TEXT: Horizon
  An Any-System Key
  Pulp Egypt Scenario
  On
  The
  Credits
  Written, Designed & Produced by Peter Schweighofer
  Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints
  & Photographs Division; p. 1, LC-USZ62-117613; p. 2, LC-DIG-
  matpc-02530; p. 3, LC-USE6-D-009973; p. 5, FSA/OWI Collection,
  LC-USW3-028460-E; p. 6, LC-DIG-ppmsca-03930. To the author’s
  best knowledge, these images have no known copyright restrictions.
  Experience the Library of Congress online at www.loc.gov.
  Any-System Key
  You can use this adventure with your favorite roleplaying game
  system. Just check out page 16 and use the rules there to match
  descriptive gamemaster character abilities and task difficulties to
  corresponding values in your preferred game. Use the customizable
  stat forms found in the adventure margins to note values for char-
  acter stats in your game. Visit the Any-System Key page at
  griffonpubstudio.com/NESys.html for examples of customizing
  stats into those of your favorite game system.
  Enemies on the Horizon Copyright 2006 by Peter Schweighofer;
  All Rights Reserved. Licensed users of this book may print unlimted
  copies for personal use only.
  Published by Griffon Publishing Studio, Culpeper, VA.
  Visit us on the web at:
   griffonpubstudio.com
  Table of Contents
  Introduction.............................................. 3
  Episode One: Abduction! ............................. 3
  Episode Two: Desert Chase .......................... 5
  Episode Three: Temple of Set........................ 7
  Episode Four: The Nazis Arrive..................... 8
  Episode Five: Escape ................................ 11
  Epilogue................................................ 12
  Further Adventures .................................. 12
  The Mallory Expedition ............................. 13
  Any-System Key...................................... 16
  When Bedouin raiders kidnap
  their beautiful photographer, the
  members of the Hartwell College
  archaeological expedition set out
  on a heroic desert chase that
  leads them to a long-lost temple
  where the “Enemies of Pharaoh”
  wait for the right moment to strike.
  Enemies
  
  2
  Enemies on the Horizon
  Egyptian Gazette
  Cairo, Thursday, March 7, 1935
  2 piastres
  The
  NAZI AIRSHIP
  VISITS TRIPOLI
  LZ-128 on Publicity Tour
  TRIPOLI, March 1—The latest German
  airship docked outside Tripoli today amid
  a great crowd gathered to see the zeppelin
  on its tour of Mediterranean cities. LZ-
  128, named the “Friedrichshafen,” is on a
  goodwill tour to ports in nations allied with
  or neutral to Germany. Before landing at
  Tripoli LZ-128 stopped at Milan, Rome,
  and Naples. She is the sister ship to the
  celebrated “Graf Zeppelin,” which com-
  pleted a much-publicized round-the-world
  flight in 1929.
  “This airship stands as a monument to
  German engineering and industrial power,”
  said Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels
  in a prepared statement issued from Ber-
  lin. “It is a testament to the resilience of
  the German people and our dedication to
  technologies of the future.”
  A cadre of Nazi Propaganda Ministry
  personnel aboard the airship worked the
  throngs gathered to see her land, handing
  FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, March 3—In
  response to questions about the safety of
  airship travel in light of last month’s di-
  sastrous crash of the American dirigible
  “Macon” off the California coast, zeppe-
  lin designer Hugo Eckener issued a
  statement endorsing airships as the mode
  of transportation for the future.
  “Zeppelins offer speed and comfort un-
  paralleled by any other mode of
  transportation,” Eckener said. “The ‘Macon’
  accident was regrettable, but simply serves
  to illustrate how technical vigilance and con-
  stant maintenance ensure safety aboard any
  airship.” The “Macon” crashed when sev-
  EXPEDITION
  LOCKS TOMB
  Iron Gate a Precaution
  By Archibald Littledale
  Special to the Gazette
  SAKKARA, March 4—With permission
  from the Department of Antiquities,
  Hartwell College’s Mallory Expedition re-
  cently installed a locked, iron grate over
  the entrance to the recently discovered tomb
  of Henu-Akhet at Sakkara.
  Archaeologists hope the measure deters
  potential tomb thieves and vandals. “We
  haven’t had any problems yet, aside from
  the initial opening of the tomb,” said Pro-
  fessor Elliott Hamilton of Hartwell Col-
  lege. “The locked gate simply serves as a
  precautionary measure.”
  As expedition leader Hamilton holds the
  key while work progresses at the site. The
  Mallory Expedition discovered and opened
  the tomb last month. After defeating lethal
  Continued on Page Five
  ZEPPELIN ENGINEER SAYS AIRSHIPS ARE SAFE
  ABYSSINIANS PROTEST
  ITALIAN AGGRESSION
  TENSIONS RISE THROUGHOUT AFRICA
  ROME, March 2—Premier Mussolini is
  reviewing an Abyssinian note calling Ital-
  ians the aggressors in recent border conflicts.
  This note, Italian officials said, made the
  situation “very serious.”
  Nevertheless, there appeared this evening
  to be less concern in government circles over
  the prospect of hostilities in Africa, although
  an authoritative source said Italy was pre-
  pared to spend about £500,000,000 to pursue
  and protect Italian interests in the region.
  eral helium gas cells ruptured and sent the
  airship plunging into the Pacific Ocean.
  Eckener was ecstatic about the current tour
  of LZ-128. “Often, when people greet it so
  enthusiastically as it appears in the heavens,”
  he said, “I have felt as if they believed they
  were seeing it in a sign and symbol of lasting
  peace, or at least a symbol of the universal
  dream of lasting peace among peoples.
  Eckener believes hydrogen is no less dan-
  gerous than helium when carefully used and
  monitored during airship flight. The Helium
  Control Act of 1927 prohibits the export of
  ZEPPELIN ‘FRIEDRICHSHAFEN’ LANDS IN LIBYA
  out literature, answering questions about the
  airship’s design, and operation, and even in-
  viting prominent citizens aboard for tours.
  The German zeppelin service is using the
  Mediterranean tour to train LZ-128’s crew
  and put the airship through technical trials.
  The airship is 761 feet long and is kept aloft
  by more than five million cubic feet of hydro-
  gen gas. The gondola contains the forward
  control compartment, a galley, lounge, and
  quarters for the propaganda officers traveling
  with the Friedrichshafen.
  Continued on Page Seven
  
  3
  Enemies on the Horizon
  Introduction
  Sakkara, March 1935—The characters belong to the Hartwell College Egyptian
  excavation formerly led by the late Professor Percy Mallory. (Use the character
  outlines provided on page 13 or make sure each hero has some connection to
  the expedition: bodyguard, student, assistant archaeologist, museum
  representative, driver, privileged observer.) Allow players to introduce their
  characters and describe their role in the dig. Give players copies of “The
  Egyptian Gazette” handout to set the mood and offer some information on
  the dig and contemporary events.
  In their previous adventure, “The Charioteer’s Tomb,” they opened and
  explored the grave of an ancient general and transported the most valuable
  of treasures back to the expedition warehouse in Cairo. Since opening the
  tomb last month they’ve begun the meticulous work of recording the re-
  maining artifacts in place and after removal, photographing the detailed
  wall paintings and hieroglyphics, and generally keeping copious accounts
  of everything they uncover. With Cairo a little more than an hour’s
  drive away and the security of the site constantly under threat, the
  expedition decided to work from its camp near the tomb. Each charac-
  ter has their own tent, with the chef in one and the supplies sheltered under
  another. A large tent provides an enclosed work area where expedition members clean and
  catalog artifacts and maintain journals detailing their work.
  To aid in this process the expedition has hired a photographer based out of Cairo, Vera
  Doyle, an attractive young British woman who has solid knowledge of photography, draw-
  ing, and hieroglyphics. She gets along with everyone on the dig, charming the excavation
  staff, befriending the fellahin workers, and impressing everyone with her professionalism
  and artistic talents. Her personal tent stands next to the thick-canvassed darkroom tent
  where she develops her film.
  The expedition recently installed an iron grate over the entrance shaft to further ensure
  the tomb’s security at night and while they’re away from the encampment. An intimidat-
  ing padlock deters even the most persistent tomb robbers. The single key usually rests in
  the hands of the chief archaeologist on the site; but tonight, while everyone else works late
  in camp, Miss Doyle has taken the key to open the grate and descend into the tomb to
  check some of her photographs and sketches against the original wall paintings. It’s getting
  late when one of the expedition members, laboring diligently in the work tent over some
  broken pottery, wonders aloud if Miss Doyle is all right. Anyone making a Challenging
  notice roll thinks they heard a muffled cry in the night and something topple over in the
  nearby photography tent.
  Episode One:
  Abduction!
  When the heroes emerge from the work tent to check on Miss Doyle, they spot two
  hulking Bedouin dressed in dark robes. One hauls the photographer’s still struggling body
  out of the tent, his huge hand clasping a cloth over her mouth and nose. The other spots the
  characters and whips out a machine gun! The heroes must quickly dive for cover before he
  lays down a cover fire with military efficiency. The momentary attack gives the two
  Bedouin time to disappear amidst the camp tents and nearby rocks, though the heroes can
  give chase and attempt to shoot them. The Bedouin retaliate with ruthless cunning, firing
  the machine gun only when advantageous in keeping the characters’ heads down, and
  otherwise using the cover of the vast Sakkara necropolis to their advantage.
  Once the commotion has died down and they realize the Bedouin abductors have escaped,
  the heroes can examine Miss Doyle’s photography tent and the surrounding encampment
  for clues about the identity of her assailants and their motives. Anyone making a Challenging
  notice or search check spots several interesting items:
  BEDOUIN ABDUCTOR
  (Boss)
  Competent Skills:
  bluff _____________________
  interrogate ________________
  notice ____________________
  pilot _____________________
  stealth ____________________
  street smarts _______________
  Expert Skills:
  drive _____________________
  fight _____________________
  navigate __________________
  tradecraft _________________
  Signature Skill:
  shoot _____________________
  Equipment:
  MP-35 submachine gun _______
  knife _____________________
  Bedouin robes
  
  4
  Enemies on the Horizon
  Chloroform: A mostly empty or evaporated bottle of chloroform sits in the sand near the tent
  entrance. The label indicates it was manufactured by a British medical company, though the
  bilingual English and Arabic text indicates it was probably used in an Egyptian hospital.
  Bedouin in North Africa do not have access to nor rarely use such medical chemicals.
  Boot Prints: Examining the abductors’ boot prints around the encampment (assuming they
  weren’t obliterated in the fray) and leading off into the necropolis show they were well
  supplied with military grade footgear.
  Doyle’s Journal: Examining Doyle’s tent reveals her journal, pen, and sketchbook sprawled
  on the floor with the rest of her belongings, probably kicked around during the abduction
  struggle. The photographer’s notebook contains written descriptions of the hieroglyphics
  and illustrations she’s examined referenced to pages in her nearby sketchbook (in which
  she’s rendered detailed areas of the tomb’s wall decorations). With a Routine notice roll,
  anyone with any familiarity with the tomb (particularly archaeological staff) spots an odd
  page of notes that doesn’t correspond with any page in the sketchbook. Unlike most other
  pages, which include written hieroglyphics side-by-side with their tentative translations,
  this page only includes the ancient signs with no English notes. To read the message a
  character must make a Challenging hieroglyphics roll or similar check to read ancient
  languages.
  Pharaoh beware!
  Your enemies lurk nearby waiting to strike your
  kingdom.
  Set waits on the 240 horizon from your throne.
  You must drive your chariots 340
  To meet him on the Battlefield of the West.
  Flames will reveal your path.
  When translated, the numerical notations in the hieroglyphic message seem extremely
  awkward; those familiar with Egyptology or the ancient language realize they’re entirely
  inappropriate for the inscription. Anyone making a Hard  deduce roll or similar intellec-
  tual test guesses that the numbers relate to navigational directions: “240 horizon from
  your throne” probably indicates a heading of
  240 degrees from the capital, Cairo, and
  “chariots 340” possibly indicates the miles.
  The reference to “flames” revealing the path
  seems odd; however, should anyone hold the
  journal page near an open flame or hot lan-
  tern, secret writing emerges from the paper
  showing a rough map of the area, with a dot-
  ted line leading south-southwest from Cairo
  to a point near the Great Sand Sea between
  the wells at Ain Dalla and Siwa Oasis, the
  exact course mentioned in the hieroglyphic
  text!
  In fact Miss Doyle was not abducted by
  Bedouin, but by two Nazi agents disguised as
  the desert dwellers to conceal their true iden-
  tity. The charming British photographer ac-
  tually serves as a spy for the Inter-Services
  Liaison Department (the cover agency for MI-
  6 in Egypt). The Nazi spies are spiriting her
  away to a secret supply depot near the border
  “For to keep silent when one is
  attacked would mean provoking the
  enemy to violence.”
  —Instruction for King Merikare
  Alexandria
  Cairo
  Suez Canal
  Giza
  Sakkara
  Luxor
  Siwa Oasis
  Tobruk
  Jaghbub
  Jalo
  Doyle’s Hidden Map
  LIBYA
  EGYPT
  GREAT SAND SEA
  Ain Dalla
  240°
  340 miles
  
  5
  Enemies on the Horizon
  with Libya where they can interrogate her about her knowledge of planned Axis military
  activity in Egypt.
  After some discussion the heroes realize they must go after her; no civilized gentleman
  could allow such assault and let the abductors get away, and Miss Doyle had the key to the
  grate guarding the tomb shaft (and dutifully locked it before she walked into the ambush).
  Give players encouraging the immediate chase some minor bonus they can use in the
  coming episodes related to their chivalry and heroic spirit.
  Episode Two:
  Desert Chase
  The heroes prepare to leave immediately to follow the fresh trail left by Miss Doyle’s
  abductors and the course set out in her cryptic journal message. If they wait to leave much
  past dawn they risk losing the tracks or endangering Doyle’s safety.
  If they’re organized the characters can gather and pack everything they need into the
  back of their lorry in an hour. Unfortunately they have no other means of transportation
  conveniently at hand; they’d have to go back to Cairo to find a suitable car for crossing the
  desert. If they could round up some camels they’d have more reliable transport, though
  they’d slow up the truck.
  Supplies
  The heroes have plenty of supplies (having just returned from a trip to Cairo in the past
  few days) and recently had maintenance done on their lorry.
  Anyone with experience traveling through the desert (explorers, Bedouin, military
  personnel) who makes a Routine navigation or survival roll thinks to bring along all the
  reed mats they can gather from the floors of the tents. These give a bonus to “unsticking”
  the lorry should its tires get bogged down in soft sand among the desert dunes.
  Those with connections with desert explorers might have access to a sun compass,
  enabling the lorry to stay on course by using the sun to determine the direction rather
  than a magnetic needle confused by the truck’s metal body. This allows the heroes to
  better maintain direction and reduces their chances of straying from their charted course.
  The heroes have the following items in their excavation equipment that might help
  them in their chase across the desert. Loss or damage to any of them could place their
  expedition in severe peril:
  Food: These supplies of dry goods, canned food, and preserved meat can feed the group
  for one week.
  Water: Several aluminum cans carry enough water to sustain the characters for one
  week and refresh the lorry’s radiator once.
  Compass: The group’s single compass doesn’t work near the lorry, whose metal construction
  confuses the needle. To use it properly, the heroes must halt their progress and move at least
  30 feet from truck. This slows their pursuit as they stop frequently to check their bearing.
  Theodolite: Any character with the navigate skill can use this surveying instrument in
  tracking the sun and stars to chart one’s position in the desert. If used properly it offers
  a small bonus to related navigate rolls.
  Watch: One character has an accurate pocket watch necessary for computing their progress
  by dead reckoning (figuring mileage based on one’s speed). It’s also required to accurately
  use the theodolite.
  Binoculars: The clear desert air allows people to see far, and binoculars can help bring
  faraway objects into closer focus. The group has one pair that offers the user a small
  bonus on notice rolls.
  Map: Since the expedition was more concerned with digging around Sakkara, it only has
  a rudimentary map of Egypt and the desert west of the Nile. It’s barely adequate for
  navigating and doesn’t offer much detail about geographical features in the area.
  EXPEDITION LORRY
  The expedition truck (or the
  British army lorry) has a cab up
  front for a driver and two passengers
  and a payload area covered with
  canvas stretched over several metal
  ribs. The truck isn’t terribly nimble,
  but is sturdy enough to endure rough
  handling.
  Top Speed: 35 mph
  Driver: 1
  Passengers: 10
  Difficulty Values
  Routine_____________
  Challenging _________
  Hard _______________
  Improbable _________
  
  6
  Enemies on the Horizon
  Tools: The heroes can gather plenty of shovels and other digging implements from their
  camp. Altogether they can muster one shovel for each character, two picks, a crowbar,
  and any number of reed baskets used to haul away sand. The shovels become especially
  helpful in unsticking the truck should it get bogged down in soft sand.
  Tents: Since temperatures can reach both extremes in the desert, the heroes should bring
  along some camping equipment to afford shelter at night and during any daytime rest
  periods. The lorry doesn’t provide adequate cover or shade for extended camping.
  Desert Encounters
  The heroes can make 200–240 miles per day assuming they drive for eight hours,
  maintain a speed of between 25 and 30 mph, and avoid any significant mishaps. At this rate
  they can reach the point specified in Doyle’s cryptic note in the afternoon or early evening
  of the second day of driving.
  Anyone making a Challenging track roll can follow the trail left by Doyle’s assailants.
  Tracks can remain in the sand for years if undisturbed by storms or human intervention.
  Checking navigational information along the way confirms they’re following the route
  specified in Doyle’s journal.
  The hero driving the lorry must make frequent Challenging drive skill checks to avoid
  mishaps on the varied desert terrain. The degree of failure might indicate how damaging
  and delaying the mishap. The truck could topple from the top of a dune if mishandled.
  Rough driving over difficult ground might damage the axles, tires, or even the engine.
  Avoiding patches of soft sand that can bog down the truck’s tires takes practice and
  experience. If the lorry get stuck in soft sand the heroes must expend an hour’s time and
  some elbow grease to coax it out onto firmer ground.
  Several encounters might slow their progress, add some excitement to their journey,
  and possibly reveal more about Doyle’s abductors and their ultimate destination:
  Stowaway Cat: Several hours into their desert journey the heroes discover a friendly
  housecat among the cargo they’ve loaded into their truck. The cat nuzzles them and
  meows for attention, but otherwise doesn’t prove a nuisance. If the characters evict the cat
  and exile it to almost certain death in the desert sands, they bring upon their heads a string
  of bad luck throughout the rest of the adventure. Should they befriend the cat and show it
  every kindness, it bestows upon them one miraculous rescue elsewhere in the scenario; a
  near miss with almost fatal danger that one could only chalk up to a cat’s nine lives.
  Glinting Reflection: Around midday the heroes spot a reflection on the horizon. Is it
  someone watching them with binoculars, or a clue left behind by Doyle? If they investigate
  they discover the corner of an aluminum water can sticking out of the sand and reflecting
  the sunlight. It’s one of several abandoned here and hastily covered with sand, the remains
  of a supply dump left here by someone who knew its location and needed to replenish their
  water in a hurry. Anyone searching the refuse discovers a dainty handkerchief everyone
  recognizes as the one Vera Doyle used to mop her brow when working in the hot confines
  of the tomb.
  Abandoned Camp: Near sunset on their first day of travel the heroes reach a remarkable
  geological formation called Mushroom Rock, a teetering boulder balanced on a smaller
  mound. The landmark stands within sight of the track leading from the Nile to Siwa Oasis
  to the northwest. Here the characters spot a pair of wandering camels still wearing their
  harness yet without any riders. They’re milling about a dune where anyone making a
  Routine track roll can determine the Bedouin probably stopped at noon for relief from the
  midday sun; footprints, empty food tins, and cigarette butts betray their presence. If the
  characters aren’t careful they might stumble upon a buried land mine that could escalate
  the mission’s urgency if anyone sustains serious wounds. Tire tracks lead off from one end
  of the former campsite in the direction indicated by Doyle’s message.
  Bedouin Refugees: The next morning the heroes spot a small group of Bedouin riding
  camels heading their way. From its composition—weary women, starving children, and a
  few wounded men—and some compassionate interaction they learn that they are refugees
  I
  talian military patrols have forced desert
   Bedouin from their territory in Libya
  and sent them wandering toward Egypt in
  search of aid.
  “A coward is he who lets himself
  be driven away from his frontier.”
  —Instruction for King Merikare
  
  7
  Enemies on the Horizon
  fleeing their territory in the Libyan deserts in the face of frequent raids by Italian military
  forces establishing a presence at various towns and oases. If questioned about others
  traveling in the desert, they mention spotting a cloud of dust to the south of their course.
  Although it was moving westward, they assumed any vehicle in this area belonged to the
  belligerent Italian desert patrols and thus avoided it. They gladly accept any aid offered;
  the refugees hope to find a new, safer life under the protection of the British in Egypt.
  Episode Three:
  Temple of Set
  Toward the afternoon or evening of the second day the heroes spot a bluff on the
  horizon. A small and as-yet uncharted rocky plateau rises at the edge of the Great Sand
  Sea. The automobile tracks and the course indicated by Doyle’s journal point directly to a
  point on the plateau where the heroes can clearly identify the remains of two colossal
  statues once carved into the cliff walls marking the entrance to a lost temple to the chaos
  god Set. The bulk of the statues sit as crumbled debris in the sand, leaving two haunting
  stone silhouettes on the cliff face to guard the dark temple gateway.
  The tire tracks mysteriously disappear about 300 feet away from the temple entrance,
  apparently erased by an expert hand. Only with a Hard track roll can a character deter-
  mine where the trail once led; around a nearby boulder where the car now sits beneath a
  well-placed camouflage net. Unless they explore the cliff face further, however, the
  heroes won’t discover another fallen rock and more netting concealing a secret cave the
  Nazi’s use as a garage for their car and a small biplane (see “Nazi Cave” below).
  The heroes can explore the temple facade and interior in an effort to find and rescue
  Miss Doyle.
  1. Ruined Facade: The temple facade consists of the base and backs of the two ruined
  statues (presumably of Set based on examination of the tumbled wreckage) and a short
  stairway leading to a once-decorated gateway. Careful examination near the temple
  entrance reveals evidence of boot prints matching those of the Bedouin abductors and
  signs that someone was dragged along
  against their will.
  2. Great Hall: A short passage leads from
  the entry gate into a vast hall with six
  colossal statues of Set lining the walls like
  columns. Another doorway at the back leads
  deeper into the cliff temple. Hallways
  behind the figures contain inscriptions
  praising Set and relating stories of his many
  vile deeds throughout Egyptian mythology.
  Scuff marks still betray someone’s recent
  passing through this area.
  3. Storerooms: Two passages lead from
  the great hall’s back corridors to storerooms
  once used to hold ceremonial gear and
  supplies to sustain worshippers on their long
  desert journeys. Only debris remains:
  crumbled stone from the walls and ceiling,
  broken pottery, and the smashed remains
  of several wooden crates with stenciled
  markings in German....
  4. Gateway of Set: Here a smaller Set
  statue greets those proceeding deeper into
  the temple. One outstretched arm points to
  the left down another passage where stairs
  Temple of Set
  Camouflage Netting
  Concealing Cave
  Hidden
  Car
  Tire Tracks
  End Here
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  3
  
  8
  Enemies on the Horizon
  lead deeper into the rock. A Hard search roll reveals a slight breeze coming from the
  edges of the statue and a torn scrap of Miss Doyle’s clothing caught in the seam between
  the stone figure and the wall. Pulling the statue’s outstretched arm downward causes
  hidden counterweights to slide the statue to one side, revealing a narrow corridor leading
  to the secret vestry (see below).
  5. Shrine: A huge stone block fell from the ceiling long ago, smashing the ceremonial
  shrine of set that stood on a low plinth in the center of this room. Bits of once-gilded wood
  and shards of a crushed black basalt figurine of Set lie beneath the undisturbed dust of the
  ages. Enough space still remains for the characters to slip around the fallen block and
  debris to reach the continuing passage on an adjacent wall, but evidence suggests nobody
  has passed this way in a long time.
  6. Pit of Set: The stairs descend to a circular chamber containing another stone statue of
  Set placed against the far wall and what appears like a well in the center of the floor. The
  ancients painted the walls red—traditional color of Set—and covered them with hieroglyphic
  spells honoring the divinity and beseeching him for support in their cause. The well shaft
  plummets into darkness; a writhing mass of snakes awaits deep below in a damp cave near
  an underground cistern (whether or not the ancient priests dumped human sacrifices down
  there remains open to speculation). The statue seems to preside over the entire room; it’s
  open snout contains a hole leading deeper into the rock yet inaccessible from this chamber.
  The hole goes to the oracle niche, a secret room behind the statue reached from a concealed
  door in the gateway of Set.
  7. Secret Vestry: The door concealed behind the statue in the gateway of Set leads to a set
  of stairs and a small chamber where ancient priests prepared to carry out rituals honoring
  the god. Little remains of the holy regalia, though the disturbed dust shows men in boots
  dragged an unwilling person through the room on their way downward. A tattered curtain
  of undeterminable origin hangs along one wall and conceals a passage leading upward to
  the Nazi cave (see below). An open corridor leads to more stairs delving deeper toward
  the oracle niche.
  8. Oracle Niche: A niche in the subterranean passage offers access to the hole leading to
  the statue’s mouth in the pit of Set chamber. Ancient priests pronounced their god’s
  decrees from this chamber, speaking as the oracle of Set and directing their followers
  with seemingly divine commands.
  9. Deeper Passage: The corridor leading from the secret vestry past the oracle niche
  continues until it reaches a cave entrance on the inside of the plateau (see “The Nazis
  Arrive” below). If they believe the heroes are following them, the two Nazi agents might
  set some kind of booby trap for them in the passageway’s tight confines: a hidden land
  mine, falling ceiling block, or a simple tripwire and pit.
  10. Nazi Cave: With the entrance concealed by a large boulder and well-placed camouflage
  netting, this cave provides a storage area for vehicles and supplies the Nazi spies use on
  their occasional trips across the desert to Cairo. It also serves as a back door escape route
  should anything happen at the supply base the Italians and Germans have been within the
  plateau walls. A single-pilot biplane sits here (a lightly armed Henschel Hs 123), while
  several drums of petrol, crates of supplies, and aluminum water cans sit piled against the
  cavern wall. Unfortunately the two Nazi spies didn’t have time to pull the car in and conceal
  it, for they feared they couldn’t conceal the tire tracks well enough in the time they had.
  Episode Four:
  The Nazis Arrive
  The heroes eventually emerge from the lost temple of Set into a vast canyon carved
  from the interior of the plateau. The Italian and German desert explorers who discovered
  it realized its strategic potential and converted it into a secret supply dump to support any
  military operations against British-controlled Egypt should war erupt. Engineers strung
  HENSCHEL HS 123
  One of the first planes manufac-
  tured by the Nazis after re-arma-
  ment, the Henschel was a single-seat
  biplane powered by a radial engine.
  Its fixed-forward machine guns and
  bomb load made it idea for dive
  bombing and close support.
  Top Speed: 180 mph
  Range: 300 miles
  Crew: 1
  Ordnance: 7.92mm machine guns (2)
  firing forward, 200-lb. bombs
  under wings (4)
  “Behold, Set, the rebel, has
  come on his way, he has turned
  once more to Egypt, to plunder
  with his hand.”
  —Memphite Theology
  
  9
  Enemies on the Horizon
  high-tension cables from the top of each ridge upon which they strung camouflage netting.
  From the sky it seems like one vast plateau with no ravine cutting into it. Although the
  secret temple offers a back-door exit to the east, the canyon exits to the west.
  The cleared gully now serves as a vast supply dump filled with all kinds of equipment
  suitable for making a dash across the desert to seize key objectives along the Nile:
  1. Petrol: A pile of 55-gallon drums holds enough gasoline and diesel fuel to fill all the
  vehicles stored here twice. It represents more than enough petrol for this force to travel to
  the Nile and back again. Were it to ignite here in the canyon, it might easily destroy
  everything in sight (except the tanks) and set off subsidiary explosions from overheated
  ammunition and vehicle fuel tanks.
  2. Water: A large tank raised on a wooden framework holds enough water to more than
  fill the pile of German-manufactured plastic water cans tossed nearby. Any amount of
  sabotage to the scaffolding can topple the tank and spill the contents all across the sandy
  canyon floor; however, the amount of water stored here could not put out the fire caused by
  the exploding fuel dump.
  3. Dry Goods: A small mountain of crates and sacks contains preserved dry goods to feed
  any military force venturing from this supply depot, including canned vegetables, dried
  meat, and plenty of coffee and sugar.
  4. Infantry Gear: Equipment for individual soldiers—primarily camp supplies—stands
  stacked in orderly rows as if ready for distribution to a small force of troops. Each
  individual kit contains a web belt rig carrying empty magazine pouches, gas mask and gas
  sheet, entrenching tool, and two empty canteens, plus the standard German breadbag
  Petrol
  Water
  Secret Canyon Base
  Tanks
  Dry Goods
  Infantry Gear
  Weapons
  Command
  Shed
  Lorries
  Armored
  Cars
  Cave
  Exit
  
  10
  Enemies on the Horizon
  satchel, and a rucksack with cooking gear and a canvas tent quarter (soldiers pooled four
  of these to construct one tent in the field).
  5. Weapons: Orderly stacks of long wooden crates with imposing labels stenciled on their
  side next to the Nazi eagle and swastika design contain a variety of infantry weapons.
  Most hold long semi-automatic rifles used by most soldiers, and one box contains Luger
  pistols for use by officers. Several crates contain MP-34 submachineguns (like those used
  by Miss Doyle’s “Bedouin” abductors). Others hold weapons for heavier infantry support.
  The infamous German “potato masher” grenades fill nine crates, though a tenth also
  marked “Stielhandgrenate” (“grenades”) sits empty, its contents having been removed to
  arm the sandbagged roof of the command shed (in case anyone desperately goes for a
  grenade box, they have a 1 in 10 chance it’s the empty one). Six crates hold one standard
  German 5 centimeter light mortar each with plenty of rounds. Although six more crates
  have markings indicating they contain one MG-34 machinegun and six 500-round belts of
  ammunition, two of the boxes sit empty (like the grenades, two MG-34s now sit atop the
  sandbagged command shed). Crates filled with extra ammunition conveniently sit near
  those containing the corresponding weapons.
  6. Lorries: Several trucks with canvas-covered payloads await use to transport troops and
  supplies across the desert including one outfitted as a mobile kitchen and another crammed
  with wireless gear to function as a mobile communications array (alas, nobody left any
  codebooks or cipher machines here...).
  7. Armored Cars: Six Italian-designed armored cars specifically outfitted for desert
  operations sit along one of the canyon’s walls. These Autoblinda Lancia armored patrol
  cars serve the Italian colonial forces in both Libya and Ethiopia. The rugged vehicles mount
  armored plating and a small turret on light truck chassis. Two of the three machineguns sit in
  the turret, while the third faces the rear. Wire-cutting rails along the front surfaces allow it
  to more effectively crash through border fences.
  8. Tanks: The Germans took the trouble to transport four light tanks across the desert.
  They stand in a loose line along one canyon wall. The PanzerKampfwagen I (“armored
  battle wagon”) represents the Nazi’s first tank manufactured since the re-armament,
  though it mounts only two machine guns in the turret.
  9. Command Shed: A small wooden shed near the temple cave exit serves as a planning,
  command, and guard post. Several large windows look out from its elevated position
  across the entire camouflaged ravine. A ladder leads to the roof, which has been reinforced
  with a sandbag wall, two MG-34 with spare ammo belts, and a handful of grenades in case
  the canyon comes under attack. A wireless antenna emerges from the roof and rises
  upward to point just above the camouflage netting.
  The heroes must emerge from the tunnel carefully, since the command shed stands only
  about 30 feet away. As they survey the secret supply depot, they hear several people in the
  shed arguing in German. The two Nazi spies who masqueraded as Bedouin to kidnap
  Doyle are grilling her about how much she knows about Axis plans to prepare for a cross-
  desert assault in case war breaks out. She sits tied to a chair while the two Nazis pace
  around the room shouting questions at her.
  If they’re careful, the heroes might have a chance to formulate a plan to rescue Miss
  Doyle. Although the spies are somewhat preoccupied with the interrogation, the heroes
  must still take care sneaking around the supply depot. Any obvious disturbance—toppled
  crates, sliding rocks, gunshots, or rumbling tank engines—attracts the Nazis’ attention
  and incites them to immediate action; one heads up to the shed roof to cover the area with
  a machine gun while the other drops low in the shack and scans the area for threats.
  If the Nazi spies don’t discover the heroes at some point, or the characters execute
  their rescue plan, they’re interrupted—at an appropriately dramatic point—by an ominous
  roar of engines above. Through the camouflage netting the heroes spot a huge zeppelin
  looming over the canyon. Nazi soldiers drop ropes from the control gondola and slide
  down, tearing through the netting with knives and rappelling down to the ravine floor.
  From their vantage point they’ve spotted the heroes and are making an emergency descent
  PANZERKAMPFWAGEN I
  (PZKPFW)
  Top Speed: 37 kmh
  Range: 140 km
  Crew: 2
  Ordnance: 7.92mm machine guns (2)
  Armor: 15mm (all around)
  AUTOBLINDA LANCIA:
  Armored Patrol Car
  Top Speed: 37 mph
  Driver: 1
  Passengers: 5
  Weapons: 3 machineguns
  Armor: 11mm (all around)
  
  11
  Enemies on the Horizon
  in assault mode to protect the security of their hidden base. Their arrival also alerts the
  Nazi spies if they haven’t already detected the heroes’ presence.
  The zeppelin—LZ 128, the Friedrichshafen—was part of a Nazi aeronautical publicity
  stunt, touring cities around the Mediterranean Sea neutral or friendly to Germany. Its
  compliment of crewmen and passengers intended to support the public relations tour actu-
  ally consists of trained SS commandos. Their true mission? To deploy half their unit here
  to maintain and protect the hidden depot in the event of war.
  The soldiers land in a position between the heroes and the fuel dump. Start by deploying
  twice as many soldiers as characters and increase or decrease the number to keep a
  suspenseful fight going. To complicate matters both spies take positions atop the command
  shed and use the machine guns and grenades to further worry the characters from the
  flank. If the characters prove particularly resilient, several soldiers in the zeppelin’s
  control gondola lean out the windows and start lobbing grenades at them or providing
  suppressive fire with machine guns. The ravine offers plenty of cover behind large rocks
  or piles of supplies; the heroes can also use any resources stockpiled here to their advan-
  tage. Don’t forget that Doyle remains captive inside the command shed, offering an
  additional objective besides simple escape.
  No climactic fight involving a supply depot packed with weapons, a well-guarded fuel
  dump, and a zeppelin hovering above would be complete without a climactic explosion.
  Although the soldiers know losing the petrol would destroy their plans, they defend it at
  great risk. Every stray shot in that direction threatens to set off the fuel, and any explo-
  sive lobbed into the pile of gasoline drums ignites the entire pile. Such a blast easily
  engulfs enough of the zeppelin to ignite its buoyant hydrogen gas cells, sending the entire
  airship crashing down the length of the canyon in flames. Any explosive successfully
  hitting the zeppelin (a well-thrown grenade or carefully aimed mortar round) has similar
  results.
  When everything starts exploding, the heroes have only a short time to rescue Miss
  Doyle and escape the burning ravine. The cave passage leading back to the temple proves
  the easiest escape route, though the characters might try blasting out in one of the tanks
  (though this isn’t particularly well-insulated from a flaming zeppelin).
  Episode Five: Escape!
  The characters have several options in fleeing the hidden base and returning to civili-
  zation. Depending how they left the situation in the canyon, they may still have to deal
  with one or both Nazi spies (if they managed to escape back through the temple passage-
  way), crewmen escaping from the flaming zeppelin, or surviving commandos intent on
  revenge.
  The Nazi cave accessible from the temple’s secret corridors (or from outside if
  anyone notices it) holds enough supplies for a trip back to the Nile, even at a leisurely
  pace. Even though the heroes can’t all fit in the biplane, they might decide for one
  character to pilot it; it serves as a good means to survey the damage they’ve done to the
  base, scout out any other enemy units in the area, and provide aerial reconnaissance for
  characters traveling on the ground.
  If they can find the hidden car the Nazi spies used earlier, the characters might also
  commandeer that for their desert trek home. It’s a bit more maneuverable than the lorry,
  and proves easier to “unstick” from patches of soft sand. Two MP-35 submachine guns sit
  in the back seat. It can accommodate the entire group, though it’s a tight fit with neces-
  sary supplies.
  Their lorry could use more petrol and some additional supplies, but otherwise can
  transport them back to civilization reliably.
  If escape seems too easy, throw in some additional complications. Any escaping Nazis
  might pursue them with whatever means possible, including the biplane. Commandos
  moving quickly could block their escape from the temple corridors or even set up an
  ambush among the giant statues and back passages in the temple’s great hall.
  NAZI COMMANDO
  (Henchman)
  Competent Skills:
  climb_____________________
  dodge ____________________
  fight _____________________
  intimidate _________________
  notice ____________________
  Expert Skill:
  shoot _____________________
  Equipment:
  rifle _____________________
  knife _____________________
  
  12
  Enemies on the Horizon
  Top
  Secret
  Epilogue
  After her rescue the heroes retrieve the key to the tomb gate’s lock and can return to
  Sakkara and resume their excavations.
  Miss Doyle admits she occasionally works for the British gathering information about
  potential threats, watching suspect foreigners in Egypt, and photographing points of inter-
  est to His Majesty’s government. Her father served in the army for many years which
  fostered her strong sense of patriotism.
  Doyle discourages them from discussing these events with anyone. Despite their as-
  tounding escapades, the heroes have a difficult time getting anyone to believe them,
  especially with British, German, and Italian authorities officially denying any knowledge
  of such a secret base on the Egyptian border. The remote location of the action almost
  guarantees nobody can truly verify their experiences. The Nazi propaganda machine re-
  leases a news story that the zeppelin LZ-129 veered off course after its stop in Tripoli and
  was presumably destroyed in a desert sandstorm, but that’s the only official
  acknowledgement the characters receive of events related to their escapades.
  Further Adventures
  Events in “Enemies on the Horizon” can provide the basis for several subsequent
  scenarios.
  Nazi Vengeance: Realizing the heroes suspect their plans to invade Egypt should war break
  out, the Nazis conspire to discredit, discourage, and even eliminate the Mallory Expedition
  to remove a threat to their activities in Egypt. Bad luck seemingly hits the excavation at
  every turn as allies and suppliers slowly disappear. The heroes must expose the Nazi spies
  working against them and regain their stature as a legitimate archaeological dig.
  Set’s Followers: Members of a cult dedicated to the ancient god Set hear rumors that the
  characters discovered an ancient desert temple and seek to find and appropriate it for their
  own sinister purposes (see the Legion of Set on page 83 in Pulp Egypt). They sneak into the
  heroes’ camp looking for clues, ambush Vera Doyle and other characters to interrogate
  them about the temple’s whereabouts, and mount an expedition of their own to restore the
  temple and use it to summon an apocalyptic manifestation of their god.
  Mummy Rising: When the heroes get back to their dig and things finally return to their
  normal routine their fellahin workers, always the suspicious type, start murmuring about
  sighting an animated mummy haunting the area at night. Thefts, sabotage, and even a
  murder are blamed on the supernatural creature. The characters must investigate the
  mummy rumor and expose it as a fake; a burned Nazi spy or commando from the battle at
  the secret supply dump has infiltrated Egypt and, still bandaged and disfigured from his
  injuries, has undertaken a personal vendetta to destroy the expedition (gamemasters can
  link this with the “Nazi Vengeance” scenario hook above).
  
  13
  Enemies on the Horizon
  The Mallory Expedition
  Use thesse six members of the Hartwell College’s expedition, formerly under Professor Mallory’s leadership, as templates for
  characters to use in this scenario or any Pulp Egypt adventure. Use them as written or adjust them to the campaign’s themes and players’
  preference. Customize their skills using the Any-System Key found on page 12.
  MACK TANNER
  Occupation: Wayward Adventurer
  Age: 35 Gender: Male
  Physical Description: Tall, well-built, with rugged good looks and a shock of wavy
  brown hair. Wears a leather jacket, brown fedora, and sturdy expedition boots.
  Background: Your wanderlust and natural curiosity have led to a life of varied adventure
  across the globe:  mountaineering in the Rockies, treasure hunting in India, smuggling
  in Italy, exploring along the Amazon. Along the way you’ve picked up a few useful
  skills that help you hold your own in a fight and get by using your wits. When you found
  yourself in Cairo looking for a job, you signed on with the Mallory archaeological
  expedition to Sakkara. Your varied past and often rough demeanor sometimes inhibit
  courteous interaction with others, but you get along well enough with your fellow
  expedition members. Although you have few academic skills that help with the dig,
  you oversee general security, make sure the native fellaheen workers stay in line, and
  keep the less worldly excavation personnel out of trouble.
  MACK TANNER (Boss)
  Competent Skills:
  navigate __________________
  notice ____________________
  Expert Skills:
  bluff _____________________
  climb_____________________
  dodge ____________________
  fight _____________________
  sneak_____________________
  Signature Skill:
  shoot _____________________
  Equipment:
  Webley revolver ____________
  compass __________________
  satchel ___________________
  ELLIOTT HAMILTON
  Occupation: Archaeologist
  Age: 29 Gender: Male
  Physical Description: Slight build, glasses, studious features, mop of blonde hair,
  dressed in tweed jacket and cap.
  Background: As Professor Percy Mallory’s protege, you’ve served as his assistant and
  colleague on various expeditions to Egypt. You’re good friends, and spend many evenings
  smoking pipes and discussing theories about life in ancient times. You’re a dilligent
  scholar, studious academic, and meticulous archaeologist. You respect Mallory, even
  if you often sit off to the side taking on the daily tasks of the dig while he basks in the
  limelight. You’re a quiet fellow used to listening more than barking orders.
  You have a thorough understanding of Arab culture and of ancient Egyptian language
  and history. Thanks to generous financing from Hartwell College, you and the expedition
  rarely want for funds. This also ties you to the institution, obliging you to spend your
  time administering the expedition and overseeing the logistical aspects of its operations.
  ELLIOTT HAMILTON (Boss)
  Competent Skills:
  climb_____________________
  dodge ____________________
  persuade __________________
  Expert Skills:
  deduce ___________________
  search ____________________
  speak Arabic _______________
  Signature Skill:
  Egyptology ________________
  Equipment:
  pocket knife _______________
  satchel ___________________
  electric torch ______________
  magnifying glass ____________
  notepad, pencil, ruler, brush
  
  14
  Enemies on the Horizon
  ISABELLE NEAVE
  Occupation: Vehicle Ace
  Age: 23 Gender: Female
  Physical Description: Gorgeous figure accentuated by boots, riding pants, leather
  jacket, silk scarf, goggles and flight cap.
  Background: A rich upbringing exposed you to extravagant toys like motorcars and
  aeroplanes, so you naturally developed an affinity for and proficiency in operating
  them. You were in Cairo when your degenerate brother squandered the family fortune.
  You found work driving or piloting those wealthy enough to afford automobiles and
  aeroplanes (though they’d never let a woman do such work for the army or Royal Air
  Force). You still have a flair about you from growing up rich, though this means you
  spend more money than you make. Everything’s an adventure to you, even overseeing
  transport and logistics for the Mallory expedition. You drive their lorry, picking up
  supplies and hauling artifacts back to the warehouse in Cairo. When you’re not driving,
  you watch the dig and gamble with the fellahin.
  ISABELLE NEAVE (Boss)
  Competent Skills:
  bluff _____________________
  brawl ____________________
  charm ____________________
  dodge ____________________
  gamble ___________________
  navigation _________________
  streetwise _________________
  Expert Skills:
  drive _____________________
  ride ______________________
  shoot _____________________
  Signature Skill:
  pilot _____________________
  Equipment:
  Derringer _________________
  flight jacket, leather helmet, goggles
  IBRAHIM AL-KASSAM
  Occupation: Fellahin Foreman
  Age: 52 Gender: Male
  Physical Description: Hulking, dark-skinned Arab with full graying beard wearing a
  tarboosh and sashed kaftan
  Background: A native Egyptian, you have worked among the ancient ruins all your
  life. You began hauling and sifting dirt from excavations for ferengi (foreigners) who
  came to dig seeking tombs and treasures. You befriended many and soon rose to become
  a foreman, directing crowds of fellahin peasants on vast excavations and advising great
  archaeologists how best to unearth Egypt’s regal past. You deal sternly with workers,
  who need strict leadership and supervision, but you’ve also earned their respect. Those
  unfamiliar with your work often treat you as infirm or senile considering your great
  age. To your employers you offer quiet suggestions and paternal encouragement; they
  are friends whom you faithfully serve.
  IBRAHIM AL-KASSAM (Boss)
  Competent Skills:
  dodge ____________________
  endurance _________________
  lift ______________________
  persuade __________________
  streetwise _________________
  Expert Skills:
  fight _____________________
  intimidate _________________
  Signature Skill:
  command __________________
  Equipment:
  stout stick _________________
  pipe, kaftan, tarboosh
  
  15
  Enemies on the Horizon
  ARCHIBALD LITTLEDALE
  Occupation: Reporter
  Age: 25 Gender: Male
  Physical Description: Tall and wiry, with a thin mustache, wearing a dapper suit and
  broad-rimmed hat, and carrying a pen and pad in his hand.
  Background: As the son of a cotton mill owner in the Nile Delta, you spent much of
  your youth in Cairo among both wealthy Europeans and common Egyptians. You made
  friends with everyone you met, finding something interesting in each person and
  encouraging them to talk about themselves and their work. You used this natural rapport
  when you got a job reporting for Cairo’s English-language newspaper, the Egyptian
  Gazette. You cover various beats: archaeological digs, society gossip, business news,
  military happenings. Cairo can be a pretty rough city, so you carry a two-shot Derringer
  in your pocket in case of trouble. You maintain a wide cast of low-level contacts
  throughout Cairo, people who can offer more information or other angles on stories
  you’re researching. Your solid understanding of Arabic culture also aids you in navigating
  the exotic terrain of Egyptian society.
  ARCHIBALD LITTLEDALE
  (Boss)
  Competent Skills:
  dodge ____________________
  sneak_____________________
  speak Arabic _______________
  Expert Skills:
  bluff _____________________
  charm ____________________
  notice ____________________
  persuade __________________
  search ____________________
  streetwise _________________
  Signature Skill:
  investigate ________________
  Equipment:
  Derringer _________________
  camera ___________________
  notepad, pen
  MAJOR WILSON BROOMHALL
  Occupation: British Military Officer
  Age: 41 Gender: Male
  Physical Description: Aging fellow with stern face, meticulously trimmed mustache,
  army uniform and hat, and military bearing.
  Background: Life had little direction until the outbreak of the Great War. You received
  a commission in the British Army and fought the Hun in France. Since then you’ve
  remained in the service, rising in rank and going wherever His Majesty required:
  India, Hong Kong, Singapore, British East Africa, and lately Egypt. You understand
  obedience and the chain of command, but realize individual soldiers must rise to the
  occasion to prevail. You hold authority over lower-ranked British military personnel
  and have the respect of many Englishmen in Egypt. Your duty to King and country is
  beyond reproach, though many native Egyptians treat you with resentment for occupying
  and ruling their country. Between your light duties at the Cairo garrison, you dabble in
  archaeology, tagging along on excavations, observing, and occasionally helping to
  supervise operations.
  MAJOR WILSON
  BROOMHALL (Boss)
  Competent Skills:
  brawl ____________________
  dodge ____________________
  navigate __________________
  Expert Skills:
  investigate ________________
  streetwise _________________
  survival ___________________
  Signature Skill:
  command __________________
  Equipment:
  Webley Mk4 revolver ________
  riding crop ________________
  army uniform
  
  16
  Enemies on the Horizon
  Character Stats
  Assume characters have the average rating in most skills, with
  several rated at the level of a competent professional, a few
  considered expert in their field, and sometimes one signature skill
  for which the character is renown.
  SKILL LEVELS
  Competent Skills: Displays a professional level of training
  Expert Skills: Possesses specialized knowledge
  Signature Skill: Ranks among the best in the world
  Three character levels further describe their abilities.
  Henchmen do not possess Signature skills and only have one Expert
  skill. Bosses have the usual complement of skills. Masterminds
  boost all their skills by one level; their Competent skills have the
  same value as Expert skills normally possess, Expert skills have
  values equivalent to the Signature level, and Signature skills
  increase by one increment beyond their maximum game value.
  CHARACTER LEVELS
  Henchman: No Signature Skill, only one Expert Skill
  Boss: Normal skill levels
  Mastermind: Skills boosted one level, Signature Skill gains bonus
  An equipment category defines a character’s possessions (or an
  animal’s natural weapons) gamers can easily look up for damage,
  cost, and other stats in their preferred game.
  Example:
  ORC (Henchman)
  Competent Skills: archery, brawl, carouse, climb, intimidate,
  track
  Expert Skills: fight
  Equipment: leather armor, sword
  Any-System Key
  An Adaptable Stat System
  By Peter Schweighofer
  Task Difficulties
  Any-System Key publications use four levels to describe the
  degree of difficulty for tasks undertaken by a person with professional
  training and proficiency in relevant skills.
  TASK DIFFICULTIES
  Routine: Low chance of failure (25%).
  Challenging: Moderate chance of failure (50%).
  Hard: High chance of failure (75%).
  Improbable: Almost certain chance of failure (99%).
  Example:
  The characters must leap across a chasm to reach safety. Do-
  ing so successfully requires a Challenging jump roll; the have a
  moderate chance of failure, but also a moderate chance of suc-
  cess. If flames leaped out of the chasm, the difficulty might in-
  crease to Hard; not only must they jump the chasm, but they must
  withstand intense heat.
  Higher Level Games
  Running a setting or scenario with heroes who seem to waltz
  through encounters? Simply raise the gamemaster character lev-
  els and the task difficulty levels. Nothing turns Henchman-level
  mooks into challenging opponents better than upgrading their Ex-
  pert skill into a Signature skill.
  Fits Your Favorite
  Games
  Game character skills have different degrees of competence
  defined by stats. Simply figure out which stats best represent the
  levels of Competent, Expert, and Signature skills and use those
  values when integrating Any-System Key material into your game.
  The same applies for difficulties. Just match the Any-System
  Key difficulty descriptions with the corresponding values for rat-
  ing tasks in your own game.
  The Any-System Key describes character skills and task difficulties in terms that easily translate into different game systems. These
  terms do not key into any one game engine, but serve as general guidelines to give readers an overall sense of how they fit within their own
  game’s stat and difficulty scale. Any-System Key publications provide settings, characters, adventures, and other source material adapt-
  able to your favorite roleplaying game.
  Visit the Griffon Publishing Studio website
  griffonpubstudio.com
  for more Any-System Key material, including free adventures
  and sample character stats.
  The Any-System Key is © 2006 Peter Schweighofer
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu/Pulp Cthulhu/Pulp Egypt/Pulp Egypt - Enemies on the Horizon.pdf