TEXT: They say that those who do not learn from history are
  doomed to repeat it. Thus, it would seem that educat-
  ing the public about past military conflicts would help
  to ensure peace. But one patron has a different pur-
  pose in mind for the new museum exhibit on World
  War I trench warfare. To him, a historical recreation of
  the War to End All Wars simply isn’t complete without
  massive casualties.
  No Man’s Land is an adventure set in the modern
  day, but it includes fantastic elements such as undead
  creatures and black magic.
  LEVELS
  You, the Game Master (GM), need a copy of the d20
  MODERN Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook to run this
  adventure. No Man’s Land is a short scenario for four
  3rd-level player characters (PCs). With slight modifica-
  tions, you can make it suitable for PCs from 1st to 4th
  level (or groups as large or small as you’re comfortable
  adjudicating). The text that appears in shaded boxes
  should be read aloud or paraphrased for the players.
  Opponents’ statistics are provided in abbreviated
  form.
  To get started, print out this adventure and read it
  through. Then make sure you are familiar with the
  rules for skeletons and arcane magic (Chapters 8 and
  10, respectively, of the d20 MODERN rulebook).
  BACKGROUND
  The Great War, the War to End All Wars—by any name
  or euphemism, World War I encompasses five of the
  most brutal years in the history of mankind.  During
  that bloody conflict, more than 8.6 million people
  were killed worldwide, the vast majority of them on
  the fields of Europe.
  Combat soldiers in the Great War were stationed
  primarily in trenches—claustrophobic furrows gouged
  out of the earth. The enemy sat in similar trenches,
  A Short Adventure for Four 3rd-Level Characters
  NO MAN’S
  LAND
  By Stan!
  
  sometimes less than 100 yards away. The war was fought inch
  by inch, as young men left the uncertain safety of their own
  trenches and charged those of the enemy in the hope of
  gaining a few feet of ground. Of course, those muddy fields
  were covered with mortar craters, barbed wire, and fallen
  bodies, so crossing them was no easy task—especially while
  the enemy was spraying the field with machine gun fire.
  In our age of intercontinental ballistic missiles, stealth jets,
  and smart bombs, war can be fought from very great dis-
  tances and in relative comfort. Thus, recent generations find
  it difficult to imagine the conditions faced by the soldiers of
  yesteryear. By creating realistic displays, museums and his-
  torical societies do their part to educate the modern public
  about the horrors faced by their grandparents.
  No Man’s Land takes place in a fictional museum exhibit
  intended to give visitors the merest taste of what it might
  have been like to serve on the Western Front in World War I.
  The exhibit has been especially popular because it features
  an actual British trench from the Battle of the Somme, dug
  out of the ground and preserved for this display. The soil is
  the very earth on which thousands of soldiers died in 1916. It
  is an exhibit designed to leave even the most jaded visitor
  shaken and keenly aware of the fragility and sanctity of life.
  Of course, not everyone is affected the same way by the
  realistic nature of the display. The action in No Man’s Land is
  caused by one bitter man who does not believe that this vio-
  lent chapter in human history should be left buried.
  Elmar Ganz
  Elmar Ganz is the great grandson of a German officer who
  was hung for using mustard gas against civilians, the grandson
  of a Nazi doctor sent to the gas chamber for performing
  bizarre medical experiments on prisoners of war, and the son
  of a black marketeer shot for selling heroin on the streets of
  Soviet-occupied Berlin. Needless to say, hatred of the estab-
  lishment and homicidal tendencies are his birthright. Until a
  few months ago, he was simply another angry young man
  looking for a way to strike a blow against the forces he per-
  ceived as having oppressed his family for nearly a century.
  All that changed when the Russian authorities released a
  warehouse full of previously classified material, among
  which were the personal effects of Elmar’s drug-dealing
  father. The item of greatest interest to Elmar was the key to
  a safe deposit box at a Swiss bank.
  Much to his disappointment, Elmar did not find a secret
  fortune there. In fact, the only item in the safe deposit box
  was a hand-bound journal covered in leather that had been
  made from human skin. Inside were notes written by all his
  executed forebears, including a series of dark magic rituals
  developed by his grandfather.
  SYNOPSIS
  Studying black magic and learning the sordid details of his
  family’s past has driven Elmar quite mad. He has no care or
  concern other than causing as much death and destruction as
  possible.
  Elmar has come to the “No Man’s Land” exhibit planning to
  use one of the spells that he found in the journal to raise the
  long-dead German soldiers buried within the trench display.
  The spell allows him to create skeletons by casting a variant
  of the animate dead spell. Once he has awakened the
  corpses within the exhibit, he plans to have them use the
  weapons in the museum—including bayonets, rifles, a
  machine gun, and even a tank—to kill every living person
  they find.
  The PCs’ job is simple—destroy the skeletons and prevent
  this madman from ever casting that (or any other) spell ever
  again.
  No Man’s Land is a straightforward, site-based adventure.
  The first part (Lest We Forget) describes the site and details
  the numbered areas on the map. The second section (Those
  Who Have Fallen) presents the encounters, beginning with
  the awakening of the dead German troops.
  The action takes place entirely within the “No Man’s Land”
  museum exhibit. The skeletons will not leave the museum’s
  confines unless the entire building is devoid of life—that is,
  unless all the patrons (including the PCs) have either fled or
  been killed. If they are left with no more targets, Elmar may,
  at your option, order them to take their hatred to the city
  streets.
  Character Hooks
  As GM, you know best how to involve your players and their
  characters in an adventure. You can use the following adven-
  ture hooks to spur your imagination, modifying them as nec-
  essary to make them appropriate for the characters’
  interests.
  •
  While visiting the exhibit for their own edification, the
  PCs find themselves thrown unexpectedly into a bizarre
  crisis.
  •
  The characters have, as part of a wholly separate adven-
  ture, arranged to meet an important NPC at the exhibit
  for a completely unrelated purpose. If this is the case, the
  PCs must not only defeat Elmar and his skeletons but also
  try to protect the NPC so that the other adventure can
  continue.
  •
  The PCs are law enforcement agents tracking Elmar Ganz.
  In this situation, the characters may actually know what
  he is up to if they work for an agency that believes in the
  supernatural. Alternatively, Ganz may simply be wanted
  for some more mundane reason—drug dealing, entering
  the country illegally, or the like. 
  •
  Ganz has disrupted historical exhibits at one or more
  other museums in the past, and the PCs have gotten a tip
  that he is planning to strike at “No Man’s Land.” (This
  option is especially good for groups of lower-level PCs
  because it allows them to prepare ahead of time for a
  threat that could otherwise prove too strong for them.)
  LEST WE FORGET
  The exhibit is meant to be an interactive, educational pres-
  entation of conditions and equipment in the trenches of
  Western Europe during WWI. Entry is free, but donations are
  gladly accepted.
  d20MODERN
  2
  NO MAN’S LAND
  
  d20MODERN
  3
  NO MAN’S LAND
  “No Man’s Land” is a modern facility. Each doorway is a
  full 5 feet wide and is equipped with motion sensors that
  enable it to open automatically. There are no stairs in the
  exhibit; access is provided by wheelchair-friendly ramps
  leading to and from the gallery (area 2). This arrangement
  serves to accentuate the feeling of going down into the
  trenches. 
  1. The Forum
  This chamber is the entrance to the “No Man’s Land” exhibit.
  When the PCs first enter the room, read aloud or paraphrase
  the following.
  The display cases contain items such as shaving kits, gramo-
  phones, medals, and honorariums from various countries. A
  plaque below each item describes what functions it served
  and how the museum came to own it. There are no weapons
  in these display cases, but some of the items are large, heavy,
  or sharp enough that, at the GM’s discretion, they could be
  used as improvised weapons.
  The music consists of songs such as Over There, It’s A Long
  Way to Tipperary, Pack Up Your Troubles, and other popular
  war-related songs of the WWI era.
  2. The Gallery
  This large room is devoted to showcasing the weapons used
  by frontline troops during WWI. When the PCs first enter,
  read aloud or paraphrase the following.
  This room is larger than the adjacent forum, and it is dif-
  ficult to see from end to end because the display cases
  have been arranged to create the effect of a trenchlike
  hallway. The displays feature various weapons used by
  frontline soldiers.
  Scratchy recordings of speeches made by politicians
  of the era drift from the speakers occasionally. Inter-
  spersed among them are clearer recordings of elderly
  veterans describing their experiences from the war.dio-
  rama is a sandbagged foxhole in which two mannequins
  in German uniforms man a machine gun. 
  The room is dimly lit, and popular music from the war
  era plays faintly from speakers hidden in the shadows of
  the ceiling. Most of the available light comes from the
  five cases displaying items once used by soldiers sta-
  tioned in the trenches.  Beside the main door stands a
  box for donations; next to that is a door leading to the
  museum gift shop. At the left is a ramp leading up to the
  gallery.
  
  d20MODERN
  4
  NO MAN’S LAND
  Spread out among the various display cases in this room are
  the following weapons:
  •
  6 Lee-Enfield short rifles*
  •
  4 Mauser C.96 pistols**
  •
  10 French F1 grenades†
  •
  4 cavalry sabers††
  *Treat as an M4 Carbine with a fixed bayonet.
  **Treat as a Glock 17.
  †The grenades are not live, but only an attempt to use one reveals that fact.
  ††Treat as a longsword.
  All the firearms are in excellent condition for antiques, but they
  have not been oiled or fired in decades. An attack roll of 1 made
  while firing any one of them causes it to misfire violently and
  explode, dealing 2d6 points of damage to the wielder.
  3. The Trench
  This area houses the main part of the exhibit—a full-scale,
  original trench in a reconstructed battlefield. Each section of
  this area is described separately below. 
  When the PCs first enter area 3, read aloud or paraphrase
  the following.
  The atmosphere in the trench is as realistic as the curators
  could make it, and the whole effect is meant to be more than
  a little bit disturbing. Do what you can to reinforce this feel-
  ing for the heroes.
  When the PCs first pass below the tank, read aloud or par-
  aphrase the following.
  Ol’ No. 7 has been restored to perfect working condition by
  the museum. For details, see encounter B, below.
  When the PCs first pass below the window into the gallery
  (area 2), read aloud or paraphrase the following.
  The machine gun is not loaded, but there is plenty of ammu-
  nition stacked around it. For more details, see encounter C,
  below.
  4. The Bunker
  This section of the display is an actual command bunker (albeit
  a small one) that was lifted along with the trench from the fields
  of France. The interior is claustrophobic and dusty, but not
  Above you is a window that looks into the gallery. Visitors
  looking at the display cases pass by in a steady stream,
  and some stop to peer down at you in the trench.
  Across the field from you is a semicircle of sandbags
  from which a large machine gun barrel pokes up, point-
  ing your way. Plaques explain that the foxhole beyond
  contains a Maxim Machineengewehr 08 machine gun
  that is estimated to have killed more than four hundred
  soldiers during the Battle of the Somme.
  Ahead of you is a wooden doorway reinforced by
  sandbags. A sign above it reads, “Lancashire Fusiliers HQ.”
  Above the trench stands a tremendous metal vehicle
  about 8 feet tall, 10 feet wide, and 15 feet long. It is cov-
  ered with heavy iron plates held in place by bolts at
  least an inch in diameter.
  The display tag identifies this behemoth as a Renault
  tank with a 37mm cannon. It was affectionately called
  Ol’ No. 7 by a battalion of Canadian troops who took
  refuge behind it after an unexpected German offensive
  had forced them to evacuate six previous positions. The
  tank not only saved their lives but also helped them
  retake the ground they’d lost.
  structure is well supported by sandbags and wooden
  slats, and great care has been taken to preserve and
  secure the sod walls with a durable coating, so that the
  hands of the curious cannot pry off clumps of dirt.
  Stepladders have been placed every dozen yards or so to
  allow visitors to peer over the 10-foot high dirt walls.
  The ground around the top of the trench is bare of all
  grass and vegetation, but lengths of barbed wire spiral
  across the field. The walls and ceiling have been painted
  to show gray clouds overhead and forests and farm-
  houses in the distance. Hidden speakers play the sounds
  of men shouting in German, biplanes passing overhead,
  intermittent gunfire, and occasionally a mortar explosion.
  A ramp leads down between walls of dirt, giving the
  impression that you are descending into the ground as
  you walk along. The display tag at the bottom of the
  ramp says this exhibit is an actual WWI trench, carefully
  dug up and transported here from the fields of France. Its 
  One wall of this room is actually a floor-to-ceiling
  window overlooking a recreation of a WWI battlefield.
  Other museum visitors walk below, along a trench,
  before passing through a doorway. At the far end of the
  diorama is a sandbagged foxhole in which two man-
  nequins in German uniforms man a machine gun.
  Museum Realism
  Museums do not generally display firearms that are in
  working condition. Usually they either plug the barrels
  or disable the firing mechanisms to prevent accidental
  discharge. In this adventure, however, realism takes a
  backseat to cinematic flavor—it’s very evocative to have
  the skeletons using period firearms.
  If this arrangement seems too unrealistic for your tastes,
  try one of the following solutions, or invent your own.
  •
  Buried Treasure: Have the skeletons rise from the
  ground still carrying their original weapons. 
  •
  Magic: Add a spell to Elmar’s journal that restores the
  weaponry to its original state.
  •
  Modern Weapons: Let Elmar somehow sneak in
  modern weapons for the skeletons to use.
  
  d20MODERN
  5
  NO MAN’S LAND
  especially uncomfortable. However, the close confines leave very
  little space in which to move around, and the ceiling is rather low
  (not quite 6 feet high). It is impossible to wield a two-handed
  weapon normally in this space—anyone attempting to do so
  takes a –4 circumstance penalty on attack rolls and damage.
  4A. Main Room
  The main room of the bunker served as an office for the com-
  pany commander. It was also as safe a place as the trench
  could offer when the Germans began lobbing mortars. 
  If the heroes first enter the main room before Elmar has
  cast his spell, read aloud or paraphrase the following.
  If the PCs don’t get here until after Elmar has cast awaken
  dead, skip to encounter D, below.
  4B. Bunk Room
  This area was the closest thing to a private room that soldiers
  could find in the trench. When the heroes first enter the
  room, read aloud or paraphrase the following.
  This is the room to which Elmar Ganz retires after awakening
  his first batch of skeletons (see encounter D, below).
  4C. Ordnance Locker
  This chamber served as the armory for the troops manning the
  trench. It is the only room in the bunker that visitors are not
  permitted to enter. If the heroes first approach the room before
  Elmar has cast his spell, read aloud or paraphrase the following.
  If the heroes don’t arrive here until after Elmar has cast
  awaken dead, the plexiglass sheet has been torn down to
  allow the undead soldiers entry. The skeletons have taken all
  but five of the rifles, plus a good portion of the ammunition
  and four of the 37mm shells for the tank (see encounter D,
  below).
  Plexiglass Barrier: Hardness 2, hp 5.
  5. The Gift Shop
  This large area is the museum gift shop. When the PCs first
  enter the room, read aloud or paraphrase the following.
  The shop is full of tacky merchandise—plastic helmets, toy
  guns, model kits for various WWI-era vehicles, and even
  plush toys. It also stocks a variety of photo books and com-
  memorative magazines. 
  One locked display case behind the cash register contains
  museum replicas of pistols, rifles, bayonets, swords, and
  other weapons. The guns in the case cannot be made to fire,
  but the other items can be used normally, though they were
  not made for durability. Because of the cheapness of the
  manufacturing, each of these weapons imposes a –1 penalty
  on all damage rolls and breaks if the wielder rolls a 1 for an
  attack roll.
  THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN
  Let the PCs wander around the exhibit for as long as you like.
  You might even want to let them reach the gift shop before
  Elmar Ganz casts his fateful spell. It’s up to you as GM to
  decide how many other visitors you want to be in the museum
  at that time and where exactly you wish to place them.
  Whenever you decide the time is right, Elmar casts awaken
  dead. All the skeletons were 1st-level ordinaries in life, so he
  can awaken a minimum of five skeletons with each casting
  (see New Spell, below). Each awakened skeleton still has a
  black, spiked helmet strapped to its head and the tattered
  remains of its German uniform clinging to its bones.
  Elmar’s Strategy
  Elmar knows something that most people don’t—the land
  dug up for the “No Man’s Land” exhibit was the site of a
  German mass grave. Thus, there are dozens of skeletons
  interred in the dirt below the diorama.
  After looking through the museum once and noting any
  places where his troops are likely to meet resistance (museum
  guards, uniformed police, and the like) Elmar moves to the
  section of the trench below Ol’ No. 7, waits until he is rela-
  tively certain that no one will see him, and casts awaken dead. 
  This spacious room is well lit, and the sound of a brass
  band playing a marching tune fills the air. Bookshelves,
  display racks, and bins of merchandise are arranged to
  make it difficult to get to the exit, which is located next
  to the cash registers against the far wall. Everything is
  decorated in camouflage and painted to look antique.
  Immediately to your left are restrooms bearing stylized
  logos, one resembling a trench soldier and the other a
  Red Cross nurse.
  Entrance to this room is blocked by a floor-to-ceiling
  sheet of plexiglass. The room beyond is better lit than
  the others, so it’s easy to discern its contents—
  weaponry and ammunition. The room contains six
  crates marked “Lee-Enfield .32 caliber ammunition,” one
  crate marked “37mm shells,” and a row of Lee-Enfield
  short rifles with fixed bayonets.
  The walls of this tiny room are even more ramshackle
  than those of the main bunker room, if such a thing is
  possible. The only furniture here is a set of bunk beds
  with lumpy-looking mattresses. The room has a dilapi-
  dated door with a simple latch-hook lock. Currently, the
  hook is fastened to an eye socket set into the wall, so as
  to hold the door open. A single light bulb hanging on a
  short cord from the ceiling provides dim illumination.
  The first thing you notice about this room is how low
  the ceiling is. Anyone 6 feet tall or taller must stoop or
  hunch over to get into this chamber. 
  The walls consist of wooden slats evidently erected so
  hastily that they intermittently leak dust and clumps of
  earth. A rickety table, too small for more than one person
  to use at a time, stands in one corner. There is no chair.
  Light is supplied by a pair of naked light bulbs hang-
  ing from the ceiling on short cords, one at each end of
  the room. Along the back wall, two doors lead into sep-
  arate chambers.
  
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  NO MAN’S LAND
  Elmar orders two of the skeletons
  to climb into the tank and wait until
  they hear screaming, then start the
  vehicle and cause as much mayhem as
  possible (see encounter B, below). He
  warns them explicitly, however, not to
  fire at the bunker for any reason. Ganz then
  leads the remaining skeletons to the bunker.
  Once inside the relative safety of area 4, Elmar
  orders the skeletons to tear down the plexiglass
  and arm themselves. Then he tells them to break into
  squads of two, three, or four, head out into the museum
  and the gift shop, and kill everyone they find
  (see encounter A, below). Elmar then goes
  into the bunk room and begins casting
  awaken dead again.
  When the second batch of skeletons
  has been awakened, Elmar orders two of
  them to climb into the foxhole in the dio-
  rama, load the machine gun, and shoot any
  visitors or guards who come within range
  (encounter C). He instructs another two to grab
  rifles with bayonets and stand guard in the
  bunker’s main room (encounter D). The others
  he sends out in groups of two, three, or four
  to cause more havoc (encounter A).
  If this strategy seems to be doing the
  trick, Elmar sits in the bunk room and waits
  for his skeleton troops to finish their assign-
  ments. If there is greater than expected
  resistance, he may (depending on how
  badly casting awaken dead twice
  has affected him) cast the spell
  one more time and send out addi-
  tional squads of two, three, or
  four skeletons.
  Should Elmar be attacked
  personally, he casts cause fear,
  hoping that his enemies will
  flee. If they do, he leaves in the
  opposite direction and orders
  his two skeleton guards to cover
  his escape. If anyone gets within
  melee range, Elmar casts his
  inflict minor wounds spell and
  then tries to escape.
  A. Behind Enemy Lines
  (EL 4)
  The skeletons move about in
  squads of two, three, or four,
  searching for museum visi-
  tors. They shoot at any tar-
  gets more than 15 feet away
  using Lee-Enfield short rifles
  (see area 2). If a target is
  within 15 feet of a squad, the
  skeletons charge and attack
  with bayonets.
  
  d20MODERN
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  NO MAN’S LAND
  The skeletons try to maneuver any fleeing targets either
  into the gallery (area 2) or over the top of the diorama, so
  that they become targets for the skeletons in the foxhole
  (encounter C).
  Human Skeletons (4): hp 4, 6, 6, 8; Def 13. Each skeleton is
  armed with a Lee-Enfield short rifle with a fixed bayonet. For
  details, see Chapter 8 of the d20 MODERN Core Rulebook.
  B. Ol’ No. 7 (EL 6)
  Two of Elmar’s first batch of skeletons have been ordered to
  take control of the Renault tank. As it turns out, the vehicle
  still has some gasoline left from the last time it was used (in
  a Veteran’s Day parade). There is enough leftover fuel to drive
  it for a couple of miles. The skeletons have four usable shells
  for the 37mm cannon, which they brought with them from
  the ordnance locker.
  Once the other skeletons have left to hunt museum visi-
  tors, this pair starts up the tank and begins using it to add to
  the chaos. The tank soldiers start by firing the cannon at the
  wall opposite them, blowing a big hole in the side of the
  museum. (An attack roll of 1 made while firing the cannon
  causes it to malfunction and explode, destroying the tank
  and its skeleton personnel along with it.)
  The skeletons fire the cannon at any obviously organized
  pocket of resistance, though they never fire in the direction
  of the bunker. If no organized resistance is apparent, they set-
  tle for driving around trying to crush museum visitors.
  Avoiding the tank requires a successful Reflex save (DC 10 for
  a character moving at alley speed, or DC 12 for one moving at
  street speed). Any character in the trench gains a +5 circum-
  stance bonus on this saving throw.
  Getting into the tank is a daunting task. The first require-
  ment is to climb onto the outside of the tank. If it’s station-
  ary, no check is required; if it’s moving, the hero must succeed
  at a Climb check (DC 13). Once on the tank, the hero must
  then make a successful Balance check (DC 15) every round
  thereafter that the tank is moving to avoid falling off.
  The next step is getting inside. The skeletons have locked
  the hatch, so entry requires a successful Disable Device check
  (DC 10) or Intelligence check (DC 15). If the tank is moving, a
  –4 circumstance penalty applies to the check.
  WWI Renault Tank (Tracked Tank): Crew 3; Pass 0; Cargo
  300; Init –6; Man –6; Spd 30 (3); Defense 6; hardness 15; 
  hp 50; Size Gargantuan, FS 10 ft. by 20 ft.; Wpn 37mm cannon,
  Dam 4d12 (ballistic), Crit 20, Range 100, ROF single, Mag 1, 
  Size Huge.
  Human Skeletons (2): hp 6, 8; Def 13. Each is armed with a
  Lee-Enfield short rifle with a fixed bayonet. For details, see
  Chapter 8 of the d20 MODERN Core Rulebook.
  C. Over The Top! (EL 4)
  After casting awaken dead for a second time, Elmar
  orders two skeletons to man the foxhole that contains a
  Maxim Machineengewehr 08 machine gun. The foxhole
  contains plenty of ammunition for the weapon. Once
  they take position and load the gun, they fire at anyone
  they see—including visitors beyond the window to the
  gallery (area 2). 
  Window: Hardness 0, hp 10.
  In the foxhole, the skeletons have nine-tenths cover from
  ranged attacks and one-quarter cover from melee attacks.
  Like the soldiers of World War I, the characters can go “over
  the top” to get to their enemies by climbing out of the trench
  and charging across no man’s land. Although only 15 feet sep-
  arate the trench and the foxhole, movement is blocked by a 5-
  foot-high barbed wire fence. In World War I, soldiers used to
  get past such an obstacle in either of two ways.
  •
  Belly-Crawl Underneath: Crawling under the barbed wire
  requires a full-round action and a successful Dexterity
  check (DC 13), Tumble check (DC 10), or Escape Artist check
  (DC 15). While belly-crawling, a character is considered
  prone for the purpose of Defense against ranged weapons.
  •
  Cut The Wire: To snip one wire, the hero needs a full-
  round action, an appropriate tool (such as a pair of wire
  cutters), and a successful Disable Device check (DC 10) or
  Dexterity check (DC 15). The first successful check pro-
  vides a +5 circumstance bonus on any subsequent checks
  made to belly-crawl under the fence. A second successful
  check creates a 5-foot section of the fence through
  which Medium-size creatures may pass unimpeded.
  In combat, treat the Maxim as though it were an M2HB heavy
  machine gun. However, since it’s a museum piece that hasn’t
  been oiled or fired for decades, it is prone to mishaps. An attack
  roll of 1–5 causes the Maxim to misfire. Clearing the jam and
  making the gun ready for firing again takes a full-round action.
  Only one skeleton can fire the gun each round. The other
  one is there to clear any misfires so that the first skeleton
  never has to go a round without firing. During rounds in
  which the machine gun fired normally, the other skeleton
  may fire its Lee-Enfield at a target within range.
  Human Skeletons (2): hp 6, 8; Def 13. Each is armed with a
  Lee-Enfield short rifle with a fixed bayonet. For details, see
  Chapter 8 of the d20 MODERN Core Rulebook.
  The Better Part of Valor?
  At some point during the adventure, fear may get the
  better of the heroes, and they might try to run instead
  of facing the threat of Elmar and his skeleton minions.
  It’s up to you as GM to decide whether to let them flee
  or force them to stay until the fight is over. Below are
  three possible ways to keep the heroes in the action.
  No One Gets Out Alive: Elmar didn’t want anyone to
  escape his trap, so he chained (or magically locked) the
  doors before casting his first awaken dead spell.
  Hostages: The police surround the building, and Elmar
  decides that his only way out is to keep some of the
  museum visitors alive as hostages. He refuses to let
  police into the building, but he is willing to allow nego-
  tiators, such as the heroes, to enter. 
  Skeletons in the Streets: If you don’t mind going com-
  pletely off the script, you can allow the PCs to do what-
  ever they like. Once the skeletons have slain everyone in
  the museum, Elmar sends the tank and the remaining
  skeleton squads into the streets of the city to cause
  even more mayhem. 
  
  d20MODERN
  8
  NO MAN’S LAND
  D. Battle of the Bunker (EL 5)
  After casting his first awaken dead spell, Elmar uses the
  bunker as his headquarters while the skeletons carry out his
  orders. He secures himself in the bunk room with at least two
  skeletons standing guard at all times. The sentries do not
  bother to defend the ordnance locker, but they fight to the
  death to protect Elmar in the bunk room.
  If the heroes can get to the ordnance locker (area 4C),
  they discover that the protective plexiglass barrier has
  been torn away. The room contains five Lee-Enfield short
  rifles with fixed bayonets, one crate of ammunition, and a
  crate containing twenty-one live 37mm shells. Four shells
  are obviously missing (taken by the skeletons to arm the
  Renault tank). The rifles are in working condition, but they
  have not been oiled or fired in decades. An attack roll of 1
  made while firing any one of them causes it to misfire vio-
  lently and explode, dealing 2d6 points of damage to the
  wielder.
  If the heroes attack the bunk room (area 4B) and seem
  likely to overcome the skeletons, Elmar casts cause fear to
  scare them off. Should that tactic fail, he tries to escape the
  museum entirely, casting his inflict minor wounds spell on
  any opponent that comes within melee range. 
  Human Skeletons (2): hp 6, 8; Def 13. Each is armed with a
  Lee-Enfield short rifle with a fixed bayonet. For details, see
  Chapter 8 of the d20 MODERN Core Rulebook.
  Elmar Ganz (Dedicated Hero 3/Acolyte 2): CR 5; Medium-
  size human; HD 3d6+6 plus 2d8+4; hp 29; Mas 14; Init –1;
  Speed 30 ft.; Defense 12, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (–1 Dex, +3
  class); BAB +3; Grap +3; Atk +2 ranged (2d8, Lee-Enfield short
  rifle); Full Atk +2 ranged (2d8, Lee-Enfield short rifle), or +3
  melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); SQ divine spells,
  rebuke undead 4/day; FS 5ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; AL evil; SV
  Fort +7, Ref +0, Will +10; AP 2; Rep +3; Str 10, Dex 8, Con 14, Int
  12, Wis 16, Cha 13.
  Occupation: Criminal (class skills: Hide, Move Silently).
  Skills: Concentration +10, Hide +8, Knowledge (arcane
  lore) +13, Knowledge (popular culture) +9, Knowledge (theol-
  ogy and philosophy) +7, Move Silently +7, Sense Motive +9,
  Spot +10.
  Feats: Educated (Knowledge [arcane lore], Knowledge
  [popular culture]), Iron Will, Personal Firearms Proficiency,
  Simple Weapons Proficiency, Stealthy.
  Talents: Faith, Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [arcane lore]).
  Spells Prepared (4/4; save DC 13 + spell level): 0—cure
  minor wounds (3), inflict minor wounds; 1st—awaken dead
  (3), cause fear. 
  Possessions: Elmar wears a threadbare linen suit, loafers
  with no socks, and a coral necklace. He carries no watch or
  electronic items. His wallet holds about $50 in U.S. currency
  and six stolen credit cards. The only item of real value that he
  carries is a hand-bound journal covered in leather made from
  human skin. The entries are all in German, but a successful
  Read Language (German) check (DC 12) reveals that the middle
  third of the book contains a dozen arcane spells. (You can
  determine exactly what the spells are should it become rele-
  vant, but one of them must be the new spell awaken dead.
  NEW SPELL
  The following new spell is available for use in any d20
  MODERN adventure.
  Awaken Dead
  Necromancy [Evil]
  Level: Acolyte 1, Mage 1; Components: V, S; Casting Time:
  1 minute; Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels); Targets: One or
  more corpses in range; Duration: 1 hour; Saving Throw: None;
  Spell Resistance: No
  You can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into
  skeletons or zombies, respectively, as though with the spell
  animate dead, except that awaken dead may be cast at range
  and has a cost to the caster (see below).
  The spell causes a number of Hit Dice worth of dead crea-
  tures (based on the creatures’ HD when living) equal to 2d4 +
  your caster level + your Charisma modifier to rise as skeletons
  or zombies that follow your spoken commands. The spell first
  awakens the dead creature with the highest HD total (roll ran-
  domly if multiple targets are in range), then the next highest,
  and so on, depending on how much potential remains. 
  For example, suppose that the bones of two 6-HD soldiers,
  three 2-HD dogs, and a single 1-HD cat are all within range.
  Your roll results in 9 HD of corpses that can be awakened.
  First, one of the soldier skeletons would rise, leaving 3 HD of
  awakening potential remaining (9 – 6 = 3). This amount is not
  enough to awaken the second soldier, so a dog skeleton
  would rise next, leaving 1 HD of awakening potential (3 – 2 =
  1). This amount isn’t enough to awaken another dog, so the
  cat skeleton rises last, using up all the awakening potential of
  the spell. Any awakening potential that cannot be used
  (because there are no creatures of appropriate Hit Dice
  within range) is lost.
  By casting awaken dead, you are using your life essence to
  breathe a semblance of life into dead creatures. Thus, you
  take 1d4 points of Constitution damage each time you cast
  this spell.
  REWARDS
  If the PCs manage to stop Elmar Ganz and his skeleton min-
  ions, they receive some form of monetary reward from the
  grateful museum curator. The amount that he has to offer
  depends on the amount of damage caused in the battle—
  anywhere from a +5 Wealth bonus (if the museum has been
  completely wrecked) to a +35 Wealth bonus (if almost no
  damage has been done) would be appropriate.
  Elmar’s journal can be sold either as an antique relic of
  both world wars or as a spellbook. At auction as an antique,
  it brings a Wealth bonus of +2d6+15. As a spellbook, it brings
  a Wealth bonus of +3d6+15.
  Less tangible rewards include media attention for saving
  the lives of innocent museum patrons, offers of future
  employment, and just the satisfaction of having beaten the
  bad guys. 
  
  d20MODERN
  9
  NO MAN’S LAND
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Stan! has been publishing fiction, cartoons, and games pro-
  fessionally since 1982. He has served as a graphic designer
  and line editor for West End Games, as an editor and
  designer for TSR, Inc., and as an author, senior designer, and
  creative director for Wizards of the Coast. Currently, Stan! is
  the creative vice president of The Game Mechanics, Inc.
  <www.thegamemechanics.com>. His most recent projects
  are the Modern Players Companion from The Game
  Mechanics (which goes on sale in late March 2003) and
  Urban Arcana from Wizards of the Coast (which goes on sale
  in May 2003). Stan! lives in Renton, WA, where he eats noth-
  ing but meat and cheese. Visit him online at The Stannex
  <www.stannex.com>. 
  Credits
  Design:
  Stan!
  Editing:
  Penny Williams
  Typesetting:
  Nancy Walker
  Cartography:
  Rob Lazzaretti
  Creative Direction:
  Chris Perkins
  Web Production: 
  Julia Martin
  Web Development: 
  Mark A. Jindra
  Graphic Design:
  Cynthia Fliege
  This d20™ System game uses mechanics developed for
  the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®game by Jonathan Tweet,
  Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, and Peter
  Adkison. This game also uses mechanics developed for
  the Psionics Handbook by Bruce R. Cordell, the Call of
  Cthulhu® Roleplaying Game by Monte Cook and John
  Tynes, and the Star Wars® Roleplaying Game by Bill
  Slavicsek, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
  d20 MODERN, D&D and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS are regis-
  tered trademarks, and d20 and the d20 System logo are
  trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a sub-
  sidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All Wizards characters, character
  names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trade-
  marks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of
  the United States of America. Any reproduction or unau-
  thorized use of the material or artwork contained herein
  is prohibited without the express written permission of
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to
  actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely
  coincidental.
  This Wizards of the Coast game product contains
  no Open Game Content. No portion of this work
  may be reproduced in any form without written per-
  mission. To learn more about the Open Gaming
  License and the d20 System License, please visit 
  <www.wizards.com/d20>.
  ©2003 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  All rights reserved.  Made in the U.S.A.
  Visit our website at
  <www.wizards.com/d20modern>
  For Further Information
  The Treaty of Versailles that officially ended World War
  I was signed on November 11, 1918. The Allies truly
  believed that they had won the “War to End All Wars.”
  However, as we know, war remained only too prevalent
  during remainder of the 20th century, and another world
  war was only two decades away. 
  With all the military conflicts, technological advance-
  ments, and social upheaval in the past eighty-five years,
  it’s easy to underestimate the significance of World War
  I. Among other things, it was the first conflict to feature
  air combat, tanks, and chemical weapons.
  There is a wealth of information available on the
  events, personalities, technology, and repercussions of
  World War I. Resources used in the creation of No Man’s
  Land include:  
  www.worldwar1.com
  www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWtrench.htm
  www.pbs.org/greatwar
  freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~worldwarone/WWI
  www.ga.k12.pa.us/academics/us/TECHsite/WWIsite/
  Remember, those who do not learn from history are
  doomed to repeat it. Arm yourself with knowledge.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/d20 Modern/Roleplay/Missions/No_Mans_Land.pdf