TEXT: By Stan!
  A Short Urban Arcana Adventure for Four 13th-Level Characters
  RESOLUTIONS
  Sages and philosophers often note that the end of
  any endeavor is simultaneously the beginning of
  another. How fitting, then, that the word “resolution”
  can refer to both endings and beginnings. Some use
  this word to talk about the conclusion of a period of
  time, such as the end of a calendar year. Others use it
  to discuss plans for what lies ahead, such as the per-
  sonal goals people often set for themselves at the
  start of a new year.
  This principle of duality is starkly evident in any
  court of law. A hearing or trial is the conclusion of a
  particular series of events, and the verdict deter-
  mines whether closure has been achieved or
  renewed reflection is necessary. At the same time,
  the trial is the beginning of the defendant’s new life
  as a convicted felon or a free person.
  Resolutions puts the heroes in a courtroom for
  the trial of Audrey Petersen, who stands accused
  of complicity in several homicides and crimes
  resulting in millions of dollars of property dam-
  age. But will they have the resolution to ensure
  that justice is served? 
  LEVELS
  You, the Game Master (GM), need a copy of the d20
  MODERN Roleplaying Game and a copy of the URBAN
  ARCANA Campaign Setting to run this adventure. To get
  started, print out the adventure (including the map)
  and read it through. Familiarize yourself with the var-
  ious GM characters and their individual motives and
  abilities. Then make sure you are familiar with the
  rules for combat, movement, and cover from Chapter
  5 of the d20 MODERN Roleplaying Game. You should
  also be familiar with the rules for casting magic spells
  and performing incantations (found in Chapter 10 of
  the d20 MODERN Roleplaying Game and Chapter 3 of
  the URBAN ARCANA Campaign Setting, respectively). 
  Resolutions is a short scenario for four 13th-level
  heroes. With slight modifications, you can make it
  
  2
  suitable for heroes at other levels, or for groups as large or
  small as you’re comfortable adjudicating. See the Scaling the
  Adventure sidebar for guidelines on adapting it for other
  groups.
  The text that appears in shaded boxes should be read
  aloud or paraphrased for the players. Opponents’ statistics
  are provided in abbreviated form.
  This adventure can be set in any large city. A map showing
  the major encounter area is provided. With a little work, the
  location presented in the adventure could be adapted for
  any locale.
  BACKGROUND
  The background to Resolutions is the most mutable part of
  the adventure. Although it is assumed that the heroes are
  here to participate in the trial of Audrey Petersen, you can
  change the details of the trial itself (and the crime or crimes
  that led up to it) to fit the heroes’ past exploits (see the
  Who’s On Trial Here? sidebar).
  If you are running Resolutions as a stand-alone adventure,
  the story requires no deeper meaning. In fact, the heroes
  need not have had anything to do with the events leading up
  to the trial at all. However, if you are running this adventure
  as part of the Heartless campaign, the events of the previous
  adventures form the background for this one. When all is said
  and done, the heroes should understand how their recent
  cases led to this conclusion.
  Media Circus
  Because Audrey Petersen is a wealthy socialite who counts
  many reporters, local politicians, and even members of
  Department-7 among her friends, dozens of people have
  been talking to the press on her behalf. All these prominent
  citizens have said that they are willing to appear as character
  witnesses for her, and some have even been obliquely
  RESOLUTIONS
  Scaling the Adventure
  The situations described in this adventure are suitable
  for heroes of any level. To tailor Resolutions for your
  game, make the following adjustments.
  • The Khor’dyl: The khor’dyl is already a powerful crea-
  ture, but it can be adapted for different levels of
  heroes by changing its size. For every two levels by
  which the party average is higher or lower than 13th,
  increase or decrease the khor’dyl’s size category by
  one and refigure its statistics accordingly.
  • Cultists: To increase the adventure’s difficulty, you
  may wish to have loyal members of the Children of
  Chaos cult hidden among the spectators at the trial.
  When the khor’dyl is summoned, they attack the
  heroes. You are the best judge of how many cultists
  to add, but they should be of a level equal to the
  party’s average.
  A Heartless Tale
  Resolutions can be used as a stand-alone adventure. You
  can place it in your campaign anywhere you see fit—par-
  ticularly if you used the information in the Scaling the
  Adventure sidebar to modify the opponents for your
  campaign. The scenario requires neither previous knowl-
  edge on the part of the heroes, nor any understanding
  of a larger plot on your part.
  However, Resolutions is also the conclusion of a
  series of five adventures that, when strung together,
  become a more complex and detailed tale of deception,
  murder, and lust for power. This series constitutes a
  campaign entitled Heartless. The first four install-
  ments—The Petersen Counterstrike, Blood Sugar, The
  Final Feast, and The Dead of Winter—are available as
  free downloads from the d20 MODERN section of the
  Wizards of the Coast website.
  Like the previous adventures in this series,
  Resolutions features elements such as spellcasting,
  magic items, and supernatural creatures. Since it brings
  the Heartless campaign to a close, you may now assess
  the storyline as a whole and determine whether it is
  appropriate for your campaign as it is presented or
  needs to be adapted into something that better suits
  your game
  Audrey Petersen
  Audrey Petersen is the wife of Professor Grant Petersen,
  curator of Department-7’s occult archives. But Audrey,
  an intellectual in her own right, became jealous of her
  husband’s position, which she felt made her seem to be
  second best. In fact, Audrey resented her husband
  deeply for rendering her little more than a “trophy wife”
  by not giving her credit for the work she did with him. 
  Together with Nicholas St. Andrew (a charismatic cult
  leader), she planned and executed the theft of two
  ancient idols that had been left in her husband’s trust,
  then disappeared with her partner. St. Andrew taught
  Audrey about spellcasting and dark occult rituals, and in
  return, she helped him carry out a series of grisly mur-
  ders in his desperate bid for vast supernatural power.
  Just as the final spell was being cast, however, agents of
  Department-7 (the heroes) discovered their sanctum.
  St. Andrew was killed in the assault, but the agents
  took Audrey prisoner. She is now waiting to stand trial
  for the crimes she allegedly committed with her former
  mentor. The authorities are still uncertain as to whether
  Audrey was a willing accomplice or just another of St.
  Andrew’s brainwashed cultist lackeys.
  The truth is that Audrey knows exactly what she did.
  She helped St. Andrew plan multiple cold-blooded mur-
  ders, and she has no regrets. In fact, she would happily
  do it all again just for the thrill of being taken seriously
  at long last. St. Andrew was the first person in years who
  entrusted her with real power and responsibility, and
  she loved the feeling. However, since her lawyers and
  the popular press are painting her as a victim, she’s more
  than willing to play that part in the hopes of avoiding
  jail or worse.
  MODERN
  d20
  
  criticizing the work the authorities (in this case, the heroes)
  did in arresting her. 
  Many legitimate reporters are already calling Audrey’s trial
  “the trial of the year,” and some of the more hyperbolic
  tabloids have referred to it as “the trial of the decade” or even
  “of the new century.” In the days leading up to the trial, the
  heroes must deal with reporters calling them at all hours of
  the night and day, camping outside their homes, and trying
  desperately to get a photo or quote to sell to their editors.
  Any untoward remarks the heroes make will later be used by
  the defense attorney when he tries to discredit them in court.
  The Khor’dyl
  The crimes of which Audrey Petersen stands accused were all
  committed to aid Nicholas St. Andrew in his quest for great
  occult power. Audrey never clearly understood what kind of
  power he sought, and in fact Nicholas may not have under-
  stood it fully himself. Nevertheless, Audrey believed in her
  mentor utterly, so she followed his orders to the letter.
  The authorities believe that the heroes stopped St.
  Andrew before he completed his ritual, and indeed, the
  chances are good that the heroes believe so as well. But this
  is not the case. The occultist had actually finished the ritual
  to open the extraplanar conduit through which he hoped to
  draw power; he just never got the opportunity to take advan-
  tage of it. Thus, the power that St. Andrew planned to claim
  remained untapped, and the conduit between planes slowly
  began to close again.
  As the connection began to deteriorate, however, a horri-
  ble creature called the khor’dyl noticed the aperture floating
  in the ether. It also noticed that although the rift’s creator
  was dead, another living being—Audrey Petersen—had a con-
  nection to it and could therefore control it. Sadly, the human
  woman seemed to be completely unaware of her slowly
  diminishing power.
  The khor’dyl watched as Audrey was arrested and her
  future was threatened. Through the connection, it felt her
  anxiety and fear. When the time was right, deep in the night,
  it contacted Audrey and offered to help her. It promised that
  if she would fully open the planar conduit again and let the
  khor’dyl enter our world, it would serve her loyally for the
  rest of her life and make her the most powerful mortal on
  the face of the earth. (The creature assured her that she
  could manipulate the rift with but a thought, and that there
  was no danger in doing so.
  Being an unusually smart person, Audrey realized how dan-
  gerous it was to make deals with an extraplanar creature—par-
  ticularly one she knew nothing about. She did not know
  whether this creature was something that Nicholas had meant
  to contact, or whether it was merely taking advantage of his
  death and her grief. She did not even know whether it truly had
  the power to do what it promised. She did, however, know that
  if she was caught summoning the khor’dyl, no further proof
  would be required to prove that she was Nicholas’s accomplice.
  And so she has bided her time. The conduit will not close
  fully for another week or so. In the meantime, she plans to
  go through with the trial. If she is acquitted, she has no rea-
  son to seek extraplanar aid. If it looks as though she will be
  found guilty, however, she plans to summon the khor’dyl and
  take her chances that it can follow through on its promises.
  Who’s On Trial Here?
  Although Resolutions includes specific details pertaining
  to the trial of Audrey Petersen and the previous events in
  the Heartless campaign, this material is not required for
  the scenario. The courtroom is merely the setting in
  which the action plays out once the khor’dyl arrives.
  If the heroes have not played through the previous
  installments of the Heartless campaign, you might want
  to center the trial on a different event—one based on an
  adventure in which the heroes did participate. Doing so
  provides you with a convenient opportunity to put the
  heroes on the spot for any irregular, reckless, or illegal
  actions they may have performed during their exploits.
  This adventure presumes that the defendant is actually
  guilty of the charges. (After all, if she isn’t, then there is no
  reason for her to summon the khor’dyl.) Because the defense
  counsel does not have a way to prove her innocence
  irrefutably, he plans to attack the heroes’ reliability and hon-
  esty instead, thereby reducing their credibility as witnesses.
  The details may change from one game group to another,
  even among those who have played the entire Heartless
  campaign. When he questions them, it is up to you as GM to
  select events, actions, and even quotes from previous games
  that show the heroes in a less-than-flattering light.
  The only ability that the defendant absolutely must
  have is a knowledge of spellcasting and the ability to
  cast spells or perform difficult incantations. That is, she
  must be capable of at least assisting with the incanta-
  tion that summoned the khor’dyl. (Although the defen-
  dant could have hired someone to summon it for her,
  that arrangement complicates the situation and raises
  questions about how the spellcaster avoided arrest, as
  well as how he could summon the creature into the
  courtroom at just the correct moment.)
  Heartless Insight
  Heroes who have been through the earlier installments
  of the Heartless campaign may have some insight into
  the situation—particularly if they have performed
  exhaustive research on the spellbooks found in Nicholas
  St. Andrew’s sanctum at the end of The Dead of Winter.
  As the GM, you must decide whether the heroes have
  examined the evidence deeply enough to gain some
  useful insight. If so, allow each hero involved in that
  research to attempt a DC 38 Knowledge (arcane lore) or
  Knowledge (current events) check. Success allows that
  character to determine exactly which plane St. Andrew
  was attempting to tap into. Furthermore, the hero can
  theorize that upon his death, the connection would pass
  to Audrey if she had actually been involved in the work.
  This information, if shared, provides each hero with a +4
  insight bonus to defense, attack rolls, and saving throws
  against the khor’dyl when it arrives.
  Alternatively, you may decide that other Department-7
  researchers have already unearthed this information. In this
  case, the knowledge provides a +2 insight bonus to defense,
  attack rolls, and saving throws against the khor’dyl.
  d20MODERN
  3
  RESOLUTIONS
  
  d20MODERN
  4
  SYNOPSIS
  The adventure begins on the day of Audrey Petersen’s trial.
  The prosecutor informs the heroes of his own plans, as well
  as his theories on what the defense is likely to attempt. He
  also prepares the heroes for testifying.
  When the heroes take the stand during the trial, the
  defense attorney asks them questions about the various inci-
  dents in which they were involved. He also poses difficult
  questions regarding their behavior during all their prior cases
  in an attempt to make them look unreliable. (This portion of
  the trial is an excellent opportunity for you to give the play-
  ers feedback about the heroes’ general behavior. You can use
  the attorney’s questions to make everyone aware of the way
  the average person in the campaign world reacts to the
  heroes’ actions.)
  No matter how well or poorly the heroes perform during
  the cross-examination, the case moves toward a swift and
  definitive conviction for Audrey. Once the probable outcome
  becomes clear to her, she summons the khor’dyl, hoping that
  it will slaughter everyone in the room and allow her to
  escape. She really has no plan beyond that.
  RESOLUTIONS
  
  d20MODERN
  5
  Character Hooks
  As GM, you know best how to involve your players and their
  characters in an adventure. This scenario is constructed
  specifically for heroes employed by Department-7 in its role
  as an officially sanctioned investigative agency. (Indeed, it
  assumes that they were responsible for stopping Nicholas St.
  Andrew and arresting Audrey Petersen through the auspices
  of their positions in Department-7.) If Department-7 fills a
  different role in your campaign, use some other agency that
  fills the appropriate role and modify the references in the
  adventure accordingly.
  If the heroes are not employees of Department-7, a simi-
  lar organization, or an appropriate investigative agency, you
  can use the following adventure hooks to spur your imagina-
  tion, modifying them as necessary to make them appropriate
  for the characters’ interests.
  • The heroes work for the local police department or a pri-
  vate detective agency that was involved in the case before
  its supernatural connection became evident, necessitating
  the involvement of Department-7. They are in court to
  provide mundane evidence of Audrey’s guilt.
  • The heroes have nothing to do with the case directly, but
  all of them have jobs that require them to be at the trial.
  They could be bailiffs, court stenographers, reporters, judi-
  cial clerks, or even jurors.
  • The heroes are occult experts from the area who have had
  premonitions or gathered empirical data suggesting that a
  major supernatural event will take place in the courthouse
  sometime in the next 12 hours.
  BEGINNING THE ADVENTURE
  Resolutions is a site-based adventure that encompasses the
  murder trial of Audrey Petersen. All the action takes place in
  Courtroom C, a chamber large enough to accommodate the
  interested parties and representatives from the dozens of
  news services that are covering the story. 
  Exactly where the heroes are during the trial depends on
  their connection to the case. If they are there to offer
  testimony, however, they have reserved seats near the front
  of the gallery, immediately behind the prosecutor’s table.
  If the heroes have taken the time to do research on the
  attorneys involved in the case prior to the trial, they discover
  that the two have sparred in the courtroom before and may
  gain some insight into how to present their testimony to its
  best advantage (see below).
  When all the heroes have arrived in court, read aloud or
  paraphrase the following.
  McGregory and Carlson have a long history together. They
  have represented opposing sides in no fewer than twelve dif-
  ferent cases, and Carlson has won every time. In each case,
  Carlson was able to find a hole in what otherwise seemed to
  be an airtight case for McGregory—and in each case, the
  “hole” was either some superficial irregularity in the way evi-
  dence was gathered, or a character flaw in the investigating
  officers. Carlson has made a career out of making good men
  and women look corrupt or incompetent while they are giv-
  ing evidence, and he plans to use exactly the same technique
  on the heroes during this trial.
  Once the trial has begun, the heroes are in no position to
  gather that kind of data themselves. However, any hero who
  did a lot of research on the lawyers ahead of time may
  attempt a DC 20 Knowledge (current events) check to recall
  that information. Alternatively, the heroes could ask
  The courtroom buzzes with conversation as reporters
  and onlookers file in. Your seats are directly behind
  Assistant District Attorney Donald McGregory, a sharply
  dressed man in his early thirties with stylish, ultra-thin
  glasses and swept-back blonde hair. When he notices
  you’ve arrived, he turns to you with a smile.
  “Good morning,” he says. “We’ve got an open-and-
  shut case. But that means the defense will be looking for
  a way to discredit our witnesses. So when you’re on the
  stand, remember to give short, direct answers. If you
  think he’s asking an irrelevant question, don’t answer it—
  look to me and I’ll either nod to you or make an objec-
  tion. If the judge overrules my objection, you’ll have to
  answer, but be sure you do so with confidence and self-
  assuredness. Never look as though you’re saying some-
  thing you’re ashamed of—that only makes you look
  untrustworthy to the jury.”
  He glances across the room at the defense table and
  frowns. Audrey Petersen sits calmly, dressed in a designer
  business suit with her hair pulled up into a serious-but-
  stylish coif. Her hands are folded on the table in front of
  her, and she looks as if her thoughts are very far away.
  Seated beside her is her attorney, a short, pudgy man in
  his mid-fifties wearing an expensive, tailored suit. His
  thinning hair has been slicked down and combed across
  his balding pate, and the scent of strong cologne mixed
  with cigar smoke wafts from his direction.
  “That’s Hiram Carlson,” says McGregory, nodding at
  the attorney. He’s up to something—I can tell by that
  smirk on his face.” For a moment, Assistant DA
  McGregory practically glowers at Carlson, then he looks
  back at you with an ear-to-ear smile. “Just relax and
  everything will be fine,” he says.
  RESOLUTIONS
  I’m Not a Lawyer and You’re Not a Judge
  Most of the people running and playing Resolutions
  have no greater understanding of the U.S. judicial system
  than can be gained from watching courtroom dramas on
  primetime television. That’s all right.
  The point of this adventure is not to create a strictly
  accurate depiction of jurisprudence in action; it is to cre-
  ate a dramatic roleplaying scenario. So unless the GM and
  all the players are members of the bar association, don’t
  worry about being any more faithful to the law than an
  average episode of Law & Order or The Practice. Feel free
  to cut corners, allow events to happen out of sequence,
  or deal with testimony from more than one of the heroes
  at the same time if doing so will speed up the adventure
  and keep the whole group focused on the action at hand.
  
  d20MODERN
  6
  Department-7 archivists to do some quick research on
  McGregory and Carlson during the trial. This tactic automat-
  ically produces the information above in 1d4 hours. Any hero
  armed with this information gains a +2 circumstance bonus
  on any checks made while giving evidence.
  Any hero who casts detect magic aura in the courtroom
  (or uses a class ability that grants a similar effect) realizes
  that an enormously powerful source of magic is somewhere
  nearby, but it isn’t anyone or anything in the room, or even
  the building. Anyone studying the aura for 4 rounds or
  longer may attempt a DC 40 Spellcraft or Spot check to
  discern that although the source of the aura is not actually
  in the room, it seems to be connected to Audrey Petersen
  in some way. Armed with that knowledge, any hero may
  attempt a DC 30 Knowledge (arcane lore) check. On a suc-
  cess, the hero realizes that the power detected is actually a
  conduit to another plane and gains some of the informa-
  tion provided in the Background section (GM’s choice)
  relating to the khor’dyl.
  A. OPENING ARGUMENTS
  The trial gets underway as soon as the judge enters the court.
  Read aloud or paraphrase the following when he appears.
  During the opening arguments, the prosecuting attorney and
  defense attorney brief the jury on what they plan to show or
  prove during the trial. Unlike the evidentiary portion of the
  proceedings, the opening argument can include unproven or
  unprovable statements, personal beliefs, and other biased
  opinions. Although the attorneys are prohibited from making
  slanderous or libelous statements, they are otherwise free to
  say whatever they wish during this period.
  A1. The Prosecution
  The important pieces of information that Donald McGregory
  stresses during the prosecution’s opening arguments are
  given below. Feel free to paraphrase them as you wish and
  include additional information where needed to suit the
  actual events that occurred within your campaign.
  • Audrey set up a dinner party for the express purpose of
  allowing members of the Children of Chaos cult to take
  her “hostage.” This tactic allowed her to steal property
  belonging to Department-7 and sneak it out of the house
  unnoticed when the authorities “rescued” her.
  • Together with Nicholas St. Andrew, she broke into the
  Sweet Tooth, Inc. manufacturing plant and tampered with
  the Halloween candy manufactured there. This incident
  alone resulted in at least one death, numerous injuries, and
  untold amounts of property damage.
  • Also with St. Andrew, Audrey poisoned the Thanksgiving
  dinner being prepared at a Food for Life shelter. Then the
  two of them, purposely and with malice, had that food
  served to homeless and poverty-stricken men, women, and
  children.
  • Again with Nicholas St. Andrew, Mrs. Petersen committed
  a series of ritualistic murders and fed the victims’ remains
  to an exotic animal, which they were keeping without a
  license.
  • Audrey Petersen has repeatedly lied to, stolen from, and
  committed violent offenses against everyone she has
  come into contact with since meeting St Andrew. Unlike
  the cult leader’s other associates, she was not a witless
  dupe. Certainly she was not the mastermind of all these
  schemes, but she did help in their planning and execution.
  She is and always has been cognizant of her actions and
  responsible for their consequences.
  “All rise!” shouts the bailiff, and everyone in the room
  stands. “This municipal court is now in session, the hon-
  orable Leonard Elmore presiding. All those having busi-
  ness with this court speak and ye shall be heard.”
  Judge Elmore, a boxy man with salt-and-pepper hair
  and beard, walks to the bench and sits down. His eyes
  twinkle with keen intellect, but his jaw is set with grim
  determination. 
  “Be seated,” says the judge. “Before we examine the
  merits of The People versus Audrey Petersen, I’d like to
  remind both counselors and the gallery that this room is
  a court of law. A great deal has been said in the popular
  press about both the crimes and the defendant, but
  none of that matters here. I will not let anyone use my
  courtroom to play to the cameras. For that reason, I
  have banned motion picture and audio recording from
  the proceedings. In the interest of freedom of informa-
  tion, however, I will allow still photography.
  “Now, let’s proceed with the opening arguments.”
  RESOLUTIONS
  Trial by Committee
  The heroes are called to the stand one by one for ques-
  tioning, but their answers should be more or less the
  same. In order to speed up the game and keep all the
  players involved, you may wish to deal with the heroes
  as a group rather than asking the same questions of
  each one individually. In other words, you can handle
  this portion of the trial by asking the group a question
  and letting one person answer for everyone. Anyone
  who wants to add to or amend the answer given may
  do so after the speaker has finished. Direct any follow-
  up questions to someone who has not yet had a
  chance to speak, then allow the same sort of individ-
  ual commentary.
  For example, the prosecutor might ask, “What hap-
  pened on the night Nicholas St. Andrew died?” One hero
  could then recount the events of the final encounter in
  The Dead of Winter, and the others could throw in addi-
  tional comments as they see fit. A follow-up question
  (such as “What made you suspect Audrey Petersen’s
  involvement?” or “Why did you go looking in the
  sewer?”) could then be directed to a player who has not
  yet spoken. Again, all the other heroes would have a
  chance to add comments when the first one finishes
  speaking.
  However you choose to stage the questioning, the
  key is to create drama while keeping the adventure
  moving along at a lively pace.
  
  d20MODERN
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  • The jury should find her guilty of all the charges and
  recommend the most severe punishment possible.
  A2. The Defense
  The important pieces of information that Hiram Carlson
  stresses during the defense’s opening arguments are given
  below. Feel free to paraphrase them as you wish and include
  additional information where needed to suit the actual
  events that occurred within your campaign.
  • Audrey Petersen was a neglected woman—neglected to the
  point of abuse. Although she was a scholar and researcher
  of the highest order, both her husband and Department-7
  pigeonholed her into the role of trophy wife and socialite.
  Rather than allow her any real authority or responsibility,
  they forced her to stay on the periphery, forever within
  sight of her life’s calling but never allowed to pursue it.
  • Nicholas St. Andrew came to Audrey at her weakest hour
  and did exactly what he had done to so many others—he
  brainwashed her. The charismatic cult leader perverted her
  confusion and dismay into paranoia and hatred, then used
  her for his own ends.
  • Throughout all the incidents detailed by the prosecution,
  Audrey Petersen was at best an unwitting accomplice—a
  brainwashed thrall following orders from the only author-
  ity figure she could remember. Even so, she never person-
  ally attacked or injured anyone. Indeed, at the time the
  authorities captured Nicholas St. Andrew, Audrey was
  unconscious and chained to a wall—hardly what any rea-
  sonable person would describe as a “willing accomplice.”
  • The only criminal act that Audrey Petersen committed was
  robbery, and even that charge is open to debate. After all
  she “stole” the objects in question from her own house.
  Furthermore, according to Department-7’s own experts,
  the objects she took were relatively valueless replicas, not
  priceless arcane relics.
  • Audrey Petersen is not a criminal—she is a victim. While
  the defense recognizes the need to find and punish the
  one responsible for these atrocities, Audrey is not that
  person. To punish her simply because she survived the dev-
  astation wrought by Nicholas St. Andrew is not only
  unjust, it is unfair.
  • Audrey Petersen deserves both justice and mercy. She
  needs the opportunity to heal the damage done to her
  by the true author of all this senseless carnage—Nicholas
  St. Andrew.
  B. CROSS EXAMINATIONS
  After both lawyers have given their opening remarks, each
  side presents its case—first the prosecution, then the
  defense. This portion of the trial is the one most often
  depicted in television and movie courtrooms. Witnesses are
  called and sworn to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and
  nothing but the truth.” Thereafter, each attorney has a
  chance to ask them questions.
  B1. The Prosecution
  During this portion of the trial, the heroes are called upon to
  recount their assessment of Audrey Petersen’s involvement in
  the crimes enumerated. Donald McGregory asks them ques-
  tions that draw out exactly the details he wants to focus on. 
  McGregory’s questions pertain to the crimes with which
  Audrey is charged and the heroes’ roles in the investigations.
  He also asks questions that allow the heroes to mention any
  awards or decorations they have received on the job. His
  questions include but are not limited to the following.
  • Were you among the agents who arrested the defendant?
  Can you describe the events surrounding her apprehension
  in your own words?
  • When was the first time you met the defendant?
  • Will you please describe your recollection of the events
  surrounding the Petersen hostage crisis?
  • Who do you believe stole the idols from the Petersen
  penthouse that night?
  • Do you know of any connection between the hostage cri-
  sis and the events at the Sweet Tooth candy factory or the
  Food for Life soup kitchen?
  • In your professional opinion, is the defendant responsible
  for the crimes with which she is charged?
  When the prosecution has finished questioning the heroes,
  the defense attorney comes forward to cross-examine
  them. Hiram Carlson asks pointed questions geared to dis-
  credit the heroes. Audrey has told her lawyer everything
  she knows, everything Nicholas St. Andrew ever told her
  about the heroes, and any information she could have
  gained through divination spells. Thus, if they performed
  any illegal acts, made questionable judgments, or used
  excessive force at any time during the investigation, he asks
  about those times. His questions may include but are not
  limited to the following.
  • On how many occasions did you see the defendant in the
  company of Nicholas St. Andrew?
  • Isn’t it true that the only time you saw the defendant and
  Mr. St. Andrew together, she was unconscious and chained
  to a wall in the sewer? Does that seem like an equitable
  “partnership” between the two?
  • Did you see the defendant remove any valuable items from
  the Petersen penthouse on the night of the hostage crisis?
  • Weren’t you among the people who removed the defen-
  dant from the penthouse that night?
  • When you arrived at the penthouse, wasn’t Mrs. Petersen
  tied to a chair with a gun pointed at her head?
  • Did you see the defendant at the Sweet Tooth candy fac-
  tory or the Food for Life soup kitchen? Is there any evi-
  dence that she was ever at either location?
  Carlson also asks questions regarding the heroes’ actions in
  their past cases, ostensibly to “establish a pattern of behav-
  ior” that paints an unfavorable picture of them. Any public
  RESOLUTIONS
  
  d20MODERN
  8
  humiliation, reprimand, or error in judgment the heroes have
  made in the past is fair game. 
  In fact, this is a perfect opportunity for you as GM to
  direct the players’ attention to actions their characters have
  taken that you don’t wish to see repeated. (This portion of
  the trial should serve as a reminder to the players that their
  heroes’ actions have repercussions.) 
  This line of questioning can include any of the following
  material, as well as other incidents you see fit to bring in.
  • A time when the heroes shot at or otherwise committed
  violence against a suspect who turned out to be innocent
  of all charges;
  • A time when the heroes publicly threatened to injure or
  kill a suspect, rival, or enemy;
  • An incident in which the heroes’ actions caused extensive
  property damage (especially to private property);
  • A case in which the heroes’ poor judgment allowed a
  wanted criminal to escape;
  • A time when the heroes used excessive force that resulted
  in the death of a suspect rather than his arrest.
  When the defense attorney has finished questioning all the
  prosecution witnesses, the Assistant DA asks them another set
  of follow-up questions to re-establish their credentials and
  good reputations. You may ask whatever questions you choose
  in this portion of the trial, from their rank to their service
  awards to further exploration of material already covered.
  B2. The Defense
  After the prosecution has built its case against Audrey
  Petersen, Hiram Carlson has an opportunity to present her
  side of the story. In the U.S. judicial system, the defense
  attorney does not have to prove the defendant innocent—he
  need only establish a reasonable doubt that what the prose-
  cution said is true. Of course, it is up to the jury to decide
  what constitutes “reasonable doubt,” so there is always room
  for concern.
  Character Witnesses
  Carlson calls many of Audrey’s friends to the stand to serve
  as character witnesses. They all testify that she was a good
  friend and a kind person, and that they cannot believe she
  has it in her to commit the heinous crimes of which she
  stands accused. In each case, however, Donald McGregory’s
  cross-examination reveals that these friends were not with
  Audrey on any of the occasions in question and cannot pro-
  vide her with any actual alibi.
  You may play out this portion of the trial superficially or
  in great depth, as you prefer. If you choose the latter course,
  you might want to consider allowing the players to perform
  the cross-examination of the character witnesses, as a way of
  keeping them involved in the game.
  Audrey’s Testimony
  Eventually, the defense calls Audrey Petersen herself to the
  stand. Although she swears to tell the truth, she has no
  qualms about lying with every breath. With the aid of
  Hiram Carlson’s questions, Audrey makes up her version of
  how things happened—she was a hapless pawn of Nicholas
  St. Andrew, and she had no idea what she was doing. Again,
  you can let the players conduct the cross-examination if
  you wish.
  Even if the prosecution cannot get Audrey to admit that
  she is lying, the jury does not seem to be moved by her state-
  ments. Allow each character to attempt a DC 10 Sense
  Motive check. Success reveals that the posture and expres-
  sions of the jury members indicate a likelihood of conviction.
  Audrey too realizes that the jury is not on her side at
  about this point. This revelation motivates her to take the
  final step in her plan to escape justice. 
  C. SURPRISE WITNESS (EL 16)
  When it becomes clear to Audrey Petersen that neither
  Hiram Carlson’s assault on the heroes’ credibility nor her own
  fictitious defense seems to be swaying the jury, she resorts to
  her final ploy—summoning the khor’dyl. Read aloud or para-
  phrase the following when she makes her move.
  Any hero may attempt a DC 15 Knowledge (arcane lore) check
  to realize that Audrey is performing some sort of magical rit-
  ual. If the check result beats DC 20, the character realizes
  that whatever she is doing, she is not actually casting a spell.
  Any spellcasters who are observing her automatically know
  both of these facts.
  Any hero who is focusing a detect magical aura spell (or
  other similar ability) at Audrey when she begins summoning
  the khor’dyl observes an aura as though Audrey has cast a
  3rd-level spell. However, the energy does not coalesce into a
  spell effect. Instead, it is drawn away toward a magical aura
  that seems to be hovering near Audrey but out of direct sight
  (as described in the Beginning the Adventure section above).
  The unidentifiable aura grows stronger and stronger for
  2d4 rounds, until the conduit between planes has opened
  wide enough for the khor’dyl to enter our world. At that
  point, read aloud or paraphrase the following.
  Suddenly, several events seem to happen simultane-
  ously. A shrill wailing sound seems to come from every-
  where and nowhere at the same time. The lights in the
  courtroom, which until now have produced a typical
  fluorescent glow, take on a sickly greenish-yellow tint.
  And a gigantic, shapeless monstrosity appears in midair
  above the witness box.
  The sickly green creature is about 15 feet across and
  covered in a mucuslike slime. Its body seems to be a col-
  lection of pulsating nodules clustered around a central
  core. As it moves, you can see a sharp beak, like that of
  an octopus or squid, protruding from somewhere deep
  in the midst of the body. Extending from the mass at 
  The seemingly interminable questioning and legal postur-
  ing continue, but it appears that Audrey has lost interest
  in the proceedings. Her focus grows distant, her eyelids
  shudder, and she seems to be muttering to herself.
  RESOLUTIONS
  
  d20MODERN
  9
  RESOLUTIONS
  At this point, all the heroes must roll for initiative. Neither
  Audrey nor the khor’dyl has any interest in negotiating.
  GM Characters: Audrey Petersen and the khor’dyl are the
  main combatants. The four bailiffs, the judge, and most of
  the onlookers flee the room as fast as they can, and the mon-
  ster does not pursue them. The bravest of the reporters stay,
  hoping to get a scoop on the competition, but they do not
  participate in the fighting.
  Audrey Petersen (Fast Hero 5/Charismatic Hero
  5/Acolyte 5): CR 15; Medium-size human; HD 5d8 plus 5d8
  plus 5d6; hp 66; Mas 11; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defense 22, touch
  22, flat-footed 22 (+2 Dex, +10 class); BAB +8; Grap +7; Atk +7
  melee (1d3–1 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +7/+2 melee
  (1d3–1 nonlethal, unarmed strike); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.;
  SQ combat casting, divine skills, divine spells, rebuke undead
  6/day, spontaneous cast; AL evil; SV Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +7;
  AP 7; Rep +8; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16.
  Occupation: Dilettante (class skill: Knowledge [current
  events]).
  Skills: Balance +4, Bluff +11, Concentration +14, Craft (visual
  art) +5, Decipher Script +8, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +5, Drive
  +5, Knowledge (arcane lore) +7, Knowledge (current events)
  +13, Knowledge (popular culture) +12, Knowledge (theology
  and philosophy) +8, Listen +7, Perform (keyboards) +11, Pilot
  +9, Profession +8, Read/Write English, Read/Write German,
  Ride +6, Sense Motive +7, Speak English, Speak German,
  Spellcraft +16.
  Feats: Deceptive, Dodge, Educated (Knowledge [current
  events] and Knowledge [popular culture]), Focused, Lightning
  Reflexes, Mobility, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank
  Shot, Precise Shot, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Studious,
  Windfall.
  Talents: Charm, dazzle, evasion, fast-talk, uncanny dodge
  1, uncanny dodge 2.
  Acolyte Spells Prepared (5/5/3/2; save DC 11 + spell
  level): 0—cure minor wounds, haywire, light, read magic,
  resistance; 1st—bane, cause fear, command, obscuring mist,
  sanctuary; 2nd—hold person, resist energy, shatter; 3rd*—
  dispel magic, searing light.
  * Audrey has used one of her 3rd-level spell slots to open
  the conduit between planes and admit the khor’dyl. If the
  heroes do not have a spellcaster in their group, she uses
  the dispel magic slot for this purpose, but if she knows she
  is likely to face magical opposition, she uses the searing
  light slot instead.
  Possessions: Various personal possessions.
  The Khor’dyl: CR 13; Huge ooze; HD 12d10+60 plus 20
  (extra hit points); hp 146; Mas —; Init –1; Spd 5 ft., fly 15 ft.
  (average); Defense 7, touch 7, flat-footed 7 (–2 size, –1 Dex);
  BAB +9; Grap +26; Atk +16 melee (2d6+9 plus 1d6 alkali, slam);
  Full Atk +16 melee (2d6+9 plus 1d6 alkali, 9 slams) or +16
  melee (2d6+9, 3 bites and 6 slams); FS 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Reach
  10–90 ft. (extended reach); SQ alkali enzymes, blindsight 100
  ft., extended reach, extra hit points, immunities, improved
  grab, swallow whole, telepathy, vulnerabilities; AL none; SV
  Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +4; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 29, Dex 8, Con 20, Int
  10, Wis 10, Cha 1.
  Skills: None.
  Feats: None.
  Tactics: Audrey has given up hope of acquittal, so she has
  decided to bust her way out of the courtroom. She has men-
  tally ordered the khor’dyl to strike down all her enemies, and
  she originally planned to help by casting spells. But since she
  is not accustomed to combat and fears for her own safety
  more than anything, she actually spends the fight kneeling in
  the witness box (which provides three-quarters cover). If the
  battle begins to go poorly for the khor’dyl, Audrey attempts
  to sneak out of the courtroom and escape on foot.
  The khor’dyl, in fulfillment of its bargain with Audrey
  Petersen, immediately attacks her enemies. It maintains tele-
  pathic communication with her so that she may silently
  instruct it as to which targets to deal with first. The heroes
  are its primary targets, though it also attacks anyone else
  who appears to be threatening Audrey, including the bailiffs. 
  The khor’dyl takes a position in the center of the room,
  then remains in place as much as possible. It uses its
  extended reach ability, retracting as many of its tentacles as
  necessary, to attack the heroes wherever they may be. For
  the most part, it uses slam attacks, but if any of the heroes
  use acid, fire, or water attacks against it, the khor’dyl focuses
  on grappling and disabling those individuals.
  D. SUMMATION
  If all goes well, the heroes can defeat the khor’dyl and cap-
  ture Audrey Petersen before she makes good her escape.
  Since the courtroom resembles a war zone after the fight, the
  trial must be postponed. In a week or so, it resumes in
  another venue unless Audrey Petersen has been killed in the
  fighting.
  Hiram Carlson has no further questions or witnesses, so
  the two lawyers make their closing arguments as soon as the
  trial resumes. Donald McGregory’s statement is eloquent and
  passionate. He reiterates the points he outlined during the
  trial and drives the point home with a reminder of Audrey’s
  behavior during the defense’s presentation.
  The defense’s summation is brief and uninspired. The main
  thrust is that Audrey Petersen’s actions in the courtroom are
  not the purview of this inquiry. The question is whether or not
  she committed the other crimes in question. But even Mr.
  Carlson sounds particularly unconvinced by his own words.
  The jury deliberates for all of 25 minutes before returning
  a guilty verdict. The judge hands Audrey Petersen the stiffest
  sentence that is within his power to assess. (Exactly what
  that sentence is and how spellcasting prisoners are incarcer-
  ated are questions you must answer for your own campaign.)  
  seemingly random intervals are long, slimy tentacles.
  Most of these seem to be made for grabbing or bashing
  victims, but others end in tiny mouths filled with razor-
  sharp teeth.
  People begin to scream and flee the room. The judge
  is too stunned even to call for order. But Audrey
  Petersen sits in her chair, hands folded in her lap, calm
  as the day is long and smiling coolly.
  “One way or another,” she says, looking directly at
  you, “I’m walking out of here a free woman. If you have
  a problem with that, talk to my friend.”
  
  d20MODERN
  10
  REWARDS
  The heroes gain the standard experience and wealth awards
  for the encounters in this adventure. In addition, you may
  wish to award bonus experience for roleplaying (particularly
  standing firm and remaining calm under direct questioning
  from the defense attorney).
  The Petersen trial was a big news story, so reporters from
  all the local media were in the courtroom the entire time.
  Depending on which heroes took the stand and what details
  they discussed, the group could gain a significant amount of
  publicity. Such publicity could result in the characters
  becoming media celebrities, an increase in the amount of
  work (or rate of pay) that they receive, or—if things went
  badly—in public vilification.
  CONTINUING THE ADVENTURE
  If all went well for the heroes, few opportunities remain for
  further adventures based on the events of this one.
  Department-7 scientists take charge of the khor’dyl’s remains
  for examination, and other researchers pore over the facts
  and evidence until they determine exactly how Audrey
  Petersen was able to summon the creature. Eventually,
  Department-7 may decide to contact and explore the dimen-
  sion from which the khor’dyl came, and the heroes may be
  asked (or drafted) to spearhead that initiative.
  If Audrey Petersen managed to escape during the fight
  with the khor’dyl, she could become a recurring villain in
  the campaign. She blames the heroes for her predicament
  and attempts to strike back at them in any way she can.
  The details of her actions, however, are left solely to your
  discretion. 
  A Heartless Ending
  Even if Audrey Petersen managed to escape, the Heartless
  campaign is over. All the resources, bases of operation, and
  support personnel she used during the course of its events
  are now denied to her.
  If Audrey uses her name and her connection with the late
  Nicholas St. Andrew, she might be able to reform the
  Children of Chaos cult. But that plotline would also consti-
  tute another campaign.
  NEW MONSTER
  The following new monster is available for use in any d20
  MODERN adventure.
  The Khor’dyl
  For years, philosophers and quantum physicists have told us
  that there are many—perhaps infinite—planes of existence.
  The khor’dyl is a creature from such a place—a plane consist-
  ing only of a great sea of viscous, gurgling sludge and slime.
  Shapeless, intelligent oozes called khor’dyls live their lives
  swimming through the mire and eating anything that gets in
  their way. From time to time, an unlucky spellcaster opens a
  conduit to this plane, and one of these creatures escapes
  into our world.
  In this world, the khor’dyl can float slowly through the air.
  In its normal state, it has nine pseudopodlike tentacles, three
  of which end in vicious mouths, and a beaklike maw that floats
  in the midst of its body. However, it can absorb one or more of
  these tentacles back into itself in order to extend another one
  to a greater length. Thus, anyone standing less than 100 feet
  away from the creature may still be within its reach.
  The khor’dyl has three main methods of attack. It may
  slam opponents using any of its tentacles, or it may instead
  choose to bite with any tentacle that is equipped with a
  mouth. Finally, it may grapple an opponent with either type
  of tentacle, then bring the hapless victim to its maw and
  attempt to swallow it whole.
  Species Traits
  Alkali Enzymes (Ex): Any creature that takes damage
  from the khor’dyl’s slam or grapple attack also takes 1d6
  points of alkali damage from the highly alkaline slime that
  coats the creature’s body. The enzymes continue to dissolve
  the victim, dealing 1d6 points of alkali damage every round
  until the wound is washed with at least 1 pint of water or
  some other appropriate liquid. (Alkali damage is the chemi-
  cal opposite of acid damage, but it is still corrosive. Washing
  a wound with acid would neutralize the alkali, but it would
  immediately cause the victim to begin taking acid damage.)
  Blindsight (Ex): A khor’dyl has blindsight to a range of 100
  feet.
  Expanded Reach (Ex): In the khor’dyl’s normal state, each
  of its nine tentacles has a reach of 10 feet. As a move action,
  the khor’dyl can retract one or more of its tentacles into its
  core in order to extend another by 10 feet. In other words, if
  the creature retracts two tentacles, one of the remaining
  seven could become up to 30 feet long (or a pair of the
  remaining tentacles could be 20 feet long each). In the
  extreme, it is possible for the khor’dyl to stretch a single ten-
  tacle 90 feet away from its body.
  Extra Hit Points (Ex): The khor’dyl has no natural armor
  bonus, but because of its protoplasmic body, it gains extra hit
  points (in addition to those from its Hit Dice and
  Constitution score) based on its size.
  Immunities (Ex): The khor’dyl is immune to poison, sleep,
  paralysis, stunning, gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and
  other attack forms that rely on sight. It is not subject to crit-
  ical hits, flanking, or the effects of massive damage.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the khor’dyl must
  hit with its slam attack. If it gets a hold, it can attempt to
  swallow its opponent (see below), provided that the latter is
  Medium-size or smaller. 
  Swallow Whole (Ex): The khor’dyl can swallow a Medium-
  size or smaller grabbed opponent by making a successful
  grapple check. The swallowed creature can attack the khor’dyl
  from inside its maw using claws or a Small or Tiny slashing
  weapon. The khor’dyl does not release its opponent until it is
  slain. It can swallow only one opponent at a time, but up to
  eight Medium-size creatures can fit within it at once.
  Telepathy (Ex): The khor’dyl can communicate telepathi-
  cally with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.
  Vulnerabilities (Ex): The khor’dyl takes double damage
  from attacks that deal fire or water damage. It takes quadru-
  ple damage from attacks that deal acid damage.
  RESOLUTIONS
  
  d20MODERN
  11
  RESOLUTIONS
  The Khor’dyl: CR 13; Huge ooze; HD 12d10+60 plus 20 (extra
  hit points); hp 146; Mas —; Init –1; Spd 5 ft., fly 15 ft. (average);
  Defense 7, touch 7, flat-footed 7 (–2 size, –1 Dex); BAB +9;
  Grap +26; Atk +16 melee (2d6+9 plus 1d6 alkali, slam); Full Atk
  +16 melee (2d6+9 plus 1d6 alkali, 9 slams) or +16 melee (2d6+9,
  3 bites and 6 slams); FS 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Reach 10–90 ft.
  (extended reach); SQ alkali enzymes, blindsight 100 ft.,
  extended reach, extra hit points, immunities, improved grab,
  swallow whole, telepathy, vulnerabilities; AL none; SV Fort
  +9, Ref +3, Will +4; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 29, Dex 8, Con 20, Int 10,
  Wis 10, Cha 1.
  Skills: None.
  Feats: None.
  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, an editor and designer
  for TSR, Inc., and an author, senior designer, and creative
  director for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Stan! is currently the
  creative vice president for The Game Mechanics, Inc.
  <http://www.thegamemechanics.com>. His recent projects
  include the d20 MODERN Menace Manual for Wizards of the
  Coast plus Modern Magic, volume 1 for The Game Mechanics.
  In what he laughingly refers to as his spare time, Stan! writes
  and illustrates the Bolt & Quiver and Table Talk comic strips.
  Stan! lives in Renton, WA, where he eats nothing but meat
  and cheese. Visit him online at <http://www.stannex.com>.
  Credits
  Design:
  Stan
  Editing:
  Penny Williams
  Typesetting:
  Nancy Walker
  Cartography:
  Rob Lazzaretti
  Creative Direction:
  Christopher 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 registered trademarks, and d20 and
  the d20 System logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary
  of Hasbro, Inc. All Wizards characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses
  thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America.
  Any reproduction or unauthorized 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 permission. To
  learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 System License, please visit 
  <www.wizards.com/d20>.
  ©2004 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  All rights reserved.  Made in the U.S.A.
  Visit our website at
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