TEXT: TM
  KARMIC TIES AND FIFTH WHEELS
  CAMPAIGN STARTER KIT
  Unknown Armies campaign starter kits help you get started 
  running your Unknown Armies campaign quickly. Each kit 
  features the following:
  • Five characters, broken and damaged and ready to go.
  • One group objective for the cabal to pursue.
  • A first session scenario to get things moving quickly.
  • GM hooks, additional objective ideas, GMCs, and
  suggestions for the antagonist phase.
  With this campaign starter kit, you have all that you need 
  to fuel your imagination and get things moving. The kit takes 
  the place of the initial planning and collaborative character 
  and setting creation system provided in Unknown Armies. 
  Players select a character, choose one or two additional rela-
  tionships with the other player characters, and make these 
  obsessed individuals their own.
  In Karmic Ties and Fifth Wheels, the player characters are 
  the black sheep of a large, extended family based in rural 
  Wisconsin. Brought together again for a family reunion at 
  the behest of matriarch Maple Adams, they discover that old 
  secrets and occult mysteries lie at the heart of everything 
  their family has done over generations. Throughout the 
  campaign they may learn who they truly are, and how thick 
  their blood runs through the veins of the occult underground.
  The characters are:
  • Kevin Johnson: A Civil War re-enactor and failed
  family man.
  • Lucinda Adams: An anti-authoritarian book thief.
  • Stevie Malone: A street performer desperate for a
  new high.
  • Rachel Malone-Johnson: A gifted translator seeking
  the divine.
  • Jeffrey Adams: A former athlete and future
  Buddhist monk.
  Like most Unknown Armies scenarios and stories, this kit
  includes and deals with mature themes, characters, and situ-
  ations. Talk with your players if you are concerned about the 
  content, and be prepared to explore the world of the occult 
  underground through new eyes and alternate points of view.
  
  THE CABAL
  Objective: Find out who’s damaging our reputation.
  Think you’ve got family problems? The cabal (let’s call 
  ’em the Fifth Wheels) has never gotten along with their 
  midwestern relatives, in part because of what happened 
  to Kevin Johnson, the oldest member of the cabal, some 
  years back. See, Kevin was silently disavowed ten years ago 
  after divorcing Nikki Malone for her infidelity. The Malone 
  family blamed Kevin for Nikki’s lust-filled meanderings and 
  has never forgiven him for leaving her — especially after she 
  married a flamenco dancer half her age. Unfortunately, this 
  drama spilled over to the Adams side of the family, forcing 
  family members to either side with the newly divorced (and 
  deeply embarrassed) father or be disinvited from family 
  gatherings altogether.
  As much as he wanted to tuck tail and run, Kevin stood 
  his ground and fought to stay in the family for the sake 
  of his daughter, Rachel Malone-Johnson, and his favorite 
  nieces and nephews, Stevie Malone, and Lucinda and Jeffrey 
  Adams. Soon, the rest of the cabal found themselves on the 
  outs, all because they took their uncle’s side — or so Kevin 
  claims. Truth is, each member of the cabal is unique in some 
  way, and if there’s one thing the Adamses and Malones 
  don’t like, is being shown up by a family member who is “too 
  good” to live up north like the rest of them.
  As time passed, tempers simmered down, and the cabal 
  was largely ignored by the rest of their family. Most of the 
  hard feelings toward Kevin blew over, and family arguments 
  went back to worrying about who took the last pop in the 
  fridge or who forgot to fill the tank. Then, a few months ago, 
  the matriarch of the Adams-Malone family, a shouldn’t-you-
  be-resting-in-peace great-great-great grandmother named 
  Maple Adams, announced she was re-re-re-reviewing her 
  will — which sent both clans into a tizzy. Aunts, uncles, 
  and cousins the cabal hadn’t seen in years made plans to 
  get on Maple’s good side by throwing her a party for her 
  102nd birthday. So far, the PCs have been excluded from 
  the master plan to host a family reunion in her honor, and 
  tempers are flaring.
  Now, the PCs are about to concoct a scheme to find 
  out who’s been actively trying to keep them out of the will. 
  Each member of the cabal has a vested interest in becoming 
  Maple’s beneficiary and restoring their good standing in the 
  family — or turning the family into one they can belong 
  to. As a united front, they stand a much better chance of 
  navigating the maze of relationships in their extended family 
  than individually.
  KEVIN AS GMC
  Kevin Johnson is a complex character because he has 
  a daughter in the cabal which can limit his activity 
  at points in the game. As such, he’s an excellent 
  choice to serve as a GMC who helps the others in 
  situations where the players don’t necessarily see 
  a way forward. Ensure that any player who wants 
  to take on Kevin’s role is briefed ahead of time on 
  the nature of his obligations. If you don’t have a full 
  group of players, obviously Kevin should be set aside 
  and played only if there is a strong interest.
  
  3
  WHO THEY ARE
  The PCs are connected to one another through family ties 
  and shared anxieties. Scars that have long since healed 
  might be reopened, and the PCs have an opportunity 
  to not only vent, but also reveal what they know about 
  the supernatural.
  Here’s a rundown of how the PCs are related:
  • Kevin is Rachel’s father, and Stevie’s uncle by marriage. 
  The rest of the Malone family barely tolerates him, 
  because he’s a divorcé. Worse, no one has seen nor heard 
  from his ex-wife, Nikki, since the divorce — including 
  their daughter.
  • Rachel and Stevie are first cousins, and the rest of the 
  gas-guzzling, NFL-loving, bacon-obsessed Malone family 
  gives off the impression they never fit in. Neither Rachel 
  nor Stevie has ever met Maple, and they most likely rely 
  on their cousins’ impression of the Adams clan. Rachel is 
  on good terms with her father, while Stevie hasn’t seen 
  his parents, Bob and Becky Malone, in years.
  • Lucinda and Jeffrey are first cousins, with no children, and 
  are obsessed with intellectual, spiritual, and humanitarian 
  pursuits to varying degrees. This puts them both at odds 
  with their siblings and their aunts and uncles, who feel 
  it’s a familial duty to have babies. The Adams clan tends 
  to be dismissive of Lucinda, an “odd” bibliophile, and 
  Jeffrey, a Buddhist, and frequently drop passive-aggres-
  sive comments. Lucinda is the daughter of Robert and 
  Molly Adams, and has three siblings: Mark, Matt, and 
  Beatrix. Jeffrey is the son of William and Jana Adams, and 
  has two brothers, Fred and Michael.
  • Rachel, Stevie, Lucinda, and Jeffrey are all cousins, and 
  see each other infrequently at gatherings like this. 
  They’ve bonded as they’ve gotten older, especially as 
  they’ve been increasingly ostracized and misunderstood 
  by their families.
  WHO THEY’RE UP AGAINST
  There are four significant GMCs in this scenario. Charles 
  “Chaz” Malone and his son, Maurice Malone, are present at 
  Big Bay State Park for Maple’s birthday party and are also 
  active at Malone’s Motors & Junkyard. Ricky Adams Jr. and 
  his niece, Beatrix Adams, are at Big Bay State Park, but are 
  not present at other locations. Combined, these four char-
  acters have the ability to actively interfere with the charac-
  ters’ plans — or become their allies.
  Should the PCs take down Chaz and his sons, either 
  indirectly with the knowledge they gain or by investigating 
  their shop, they’re approached by an even bigger bad: Maple 
  Adams herself.
  RICHARD “RICKY” ADAMS JR.
  Ricky Adams Jr. is a self-proclaimed patriot and an all-around 
  family man. A conservative pundit, Ricky doesn’t really 
  buy into the rage-inducing speeches he gives, but his fist-
  pumping anger pays the bills and then some. In love with 
  his wife, he’d do anything to give her the life of her dreams 
  — provided he can continue to hog the spotlight when-
  ever possible.
  Wound Threshold: 55.
  Fear Stimulus: (Isolation) Afraid of becoming irrelevant.
  Noble Stimulus: Providing for his immediate family.
  Rage Stimulus: Lazy family members who don’t do their duty.
  Family Protector 55%*: Provides Wound Threshold, 
  Substitutes for Connect, Substitutes for Notice (* obses-
  sion identity).
  Pundit 
  65%: 
  Coerces 
  Connect, 
  Protects 
  Isolation, 
  Substitutes for Status.
  Possessions: Ricky Adams Jr. goes out of his way to buy 
  exclusively American-made items. His car, which he drives 
  everywhere, is a Buick Enclave.
  BEATRIX ADAMS
  A twenty-three-year-old manipulative socialite who cares 
  more about her appearance and reputation than money, 
  Beatrix is obsessed with the red carpet. She’s convinced 
  she’s nouveau riche and trained herself how to act and talk a 
  certain way in front of her great-grandmother — which has 
  not gone unnoticed by the rest of the family. Fortunately for 
  the cabal, Beatrix has fallen into disfavor with Maple after 
  spilling tea on her 1930s wedding dress and is desperate to 
  get back in her good graces.
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Fear Stimulus: (Self) Losing her beauty.
  Noble Stimulus: Rehabilitates abused puppies and trains 
  them to obey.
  Rage Stimulus: Anyone who badmouths her, whether they 
  mean to or not.
  Dog Trainer 50%: Provides Wound Threshold, Substitutes 
  for Dodge, Substitutes for Fitness.
  Socialite 80%*: Protects Isolation, Provides Initiative, 
  Substitutes for Connect (* obsession identity).
  RICKY ADAMS JR.
  Notches
  Violence 
  Unnatural
  Helplessness
  Isolation
  Self
  Hardened
  3
  1
  3
  2
  1
  Failed
  1
  0
  3
  3
  1
  BEATRIX ADAMS
  Notches
  Violence 
  Unnatural
  Helplessness
  Isolation
  Self
  Hardened
  1
  1
  3
  2
  1
  Failed
  1
  0
  3
  3
  1
  
  4
  CHARLES “TIME IT RIGHT, CHAZ” MALONE
  Chaz is a grump and doesn’t like to talk about himself or 
  his craft much. He says he’s a modest man and avoids 
  tours and interviews — unless, of course, he gets paid for 
  it by his agent. Stranger still, he never seems to finish a 
  custom bike by himself and expects his two sons to do all 
  the work. Chaz’s big secret? Even his hardworking sons, Bill 
  and Maurice, don’t know the bike shop is a cover for buying 
  and selling the occult artifacts he stores in the junkyard on 
  the black market. If only he could swallow his pride and ask 
  his sons for help. Good thing Maple Adams anonymously 
  rescued him after the last mysterious fire that tore through 
  his shop, otherwise he would’ve lost everything.
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Fear Stimulus: (Self) People finding out he’s a fake.
  Noble Stimulus: Getting troubled teens off the street.
  Rage Stimulus: Having something stolen from him.
  Chop Shop Owner 55%: Customizes motorcycles (unique), 
  Restores broken parts (unique), Substitutes for Lie.
  Black Market Occult Salesman 65%*: Casts Rituals, 
  Substitutes for Knowledge, Substitutes for Secrecy (* obses-
  sion identity).
  MAURICE MALONE
  Maurice got into something big the minute he turned eigh-
  teen, but even he’s not sure what the New Inquisition is. 
  He feels he’s helping, and the other members of The New 
  Inqusition treat him like family. Plus, the money’s good, 
  so that’s enough for him. Oh sure, he pretends to be the 
  dutiful son, but he knows his dad is a no-talent hack, and 
  he’s sick of cleaning up after him. That’s why he tried to 
  burn down the shop a few times; he figured if his dad could 
  make out good on the insurance money, he could retire, and 
  Maurice would be free to leave. Now he’s stuck, and he does 
  anything to get out from under Dad’s thumb.
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Fear Stimulus: (Isolation) Hooking up with the wrong crowd.
  Noble Stimulus: The assurance of knowledge being real 
  despite the ignorance of others. 
  Rage Stimulus: Picking up after his father.
  Chop Shop Worker 65%: Customizes motorcycles (unique), 
  Restores broken parts (unique), Substitutes for Notice.
  TNI Middle Management 55%*: Evaluates the Unnatural, 
  Provides Initiative, Substitutes for Knowledge (* obses-
  sion identity).
  MAURICE MALONE
  Notches
  Violence 
  Unnatural
  Helplessness
  Isolation
  Self
  Hardened
  5
  2
  3
  3
  2
  Failed
  1
  3
  0
  2
  0
  CHAZ MALONE
  Notches
  Violence 
  Unnatural
  Helplessness
  Isolation
  Self
  Hardened
  6
  5
  1
  2
  1
  Failed
  3
  1
  0
  0
  0
  
  5
  MAPLE ADAMS
  Maple claims she’s 101 years old, but she’s actually only 
  sixty-one. Unfortunately for her, Maple attempted to use 
  entropy magick to exact revenge on her lazy neighbors, the 
  damned souls who left her kids unsupervised by their pool — 
  but her spell backfired spectacularly. Not only did the blow-
  back age her body, she lost her husband to depression not 
  long afterward. Maple’s failure quickly became her biggest 
  regret, and where there’s grief, there’s obsession. For Maple, 
  her obsession is to undo the damage she’s done by finding 
  the right book, with the right spell, and the right heir, to 
  travel back in time and undo the mess she made.
  Since time travel isn’t “wibbly-wobbly,” Maple is fixing 
  her mistakes the best she can: by weaving an intricate 
  fabric of lies and stopping anyone else from so much 
  as talking about the supernatural. (Walter Adams, for 
  example, never existed. The photos that line her walls of 
  her son and his wife, Ann, actually depict her parents.) Of 
  course, her inability to abandon magick altogether does 
  make her a hypocrite, especially since she’s always on the 
  hunt for more occult books. If it wasn’t for her stepping 
  in and anonymously helping Chaz Malone, however, he 
  would’ve been bankrupt or worse — especially since his 
  shop has been plagued by a series of mysterious arson 
  attempts caused by his son, Maurice.
  Now, Maple refuses to practice magick. She has an eye for 
  recognizing occult artifacts, but she lost her touch years ago, 
  though there’s no quitting magick completely once you’re 
  on board. Depending on how things progress, she might be 
  forced back to “using.”
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Fear Stimulus: (Self) That she’s wasted her life on this 
  occult nonsense.
  Noble 
  Stimulus: 
  Participating 
  in 
  community 
  action programs.
  Rage Stimulus: Investigating her or her past without 
  her consent.
  Entropomancy 20%: Casts Rituals, Use Gutter Magick. 
  Currently inactive, and she has no charges accrued. Maple 
  has convinced herself it’s no longer part of her. For now.
  Family Matriarch 70%: Coerces Connect, Evaluates Self, 
  Substitutes for Lie.
  Faux Sleeper 50%*: Evaluates the Unnatural, Protects the 
  Unnatural, Substitutes for Secrecy (* obsession identity). 
  If she ever takes up magick again, Entropomancy becomes 
  her new obsession identity.
  Possessions: In addition to her house, occult book collec-
  tion, and all its fine furniture, Maple recently received a 
  cursed artifact. Unabashed, she is not above using the 
  tea set and drinking from it herself, if it means hurting 
  her enemies.
  LIZZIE BATY’S TEA SET
  Lizzie Baty, who was known as the Brampton Witch, was 
  an adept obsessed with finding lost artifacts. Her storied 
  legacy begins at the end of her life. In 1817, she revealed her 
  life’s work on her deathbed to a good friend: an enchanted 
  tea set decorated with tiny blue flowers. Lizzie warned her 
  friend that the china carried a blessing and a curse. Any 
  family member who drank from it would be blessed with 
  good health, while any stranger would suffer from an incur-
  able illness until the tea set was returned to a member of 
  the Baty family.
  Preserved and in perfect condition, the tea set is super-
  naturally charged with vitality. It confers the following 
  special abilities to its owner:
  • Relatives (by blood, marriage, or adoption) who 
  drink tea from it can choose to substitute the tea 
  set’s Fitness 80% for their own. This ability becomes 
  available again in 1d10 days.
  • Strangers in possession of the tea set, however, must 
  substitute a Fitness roll with 20% after they drink from 
  it; this compulsion refreshes 1d10 days later.
  • At any time after drinking tea from the set, the owner 
  may remove a failed notch from any of their shock 
  meters; for relatives, this may be done instead of using 
  it as a substitute for Fitness. The set’s vitality refreshes 
  after 1d10 days.
  • Any owner of the tea set that fails a Fitness roll after 
  drinking tea from the set experiences crippling and 
  horrific dreams of body horror: flesh wasting away, 
  bones crumbling, hair falling out, etc. This demands a 
  Self (5) stress check upon waking up.
  Shock Meter
  Hardened
  Failed
  Abilities
  Helplessness
  5
  2
  Fitness 55%
  Dodge 25%
  Isolation
  3
  2
  Status 60%
  Pursuit 20%
  Self
  6
  1
  Knowledge 50%
  Lie 30%
  Unnatural
  8
  3
  Notice 60%
  Secrecy 20%
  Violence
  4
  2
  Connect 60%
  Struggle 20%
  
  6
  SHARED LOCATIONS
  As the cabal investigates the who and why behind recent 
  family secrets, they discover how places are also key 
  puzzle pieces.
  BIG BAY STATE PARK
  Big Bay State Park is a state park located on Madeline Island 
  in Lake Superior, Wisconsin. The park features scenic views, 
  sandstone bluffs, and underwater caves. The 2,350-acre park 
  has a small parking lot and offers several miles of hiking 
  trails and small campsites. It only has one modern bathroom, 
  which is located near the entrance, and a few outhouses 
  scattered throughout. The island is accessible only by ferry.
  At this location for Maple’s party, the PCs can expect to:
  • Find picnic tables and trash cans dotting the 
  wooded shoreline.
  • Notice the cake, decorations, and roses are all Pepto-
  Bismol pink.
  • Discover they’ve been assigned to sit together at an 
  undecorated table.
  • See the area has been set up ahead of time with a 
  small stage, gift table, cake stand, and banquet tables 
  filled with potato chips, pineapple fluff, hot dogs, 
  hamburgers, and coolers full of water, pop, and beer.
  • Be reminded that Kevin Johnson got lost on the island 
  in 2006 and forced everyone to miss the ferry.
  • Witness the mind-numbing eyesore of kids wearing 
  matching paisley outfits.
  • Meet possibly important GMCs.
  While Big Bay State Park is a frequent destination for 
  both families, the family reunion and 102nd birthday party 
  for Maple Adams is the first time the PCs have visited the 
  park together in approximately ten years. To celebrate 
  Maple’s birthday, the Adams family is commemorating 
  events Maple has lived through in a play, including the son 
  who died in “that war,” Walter Adams, and the daughter 
  she lost to the measles, Jennifer. The Malones, on the other 
  hand, are giving a concert.
  Besides 
  Maple, 
  some 
  other 
  important 
  GMCs 
  present include:
  • Loudmouthed bully Ricky Adams Jr. and his fecund 
  wife, Barb, with their litter of fourteen sneering kids 
  organized the event.
  • Socialite Beatrix Adams, who is Lucinda’s sister 
  and recently disavowed by Maple, is helping with 
  the arrangements.
  • Muscle car-drivin’, motorcycle-ridin’, football-lovin’ 
  family of mechanics: the Malones. “Chaz” and 
  his two sons, Bill and Maurice. They mostly keep 
  to themselves.
  The Adams and Malone families aren’t planning on 
  staying the night, especially since dear old Maple needs 
  to be escorted back to her home. Ricky Jr. makes it clear 
  he’s holding Kevin responsible for the cabal and wants to 
  make sure everyone’s accounted for at all times. After all, it 
  was Kevin’s fault they missed the ferry home last time, and 
  this day is too important to screw up. If any part of their 
  plan goes awry — the chiggers start biting, the kids get too 
  obnoxious, Maple falls over from exhaustion — the reunion 
  is deemed a failure and the cabal is blamed for it.
  Other than a few time leeches near the outhouses at the 
  northernmost edges of the park, someone has seen to it 
  that the area is temporarily free of outside supernatural 
  influences. Thus, should the cabal experience supernatural 
  effects, witness rituals, discover occult tomes, or find an out 
  of place artifact, like a Nampa figurine, those oddities are 
  present because of the GMCs and their active schemes to 
  get on Maple’s good side and punish the cabal, not in spite 
  of them.
  See “Time 
  Leeches” on 
  page 91 of 
  Book Three 
  Reveal.
  
  7
  ADAMS MANOR
  Bayfield, Wisconsin is a sleepy town with a population of 
  500. Established in the mid-1850s, the town and the county 
  were named after surveyor Henry Bayfield of the British 
  Royal Topographic Engineers. Besides boasting Victorian-
  style homes, Bayfield is also home to the Adams family 
  matriarch, Maple Adams, who’s rumored to be sitting on a 
  cool $100 million in inheritance.
  Maple lives in a quaint, lemon with white trim, three-story 
  Victorian house with more drafts than the US Army. The 
  striped wallpaper smells like lilacs, the cherry furniture is 
  covered in plastic and stiffly starched doilies, and dozens of 
  family photos line her walls — including Walter and Jennifer, 
  the son and daughter no other family member has ever met.
  While the PCs can request a tour, most of Maple’s visitors 
  don’t make it past the first floor. Each floor of the house 
  contains a different secret, and unless Maple is comfortable 
  exposing the skeletons in her closet, the PCs are forbidden 
  to take a closer look.
  At Adams Manor, the PCs might:
  • See a picture of Jeffrey Adams at his high school 
  graduation, and notches on a door frame marking his 
  height from toddler to high school senior. Jeffrey was a 
  frequent visitor to the home, but he was always accom-
  panied by a parent and not allowed to wander freely.
  • Find a Victorian-era flower clock garden in the gated 
  backyard. The blossoms, like the evening primrose, 
  open and close throughout the day, allowing the viewer 
  to tell time.
  • Hear Maple talk about the ghost of Richard Adams, 
  who wanders the cellar in search of a perfect vintage.
  • Be afraid to touch anything that isn’t covered in plastic 
  for fear of breaking it.
  • See a wall of family photos detailing Maple’s life history.
  • Be dissuaded from visiting the second-floor library. 
  The bindings of the books look to be as old as Maple 
  pretends to be and cover up the fact that the library is 
  filled with occult lore.
  • Be forbidden from unlocking the door to the attic. If 
  the PCs rifle through the boxes and trunks there, they 
  would quickly unravel Maple’s deception.
  • Notice idiosyncrasies that don’t add up, like the 
  WWII-era posters circa 1985, the WWI-era toy soldiers 
  stamped “Made in China,” and the ivory flapper dress 
  that’s made from modern fabrics like Lycra.
  • Be served tea and petit fours with a 1930s-era Royal 
  Albert “Old English Rose” tea set (note: this is not Lizzie 
  Baty’s cursed tea set… she won’t use that unless she 
  wants to do harm to the cabal).
  The house is a testament to the story of a past the 
  matriarch never experienced. Upon close inspection of the 
  knickknacks and decorations, the cabal surely notices Maple 
  is hiding something.
  MALONE’S MOTORS & JUNKYARD
  Located in Duluth, Minnesota, Malone’s Motors & Junkyard 
  is a landmark shop that has been featured on the Discovery 
  Channel. Home to Charles “Time it Right, Chaz” Malone and 
  his two sons Bill and Maurice, the shop works on cars and 
  motorcycles by day, and builds unique, customizable bikes 
  by night. The Malones work hard, but don’t believe in any of 
  that art-is-sacred crap. Chaz tells anybody who listens that 
  what he and his boys do isn’t art; it’s a testament to the 
  power of the machine — or is it? Neither mechanic is very 
  good at what they do, and yet they’ve still managed to build 
  a pile of cash, guns, and the admiration of millions.
  There’s a small parking lot in the front, and an even 
  smaller one in the back. Other than the fact that a liquor 
  store is nearby, most drivers would pass Malone’s Motors 
  right on by — if it wasn’t for its stellar national reputation. 
  The PCs won’t discover anything out of the ordinary inside 
  the shop, but if they nose around outside, they might:
  • Notice Malone’s Motors is a two-story building with 
  attached garage and four stalls. The building is a rusty 
  brown and the paint is peeling (the first “o” in “Motors” 
  has almost completely faded), and some of the garage’s 
  windows are warped. Stevie, who visited this location 
  as a child, remembers that nothing has changed.
  • Find a 1990s Honda “crotch rocket” with a metallic 
  gold-to-purple paint job is bolted to the roof as a 
  gaudy showpiece.
  • See security is unusually tight. A row of bright, roving 
  floodlights lines the perimeter of the building.
  • Read a sign claiming the junkyard out back is the “Fifth 
  Wonder of Duluth, Minnesota.”
  • Peer at piles of ‘57 Chevys, kindergarten desks, 
  Commodore 64s, pressure cookers, wire hangers, 
  and vintage furniture that threaten to collapse at 
  any moment.
  • Find the ten-acre junkyard is guarded by a giant cobalt 
  blue sculpture of Paul Bunyan’s ox, Babe. The Malones 
  have renamed it “Scruffy.”
  If the cabal can unlock the junkyard’s secrets, they find 
  more than they’ve bargained for — especially since those in 
  the know suspect there might be an otherspace (or three) 
  hiding in plain sight.
  BABE, THE BIG BLUE ZERO OX AKA SCRUFFY
  SIGNIFICANT UNNATURAL ENTITY
  Though its true name is Babe, the metal-and-bone contrap-
  tion was renamed Scruffy by a young Maurice Malone after 
  Chaz bought it at auction. According to occult historians, 
  Scruffy is a supernaturally glued together frankenbeast, 
  crafted by an anonymous engineer. Scruffy acts similar to 
  the Zero Heron, which leads some occultists to believe they 
  were designed by the same engineer. Unlike the Zero Heron, 
  however, Scruffy was made to disenchant artifacts, so 
  they lose their magickal charge instead of being destroyed. 
  The Malones keep anything they don’t want disenchanted 
  outside of Scruffy’s range.
  Wound Threshold: 200.
  Disenchant 40%: Scruffy sets off the equivalent of a 
  magickal EMP blast if it detects the presence of an artifact 
  within twenty feet of it. With a successful Disenchant check, 
  the artifact temporarily loses power, and regains it after 
  2d10 hours.
  Should Scruffy take 100 or more wounds, the ox sets off 
  one final magickal EMP blast, at a radius of 3d10 miles. Any 
  magickal artifact in the area needs to be tested for efficacy 
  with a Disenchant check. Once Scruffy takes 150 or more 
  wounds, its body begins to disintegrate at a rate of 1d10 per 
  hour until it is destroyed.
  See “Zero 
  Heron, The” 
  on page 109 of 
  Book Three: 
  Reveal.
  
  8
  FIRST SESSION BREAKDOWN
  Possible Milestones: 
  • Talk to Maple.
  • Corner Beatrix.
  • Eavesdrop on conversations.
  • Spy on Ricky Adams Jr.
  By the end of this session, the players should realize that 
  Beatrix Adams has been written out of Maple Adams’s will, 
  and that Barb Adams is the primary source of the rumors. 
  While Misty Malone is a secondary source of information, 
  she is less vindictive than Barb.
  If the cabal attempts to use magick, Chaz Malone extends 
  an invitation to them to visit him at his shop at Maple’s 
  insistence. This is to dissuade the cabal from visiting Maple 
  prematurely and sticking their noses where she’s not sure 
  they belong.
  The second part of the first session reveals what the 
  characters know about the supernatural and, more impor-
  tantly, how they think magick can help them. The important 
  takeaway for the cabal should be that they’re not the only 
  ones in the family who have had a brush with the supernat-
  ural. If the PCs don’t discover this fact on their own, one of 
  the GMCs drops a fairly obvious red flag comment within 
  earshot to the effect of knowing about supernatural activity 
  or phenomena.
  THE SITUATION
  Given that the cabal’s objective is grounded in fact-finding 
  and observation, encourage the PCs to hit investigative 
  milestones as they uncover more details in the first session. 
  If by some chance they happen to meet their objective 
  before reaching 100% as a result of investigative play, 
  remind them they can transfer half of their current objective 
  percentiles to a new objective right away.
  SESSION HOOK
  The cabal is invited to the Adams-Malone family reunion by 
  a flowery handwritten invitation on rose-scented stationery. 
  Unbeknownst to the cabal, the Adams family matriarch, 
  Maple Adams, sent them this personal note to ensure they 
  would attend the event. The reunion was planned by a 
  few close-knit members of the Adams and Malone families, 
  and was timed to celebrate Maple Adams’s 102nd birthday. 
  The rest of the family wanted to impress the matriarch 
  without the cabal’s interference, for she is planning on 
  naming new heirs to her estate. With the cabal present at 
  Maple’s request, can they show why they’re worthy of $100 
  million? Can they identify who’s plotting against them? 
  Or do they turn the tables on their relatives and sabotage 
  their reputations?
  When the cabal arrives at the state park, they are not 
  aware of the following:
  • Which family members they can and can’t trust.
  • Who key family members are.
  • Why the cabal was excluded from the planning 
  and invitations.
  • What’s being said about them.
  • Why Maple wanted both the Malones and the 
  Adamses present.
  • What, if any, occult activity is happening in the area.
  • When Maple’s big surprise takes place and what it is.
  What the cabal knows and doesn’t know allows them 
  to ask questions and designate a milestone on the path 
  to achieving their objective. To kick off the reunion, GMs 
  should seat the cabal at their designated table away from 
  the other family members. Then, put a microphone in Ricky 
  Adams Jr.’s hand and give a marker and a stack of nametags 
  to a red-eyed Beatrix Adams. As the pair roams from table 
  to table, making sure everybody knows everybody else, offer 
  the cabal chances to notice how their presence is perceived 
  by the other tables. Give them a couple of simple rolls to 
  get a sense of the exclusionary mood and atmosphere in 
  addition to eavesdropping.
  UNINVITED
  When Ricky Jr. finally shows up at their table, he rudely 
  tosses them a schedule. Key events have already been 
  circled on the program, a not-so-subtle hint that the cabal is 
  supposed to leave the immediate area until they’re wanted 
  at the banquet. After a quick skim, they notice they’re not 
  invited to the Adams Family Play and the Musical Tribute 
  from the Malones. Then, Beatrix follows right behind him. 
  Unlike Ricky Jr., Beatrix avoids making eye contact with 
  the group. She plops down blank nametags and the marker, 
  then makes a beeline for the ferry landing without a word.
  After the GM has set up this initial scene, the cabal can 
  safely share their feelings and figure out their next steps. 
  This is a great opportunity for the GM to introduce Misty 
  Malone, especially if the PCs are being antisocial. Misty is 
  a curious fount of information who asks innocently worded 
  questions like:
  • “Why do you think Ricky Jr. is mad at you?”
  • “Is it true that Jeffrey and Lucinda can’t have kids?”
  • “Did you notice the way Maple was looking at Lucinda?”
  • “There’s two performances on this list. Why didn’t they 
  ask Stevie to play?”
  • “Beatrix looks like she’s been crying. I wonder why she’s 
  blaming that on Rachel.”
  • “Is Kevin going home early? That’s what Barb said.”
  • “Mon Dieu! They translated Baudelaire’s ‘Evening 
  Harmony’ into English, and they did it wrong. Why 
  wouldn’t they ask Rachel for help?”
  • “Somebody printed clipart of a football player on the 
  back. Was that to piss off Jeff?”
  Whether the PCs decide to answer these questions or 
  not, GMs should give the cabal a few minutes to talk to the 
  GMCs in the park. Then, when they least expect it, shock 
  See 
  “Objectives” 
  on page 13 of 
  Book Two: 
  Run.
  
  9
  the PCs into awareness with a blood-curdling Wilhelm 
  scream. Beatrix has returned with Maple’s special surprise, 
  whom no one — especially Kevin and Rachel — expected to 
  see. It is none other than Nikki Malone-Johnson.
  If Misty is around, Nikki’s sudden appearance triggers a 
  new series of questions.
  • “Where do ya think Nikki has been all this time?”
  • “Why is Maple crying?”
  • “Rachel! That’s your mom. Aren’t you happy to see her?”
  • “Did Beatrix find Nikki for Maple?”
  • “Oh God. You’re not upset, are you Kevin?”
  • “Ricky Jr. looks pissed. Didn’t he know what the 
  surprise was?”
  As it turns out, being the wife of a sexy flamenco dancer 
  was not as exciting as Nikki thought it’d be. Recently 
  divorced and remarried, Nikki found love in the stars. Her 
  new wife, Dr. Ekene White, is a renowned astrophysicist 
  working for NASA — a fact that has impressed Maple, who 
  welcomes Nikki back like a long-lost daughter.
  No doubt, seeing Nikki Malone-Johnson-Amator-now-
  White in the flesh sends everybody present into a tizzy. This 
  gives the PCs the perfect opportunity to catch their relatives 
  offguard and dish with them to find out more information. 
  As GM, you should also set up a way for Kevin and Rachel to 
  confront Nikki in front of everyone.
  Once the cabal gets over their initial shock of Maple’s 
  surprise guest, relay how the GMCs are caught up in Nikki 
  Fever. Suddenly, the pressure is off and the PCs won’t be 
  watched as closely, which gives them the chance to dig up 
  more dirt on their relatives.
  CUE THE UNUSUAL, UNCANNY, 
  AND UNBELIEVABLE
  Despite appearances to the contrary, the supernatural is 
  omnipresent and occult secrets are waiting to be explored, 
  even at a state park in northern Wisconsin. Depending upon 
  the cabal, some PCs might avoid investigating their relatives 
  and family drama, and prioritize what they can find out 
  about the occult instead.
  Evidence of the supernatural is around, but in the begin-
  ning, PCs must whip out their magnifying glasses and 
  unicursal hexagrams to find it. It is much easier to engage 
  the occult in later sessions, once the PCs have a strong foot-
  hold in the story.
  The secrets the PCs can unlock are:
  • Maurice carries a vinyl keycard in his wallet. Three 
  letters are imprinted on the front next to his name 
  and photo ID: TNI. “C Clearance” is on the back.
  • Near the outhouses at Big Bay State Park on the far 
  side of the reserve, confused visitors report missing 
  time events in hushed whispers.
  • One of Maple’s gifts is from an anonymous admirer. 
  It’s a leather-bound, embossed copy of My Name is 
  Dirk A.
  • Bill is sporting a T-shirt honoring Scruffy, the sculpture 
  of a giant blue ox which guards their junkyard. Literally.
  • Nikki is wearing a filigree necklace with jet beads from 
  the 1920s. It supposedly belonged to Maple.
  • Beatrix has given her great-grandmother an antique 
  tea set that Maple is afraid to inspect.
  • The combined gift from the Malones and Adamses is 
  a photo album and scrapbook depicting key events in 
  Maple’s life. She smiles and nods, but savvy PCs notice 
  something’s off.
  • Ricky Jr. and Barb have given Maple a worn, family 
  bible they claim protects her. This bible is a faux 
  artifact and has no magickal significance whatsoever.
  • Chaz has unwittingly given Maple an authentic artifact. 
  He thought his gift was a replica of an astrolabe 
  that belonged to Hypatia of Alexandria, a legendary 
  philosopher and mathematician who lived from 
  approximately 370 to 415 CE. Unbeknownst to Chaz, 
  it’s actually the real McCoy.
  The PCs are encouraged to use this information in future 
  sessions when visiting Adams Manor in Bayfield, Wisconsin 
  and Malone Motors & Junkyard in Duluth, Minnesota. To 
  visit Adams Manor, they simply need to ask Maple for an 
  invitation. Malone Motors & Junkyard is even easier to visit: 
  the PCs can drive up and ask for a tour or be invited.
  MOVING THE DAY ALONG
  The listed events on the program is a way for the 
  GM to keep track of time, frame the first session, 
  and apply pressure to the PCs to act. Should the 
  pace slow to a crawl, consider giving the PCs a 
  ten-minute warning that an event is about to begin. 
  Alternatively, a GMC might assign the cabal an active 
  role in those events. This gives the PCs something 
  to do, shows the passage of time, and retains the 
  tension. In this style of play, the story comes first and 
  time is relative.
  ADAMS-MALONE FAMILY REUNION
  10:00 Welcoming Committee (Ricky Jr. and Barb 
  Adams and Family)
  11:00 Surprise for Maple
  12:00 Banquet
  1:00 Adams Family Play
  2:00 Musical Tribute from the Malones
  3:30 Opening of Gifts
  5:00 S’mores and Hot Dogs
  6:00 Clean Up
  7:00 Last Ferry Departs
  If your players require specificity, however, don’t be 
  afraid to clarify what the in-game equivalent of an 
  hour is. This technique won’t work for every group, 
  but some may benefit from a strict set of guidelines 
  like this for their first session.
  It’s Lizzie 
  Baty’s tea set, 
  in fact. See 
  page 5.
  The New 
  Inquisition. 
  See their entry 
  on page 85 of 
  Book Two: 
  Run.
  
  10
  THE EXTENDED FAMILY
  There are several minor characters present at Big Bay State 
  Park who are related to the PCs.  Most of the GMCs on 
  this scale have petty attitudes and long-standing reasons 
  to dislike each other, but they aren’t necessarily tied to the 
  occult. Or, if they are, they don’t necessarily know what 
  they have signed up for.
  With the exception of Maple and Chaz, most of these 
  characters are considered minor for a few reasons. First, 
  the PCs aren’t expected to encounter them again anytime 
  soon. Second, by filling the area with minor characters, the 
  PCs have an easier time getting the information they need, 
  thereby drawing themselves deeper into Maple’s web.
  Maple Adams’s maiden name is Malone and she has kept 
  in touch with both families through the years. She chooses 
  either an Adams or a Malone to become the executor of her 
  estate. Maple was married to Richard Adams, who is now 
  deceased, and claims she had two children: Walter, who 
  died in “that war,” and Jennifer, who was lost to the measles. 
  Neither one of these kids ever existed.
  The following is a list of relatives present at the family 
  reunion that the PCs won’t interact with much. The GM 
  should pay attention to which minor characters the PCs 
  are responding to and bump up their stats accordingly. 
  Note that Nikki, the surprise guest, is presented as a 
  minor character.
  BARB ADAMS
  Strung-Out Homemaker 65%
  Ricky Jr.’s wife and mother of fourteen bright-eyed, 
  cherubic hellions. Think Martha Stewart high on caffeine. 
  Practices kumbhaka pranayama (breath retention) to 
  manage her stress at inopportune moments. She’s bound 
  and determined to do whatever her husband tells her to do, 
  which includes spreading rumors about the PCs.
  FRED AND MICHAEL ADAMS
  Football Jocks 80%
  Brothers to Jeffrey Adams, and star football players at 
  competing universities (Michigan and Notre Dame). Though 
  they both have similar Rah! Rah! Rah! personalities, they 
  share a friendly but animated rivalry. For them, there is foot-
  ball and nothing else, which is why they get along great with 
  the Malones.
  BRUCE AND CHESTER ADAMS
  Professors of History 70%
  Bruce and Chester are recently married history professors 
  at the University of Minnesota. They are the picture-perfect, 
  sickeningly sweet, totally–in–love couple and the envy of 
  the other family members. They want Maple’s money to 
  help fund the adoption of a child.
  MARK AND CINDY ADAMS
  Strident Conservatives 60%
  Mark is Lucinda’s brother, and won’t shut up about her 
  needing to “find a man” because her “clock is ticking.” Mark 
  met Cindy at a Trump rally and was married not long after-
  ward. Now, they’re expecting twins. Both Mark and Cindy 
  have strong, uneducated opinions about everything — espe-
  cially bookworms like Lucinda.
  MISTY MALONE
  Genealogical Prodigy 80%, Independent Mind 60%
  Misty is Stevie’s sister and Rachel’s cousin. An eternal 
  optimist, 4.0 student, and zydeco band junkie, Misty 
  is eighteen and plans to take a year off from school to 
  figure out what career she wants to pursue. She’s become 
  obsessed with the Malone-Adams family tree and is deeply 
  committed to staying in the know about all her relatives. 
  She is also the anonymous relative who gifted Maple a copy 
  of My Name is Dirk A.
  BILL MALONE
  Beer-Loving Loner 55%
  Stevie and Rachel’s cousin. Bill is Maurice Malone’s 
  brother, and the son of Charles “Chaz” Malone of Malone’s 
  Motors. He’s gruff, suffers from deep social anxiety, and 
  prefers to keep his own company. A keen observer, Bill 
  knows the truth about his dad, but won’t confront him 
  because he has nowhere else to go. Bill is also a micro-
  brew aficionado.
  NIKKI WHITE 
  AKA Nikki Malone-Johnson
  Family Gadfly 70%, Free Spirit 40%
  She’s Kevin’s ex-wife and Rachel’s mother. The rest of the 
  PCs know her as her “Auntie.” She is flamboyant, loves to 
  wear bright colors, and has the attention span of half a gnat. 
  Those outside of the cabal view her as immature. Nikki 
  considers herself to be a free spirit who suffocates if she’s 
  tied down with any responsibilities. She’s also a red herring 
  for the PCs, for Nikki appears to be the only other relative, 
  besides Beatrix, who figured out what Maple’s secret is. The 
  truth? Nikki doesn’t know much about anything and, what’s 
  more, the art deco necklace Maple admires was a gift from 
  her wife. Nikki’s presence is like her character: unexpected 
  and splashy, without a lot of substance.
  OTHER ANTAGONISTS
  In the first session, time leeches cause visitors to experience 
  missing time.
  See “Time 
  Leeches” on 
  page 91 of 
  Book Three 
  Reveal.
  
  11
  THE CAMPAIGN
  From this point forward, the sketches of future sessions are based on the following assumptions:
  • The cabal believes Maple Adams is hiding something.
  • Chaz Malone deserves further scrutiny.
  • Many of Maple’s gifts are likely connected to 
  the occult.
  Following the close of the first session, the PCs have a 
  lot of options, especially if they’ve met their objective 
  already. What they decide could be based on a location 
  or what a GMC has revealed to them. Assuming that the 
  PCs have figured out Beatrix was backstabbing them, their 
  next session might be to invite themselves over to Maple’s 
  house or corner Beatrix on the way home. There’s always 
  the chance the PCs miss the ferry and are stuck in Big Bay 
  State Park for round two.
  If the PCs are totally stumped once they return to shore, 
  Maple can always send the cabal another flowery, hand-
  written letter that announces she’s considering making Chaz 
  Malone and only one of his sons, Maurice, her beneficiary. 
  Since Bill is intentionally left out of the note, this gives the 
  cabal another mystery to explore. Plus, it shows that Maple 
  is the queen of passive-aggressive behavior. With these 
  assumptions in mind, the following session sketches demon-
  strate a path the PCs might choose.
  EARLY SESSIONS
  TEA TIME WITH MAPLE
  Possible Milestones:
  • “Borrow” a gift.
  • Get an invitation to afternoon tea.
  • Make friends with Beatrix.
  • Replace Beatrix as Maple’s errand runners.
  A good place to start looking for occult artifacts and 
  books is to inspect the gifts that Maple received for her 
  birthday. To do that, the PCs might invite themselves over 
  to Maple’s house for tea or, alternatively, the devil they 
  know — Beatrix Adams — might ask them to help her 
  unpack and store Maple’s gifts. Beatrix’s reasoning for doing 
  so is multi-layered. First, she wants to threaten Maple by 
  exposing her secret to the cabal. Second, Beatrix wants to 
  undermine the cabal by showing how much she’s learned 
  about the occult. Toss in sister-to-sister rivalry, and much of 
  the session turns into a battle of wits.
  The second antagonist at Adams Manor is Maple herself. 
  Unless she’s directly attacked, Maple plays the victim perfectly, 
  because she’s not ready to make her move just yet. She is, 
  however, going to assess the cabal’s actions from the moment 
  they walk through the door. Maple knows full well what 
  artifacts and books are magickal and which ones aren’t. She’s 
  interested in finding out if the PCs can unlock that puzzle for 
  themselves, which is why she looks the other way if one of 
  them decides to sneak upstairs to take a peek at her library.
  Additionally, it should be noted that Adams Manor is 
  haunted. Sort of. As it turns out, the ghosts wandering the 
  garden and the howls emanating from the cellar aren’t actu-
  ally spirits, but auditory illusions Maple engineered to sort 
  out the true occult experts from Hellblazer fans.
  TROUBLESHOOTING
  Some cabals may not trust Maple enough to start and 
  may try to sneak past her instead. Unlike Ricky Jr., Maple has 
  a long fuse that burns slowly. As long as the cabal doesn’t 
  threaten her secret by breaking into the locked attic, she 
  entertains their curiosity. Maple is an expert liar and has a 
  thousand explanations prepped and ready.
  JUNKYARD BULL
  Possible Milestones: 
  • Spy on the Malones.
  • Ask Beatrix for intel.
  • Request a tour of Malone Motors.
  • Have an escape plan.
  The cabal is ready to get their hands on magickal artifacts 
  and occult tomes. Being new to the occult, however, the 
  PCs need guidance to figure out how to do just that. They 
  could steal an artifact from Maple Adams, but that would 
  quickly sour future interactions with her. Another way to 
  get an artifact, however, is to ask Beatrix Adams where she 
  purchased Maple’s gift. When pressed, she freely offers that 
  she bought it from Chaz Malone; at this point, Beatrix has 
  nothing to lose and everything to gain. Of course, if the 
  cabal is friendly with Maple, she might suggest that they 
  take a trip to Malone Motors & Junkyard for a tour of their 
  backyard, too.
  When the PCs arrive at Malone Motors & Junkyard, Chaz 
  is not present — and his sons don’t allow any strangers to 
  tour the property without him, not even their relatives. Both 
  Maurice and Bill are openly hostile for different reasons. 
  Maurice is a naïve, up-and-coming member of the New 
  Inquisition, who is attempting to stage a coup and acquire 
  both Maple’s assets and his dad’s to further Alex Abel’s 
  agenda. Bill, on the other hand, is the son who obeys. He 
  doesn’t know what Maurice is up to, but he loyally follows 
  his father’s instructions.
  In their father’s absence, the sons guard the facility during 
  the day. Thus, the best time for the cabal to break into 
  the junkyard is at night. Once they’re inside, the cabal has 
  precious few moments to pick an artifact and start running. 
  Just as they try to escape, they hear a preternatural grunt 
  and see the air filling up with steam — it’s Scruffy in all its 
  blue ox glory.
  TROUBLESHOOTING
  Because Beatrix views the cabal to be her replacement, 
  she gladly sells them an artifact should they contact her. To 
  make amends, she replaces Lizzie Baty’s cursed tea set that 
  she gave Maple with a non-magickal artifact, apologizing 
  profusely to Maple, and regifts it to the cabal. Unbeknownst 
  to them, of course. Ah, family!
  Alternatively, if the cabal has impressed Maple, they could 
  ask her for help. Should this happen, Maple gives them 
  what they want — with no warning. She wants to see what 
  
  they can do, and won’t hesitate to throw them into a hot, 
  sticky mess.
  Lastly, it should be noted that the cabal might attempt 
  to create an artifact. If and when this happens, note that 
  the antagonists don’t have the means of helping them. This 
  is by design. In order for the PCs to supplant their rivals, 
  they need to have more knowledge than they do about the 
  occult — which is all part of Maple’s plan.
     MID-GAME SESSIONS
  NORTHERN EXPOSURE
  Possible Milestones: 
  • Cue the paparazzi.
  • Distract the Malones.
  • Plan for a double-cross.
  • Lay a trap.
  This session has a lot of flexibility in terms of what the 
  cabal can do, but they need to think quickly and creatively 
  if they want to catch the Malones red-handed. If the cabal 
  has already established themselves as rivals, the Malones 
  won’t trust them, so it’s that much harder to lure them into 
  a trap. Here, the goal is to obtain irrefutable evidence that 
  the Malones are selling occult artifacts on the black market 
  — and that this is the real reason for the family’s success, not 
  their mechanical aptitude.
  The cabal can take down the Malones in a number of 
  different ways, and they can use magick to do it both 
  directly and indirectly. Here are some suggestions:
  • Record the sale of an occult artifact to Chaz Malone.
  • Take photographs of the junkyard or its inventory.
  • Attack one of the Malones with magick and force 
  a reaction.
  • Manipulate Bill to fight and join the cabal.
  • Become best buds with Maurice and “join” The New 
  Inquisition. In return, he agrees to help the cabal, 
  admitting he’s after Maple.
  If the PCs did manage to glean information that Maple 
  Adams is secretly funding and orchestrating the Malones’ 
  success, they should still acquire proof of their claims before 
  confronting Maple. Otherwise, it’s just talk, and Maple can’t 
  stand windbags.
  TROUBLESHOOTING
  Depending upon how the PCs interacted with the 
  Malones previously, this session may require the GM to 
  bump up the stats for Maurice or Bill (+20% to one of their 
  identities should do it). Alternatively, if the PCs explored 
  Maurice’s hidden agenda, they can use what little they know 
  to strike a deal with either Chaz or Bill. A deal with either 
  son would not only shift alliances, but the tone of future 
  sessions as well.
  TRUTH TO POWER
  Possible Milestones: 
  • Bribe a witness.
  • Kidnap a Malone.
  • Race to Adams Manor.
  • Prove magick is real.
  • Sneak up to the third floor.
  
  13
  The purpose of this session is to confront Maple, for 
  better or for worse, with the evidence that Chaz Malone 
  isn’t all he’s cracked up to be. Chaz is already present when 
  the cabal arrives. Here, Maple’s concern is the survival of the 
  fittest. Of the two groups, the Malones or the cabal, who 
  is stronger? Though she’s not aware of Maurice’s under-
  handed schemes, Maple desires someone who can help her 
  keep a lid on the supernatural and potentially join her as a 
  faux-Sleeper.
  When Maple Adams, the lynchpin of this story, has 
  finished listening to both sides, she tells the groups she 
  needs time to make up her mind. Then, she arranges 
  for a small picnic for all concerned at Big Bay State Park. 
  Suggestions for future milestones build not only off the 
  cabal’s success, but also the knowledge they’ve gained 
  thus far.
  These milestones might be:
  • Become an adept.
  • Find out Maple’s secret and destroy her with it.
  • Take over Malone’s Motors & Junkyard.
  • Recreate Scruffy in miniature size.
  • Infiltrate TNI and sabotage it from the inside.
  • Recover and return Lizzie Baty’s tea set to her relatives.
  Most of the cabal’s future goals can be plotted with one 
  or two milestones to wrap up any lingering family matters. 
  You should present Maple’s invitation as a dangling carrot. 
  Since she obviously knows more than she’s letting on, who 
  knows what else the PCs could learn?
  TROUBLESHOOTING
  The word “truth” in this session has many different sides 
  to it, and the PCs might play their hand and reveal Maple’s 
  lies to her. It may be challenging for the PCs to assess what 
  Maple wants, because she is still an unknown at this point 
  — and that’s OK. What deal Maple offers the cabal depends 
  upon their interactions with other characters and their 
  allegiances, regardless of their attitudes toward the occult. 
  If the end of this session results in a lot of question marks 
  instead of answers, the cabal is that much more surprised 
  when they return to Big Bay State Park.
  CONFRONTATION
  Possible Milestones: 
  • Predict what Maple says.
  • Ally with Beatrix.
  • Ally with Bill.
  • Expose Maurice as an arsonist.
  • Confess supernatural experiences.
  This is it. The last session of the campaign, where the 
  winners take all — or do they? Similar to the first session, 
  the PCs can interact with the other characters until Maple 
  is ready to speak.
  Over hamburgers and lemonade, Maple tells everyone the 
  details of her story and some of the truth about who she is. 
  Though she won’t reveal that she’s a Sleeper, she mentions 
  that she has been making amends ever since she lost her 
  husband. Regardless of what details the cabal has already 
  gleaned, the purpose of Maple’s short recap of her life is 
  to stress that she cannot make up for her numerous lies. 
  In fact, Maple tells the family members that she has been 
  testing them for several years, because her sins are so grave 
  she needs help atoning for them. Then, at this point, Maple 
  turns to the cabal and asks them to serve the family in her 
  stead by hunting down and suppressing knowledge of the 
  occult and its practitioners.
  In exchange for being her sword and her shield, Maple 
  signs her entire inheritance over to the cabal. And, at their 
  discretion, the PCs can assign additional beneficiaries to 
  share in that gift. If they accept, the cabal is forbidden to 
  use magick ever again. If they dare use magick again and 
  get caught, Maple declares that she’s immediately signing 
  her inheritance over to Ricky Jr. and Barb (she won’t — she’d 
  rather give it to the Malones, or the cabal, but this is her 
  exercising her muscle). Regardless, Maple’s deal — whether 
  they take it or leave it — is designed to prevent the cabal 
  from ever performing magick again.
  TROUBLESHOOTING
  Does the cabal accept Maple’s one-time offer? Or, are 
  they already hooked on the occult? Should the cabal decline, 
  which seems likely given how obsessed they are, they are 
  on the outs as soon as they make their decision. There is a 
  loophole, however, that the PCs can exploit: they can try to 
  coerce Maple to revise the terms of her deal, especially since 
  the matriarch has put the entire family in a world of hurt for 
  so many years. Or they could just wait for her to die, though 
  that’s taken a long time already.
  Even if they accept the conditions, they can probably get 
  away with using magick on the sly. Maple isn’t omniscient. 
  However, this carries a big risk of losing everything.
  
  14
  KEVIN JOHNSON
  Kevin is an older man with dark skin and close-cropped hair. 
  He’s of average height and size, and he’s in his mid to late 
  fifties. He dresses plainly and enjoys wearing comfortable 
  shoes and button-down shirts.
  Obsession: Kevin is obsessed with reconstructing key 
  battles of the past in minute detail because the Civil War 
  was a struggle worth fighting.
  Civil War Re-Enactor 65%*: Provides Initiative, Substitutes 
  for Dodge, Substitutes for Fitness (* obsession identity).
  Father 35%: Coerces Connect, Evaluates Helplessness, 
  Substitutes for Secrecy.
  School Custodian 20%: Evaluates Isolation, Substitutes for 
  Knowledge, Substitutes for Notice.
  PASSIONS
  Fear: (Isolation) Dying alone and unloved.
  Noble: Reconciliation with his ex-wife.
  Rage: Bullies of any kind, especially family members.
  RELATIONSHIPS
  One is provided; choose two more.
   
  Favorite __%
   
  Guru __%
   
  Mentor __%
   
  Protégé __%
   
  Responsibility Rachel 45% 
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Possessions: Collects self-help audiotapes by Tony Robbins 
  and Shonda Rhimes that he plays whenever he’s feeling 
  low. Carries an impressive (and extremely valuable) set of 
  Civil War-era surgeon’s tools and apothecary jars filled with 
  whiskey, opium, chloroform, and quinine locked in the trunk 
  of his 2001 Chevy Malibu.
  Important Locations: Big Bay State Park.
  Kevin realized the supernatural was real after he lost 
  time for an hour in 2006 during his last trip to Big Bay State 
  Park on Madeline Island with his then-wife, Nikki, and their 
  daughter, Rachel. He currently lives in San Mateo, California 
  and works as a school custodian. During the summer 
  months, Kevin devotes his energy to filling the shoes of Civil 
  War surgeons, like Jonathan Letterman, and travels thou-
  sands of miles to amputate limbs and save dying soldiers. 
  Kevin blames himself for his family problems and takes the 
  brunt of the abuse for his ex-wife’s mysterious departure — 
  until he doesn’t.
  If Kevin came into a lot of money through his family, he’d 
  use it to further his Civil War re-enactments but — more 
  importantly — use it to win back Nikki.
  Shock Meter
  Hardened
  Failed
  Abilities
  Helplessness
  1
  1
  Fitness 60%
  Dodge 20%
  Isolation
  3
  2
  Status 50%
  Pursuit 30%
  Self
  2
  0
  Knowledge 55%
  Lie 25%
  Unnatural
  1
  2
  Notice 60%
  Secrecy 20%
  Violence
  2
  3
  Connect 55%
  Struggle 25%
  
  15
  LUCINDA ADAMS
  Lucinda is curvy, pale, wears stylish glasses, and sports 
  shockingly vibrant green hair. She’s a twenty-something 
  with more bright colors in her wardrobe than a box of 
  Crayola crayons, and just as many shoes to match.
  Obsession: Books are alive and must be listened to.
  Biblioklept 65%*: Evaluates the Unnatural, Substitutes for 
  Knowledge, Substitutes for Secrecy (* obsession identity).
  Obnoxious 55%: Coerces Helplessness, Protects Connect, 
  Substitutes for Lie.
  PASSIONS
  Fear Stimulus: (Helplessness) Losing her connection 
  to reality.
  Noble Stimulus: Using magickal knowledge to help people.
  Rage Stimulus: Those who prey upon the weak or innocent.
  RELATIONSHIPS
  One is provided; choose two more.
   
  Favorite __%
   
  Guru __%
   
  Mentor __%
   
  Protégé __%
   
  Responsibility The Fifth Wheels 45% 
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Possessions: Lucinda wears a pewter replica of the Libra 
  Negra around her neck and has a tattoo of a ritual found in 
  The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis) on her hip. Despite 
  her desire to collect other occult artifacts featured in the 
  books she reads, she’s afraid to start — so she frequents 
  oddball museums, like the American Museum of Magic in 
  Marshall, Michigan, and buys refrigerator magnets instead.
  Important Locations: Big Bay State Park.
  After witnessing a bibliomancer performing magick, 
  Lucinda rationalized that souls become trapped in books, 
  and it’s her duty to collect and listen to them. Her nose 
  firmly planted in the tomes she steals, Lucinda is a grad 
  student at Loyola University Chicago, and is well on her way 
  to achieving yet another degree no one has heard of. An 
  academic for life, Lucinda has run afoul of her overzealous 
  parents who desire nothing more than grandchildren. 
  She’s also got a bit of a mouth on her, and has no problem 
  standing up for the other outcasts in her family. If no one 
  else steps forward, Lucinda would make an excellent ring-
  leader for the group.
  If Lucinda came into a lot of money through her family, 
  she’d use it to fund her expensive academic career and 
  acquire more books.
  Shock Meter
  Hardened
  Failed
  Abilities
  Helplessness
  1
  0
  Fitness 60%
  Dodge 20%
  Isolation
  3
  1
  Status 50%
  Pursuit 30%
  Self
  2
  1
  Knowledge 55%
  Lie 25%
  Unnatural
  1
  0
  Notice 60%
  Secrecy 20%
  Violence
  1
  0
  Connect 60%
  Struggle 20%
  
  16
  STEVIE MALONE
  Stevie spends a lot of time outside in the sun, so his 
  normally white skin tone remains medium tan all year. He 
  is short, slight, and tattooed. He’s in his early thirties and 
  often wears hats to hide his premature hair loss.
  Obsession: Using sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll to fill the hole 
  the Black Tone left behind.
  Lover 45%*: Evaluates Isolation, Substitutes for Knowledge, 
  Substitutes for Secrecy (* obsession identity).
  Street Performer 75%: Evaluates Self, Protects Isolation, 
  Substitutes for Status.
  PASSIONS
  Fear Stimulus: (Self) Being incarcerated because of drugs 
  or other vices.
  Noble Stimulus: Music is the universal language of love, and 
  playing the right notes heals the world.
  Rage Stimulus: Someone being attacked for their sexuality.
  RELATIONSHIPS
  One is provided; choose two more.
   
  Favorite __%
   
  Guru __%
   
  Mentor __%
   
  Protégé Lucinda 40% 
   
  Responsibility __%
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Possessions: Stevie owns a Martin Custom D Classic 
  Mahogany Dreadnought acoustic guitar, which was given 
  to him by his former teacher. Though he has done drugs, 
  he never keeps any on him because he’s scared to death of 
  somebody turning him in for possession.
  Important Locations: Big Bay State Park and Malone’s 
  Motors & Junkyard.
  After accidentally playing the Black Tone, Stevie tried 
  to replicate the experience, and is now obsessed with 
  achieving that state of enlightenment again. He’s a talented 
  street performer and former member of the Occupy move-
  ment. Stevie represents all of the elements of a liberally 
  minded society that his conservative family secretly hates: 
  he’s a musician, he’s openly bisexual, he’s been arrested 
  for protesting for civil rights, and he’s pagan. After being 
  publicly chastised for his “hedonistic” New York lifestyle, 
  he’s at his wits’ end and is looking to a higher power for help. 
  Stevie is a kind, curious, affable soul, the type of person who 
  normally makes instant friends wherever he goes. Stevie is 
  Rachel’s cousin, but he hasn’t seen or spoken to the rest of 
  his family in at least five years.
  If Stevie came into a lot of money through his family, he’d 
  probably use it to further his drug habit, but he’d tell himself 
  it was for reclaiming that feeling of being whole.
  Shock Meter
  Hardened
  Failed
  Abilities
  Helplessness
  3
  0
  Fitness 50%
  Dodge 30%
  Isolation
  3
  1
  Status 50%
  Pursuit 30%
  Self
  2
  0
  Knowledge 55%
  Lie 25%
  Unnatural
  1
  0
  Notice 60%
  Secrecy 20%
  Violence
  1
  1
  Connect 60%
  Struggle 20%
  
  17
  RACHEL MALONE-JOHNSON
  Rachel wears her hair in a natural Afro, has medium dark 
  skin, and is in her late twenties. She bikes in her spare time, 
  dresses conservatively in long dresses, and wears a gold 
  cross around her neck. 
  Obsession: To seek definitive proof that magick is a gift 
  from God.
  Language Translator 65%: Can read, write, and translate 
  Latin and French (unique), Coerces Status, Substitutes 
  for Knowledge.
  Spiritualist 55%*: Evaluates the Unnatural, Protects the 
  Unnatural, Substitutes for Connect (* obsession identity).
  PASSIONS
  Fear Stimulus: (Self) That Christianity and its messengers 
  are all a fraud.
  Noble Stimulus: Share magick with others so they can 
  receive God’s blessing.
  Rage Stimulus: Selfish people who put themselves before 
  the greater good.
  RELATIONSHIPS
  One is provided; choose two more.
   
  Favorite __%
   
  Guru Jeffrey 40% 
   
  Mentor __%
   
  Protégé __%
   
  Responsibility __%
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Possessions: Rachel has a high-tech backpack that charges 
  solar batteries for her iPad mini 3. The 128GB device has its 
  own Wi-Fi hotspot and a secure VPN that allows Rachel 
  to access the École Normale Supérieure’s library in Paris, 
  France within seconds. Rachel also carries a handmade 
  rosary carved out of onyx by the Sisters of Carmel; when 
  she’s deeply troubled or scared, she puts her hand in her 
  purse (or pocket) and clutches the beads.
  Important Locations: Big Bay State Park.
  Rachel is a whiz with languages, especially Latin and 
  French, and had a full scholarship to Harvard. Had. She 
  fell in love with Paris and abandoned her studies to live 
  in France. She is convinced she witnessed the appearance 
  of Le Comte de Saint-Germain visiting the Louvre, even 
  though no one else believes her. (She did.) She believes he 
  was trying to relay a message to her about her life’s mission, 
  and she is now deeply religious as a result.
  Newly emboldened to return to the United States, 
  Rachel managed to re-enroll at Harvard. Most of her family 
  members are jealous and feel that Rachel abandoned them. 
  Her immediate family won’t forgive her for leaving the 
  country, not when Grandma Maple needed help.
  If Rachel came into a lot of money through her family, 
  she’d use it to cover her Harvard tuition.
  Shock Meter
  Hardened
  Failed
  Abilities
  Helplessness
  1
  0
  Fitness 60%
  Dodge 20%
  Isolation
  1
  0
  Status 60%
  Pursuit 20%
  Self
  2
  1
  Knowledge 55%
  Lie 25%
  Unnatural
  3
  1
  Notice 50%
  Secrecy 30%
  Violence
  2
  0
  Connect 55%
  Struggle 25%
  
  18
  JEFFREY ADAMS
  Jeffrey is in his mid-twenties and has maintained his athleti-
  cism, though he’s no longer officially taking part in any orga-
  nized sport. He is tall with reddish-brown hair and freckled, 
  white skin. He often wears secondhand clothes and insists 
  on recycling as much as possible.
  Obsession: Become ordained as a Buddhist monk and take 
  the Bodhisattva vows despite constantly struggling with 
  what that entails.
  Environmentalist 35%: Protects Helplessness, Provides 
  Wound Threshold, Substitutes for Fitness.
  Humanitarian 85%*: Evaluates Helplessness, Protects Self, 
  Substitutes for Connect (* obsession identity).
  PASSIONS
  Fear Stimulus: (Violence) That not all life is worth saving 
  and that some must die for many others to live.
  Noble Stimulus: Protect the innocent, because their lives 
  are precious and sacred.
  Rage Stimulus: People who obviously waste their life’s gifts.
  RELATIONSHIPS
  One is provided; choose two more.
   
  Favorite __%
   
  Guru __%
   
  Mentor __%
   
  Protégé Stevie 40%
   
  Responsibility __%
  Wound Threshold: 50.
  Possessions: Stashed away in the Adams Manor attic on 
  the third floor, Jeffrey Adams has stored a box of personal 
  belongings he could not part with. They include: his high 
  school letter jacket and diploma, his prom date’s dried 
  corsage, a bottle of mezcal (with a worm), an unused plane 
  ticket to Rio, a woman’s wedding ring, and a Nickelback CD.
  Important Locations: Big Bay State Park and Adams Manor.
  A former high school football star, Jeffrey has since 
  fallen from grace after flunking out of college and joining 
  Greenpeace. While on assignment in Guatemala, he ate the 
  native dream pepper, and cannot forget that otherworldly 
  experience. Not long afterward, Jeffrey was disowned after 
  telling his Southern Baptist family he was abandoning his 
  personal possessions to become a Buddhist monk. Before 
  he can join a Buddhist monastery, however, he knows he 
  must deal with this nagging idea of his that something else 
  is out there...
  If Jeffrey came into a lot of money through his family, he’d 
  settle his debts and give the rest away.
  Shock Meter
  Hardened
  Failed
  Abilities
  Helplessness
  2
  1
  Fitness 55%
  Dodge 25%
  Isolation
  2
  1
  Status 55%
  Pursuit 25%
  Self
  2
  0
  Knowledge 55%
  Lie 25%
  Unnatural
  1
  0
  Notice 60%
  Secrecy 20%
  Violence
  3
  1
  Connect 50%
  Struggle 30%
  
  KEVIN JOHNSON
  Fifth Wheels
  Find out who’s damaging our reputation.
   
   
                          Kevin is an older man with dark skin and 
  close-cropped hair. He’s of average height and size, and he’s in his mid to 
  late fifties. He dresses plainly and enjoys wearing comfortable shoes and 
  button-down shirts.
  Bullies of any kind, especially family members.
  Reconciliation with his ex-wife.
  (Isolation) Dying alone and unloved.
  Rachel
  45
  CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTOR
  65
  50
  X
  X
  X
  X
  X
  Dodge
  Provides Initiative
  Substitutes for Fitness
  X
  X
  OBSESSION IDENTITY
  XX
  X
  XX
  X
  FATHER
  35
  Secrecy
  Coerces Connect
  Evaluates Helplessness
  SCHOOL CUSTODIAN
  20
  Knowledge
  Evaluates Isolation
  Substitutes for Notice
  
  LUCINDA ADAMS
  Fifth Wheels
  Find out who’s damaging our reputation.
                                                                  Lucinda is curvy, pale, wears stylish 
  glasses, and sports shockingly vibrant green hair. She’s a twenty-some-
  thing with more bright colors in her wardrobe than a box of Crayola 
  crayons, and just as many shoes to match.
  Those who prey upon the weak or innocent.
  Using magickal knowledge to help people.
  (Helplessness) Losing her connection to reality.
  The Fifth Wheels
  45
  BIBLIOKLEPT
  65
  OBNOXIOUS
  55
  50
  X
  X
  X
  X
  X
  Knowledge
  Evaluates the Unnatural
  Substitutes for Secrecy
  Lie
  Coerces Helplessness
  Protects Connect
  X
  OBSESSION IDENTITY
  X
  
  STEVIE MALONE
  Fifth Wheels
  Find out who’s damaging our reputation.
                                                                   Stevie spends a lot of time outside in 
  the sun, so his normally white skin tone is medium tan year-round. He is 
  short, slight, and tattooed. He’s in his early thirties and often wears hats 
  to hide his premature hair loss.
  Someone being attacked for their sexuality.
  Music is the universal language of love, and playing the right 
  notes heals the world.
  (Self) Being incarcerated because of drugs or other vices.
  Lucinda
  40
  LOVER
  45
  STREET PERFORMER
  75
  50
  X
  X
  X
  X
  X
  Knowledge
  Evaluates Isolation
  Substitutes for Secrecy
  Status
  Evaluates Self
  Protects Isolation
  X
  X
  OBSESSION IDENTITY
  
  RACHEL MALONE-JOHNSON
  Fifth Wheels
  Find out who’s damaging our reputation.
                                                                 Rachel wears her hair in a natural 
  Afro, has medium dark skin, and is in her late twenties. She bikes in 
  her spare time, dresses conservatively in long dresses, and wears a 
  gold cross around her neck. 
  Selfish people who put themselves before the greater good.
  Share magick with others so they can receive God’s blessing.
  (Self) That Christianity and its messengers are all a fraud.
  Jeffrey
  40
  LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR
  65
  SPIRITUALIST
  55
  50
  X
  X
  X
  X
  X
  Knowledge
  Can read, write, and translate Latin and French (unique)
  Coerces Status
  Connect
  Evaluates the Unnatural
  Protects the Unnatural
  OBSESSION IDENTITY
  X
  X
  
  JEFFREY ADAMS
  Fifth Wheels
  Find out who’s damaging our reputation.
                                                                Jeffrey is in his mid-twenties and has 
  maintained his athleticism, though he’s no longer officially taking part in 
  any organized sport. He is tall with reddish-brown hair and freckled, white 
  skin. He often wears secondhand clothes and insists on recycling as much 
  as possible.
  People who obviously waste their life’s gifts.
  Protect the innocent, because their lives are precious 
  and sacred.
  (Violence) That not all life is worth saving and that some 
  must die for many others to live.
  Stevie
  40
  ENVIRONMENTALIST
  35
  HUMANITARIAN
  85
  50
  X
  X
  X
  X
  X
  Fitness
  Protects Helplessness
  Provides Wound Threshold
  Connect
  Evaluates Helplessness
  Protects Self
  X
  X
  OBSESSION IDENTITY
  X
  
  Unknown Armies created by Greg Stolze and John Tynes
  Writing and design: Monica Valentinelli
  Editing: Colleen Riley
  Proofreading: Jess Banks, John Nephew, Colleen Riley, Jeff Tidball
  Unknown Armies graphic design: Thomas Deeny
  Layout and development: Cam Banks
  Art: Shutterstock
  AG6042 | Digital Edition 1.0
  www.atlas-games.com
  © 2018 Trident, Inc., d/b/a Atlas Games. All rights reserved.
  Unknown Armies is a trademark of Greg Stolze and John Tynes, used under license by Trident, Inc., d/b/a Atlas Games.
  This work is protected by international copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of 
  the publisher.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Unknown Armies [multi]/Unknown Armies [3rd ed]/AG6042 - Campaign Starter Kit - Karmic Ties and Fifth Wheels [2018].pdf