TEXT: i
  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  
  ii
  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  WELLSTONE CITY:
  UNCHRONICLED
  WRITTEN BY:  
  KEVIN M. ROHAN
  LAYOUT BY:    
  KEVIN M. ROHAN
  EDITED BY:  
  BEN OVERMYER
  Death of the Prophet (SGG 12016) © 2012, Silver Gryphon Games, LP.  This book may not be 
  distributed or copied except for personal use without the express writt en permission of Silver 
  Gryphon Games, LP.
  www.silvergryphongames.com
  This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment 
  Group at www.peginc.com.  Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copy-
  rights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no represen-
  tation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.
  This game also references the Wellstone City sett ing produced by Silver Gryphon games.  It is 
  highly recommended, though not required, to have a copy of that sett ing as this adventure refer-
  ences people, places and edges found in that book.  This adventure is considered to be a follow 
  up to the Two-Bit Thugs adventure for Wellstone and references events that took place in that 
  adventure.
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
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  1
  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  The Wellstone Prophet, a conspiracy paper that is available on news stands every Friday, and has been 
  for the last 20 years, missed its delivery for the fi rst time in the history of its run.  The news channels 
  and social media networks were instantly hit with the news of a small building that was torched in the 
  early morning hours, and its owner, one Geoff ry Canter, is missing.  A quick investigation by the Fire 
  Chief, William Griggson, has revealed that the fi re was defi nitely not an accident and it appears that 
  multiple incendiary devices were used along with potent accelerant.  This was revealed to be in addi-
  tion to the acetone that was kept in the building for cleaning the small printing presses.  Once the fi re 
  hit the acetone the building burned to the ground in a matt er of minutes.  
  By the time the fi re department arrived, the only thing they could do was control the blaze to keep it 
  from spreading to the surrounding buildings.  The owners of the two adjacent structures have not been 
  able to be reached at this point; but the stores suff ered heavy smoke damage and some broken win-
  dows.  The two buildings in question are Interstate Antiquities, a small mom-and-pop antiques mer-
  chant, and Johnson and Johnson Grocery, a family owned corner grocery store.
  PC INVESTIGATION
  If the PCs are not directly involved with the arson of the Prophet, then they have a variety of ways 
  of gett ing involved with the story.  Those listed below are simple suggestions, and it is obviously not 
  inclusive of all of the ways the characters could begin their investigation.  For a litt le extra push, maybe 
  a contact of one of the PCs is asking them to look into this for any variety of reasons.
  WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
  If the PCs were not involved, here’s what happened.  The Prophet had been running some stories that 
  were particularly damning of Police Chief Hanson.  The upcoming story on impending Martial Law, 
  combined with a few other stories had been critical of Chief Hanson and had named him specifi cally 
  on charges of corruption, racketeering, and even assassination.  To top that off , someone claimed to 
  have snapped a picture of the lake monster, and Mrs. Hanson has a lake home that she keeps out on 
  Ishekiowa; there was no way that the Chief is going to let their lake turn into some kind of media 
  circus because of a mythical creature.  
  The other two articles that can be found by the PCs discuss Renfeld, the Wellstone Killer, and the 
  crumbling power base of organized crime in Wellstone City.  While those two articles are not particu-
  larly related to this adventure, they can serve as nice lead-ins for subsequent adventures if the GM 
  elects to use them as such.
  The Death of the Prophet was carried out, if not by the PCs, by a group of fi ve dirty cops from Litt le 
  Italy.  They used SWAT tactics and hid their numbers well, but not well enough.  Payment was a 
  paltry 10,000 each for the job, but money is money, and Chief Hanson wasn’t going to have any more 
  smearing of his name or invasion of his lake home by those damn monster hunters.
  
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  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  INTERSTATE ANTIQUES
  Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, owners of Interstate An-
  tiques would like to hire someone to investigate 
  the fire; they’re sure the police are just going to 
  sweep it under the rug and they are willing to pay 
  private investigators or independent contractors 
  to find out who did it and why.  There are several 
  ways to get the PCs involved on this, and if this is 
  worked into an existing adventure, perhaps there 
  is another edge for the party to become involved.  
  PROPHET READERS
  The characters (or at least one of them) is a reader 
  of the Prophet and is deeply concerned over the 
  absence of the weekly paper.  Any one of dozens 
  of possible conspiracies could be coming to light, 
  and paper did seem to be getting more and more 
  paranoid over the last few weeks.  Something 
  must have happened to Geoffry and the party 
  needs to find out why!
  PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS
  Where there are mysterious circumstances, there’s 
  money to be made.  The Private Investigators just 
  need to find out who is in a position to pay them, 
  and then solve the arson mystery.  If the Chief 
  Griggson is right, maybe that’s a good place to 
  start; he might know more than what he told to 
  the papers, and there could be clues at the crime 
  scene.
  INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
  There might not be any money in this, but gener-
  ally where there’s conspiracy in Wellstone, there’s 
  a quick buck to be made.  This doesn’t ring or-
  ganized crime hit or anything gang related, but 
  maybe the ol’ Prophet actually uncovered a kernel 
  of truth in the vast amounts of crazy that it’s been 
  peddling.  There could be money changing hands 
  at several places in this equation, and if the situ-
  ation is played right, the party could skim some 
  cash off every single one of them.
  DIRTY COPS
  Someone hit this place, that’s clear.  Fire Chief 
  Griggson practically screamed that the place had 
  been Molotoved, and you sure haven’t heard any-
  one clear this place for a burn.  Torching a busi-
  ness under the Interstate takes balls of solid steel; 
  someone’s either muscling into the area or that 
  kook publisher finally pissed someone off.  Either 
  way, someone is muscling in on your turf and you 
  didn’t get your cut, so some one is going to get 
  a little cut of their own, and a whole lot of them 
  until you find your way to the bloody truth.
  SUPERNATURAL INVESTIGATORS
  The Prophet has been like a roadmap of the weird 
  in Wellstone for years.  Lately it’s been focusing 
  on missing persons and their locations in conjunc-
  tion to the wellstones.  It’s possible that someone 
  cracked the pattern and whoever—or whatever—
  is doing the killing was not very happy to be 
  found out.  Revenge was swift, and now someone 
  needs to avenge the Prophet.
  CRYPTOZOOLOGY INVESTIGATORS
  The Lake Ishekiowa monster is a myth, and it’s 
  a pretty big one for Wellstone.  It’s rumored to 
  be the same plesiosaur-like creature that lives in 
  Loch Ness and Lake Champlain, but eye-witness-
  es say that there are ridges of short spines down 
  its back.  It could be a giant salt water crocodile; 
  it could be an ancient Sarcosuchus as well.  There 
  are those who say the Prophet has turned “Ishy” 
  from a tourist attraction into a larger affair, and all 
  of the researchers are annoying the locals in the 
  Parish.  Maybe one of them had had enough; may-
  be someone writing to the Prophet had discovered 
  the final bit of missing evidence about this elusive 
  monster.
  THE FIREBOMBERS
  You’re pretty sure you got away clean.  I mean, 
  you made sure to stay on the sidewalk, you used 
  the most common brand of 180 proof on the 
  market, you wore gloves…you’re a professional!  
  The pay you got wasn’t what it was supposed to 
  be, and to be honest, you have been uneasy about 
  this whole voice over the phone, cash at an anony-
  mous drop stuff anyway.  This job just didn’t feel 
  right.  Something is off.  To top it off, one of your 
  own crew has been acting weird lately; he could 
  be informing on you, but to whom?  For what?  
  More importantly, can you investigate and get 
  this pinned on someone else?
  
  3
  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  RENFELD
  The so-called Wellstone City Serial Killer is 
  known only as Renfeld, the only known sus-
  pected picture of him was at a gas station and he 
  was wearing an army jacket with his name patch 
  showing “Renfeld.”  No one seems to know much 
  about him, or even if that is his real name, but 
  there have been 30 serial killings in Wellstone 
  City that all point to one man with the same style.  
  Arson is not Renfeld’s normal mode of operation.  
  Never-the-less, his name is being thrown around 
  as a possible suspect.
  INVESTIGATION
  If the PCs are investigating, they can determine 
  through good role-playing or good rolls that there 
  were at least four and possibly five individuals 
  involved; they parked across the street and they 
  left impressions in the soft dirt that haven’t been 
  trampled by the investigators on scene.  None 
  of the police investigating seem too concerned; 
  with the upswing of violence in Wellstone lately, 
  they’re just there to do their job and go on to 
  the next violent crime.  Inside among the rubble 
  they find four short manuscripts that escaped the 
  inferno.  They are “The Lake Ishekiowa Monster:  
  Found at Last,” “Disorganized Crime, How the 
  Mighty are Falling,” “Renfeld is the Wellstone 
  Killer!” and “Martial Law to be Declared!”
  VIDEO TAPE
  There is also a surveillance tape from Interstate 
  Antiques that could be obtained, for the right 
  price, of course.  The shop owners didn’t want the 
  police to have it because they don’t feel that the 
  police will do their job, where the investigators 
  don’t get paid if they don’t come up with some-
  thing.  Mr. and Mrs. Anderson of the antique store 
  are particularly interested in solving this case and 
  will help the investigators in any way they can, 
  especially if it means the police won’t be snooping 
  around ineffectually.
  WITNESS
  A wino by the name of Jacob hangs out behind 
  Johnson and Johnson Grocery.  He hasn’t left, 
  but he’s gotten very scarce with all of the police 
  around.  If the PCs can pin him down and inter-
  rogate him without scaring him away or into 
  silence, he will tell the investigators everything 
  they need to about numbers of arsonists, what 
  they were dressed like, and the vehicle they were 
  in.  Even if the PCs do scare him into being quiet, 
  he will talk under the proper motivation.
  SOLVING THE CASE
  All of the clues needed to solve the case are pres-
  ent.  It’s up to the GM to put all of the pieces 
  together.  Once the clues are followed, no matter 
  how haphazardly, there will be some sort of ulti-
  mate confrontation.  There could be many smaller 
  altercations on the way through the scenario, and 
  those who are encountered should use templates 
  from the Wellstone City setting book, or simply 
  come up with your own antagonists on the fly.  
  WILD CARDS
  As far as Wild Cards and GM Bennies are con-
  cerned, there are as many Wild Cards in the 
  adventure as the GM wishes to throw at the PCs, 
  plus the PCs themselves.  All of the major antago-
  nists could be Wild Cards, or just the ring leader 
  that they are up against; it is completely up to the 
  GM to determine what would best challenge the 
  party.
  THE AFTERMATH
  Whether there was a turf war settled because of 
  this adventure, one started, or even favor among 
  smaller factions of Wellstone City, the PCs will 
  be known just a little bit better by the seedier 
  elements in the City.  It’s possible that no matter 
  what the outcome, the PCs could find themselves 
  in possession of some new real-estate, especially if 
  the arsonists turn over on Chief Hanson.  The PCs 
  could find themselves being owed a favor from 
  the Fire Chief’s office, or even from the Mayor’s 
  office in order to stay quiet.  The role-playing 
  aspect of this adventure has potential to change 
  the PCs’ standing in the entire city, depending 
  on how they play it out.  GMs need to be careful 
  not to give the party too much power with those 
  favors though, other wise it will be costly in later 
  Wellstone City Chronicles.
  
  4
  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  WANT MORE WELLSTONE?
  Do you want to get into the City some more, get into its seedy underbelly and really dig into the crime 
  families and the possibilities for weath and reputation on the mean streets and in the dark alleys?  If 
  you want more, we’ve got it!
  Click on the cover images below to learn more about any of the products you see!  Get it today, play it 
  today!
  WELLSTONE CITY
  Life in the big city is tough, no matter if you’re scrap-
  ing the bottom of the barrel or living high on the hog. 
  The worth of a man is often measured by the price 
  on his head and the amount of lead needed to bring 
  him down. There is money to be made as long as you 
  don’t mind getting your hands dirty, no matter what 
  side of the law you’re closest to.
  TWO BIT THUGS
  Building on the story arc started in the adventure, 
  Public Transit Assassins, Two-Bit Thugs allows the 
  characters to keep exploring Wellstone City, adding a 
  slug of new NPCs and two new locations. The party 
  has opportunity thrust upon them when a mistress 
  of the high circles of Wellstone City gets caught in 
  a gang war crossfire in the neutral borough of Well-
  stone Park. No matter what their standing is with the 
  various crime syndicates, or even the FBI, at the end 
  of Public Transit Assassins, they have another oppor-
  tunity to gain favor among the crime lords of Well-
  stone.
  
  5
  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  BURNING CROSSES
  Hot on the heels of Two-Bit Thugs, the most powerful 
  crime syndicate in Wellstone City, the Cross Clan is 
  having some major internal issues. It seems that infor-
  mation relating to the family and its activities is mak-
  ing it to the police. They know there’s a lot of money 
  changing hands, but the upper echelons of the Broth-
  ers Cross can’t find out from their own interrogations 
  who is behind any part of this.
  A DEATH UNDESERVING
  Luis Batista, a once powerful Cuban drug runner, is 
  grieving and out for revenge. His oldest son has been 
  murdered and Batista is determined to set things 
  right. To this end, he and his youngest son, Man ny, 
  have employed the services of the Players to find the 
  person responsible for Tomas’ murder. They will pay 
  handsomely for the identity of the murderer. They’ll 
  pay even more to get their hands on him.
  SHROEDINGER’S BOX
  Jerry “The Rat” Pauluzi has crossed sold out, and 
  almost every major crime syndicate in town either 
  wants him dead or has pulled their protection from 
  him. With a few well-placed calls and a letter from the 
  Black Dragons, even the PCs catch wind of his loca-
  tion; a hardened hotel used for witness protection in 
  extreme cases. The Black Dragons want him out alive, 
  while everyone else has a price on his head so big that 
  it’s scaring the small fish away, but the big time hitters 
  are all drooling at the chance to hit Jerry and cash in 
  big-time. 
  
  6
  WELLSTONE CITY UNCHRONICLED
  DEATH OF THE PROPHET
  RANCH RAID
  Things have gotten hot in Wellstone, maybe a little too 
  hot. The best thing you can do is lay low, especially 
  after that whole hotel fiasco. Then this job just lands 
  in your lap. It’s perfect: it’s in Mexico, it’s dealing 
  with Wellstone City scumbags, and it’s working with 
  a high-level security company with few real ties to the 
  City. As a matter of fact, it’s almost too perfect…
  WELLSTONE CITY ENCOUNTER DECK
  This concept, designed to run with the Wellstone City 
  setting for the Savage Worlds system, adds extra di-
  mension to your games in Wellstone! It gives the GM 
  a much needed tool to generate random encounters 
  within the setting that can be slipped into any of the 
  existing Chronicles, or any of the adventures that the 
  GM has created. Capturing the essence that Wellstone 
  City is a vibrant, alive, and evolving setting, it lets the 
  players know that they are not alone and that their 
  actions have consequences and allow them to make 
  many contacts, allies, and of course, enemies.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/_Misc/Savage Worlds - Wellstone City Chronicles - Death of the Prophet.pdf