TEXT: Old Blood©1996
  By Michael C. LaBossiere
  Ontologist@aol.com
  Call of Cthulhu
  Legal Information
  This adventure is copyright 1996 by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere. It may be freely
  distributed for personal use provided that it is not modified and no fee above the
  normal cost of distribution is charged for it. Visit my web site at
  www.opifex.cnchost.com.
  Call of Cthulhu is Chaosium Inc's registered trademark for their game of horror and
  wonder in the worlds of HP Lovecraft. For more information, contact Chaosium
  Inc., 950-A 56th St, Oakland, CA 94608 -- or call us at 510-595-2440. Visit Chaosium's
  web page at www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/.
  Introduction
  This adventure is set near La Realidad, Mexico. It pits the investigators against an
  evil from the time of the Spanish conquest. The adventure is set in the 1990s, but
  can be placed in another time period, such as the 1920s, with significant
  modification.
  Getting the Investigators Involved
  The investigators should be brought into the adventure prior to the beginning of
  the action. Investigators with relevant scientific skills (archeology, anthropology,
  geology,etc) can be brought into the adventure as part of the scientific team.
  Investigators with other useful skills (pilot, medicine,operate heavy equipment, etc.)
  can also be brought in as part of the expedition. Investigators with no relevant skills
  can be brought in as hired laborers.
  Alternatively, the investigators can be brought in once the trouble begins. In this
  case, one or more of the investigators can be known by Newman or another
  important member of the expedition. Once the trouble begins, the investigator will
  be contacted and will be told of the events that have taken place (mysterious deaths).
  In this case, the expedition will be able to provide some financial compensation to
  the investigators or help them with transportation. 
  Investigation
  The investigators will almost certainly want to investigate the history, myths and
  legends of the area as well as the existing ruins.
  While the expedition site is fairly isolated, the investigators can drive (or fly, if
  they have a helicopter) to a city with a library. The site is located about 25 miles east
  of La Realidad and La Realidad is about 125 miles from Villahernosa and about 100
  miles from Tuxtla. Villahernosa and Tuxtla are cities while La Realidad is a
  relatively small town. La Realidad is slightly over 500 miles from Mexico city, which
  has several libraries. It is also 1000 miles by air to Houston, Texas.
  The expedition also has an arrangement to have research materials and other
  items flown to the expedition base camp via helicopter. This way the investigators
  
  can arrange to have research items (such as books or photocopies) brought to them.
  Investigating the Site
  The investigators will probably want to investigate the temple and the area around
  it. The investigators will have to abide by the rules of the expedition or they will be
  prevented from going near the site. Basically, they will have to refrain from
  interfering with, damaging or moving the structures or their contents without
  permission. The site is considered to be a very important archeological find and the
  expedition members (and the Mexican government) will not permit the site to be
  harmed (under normal circumstances, of course).
  What the investigators learn from the site will depend on their actions and the
  Keeper’s decisions. The Keeper should use the information provided about the
  maps (below) to decide what the investigators can learn by examining the pyramid
  and its environment.
  The Keeper should be careful to avoid revealing too much too early. One way to
  keep the investigators from finding out too much too soon is to make use of the fact
  that archeological investigations tend to proceed slowly and meticulously. Hence,
  the investigators will be restricted in terms of what they will have access to and
  when they can have access to it.
  History
  An investigation of historical sources will reveal a great deal of information about
  Mexico and its very interesting past. However, aside from the myths and legends
  given below, there are no historical references to the pyramid or this particular site.
  Myths and Legends
  Father Bandeira’s Letter
  In 1608 Father Bandeira wrote a letter to one of his superiors detailing a story he
  heard from one of the natives. This letter is in an academic anthology(Documents of
  the New World Volume I, 1964, edited by Dr. Juan Perez) of letters and documents
  from the Spanish conquest of the New World. This anthology is currently out of
  print, but it went through four editions and would be readily available in a
  university library. Also, since Dr. Carolyn’s father, Juan Perez, is the author of the
  book she has a copy. As the events of the adventure unfold, it is likely that she will
  remember the letter. The relevant section of the letter (translated into modern
  English) is as follows:
   “In the course of my discussion with one of the natives of the area I learned of a
  story as dark as any demon of monster tale of Europe. According to my informant,
  when It was clear that we were going to conquer his civilization, one of the local
  lords went out into the jungle in search of hideous beings of evil. According to the
  story, this young lord found these beings and labored under their tutelage. After a
  year of labor, or so the story goes, these beings rewarded him by transforming him
  into a monstrous thing that could feed upon the blood of the living and create
  others like himself from helpless victims. My informant went on to say that this
  man, or whatever he had become, returned to his people and lead some of them out
  
  into the jungle. There in the jungle they constructed a hideous temple dedicated to
  vile demons. After the work was completed, or so it is said, the monstrous lord slew
  four of his best warriors and raised them up again as twisted monsters. These four
  warriors turned on the lord’s followers, slaying all but one who fled, and raising the
  dead up again. The lone survivor passed the tale on to others and said that the
  monstrous lord would wait and rise up against the invaders some day. According to
  my informant, some of our people took the tale seriously enough to send out search
  parties. These parties found nothing, although one failed to return, thus adding to
  the legend. 
  My fellows lend little credence to this story since they say these barbarous people
  have an over abundance of legends. Many of these stories promise a future
  deliverance at the hands of some supernatural force. Based on some of my own
  experiences, of which you are well aware, I am concerned about this particular tale.
  It must be said that my informant was later found dead, with his throat and chest
  cut horribly. Because of this, I suspect that there might be something behind the
  story, if it is only that a group of unsubjugated natives remains plotting against our
  efforts in this, the new world. Thus, I would recommend that this tale be brought to
  the attention of the church so that it might be recorded and to the authorities so that
  they might prepare for the possibility of additional violence.”
  Folk Tales
  The investigators may wish to talk to some of the people who live “near” the site.
  Provided the investigators are friendly and show a proper degree of generosity and
  respect, the older people will be more than willing to talk to them about the legends
  they know. The Keeper should role-play these encounters.
  There are some legends, known to some of the very old people who live in and
  around La Realidad, about vampire like beings in the jungle. According to a local
  story, of which there are many variants, a long, long time ago (but after the arrival
  of the Spanish) a group of people were brought out into the jungle by a great priest.
  This priest is said to have made a terrible pact with horiffic beings. As part of this
  pact, the priest was supposedly given the power to raise the dead up in a semblance
  of life. As part of the price of this pact, the priest supposedly was condemned to
  feeding off the blood of the living. The first people he fed on, or so the story goes,
  were those he took out in the jungle with him.
  Some variants of this tale tell that the great priest had his people make for him a
  great pyramid in which they would sleep, waiting for the stars to come right so they
  would be able to rise up and reclaim their land. 
  Most of the tales contain great exaggerations about the size of the pyramid, the
  powers of the priest, and the number of his followers. Some tales even go so far as to
  claim that the priest was transformed into a god of “blood and death.”
  The Keeper should feel free to spin whatever tales are needed to misinform,
  confuse and strike terror in the hearts of the investigators.
  Vampires
  There are several legends and myths about vampires and vampire like beings.
  Many of the myths and legends are based on western stories (and hence will not be
  
  accurate in this situation) but others do mention the sort of vampires involved in
  this adventure.
  One relevant source is Vampires of the World by Dr. Sandra Petoyle, a noted
  author and anthropologist. Despite its title, the book is an academic work discussing
  the various vampire myths in human history from an anthropological perspective. 
  “An extremely obscure vampire legend from Mexico departs from the usual
  vampire tales. While the vampires reported in this legend are vampires in the
  sense that they need to feed on human blood, they differ from traditional vampires
  in several respects. First, they are able to move about freely during the day. Second,
  they achieve their vampire state by entering into a bargain or pact with a god or gods
  of evil. Third, they produce their “offspring” through the use of a specialized ritual,
  rather than by the usual method, that of draining the victim’s blood. Fourth, these
  vampires are not repelled by the cross or other religious symbols and are not affected
  by holy water....
  ...The most complete legend relating to these particular beings tells of a priest who
  was transformed into a vampire. It is said that he transformed his followers into
  lesser vampires in the hopes of achieving revenge against the Spanish Conquerors.”
  Equipment
  The camp has a variety of equipment that might prove useful to the investigators.
  Communication
  The camp is equipped with two main means of communication. The first is a high
  power radio which has a 100 mile range. The expedition has a dozen walkie talkies
  and all of the vehicles have radios. To keep in touch with the rest of the world the
  expedition is equipped with a satellite uplink. The uplink was built by graduate
  students in the engineering department at Berkeley and it works fine. The uplink
  allows access to satellite communication as well as the internet. The expedition has
  a television set, a phone and a computer connected to the uplink. Because of the cost
  of using the uplink (the expedition has to pay for the time they use), it is only used
  sparringly.
  Weapons
  Since the expedition is scientific and not military in nature, there are not too many
  weapons available. However, there are some weapons available and many other
  things that can be made into weapons. There are six machetes in the camp (base
  chance 20% damage 1D8+1+db hit points 15) as well as two .30-06 bolt action rifles
  (base chance 25% damage 2D6+4 range 110 yards attacks rd 1/2 shots 5 hit points 15).
  There are also six hatchets (base chance 20% damage 1D6+1+db hit points 12) and a
  variety of items that can be made into small clubs (base chance 20% damage 1D6+db
  hit points 15) or large clubs (base chance 20% damage 1D8+db hit points 20).
  Desperate investigators might turn to the expedition ‘s kitchen for weapons. The
  available cutlery includes steak knifes (base chance 25% damage 1D4+db hit points 9)
  and butcher knifes (base chance 25% damage 1D6+db hit points 12) Finally, the
  investigators may make a variety of improvised weapons. For example, the
  investigators might fill up empty bottles with fuel from the generators.
  
  Vehicles
  The expedition has two 4WD (four wheel drive) wheel drive jeeps and an old
  army surplus 1/2 ton truck (for hauling supplies, personnel and finds). Each vehicle
  is equipped with a radio, a tool kit and two spare fuel cans.
  Maps
  Area Map
  This map shows the area in which the adventure takes place. Around this area is
  mostly jungle, with no real distinctive features or landmarks. Access to the area is
  via a one lane, poorly maintained dirt road. The jungle is full of bugs, snakes and
  various small animals.
  Camp
  The camp is where the investigators and NPCs will be staying during the
  adventure. The area around the camp has been worn down by constant traffic. A
  path has been worn from the camp are to the ruins and the pyramid. On the edge of
  the camp are four outhouses and four “showers.” The outhouses are made out of
  plywood and have chemicals in the pits to prevent diseases.
  1. Main Trailer: This trailer contains three portable generators (two primaries and a
  back-up), a full kitchen with a large freezer and refrigerator, and a small office area.
  The office contains the expeditions television, phone, radio and the uplink
  computer. The satellite uplink is located on the roof of this trailer.
  2-5. Cabins: These cabins are made of plywood with 2X4 supports. They were built
  fairly quickly and have some cracks which allow the local vermin to enter. The door
  to each cabin has a small bolt lock, but they only have a STR of 11. Each cabin has
  two windows, each on the longer sides. Each cabin has two rooms. The main room
  has two bunk beds, a table, chairs and any other furniture the residents might have
  brought with them The second, much smaller, room has a wash basin and provides
  a place for people to wash up or change in private. Each cabin has an electrical outlet
  connected to one of the generators. The generators put out enough power to run
  lights and small appliances. 
  The cabin occupants are as follows:
  Cabin 2: Dr. Randall Newman, Dr. Hector Gonzales,William Cordot, and Karl West.
  Cabin 3: Dr. Carolyn Perez, Maria Lucendia, and Janet Roberts.
  Cabin 4: This cabin will be occupied by the investigators.
  Cabin 5: This cabin will be occupied by the investigators, if there are more than four
  investigators. If there are four or fewer investigators, the cabin will be used by
  Cordot and West.
  6. Tent: This is a large, modern tent with mosquito netting. The interior contains
  
  cots for the workers, their footlockers, a variety of furniture and electrical outlets for
  the workers appliances. The seven workers stay in this tent.
  7. Common Tent: This large tent has been set up as a common area and a place to get
  away from the mosquitos and other bugs. The tent has mosquito netting for walls
  and there are two electric “bug zappers” in the tent. In the tent are several card
  tables, chairs, and other items of furniture. The members of the expedition eat their
  meals in the tent and relax here. It is also used as a meeting area and a work area.
  Ruins
  This area contains ruins and items from when the pyramid was built. There are
  ruins of crude shelters in the area as well as evidence of human occupation (pots,
  tools, etc.). There are also several strange oven like structures in the area, some of
  which are still intact. These ovens were used in the creation of the various undead.
  These ovens will baffle the expedition since they are quite unique. A variety of
  explanations will be offered, ranging from claims that they were used to bake food to
  claims that they were used in human sacrifice or ritual cremation. 
  Pyramid
  This is the pyramid. It is smaller than the typical Aztec pyramid, but is still a large
  structure. It has levels, rather than the straight slope of the Egyptian pyramid. The
  exterior is covered with carvings, all of which are of hideous things and terrible
  events. The pyramid is rather disturbing the eye. The interior of the pyramid is
  detailed below. 
  The Pyramid
  Top
  The top of the pyramid is an open structure consisting of four stone pillars
  supporting a decorated stone roof. In the center of this structure is a large stone
  sarcophagus.  The sarcophagus is carved with hideous figures that look like walking
  mummies ripping apart victims in what looks like Spanish armor. The sarcophagus
  has an extremely heavy lid that requires a combined total of 40 STR points to lift, or
  the use of some device such as block and tackle. Naturally, the expedition members
  will not allow the investigators to damage the sarcophagus, should the investigators
  come up with plans involving things such as sledge hammers or explosives. Inside
  the tomb is the body of the Gatherer of the Blood. At the start of the adventure it
  will look like a dried out mummy. Once the sarcophagus is opened, Dr. Newman
  will have the top sealed with plastic to keep out the air. A sheet of plywood will be
  secured over the plastic to keep the vermin out.
  Ground Floor
  The ground floor is an open area in the body of the pyramid. The other levels of
  the pyramid are solid stone. Access to the ground floor is via four open doorways.
  The interior is empty, but the interior walls are carved with various. Concealed
  under the dirt floor is a stone floor. Set in the center of this floor is a heavy stone
  
  slab which conceals the entrance to the lower level. Once the slab is exposed, it can
  be lifted by a combined total of 30 STR points or through the use of the appropriate
  tools. Finding the slab is all but impossible without extensive digging as there is no
  surface indication of its presence. The area has a faint smell of “dry decay and death”
  as one of the workers will put it. When the Gatherer of Blood arises, it will dig up
  the slab to bring blood to its creations. It will be careful to keep the existence of the
  lower level secret until it is ready to raise its forces against the expedition.
  Lower Level
  The lower level can be reached via a stone “ladder.” The walls are stone and have
  been carved with terrible images. This level reeks of “dry death and decay.”
  1. Main Chamber: The main chamber is empty. There are four doorways which lead
  to four smaller chambers.
  2-4.  Subchambers: The subchambers are lower than the main chamber and are
  reached by sloping walkways. The subchambers contain approximately six to eight 
  Desiccated Mummies each. These mummies are set in shallow indentations in the
  walls and are “stored” in an upright position. They look exactly like “normal” dried
  mummies in their inactive state. The chambers also have deeper recesses which
  hold Those who Walk the Dead. The subchambers also have the same sort of
  carvings as the rest of the pyramid.
  Players’ Maps
  The players’ maps show the same areas as the Keeper’s maps. However, the players
  should only be given the specific maps as they enter the relevant areas.
  Action
  This section details the action that takes place in this adventure. The Keeper
  should use this information as a set of guidelines for running the adventure but (of
  course) should feel free to change the course of events as needed.
  The Gatherer of Blood Rises
  The action part of the adventure gets underway when the Gatherer of Blood
  returns to “life.” This event will take place shortly after the expedition disturbs the
  pyramid. Once the Gatherer returns to awareness, he will wait for an opportunity to
  acquire blood. 
  Unless events force it to act prematurely, it will wait until the expedition members
  open its sarcophagus before acting. Once the lid is removed, the Gatherer will
  quickly realize that the people think he is dead and will do nothing to change their
  minds. Recognizing the language of some of the people as Spanish, he will believe
  that the time has come to strike back against the invaders.
  The night his Sarcophagus is opened, one of the workers will be sent to bring some
  tools from the top of the pyramid. The Gatherer will attack the worker, drain his
  blood and place his body in the sarcophagus. The Gatherer will then assume the
  appearance of the worker to determine what is going on. Since the expedition leader
  
  plans to keep the sarcophagus sealed until a special truck arrives to transport the
  “remains”, it is unlikely that the murdered worker will be found before the
  Gatherer is able to take his next actions. 
  Missing Persons
  Once the Gatherer has revived, it will begin to gather victims to feed its minions.
  The Gatherer will act cautiously at first, only killing one or two people and only
  doing so in situations he can pass off as accidents. For example, a person working on
  the top of the pyramid might suffer an “accidental” and fatal fall. The Gatherer will
  take such bodies after they have “wrapped” for transport out of the jungle. The
  Gatherer will take care to make it appear that some sort of animal took the remains.
  He will use the blood he gathers to revive Those Who Walk the Dead.
  The Gatherer will eventually manage to “subvert” a member of the expedition
  into become his ally. This person will cover up for the gatherer, teach him what he
  needs to know and aid him in other ways. It is up to the Keeper as to who the
  Gatherer subverts and to what extent the person will aid the Gatherer. The Gatherer
  will offer his ally power, knowledge or whatever it will take to win the person over.
  The Gatherer has a great deal of ability to corrupt people, some of which he
  inherited from the being who made him what he is, and has a special talent for
  knowing just what it will take to “buy” a person.
  Once the Gatherer revives Those Who Walk the Dead, he will become more bold.
  By this time, he will have learned enough to believe that the expedition has
  communication via “magic” devices and “magic” forms of transport. Naturally, he
  will attempt to destroy these “enchanted” devices in order to isolate the expedition. 
  At this point, the gatherer might begin to take people from the camp without
  arranging accidents. However, he will be careful to avoid being observed so as to
  keep everyone in the dark as to what is occurring. He will also take pains to conceal
  the chamber under the pyramid. Failing that, he will do his best to keep the
  expedition from learning what is truly going on. Since Those Who Walk the Dead
  and the Desiccated Mummies look dead, even when they have been revived, the
  Gatherer will probably be able to keep their nature a secret long enough to raise his
  army.
  During this time, the investigators are likely to suspect that something is very
  wrong. The Gatherer is quite intelligent and has special abilities (discussed below),
  so he will be difficult to catch. The Keeper will need to decide the effect of the
  investigators’ attempts to find out what is going on. It is suggested that the
  investigators do not find out what is going on too quickly and end the adventure
  prematurely. However, if the investigators are extremely clever, they should not be
  artificially thwarted by the Keeper.
  Army of the Dead
  Once the Gatherer revives Those Who Walk the Dead, it will set out to raise up its
  army of desiccated mummies. To do this, it will require a considerable amount of
  blood. To get this blood, the Gatherer and those who Walk the Dead will journey
  from the camp to La Realidad (the Gatherer will learn of the town from his human
  ally). There they will find victims among those who are not likely to be missed. The
  
  Gather’s ally might even drive the Gatherer and Those Who Walk the Dead to the
  town so they can acquire blood and victims.
  Once the Gatherer has revived a substantial number of Desiccated Mummies (at
  least enough to outnumber the expedition and the investigations), he will complete
  his isolation of the expedition by destroying or disabling the communication
  equipment and the vehicles. He will then lead his army against the expedition and
  investigators. This terrible army will claw its way out of the pyramid to attack the
  expedition and the investigators.
  Once the Gather’s army attacks (or perhaps before that time), the investigators will
  realize that they are in terrible danger and will have to fight for their lives.
  Some of the expedition members will be willing and able to aid the investigators.
  Naturally, the traitor among them will be more than willing to offer “advice” and
  lead them into ambushes and such.
  If the investigators are well armed, skillful or very lucky, they might be able to
  defeat the army of the dead. The Gatherer and his followers will be attempting to
  capture as many people as possible, so as to keep them fresh for the transformation
  from human to desiccated mummy. Once the Gatherer is confident that he has
  control of the area, he will prepare the ovens he needs and begin the transformation
  of his prisoners.
  Defeating the Evil
  The investigators will undoubtably try to stop the Gatherer and his forces. The
  Gatherer is intelligent, ruthless, evil and driven by an unnatural fanaticism. Hence,
  he will be a very tough opponent. He will do his best to cut off any possibility of
  escape and will use his resources very efficiently. 
  To defeat the Gatherer, the investigators will need to destroy him and his
  minions. The Keeper should make the battle difficult, but not impossible.
  Conclusion
  The adventure ends when the investigators defeat the evil or they themselves are
  defeated. 
  If the investigators defeat the evil, they should receive a 1D10 Sanity Point reward.
  It is also likely that the surviving NPCs will be very grateful to the investigators and
  can serve as contacts for the investigators in later adventures.
  If the investigators are defeated and flee the area, they should lose 1D4 Sanity
  Points for allowing the evil to survive and grow. In this case, the evil will continue
  the spread. The Gatherer of the Blood will create more of those who Walk the Dead
  who will in turn create more Desiccated Mummies. Eventually, the army of undead
  will prove a threat to the human inhabitation in the area. The evil will continue to
  grow, but will eventually be confronted and defeated by other investigators or
  perhaps even the Mexican Army if things get too far out of hand.
  NPCs
  Dr. Randall Newman, Expedition Leader
  STR: 11 Con: 10 SIZ: 12 INT: 18 POW: 11 DEX: 13 APP: 10 EDU: 18 SAN: 55 HP: 11 DB:
  
  0
  Skills: Anthropology 46%, Archeology 78%, Astronomy 15%, Climb 50%, Credit
  Rating 65%, Geology 15%, History 65%, Library Use 65%, Occult 15%, English 95%,
  Spanish 55%, Latin 45%, German 25%,  Spot Hidden 45%
  Weapons: 35% .22 Revolver Shots/Round:3  Damage: 1D8 Range: 15 Shots: 6
  Description: Dr. Newman is 46 years old. He has brown hair, brown eyes and is of
  average build and appearance. He wears jeans and a collared shirt. Newman did his
  graduate work at Yale and currently teaches at Berkeley. He has been involved in
  archeological digs for years and is well respected in the field.
  Newman is fairly brave and has been involved in a few bad situations. On one dig
  his expedition was robbed. On another expedition, his party was attacked and two
  members were badly injured. After that, he purchased a small pistol. He practices
  with it occassionally, but is not an exceptional shot. Because of these past
  experiences, he will not panic when the situation turns bad. He has not had any
  experience with the supernatural and is extremely skeptical about such things.
  When the trouble begins will be willing to help the investigators, although he will
  be initially unwilling to accept the existence of supernatural beings.
  Dr. Carolyn Perez, Archeologist
  STR: 12 Con: 12 SIZ: 15 INT: 17 POW: 13 DEX: 9 APP: 10 EDU:19 SAN: 65 HP: 14 DB:
  +1D4
  Skills: Accounting 21%, Anthropology 22%, Archeology 85%, Geology 25%, History
  35%, Library Use 56%, , Navigate 45%, Spanish 95%, English 65%, Latin 25%, French
  25%, Swim 42%, Spot Hidden 55%
  Weapons: None
  Description: Dr. Perez is 42 years old. She has black hair with streaks of grey in it,
  brown eyes and is heavy built. She favors baggy pants and work shirts when in the
  field. Perez did her graduate work at Cornell and currently teaches at the University
  of Mexico. She has been extensively involved in a variety of digs in Mexico and
  Central America. She is well regarded as an archeologist. She believes that she
  should be leading the expedition and often disagrees with Newman. However, she
  knows that Berkeley is footing most of the bills so she is careful not to antagonize
  Newman too much.
  Perez is quite religious but does not believe in other aspects of the supernatural.
  She will not be sure what to think when the trouble begins, however she does have
  her faith to fall back on. Because of this, she will be willing to aid the investigators.
  Dr. Hector Gonzales, Anthropologist
  STR:13 Con: 14 SIZ: 15 INT: 14 POW: 10 DEX: 14 APP: 10 EDU: 18 SAN: 50 HP: 15 DB:
  +1D4
  Anthropology 78%, Archeology 15%, Biology 20%, Climb 57%, History 55%, Library
  Use 58%, Natural History 35%, Navigate 20%, Occult 35%, Spanish 95%, English
  45%, Psychology 25%, Spot Hidden 37%, Track 15%
  Weapons: None
  Description: Dr. Gonzales is 31 years old. He has black hair and blue eyes. He is fairly
  large and is clearly in good shape. He wears jeans and t-shirts when in the field.
  
  Gonzales did his graduate work at the University of Mexico and is currently visiting
  at Berkeley. He has been involved in a couple digs, but is best known for some of his
  very provoking papers in anthropology. In some of his papers he writes extensively
  of occult matters. If it wasn’t for his impeccible research and careful, logical style, he
  would not be taken seriously. 
  Because of his research in occult matters, Gonzales takes the supernatural quite
  seriously. When the trouble begins, he will be willing to aid the investigators and
  will be able to provide them with some useful information. Gonzales works with
  Newman at Berkeley and will pragmatically tend to side with him in most matters.
  William Cordo, Graduate Student
  STR: 11 Con: 10 SIZ:18 INT: 13 POW: 14 DEX: 12 APP: 12 EDU: 15 SAN: 70 HP: 14 DB:
  +1D4
  Archeology 24%, Electrical Repair 26%, History 34%, Library Use 36%, Natural
  History 21%, Spanish 75%, English 25%, Spot Hidden 75%, Rifle 42%
  Weapons: Knife 35% Damage 1d4 +2+db
  Description: Cordo is 32 years old. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He is
  extremely large, but is missing his left arm. He wears military surplus clothes when
  in the field and always has his old combat knife on his belt. Cordo was in the
  Mexican army and lost his arm during a training accident in which he saved the
  lives of six other soldiers. After that incident he went to the University of Mexico
  (the father of one of the officers he saved had a great deal of influence at the
  university) and later earned his way into the graduate school based on some solid
  field work.
  Cordo has nerves of steel and has experience in combat situations. Because of this,
  he will be more than willing to aid the investigators.
  Maria Lucendia, Graduate Student
  STR:13 Con: 14 SIZ: 15 INT: 15 POW: 10 DEX: 12 APP:14 EDU: 15 SAN: 50 HP: 15 DB:
  +1D4
  Anthropology 27%, Climb 47%, First Aid 45%, Hide 26%, History 31%, Library Use
  41%, Occult 15%, Spanish 80%, English 26%
  Weapons: 9mm Automatic 45% Shots/Round: 3 Damage: 1D10 Range: 20 Shots: 15
  Description: Lucendia is 26 years old. She has blonde hair and brown eyes. She is
  attractive and in very good shape. She favors jeans and t-shirts. She is currently
  enrolled at Berkeley as one of Gonzales’s students. She is very interested in the
  relation between Archeology and the occult, which is why she is studying with
  Gonzales.
  Lucendia and a friend of her were attacked once and while she was able to escape
  from her attacker her friend was killed before Lucendia could return with the police.
  Because of this, she has a lot of guilt and rage, as well as a 9mm she always has with
  her. Lucendia will be willing to aid the investigators.
  Karl West, National Geographic Photographer
  STR: 13 Con: 11 SIZ: 15 INT: 12 POW: 10 DEX: 15 APP: 12 EDU: 16 SAN: 50 HP: 13 DB:
  +1D4
  
  Accounting 15%, Archeology 5%, Bargain 25%, Climb 56%, Electrical Repair 15%,
  Fast Talk 45%, Hide 25%, Jump 36%, Law 13%, Mechanical Repair 35%, Persuade
  34%, Photography 76%, English 80%, Spanish 24%
  Weapons: None.
  Description: West is 41 years old. He has graying red hair and blue eyes. He wears
  jeans and a photographer’s vest filled with cameras and camera gear. He has worked
  as a freelance photographer for years and is currently on assignment with the
  National Geographic. He is an extremely good photographer and is dedicated to
  getting great shots.
  West has been in some very tough scrapes over the years (he did some time as a
  combat photographer) and is accustomed to danger. Because of this he will be in the
  thick of things taking photographs, which might put him at great risk.
  Janet Roberts, National Geographic Writer
  STR: 13 Con: 12 SIZ: 9 INT: 13 POW: 12 DEX: 14 APP:15 EDU: 14 SAN: 60 HP: 11 DB: 0
  Bargain 25%, Climb 46%, Fast Talk 26%, Hide 14%, History 34%, Library Use 47%,
  Listen 49%, English 70%, Psychology 24%
  Weapons: None.
  Description: Roberts is 36 years old. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She is fairly
  small, but in very good shape. She tends to wear jeans. She has worked as a writer
  for years and prefers to do her work in the field, rather than sitting in an air
  conditioned office. Her method has paid off and she has had a great deal of success as
  a writer.
  Because of her writing method Roberts has been in some dangerous situations.
  Because of this, she has built up a great deal of courage. She is more cautious than
  West, but is always eager to find something great to write about.
  Workers
  There are seven people working for the expedition as manual laborers. They are
  from Mexico and have been involved with various scientific expeditions for years,
  so they know what they are doing. The workers are loyal to the expedition and fairly
  brave. However, they will be horrified if they see any of the undead and will attempt
  to flee if possible. They will, however, warn the others before leaving. If they are
  unable to escape, or if the players are able to convince them to stay and fight, they
  will put up a spirited, if desperate battle.
  
  Characteris-
  tics
  Rolls
  Averag-
  es
  #1
  #
  2
  #3
  #4
  #5
  #6
  #7
  STR
  3D6
  10-11
  11
  12 8
  13
  11
  12
  11
  CON
  3D6
  10-11
  9
  12 9
  9
  16
  12
  16
  SIZ
  2D6+
  6
  13
  15
  10 10
  13
  14
  12
  12
  INT
  2D6+
  6
  10-11
  14
  8
  13
  11
  12
  11
  12
  POW
  3D6
  10-11
  11
  11 6
  8
  9
  9
  18
  DEX
  3D6
  10-11
  6
  9
  12
  9
  17
  9
  17
  HP
  10-11
  12
  13 10
  11
  15
  12
  14
  Damage
  Bonus
  0
  +1
  D4
  0
  0
  0
  +1
  D4
  +1
  D4
  0
  Move: 8
  Weapons: Fist 50%, 1D3+db, Tools 25% 1D6+db.
  Armor: None.
  Creatures
  Desiccated Mummies
  These creatures are a  rare form of undead. They are similar in many respects to
  zombies and mummies, but are physically weaker. 
  Desiccated mummies look like desiccated human corpses. Their skin and muscle
  are dried out and stretched across their dry bones. Their eyes are sunken deep in
  their sockets and there is a faint evil green spark lurking in the dark pits.
  Because of their dry and fragile state, Desiccated Mummies move slower than
  humans and are not as agile. The condition of their brain and nervous system also
  gives them a reduced intelligence relative to humans.  However, their supernatural
  nature gives them human strength, the ability to move, and near human
  intelligence.
  These creatures are created in the following manner: a human being is killed and
  the blood is drained from the corpse. The corpse is then placed in a stone “oven”
  and dried over the course of a week. During this process the corpse is “basted” in its
  own blood and the creator conducts the Create Desiccated Mummy ritual. Once the
  process is finished, the mummy pulls itself out of the oven to do its creator’s
  bidding. 
  Desiccated Mummies have a reasonable degree of intelligence and will use it
  accordingly. They retain some dim memories from the people whose bodies they are
  made from, but do not retain any usable skills. Their primary reason to exist is to
  obey their masters.
  Desiccated Mummies fight with their bony, claw like hands. They can fight with
  
  weapons, but are generally unarmed. They do not have nay natural armor, but their
  undead state makes them difficult to destroy. Desiccated mummies sustain half
  damage from all conventional weapons and sustain only one point of damage from
  impaling weapons. Naturally, they are immune to weapons that affect only living
  creatures, such as poisons.
  Since Desiccated Mummies are not alive, they do not heal naturally. If they are
  damaged in combat they can only heal by consuming blood. For every half liter of
  blood a Desiccated Mummy consumes, it regains 1 hit point. An average human
  adult (150-160 pounds) has about five liters of blood. Since Desiccated Mummies
  have normal human teeth, they generally tend to drink blood from freshly killed
  victims.
  Desiccated Mummies need to drink at least a liter of human blood each week to
  remain active. If they do not consume the required amount of blood, they will go
  into a state of suspended animation until they are fed a liter of fresh blood. They can
  remain in a torpid state for hundreds of years. 
  Characteris-
  tics
  Rolls
  Aver-
  ages
  #
  1
  #2 #3
  #4
  #5
  #6
  #
  7
  #8
  #9
  STR
  3D6
  10-11
  11
  9
  13
  12
  15
  16
  10
  14
  9
  CON
  3D6
  10-11
  13
  10
  15
  12
  9
  8
  13
  15
  11
  SIZ
  2D6+
  6
  13
  12
  10
  13
  11
  10
  15
  11
  13
  13
  INT
  2D6
  7
  6
  10
  9
  5
  6
  7
  6
  5
  5
  POW
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  DEX
  2D6
  7
  8
  7
  6
  8
  6
  10
  7
  8
  3
  HP
  10-11
  13
  10
  14
  12
  10
  13
  12
  14
  12
  Damage
  Bonus
  0
  0
  0
  +1
  D4
  0
  +1
  D
  4
  +1
  D
  4
  0
  +1
  D4
  0
  Move: 6
  Weapons: Claw 25%, Damage 1D4+db.
  Armor: None, they sustain half damage from all conventional weapons, 1 point of
  damage from impaling weapons. 
  Sanity Loss: 1/1D8 Sanity points to see a Desiccated Mummy.
  Those Who Walk the Dead
  These creatures are a very rare form of undead. They are similar in some respects
  to mummies and vampires, but are physically weaker. 
  Those Who Walk the Dead look like dry human corpses. Their skin is dry and
  stretched across their muscles, giving them the appearance of great age. Their eyes
  
  are sunken deep in their sockets and there is a faint evil green spark lurking in the
  dark pits. They look like more robust versions of the Dissociated Mummies, but
  with elongated, claw like fingers and sharp, fang like teeth.
  Because of they are somewhat dried out and completely dead, Those Who Walk
  the Dead move slower than humans and are not quite as agile. They do retain their
  original human intelligence via supernatural means.
  Those Who Walk the Dead are created in the following manner: a human being
  volunteers to have the Those Who Walk the Dead ritual cast on him. The ritual is
  cast and the volunteer slowly bleeds to death. The corpse is then placed in a specially
  made stone oven and allowed to dry out for a week. At the end of the week the
  creature rises. The ritual imbues the creature with knowledge of the Create
  Desiccated Mummy Ritual.
  Those Who Walk the Dead have human intelligence and will use it accordingly.
  They retain memories and skills from their previous existence as human beings.
  Those Who Walk the Dead fight with their claw like hands. They can fight with
  weapons, but are generally unarmed. They do not have any natural armor, but their
  undead state makes them difficult to destroy. Those who walk the dead sustain half
  damage from all conventional weapons and sustain only one point of damage from
  impaling weapons. Naturally, they are immune to weapons that affect only living
  creatures, such as poisons.
  Being dead, Those Who Walk the Dead do not heal naturally. However, they can
  drain blood by biting into their victims and sucking their blood out. To bite and
  drain blood one of Those Who Walk the Dead must hit with both hands (to grab a
  victim) and then successfully bite. A biting attack inflicts 1D3 points of damage and
  drains blood from the victim. The loss of blood inflicts one point of damage to the
  victim and heals one point of damage, if the creature has sustained any. The
  creature can also “store” a number of points of “blood” equal to half of its POW and
  use them to heal itself in combat. Naturally, these points must be taken from
  victims.
  The creatures in this adventure where created from Aztec warriors and they still
  retain their combat skills.
  Those Who Walk the Dead need to drink at least a liter of human blood each week
  to remain active. If they do not consume the required amount of blood, they will go
  into a state of suspended animation until they are fed a liter of fresh blood. They can
  remain in a torpid state for hundreds of years. 
  
  Characteristics
  Rolls
  Averages
  #1
  #2
  #3
  #4
  STR
  3D6X1.5
  15-17
  17
  12
  20
  18
  CON
  3D6X1.5
  15-17
  17
  20
  21
  21
  SIZ
  2D6+6
  13
  14
  13
  17
  13
  INT
  3D6
  10-11
  10
  10
  15
  12
  POW
  3D6
  10-11
  10
  7
  10
  13
  DEX
  2D6
  7
  6
  8
  11
  10
  HP
  13-14
  16
  17
  19
  17
  Damage Bonus
  +1d4
  +1
  D4
  +1
  D4
  +1
  D6
  +1
  D4
  Move: 6
  Weapons: Claw 50% Damage 1D6+db, Bite 30% Damage 1d3, Club 60% Damage
  1D8+db
  Armor:  None, they sustain half damage from all conventional weapons, 1 point of
  damage from impaling weapons. 
  Skills: As possessed when alive. Those in this adventure have: Hide 25%, Listen
  35%, Sneak 25%, Sword 65%, Spear 60%, Club 60%.
  Spells: Create Desiccated Mummy Ritual.
  Sanity Loss: 1/1D8 Sanity points to see Those Who Walk the Dead.
  Gatherer of the Blood
  Gatherers of the Blood are a extremely rare form of undead. They are similar in
  some respects to vampires of the Western tradition, but are different in some key
  respects. 
  Gathers of the Blood look like pale humans with unusually dry skin, elongated
  claws, and sharp fangs in place of their teeth. Their eyes are somewhat sunken and
  glow slightly in the dark.
  Gatherers of the Blood are created individually in that there is no set ritual to
  create them. They typically are created from humans who are full of hatred or evil
  via an unholy process. This process involves the intervention of horrid
  supernatural entities.
  Gathers of the Blood have human intelligence and will use it accordingly. They
  retain memories and skills from their previous existence as human beings.
  Gatherers of the Blood fight with their claw like hands and fangs. They can fight
  with weapons, but are generally unarmed. They do not have any natural armor, but
  their undead state makes them difficult to destroy. Those who walk the dead sustain
  half damage from all conventional weapons and sustain only one point of damage
  from impaling weapons. Naturally, they are immune to weapons that affect only
  living creatures, such as poisons.
  Being dead, The Gathers of the Blood do not heal naturally. However, they can
  
  drain blood by biting into their victims and sucking their blood out. To bite and
  drain blood a Gatherer of the Blood must hit with both hands (to grab a victim) and
  then successfully bite. A biting attack inflicts 1D4 points of damage and drains blood
  from the victim. The loss of blood inflicts 1-3 points of damage to the victim and
  heals a comparable number of points of damage (1-3), if the creature has sustained
  any. The creature can also “store” a number of points of “blood” equal to its POW
  and use them to heal itself in combat. Naturally, these points must be taken from
  victims. A Gatherer can also use this blood to “awaken” Desiccated Mummies and
  Those Who Walk the Dead so they can feed on the blood they need to come out of
  their suspended animation. It takes one point of stored blood to revive one of the
  creatures enough to feed on the liter of blood it needs to fully revive.
  A Gatherer of the Blood can assume the likeness of a being by killing it and
  draining all its blood. The Gatherer can then shift its body to resemble the victim
  and can alter its apparent size by up to 4 points in either direction. The Gatherer also
  gains some of the victim’s memories, enough to imitate the victim with a
  reasonable degree of accuracy and use his language (at 50% of the victim’s skill). The
  Gatherer does not gain any of the victim’s other skills. The Keeper should roll 5D10
  to get the percent chance the Gatherer has of pulling off the deception. This % can be
  modified by the Keeper based on the situation. For example, a Gatherer would have
  little difficulty in simply passing as human, but would have an extremely difficult
  time fooling a close friend of the victim. A Gatherer can keep a victim’s form
  available for one week and may have a number of forms available equal to its POW.
  A Gatherer may choose to release one form in order to acquire another from a new
  victim.
  Gatherers of the Blood need to drink at least a liter of human blood each week to
  remain active. If they do not consume the required amount of blood, they will go
  into a state of suspended animation until they are fed a liter of fresh blood.
  Alternatively, they can expend a Magic Point for each minute they wish to remain
  conscious. In this manner they can make a desperate attempt to gain a victim after a
  period of suspension. They can remain in a torpid state for hundreds of years. While
  in this torpid state, they are vaguely aware of their surroundings and will come to a
  higher state of awareness when living beings approach within 10 meters of them. 
  The creature in this adventure was originally an Aztec Priest who was full of
  hatred of the Spanish invaders. Driven by his hatred, he researched into terrible
  things and contacted hideous beings. Eventually his diligence was “rewarded” with
  his transformation into a Gatherer of the Blood. 
  
  Characteristics
  Rolls
  Averages
  #1
  STR
  3D6X2
  20-22
  32
  CON
  3D6X2
  20-22
  31
  SIZ
  3D6
  10-11
  14
  INT
  3D6
  10-11
  15
  POW
  2D6+6
  13
  17
  DEX
  3D6
  10-11
  13
  HP
  15-17
  23
  Damage Bonus
  +1d4
  +2D6
  Move: 8
  Weapons: Claw 60%, Damage 1D6+db, Bite 50% Damage 1d4, Club 60%, 1D8+db
  Armor:  None, they sustain half damage from all conventional weapons, 1 point of
  damage from impaling weapons. 
  Skills: As possessed when alive. The one in this adventure has: Cthulhu Mythos
  20%, Hide 25%, Listen 35%, Sneak 25%, Spanish 28%, Persuade 65%, Psychology
  45%,  Sword 65%, Spear 65%, Club 60%.
  Spells: Create Desiccated Mummy Ritual, Create Those Who Walk the Dead Ritual.
  Sanity Loss: 1/1D6 Sanity points to see The Gatherer of Blood in its natural form.
  Spells
  Create Desiccated Mummy Ritual
  This ritual provides the means for creating a Desiccated Mummy. The ritual is
  conducted in the following manner: a human being is killed and the blood is
  drained from the corpse. The corpse is then placed in a stone “oven” and dried over
  the course of a week. During this process the corpse is “basted” in its own blood once
  each day and the creator chants the ritual for an hour and imbues the corpse with
  ten magic points. Each time the ritual is conducted, the caster loses 1 Sanity point.
  Once the process is finished, the mummy pulls itself out of the oven to do its
  creator’s bidding. If the caster has any Sanity points left, he must make a Sanity
  check on seeing the product of his labors.
  Create Those Who Walk The Dead Ritual
  This ritual provides the means for creating one of Those Who Walk the Dead. The
  ritual is conducted in the following manner: a human being must volunteer to be a
  victim of the ritual. The caster expends 5 magic Points and makes several deep
  incisions into the victim’s veins. The victim then bleeds to death. The corpse is then
  placed in a stone “oven” and dried over the course of a week. During this process
  the corpse is “basted” in its own blood once each day and the creator chants the
  ritual for an hour and imbues the corpse with twelve magic points. Each time the
  
  ritual is conducted, the caster loses 2 Sanity points. Once the process is finished, the
  creature pulls itself out of the oven. If the caster has any Sanity points left, he must
  make a Sanity check upon seeing the product of his labors.
  
  Handout #1
  -Documents of the New World Volume I, 1964, edited by Dr. Juan Perez.
   “In the course of my discussion with one of the natives of the area I learned of a
  story as dark as any demon of monster tale of Europe. According to my informant,
  when It was clear that we were going to conquer his civilization, one of the local
  lords went out into the jungle in search of hideous beings of evil. According to the
  story, this young lord found these beings and labored under their tutelage. After a
  year of labor, or so the story goes, these beings rewarded him by transforming him
  into a monstrous thing that could feed upon the blood of the living and create
  others like himself from helpless victims. My informant went on to say that this
  man, or whatever he had become, returned to his people and lead some of them out
  into the jungle. There in the jungle they constructed a hideous temple dedicated to
  vile demons. After the work was completed, or so it is said, the monstrous lord slew
  four of his best warriors and raised them up again as twisted monsters. These four
  warriors turned on the lord’s followers, slaying all but one who fled, and raising the
  dead up again. The lone survivor passed the tale on to others and said that the
  monstrous lord would wait and rise up against the invaders some day. According to
  my informant, some of our people took the tale seriously enough to send out search
  parties. These parties found nothing, although one failed to return, thus adding to
  the legend. 
  My fellows lend little credence to this story since they say these barbarous people
  have an over abundance of legends. Many of these stories promise a future
  deliverance at the hands of some supernatural force. Based on some of my own
  experiences, of which you are well aware, I am concerned about this particular tale.
  It must be said that my informant was later found dead, with his throat and chest
  cut horribly. Because of this, I suspect that there might be something behind the
  story, if it is only that a group of unsubjugated natives remains plotting against our
  efforts in this, the new world. Thus, I would recommend that this tale be brought to
  the attention of the church so that it might be recorded and to the authorities so that
  they might prepare for the possibility of additional violence.”
  Handout #1
  -Vampires of the World by Dr. Sandra Petoyle, a noted author and anthropologist.
  Despite its title, the book is an academic work discussing the various vampire myths
  in human history from an anthropological perspective. 
  “An extremely obscure vampire legend from Mexico departs from the usual
  vampire tales. While the vampires reported in this legend are vampires in the
  sense that they need to feed on human blood, they differ from traditional vampires
  in several respects. First, they are able to move about freely during the day. Second,
  they achieve their vampire state by entering into a bargain or pact with a god or gods
  of evil. Third, they produce their “offspring” through the use of a specialized ritual,
  rather than by the usual method, that of draining the victim’s blood. Fourth, these
  vampires are not repelled by the cross or other religious symbols and are not affected
  by holy water....
  ...The most complete legend relating to these particular beings tells of a priest who
  
  was transformed into a vampire. It is said that he transformed his followers into
  lesser vampires in the hopes of achieving revenge against the Spanish Conquerors.”
  
  Ruins
  2
  6
  1
  7
  Camp
  3
  4
  5
  Pyramid
  
  Top
  Ground Floor
  Lower Level
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu (CoC) (BRP) [multi]/Adventures/CoC 5e - Adv - Old Blood.pdf