisfactory. The natives are 
  set unrealistic quotas for rubber and ivory, and may only 
  sell their produce to the State, which naturally keeps the 
  prices it pays very low.
  Ensuring quotas are met is the brutal Force Publique. 
  Led by white Belgian officers backed up by black sol-
  diers, the Force Publique uses force, torture, and rape as 
  weapons against the people. Villages that fail to comply 
  with orders or show signs of resistance are burned, and 
  death awaits those who fail to meet their quota.
  In order to prevent soldiers wasting expensive bul-
  lets hunting game, the officers demand that for every 
  round expended, a soldier produce a human right hand 
  as ”proof” a peasant had been executed for failing to 
  meet his quota. This grisly and inhuman practise has led 
  to a surge of violence between villages, for hands have 
  become a ghastly form of currency, used to pay off part 
  of the settlement’s produce quota.
  Missionaries are tolerated in the country, but only on 
  the grounds they keep silent about Leopold’s barbaric in-
  justice. Those who speak out are met with an expensive 
  public relations campaign aimed at discrediting them.
  The total death toll under Belgian rule is impossible 
  to calculate due to a lack of records, but estimates place 
  it between 5 and 20 million.
  Ruler: Governors Camille Janssen (1886-1891), 
  Henri-Ernest Gondry (1891), Théophile Wahis (1892-
  1908)
  Adventure Seeds
  * The Assassination Bureau is looking to place one or 
  more members in an expedition heading for the Congo 
  Free State. An ivory trader and mentalist, known only as 
  Kurtz, has gone insane. Dominating several local tribes, 
  he sends his warriors on bloody rampages into neighbor-
  ing regions to gather ivory, for which he has an insatiable 
  lust. The Bureau has sanctioned his death.
  * Word has filtered back from the Congo River basin 
  about a creature known in the local tongue as mokèlé-
  mbèmbé (“one who stops the flow of rivers”). The only 
  European report dates from 1776, and describes how 
  the expedition found enormous footprints. From native 
  descriptions, the creature appears to be a sauropod. 
  Naturally, several Leagues are keen to photograph and 
  study the beast, while others are priming their rifles for 
  a grand safari.
  Ethiopia
  The largest truly free country in Africa, Ethiopia has 
  a long history. Though currently enjoying a period of 
  peace, it will be thrown into conflict with the Kingdom of 
  Italy before the century ends.
  Chabbé
  On the open savannah of southern Ethiopia is a deep, 
  narrow gorge. Local legends claim it was once a cave, 
  but God brought down the roof after the site was defiled 
  by pale-skinned invaders. Exactly when this occurred is 
  not record, but it is certainly many generations ago. The 
  leagues of adventure
  
  •         •
  •                  •
  
  walls are covered with carvings of animals. Artistically, 
  the style is quite unlike anything else in Ethiopia. 
  Unusually, they are all female, and none possess heads, 
  though they have horns protruding from their necks. 
  Above each pair of horns, pointing directly at the beasts, 
  is an elongated triangle. The animals are arranged in a 
  procession, leading from the end of the gorge toward 
  where the ancient cave mouth once stood. At the back 
  of the gorge, from where the animals appear to emerge, 
  is the start of an extensive cave system. Unfortunately, 
  the entrance is choked with rubble, and would require 
  major excavation before it could be explored.
  Sof omar Cave
  Though unknown to Europeans (until 1894, his-
  torically), the Sof Omar Cave is well known locally. It is 
  named after a Muslim holy man, who supposedly dwelt 
  here with his daughter, but features in the animistic prac-
  tises of the local Oromo people. 
  The cave stretches for over 9 miles in total, and has 
  over 40 entrances. One of the four easily accessible en-
  trances is located close to Sof Omar village. A shrine com-
  bining animistic and Muslim elements stands outside the 
  entrance. Exploration is extremely difficult, thanks in no 
  small part to a river that courses through the cave. Deep 
  within is a chamber supported by what appear to be 
  natural pillars, formed where stalagmites and stalactites 
  have merged over the millennia. Stonework is still visible 
  in places beneath the crust, upon which are words writ-
  ten in an unknown language.
  Land of Punt
  A trading partner of ancient Egypt, Punt was rich in 
  gold, ivory, ebony, aromatic resins, laves, and wild ani-
  mals. Though several inscriptions make mention of the 
  mysterious land, the most detailed record is found in 
  the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which lies in 
  Middle Egypt, opposite the town of Luxor.
  Translated between 1894 and 1899 by Édouard 
  Naville and Howard Carter, Egyptologists and members 
  of the Osiris Club, they provide a graphic history of the 
  expedition and the riches it returned. Most notable are 
  the images of baboons, giraffes, and leopards, animals 
  that are found in East Africa.
  The inscriptions refer to Punt as Ta netjeru, or “Land 
  of the Gods/Ancestors,” though it does not embellish the 
  name or provide clues to its origin. Could it be that the 
  Egyptians originated in distant Punt and migrated north, 
  or is it possible their gods, who might have been the 
  remnants of a more ancient and advanced culture, first 
  settled here?
  Tiya
  In the southern central highlands of Ethiopia are 36 
  standing stones arranged in a straight line. Averaging 16 
  feet high, and flat like paving slabs, they are inscribed 
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  
  African Witchcraft
  To the native peoples of Africa, witch doctors di-
  agnose and cure sickness believed to be caused by 
  witches, whereas the Europeans believed they are 
  healers who practice witchcraft. Although witchcraft 
  is found the length and breadth of Africa, Leagues 
  of Adventure simplifies practitioners into three ba-
  sic categories based on those of Southern Africa.  
  Whether or not a witch doctor actually knows “true” 
  magic is up to the Gamemaster, based on his style 
  of campaign. Herb lore, knowledge of poisons and 
  medicines, basic first aid, wisdom, experience, and 
  old age can all be used to simulate magical arts in 
  the eyes of the uninitiated and superstitious.
  The sangoma is a diviner, skilled at predicting the 
  future and detecting illnesses. Such practitioners 
  are usually female. Animism and Natural Magic are 
  the preferred magical traditions.
  The inyanga is a healer first and foremost, but also 
  provides charms to help people through life. Tra-
  ditionally, this is a male role. Like a sangoma, they 
  are typically practitioners of the Animism or Natural 
  Magic traditions.
  The thakathi, a near-exclusively female occupation, 
  is a practitioner of Black Magic, an expert in curses 
  and causing harm to others. They are blamed for 
  bad weather, illness, sudden deaths, crop failures—
  in fact, most everything that can go wrong in life.
  New Ritual
    Healing
  Rank 2
  This ritual heals injuries, instantly knitting wounds and 
  erasing trauma. The caster must lay hands on the wound-
  ed person to heal her. Make a Magic roll; each success 
  heals one lethal or two nonlethal wounds.
  Healing
  Modifier
  Each additional healing attempt
  –2
  Injury more than one hour old
  –2
  Medicine roll has already been made
  –2
  
  with strange marks and swords or daggers. The latter 
  point down when found singularly, but toward each 
  other when found in pairs (or multiples of two).
  The locals claims the stones were erected by Muslim 
  invaders as tethers for their mounts, but they never look 
  into one’s eyes when recounting such tales. Despite the 
  oft-repeated tale, the site is known as the Graveyard of 
  Giants in the local language.
  Adventure Seeds
  * The Osiris Club believes Punt lies somewhere in the 
  Horn of Africa, and is sponsoring an expedition to search 
  for ruins. The Sumeria Club is sponsoring a rival expedi-
  tion to the western coast of southern Arabia in the hope 
  of furthering its research into the ancient progenitors.
  * The discovery of ancient coins in the region of Tiya 
  has the Leagues excited. Square rather than round, they 
  are inscribed in Phoenician with the phrase “Issued in 
  the Temple of Transparent Walls.” Such a phrase has 
  never been discovered before, and to what it might refer 
  is a mystery the Leagues want solved.
  * While rooting through a library, a globetrotter dis-
  covers a long-forgotten translation of a diary. Supposedly 
  written by Sof Omar, it tells of his descent into a cave 
  system in Ethiopia, wherein he found columns inscribed 
  in the “language of angels.”
  French Africa
  The French have had interests in West Africa since the 
  17th century. Over the centuries, they have extended 
  their grip to include much of northern, western, and 
  central Africa. From 1895, the lands of Côte d’Ivoire, 
  French Dahomey, French Guinea, French Sudan (Mali), 
  Niger, and Senegal are known as French West Africa. In 
  the decades following, Mauritania and Upper Volta are 
  added to the colony.
  ALGERiA
  Governed by France since 1830, Algeria has under-
  gone much unrest since colonial occupation. The French 
  have removed traditional leaders, confiscated land, and 
  stripped away the old educational system, replacing it 
  with a French one. Further tensions have arisen over 
  the awarding of French citizenry to the country’s Jew-
  ish population. A similar offer to the dominant Muslim 
  population required them to renounce Islamic religious 
  law, whereas the Jews were allowed to retain theirs. As 
  a result, few Muslims have taken up the offer. Follow-
  ing a rebellion in 1871, the French have exerted tighter 
  controls on the Muslims. In modern Algeria, insolence is 
  a crime, and suspects can be jailed for a period of up to 
  five years without trial.
  Algiers, the capital, is the headquarters of the French 
  Foreign Legion. Since 1831, the Legion has fought across 
  the world. During the era of Leagues of Adventure, it 
  campaigns in Africa three times, taking part in the Sec-
  ond Franco-Dahomean War (1892-1894), the Second 
  Madagascan Expedition (1894-1895), and the Mandingo 
  War (1898).
  Ruler: Governor-Generals Louis Tirman (1881-1891), 
  Jules Cambon (1891-1897), Auguste Loze (1897), Louis 
  Lépine (1897-1898), Edouard Lafferrièr, (1898-1900)
  Abalessa
  The Tuareg nomads claim they are descended from 
  Tin Hinan, a Berber princess. Traditionally, her burial 
  place is near the small village of Abalessa, in southern 
  Algeria. The princess does indeed lie here, beneath am 
  innocuous large mound.
  Within a small hive of stone chambers surrounded by 
  fourteen smaller cells are her mortal remains and her 
  grave goods—seven golden bracelets on her right arm, 
  and seven silver ones on her left arm. Clay pots and bowls 
  filled with the residue of ritual offerings lie at her feet. 
  These are of little financial value, but they are culturally 
  significant—their decoration indicates they were fired in 
  the time of the pharaohs.
  Tasili n Ajjer
  In the northeast of the Sahara lies the “Plateau of 
  Rivers” (in the Berber language), a vast mountainous 
  region. Save for thin strips of vegetation along the many 
  rain-cut valleys and the very occasional scattered forest 
  of cypress and myrtle, the highland region is barren and 
  arid. Only a handful of expeditions have ever visited the 
  area, but what they found amazed them. In a region 
  totally unsuitable for supporting human life they dis-
  covered burial mounds, drystone wall enclosures, and 
  fragments of pottery. More astounding, and the reason 
  several Leagues maintain a healthy interest, are the thou-
  sands of petroglyphs.
  Undoubtedly ancient, they show antelopes, buffaloes, 
  elephants, giraffes, and lions, among others. Many are 
  shown as part of hunting scenes, clear evidence the ani-
  mals were present when the petroglyphs were created. 
  Of course, the Sahara is a desert, and thus has never been 
  capable of supporting the types of animals depicted. 
  Stranger still are the paintings of animals completely 
  unknown to biologists, save through fossil records.
  Leagues with an interest in history are divided on the 
  origins of the petroglyphs. Some argue the paintings and 
  inscriptions belong to an unknown culture that dwells in 
  a hidden valley. Evidence for this comes from the fact the 
  glyphs have survived largely intact in a region renowned 
  for scouring winds. Others argue the markings are far 
  older, and were made by African slaves brought to a Ro-
  man city erected in the region. That city is likely long 
  abandoned, but it has yet to be discovered, and is there-
  fore still a worthy objective for an expedition.
  •               •
  leagues of adventure
  10
  
  MALi
  At the start of the 1890s, Mali (in central West Africa) 
  was a divided land, ruled by small empires. In 1892, the 
  French imposed direct colonial rule on Mali. Not every-
  thing went entirely to plan, though. 
  Unwilling to be ruled by Europeans, and angered at 
  France’s seizure of their lands in Côte d’Ivoire, the Was-
  soulou Empire, which also controlled southwest Mali, 
  went to war. France suffered a bloody nose in the Sec-
  ond Mandingo War (1894-1895), but consolidated her 
  holdings and emerged victorious in the Third Mandingo 
  War (1898). Until the early years of the next decade, the 
  French are forced to fight to a number of small guerilla 
  conflicts against the natives. Between 1890 and 1892 the 
  area is known as the French Sudan Territory. From 1892 
  to 1899 it exists as a separate colony, French Sudan.
  Ruler: Commandant-Superior Louis Archinard (1890-
  1891), Pierre Maire Gustave Hubert (1892-1893), Louis 
  Albert Grodet (1893-1895), Governor (as part of French 
  West Africa) Louis Edgard de Trentinian (1895-1898), 
  Marie Michel Alexandre René Audéoud (acting; 1898-
  1899), Delegate (of separate colony) William Merlaud-
  Ponty (1899-1902)
  Arli
  The historians of old wrote accounts of the Garaman-
  tes, whose lands lay in what is now northeast Mali and 
  southeast Algeria. Uniquely among the denizens of the 
  Sahara, they rode in two-wheeled chariots. In northern 
  Mali are rock paintings showing these vehicles, along-
  side which are inscriptions in the ancient Phoenician 
  alphabet. Unfortunately, the language is not one known 
  to archaeologists. Any globetrotters seeking to unlock 
  their meaning must first labor to decode them.
  No mention is made in the ancient records of where 
  the Garamantes originated. Their arrival (around 1200 
  B.C.) coincided with the mysterious Sea People, mari-
  time raiders who appeared out of nowhere to plague the 
  eastern Mediterranean.
  Adventure Seeds
  * An Algerian businessman hires the globetrotters to 
  excavate at Abalessa. He demands they do so under the 
  French flag, so as to show people the expedition has offi-
  cial approval. The patron is actually a rebel sympathizer, 
  and hopes “French” desecration of the site will spur the 
  Tuareg nomads to rise up against the French.
  German Africa
  Germany may be a later player to the game of colonial 
  expansion, but it is determined to grab as much territory 
  as it can. As well as small holdings in Asia (see Globetrot-
  ters’ Guide to the Far East), it has sizeable domains on 
  the coasts of Africa. All the German protectorates and 
  colonies are suffixed by “German.”
  Security of Germany’s African colonies is provided 
  by the Schutztruppe (“Protection force”). Officers and 
  non-commissioned officers are German volunteers, 
  with indigenous natives making up the rank-and-file. 
  Independent from the Imperial army and navy, though 
  subject to military law and discipline, they have their 
  own headquarters in Berlin.
  EAST AFRiCA
  The colony known as German East Africa began in 
  1885, when the German government sanctioned the “So-
  ciety for German Colonization” to establish a protector-
  ate. The Sultan of Zanzibar protested, claiming he also 
  owned the mainland, but his objections ended when five 
  German warships entered the harbor and trained their 
  guns on his palace. In 1890, the British and German gov-
  ernments signed the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty, which 
  returned islands captured by the British in the Napole-
  onic Wars back to Germany and drew up the borders of 
  German East Africa. In 1891, German East Africa changed 
  from a protectorate to a colony.
  While the Germans have brought education, eco-
  nomic growth, and the railway, their administration is 
  not universally accepted. Between 1891 and 1894 the 
  colonials are forced to fight the Hehe tribe, led by Chief 
  Mkwawa, who resented German expansion into their an-
  cestral lands. The king escaped the assault on his capital 
  and led a guerilla war until 1898, when, facing capture, 
  he committed suicide.
  Ruler: Imperial Commissioner Hermann Wissmann 
  (1888-1891), Governors Julius Freiherr von Soden (1891-
  1893), Friedrich Radbod Freiher von Schele (1893-1895), 
  Hermann Wissmann (1895-1896), Eduard von Liebert 
  (1896-1901)
  Cave of Skulls
  Hidden behind a waterfall in the hinterland jungle 
  lies a cave system. None know of its existence, for the 
  local natives (renowned for their black skin but frequent 
  occurrences of red and blonde hair) are especially fierce 
  and hostile, though the cave is part of the legends of 
  neighboring peoples. Within, atop stone biers, lie the 
  skulls of 20 men. Placed around them are the rusting 
  remains of chain hauberks and long swords. The only 
  epitaph is a Latin inscription on the wall, which pro-
  claims this the final resting place of Gerard de Ridefort 
  and his knights.
  Behind a secret panel lies another cave, this one 
  boasting a king’s ransom in gold and silver coins dating 
  from the 12th century, along with several holy relics. The 
  treasure is not there for the taking, for the cave is seeded 
  with many deadly traps.
  •               •
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  11
  
  A grand master of the Knights Templars, de Ridefort 
  escaped Jerusalem with several holy relics shortly before 
  it fell to Saladin in 1187. Stealing the money of King 
  Henry II of France from the city of Tyre, the grand master 
  and his knights tried to flee the Holy Land for Europe, 
  their intent being to finance a crusade to liberate Jerusa-
  lem. Forced south by Saladin’s army, they battled their 
  way to the coast of Arabia, where they boarded a ship for 
  Ethiopia, where they hoped to raise a new army.
  Driven south by a terrible storm, they were eventually 
  shipwrecked on the coast of East Africa. Sick and starv-
  ing, the survivors moved inland in search of salvation. 
  After being nursed back to health by the local natives, 
  the knights, having no knowledge of shipbuilding, chose 
  to stay and found a new Christian kingdom. The treasure 
  was placed in the cave behind the waterfall, which the 
  locals had long used as a place of worship. Mere mortals, 
  the knights eventually succumbed to mortal tempta-
  tions. As the knights died of old age, so their skulls and 
  armor was placed in the cave, to be honored by their 
  descendants.
  SouTH-WEST AFRiCA
  Though first explored by the Portuguese in the 15th 
  century, the first Europeans to settle Namibia (named 
  after the Namib Desert) were German and Swedish 
  colonists who stopped here on their journey from South 
  Africa to Angola. In an effort to thwart British expansion, 
  the German government declared the land a protectorate 
  in 1884. The South West Africa Company was founded to 
  exploit the region.
  The British, however, had already surveyed the coast, 
  and found only the deep harbor of Walvis Bay worth pos-
  sessing. This they annexed in 1878, prematurely stymie-
  ing German plans and ensuring their ships had a safe 
  harbor before attempting to round the Cape of Good 
  Hope. Naturally, this rather upset the Germans, who 
  found themselves lacking a decent harbor.
  In 1886, the Germans passed a legal act creating one 
  set of laws for Europeans, and a different set for natives. 
  As one might expect, this led to increased tensions. The 
  British presence in Walvis Bay added to the mix, and 
  the country soon became a tangled web of alliances and 
  vendettas. As the 1890s dawned, the South West Africa 
  Company ran into serious financial troubles, despite the 
  copper and diamond reserves the country boasted. Ger-
  many declared it a colony, and sent additional troops to 
  protect new interests.
  Seeking to strengthen their grip on the country, the 
  Germans launched a surprise attack against a local tribe 
  in 1892. Though most of the women and children were 
  slaughtered in their beds, King Hendrik Witbooi and 
  the majority of his warriors escaped the massacre. For 
  the next two years he and his men waged a guerilla war 
  against the Germans, ending it in 1894 only after agree-
  ing to a conditional surrender. As the new century dawns,
  As the new century dawns, 
  Germany’s harsh rule leads to further open rebellion. A 
  shadow of things to come in Europe in later years is cast 
  over the territory as the Germans begin a campaign of 
  genocide, the construction of concentration camps, and 
  barbaric medical experiments.
  Virtually the entire country is desert. The largest re-
  gion, the Namib Desert, snakes along the coast for over 
  1000 miles and inland for many hundreds of miles. Made 
  up of gravel plains and monstrous dunes, it is a hyper-
  arid region of little use to man or beast. Inland lies the 
  Central Plateau, home to much of the population and 
  what little agricultural land the country boasts. Border-
  ing Angola, which lies to the north, is the Bushveld. For 
  much of the year it is an arid, sandy wasteland, but come 
  the rainy season it transforms into a shallow lake cover-
  ing over 2000 square miles.
  Ruler: Imperial Commissioners Louis Nels (acting; 
  1890-1891), Curt von François (1891-1893), Administra-
  tors Curt von François (1893-1894), Theodor von Leu-
  twein (1894-1898; governor 1898-1905)
  The White Lady
  Rising from the gravel place near the coast is Mount 
  Brandberg, an 8,500 feet mountain known to the lo-
  cal Herero people as Omukuruvaro (“Mountain of the 
  Gods”). Near, the base of the mountain, in a deep, nar-
  row ravine, is a rock painting known to the Herero as The 
  White Lady. The artistic style of the painting is similar to 
  the murals and carving of ancient Egypt.
  It depicts a procession led by a group of women. 
  Armed with bows and wearing gauntlets around their 
  wrists, it is evident to the casual observer these are war-
  riors. Dominating the procession is the White Lady, so 
  named because she has white skin. While many of her 
  followers have black skin, others are noted for their paler 
  complexion and red hair. Who the image depicts is open 
  to much interpretation. The three main contenders are 
  the Queen of Sheba, La of Ophir, and Hiya of Kôr. All 
  three have reason to be depicted, and all three have 
  arguments against it being them. Of course, the image 
  may refer to a city ruled by women as yet unknown to 
  European globetrotters, or reference to a Mediterranean 
  expedition that reached the country in antiquity.
  WEST AFRiCA
  The German West African Company was founded 
  in 1885 with the purpose of exploiting the colony of 
  Kamerun (modern Cameroon). Seeking to modernize 
  the country, the Germans embark on constructing rail-
  ways and hospitals. Unfortunately, the natives were less 
  than keen to help their colonial rulers, leading to the 
  introduction of forced labor. 
  Often called “Africa in miniature,” German West Africa 
  has coast, desert, mountains, rainforest, and savanna in 
  an area a little larger than modern California.
  leagues of adventure
  1
  
  Ruler: Governors Eugen von Zimmerer (acting; 1889-
  1890), Markus Graf Pfeil (1890), Jesko von Puttkamer 
  (acting; 1890), Bruno von Schuckmann (acting; 1891-
  1892), Eugen von Zimmerer (1892-1893), Leist (act-
  ing; 1893-1894), Eugen von Zimmerer (1894), Jesko 
  von Puttkamer (acting; 1894-1895), von Lucke (acting; 
  1895), Jesko von Puttkamer (acting; 1895), Theodor 
  Seitz (1895-1897), Jesko von Puttkamer (1897-1898), 
  Jesko von Puttkamer (1898-1900)
  Adventure Seeds
  * After visiting a site in German South-West Africa, Paul 
  Schliemann, a German archaeologist, secured extensive 
  funding to search for Atlantis. Regular updates placed 
  him in Tibet and then London. His last telegram said he 
  was returning to Africa based on clues he had discovered 
  in a Mayan Codex in the British Museum, but that was 
  over a month ago. His sponsors are concerned. Not only 
  is a communique now long overdue, but it transpires 
  he is not a relative of the famous Heinrich Schleimann, 
  discoverer of Troy, as he claimed. The Leagues are hiring 
  globetrotters to track him down and unearth the truth 
  about his identity and expedition.
  * The Christmas Society recently gathered funds to 
  construct a hospital for the natives of German South-
  West Africa. No word has been heard in months, and the 
  League is concerned. To that end, it sponsors an expedi-
  tion to check on the hospital. The globetrotters discover 
  the village empty and the hospital burned to the ground. 
  Are the Germans to blame, or is another faction looking 
  to implicate them?
  * Germany has long admired, and been frustrated by, 
  the power of Britain’s navy. The “Two-Power Standard,” 
  made official in 1889 by Parliament with the Naval De-
  fense Act, required the British Royal Navy to maintain 
  a strength equal to both the next two naval powers 
  combined. The Act designated France and Russia as 
  those powers. Unable to construct a new fleet in her 
  native harbors without attracting British spies and spur-
  ring the British into increasing their fleet, the German 
  government has ordered a secret fleet to be constructed 
  in German East Africa. Once complete, it will be able to 
  threaten British interests in the Indian Ocean. 
  The British government has noticed a sizeable in-
  crease in industrial activity, however, and plans on inves-
  tigating. Unwilling to send spies just yet, it instead opts 
  to hire gullible globetrotters to see what the Germans 
  are doing with all the raw materials and labor.
  * A globetrotter receives a parcel from an old school 
  friend now working as a railway engineer in German 
  East Africa. Among the various curios is a silver coin 
  bearing the name Henry II and dated 1183. That night, 
  the globetrotter’s home is burgled (whether or not the 
  coin is stolen depends on whether the coin was hidden 
  away). The culprits are goons working for an unscru-
  pulous German archaeologist. He learned of the coin’s 
  existence from the engineer (who had no reason to hide 
  it) shortly after it was mailed back to the globetrotter. 
  The engineer could say very little (he found it months 
  ago, and has forgotten where), but was incarcerated in a 
  German prison camp to help jog his memory.
  Kôr
  The natives of central West Africa speak of the city of 
  Kôr only with great reluctance, and always in hushed 
  whispers under the gaze of the sun. They say it is the do-
  main of the Amahagger tribes, a fierce and savage people 
  who worship a living goddess known as Hiya, which in 
  their crude tongue means “She-who-must-be-obeyed.”
  Once a magnificent city, Kôr exists now only as a ruin. 
  Old before the land of Egypt was born, its crumbling re-
  mains stand atop a dormant volcano. Cut into the sides of 
  the mountain is a network of catacombs, the necropolis 
  of Kôr’s former rulers. From within rules Hiya, a white-
  skinned woman of such terrible beautiful that men are 
  utterly powerless before her, skilled in the magical arts, 
  and never aging or succumbing to disease.
  Born 2000 years ago in the land of Egypt, the woman 
  known today as Hiya was once named Ayesha. A priestess 
  of Isis sworn to celibacy, she made the mistake of falling 
  in love with Kallikrates, a Greek mercenary. Benevolent 
  and wise, the goddess gave Ayesha chance to redeem 
  herself by travelling to Kôr, from where she would found 
  a Golden Age for mankind, bringing paradise to Earth.
  Within the catacombs the pair discovered the Flame 
  of Life, a pillar of fire that grants eternal youth to who-
  ever stands with it. Ignoring the dire warnings from its 
  guardian that mortals should not seek what only the gods 
  may possess, Ayesha stepped into the flame, emerging 
  moments later with her youth restored and her beauty 
  magnified. Indeed, such was her beauty, majestic and 
  terrible at once, that Kallikrates died the moment he cast 
  his gaze upon her. With immortality came a curse, for as 
  with the fabled realm of Xanadu, the possessor of eternal 
  life can never travel beyond the boundaries of Kôr.
  As the apple tempted Eve to stray from the path, so 
  the Flame of Life was a test for Ayesha, whose vanity was 
  legendary and whose lost youth pained her. Isis with-
  drew her support for her priestess, denying mankind the 
  opportunity to live in an earthly paradise.
  Veiled to prevent her unholy perfection striking down 
  others, Ayesha patiently waits for her lover of old to be 
  reborn into a new body, and for him to find her again. 
  Then she will lead him into the flame, allowing them to 
  be together for eternity.
  Kôr is not entirely unknown to scholars. However, its 
  legend of an eternal queen and a pillar of flame has led 
  some to question whether Kôr is actually another name 
  for Ophir. The two cities are quite separate, though both 
  owe their origins to the ancient Atlanteans.
  Adventure Seeds
  * One of the globetrotters is bequeathed an old trunk 
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  1
  •    •
  
  in a distant relative’s will. Among the bric-a-brac is a 
  shard of pottery inscribed in an obscure ancient tongue. 
  Deciphered, it gives instructions for finding the city of 
  Kôr. Should the party decide to go on expedition, it tran-
  spires that one of their number appears to Ayesha to be 
  Kallikrates reincarnated. Through seduction, she intends 
  to ensure he remains by her side forever this time.
  Land of Sheba
  Home of the unnamed queen of Biblical fame, the 
  location of Sheba is a mystery. Some scholars argue her 
  kingdom lay in southern Arabia, while Ethiopian tradi-
  tion is clear it lay somewhere in the vicinity of that coun-
  try. Ancient records lend support to the latter claim, for 
  the historian Josephus, writing in the 1st century A.D., 
  called her “Queen of Egypt and Ethiopia.”
  Regardless of where it lay, Sheba was a rich nation. 
  Not only was it a land of incense, precious spices, and 
  rare wood, but on her return from Jerusalem, the queen 
  brought with her over four tons of gold. At the center of 
  the city stood a magnificent temple to the sun god, the 
  state religion of Sheba. Every inch was covered in beaten 
  gold, which shone like the sun from dawn to dusk. Here 
  priestesses, their skin covered in gold paint, would 
  dance and sing to ensure the sun’s passage through the 
  sky. At night, the priestesses would wail and mourn the 
  loss of the sun. Though rich, and thus ripe for plunder-
  ing, Sheba was never attacked. Legends hold the cult of 
  the sun protected the city with curved mirrors of such 
  polished perfection they would capture and magnify the 
  sun’s rays, focusing them into a deadly beam that caused 
  wood to ignite and flesh to melt. A fire that burned in 
  the heart of the temple provided similar light at night. 
  Known as the “Eternal Flame,” legend claimed Sheba 
  would never fall so long as the fire burned.
  Madagascar
  The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar lies 
  off the southeast coast of Africa. Although Great Britain 
  had an active interest in the nation since the early 1800s, 
  the British acknowledged France’s claim to it as a protec-
  torate in 1890 (France had been ceded a northern port 
  in 1883 following the Franco-Hova War). Unfortunately, 
  the Madagascan government did not, allowed no say in 
  the matter.
  Somewhat slow to act, the French eventually bom-
  barded two of the island’s major harbors in late 1894 
  and early 1895 in an attempt to force the natives to ca-
  pitulate. With their demands not met, France initiated a 
  land war. In 1895, a military column dragging heavy ar-
  tillery marched inland toward the capital, Antananarivo. 
  Following extensive shelling of the royal palace, Queen 
  Ranavalona III officially surrendered to France and ac-
  cepted exile. In 1896, the monarchy was abolished and 
  French colonial rule instigated.
  French governance has been just and beneficial. Slav-
  ery, still in existence until the occupation, was outlawed, 
  the capital was modernized with new street layouts and 
  public squares, education was spread throughout the 
  island, and construction of a railway network linked the 
  capital to the main ports.
  Madagascar is a biologist’s dream. Separated from the 
  mainland for millions of years, nine in ten of its species 
  are found nowhere else on Earth. Unfortunately, this 
  makes it a veritable buffet for the Epicurean Society. Its 
  isolation also means that species believed long extinct 
  are alive and well, though only in small numbers.
  The central region is dominated by a plateau, and is 
  home to the majority of the population. To the west, the 
  descent to the coast is more gradual. To the east, the 
  ground falls away in a steep escarpment, below which 
  lies rainforest. Along the escarpment is a chain of natural 
  lakes, running parallel to the coast for several hundred 
  miles. Following their hostile takeover, the French begin 
  linking these with artificial canals.
  Rulers: Resident-Generals Lacoste (acting; 1890-
  1892), Paul Augustin Jean Larrouy (1892-1894), Charles 
  Le Myre de Vilers (1894-1895), Hippolyte Laroche (1895-
  1896), Military Governor Joseph Galliéni (1896-1897; 
  Governor-General 1897-1905)
  South African  
  Republic
  Created in 1856, the South African Republic was pri-
  marily inhabited by Dutch colonists. British interests in 
  the neighboring Transvaal brought the small state into 
  conflict with the global superpower. Britain’s reluctance 
  to fight a war so far from home led to a truce, under the 
  terms of which the Boers would have self-rule, though 
  under British supervision. Within three years, full inde-
  pendence had been awarded. Non-Boer European set-
  tlers (so called uitlanders, or outlanders) began to arrive 
  in 1888, lured by the discovery of gold in 1887 and the 
  promise of quick riches.
  The Cape Colony, under British rule, grew concerned. 
  Not only was there the threat the Republic would grow 
  powerful enough to challenge British interests, but the 
  size of the lode threatened London’s position as the 
  heart of the global gold trade. Unwilling to engage in 
  another costly war, British interests in the Cape Colony 
  began making plans with the uitlanders. The agreement 
  was simple—if the uitlanders initiated a coup, the Cape 
  Colony would support them, in return for prospecting 
  rights. In 1895, without formal approval and tired of 
  waiting for the promised insurrection to begin, Leander 
  Starr Jameson led a military column into the Republic. 
  His plan was to kick-start the revolution, but, after a mere 
  three days, his force was surrounded and forced to sur-
  leagues of adventure
  1
  •               •
  •             •
  •          •
  
  render. The tensions created by the raid will contribute 
  to the Second Boer War (1899-1902).
  Ruler: State President Stephanus Johannes Paulus 
  Kruger (1883-1900)
  Adventure Seeds
  * The Boer government recently displayed a primi-
  tive skull discovered in a limestone cavern. From photo-
  graphs, which clearly show thick brow ridges, wide, high 
  cheek bones, and a small cranial cavity, scientists have 
  deduced the creature is neither man nor beast, but some 
  sort of hybrid species displaying properties of both. The 
  Republic government plans to auction the skull.
  Villainous League: 
  The Saou
  While not truly villainous in its purpose, the Saou 
  nevertheless has goals that will place it in direct opposi-
  tion to globetrotters.
  THE SAou
  For thousands of years, the Saou have watched over 
  the tombs and temples of Egypt. The pharaohs may no 
  longer rule, but their memory and power is not forgot-
  ten. Tomb-raiding is not a recent practice: since the 
  earliest days, the final resting places of the living gods 
  were subject to robbery and desecration. To the royals, 
  the well-being of their corpses and treasure was very 
  important, for whatever happened to their corpse and 
  wealth in the world of the living would be reflected in 
  the world of the dead.
  To thwart the practice, the first pharaoh created the 
  Saou. After the Roman conquest of Egypt and the death 
  of the last great pharaoh, Cleopatra VII, the Saou ceased 
  to exist, at least officially. Time is no limit to duty, howev-
  er, and the protectors adopted guises that allowed them 
  to blend in with the general population. When the first 
  outsiders began to take an interest in Egypt’s past and 
  started digging in search of treasures, the Saou reacted 
  as they had done in the distant past—with violence. 
  Branded as common brigands, they were quickly hunted 
  down. Again the organization adapted: if they could not 
  beat the foreigners, they would join them, in a manner of 
  speaking. By the time the English Egyptologist Flinders 
  Petrie revolutionized the field of archaeology in 1880 by 
  introducing systematic excavation and recording, the 
  Saou had infiltrated both the upper and lower echelons 
  of the Egyptian archaeological community. Some held 
  posts as Egyptologists, librarians, and museum curators, 
  while other posed as common diggers.
  Through careful manipulation, and the occasional act 
  of sabotage, they have steered expeditions away from in-
  tact tombs toward those already robbed in antiquity. On 
  a more scholastic note, they have aided in the conserva-
  tion of mummies and treasures, though as yet they have 
  been unable to stop artifacts from leaving the country for 
  overseas museums and private collections.
  Butrus ibn-Zafir al-Saqr
  A member of the Saou and an acknowledged expert 
  on Egypt’s long history, Butrus works for the Depart-
  ment of Antiquities. A mild-mannered and amiable chap, 
  he serves a few steps below the director. He is personally 
  responsible for setting the boundaries of archaeological 
  sites and issuing excavation permits, and he takes a very 
  active role in his work, preferring to deal with foreigners 
  in person. Through polite questioning and suggestions, 
  he steers Egyptologists away from intact tomb towards 
  barren areas of the desert.
  Patron 2
  Archetype: Government Official; Motivation: Pres-
  ervation; Style: 2
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, 
  Charisma 4, Intelligence 4, Willpower 3
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 7, 
  Initiative 6, Defense 5, Stun 3, Health 6
  Skills: Academics 7, Anthropology 6, Bureaucracy 7, 
  Con 6, Diplomacy 6, Empathy 6, Expeditions 5, Investi-
  gation 6, Linguistics 6, Streetwise 5
  Talents: Well-Educated (Academics is a general Skill)
  Resources: Status 1 (Department of Antiquities; +2 
  Social bonus), Rank 2 (Saou; +2 Social bonus)
  Flaws: Loyalty (+1 Style point whenever his unswerv-
  ing loyalty causes trouble)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Typical Member
  While there are Saou families still willing to take up 
  weapons to drive away expeditions from undisturbed 
  tombs, most now work as diggers. Through threats and 
  bribes they convince their fellow laborers to dig slowly 
  and in the wrong area if their superiors feel archaeolo-
  gists are too close to the mark. If required, they will de-
  stroy maps, steal artifacts, and sabotage equipment.
  More violent Saou swap Athletics for Firearms 3 and 
  carry a scimitar (7L) and a muzzleloader rifle (6L).
  Follower 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 3, 
  Charisma 1, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Perception 4, 
  Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4
  Skills: Athletics 4, Intimidation 4, Linguistics 4, Melee 
  4, Stealth 4
  Talents: None
  Resources: Rank 1 (Saou; +2 Social bonus)
  Flaws: Loyalty (+1 Style point whenever his unswerv-
  ing loyalty causes trouble)
  Weapons: Shovel 7N or Pickaxe 7L
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  1
  •          •
  
  leagues of adventure
  1
  Adventurous 
   
  Novelist
  Archetype: Artist 
  Motivation: Fame
  Style: 3
  Health: 4
  Primary Attributes
  Body: 2
  Charisma: 3
  Dexterity: 3
  Intelligence: 3
  Strength: 2
  Willpower: 2
  Secondary Attributes
  Size: 0
  Initiative: 5
  Move: 5
  Defense: 5
  Perception: 5
  Stun: 2
  Skill
  Base
  Levels
  Rating
  Average
  Acrobatics
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Art: Writing
  3
  3
  6
  (3)
  Athletics
  2
  2
  4
  (2)
  Brawl
  2
  2
  4
  (2)
  Firearms
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Linguistics
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Ride
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Survival
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Talents
  Natural Leader (May recruit a temporary Ally)
  Resources
  Fame 0 (Adventure story novelist; +1 bonus)
  Follower 0 (Secretary)
  Rank 1 (The Eccentric Club; +2 Social bonus)
  Flaw
  Danger Magnet (+1 Style point whenever she ends up 
  in danger through no fault of his own)
  Weapons
  Rating
  Size
  Attack
  Average
  Punch
  4N
  0
  4N
  (2)N
  Light revolver
  2L
  0
  7L
  (3+)L
  “This will make a fantastic story, as-
  suming we live long enough for me to 
  tell the tale.”
  Character Background
  Oh yes, Mr. Verne writes very good action and explo-
  ration stories, and what I have seen of Mr. Wells’ work 
  is equally exciting, but my novels have something they 
  don’t: a strong heroine at the heart of each story. That’s 
  what attracts readers of both sexes to my work. You see, 
  women dream of being the plucky Miss Braveheart, while 
  men fantasize about marrying her. Father always encour-
  aged me to read as a child, though I profess he would 
  rather I perused the classics than the penny dreadfuls 
  and fantastical stories of Verne. My governess was French, 
  and it was she who introduced me to the latter. By the 
  time I went to university to study languages I was already 
  writing my own long works of fiction. Though hardly 
  masterpieces, they sold well enough among my peers to 
  encourage me to pen further works. After completing my 
  studies I travelled abroad, working as a secretary to sup-
  port myself while pondering what future road I would 
  travel. Father wanted me to find a good husband, natu-
  rally, but men had little interest in a free-willed girl with 
  only a modest income. It was in Cairo that Miss Brave-
  heart was born. Quite by accident I became embroiled in 
  a plot to steal treasures from the Museum of Antiquities. 
  I needn’t bore you with the details, not if you have read 
  The Cult of Cairo. Ah, your politely blank look tells me 
  either you haven’t read that tale, or that you have failed 
  to grasp the connection. After the affair ended I wrote 
  it up as a piece of fiction, changing the names where 
  appropriate. I submitted it to a literary agent on the off 
  chance it might make a decent penny dreadful. Needless 
  to say, I was quite surprised when he offered to publish 
  it as a full novel. It seems the globetrotting endeavors so 
  frequently reported in the newspapers are not enough 
  to sate peoples’ appetites for adventure stories.
  It occurred to me that rather than seeking inspiration 
  in the deeds of others or using my imagination to create 
  perilous places and serious situations, I should write up 
  more of my own adventures. Of course, that meant hav-
  ing more adventures. That’s right, all my novels are based 
  on actual occurrences, and Miss Braveheart is none other 
  than myself. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to think of a 
  way to escape the cannibals holding us prisoner.
  Roleplaying
  Everyone knows your name as an author, not as a 
  heroine, but that’s alright by you: so long as they know 
  your name, that’s all that matters. In order to tell a 
  good action story, you need to experience dangerous 
  situations. Fortunately, getting into trouble is something 
  you’re rather good at.
  
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  1
  Archaeologist
  Archetype: Explorer 
  Motivation: Preservation
  Style: 3
  Health: 4
  Primary Attributes
  Body: 2
  Charisma: 2
  Dexterity: 3
  Intelligence: 3
  Strength: 3
  Willpower: 2
  Secondary Attributes
  Size: 0
  Initiative: 6
  Move: 6
  Defense: 5
  Perception: 5
  Stun: 2
  Skill
  Base
  Levels
  Rating
  Average
  Academics:
  History
  3
  4
  7
  (3+)
  Anthropology
  3
  3
  6
  (3)
  Athletics
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Firearms
  3
  1
  4
  (2)
  Linguistics
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Melee
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Streetwise
  2
  2
  4
  (2)
  Survival
  3
  1
  4
  (2)
  Talents
  Jack of All Trades (Ignores the untrained Skill penalty 
  when using any general Skill)
  Resources
  Contacts 0 (Transport; +1 bonus)
  Follower 0 (Expedition Planner)
  Rank 1 (Society of Antiquarians; +2 Social bonus)
  Flaw
  Phobia: Spiders (–2 penalty on all rolls until your char-
  acter is able to get away; +1 Style point whenever his 
  fear gets the better of him)
  Weapons
  Rating
  Size
  Attack
  Average
  Heavy revolver
  3L
  0
  7L
  (3+)L
  Whip
  1N
  0
  6N
  (3)N
  “The hierogylphs say this 
  temple is sacred to a...spider 
  god! Spiders, why did it have 
  to be spiders?”
  Character Background
  History runs in my blood. My grandfather was an 
  antiquarian, as was my mother. I was not only raised on 
  tales of the ancient world, but spent much of my youth 
  around the ancient ruins of various foreign countries, 
  accompanying my mother (Father had died of fever not 
  long after my birth) on her lifelong quest to locate the 
  Ark of the Covenant.
  My application to university met with little resistance 
  from my mother, whose quest had become an obses-
  sion.  We had not spoken properly in many years, and 
  had I said I wanted to become an actor she might now 
  have batted an eyelid. Naturally, I chose to study history 
  as my major, with anthropology and ancient languages 
  as minors. To be honest, I already knew more than my 
  professors, and I frequently skipped classes to converse 
  with the curators at the nearby museum. My absence did 
  nothing to prevent me doing well in my exams, and my 
  grades were enough to secure me an appointment at the 
  museum as a junior curator.
  Though still young, my previous field experience 
  secured me a place on an expedition to Mexico search-
  ing for a lost temple. During our excavation a portion of 
  the floor collapsed, dropping me into a small cell. To my 
  horror, a giant horde of spiders of all sizes emerged from 
  the walls. It is amazing how quickly a man can climb 
  when beset by such venomous horrors! The memory still 
  haunts me to this day. Anyway, we found the heart of the 
  temple and retrieved a fabulous golden idol. We already 
  had visions of our triumphant return to civilization, but 
  it was not to be. We were betrayed by the natives bear-
  ers, hirelings as it turned out of a Prussian archaeolo-
  gist of a somewhat less than savory reputation. That we 
  escaped with our lives is something of a miracle. Since 
  then I have led many expeditions to the distant corners 
  of the globe. Sometimes I have returned artifacts to the 
  museum, other times I have had them stolen from under 
  my nose by my nemesis. Yes, we are both archaeologists, 
  but we are not cut of the same cloth. Anyway, must dash 
  now! Word has reached me my mother has disappeared 
  in Jerusalem, and I have an airship to catch.
  Roleplaying
  You could make a fortune selling historical artifacts 
  to private collectors, but you believe history belongs in 
  museums, where everyone can enjoy it. Your adventures 
  outside the museum never seem to go smoothly—trou-
  ble seems to follow you like a shadow.
  
  Man of Mercy
  Archetype: Physician 
  Motivation: Charity
  Style: 3
  Health: 5
  Primary Attributes
  Body: 3
  Charisma: 3
  Dexterity: 2
  Intelligence: 3
  Strength: 2
  Willpower: 2
  Secondary Attributes
  Size: 0
  Initiative: 5
  Move: 4
  Defense: 5
  Perception: 5
  Stun: 3
  Skill
  Base
  Levels
  Rating
  Average
  Anthropology
  3
  1
  4
  (2)
  Bureaucracy
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Craft: Pharmacol-
  ogy
  3
  3
  6
  (3)
  Diplomacy
  3
  1
  4
  (2)
  Empathy
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Expeditions
  3
  1
  4
  (2)
  Linguistics
  3
  1
  4
  (2)
  Medicine
  3
  4
  7
  (3+)
  Survival
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Talents
  Disease Resistance (+2 bonus to Body rolls related to 
  disease and illness)
  Herb Lore (Always considered to have supplies when 
  making Medicine roll)
  Resources
  Follower 0 (Translator)
  Rank 0 (The Christmas Society; +1 Social bonus)
  Flaw
  Gone Native (+1 Style point whenever his adopted 
  lifestyle and rejection of Western customs causes prob-
  lems for him or his companions)
  Weapons
  Rating
  Size
  Attack
  Average
  Punch
  0N
  0
  0N
  (0)N
  “yes, i am the one they call ‘the ghost 
  doctor.’ Come into my hut and i’ll 
  treat your injuries.”
  Character Background
  I first went to Africa shortly after completing my medi-
  cal degree. I had taken an interest in tropical diseases, 
  and was keen to study them in their native environment, 
  as well as study how the natives produced cures. Young 
  and idealistic, I had expected to see how colonialism 
  had improved the lives of the locals, but instead was 
  greeted by appalling sights. Dear Lord, we claim to be 
  the masters of these people, but we treat cattle better! 
  I at once forsook any plans to return home and open 
  my own practice. After spending several months treating 
  injuries and illnesses my funds ran low. Forced to return 
  home, I immediately began attempting to raise funds for 
  my work. Alas, my attempts to explain the plight of our 
  colonial subjects fell upon deaf ears. I fell into a deep 
  despair, for my heart called me back to Africa, yet my 
  purse would not get me to Dover. Just when all seemed 
  lost, the Christmas Society invited me to present my case 
  before a full gathering. They had heard of my mission 
  from a member, and sought more information. Whether 
  it was my passion or my cause that won them over I 
  cannot say, but the Society offered me membership and 
  agreed to supply funds to keep me in Africa for another 
  year. Since returning I have built a small hospital. It is 
  not particularly large or well-stocked, but the local witch 
  doctor taught me much about herb lore, and local rem-
  edies suffice when medicines run low. The Christmas So-
  ciety is kept abreast of my work through correspondence 
  and photographs, and they continue to send sufficient 
  monies to keep the hospital running. To be honest, the 
  thought of returning to England holds no appeal to me 
  these days, as I no longer consider it my home. The na-
  tives have adopted me as one of their own, and despite 
  what you may read in the newspapers, they are far more 
  civilized than the majority of Europeans. Despite my love 
  of my new people and the respect they accord me, I can-
  not remain among them for much longer. There is much 
  suffering and misery in the world, not just here in Africa, 
  and my tribe is now well provided for. I have written to 
  the Society, asking them to find another doctor to replace 
  me here, as I feel it is my duty to provide whatever care is 
  within my power to those in need, wherever in the world 
  that need is greatest. I shall miss Africa, but it shall always 
  be my home, and I will return.
  Roleplaying
  You are a man of great kindness. You are pragmatic 
  enough to know you can’t cure every ill, but that won’t 
  stop you trying your best. You disdain all form of vio-
  lence, regardless of motive.
  leagues of adventure
  1
  
  Survival Expert
  Archetype: Adventurer 
  Motivation: Hope
  Style: 3
  Health: 6
  Primary Attributes
  Body: 3
  Charisma: 2
  Dexterity: 2
  Intelligence: 3
  Strength: 2
  Willpower: 3
  Secondary Attributes
  Size: 0
  Initiative: 5
  Move: 4
  Defense: 5
  Perception: 6
  Stun: 3
  Skill
  Base
  Levels
  Rating
  Average
  Athletics
  2
  3
  5
  (2+)
  Expeditions
  3
  3
  6
  (3)
  Firearms
  2
  2
  4
  (2)
  Linguistics
  3
  2
  5
  (2+)
  Melee
  2
  2
  4
  (2)
  Survival
  3
  5
  8
  (4)
  Talents
  Famine Hardy (Suffers less fatigue from starvation and 
  thirst)
  Resources
  Artifact 1 (Portable Pharmacopeia Engine; see Globe-
  trotters’ Guide to Weird Science)
  Follower 0 (Mule)
  Rank 0 (The Survivors Club; +1 Social bonus)
  Flaw
  One Eye (–2 penalty on any ranged attack rolls; +1 
  Style point whenever he critically misjudges distance 
  or is blindsided by someone)
  Weapons
  Rating
  Size
  Attack
  Average
  Punch
  0N
  0
  0N
  (0)N
  Light revolver
  2L
  0
  6L
  (3)L
  Machete
  2L
  0
  6L
  (3)L
  “The natives call it ‘the 
  mountain that eats men.’ i 
  suggest we respect the name 
  and proceed at a leisurely 
  pace.”
  Character Background
  Ha! If I had a shilling for every time I’ve been asked 
  how I lost my eye I’d be a wealthy man! You’ve heard of 
  the McAlister Expedition, I take it? Well, I was the sole 
  survivor of that ill-fated venture. If you recall, the plan 
  was to drive across the Sahara in one of those new-fan-
  gled automobiles. Laird McAlister was a friend of my late 
  father, so I won’t make any claims my position in the 
  four-man team was truly earned.
  Anyway, we were in the middle of nowhere when the 
  accident happened. I still don’t know what caused it, 
  but we toppled into a gorge. The driver was killed in-
  stantly, the mechanic badly injured, and the automobile 
  wrecked. The laird and I were thrown clear, and escaped 
  with only bruises. We gathered what little supplies we 
  could salvage, constructed a stretcher, and began walk-
  ing in what we hoped was the right direction. Within a 
  day we knew the mechanic had no chance. His wound 
  smelled like rotting meat, and he had a raging fever. 
  Discussing whether or not to leave a man behind is not a 
  pleasant conversation, but he was draining our water at a 
  tremendous rate. Fortunately, he also knew his fate, and 
  saved us the decision by asking for a pistol and a few mo-
  ments alone. Despite our best efforts to conserve it, the 
  water ran out the next day. McAlister lasted three days. 
  He kept his sense of humor to the end, and invited me to 
  carve him up. Don’t look shocked—I politely declined. 
  Two days later I collapsed, near to death. I awoke briefly 
  some time later to discover a vulture standing over me, 
  my eyeball in its ugly beak. I had just enough strength to 
  break its scrawny neck and drink its blood. Foul taste, 
  but it earned me a few more hours of life. Next thing I 
  knew I awoke in a French mission. The doctors told me 
  nomads had found me and brought me to the mission.
  Despite the ordeal I endured, I still head into the 
  wilderness as often as possible. You see, I know how bad 
  things can get, and I’ll try my damnedest to make sure 
  that fate doesn’t befall others. Now, take a mouthful of 
  water and then seal your canteen—we’ve twenty miles of 
  barren desert to cover before the next oasis.
  Roleplaying
  While you always believe things will turn out for the 
  best, you’re not a man to leave things to chance. Proper 
  planning and respect for the environment are key to 
  survival. You don’t adventure for glory or fame—you 
  adventure solely to ensure those seeking such things 
  actually live to tell their tales.
  Globetrotters’ Guide to the Dark Continent
  1
  
  Sample Henchmen
  Bullying Colonial officer
  Follower 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 1, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, 
  Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Perception 4, 
  Initiative 3, Defense 2, Stun 1, Health 3
  Skills: Bureaucracy 5, Intimidation 4
  Talents/Resources: None
  Flaws: Dominant (+1 Style point whenever his need 
  to dominate others brings unnecessary strife)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Egyptologist
  Follower 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 1, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, 
  Charisma 2, Intelligence 3, Willpower 1
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Perception 4, 
  Initiative 4, Defense 2, Stun 1, Health 2
  Skills: Academics: History 4 (Egyptian 5), Anthropol-
  ogy 4, Investigation 4, Linguistics 4 (Deciphering 5)
  Talents/Resources: None
  Flaws: Aloof (+1 Style point whenever his business-
  like attitude causes him trouble)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Ex-Foreign Legionnaire
  Follower 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, 
  Charisma 1, Intelligence 1, Willpower 1
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 2, 
  Initiative 3, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 3
  Skills: Firearms 4, Melee 3, Survival 3
  Talents/Resources: None
  Flaws: Overconfident (+1 Style point whenever he is 
  forced to ask for help or he gets in over his head)
  Weapons: Punch 0N, Rifle 7L
  Prospector
  Follower 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, 
  Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 4, 
  Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4
  Skills: Bureaucracy 4, Demolitions 4, Expeditions 4, 
  Science: Geology 4, Survival 4
  Talents: None
  Resources: Contacts 1 (Government; +2 bonus)
  Flaws: Envious (+1 Style point whenever his envy 
  causes trouble for him or his companions)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Railway Engineer
  Follower 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, 
  Charisma 1, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Perception 4, 
  Initiative 3, Defense 3, Stun 2, Health 4
  Skills: Bureaucracy 4, Science: Engineering 5
  Talents/Resources: None
  Flaws: Callous (+1 Style point whenever he refuses to 
  help someone in dire need)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Tribal Hunter
  Follower 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 1, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, 
  Charisma 1, Intelligence 2, Willpower 1
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 3, 
  Initiative 4, Defense 3, Stun 1, Health 2
  Skills: Melee 4, Stealth 3, Survival 4
  Talents/Resources: None
  Flaws: Primitive (+1 Style point whenever his primi-
  tive nature hampers him or causes trouble)
  Weapons: Punch 0N, Spear 7L
  Witch Doctor (see Gothic Horror)
  Follower 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 1, 
  Charisma 2, Intelligence 3, Willpower 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 3, Perception 5, 
  Initiative 5, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4
  Skills: Academics: Religion 4, Craft: Pharmacology 4, 
  Empathy 4, Magic: Animism 6, Medicine 5, Performance 
  4
  Talents: Magical Aptitude (Rituals: Empower, Heal-
  ing, Spirit Sense)
  Resources: None
  Flaws: Superstitious (+1 Style point whenever his ec-
  centricities cause him trouble)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Witch Doctor (Mundane)
  Follower 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 1, 
  Charisma 2, Intelligence 3, Willpower 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 3, Perception 5, 
  Initiative 5, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4
  Skills: Academics: Religion 5, Craft: Pharmacology 5, 
  Empathy 5, Medicine 5, Performance 4
  Talents: Herb Lore (Always considered to have sup-
  plies when making Medicine rolls)
  Resources: None
  Flaws: Superstitious (+1 Style point whenever one of 
  his eccentricities cause him trouble or his beliefs turns 
  out to be true)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  leagues of adventure
  0
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Triple Ace Games/Leagues of Adventure/Globetrotters Guides/Globetrotters Guide to the Dark Continent.pdf