TEXT: d20 Modern(tm) is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., 
  a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and is used with permission. 
  Dungeons & Dragons(R) and Wizards of the Coast(R) are 
  registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary 
  of Hasbro, Inc., and are used with permission.
  Copyright 2007 © RPG Objects.  All rights Reserved.
  Visit our web site at www.RPGObjects.com.
  BY 
  Dominic Covey
  WWW.RPGOBJECTS.COM
  WWW.DARWINRPG.COM
   PLAYTESTING: 
  DOMINIC COVEY, CHRIS DAVIS, Chris Derner,, Chris 
  Hoover,  Ryan KellEy, Ethan Ripplinger, Aaron 
  Wiggins, Jeremy Lee. 
  COVER: JEREMY SIMMONS
  MAPS: DOMINIC COVEY
  EDITING: CHRIS DAVIS
  LAYOUT: CHRIS DAVIS
  GENCON GAMEMASTERS: JEREMY LEE, CHRIS DAVIS 
  
  2
  BAD NEWS IN BUGTOWN (GENCON 2007 ADVENTURE)
  Welcome to Bad News In 
  Bugtown, an adventure 
  for Darwin’s World 2nd 
  Edition.  In this adventure 
  the PCs are hired by a 
  ﬂedgling merchant company 
  that has taken root in the 
  ruins of Amarillo to track down 
  and eliminate the source of a major nuisance - bugs.  
  During the course of the adventure the PCs face off 
  with a seemingly endless swarm of the disgusting 
  creatures, learn the source of the infestation, and in 
  the process uncover a remarkable treasure beneath 
  the city streets...
  A party of four to six characters of levels 4-6 
  should be able to overcome the challenges in this 
  adventure.  Speciﬁc skills such as Climb, Diplomacy, 
  Knowledge [Earth & Life Sciences], and Treat Injury 
  will be useful, but not necessary for the scenario’s 
  completion.
  ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
  Bad News In Bugtown begins with the party heading 
  across the Far Desert, ostensibly along the established 
  trade routes of the region, to ﬁnd work in the isolated 
  ruins of Amarillo.  A relatively insigniﬁcant place on 
  any post-Fall map, word is beginning to spread that 
  a small merchant group there, the Amarillo Trading 
  Company, is looking for trustworthy men to do some 
  work for them.  The details are scant, but any PC 
  looking for quick corium won’t likely be able to resist 
  the chance to ﬁnd out more...
  THE AMARILLO TRADING COMPANY
  The Amarillo Trading Company is a relatively new 
  merchant house in the Far Desert.  Ambitious, they 
  stand in direct competition with the Clean and the 
  Cartel who dominate the region with their trade 
  routes.  But the merchants of the Amarillo Trading 
  Company are also realists, and instead of trying 
  to compete in the water or fuel trade, the Amarillo 
  Trading Company deals exclusively in scrap.  This 
  Scrap is taken from scrounging in the ruins of the 
  wasteland, in particular the bombed-out wreckage of 
  the ancient city of Amarillo.  The stuff is in surprising 
  demand these days, being used to build shelters, 
  patch up vehicles, and forge armor and weapons for 
  the mercenary armies of the ongoing wars of the 
  Twisted Earth.
  But all the ambition and realism means nothing if 
  you hit a snag.  And the Amarillo Trading Company 
  has just hit their ﬁrst.  Having built their main 
  compound in the ruins of the old city, they were 
  prepared to deal with the minor nuisances that came 
  with invading the necropoli of the wasteland - a few 
  freakish monsters, savage bandits living in the ruins, 
  and those annoying 
  wild men and their 
  constant stealing.  
  But what they 
  weren’t prepared for 
  was all the bugs - 
  Amarillo is infested 
  with ‘em.
  THE WILD MEN
  The bugs are a problem, but Amarillo has another 
  infestation:  one of wild men, which seem to be far 
  more numerous than in other ruined cities in the 
  Far Desert.  Wild men are a race of feral, almost 
  Neanderthal-like humanoids who are believed to 
  be the direct descendants of humans who survived 
  among the devastated cities instead of ﬂeeing to the 
  wasteland outside.  Degenerate through years of 
  inbreeding, wild men are truly savage creatures; in 
  fact, most inhabitants of the Twisted Earth consider 
  them little more than animals.
  In reality wild men are little more than animals, 
  but they are mildly intelligent and, in some cases, 
  quite clever.  In recent years, especially with the 
  establishment of the Amarillo Trading Company 
  and its outpost among the ruins, the wild men 
  have become hunted.  The traders, along with their 
  mercenary hirelings, have long considered the wild 
  men a nuisance and have hunted them for years, often 
  organizing colorful “hunting expeditions” to root the 
  buggers out and slay them.  Bounties are traditionally 
  offered for every wild man taken down, and bragging 
  ABBREVIATIONS
  At certain times this book references other Darwin’s World supplements and 
  sourcebooks, or other RPGObjects products.  To help you ﬁnd where the rules for 
  these are located, the following key has been provided:
  BNB 
  Bad News In Bugtown (new to this adventure)
  B&L 
  The Broken & The Lost
  R&U 
  Rare & Unusual Weapons After The Fall (Post-Apocalyptic Dispatch #4)
  RT 
  Rolling Thunder (Post-Apocalyptic Dispatch #7)
  
  3
  rights are especially sought after since there’s not 
  much else to talk about on this lonely frontier.
  Unbeknownst to the hunters the wild men, though 
  made prey, have begun to adapt to these new arrivals.  
  They’ve gotten a little more clever - and devious.  
  In fact, a particularly intelligent wild man - known 
  to his followers as “Kroo” (the wild man word for 
  “Spirit”) - devised a half-baked way to rid the ruins 
  of “outsiders” (humans of any kind) altogether.
  Having observed the effect of radiation on the 
  monsters that live near the Crater (see The Crater 
  sidebar for details), Kroo began having his followers 
  snatch bits of radioactive debris from the Crater and 
  sneaking it into the walled compound known to the 
  locals as “Bugtown”.  Already infested with bugs, 
  planting the radioactive bits there began to have an 
  immediate effect; within a few weeks the population 
  of insects exploded, and sightings of enormous 
  mutated cockroaches were reported.
  It wasn’t long before the bugs began spilling out of 
  Bugtown and into the nearby Amarillo Trading Post.  
  Though the wild men have lost a few of theirs to 
  radiation sickness, all they have to do now is sit back 
  and watch the bugs drive the humans out of the city!  
  Or so they hope...
  THE BUGS
  For the time being the Company thinks the bugs are 
  merely a nuisance that needs to be dealt with - but in 
  fact they are on the verge of becoming a real issue.
  Amarillo, like any other necropolis, has always 
  had a problem with bugs, but in recent years the 
  typical cockroach has gone from your average minute 
  vermin to something man-sized or larger.  Kroo and 
  his wild men are behind this, of course, but what 
  neither the Company nor even Kroo know is that 
  the cockroach nest lies right smack on top of the old 
  entrance to the Amarillo Vault - a secret underground 
  shelter designed to hold survivors of the Fall for 
  several centuries.
  During the adventure the PCs work to eradicate 
  the bug problem in “Bugtown”, the old part of town 
  walled up by the Amarillo Traders to prevent the bugs 
  from getting out.  After exploring the PCs ﬁnd clues 
  that lead them to believe an old vault does exist under 
  the city, and with the help of their employer are sent 
  into the heart of the cockroach infestation to ﬁnd it.
  ARRIVING IN TOWN
  Your source in the last town said it would take 
  six days to get to Amarillo, and as the sun begins 
  to set on the sixth and ﬁnal day, there before you 
  sprawls the ruins of Amarillo, Texas.
  Like all necropoli on the face of the Twisted 
  Earth, this one resembles nothing more than a 
  
  4
  steel gray smudge on the otherwise featureless 
  expanse of desert wasteland, a skeleton of a 
  place that was once home to tens of thousands.
  As you enter the city proper, you remember the 
  directions given to you by your go-between at the 
  last wasteland settlement.  “Continue down the 
  main street, right towards the heart of town.  The 
  Amarillo Trading Company fort was built close 
  to the center of the city - you can’t miss it.  But, 
  uh, don’t wander off the main road if you value 
  your health - if you know what I mean.”
  With those words in mind you plod on towards 
  your destination - the outpost of a small trader 
  house that has sprung up within the ruins.  A 
  small scrap operation, you heard they were 
  looking for men good with their guns to solve a 
  certain “problem” with the utmost discretion.  
  So that’s how you ﬁnd yourself smack dab in a 
  desolate city with night closing in fast.
  Thankfully the ruins appear to be lifeless, but 
  here and there the PCs do spot a cockroach or two 
  skittering about - nothing to be concerned about.  
  This is a good time to begin building the atmosphere 
  of the ruins:  the quiet, stillness, and an eerie quality 
  that deﬁes easy description.  Vast empty blocks of 
  built up city, side streets cluttered with rubble and the 
  wreckage of old cars (completely overtaken by rust), 
  and only a single street - main street - cleared of all 
  obstructions, running straight towards the heart of the 
  city (and out the other side).
  Don’t leave the description to the players’ 
  imagination.  Take the time to describe their 
  surroundings; let them explore a few side streets, a 
  few buildings along the main avenue.  Eventually 
  they’ll return to the main road and continue towards 
  the Fort.
  UNEXPECTED ROADBLOCK (EL 3)
  Eventually the PCs arrive at a street intersecting 
  the main avenue into the heart of town.  This is the 
  same road that continues on towards the Amarillo 
  Trading Post (see later for details), but blocking 
  the intersection is what appears to be a makeshift 
  barricade of old oil drums, piles of wood and scrap, 
  and even a fallen trafﬁc light:
  Up ahead you see what appears to be a 
  ramshackle roadblock partly blocking the road.  
  It is a clumsy affair, and looks a few days old; a 
  few of the oil drums creating a barricade have 
  fallen over.
  Lingering around the roadblock, or squatting 
  atop the odd oil drum, is a group of dwarfed, 
  ragged-looking humanoids that are completely 
  naked, with wild ﬂowing hair - wild men.  The 
  simple creatures must have watched whoever 
  built this roadblock, for as you approach they 
  jump up in surprise and begin to “defend” 
  the roadblock in imitation of guardsmen.  In 
  moments the creatures begin hooting like wild 
  animals, but the comical aspect of the scene 
  soon ends as a hail of rocks come ﬂying in your 
  direction.
  The text may be somewhat deceptive, but it plays 
  to the general perceptions of most that wild men are 
  nothing but animals, incapable of cunning plans.  The 
  roadblock is in fact theirs, and was hastily set up just 
  a few days ago by Kroo, leader of the wild men, in an 
  LEARNING ABOUT AMARILLO
  Players who think of it beforehand can attempt to learn a little about the ruins of Amarillo before they get 
  there.  You can award them for their advance planning by allowing them to make Gather Information or 
  Knowledge (Twisted Earth) checks, consulting the chart below to see what they’ve heard:
  DC 13
  The ruins of Amarillo are empty except for a small fort built by a bunch of scrap merchants 
  (the “Amarillo Trading Company”) at the heart of the city.  The Clean, Cartel, and 
  CrystalTime also use the fort as a waystation along the trade routes of the Far Desert.
  DC 15
  A new merchant house like the Amarillo Trading Company may not have much of a 
  reputation to draw in mercenaries, but by all accounts they seem to offer fair wages to their 
  workers.  And there’s a big demand for cheap labor in the scrap business.
  DC 17
  Don’t panic if you hear weird noises while you’re in Amarillo; the strange cries you 
  sometimes hear at night are just the calls of wild men.
  DC 20
  Wild men are said to infest the ruins of Amarillo.  The local traders mount hunts every now 
  and then to clear certain districts of their presence.  Word has it they offer a bounty on wild 
  men killed, which you can collect at the trading post.
  DC 25
  If any character makes this DC she learns everything described in the text under the 
  gazetteer entry for Amarillo, on page 337 of Darwin’s World 2nd Edition.
  
  5
  effort to create an “ambush” for those heading for the 
  Amarillo Trading Post.  When the PCs arrive the wild 
  men target them.
  A tactical map for running this encounter is 
  shown nearby, and can be duplicated on a standard 
  miniatures-scale combat map.
  Playing Out The Combat:  On the ﬁrst round of 
  combat the wild men immediately move for cover 
  behind the oil drums and thus beneﬁt from one-half 
  cover (+4 to Defense, +2 to Reﬂex saves).  After 
  moving they begin throwing rocks and other debris at 
  the PCs.
  To the PCs this may seem like a pathetic defense, 
  but in reality only three of the wild men throw rocks 
  (base damage 1d4), while the other three hurl rotting 
  bango fruit.  Just like a thrown rock a wild man 
  throwing a bango fruit must make a successful ranged 
  attack to hit a PC, but instead of taking damage a PC 
  struck by a bango fruit must make a Fortitude save 
  (DC 12) to avoid becoming sickened (-2 to attack 
  rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and 
  ability checks) by the awful smell.  The condition 
  lasts until the character can bathe or change clothes.  
  See the nearby Bango Fruit sidebar for more on the 
  effects of being “tagged” by a rotting bango fruit.
  During the battle, if a character targeted by the 
  wild men is successfully hit with a bango fruit, his 
  attacker will then ignore him and begin throwing fruit 
  at another PC, until either all of the PCs are “tagged”, 
  or two of the wild men are killed - at which time the 
  remainder ﬂee, hooting and screeching, down a side 
  street and out of sight.
  GM’s Note:  The wild men aren’t trying to make 
  this a real ﬁght; they’re only trying to “mark” the PCs 
  with rotting bango fruit so that the cockroaches will 
  be drawn to them once they’re allowed inside the fort 
  walls.  If the PCs put up a really good ﬁght the wild 
  men may be forced to retreat before they ever “tag” 
  the characters as planned.
  Wild Men (6):  HP 5.
  Development:  During the battle any PC not 
  actively engaged in the ﬁghting may make a Spot 
  check (DC 20) to notice the ﬁghting at the roadblock 
  is being observed.  Up a nearby high-rise bordering 
  the main street, squatting in the blasted-open 
  remnants of the eleventh story, is another group 
  of wild men, looking straight down at the battle.  
  Among the wild men is particularly large specimen 
  BANGO FRUIT
  The bango fruit is a nasty crimson-colored fruit that grows in the urban wreckage of old cities like 
  Amarillo.  The Amarillo traders are aware of the fruit, but give it a wide berth, since when it begins to rot it 
  lets off an extremely unpleasant odor not unlike feces.
  PCs pelted by the wild men in the Unexpected Roadblock encounter will not only be sickened by the 
  fruit, but will also be “marked” - the odor lingers with them, even if they succeed in their Fortitude saves.  
  The smell is so noticeable that a character struck by a fruit suffers a -2 penalty to all Charisma based 
  checks until she can bathe or change clothes.  Even then the odor is slightly perceptible.
  Bango fruit odor also has another adverse effect, one that is unknown even to the traders at the fort.  The 
  odor is easily detected by the giant cockroaches and cockroach swarms of Bugtown, which are drawn to 
  the smell like a moth to a ﬂame.  The bugs can smell this odor even after a character bathes (or changes 
  clothes), so for the duration of the adventure any character hit in this initial encounter will be “marked”.
  PCs “marked” by a bango fruit will always be the ﬁrst to be attacked during combat with the cockroach 
  swarms and monstrous cockroaches in this adventure.  Bugs will even go out of their way to attack that 
  character, such as passing through threatened areas to get at him/her.  At ﬁrst the players may think that 
  character just has bad luck, but sooner or later they’ll probably ﬁgure out why their character(s) are always 
  singled out by the bugs!
  The last traces of bango fruit odor wears off only after 3 or 4 weeks; if the PCs require a quicker ﬁx, 
  strong cologne or liberally-applied perfume will completely douse the smell, however.
  
  6
  with ghostly golden eyes that seem to glimmer as 
  it catches the eye of whichever PC makes her Spot 
  check.  As soon as they are spotted the wild men atop 
  this tower vanish into the interior; if the PCs later 
  pursue, they ﬁnd no sign of the creatures.
  The large wild man seen high up in the tower is 
  Kroo, leader of the wild men of Amarillo.  He only 
  stays to watch the ambush unfold, and once spotted 
  will ﬂee; the PCs will not be able to ﬁght him this 
  early in the adventure.
  AMARILLO TRADING POST
  While they may have been attacked by a few wild 
  men and forced to ﬁre off a few shots, the encounter 
  at the roadblock should seem like a “delay”, nothing 
  more.  After the brief ﬁght with the wild men the PCs 
  should be able to make it to the fort before the last 
  few rays of daylight fade.
  The Amarillo Trading Post lies at the heart of 
  the city, along the main artery that enters the city at 
  one end and leaves out the other (see map).  Trade 
  caravans and the Amarillo Trading Company use this 
  artery all the time, but because of recent events the 
  streets will be empty when the PCs arrive.
  GM’s Note:  The Amarillo Trading Post is detailed 
  in the following section, and a numbered map is 
  provided nearby as a reference for both you and your 
  players.  Here you will ﬁnd a general overview of the 
  Fort, and a description (and statistics) for most of the 
  major NPCs who make their living either as part of 
  the Company, or merely proﬁting from its existence.
  Keep in mind that the text here provides a lot of 
  information that may not be immediately vital to 
  the PCs (or even the adventure), but then again the 
  “adventure” is only what the PCs make of it.  A few 
  NPCs at the Fort have their own motivations, and 
  other job opportunities are hinted at if the PCs dig 
  a little deeper in search of a chance to make money, 
  allies, or enemies.  Consider this section a brief 
  “guide” to the human inhabitants of Amarillo.
  Once you feel you have a ﬁrm grasp of the Fort’s 
  contents, layout, and the personalities living within, 
  continue with The Brieﬁng.
  Amarillo Trading Post (Visionary Reinventor):  
  Walled Village; Population 65 (Mixed Mutants), 
  combatants 14, fertile 10; 587 cp limit; Assets 2,345 
  cp (Electrical Generation, Water Source).
  Social Structure:  Mercantile Council.
  Tolerance Level:  Screened/Limited Entry.
  WALLS (IL 0)
  The walls of the trading post are made from sheet 
  metal, bricks, concrete blocks, stacks of rubber tires, 
  and the overturned wrecks of old automobiles from 
  the ruins.
  
  7
  When the PCs arrive, a large group of workers 
  will be spotted busily patching up the holes in this 
  outer wall, using bricks, mud, and mortar.  They are 
  also busy re-painting the Amarillo Trading Company 
  sign on the outer wall, which has apparently been 
  defaced.  A spray-painted message has been hastily 
  scrawled over the company logo, and it reads 
  “INFESTED!”.  The workers are hurriedly trying to 
  cover it up just as the PCs arrive.  They have been 
  instructed not to talk to outsiders about the issue, and 
  instead direct them to Trademaster Cornelius at area 
  I.
  A. GUARDHOUSES (IL 2)
  These small metal shacks were erected to provide 
  a place for Company guards to stay in the shade, as 
  well as to bunk during the night.
  GM’s Note:  The southwestern guardhouse is 
  home to a wiry dog nicknamed “Whiskey” by the 
  Company guards.  Whiskey is an ornery dog, in 
  that he barks and growls at anyone coming near the 
  guardhouse, and has even been known to attack those 
  he just doesn’t seem to take a shine to.  Though the 
  workers are terriﬁed of him, the guards love him; 
  because he’s always the ﬁrst to know when wild men 
  come creeping over the walls to raid the compound.
  If the PCs spend any time with the guards they’ll 
  probably end up meeting Whiskey and hearing about 
  the old mutt.  On ﬁrst encountering the animal allow 
  each character present to make a Charisma check 
  (DC 10).  If a PC succeeds, Whiskey smells him up 
  and down, growls a few times, but then wags his 
  tail and lets them approach.  If a PC fails, Whiskey 
  growls, then barks, and then (if the PC doesn’t 
  retreat) attacks.
  If any character succeeds at her Charisma check 
  by more than 10, Whiskey identiﬁes that PC as his 
  new master, and will follow her everywhere from 
  that point on (if more than one character succeeds 
  then Whiskey attaches himself to whichever PC 
  among them has the highest Cha score).  While 
  some PCs might consider Whiskey a nuisance, once 
  business gets serious (i.e. combat, or skulking around 
  in the ruins outside of the compound), Whiskey 
  quickly proves himself to be a loyal guard dog 
  and companion, ﬁghting alongside the other party 
  members in battle as if their lives were as important 
  as his own.
  For the statistics of a typical ATC Guard, see the 
  Power Down! episode under Side Events.
  Whiskey (Medium-size Dog):  CR 1; Medium-size 
  animal; HD 2d8+4; HP 20; Mas 15; Init +2; Spd 40 
  ft; Defense 13, touch 12, ﬂatfooted 11 (+2 Dex, +1 
  natural); BAB +1; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d6+3, 
  bite); Full Atk +3 melee (1d6+3, bite); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; 
  Reach 5 ft; SQ scent; AL special; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, 
  Will +1; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, 
  Wis 12, Cha 6.
  Skills:  Jump +4, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1 
  (+5 when tracking by scent), Swim +5.
  Feats:  None. 
  B. BARRACKS (IL 2)
  These simple brick buildings were built to house 
  the laborers who work for the Amarillo Trading 
  Company.  These men (of which there are 40 or 
  so) come from settlements up and down the trade 
  route (mostly from Socorro and Tucumcari) and 
  are a varied lot, though all were destitute before 
  the Company gave them work.  As a result most 
  are generally quite loyal to the establishment here, 
  though the recent increase in the post’s infestation has 
  begun to cause a few to desert.
  For the statistics of a typical ATC Laborer, see the 
  Power Down! episode under Side Events.
  C. SCRAPYARD (IL 3)
  Several tons of rusted and pitted metal parts, 
  machinery, and sheet metal stand in huge heaps in 
  this open yard.  Scrap metal scrounged from the 
  surrounding ruins by the Amarillo Trading Company 
  is brought here by hand (or by mule, in the case of 
  larger pieces) and dumped until it can be sorted.
  INFESTATION LEVEL
  The infestation level (“IL”) in each building of the Trading Post varies, as shown below.  During the 
  adventure the IL may increase, depending on how the PCs perform.
  IL 0:  None, the area is clear of bugs.
  IL 1:  A bug or two scuttle away when lights are brought in, but otherwise the place is clear.
  IL 2:  Bugs skitter across the ﬂoor and walls; a bug can always be found by lifting up a mattress, opening a 
  cabinet, etc.
  IL 3:  Bugs in the toilet, swimming in coffee mugs, infesting food left out for more than a few minutes.
  IL 4+:  Bugs everywhere!  The building is so overrun by roaches that the inhabitants have to abandon it!
  
  8
  D. SORTING HOUSE (IL 3)
  This large building is relatively open, and it is 
  here that scrap is brought from the scrapyard to be 
  sorted, bundled, and loaded onto Amarillo Trading 
  Company vehicles for shipment.  During the day the 
  large building is alive with activity, with anywhere 
  from 20-30 workers present hauling in metal sheet, 
  hammering out dents, welding holes, soldering parts, 
  etc.
  E. SERVICES BUILDING (IL 3)
  The services building is a simple cinderblock affair 
  with cheap clapboard doors, constructed by the 
  Company for use by its workers (a rare show of 
  generosity, since all the services are free).  On the 
  bottom level is the worker’s mess (where food is 
  served three times daily), a kitchen area, and the 
  trading post’s communal shower facility.
  As long as the PCs stay at the compound they 
  are allowed to use these facilities just like regular 
  Company employees.
  GM’s Note:  The Services Building is run by 
  Berndt, a gruff middle-aged man with a mean streak 
  a mile long.  Berndt serves the gruel up himself - he 
  actually seems to enjoy turning requests for “more” 
  down, as bitingly as possible.  Not one for small 
  talk, he shoes the PCs off when he’s busy serving the 
  chow (which is usually).
  The PCs might be able to get on Berndt’s good 
  side by offering him booze; since the supply here is 
  tightly controlled by the Company, the PCs will have 
  to bring him some of their own (either by ﬁnding a 
  source outside the fort, or perhaps by buddying up 
  to Kurt; see area K).  After a drink or two Berndt’s 
  attitude changes, and he admits his frustration at the 
  limited “menu” at the Fort (“there’s only so much a 
  man can do with horsemeat”).  The men in particular 
  are beginning to grumble.
  Though it may seem like the beer talking, Berndt 
  comes up with a plan - if the PCs are interested.  He 
  offers them a reward if they can ﬁnd something 
  new to put on the menu and supply it to Berndt 
  without the Trademaster’s knowledge.  Berndt 
  isn’t particularly picky, though he is admirably 
  adventurous, so anything the PCs can think of just 
  might do the trick.  Of course Berndt will chop it 
  up and boil it down so it’s unrecognizable in the 
  workers’ bowls, so anything from wall crawler meat 
  to dead wild man will do...  Berndt will pay the PCs 
  25 cp for each carcass they deliver to him, but only if 
  they do so discreetly.
  Berndt (Mutant Tough Hero 2):  CR 2; Medium-
  size humanoid; HD 2d10+4 plus 3; HP 18; Mas 14; 
  Init +1; Spd 25 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, ﬂatfooted 
  12 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +2 class); BAB +1; Grap +3; 
  Atk +3 melee (1d6+2, cleaver), or +2 ranged (by 
  weapon); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ medical 
  incompatibility; AL Amarillo Trading Company; SV 
  Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0; AP 1; Rep +0; Str 15, Dex 
  13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 11.
  Occupation:  Merchant (Bluff).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Current Events]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Multiple Stomachs, 
  Hunchback.
  Skills:  Bluff +4, Disguise +2, Intimidate +2, 
  Knowledge (Current Events) +2, Listen +2, 
  Profession +2, Spot +4.
  Feats:  Alertness, Deceptive, Post-Apocalyptic 
  Technology, Primitive Technology, Simple Weapons 
  Proﬁciency, Toughness
  Talents (Tough Hero):  Second Wind.
  Possessions:  Cleaver, 250 cp.
  F. WAYSTATION (IL 0)
  Due to a precarious peace agreement brokered by 
  the Amarillo Trading Company, the Clean, Cartel, 
  and CrystalTime all share the facilities of the trading 
  post’s “waystation”.  All four merchant clans have 
  equal share in the fort, and equal right to use it for 
  shelter when passing through the ruins of Amarillo 
  (when caravans from rival houses show up at the 
  same time and demand shelter here this often leads to 
  brawls, but these are relatively minor).  As a result, 
  Cartel, Clean, and CrystalTime merchant convoys 
  commonly visit the compound, to re-fuel, re-supply, 
  or ﬁnd shelter during particularly band sandstorms 
  raging in the wasteland.  The Amarillo Trading 
  Company proﬁts from these visits, not only in terms 
  of selling minor goods (such as fresh food) to these 
  passing caravans, but also from the fact that all of the 
  parties have a vested interest in seeing that the fort 
  remains standing.
  Though it has become an important stop on the 
  east-west movements of the major merchant houses, 
  the waystation is little more than a cluster of small 
  brick buildings (used as bunkhouses for caravan 
  guards and traveling merchants) dominated by a trio 
  of large, pre-Fall petroleum tanks, each owned by 
  one of the three merchant houses.  These serve as 
  stockpiles not only for the use of their own caravans 
  (i.e. to water their horses, or fuel their vehicles), but 
  also surplus merchandise that is being temporarily 
  stored before it can be shipped to distant destinations.
  Though the “peace” here is generally sound, all 
  three groups guard their stashes jealously, suspicious 
  of every move made by the others.
  F1. CRYSTALTIME WATER TANK (IL 0)
  The ﬁrst tank is owned by the CrystalTime water 
  merchants, who use it to hold fresh drinking water 
  
  9
  from far north.  A few CrystalTime guards - armed 
  with muskets decorated with feathers and beads 
  - linger near the tank at all times.  If the PCs hang 
  around for any amount of time, they notice the men 
  cast cautious glances over towards the Clean soldiers 
  at F2 from time to time.  Obviously there is bad 
  blood between the two merchant houses...
  The overseer of the CrystalTime merchandise 
  stockpiled at the Fort is a man named Virgil Tarn, 
  a hard-working individual who - like the house he 
  belongs to - is struggling to survive in a market 
  dominated by the Clean and Cartel.  Virgil isn’t 
  necessarily rude, but he’s been burned and tricked so 
  many times by the competition that he’ll be wary if 
  the PCs approach him with anything but direct and 
  frank conversation.
  GM’s Note:  If during conversation the PCs pass 
  a Diplomacy check (DC 17) Virgil may let on about 
  the rivalry between the CrystalTime and the Clean, 
  and also of Arin H’an’s “ludicrous” suspicions, which 
  he thinks will lead the Clean to possibly sabotage 
  the CrystalTime’s water supply (he admits he has no 
  proof, however).
  If the PCs seem interested in making a little extra 
  money, Virgil offers them 20 cp each if they agree 
  to help guard the CrystalTime water tank at night.  
  He will pay them the stated amount for each night 
  they stand vigil (alongside the CrystalTime guards, 
  who will be happy to have company and fresh 
  conversation).  Whether or not Arin H’an has his men 
  take punitive action is up to you, but if they do, it 
  could lead to real trouble if ﬁghting breaks out...
  Virgil (Mutant Dedicated Hero 3/Trader 1):  CR 
  4; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d6+6 plus 1d6+2; 
  HP 23; Mas 14; Init -1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 12, touch 
  12, ﬂatfooted 13 (+0 size, -1 Dex, +3 class); BAB 
  +2; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d6+2, pistol butt), or 
  +1 ranged (2d6, black powder pistol); FS 5 ft by 
  5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ medical incompatibility; AL 
  CrystalTime; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +5; AP 2; Rep 
  +2; Str 15, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 13.
  Occupation:  Merchant (Diplomacy).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Business]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Gamma-Ray Visual 
  Sensitivity, Cystic Fibrosis.
  Skills:  Bluff +2, Diplomacy +11, Gather 
  Information +11, Knowledge (Business) +6, 
  Knowledge (Current Events) +3, Knowledge 
  (Twisted Earth) +3, Listen +2, Profession (Trader) 
  +5, Sense Motive +5, Spot +2.
  Feats:  Iron Will, Personal Firearms Proﬁciency, 
  Post-Apocalyptic Technology, Primitive Technology, 
  Quick Draw, Simple Weapons Proﬁciency, 
  Trustworthy.
  Talents (Dedicated Hero):  Skill Emphasis 
  (Knowledge [Twisted Earth]), Aware.
  Talents (Trader):  Ear to the Ground.
  Possessions:  Black powder pistol, 6 rounds of lead 
  shot, dust mask, timetable of incoming CrystalTime 
  water shipments, 240 cp.
  F2. CLEAN WATER TANK (IL 0)
  The second tank of the waystation is owned and 
  operated by the Clean, who have had great success 
  in trading with the natives of the desert in this region 
  and elsewhere.  A number of Clean janissaries, loyal 
  slave soldiers, have been ordered by the local Clean 
  representative to guard the water supply with their 
  lives.
  The Clean representative at the Amarillo Trading 
  Post is Arin H’an, a shrewd businessman who 
  actually likes his posting to this isolated fort, where 
  a man of his relatively insigniﬁcant rank actually 
  has a lot of say over daily affairs.  Arin has grown 
  accustomed to certain luxuries, including a slave who 
  constantly fans him, another who prepares his meals 
  personally, and a third who dresses him.
  GM’s Note:  Arin is unlikely to make the party’s 
  acquaintance, but any member of the Clean (or any 
  character that may have a mercantile background 
  or class) may intrigue him enough to make an 
  introduction plausible.  However, unless the PCs are 
  prepared to sit through a meal with a self-important 
  minor dignitary, the experience may not be to their 
  liking.
  If for some reason Arin takes a liking to one or 
  more PCs, over dinner (or a drink) he will let slip 
  his secret belief that the CrystalTime merchant, 
  Virgil, is somehow siphoning off water from the 
  Cleans’ reserve (“through a secret underground 
  pipe?”).  Arin has no proof, of course, but as far as 
  he’s concerned there’s no other way to explain how 
  the CrystalTime manage to stay in business in this 
  region.  Rather snobbish, it’s clear to the PCs that 
  Arin has formed an opinion and will defend it against 
  all reason.  However, there is a chance to proﬁt from 
  Arin’s shortcomings; if the PCs can ﬁnd “proof” 
  (even fabricated “proof”) to feed his paranoia, he 
  will pay them handsomely in the form of fresh water 
  or, more conveniently, anywhere from 200-300 cp.  
  Obviously doing this will turn the heat up on the 
  Clean/CrystalTime rivalry, and if found out the PCs 
  may have to answer for their treachery!
  Arin H’an (Mutant Charismatic Hero 3/Trader 
  2):  CR 5; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d6 plus 2d6; 
  HP 18; Mas 11; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 13, touch 
  13, ﬂatfooted 12 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +2 class); BAB 
  +2; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (1d8-1, scimitar), or +3 
  ranged (by weapon); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ 
  medical incompatibility; AL Clean; SV Fort +2, Ref 
  +5, Will +5; AP 2; Rep +3; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 
  
  10
  12, Wis 14, Cha 14.
  Occupation:  Demagogue (Bluff, Knowledge 
  [Current Events]).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Business]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Interior Moisture 
  Reservoir, Bilirubin Imbalance.
  Skills:  Bluff +9, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +0, 
  Gather Information +14, Intimidate +10, Knowledge 
  (Business) +10, Knowledge (Current Events) +6, 
  Knowledge (Twisted Earth) +4, Listen +4, Profession 
  (Trader) +8, Sense Motive +7, Spot +4.
  Feats:  Alertness, Archaic Weapons Proﬁciency, 
  Dodge, Mobility, Post-Apocalyptic Technology, 
  Primitive Technology, Simple Weapons Proﬁciency.
  Talents (Charismatic Hero):  Fast-Talk, Charm.
  Talents (Trader):  Ear to the Ground, Money 
  Talks.
  Possessions:  Scimitar, light airy robes, sandals, 
  ﬂask of water, scrolls and ledgers, 300 cp.
  F3. CARTEL FUEL TANK (IL 0)
  The Cartel use their part of the waystation to store 
  gasoline used to re-fuel their motorized convoys 
  on their journeys across the desert (to such distant 
  locations as Socorro and Tucumcari).  Since this is 
  mostly just a stockpile, most of the soldiers in the 
  local Cartel retinue also have mechanical experience, 
  and continuously maintain the tank to prevent leaks 
  and dangerous situations.  The tank itself is strictly 
  off-limits to outsiders, and the Cartel guards will be 
  quick to threaten anyone coming too close to their 
  fuel supply.
  The Cartel have sent a representative to oversee 
  their interest here, a man named Colonel Mason.  
  Mason dresses in a smart Cartel uniform, and 
  immediately strikes the PCs as the reincarnation of 
  a gung-ho Marine sergeant, a skilled military man 
  who doesn’t let this miserable post detract from the 
  discipline of his “command”.  He runs his outﬁt like 
  a well-oiled machine, but jumps at the chance to get 
  away from the Fort to take up arms and hunt; he is 
  quite renowned for mounting expeditions to hunt wild 
  men in the ruins for sheer sport.  Like most folks the 
  Colonel views the wild men as an “infestation” and 
  nothing more, and refuses to consider the creatures as 
  anything but “animals”.
  Colonel Mason’s command may be small, but he 
  constantly drills them, if for no other reason than 
  to impress the motley guards of the other merchant 
  houses at the Fort with the Cartel’s military arm.  
  Discipline is high thanks to the Colonel’s martial 
  bent.
  Colonel Mason (Mutant Strong Hero 3/Guardian 
  2):  CR 5; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d8+6 plus 
  2d10+4; HP 35; Mas 15; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 
  17, touch 14, ﬂatfooted 16 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +3 class, 
  +3 equipment); BAB +5; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee 
  (1d6+3, bite), or +7 ranged (2d8, Remington 700); FS 
  5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ medical incompatibility; 
  AL Cartel; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; AP 2; Rep 
  +0; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Occupation:  Military (DW) (Knowledge 
  [Tactics]).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Current Events]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Serrated Dental 
  Development, Bizarre Pigmentation (white hair).
  Skills:  Climb +4, Intimidate +4, Knowledge 
  (Current Events) +3, Knowledge (Tactics) +3, 
  Knowledge (Twisted Earth) +0, Profession +3, Swim 
  +4.
  Feats:  Armor Proﬁciency (light), Athletic, 
  Personal Firearms Proﬁciency, Post-Apocalyptic 
  Technology, Primitive Technology, Simple Weapons 
  Proﬁciency, Track.
  Talents (Strong Hero):  Extreme Effort, Melee 
  Smash.
  Talents (Guardian):  Defender +2, Weapon Focus 
  (Remington 700).
  Possessions:  Remington 700, 24 rounds of 
  7.62mm ammo, undercover vest, uniform, dogtags, 
  200 cp.
  G. MERCHANT BUNKHOUSES (IL 1)
  As described above, these are simple brick buildings 
  constructed to serve as extra living space for visiting 
  caravans from the Cartel, Clean, or CrystalTime.  
  Each is a plain little bungalow with multiple windows 
  for adequate ventilation (canvas or horse blankets 
  can be used to cover windows at night to stave off the 
  cold), a ﬁrepit for a camp, etc.
  Development:  No caravans visit the Fort during 
  the party’s stay, but if the players seem to be 
  itching for a chance to buy new items or restock 
  ammunition/weapons you may have a caravan visit 
  midway through the adventure (to prevent them from 
  abandoning Amarillo to go ﬁnd markets elsewhere).  
  If this is the case one of the bunkhouses will be taken 
  by the merchants until they leave.
  H. COMPANY STORE (IL 2)
  Since workers have no way of getting to a market 
  to get the things they need, the Amarillo Trading 
  Company maintains a small general store on the 
  grounds of the fort to cater to the needs of its 
  employees.  The Company regularly stocks utilitarian 
  goods bought from the Cartel, useful items found 
  in the nearby ruins (such as pre-Fall boots, shoes, 
  sneakers, hats, pants, canteens, etc.), and a few items 
  manufactured here such as cheap canvas clothing.  
  All of these items are 150% normal price, however, 
  
  11
  a policy which helps the Company make back the 
  money it pays its hired workers.
  A small wiry man named Zack runs the company 
  store for Cornelius.  A former laborer, Zack was 
  given charge over the store only because the last 
  storekeeper died of cholera.  Zack enjoys his new 
  position inﬁnitely more than his last (he was part of 
  a work crew that was assigned to search for metal 
  toilet parts), and as a result won’t let anyone make 
  him look bad, for fear of being replaced.  As a result 
  he views everyone suspiciously, and is quick to warn 
  people about stealing from his store:  he has a gun, 
  and will use it.
  Zack has been authorized by Cornelius to pay a 
  bounty on the heads of wild men brought in from the 
  surrounding city.  For every wild man head the PCs 
  deliver, Zack will pay them 25 cp (in corium pieces, 
  or trade goods if the PCs request it).
  Zack (Mutant Post-Apocalyptic Hero 3):  CR 3; 
  Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d8-3; HP 11; Mas 8; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, ﬂatfooted 
  12 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +2 class); BAB +2; Grap +2; 
  Atk +2 melee (1d6, cmbat knife), or +3 ranged (2d8, 
  sawed-off shotgun); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; 
  SQ medical incompatibility; AL Amarillo Trading 
  Company; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3; AP 1; Rep 
  +0; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 13.
  Occupation:  Merchant (Sense Motive).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Business]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Multiple Stomachs, 
  Aberrant Deformity (six ﬁngers on each hand).
  Skills:  Bluff +4, Disguise -5, Investigate +4, 
  Knowledge (Business) +7, Knowledge (Current 
  Events) +4, Knowledge (Twisted Earth) +3, Navigate 
  +3, Profession (Trader) +6, Search +5, Sense Motive 
  +10, Survival +4.
  Feats:  Attentive, Personal Firearms Proﬁciency, 
  Point Blank Shot, Post-Apocalyptic Technology, 
  Primitive Technology, Simple Weapons Proﬁciency, 
  Vulture.
  Talents (Post-Apocalyptic Hero):  Necropoli 
  Lore, Wasteland Lore.
  Possessions:  Sawed-off shotgun, 6 rounds of 12-
  gauge ammunition, combat knife, can of pre-Fall 
  tobacco, 150 cp.
  The back area of the company store is taken up by a 
  small cluttered workshop, run by a Company tinker 
  named Astro.  The workshop is used to repair minor 
  items related to the activities at the compound (such 
  as blowtorches, soldering irons, welding masks, 
  vehicle parts, etc.), but Astro is also able to maintain 
  and repair weapons and electronic devices.  His 
  services are available to the PCs if they need them.
  Astro won’t charge for minor repairs (such as 
  ﬁxing a broken weapon, or teaching them how to use 
  a power cell), but for more complicated tasks that 
  require spare parts he requires fair compensation.  
  Since he naturally enjoys tinkering, he doesn’t aim to 
  make a proﬁt (even for the time he would spend on 
  a project), so whatever he charges is exactly what it 
  would cost the PCs to do it themselves.
  GM’s Note:  Astro won’t bring it up, but he’s 
  been asked by Cornelius to come up with some 
  kind of “bug poison” to help deal with the growing 
  roach infestation.  Astro’s been busy working on 
  a man-portable chemical spray that will hopefully 
  kill cockroach swarms in a manner similar to a 
  ﬂamethrower.  Astro isn’t quite done yet, and needs 
  another 100 cp in chemical supplies to get the job 
  done.  If the PCs help Astro acquire the needed 
  supplies, he’ll ﬁnish the apparatus in 1d2 days.  He’ll 
  ask the PCs to take the prototype and try it out to see 
  if it works; see Appendix 1: New Artifacts for details 
  on this new weapon.
  Astro (Smart Hero 3/Tinker 2):  CR 5; Medium-
  size humanoid; HD 3d6-3 plus 2d6-2; HP 13; Mas 
  9; Init -3; Spd 30 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, ﬂatfooted 
  12 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +2 class); BAB +2; Grap +2; 
  Atk +2 melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed), or +3 ranged 
  (by weapon); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ medical 
  incompatibility, deaf; AL Amarillo Trading Company; 
  SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +7; AP 2; Rep +2; Str 10, 
  Dex 13, Con 9, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 12.
  Occupation:  Repairman (Knowledge 
  [Technology], Repair).
  THE COMPANY STORE
  As mentioned in the text the PCs are free to use the company store to buy things they’ll need on the 
  adventure (if they don’t have ready cash, they can still take stuff, but the cost for any items taken will be 
  deducted from their pay).  However, the company store’s stock is relatively limited.
  In general most clothing items are available, along with some fresh water and preserved food (canned 
  goods; nothing quite so nice as ready meals, however), light rods, lamps, lamp oil, corium lanterns, 
  torches, etc..  Medicine is right out - Jinx has the only supply in town.  Since the Company’s own men use 
  black powder riﬂes, it’s safe to assume the only weapons available for sale will also be black powder riﬂes 
  and pistol, as well as basic melee weapons (knives, machetes, metal batons, etc.).
  
  12
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Ancient Lore]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Independent Cerebral 
  Control, Deafness.
  Skills:  Computer Use +4, Craft (chemical) +11, 
  Craft (electronic) +10, Craft (mechanical) +13, 
  Craft (structural) +10, Decipher Script +10, Disable 
  Device +10, Disguise -5, Knowledge (Ancient Lore) 
  +11, Knowledge (Current Events) +6, Knowledge 
  (Earth and Life Sciences) +4, Knowledge (Physical 
  Sciences) +6, Knowledge (Technology) +7, 
  Knowledge (Twisted Earth) +4, Repair +13, Sleight 
  of Hand +2.
  Feats:  Gearhead, Junk Crafter [B&L], Modern 
  Firearms Discipline, Modern Vehicles Discipline, 
  Post-Apocalyptic Technology, Primitive Technology, 
  Simple Weapons Proﬁciency.
  Talents (Smart Hero):  Savant (Craft [chemical]), 
  Savant (Craft [mechanical]).
  Talents (Tinker):  Jury-rig +2, Tinkering.
  Possessions:  Overalls, multipurpose tool, oily 
  rags, ﬂashlight, power cell.
  I. PARAMOUNT (IL 1)
  This is the only building in the fort that actually 
  predates the Fall.  The building was once a movie 
  theatre, but now serves as the headquarters of 
  the Amarillo Trading Company.  The large neon 
  sign proclaiming “PAR--OUNT” still stands, but 
  numerous other wooden signs bearing the Company’s 
  logo also mark the building on all sides.
  The quarters of Trademaster Cornelius are 
  located in this building, as are the quarters for the 
  representatives of the Clean, Cartel, and CrystalTime 
  (see areas F1-3).  The Trademaster also maintains an 
  ofﬁce here and a guard room on the ﬁrst ﬂoor for his 
  personal bodyguards.
  Cornelius (Mutant Dedicated Hero 3/Trader 
  4):  CR 7; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d6+3 plus 
  4d6+4; HP 32; Mas 12; Init +0; Spd 35 ft; Defense 
  16, touch 14, ﬂatfooted 16 (+0 size, +0 Dex, +4 
  class, +2 equipment); BAB +4; Grap +3; Atk +3 
  melee (1d6-1, metal baton), or +4 ranged (1d2 plus 
  paralysis, hand stunner); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 
  5 ft; SQ medical incompatibility, extra leg, night 
  blindness; AL Amarillo Trading Company; SV Fort 
  +4, Ref +3, Will +8; AP 3; Rep +3; Str 8, Dex 10, 
  Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
  Occupation:  Merchant (Diplomacy).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Business]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Additional Limb 
  Development (Leg), Night Blindness.
  Skills:  Balance +2, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +12, 
  Gather Information +12, Intimidate +7, Investigate 
  +3, Knowledge (Ancient Lore) +3, Knowledge 
  (Business) +15, Knowledge (Civics) +3, Knowledge 
  (Current Events) +7, Knowledge (Twisted Earth) +6, 
  Profession +8, Sense Motive +8, Spot +6.
  Feats:  Attentive, Iron Will, Leadership, Market, 
  Personal Firearms Proﬁciency, Post-Apocalyptic 
  Technology, Primitive Technology, Simple Weapons 
  Proﬁciency, Trustworthy.
  Talents (Dedicated Hero):  Skill Emphasis 
  (Knowledge [Business]), Aware.
  Talents (Trader):  Ear to the Ground, Money 
  Talks, Going Once, Going Twice.
  Possessions:  Hand stunner, power clip (8), light 
  undercover shirt, metal baton, 1d4 pre-Fall cigars, 
  1d4 matches, corium pieces as appropriate.
  GM’s Note:  Also occupying one of the ground-
  ﬂoor rooms of the old building is Jinx, the resident 
  “healer” at the Fort.  Jinx might strike the PCs 
  as being surprisingly young to be on her own 
  in a settlement mostly populated by men, but in 
  reality her father - a skilled doctor - worked for the 
  Company until he died a few years back.  Cornelius 
  liked her father so offered her his position, a chance 
  that Jinx jumped at (it’s better than facing a life in the 
  wasteland).
  Jinx isn’t too skilled at medicine, and she comes 
  of as a bit too casual with her needles and bandages; 
  it’s not uncommon for her to chew gum and blow 
  bubbles while informing a patient he has an infection 
  or a serious case of radiation sickness.  Having been 
  around blood all her life (she assisted her father all 
  the time in his work), she sometimes forgets others 
  can be squeamish.  Still, she does the best she can 
  with the limited medical supplies available.
  In addition to having some small medical knack, 
  Jinx is also a great source of information.  Being 
  quite chatty, she can tell the PCs about most of the 
  major NPCs at the Fort, including Cornelius, Berndt, 
  Kurt, Astro, Zack, Sweetie, and even Whiskey (you 
  can use her as a way of motivating the PCs to talk to 
  the other NPCs around the Fort for additional work).  
  She doesn’t know much about the CrystalTime, 
  Clean, or Cartel representatives, however.
  Jinx (Mutant Dedicated Hero 3):  CR 3; Medium-
  size humanoid; HD 3d6-3; HP 8; Mas 8; Init +1; Spd 
  30 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, ﬂatfooted 12 (+0 size, +1 
  Dex, +2 class); BAB +2; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d3 
  nonlethal, unarmed), or +3 ranged (by weapon); FS 
  5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ medical incompatibility, 
  immune to poison; AL Amarillo Trading Company; 
  SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4; AP 1; Rep -2; Str 10, 
  Dex 12, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 13.
  Occupation:  Healer (Knowledge [Mutant Lore], 
  Treat Injury).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Current Events]).
  
  13
  Mutations and Defects:  Superior Kidney 
  Development, Bizarre Pigmentation (freckles).
  Skills:  Diplomacy +3, Gather Information +6, 
  Investigate +3, Knowledge (Current Events) +8, 
  Knowledge (Earth and Life Sciences) +7, Knowledge 
  (Mutant Lore) +7, Profession (Healer) +8, Sense 
  Motive +4, Treat Injury +14.
  Feats:  Attentive, Low Proﬁle, Post-Apocalyptic 
  Technology, Primitive Technology, Run, Simple 
  Weapons Proﬁciency, Trustworthy.
  Talents (Dedicated Hero):  Healing Knack, Skill 
  Emphasis (Treat Injury).
  Possessions:  Coveralls, mechanic’s cap, 
  stethoscope, ﬁrst aid kit, two doses of superegen (in 
  ready syringes), four doses of rad-purge (in ready 
  syringes), bubble gum.
  J. CARAVAN FITTER (IL 1)
  Though the Amarillo Trading Company maintains 
  tight control over the Fort, parasites are always drawn 
  to burgeoning frontier settlements like this one.  An 
  enterprising pioneer trader, Sweetie, managed to 
  convince Trademaster Cornelius to let her set up 
  shop here, providing needed goods and supplies to 
  caravans sheltering at the Fort.  She makes a tidy 
  proﬁt selling to the Clean, Cartel, and CrystalTime, 
  though 50% of what she makes goes back to the 
  Amarillo Trading Company as part of their deal.
  Sweetie is a ﬁery redheaded woman with an 
  independent streak rivaled by few, and has earned 
  the respect of most of the men in town.  She is a 
  master at deﬂecting unwanted attention without 
  actually resorting to violence, while at the same 
  time prickly enough that anyone engaging her with 
  wits or words always leaves the loser.  She is also an 
  uncompromising businesswoman, and though she 
  and Trademaster Cornelius are on reasonably good 
  terms she considers their current arrangement to be 
  unsatisfactory (at the very least).
  Sweetie’s business occupies several old shops 
  that once ran along main street, right next to the 
  Paramount theatre (Trademaster Cornelius likes to 
  keep her activities under close scrutiny).  The shops 
  are now interconnected, forming one sprawling 
  “emporium”.  Sweetie often dresses up the old 
  mannequins in the windows in accurate pre-Fall 
  costumes, which she seems to have an unusual 
  familiarity with, for no apparent reason other than to 
  entertain her.
  GM’s Note:  Like any woman on the Twisted 
  Earth, Sweetie is wary of men, but if the PCs make 
  a good impression she might start to see them 
  as a means to better her business.  Always the 
  businesswoman, if she learns (through asking around 
  town, keeping her ear to the ground, or simply 
  asking the PCs) that the party is working directly for 
  Cornelius, she may try to butter them up to get them 
  to put in a good word with the Trademaster.  At best 
  she tries to convince the PCs to barter with Cornelius 
  to reduce his percentage in her business.  If during 
  the adventure the PCs do bring up her concerns, and 
  it’s under the right circumstances, Cornelius may 
  be convinced to drop his percentage to 25% - but he 
  will demand the party give up their reward as a “fair 
  trade”.
  If any women make up the party and Sweetie ﬁnds 
  out, she will invite them to dinner sometime early 
  in the adventure.  Jinx (from area I; giving the PCs 
  another chance to learn more about the other NPCs 
  around town) will also be there, and the two women 
  will use the meal as an opportunity to hear news of 
  the outside world and events beyond the walls of the 
  Trading Post - something both NPCs sorely miss.
  Sweetie (Charismatic Hero 3):  CR 3; Medium-size 
  humanoid; HD 3d6+3; HP 14; Mas 13; Init +1; Spd 
  30 ft; Defense 12, touch 12, ﬂatfooted 11 (+0 size, 
  +1 Dex, +1 class); BAB +1; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee 
  (1d6, combat knife), or +2 ranged (by weapon); FS 5 
  ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL none; SV Fort +3, Ref 
  +3, Will +5; AP 1; Rep +2; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 13, 
  Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 14.
  Occupation:  Merchant (Knowledge [Business]).
  Background:  Guardian (Knowledge [Ancient 
  Lore]).
  Skills:  Bluff +8, Gather Information +8, Intimidate 
  +8, Knowledge (Ancient Lore) +3, Knowledge 
  (Current Events) +1, Profession +8 (Trader), Sense 
  Motive +5.
  Feats:  Advanced Technology, Iron Will, Post-
  Apocalyptic Technology, Primitive Technology, 
  Quick Draw, Silver Tongue, Simple Weapons 
  Proﬁciency.
  Talents (Charismatic Hero):  Fast-Talk, Dazzle.
  Possessions:  Light and airy clothes, sungoggles, 
  ﬁve different wristwatches, combat knife.
  K. STORAGE BUNKER (IL 1)
  This cinderblock building is used for storing food and 
  water purchased by the Company for its workers and 
  owners, as well as a few extra arms and munitions 
  (see later for details).  The building is guarded by 
  2-3 Company guards at all times (in rotating shifts); 
  in addition, an overseer visits weekly to tally supply 
  levels and make sure nothing has been stolen.
  GM’s Note:  The storage bunker is run by a 
  Company ofﬁcer named Kurt, a bulldog of a man 
  who has a reputation as quite a gunﬁghter.  In reality 
  Kurt was a good gunﬁghter, for many years, but old 
  injuries - and a broken laser pistol - have left him 
  with little to back up his reputation.  Knowing it 
  was only a matter of time before some punk came 
  
  14
  looking to enhance his own rep, Kurt joined up with 
  the Amarillo Trading Company and has since made a 
  comfortable life for himself on this new “frontier”.
  Kurt is reasonably friendly to newcomers (PCs 
  included), but he’s no fool.  His position here is 
  vital to the Company’s survival, and he keeps the 
  provisions stockpiles of the fort under scrutiny.  He’s 
  not the kind of man who can be easily bribed - or 
  threatened.  Though he’s old, he still has a mean 
  streak and won’t shy from a ﬁght!
  Kurt (Mutant Strong Hero 3/Guardian 3):  CR 
  6; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d8+6 plus 3d10+6; 
  HP 43; Mas 15; Init +2; Spd 25 ft; Defense 21, 
  touch 16, ﬂatfooted 19 (+0 size, +2 Dex, +4 class, 
  +5 equipment); BAB +6; Grap +8; Atk +8 melee 
  (1d8+4, spiked club), or +8 ranged (by weapon); FS 
  5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ medical incompatibility, 
  darkvision; AL Amarillo Trading Company; SV Fort 
  +6, Ref +5, Will +3; AP 3; Rep +1; Str 14, Dex 14, 
  Con 15, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Occupation:  Caravan Guard (Sense Motive, 
  Spot).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Current Events]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Sensitive Sight, Pituitary 
  Deformation.
  Skills:  Knowledge (Current Events) +3, 
  Knowledge (Tactics) +2, Listen +6, Sense Motive +5, 
  Spot +10.
  Feats:  Advanced Technology, Alertness, Armor 
  Proﬁciency (light), Armor Proﬁciency (medium), 
  Futuristic Firearms Proﬁciency, Post-Apocalyptic 
  Technology, Primitive Technology, Quick Draw, 
  Simple Weapons Proﬁciency.
  Talents (Strong Hero):  Melee Smash, Improved 
  Melee Smash.
  Talents (Guardian):  Defender +2, Weapon Focus 
  (EnTech M-20).
  Possessions:  Light-duty vest, spiked club, sap, 
  EnTech M-20 [R&U] (broken), two power clips, 
  eyepatch.
  L. WAREHOUSES (IL 3)
  These long corrugated iron buildings contain heaps of 
  sorted (and cleaned) scrap metal ready for shipment 
  to customers of the Amarillo Trading Company in 
  distant wasteland settlements; their contents consist 
  of all of the Company’s material wealth.  During the 
  day these warehouses are buzzing with activity as 
  workers load the stuff on wagons, and overseers tally 
  what is going where and keep everything ordered so 
  that no shipment goes awry.
  M. STABLES (IL 1)
  Mules and carts used by the Company’s scroungers to 
  haul scrap back to the compound are kept here during 
  the night.  A few youths have been hired to tend the 
  animals, wash them, and feed them on a regular basis. 
  In return these youths get free food and are allowed 
  to shelter in the building alongside the animals.
  THE BRIEFING
  The PCs can check out the Trading Post for as 
  much time as they like; there are a few interesting 
  personalities in the compound, and though it should 
  quickly become obvious the place is downright bug-
  infested (see the Infestation Level sidebar for how 
  to get this message across to the players, subtly or 
  not), there are opportunities to make easy money; see 
  individual location descriptions for details.
  While you might not use these right now - the PCs 
  have a brieﬁng to attend, after all - these “mini-
  quests” should give the PCs a chance to make the 
  trip to Amarillo even more worthwhile once the 
  adventure is over, and also present an opportunity 
  to breath life into the Amarillo Trading Company 
  and its people for future scenarios set in the ruins of 
  Amarillo.
  MEETING WITH CORNELIUS (EL 0)
  When the PCs ﬁrst arrive be prepared to describe 
  their ﬁrst impressions of the compound by ear; the 
  guards at the front gate are wary of people coming 
  out of nowhere, but with only a few moments of 
  conversation realize the PCs are here to answer 
  Cornelius’ call for mercenaries.  The PCs are happily 
  allowed into the compound, and from here they can 
  look around.
  This gives the party a chance to scout out the 
  Trading Post and meet a few people, and perhaps 
  buy equipment/secure some lodgings, but if they ask 
  directly about where they can ﬁnd Cornelius, they’ll 
  get a straightforward answer:  the men point the party 
  towards area I, the Paramount.
  The men around town all point you towards 
  the Paramount, the largest building in the 
  compound, and by the looks of it, the only one 
  to pre-date the Fall.  A few guards with leather 
  armor and muskets linger around outside 
  smoking cigarettes, and as you approach they 
  ask your business.  With only a few words you 
  are led inside and into the presence of the 
  Company’s head trademaster, a man named 
  Cornelius.
  Cornelius meets the PCs in his ofﬁce, which happens 
  to be the old theatre manager’s ofﬁce.  It is a 
  relatively small room with a slow-moving ceiling fan, 
  and blinds over the dust-caked windows.  Cornelius 
  immediately strikes the party as a competent 
  merchant, albeit one perhaps obsessively wrapped 
  
  15
  up in the affairs of the Company, but otherwise gives 
  them no reason to distrust him.  He is a bit rough 
  at times, and has a habit of hooking his thumbs in 
  his belt as he talks, but other than that mirrors most 
  merchants the PCs have had dealings with before.
  Cornelius readily conﬁrms much of what the party 
  members have already heard or come to expect:  the 
  Amarillo Trading Company is looking to hire on 
  some extra muscle, “specialists” who can operate 
  discreetly.  He explains as follows:
  “We’re in the scrap business, gentlemen.  So it 
  ain’t as ﬂashy as gasoline or oil, like them Cartel 
  boys haul across the desert.  And maybe it ain’t 
  the ﬁrst thing folks think of like the cool water 
  of the Clean.  But scrap’s got a good future, or 
  so we believe, and as long as it keeps turning 
  a proﬁt that’s good enough for me.  We’ve got 
  this whole city to ourselves; well, except for 
  those damn wild men.  But ain’t nobody else got 
  a claim on the ruins, and there ain’t no one to 
  argue with over mining rights.  So as far as we 
  see it, the sky’s the limit.
  “We’ve got a stable operation and we’re 
  plodding ahead.  Got customers lined up from 
  Socorro to Link Town.  The metal’s movin’.  Got 
  enough workers, and more importantly, they’re 
  happy with the wages we’re offering.
  “But there’s a problem, something that’s 
  gummin’ up the machine, so to speak.  Bugs.  
  Goddamn bugs.  Cockroaches everywhere.  It’s 
  bad for business.  They’re in the workshops.  
  Under the machines.  In the bunkhouses.  In the 
  toilets.  In the laundry.  Hell half the workers ﬁnd 
  bugs in their clothes every morning.  And they’re 
  in our food supply and eatin’ what little we can 
  stockpile.  A lot of the workers are deserting, 
  getting sick of ﬁnding bug-bits in their gruel 
  every time they sit down for breakfast.  It ain’t 
  funny, they’re everywhere -”
  As if to prove his point a cockroach suddenly scuttles 
  across his desk.  With lightning reﬂexes he squashes 
  it ﬂat with his ﬁst.  But the anger in his eyes only 
  seems slightly abated.
  “I’ve got workers out there patching up the 
  holes in the walls to keep the little buggers out, 
  but that just means less men bringing in scrap 
  every day.  What’s worse, the bugs are turning up 
  in our scrap metal, and some of our customers 
  are whispering it could lead to the spread of 
  disease.  Now I’m here to tell you that everyone’s 
  ﬁne and healthy in this here town, but my words 
  won’t mean squat to the paranoids out there 
  if a nest of ‘roaches keeps popping up in our 
  shipments.  So we’ve gotta nip this thing in the 
  bud, here and now, before it ruins this operation 
  before it has a chance to take off.
  “We think the trouble’s originating in a part 
  of the ruins the men call ‘Bugtown’.  We used to 
  go there a lot because it’s built-up territory, old 
  industrial stuff.  Great for scrap.  But the bugs 
  there are worse than anywhere in the city, so 
  bad in fact that we had to pull out and no longer 
  go there.  Built a damn wall around the whole 
  district to keep the little bastards in.  It worked 
  for a good while but now, well now they must be 
  getting out somehow.  And not just a few - there’s 
  a damn infestation.  So that’s your job - go in 
  there and ﬁnd out why the suckers are breeding 
  so fast, and put an end to it.  You understand?”
  If he hasn’t already made it clear, Cornelius wants 
  the PCs to deal with the problem quickly (i.e. in the 
  next few weeks) before word of the bug problem 
  spreads too far.  He offers the PCs a purse of 1,000 
  cp to get the job done.  A shrewd PC who thinks 
  of it may attempt to make a Diplomacy check (DC 
  20), with success indicating Cornelius raises this to 
  1,500 cp.  However, either way there is a condition 
  to the contract:  all- or mostly-metal items found by 
  the PCs during their employment with the Company, 
  from weapons to armor to electronic gadgets, are 
  to be considered Company property and must be 
  surrendered by the PCs to the quartermaster, Kurt, 
  at the Storage Bunker (see area K).  However, if 
  the PCs really want something they ﬁnd they will be 
  allowed to purchase that item at regular cost before 
  the item is put on the market, allowing them to buy it 
  before someone else does.  A Diplomacy check will 
  not get Cornelius to back down on this point; as far 
  as the Company is concerned, everything metal in 
  Amarillo belongs to them!
  Once the PCs agree to the terms, Cornelius has 
  them sign (or make their mark) on the contract, then 
  gives them the last bits of information they’ll need to 
  get started.  First off, he tells them that while they’re 
  working for the Company they can use the facilities 
  at the Fort just like regular employees, and have 
  access to the Company Store and Caravan Fitter.  
  Cornelius tells the PCs they can take any equipment 
  they want up front, but the cost of anything taken 
  will come out of their ﬁnal pay once the job is done.  
  It may seem stingy to the PCs, but if the characters 
  don’t have the money up front this may be the only 
  way to pick up items they’ve forgotten to bring on the 
  adventure!
  Cornelius also informs the PCs that a Merchant 
  Bunkhouse has been made up for them while they 
  stay and will remain at their disposal for a few weeks, 
  though he subtly encourages them to head out within 
  a day or so to begin their work right away.  However, 
  if the PCs are badly wounded and must recuperate, 
  
  16
  the bunkhouse will be here when they get back to the 
  fort, and will prove to be ideal for any long-term rest 
  they require.
  Next, Cornelius tells the PCs how to get to 
  “Bugtown”, the old industrial quarter.  He has had a 
  map drawn up showing the location of the sealed-off 
  section of the city in relation to the Fort.  However, 
  the map shows no details of the walled-in quarter 
  itself.
  Finally Cornelius tells the PCs to keep him up-to-
  date about their progress, and if they ﬁnd anything 
  “out of the ordinary” to come back and tell him about 
  it immediately.  He openly recognizes that if the 
  trouble behind the bug infestation is more than the 
  PCs can handle right away, a re-negotiation of their 
  contract may be in order (these possible negotiations 
  are covered in the section titled Returning To 
  Cornelius).
  RETURNING TO CORNELIUS
  The PCs should periodically return to the Fort to 
  re-supply and rest up between forays, as well as 
  to report in with Cornelius about their progress.  
  Depending on how far the PCs have gotten in 
  exploring Bugtown, Cornelius’ reactions will range 
  from casual interest and encouragement, to downright 
  obsessive fascination.
  WHEN THE PCS FIND THE VAULT ACCESS CARD
  If the PCs return to Cornelius with the strange card 
  they found at area 19, he will be intrigued.  Cornelius 
  has Astro, Kurt, and even Zack take a look at the 
  card, hoping to draw on their experiences to identify 
  the item.
  After a while Kurt and Zack admit they’re bafﬂed, 
  but Astro volunteers some information that should 
  be a little more useful.  He explains that the card 
  certainly looks like an access card, the kind used 
  by the Ancients to access important, oftentimes 
  secure facilities - such as a vault.  Any character 
  making a Knowledge [Twisted Earth] check at DC 
  13 recognizes that common lore holds that no vault 
  exists anywhere near Amarillo.  What Astro suggests 
  seems impossible - but could a legendary “vault” be 
  located in the area, one that no one knew about?
  Despite Astro’s improbable suggestion, the access 
  card is enough evidence to convince Cornelius that 
  further exploration of Bugtown is in order.  Knowing 
  that any vault beneath Amarillo would be sure to be 
  full of scrap (not to mention other ﬁnds), on hearing 
  Astro’s suggestion Cornelius’ eyes widen.  His nose 
  for proﬁts quickly outpaces his incredulity.
  First off he orders all three men - and the PCs - to 
  stay quiet about the ﬁnd.  Obviously Kurt, Zack, and 
  Astro are cooperative, but wily PCs may use this 
  as an opportunity to wheel-and-deal with Cornelius 
  for more pay to stay quiet; tactful bargaining 
  followed by a Diplomacy check (DC 20) convinces 
  him to pay them 100 cp more apiece.  Unless the 
  PCs make unreasonable demands or threatened 
  him, Cornelius will also ask the party to continue 
  exploring Bugtown, but with an eye for more clues as 
  to the whereabouts of this “vault” - and to keep him 
  updated.
  After some consideration he tells the PCs to hold 
  onto the card, as they’ll probably need it.  He does 
  remind them, however, that the contents of the vault 
  - whatever they are - are property of the Amarillo 
  Trading Company!
  WHEN THE PCS FIND THE OLD RADIO
  The radio provides the ﬁrst real clue as to the 
  whereabouts of the Amarillo vault - in fact, the 
  message picked up by the device points directly to 
  where the vault entrance should be located.
  If the PCs approach Cornelius with what they’ve 
  found on the radio (if they don’t, Astro surely will 
  - assuming he repaired it for them), the trademaster 
  THE CRATER 
  “The Crater” is known to all inhabitants of the Amarillo ruins, an enormous depression on the north side of 
  the city that was created by a 1-megaton nuclear weapon during the Fall.  Weird auras light the area around 
  the Crater at certain times of the year, and large creatures (such as oversized ravening hounds and rad 
  wolves) are often spotted in the Crater’s vicinity by those brave enough to venture there.
  The Crater plays an insigniﬁcant role in the adventure as far as the PCs are concerned, but they should 
  hear about it at least once or twice during their visit to the Amarillo Trading Post.  The locals are aware of 
  it and avoid it, as it is still said to be bristling with radioactive rubble from the time of the Final War.
  In recent months Kroo’s wild men have been regularly visiting the Crater under the cover of night to 
  steal bits of this poisonous rubble, which they sneak into Bugtown and deposit in the Pit Building (area 
  16).  This has been directly responsible for the explosion in the cockroach population throughout the city, 
  as well as the freakish gigantism exhibited in many of the specimens now infesting Bugtown.
  If the PCs attempt to visit the Crater during their adventure they won’t stumble into Kroo or his wild 
  men, but they may risk radiation dangers and/or encounters with advanced versions of ravening hounds or 
  rad wolves, at your discretion!
  
  17
  will be even more excited than before.  After either 
  Astro or the PCs provide a demonstration (playing 
  the radio for him, for instance), Cornelius plans an 
  immediate expedition to ﬁnd the vault and secure it 
  - of course, unless the PCs have burned their bridges 
  with him, he’ll offer the party the job of doing it 
  (especially if they’ve proven trustworthy).
  Considering the signiﬁcance of what they’ve now 
  found, if they agree to ﬁnd the vault for the Amarillo 
  Trading Company, Cornelius automatically agrees to 
  increase the party’s pay (anywhere from 50 to 200 
  cp apiece, depending on how well they’ve managed 
  to keep up their relationship with the Company).  He 
  also sends an order to Kurt to give the party access 
  to the Storage Bunker.  Here Kurt will take them to 
  the Company’s secret armory, where Cornelius has 
  instructed him to let each PC select two items from 
  the stock to take with them:
  Item
  Qty
  Laser pistol
  1
  Nightvision goggles
  2
  Walkie-talkie
  3
  Tactical vest
  2
  Fragmentation grenade
  1
  Shock grenade
  1
  Flashbang
  4
  Two light rods [as one pick]
  4
  Power clip
  2
  Cornelius believes that if a vault really does 
  sit underneath Bugtown, they’ll need the extra 
  equipment to get to it.  As a result, they can keep 
  these items both to help them and as extra “incentive” 
  to do the job.
  The Company’s weapons stockpile is limited, so 
  the PCs may have to ﬁgure out a system to see who 
  picks ﬁrst, second, third, etc.  Nightvision goggles 
  and walkie-talkies will come with a fully-charged 
  power cell.
  If the PCs are stumped, i.e. unable to access the 
  sewers and ﬁnd the vault
  If the PCs are unable to ﬁgure out that the elevator 
  at the hotel (area 18) hides the way down into the 
  Sewers, Cornelius calls his men together to ponder 
  the problem.  Remarkably, Zack - who has had 
  experience in looting Ancient-era ruins - comes up 
  with the idea of taking a better look at the hotel.
  Since the radio message pinpointed the evacuation 
  point as being there, there must be a secret entrance 
  located in or near the building.  If the PCs describe 
  the contents of the hotel (including the elevator), 
  Zack says “aha!” and tells them that the lift must 
  go down as well as up.  If the PCs remind him that 
  it didn’t seem to connect with any sublevels (which 
  should be their impression), he tells the PCs that 
  the Ancients probably designed it to look that way - 
  when in fact it could down all along!
  Trusting in Zack’s experience, Cornelius instructs 
  the PCs to go back and ﬁgure out the elevator - with 
  no time to lose!
  INTO THE CITY
  Most visitors to the the ruins of Amarillo agree they 
  are haunting in their quietude.  Unlike some other 
  necropoli, Amarillo is largely empty except for the 
  local population of wild men and, of course, the bug 
  infestation.
  Eventually the PCs will head into the city to locate 
  Bugtown and start looking into the Company’s 
  problem.  Traveling through the ruins gives you a 
  chance to build up the atmosphere of this lonely, eerie 
  place; long empty streets ﬁlled with garbage and the 
  wreckage of old cars, and tall buildings that prove 
  empty of everything but wild man spoor and weird 
  echoes.
  The PCs will probably go back and forth between 
  the Fort and other locations during the course of the 
  adventure, so you may want to use a few descriptive 
  encounters now and then to break up the monotony.  
  Events marked with an asterisk (*) can occur more 
  than once.
  Roll
  Random Encounter
  1
  Scrounging Party*
  2
  Bango Fruit
  3
  Eerie Cry*
  4
  Wild Man Spoor*
  5
  Wall Crawlers
  6
  Pit Trap*
  7
  Wild Man Campsite
  8
  Roll again
  SCROUNGING PARTY (EL 0)
  The PCs are hailed by a group of men even before 
  the party spots them.  The men - all dishevelled 
  and carrying huge bundles of scrap metal on their 
  backs (or perhaps loaded on mules, if they’re lucky 
  enough to have pack animals) - are workers in the 
  employ of the Company, out on a typical scrounging 
  foray through the ruins.  The PCs will be instantly 
  recognized by the scroungers (even if the PCs don’t 
  know the individual workers by name), and will be 
  given a friendly greeting.
  The scroungers are on their way back to the Fort, 
  and can exchange supplies with the PCs if they need 
  it.  Keep in mind the scroungers don’t carry much 
  (shovels, torches, wire cutters, welding goggles, 
  blowtorch, a few canteens, etc.).
  BANGO FRUIT (EL 0)
  While searching the ruins the PCs ﬁnd a patch of 
  stinking fruit growing in the shade of a broken 
  concrete slab.  The fruit is bango fruit, a plant native 
  to the urban ruins, and any PC handling it runs the 
  
  18
  risk of becoming sickened and thereafter “marked” 
  (see the Bango Fruit sidebar for more on the side-
  effects of bango fruit odor).
  EERIE CRY (EL 0)
  At some point call for Listen checks, DC 13.  Those 
  PCs that succeed hear an eerie cry in the distance, far 
  away.  A few seconds later the call is answered by 
  another cry, in a different direction.
  Use this “encounter” to keep the PCs on edge; it 
  may happen more than once during a particular leg 
  of their journey, and the cries may seem closer, or 
  farther away.
  In reality the “cries” come from wild man scouts, 
  who constantly shadow anyone who leaves the 
  Amarillo Trading Post (PCs included).  Their cries 
  are merely signals to one another, indicating which 
  way the party is headed, how many are in the group, 
  if any are wounded, etc.  Of course the PCs won’t 
  know this; they may come to suspect some kind of 
  rudimentary intelligence behind the calls, and perhaps 
  even guess that wild men are behind them, but the 
  actual message being communicated will elude them.
  WILD MAN SPOOR (EL 0)
  At some point a random PC steps in a pile of wild 
  man spoor, almost causing her to trip and fall.  In fact 
  the ruins of Amarillo are littered with the stuff, so 
  this encounter could happen more than once (much 
  to the party’s annoyance).  While the spoor itself is 
  harmless, it will make that character more noticeable 
  to a creature with the scent ability.
  WALL CRAWLERS (EL 5-6)
  The PCs come across a small pack of 2-3 wall 
  crawlers lounging among the ruins.  The creatures 
  watch the PCs warily, tongues licking at the air, but 
  do not move from their spot.  The wall crawlers are 
  content with hunting and eating wild men, and the 
  PCs aren’t necessarily on the menu.  Still, if the PCs 
  attack they will ﬁght.
  Wall Crawlers:  HP 22 (page 26, B&L4: New 
  Terrors).
  PIT TRAP (EL 2)
  As the PCs are walking down a rubble-strewn street, 
  or moving through the wreckage of a partially-
  collapsed building, the character in the lead runs the 
  risk of falling into a cleverly-disguised pit trap.  The 
  pit is 20 ft. deep, its ﬂoor littered with sharpened 
  wooden stakes.
  GM’s Note:  Though there is no way for the PCs to 
  know this, the pit trap was in fact dug by wild men in 
  an attempt to trap (and kill) members of the Amarillo 
  Trading Company.
  Spiked Pit Trap (20 Ft. Deep):  CR 2; no attack 
  roll necessary (2d6), +10 melee (1d4 spikes for 
  1d4+2 points of damage per successful hit); Reﬂex 
  save (DC 20) avoids; Search (DC 20); Disable 
  Device (DC 20).
  WILD MAN CAMPSITE (EL 1/2)
  The PCs stumble upon a campsite among the ground-
  ﬂoor ruins of an old building.  Wild man spoor stinks 
  up the place, and the corpse of a large rat appears 
  partially eaten at the center of the camp.
  The wild men were just here (having detected the 
  party’s smell on the wind they ﬂed 5-10 minutes 
  before the PCs ﬁnd the site), leaving behind a single 
  member of their expedition.  As the PCs enter the 
  scene they see the feeble, dying wild man crawling 
  across the rubble of the campsite, trying to follow its 
  comrades in an attempt to get away.
  GM’s Note:  This wild man was part of a group 
  sent by Kroo to slip more radioactive slag into 
  Bugtown; this one in particular is irradiated and 
  dying.  Any character who makes a Treat Injury or 
  Knowledge [Earth & Life Sciences] check at DC 17 
  can tell that the creature is suffering from radiation 
  sickness.
  The wild man will try to ﬂee, but will ﬁght to 
  defend itself.  It has no treasure.
  Radiated Wild Man (1):  HP 3 (see below).
  Radiated Wild Man:  CR 1/2; Small humanoid; 
  HD 1d8-2; HP 5 (down to 3); Mas 10 (down to 7); 
  Init +2; Spd 20 ft, climb 20 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, 
  ﬂatfooted 11 (+1 size, +2 Dex); BAB +0; Grap -4; 
  Atk +1 melee (1d6, club), or +3 ranged (by weapon); 
  FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ duck, spider climb; AL 
  Kroo; SV Fort +0 (down to -2), Ref +4, Will +0; AP 
  0; Rep +0; Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10 (down to 7), Int 8, 
  Wis 11, Cha 8.
  Skills:  Hide +7 (+11 urban ruins), Jump +1, Listen 
  +3, Move Silently +5 (+9 urban ruins), Spot +3.
  Feats:  Alertness, Duck.
  Possessions:  Club.
  BOUNTY HUNTING
  Mentioned in the text, one quick way the PCs can make money is by taking the heads of wild men they’ve 
  killed and bringing them back to the Amarillo Trading Post to collect their bounty.  Zack, who runs the 
  Company Store, will pay 25 cp per head the characters bring in.
  
  19
  Development:  The sight of a radiated and dying 
  wild man is evidence that the wild men are up to 
  something in Amarillo, but whether or not the PCs 
  shrug it off as insigniﬁcant or somehow put two-and-
  two together (and realize the wild men are handling 
  radioactive stuff) is entirely in their hands.
  BUGTOWN
  The section of the city walled up by the Amarillo 
  Trading Company has been nicknamed “Bugtown” 
  by its workers, a name that they’ve also begun to 
  apply to the fort - and all of Amarillo, in fact.  At 
  ﬁrst this was just a localized problem; the way the 
  Company saw it, the bugs simply infested an old 
  industrial part of the city.  Although the scrap was 
  good, there was plenty in the city to exploit so they 
  simply walled up the infested areas and moved on.  
  Unfortunately the bug problem has grown out of 
  control, and now “Bugtown” has to be dealt with if 
  the Company is to survive.
  The ﬁrst time the PCs come to Bugtown, read or 
  paraphrase the following:
  The district up ahead is dusty and dirty.  Old 
  sooty towers of forgotten industry loom over the 
  grimy quarter, which is completely closed off 
  with walls of sheet metal scavenged from all over 
  the city.  The walls apparently ring the entire 
  area; the Company seems to have been quite 
  thorough in locking the whole quarter down.
  As the PCs approach the walls, a few cockroaches 
  skitter by; most of these are regular sized, but with a 
  Spot check (DC 15) the characters notice a few that 
  are four or ﬁve inches long observing them from 
  nearby windows or scuttling into cover and out of 
  sight.  The bugs are harmless, but they are a hint at 
  what’s to come...
  The Walls:  The Company built walls to hopefully 
  keep the bugs conﬁned to this quarter, and the walls 
  (made of corrugated iron) are still standing, creating 
  a rough “cordon” around the entire neighborhood.  
  However, as the PCs walk up to the walls it is 
  obvious they are no longer effective in keeping 
  the insects in, as regular-sized roaches can be seen 
  emerging from minute cracks and holes in each 
  surface.
  To get inside the quarter the PCs will have to get 
  over or through the wall at some point.  The walls are 
  15 ft. high, and require a Climb check at DC 15 to 
  climb over.
  When the PCs ﬁnally surmount the wall, they 
  emerge at the area indicated on the map.  Read or 
  paraphrase the following:
  Beyond the wall stands an old decrepit 
  quarter of the city, with a maze of industrial 
  buildings and other structures that were once 
  part of a bustling downtown neighborhood.  
  But everywhere you look you see bugs - tens of 
  thousands of tiny cockroaches moving along the 
  ground, skittering across dusty window panes 
  (both inside and out), scampering up rusted 
  pipes and all over the disintegrating hulks of 
  old cars and trucks.  Garbage and other debris 
  is strewn about everywhere, creating heaps that 
  block entire streets.
  Welcome to Bugtown.
  Bugtown Walls:  1 in. Thick; Hardness 6; HP 10.
  Development:  Alternatively the PCs can 
  break down a section of the outer wall to make a 
  “doorway”, but if they do some 30-60 minutes later a 
  steady stream of roaches will ﬁnd the open whole and 
  begin moving out into the ruins beyond Bugtown.  
  This may have short- or long-term consequences 
  (such as an increase in the Infestation Level at the 
  fort by one step over the next few days) at your 
  discretion.
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
  Random encounters with monsters should occur 
  only at your discretion.  Encounters in Bugtown are 
  divided into day and night, as shown below.
  Day
  Night
  Random Encounter
  EL
  1-2
  -
  Eerie Cry*
  0
  3
  1
  Wild Man Spoor*
  0
  4-5
  2
  Cockroach swarm
  3
  6
  3
  Medium monstrous 
  cockroach
  1
  -
  4-5
  1d2 Cockroach swarms
  3-4
  -
  6
  1d2 Medium monstrous 
  cockroaches
  1-2
  * Events marked with an asterisk “*” are descriptive 
  encounters detailed in the Into The City section.  
  Other events on the table are simply encounters with 
  roving monstrous cockroaches or cockroach swarms.
  1. CORPSE (EL 3)
  A swarm of cockroaches scuttles over a small 
  corpse lying in the middle of the street.  The 
  smell of rotting ﬂesh is quite strong.
  The corpse once belonged to a wild man who was 
  part of the group hiding out at area 3.  It has since 
  attracted a swarm of cockroaches that are busily 
  breaking the body down.  If the PCs disturb the 
  swarm it will move from the corpse to pursue them 
  instead.
  Cockroach Swarm (1):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  Treasure:  If the rotting corpse is examined the 
  
  20
  PCs ﬁnd a small sack with the letters “ATC” on it, 
  dangling from a string around the wild man’s neck.  
  The sack contains 3d10 corium pieces (this was some 
  unlucky worker’s pay, stolen while he slept during a 
  routine scrounging foray).
  2. FLICKERING LIGHTS (EL 0)
  As you walk down this street you are startled 
  as a few street lights ﬂicker on and off at random 
  intervals.  Just as suddenly as they came on, they 
  go off again - and remained dead.
  Just when the PCs come to this area some of the 
  cockroaches beneath the streets at area 28 (see the 
  Sewers) have managed to get the generators working 
  again, albeit brieﬂy.  The PCs will witness this in 
  the form of the streetlights coming on momentarily, 
  before going off again.  However, nothing comes of 
  this seemingly inexplicable event.
  3. WILD MEN OBSERVERS (EL 2)
  A dilapidated stone building sits here.
  This building is empty, and offers little of interest to 
  the PCs.  However, a small group of wild men hide on 
  the roof of the building, watching the streets below 
  for signs of Amarillo Trading Company men (PCs 
  included).  If the party ventures into sight, the wild 
  men emerge from hiding atop the roof and rain a hail 
  of bango fruit on the passing group, hoping to “mark” 
  them.
  If ﬁred at the wild men attempt to ﬂee, skittering 
  down the far side of the building (out of sight) and 
  immediately head for the nearest section of outer 
  wall.  Assuming the PCs don’t manage to stop them, 
  they will ascend it and ﬂee into the ruins surrounding 
  Bugtown, and will not return.
  Wild Men (3):  HP 5.
  Treasure:  One of the wild men wears a ruby 
  crystal around its neck on the end of a string.  This 
  small gem looks to be worth perhaps 50-75 cp to a 
  gem dealer, junk collector, or tinker (like Astro).  In 
  reality it is a chromium rod, an advanced part used in 
  laser weapons.  If Kurt (see area K at the Amarillo 
  Trading Post) ﬁnds out the PCs have such an item 
  he will try to bargain it out of their hands, since he 
  can use it to ﬁnally repair his laser pistol.  He can 
  offer the party 100 cp for it (alternatively, with a 
  Diplomacy check at DC 25 the PCs may be able to 
  use the chromium rod as leverage to get Kurt to look 
  the other way if they want to dip into the Storage 
  Bunker’s stockpiles for one or two “free” items).
  4. ACE OF SPADES BAR (EL 0)
  You’re surprised when the neon sign in the left-
  hand window of this decrepit building, depicting 
  a stylized playing card, ﬂickers abruptly and then 
  remains on.  Three letters, “B-A-R”, light up 
  on a sign in the right-hand window, bathing the 
  street outside in an orange glow.
  This was once a bar and the bugs have come to infest 
  it.  If the PCs enter they ﬁnd that the lights behind the 
  bar ﬂicker on, and the little shaded lights at individual 
  booths ﬂutter on and off at irregular intervals.  Bottles 
  of beer, glass mugs, and old stools lie scattered 
  
  21
  everywhere.  Regular-sized cockroaches can be seen 
  skittering across the bar, on the mirror behind it, and 
  on the wood-paneled walls and ceiling.
  Development:  Count to three out loud - just 
  to build tension.  Three rounds after the PCs enter 
  the jukebox at the far end of the bar comes on, its 
  blue-red-yellow lights suddenly lighting up.  There 
  is a “crackle-pop” sound as a record is put on the 
  turntable, and in moments a pre-Fall country tune 
  starts playing, ﬁlling the bar with eerie music.
  This place seems haunted but of course it’s not 
  - the cockroaches have simply infested everything 
  to such a degree that they’re virtually everywhere, 
  from the wiring between the walls to the interior 
  mechanisms of the old jukebox.  A few cockroaches 
  have been electrocuted in the bundles of wiring 
  behind the wooden walls, but in doing so they’ve 
  re-routed some of the electricity from the generators 
  beneath the streets of Bugtown (see area 28) to the 
  various lights (and exterior signs).  Similarly, bugs 
  inside the jukebox have inadvertently gotten it to 
  work, hence the sudden manifestation of music.
  While the PCs are here they meet no oversized 
  cockroaches, but the cockroaches that are present will 
  seem to watch them at all times from wherever they 
  sit.  If the PCs don’t attack, the bugs simply observe 
  them; if they take offensive actions, the bugs will ﬂee 
  to countless tiny holes, cracks in walls, etc., leaving 
  the bar empty.  Moments later the lights go off, but 
  the bugs don’t return.
  5. POISON DUST (EL 2)
  This building looks extensively damaged, 
  the ﬁrst ﬂoor being littered with the crumbling 
  remains of the upper level.
  As the PCs enter this building they inadvertently kick 
  up a cloud of poisonous concrete dust created by the 
  upper story’s collapse.  The cloud immediately ﬁlls 
  an area 15 ft. by 15 ft. (centered on the ﬁrst character 
  to enter the building), forcing all within to make 
  a Fortitude save (DC 15).  Those that fail can do 
  nothing but cough and choke for 1d4 rounds.
  Even once the cloud subsides any character that 
  failed her save will operate with a -1 circumstance 
  penalty to all attack rolls and skill checks involving 
  vision until she can receive medical attention 
  (irrigating the eyes; Treat Injury DC 15).
  6. APARTMENT BUILDING (EL 0 OR 3)
  A towering building with many exterior 
  windows - most blasted out - stands here.
  This place proves to be an apartment building, 
  with small, claustrophobic rooms on all four ﬂoors.  
  The walls are covered in Ancient-era gang grafﬁti, 
  and broken glass (and unwitting cockroaches) 
  continuously crunch underfoot.  Most doors in the 
  building once had good locks, but 75% are so rusted 
  that they no longer function.
  Countless regular-sized roaches live in the halls, 
  apartments, and bathrooms, but none are aggressive 
  and will usually ignore the PCs as they explore the 
  building.
  GM’s Note:  The PCs could conceivably use this 
  building to retreat to if pursued, or use any of the 
  old rooms to camp if injured.  However, every night 
  there is a 50% chance that the roaches gather into a 
  cockroach swarm (see Appendix 2: New Creatures) 
  that sweeps through the halls and rooms, eventually 
  reaching the party wherever they’re holed up.
  Cockroach Swarm (1):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  Development:  If a ﬁght occurs between the PCs 
  and the swarm, other roaches throughout the building 
  will attempt to help their cousins by tapping into the 
  power from the underground generators (at area 28).  
  As soon as combat starts the lights ﬂicker on and 
  off wildly, creating a confusing, strobe-like effect 
  that provides a -2 circumstance penalty to all ranged 
  attack rolls.  If the swarm is destroyed the erratic 
  light show subsides, once again plunging the building 
  into darkness.
  7. CONVENIENCE STORE (EL 4)
  Entering this building you ﬁnd the remains of 
  an old convenience store, ﬁlled with cobwebs 
  and fungus.  An ominous sound, like the rustling 
  of hundreds of leaves, comes from behind a 
  number of shelving units, at the back of the 
  lightless store.
  If the PCs investigate the rustling sound they come to 
  the frozen food section, which consists of a number 
  of cracked glass freezer doors, behind which can be 
  seen rows of rotted, torn, and faded food containers:  
  ice cream, frozen pizzas, beer, etc.  A huge swarm 
  of cockroaches (actually two swarms combined 
  together) infests the cases, devouring the well-
  preserved foodstuffs, carpeting the cooler ﬂoor, and 
  clinging to the glass doors.  If the swarm detects the 
  party, it will move from the food cases to attack them 
  instead.
  Cockroach Swarms (2):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  Treasure:  Once the swarm is dealt with the PCs 
  can pick over the remnants of the food in the cooler.  
  The swarm (and 200+ years) destroyed most of 
  the food here, but the PCs will be able to ﬁnd 1d2 
  untampered ready meals and a single case (24 bottles) 
  of pre-Fall synthihol.  The synthihol still has its edge, 
  and each bottle might fetch a price of 20 cp.
  
  22
  8. JEWELER’S SHOP (EL 1)
  A small brick building stands here, its windows 
  guarded by heavy bars, and its door ﬁtted with a 
  barred frame.  A fading sign over the door reads 
  “Goldsmith Jewelers”.
  This place looks to have fallen apart from an 
  earthquake in the past; shelves lie at odd angles, and 
  old bottles sit in precarious positions, or lie shattered 
  on the ﬂoor.  A large display case has been smashed 
  open, revealing a number of cut gemstones.
  This was once a small jeweler’s workshop.  The 
  bottles contain boric acid, denatured alcohol, and 
  other substances used in the jewelry business.
  GM’s Note:  If the PCs enter the building (to loot), 
  each character must make a Dexterity check (DC 13) 
  or disturb some of the mess.  Most of the time this 
  will merely cause some harmless rubble to fall or a 
  shelf to collapse, but there is a 1 in 4 chance that a PC 
  failing her Dex check knocks over a bottle of potent 
  acid.  This does 2d6 splash damage to anyone within 
  5 ft. (centered on the character who knocked it over).
  Treasure:  A search uncovers a number of bottles 
  of boric acid and denatured alcohol.  The alcohol is 
  useless for the party’s purposes, but the boric acid 
  would be extremely helpful to the tinker Astro, who 
  can use it to ﬁnish his super bug spray.  The total take 
  amounts to about 150 cp in chemical supplies.
  The gemstones, while precious before the Fall, 
  are only moderately valuable in the more practical 
  aftermath.  There are 2d6 gems in the case, each 
  worth 2d10x10 cp.
  9. SPARK SHOWER (EL 1)
  There is a sudden explosion of sparks from a 
  large neon sign overhead.
  Cockroaches beneath the Bugtown streets at area 28 
  have momentarily re-routed power to the sign here, 
  causing the bulbs to explode.  Sparks shower over the 
  PCs causing 1d6 points of damage (Reﬂex save DC 
  15 for half).
  GM’s Note:  This event should come as a surprise 
  to the PCs, since they probably had no idea that the 
  power was “on” in Bugtown.  Similarly, clever PCs 
  may rightly ﬁgure that there must be a generator 
  working somewhere either here on the surface, or 
  beneath the streets (the latter is true; see area 28).
  10. HUMMER (EL 0)
  A usual sight stands up ahead.  A few 
  cockroaches skitter on the street near the rusted 
  remnants of an old military truck.  The rear 
  hatch to the vehicle still stands open.
  If the PCs investigate the vehicle (a Hummer) 
  they ﬁnd two skeletons inside, still wearing the 
  disintegrating remains of military uniforms.  Each 
  wears a shiny white helmet with the letters “MP” on 
  the side.
  In the back of the Hummer the PCs ﬁnd a number 
  of orange trafﬁc cones and a large wooden sign, on 
  which has been painted the words “EVACUATION 
  ROUTE”.
  GM’s Note:  These soldiers were just two of many 
  sent to the district around the secret Amarillo Vault 
  to guide civilians towards the shelter underground.  
  They were killed in the riots that ensued after the 
  Vault closed, leaving thousands behind.
  Treasure:  Both men have web belts and black 
  leather belt holsters, one of which contains a broken 
  stun pistol (with a power clip down to 2 charges; a 
  Repair check at DC 20 is required to ﬁx it, along with 
  120 cp in parts), and the other a metal baton.  The 
  second soldier has a tear gas grenade on his web belt 
  as well.
  The Hummer is too rusted to ever run again.
  11. MOVEMENT UNDERGROUND (EL 4)
  The pavement here seems especially cracked 
  and worn, no doubt from years of sandstorms.
  If the PCs spend more than two rounds out on the 
  street the ground suddenly shakes and shudders; one 
  round later the ground opens up and a pair of large 
  monstrous cockroaches emerge from underground!  
  The two enormous creatures immediately attack any 
  PCs that are still out in the open.
  Large Monstrous Cockroaches (2):  HP 26.
  12. MECHANIC SHOP (EL 0)
  You enter through a large open space in the 
  side of this building, ostensibly created to allow 
  vehicles to drive inside.  The smell of oil and 
  acid still lingers heavily here, but the darkness is 
  just as pervasive.
  A few cockroaches crunch underfoot, but this place 
  proves to be empty of any major threats.  If the PCs 
  brought lights they see what one would expect from a 
  typical mechanic shop, including a wall-mounted tool 
  rack, several worktables, a bare hydraulic lift, and 
  numerous cords and rubber pipes hanging down from 
  the cobwebbed ceiling.
  Lying on one table is a heap of machinery covered 
  in a layer of dust and cobwebs.
  Treasure:  The heap of machinery on the table is 
  in fact an entire car engine, which has been enhanced 
  with the Fine-Tuned [RT] modiﬁcation.  The engine 
  will ﬁt in any sports car or sedan and counts as a 
  normal vehicle modiﬁcation (see Rolling Thunder for 
  details on how vehicle modiﬁcations can be installed 
  
  23
  into an existing car).  If the PCs don’t want to keep 
  the engine they can sell it for 1,500 cp, assuming they 
  can somehow transport it to an interested buyer!
  13. DECREPIT APARTMENTS (EL 7)
  This decrepit wooden structure looks rotten 
  and decayed.  A few large black roaches scamper 
  across the outside wall as you approach.
  The door to this old multi-story apartment building 
  has warped shut, requiring a Strength check (DC 13) 
  to open.  This is just a sign of things to come - inside 
  the wooden ﬂoor appears to be rotting, as does the 
  wooden staircase rising to the levels above.  The 
  ﬂowery wallpaper is peeling, and behind the paper 
  can be seen disintegrating wood walls.  Cockroaches 
  periodically skitter across every surface - ﬂoor, wall, 
  and ceiling.
  As soon as two or more characters enter the 
  building their combined weight is too much for the 
  rotting wood ﬂoor.  The wooden boards underfoot 
  suddenly give way, dumping the lead two characters 
  into the basement beneath the building.
  While the ground level may have seemed infested, 
  the basement is downright ﬂooded with insects.  
  Characters falling through are fall suffer only 1d6 
  points of damage from the drop (Reﬂex DC 15 for 
  half) because they land in - and are partially drowned 
  in - a sea of cockroaches several feet deep that 
  happens to cushion their fall.  However, the mass of 
  cockroaches in the basement counts as four individual 
  cockroach swarms, which will immediately attack 
  any PCs falling into the basement with them.
  Climbing out of the basement requires a Climb 
  check (DC 15).  Unfortunately the apartments on 
  the upper levels of the building prove to be almost 
  completely empty, ﬁlled only with rotted furniture but 
  nothing of any value.
  Cockroach Swarms (4):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  14. FAST FOOD RESTAURANT (EL 4)
  Entering this dark place you pass by numerous 
  cheap tables, your feet stepping on the broken 
  glass strewn about the slick tiled ﬂoor.  A huge 
  counter separates the rear of the building, from 
  which you hear a crunching noise followed by a 
  metallic clamor.
  The sound the PCs hear is from a huge monstrous 
  cockroach in the cooking area, knocking over a large 
  pile of metal bins as it moves clumsily around.  When 
  the party ﬁrst enters they cannot see the creature (nor 
  can it see them) because of the almost total darkness; 
  allow each group to make a Listen check to notice the 
  other.
  Unless the PCs leave immediately, once the 
  enormous insect hears them it will scurry up and 
  over the front counter to attack; it is preceded by an 
  ever-increasing crunching noise (glass being ground 
  beneath its heavy body) and the appearance of huge 
  whip-like antennae that come lashing out from the 
  shadows.
  The monster will try to grapple the nearest PC and, 
  if successful, drag her back with it over the counter, 
  THE RADIO
  If and when the PCs manage to ﬁx the old radio found at area 14, they’re in for a big surprise.  There are 
  other ways of ﬁnding out about what lies beneath Bugtown, but the radio immediately alerts the PCs to the 
  presence of the Amarillo vault.
  As soon as the radio is ﬁxed and a power supply provided (an event that most likely occurs in Astro’s 
  shop), the radio crackles to life with an eerie message.  Like the voice of a ghost from before the Fall, a 
  man speaks out through a veil of static with the following message:
  “...You are listening to military radio band M6E...This is an emergency broadcast beacon 
  originating from the Amarillo emergency disaster shelter, directed at search and rescue personnel 
  in the Amarillo area...Please follow this transmission to its source...All search and rescue personnel 
  should proceed to the Amarillo disaster shelter for immediate extraction, priority one...The Amarillo 
  disaster shelter is located two stories underground beneath the Evacuation Station at the corner 
  of Chicago and Eastern streets, in downtown Amarillo...Please follow this transmission to its 
  source...[Message repeats]”
  Of course this is just a recorded message, continuously broadcast from the underground broadcast station 
  in the vault (see area 32).  The message was originally intended to help guide rescuers to the vault so that 
  it could be opened and its occupants freed.  Now it serves as a beacon that could very well lead the PCs 
  right to the subterranean vault entrance!
  If the PCs switch frequencies they only get static.  The message gets perceptibly louder the closer the 
  PCs get to area 32, so that they can conceivably “follow” the radio message all the way to the vault itself.
  
  24
  through the unlit back area, and into the old freezer, 
  the door to which is rusted open.  Since it also has 
  only one entrance, it is easily defended.  It is also a 
  satisfactory place for the giant roach to begin eating 
  its prey.
  If the other PCs try to pursue they can simply run 
  around or climb over the front counter (Climb check 
  DC 10), but the back area is littered with old pots, 
  pans, and garbage, and so any character running 
  must make a Dexterity check (DC 13) or slip and fall 
  prone, ending her movement for that round.
  Huge Monstrous Cockroach (1):  HP 65.
  Treasure:  A search of the back room uncovers an 
  old radio that the employees apparently listened to 
  as they worked.  The PCs can take this device back 
  to Astro and see if he can have it repaired.  If they 
  provide him with 55 cp (for the spare parts) he will 
  ﬁx it in 1d2 days (they can do it themselves with the 
  same amount of spare parts and a Repair check at DC 
  15).  If the radio is ﬁxed and a power cell supplied, 
  the radio will come to life; see The Radio sidebar for 
  more on what happens.
  15. DILAPIDATED STRUCTURE (EL 1)
  Beams of light ﬁlter weakly through the gutted 
  ceiling overhead, revealing a withered corpse 
  lying among the rubble on the ground ﬂoor.
  The corpse belongs to one of the wild men sent 
  into the compound by Kroo to plant radioactive 
  materials from the Crater.  This particular wild man 
  was too weak from radiation sickness to escape the 
  cockroaches as they closed in.  His body is now 
  infested with the bugs, which can be seen coming out 
  of his hollow mouth and empty eye sockets.
  In one withered hand the wild man clutches a piece 
  of radioactive slag from the Crater.  If the PCs have 
  a Geiger counter (or some other means of detecting 
  radiation), they realize that the bit of twisted metal 
  is in fact a Mildly radiated source.  Otherwise they 
  unwittingly expose themselves to the deadly energies 
  if they examine the corpse or take the unidentiﬁable 
  metal with them!
  GM’s Note:  The corpse - and the radiated piece of 
  slag it seems to have been carrying - is evidence that 
  the wild men are up to something.  If the PCs take the 
  metal back to town, Astro will be able to recognize 
  it as being radioactive debris from the Crater, but 
  he will be stumped as to why the wild man had it 
  with him.  In any event he will suggest the PCs get 
  treatment right away.
  Development:  The PCs may become radiated 
  from this encounter, but treatment is available back at 
  the Fort (see area I).
  16. PIT BUILDING (EL 3)
  Entering this unlit building you see a barren 
  ground ﬂoor room, in the center is a dark hole 
  in the earth from which comes a subtle greenish 
  glow.  As you watch, oversized cockroaches, each 
  several inches to a foot long, climb up through 
  the hole before scampering off into the shadows.
  The ﬂoor of this building features a hole that leads 
  straight down to area 29 below.  Kroo’s wild men 
  found this place a long time ago after sneaking 
  into Bugtown (before it had its current problems).  
  When Kroo came up with his plan to start moving 
  radioactive debris from the Crater to stimulate the 
  growth of the cockroaches, he had his men bring the 
  stuff here and toss it into the hole.  Kroo has observed 
  cockroaches coming up from the sewers via this hole, 
  so he ﬁgured it was the best place to start throwing 
  the stuff if he wanted to start mutating the local bug 
  population.  Now an eerie greenish glow seems to 
  emanate from below, a giveaway that whatever’s 
  down there is radioactive.
  Kroo’s plan worked like a charm - even more than 
  he hoped.  The wild men have thrown more than 
  a dozen pieces of radioactive slag down the hole, 
  right into the waters skirting the egg chambers of the 
  monstrous cockroaches.  This has led to an increase 
  in the size and number of bugs and, what Kroo didn’t 
  expect, the creation of some very bizarre mutated 
  variants...
  The cockroaches come and go all the time, using 
  the hole as a way to go back and forth from the 
  sewers and the surface.  If the PCs stay to observe 
  it’ll become obvious that there’s some kind of 
  complex underground, no doubt overrun by the bugs.
  GM’s Note:  If the PCs approach the hole (say, 
  to drop a grenade down it) they are in for a surprise 
  - as they come close a mutated large monstrous 
  cockroach squeezes through the narrow opening 
  and climbs into the room.  Since it is quite large, 
  the PCs should be suitably stunned that it is able to 
  squeeze through the opening (this is accomplished 
  through the combination of its malleable species trait 
  and Abnormal Joint Flexibility mutation).  It will 
  immediately attack the party, taking to the air and 
  ﬂying after them if they ﬂee (thanks to its Complete 
  Wing Development).
  Mutated Large Monstrous Cockroach (1):  HP 
  26 (see below).
  Mutated [BNB] Large Monstrous Cockroach:  CR 
  3; Large Mutant Vermin; HD 4d8+8; HP 26; Mas 14; 
  Init +2; Spd 40 ft, ﬂy 50 ft. (clumsy); Defense 16, 
  touch 12, ﬂatfooted 14 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural); 
  BAB +3; Grap +9; Atk +5 melee (1d8+5, bite); Full 
  Atk +5 melee (1d8+5, bite); FS 10 ft by 10 ft; Reach 
  10 ft; SQ malleable, scent, darkvision 60 ft, increased 
  critical threat, vermin traits, resistance to massive 
  
  25
  damage; AL none; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +1; AP 0; 
  Rep +0; Str 17, Dex 15, Con 14, Int -, Wis -, Cha 2.
  Mutations and Defects:  Abnormal Joint 
  Flexibility, Complete Wing Development, Critical 
  Vulnerability x2.
  Skills:  Climb +8, Escape Artist +4, Hide +5, Move 
  Silently +9, Sleight of Hand +4, Spot +11, Tumble 
  +4.
  Feats:  None.
  Development:  The hole (and the chute it leads 
  to) is too narrow for the PCs to use to get down into 
  the sewers, and besides, its entire length is crawling 
  with bugs, big and small.  Still, this (and the sight 
  of a giant cockroach even more mutated than usual) 
  should be enough evidence to conﬁrm that there is 
  more going on in the sewers, prompting the PCs to 
  ﬁnd another way down.
  17. WAREHOUSE (EL 4)
  A rumbling comes from the back of this 
  cavernous warehouse; the sound of wood 
  shattering and splintering, and something huge 
  shufﬂing in the dark.
  The noises heard by the PCs as they enter this large 
  warehouse come from an enormous mutated insect 
  that wandered into this part of the city and climbed 
  over the outer wall.  Drawn by the unusual amount of 
  activity within the compound, the beetle is so large 
  that the resident ‘roaches have given it a wide berth 
  (for now, anyway).
  The giant stag beetle is tearing the warehouse apart 
  looking for something to eat.  After 2d10 rounds it 
  will do so much damage to the building that parts will 
  begin to collapse, possibly hitting a random character 
  - or itself - as a Large falling object for 2d6 points of 
  damage (Reﬂex save at DC 25 for half).  In addition, 
  even if she survives that character must also make a 
  Strength check (DC 20) or be pinned under the fallen 
  object.
  Giant Stag Beetle:  HP 52 (see Appendix 2: New 
  Creatures).
  18. HOTEL EXCALIBUR AT CHICAGO AND EASTERN 
  (EL 0 OR 3)
  An old downtown hotel stands at the corner 
  of this intersection, dilapidated and dusty.  An 
  abnormal amount of vehicles lie rusted and 
  pitted outside, including three police cars, two 
  police motorcycles, and four school buses.
  Though it looks innocent enough, this “hotel” 
  (located at the corner of Chicago and Eastern 
  streets) actually hides the entrance to the Amarillo 
  Vault, which lies more than two stories beneath its 
  foundation.  The vault was accessed via the same 
  elevator that served the three-story hotel’s patrons 
  in peacetime, but would only descend to the vault 
  entrance level (see area 20) if a special access card 
  was inserted in the slot.  Only a handful of people 
  were aware of the hotel’s double nature, including 
  the state governor, city mayor, and a handful of other 
  military and political authorities.
  If the PCs explore the creaking old hotel they ﬁnd 
  it dusty and empty, ﬁlled primarily with cobwebs and 
  countless skittish cockroaches, ranging in size from 
  an inch to a foot - but nothing too dangerous.
  A single elevator connects the fancily-decorated 
  lobby with the two upper levels, but this appears to be 
  without power (the door is slightly ajar, however).  A 
  white-edged stairwell ascends to the second and third 
  ﬂoors, which are packed with small, bug-infested 
  rooms.  Most of the contents of these rooms rotted 
  centuries ago, leaving rusted bed frames, mattress 
  coils, and shards of broken glass.
  A chance encounter with a single cockroach swarm 
  will occur on a roll of 1 in 4 if the PCs search the 
  upper levels.
  GM’s Note:  The vehicles outside the hotel once 
  comprised a motorcade of school buses requisitioned 
  to bring people to the vault during the crisis.  The 
  police vehicles were part of the cordon maintaining 
  security for the evacuation of these personnel to the 
  vault.
  Depending on how perceptive your players are, 
  their characters may or may not make the connection 
  linking the vehicles with the secret purpose of the 
  building.  However, even if they do guess that the 
  elevator inside leads somewhere important, without 
  the access card (see below) they won’t be able to 
  investigate further.
  Cockroach Swarm (1):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  The Elevator:  The elevator at ﬁrst seems 
  innocuous.  The button panel (which sits above an air 
  vent, the only other feature inside the lift) has buttons 
  for the ground ﬂoor, ﬁrst ﬂoor, and second ﬂoor - all 
  of which are levels that can be accessed via the stairs, 
  and prove to be empty.  Judging by the buttons, there 
  doesn’t seem to be any other ﬂoors.
  In reality, one of the eight horizontal slats (the 
  third from the top) of the air vent is in fact a slot for 
  an access card.  A character with a successful search 
  check (DC 20) will notice the odd slot.  If the access 
  card from area 19 is inserted into the slot the power 
  ﬂickers on in the elevator.  After one minute the doors 
  slowly close to the chime of an unseen bell, and the 
  elevator slowly descends to area 20 in the Sewers!
  
  26
  19. REFINERY (EL VARIES)
  A sprawling labyrinth of metal pipe, lofty 
  towers, and spindly catwalks occupies the 
  eastern part of Bugtown.  Huge oil tanks rust 
  under the sun, and chemicals have pooled in 
  places creating small noxious ponds.
  The eastern part of Bugtown is taken up by an old 
  reﬁnery, a facility so badly rusted and disintegrating 
  that it could never be revived again.  However, the 
  cockroaches love the place, ﬁnding countless places 
  to hide from the sunlight and skitter about on their 
  mysterious bug-errands without fear of being caught.
  If the PCs enter this complex they ﬁnd lots of 
  cover, as well as lots of places for potential enemies 
  to lie in hiding.  In fact the whole complex is infested 
  with bugs, in the form of several bug swarms and 
  larger monstrous cockroaches.
  GM’s Note:  For every 10 minutes the PCs explore 
  this area, there is a 1 in 4 chance that they stumble 
  upon or are attacked by a random portion of the 
  cockroach presence.  Roll on the table below to see 
  what emerges to attack them:
  Roll
  Encounter
  EL
  1-3
  Medium monstrous cockroach
  1
  4-5
  Large monstrous cockroach
  2
  6
  Cockroach swarm
  3
  Treasure:  A search (Search DC 13) of the 
  rubble in the interior of one of the large rectangular 
  buildings (marked with an asterisk “*”) uncovers 
  a broken skeleton lying in a pile of rocky debris, 
  apparently a victim of the Fall who was trapped here 
  when he tried to take shelter in the building.  Around 
  the skeleton’s neck is a thin chain, attached to which 
  is a strange metal card.  Lightly etched on the card’s 
  face (in Ancient) are letters reading:  “A--R--LO VA-
  LT”.
  Development:  The card found here certainly 
  qualiﬁes as “out of the ordinary”, so the PCs should 
  probably consider taking it back to Cornelius when 
  they get the opportunity.  When and if they do, 
  proceed to the section titled Returning To Cornelius.
  SEWERS
  Eventually the PCs will learn about the sewers 
  beneath Bugtown and head there looking for the 
  suspected entrance to the Amarillo Vault.  The 
  following locations describe the pre-Fall warrens that 
  still exist underground.
  20. MUTANTS (EL 4)
  The elevator door opens to reveal a low, dark 
  chamber with a heavy odor to it.  Sewer passages 
  lead off into darkness.
  A sign facing the elevator - now faded and partly 
  covered in fungus - reads “-MARIL-O VAUL- SUB-
  -VEL A - AUT-OR-ZED PE-SON-EL ONLY”.  The 
  PCs are getting close!
  GM’s Note:  Three monstrous cockroaches dwell 
  in this chamber, unable to return the way they came 
  due to the green slime at area 21.  When the PCs 
  enter the bugs are hiding (Hide +9), and may gain 
  surprise if the PCs fail their Spot checks to notice 
  them.
  One of the large cockroaches is obviously 
  abnormal, with additional eyes and a cluster of 
  fungus-like spores that it releases when entering 
  combat (it has the mutations Multiple Eyes and 
  Fragrance Development).
  On their action the ﬁrst two cockroaches will 
  attack the PCs, while the third will use its Fragrance 
  Development to hypnotize (DC 15) up to 2d4 HD 
  of characters.  During the ﬁght the cockroaches will 
  concentrate on the other PCs, leaving the hypnotized 
  character(s) for last.
  Medium Monstrous Cockroaches (2):  HP 13.
  Mutated Medium Monstrous Cockroach (1):  HP 
  13 (see below).
  Mutated [BNB] Medium Monstrous Cockroach:  
  CR 2; Medium Mutant Vermin; HD 2d8+4; HP 
  13; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 40 ft; Defense 15, touch 
  12, ﬂatfooted 13 (+2 Dex, +3 natural); BAB +1; 
  Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, bite); Full Atk +2 
  melee (1d6+1, bite); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ 
  malleable, scent, darkvision 60 ft, vermin traits, 
  resistance to massive damage; AL none; SV Fort +5, 
  Ref +2, Will +0; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 
  14, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2.
  Mutations and Defects:  Fragrance Development, 
  Multiple Eyes, Sensitivity (acid) x2.
  Skills:  Climb +4, Hide +9, Move Silently +9, Spot 
  +13.
  Feats:  None.
  21. GREEN SLIME (EL 4)
  An acrid smell permeates the air of this sewer 
  chamber, and loose brick litters the slick, slimy 
  ﬂoor.  Oddly enough there are no bugs present.
  The ﬁrst character to enter this chamber is attacked 
  by a colony of green slime that clings to the ceiling.
  GM’s Note:  The green slime deals 1d6 points 
  of Constitution damage per round while it devours 
  ﬂesh.  On the ﬁrst round of contact, the slime can 
  be scraped off a creature (most likely destroying the 
  scraping device), but after that it must be frozen, 
  burned, or cut away (applying damage to the victim 
  as well).  Extreme cold or heat, or sunlight destroys a 
  patch of green slime.  Against wood or metal, green 
  slime deals 2d6 points of damage per round, ignoring 
  
  27
  metal’s hardness but not that of wood.  It does not 
  harm stone.
  22. LOST LUGGAGE (EL 3)
  This sewer chamber immediately strikes you 
  as odd - scattered all about the ﬂoor, and stacked 
  against one wall, are dozens of rotting suitcases 
  and disintegrating bags.
  The unnecessary personal belongings of the civilians 
  being evacuated to the vault more than 200 years 
  ago were discarded here by the military personnel 
  assigned to the vault, before joining the others before 
  the vault door closed.
  Most of the bags and suitcases contain sentimental 
  items such as photographs, mementoes, jewelry, 
  clothing, dolls and teddy bears, etc.  However, most 
  of these are completely rotted or infested by bugs.
  GM’s Note:  The ﬁrst character to investigate this 
  strange “cache” is attacked by a cockroach swarm 
  living amongst the heap of discarded luggage.
  Cockroach Swarm (1):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  Treasure:  If you have the sourcebook Ruin At The 
  End of The World, roll 2d4 times on Table 17: Dead 
  Bodies to determine the contents of the luggage (re-
  roll results that seem inappropriate).  Otherwise the 
  bags are empty.
  23. MOLTING CHAMBER (EL 1)
  A terrible odor emanates from this cave.  As 
  you enter you see dozens of hollow shells lying 
  about, and motes of dust slowly swirling in the 
  air.
  This is where the monstrous cockroaches come to 
  discard old skins and shells as they molt into larger 
  
  28
  versions of themselves.  The room is ﬁlled with shed 
  skin and dust, which is heavy with toxic allergens.
  GM’s Note:  Characters entering this room must 
  make a Fortitude save (DC 12) or be affected.  Those 
  who fail suffer from rashes, congestion, blurry eyes, 
  and sneezing, resulting in a -1 penalty to all attack 
  rolls, saving throws, and ability checks for the next 
  3d6 hours.
  A single medium monstrous cockroach nymph is 
  present in the chamber, currently in the process of 
  shedding its previous shell.  Since it is relatively 
  still at the moment, it may go unnoticed by the PCs 
  (Spot check DC 20) for 2d4 rounds, at which time it 
  frees itself.  If the PCs are still present in the molting 
  chamber the creature, once free, will attack them.
  Medium Monstrous Cockroach Nymph (1):  HP 
  9 (see below).
  Medium Monstrous Cockroach Nymph [BNB]:  
  CR 1/2; Small Vermin; HD 2d8; HP 9; Mas 11; Init 
  +2; Spd 40 ft; Defense 14, touch 13, ﬂatfooted 12 (+1 
  size, +2 Dex, +1 natural); BAB +1; Grap -3; Atk +2 
  melee (1d6, bite); Full Atk +2 melee (1d6, bite); FS 5 
  ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ malleable, scent, darkvision 
  60 ft, vermin traits, resistance to massive damage; AL 
  none; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 
  10, Dex 14, Con 11, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2.
  Skills:  Climb +3, Hide +5, Move Silently +9, Spot 
  +11.
  Feats:  None. 
  24. YELLOW MOLD (EL 6)
  This appears to be an old sewer drainage 
  chamber.  The smell is noxious, and large 
  patches of a yellowish mold cover parts of the 
  ﬂoor, walls, and ceiling.
  The fungus infesting the room is yellow mold, a 
  particularly dangerous subterranean hazard.  If 
  disturbed the mold bursts forth with a cloud of 
  poisonous spores.  All within 10 feet of the mold 
  must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or take 1d6 
  points of temporary Constitution damage.  Another 
  Fortitude save (DC 15) is required 1 minute later 
  - even by those who succeeded at the ﬁrst save - to 
  avoid taking 2d6 points of temporary Constitution 
  damage.
  Fire destroys yellow mold, and sunlight renders it 
  dormant.
  25. EGG CHAMBER A (EL 0)
  An awful smell clings to the air here.  Bricks 
  lie all about the chamber ﬂoor, having fallen 
  from the weak ceiling above.  In the center of 
  the room is what appears to be a large “sack” 
  made from a silky substance.  As you watch the 
  sack seems to pulse and writhe, as if something 
  nebulous was moving inside.
  The “sack” is an ootheca, a purse-like vessel woven 
  by a pregnant monstrous cockroach to contain her 
  hatched young.  This particular ootheca contains a 
  swarm of immature cockroach nymphs, but they’re 
  not quite ready to hatch yet.  As a result, they pose no 
  threat to the PCs.
  The ootheca can easily be destroyed by applying 
  ﬂame to it (it will burn quite quickly), or simply 
  by smashing it.  Since the bugs inside can’t ﬁght 
  back, destroying the sack technically offers them no 
  experience reward.
  26. EGG CHAMBER B (EL 5)
  This large subterranean chamber reeks of the 
  same smell that seems to permeate everything 
  under Bugtown.  All about the chamber you see 
  large satiny sacks lying between fallen rocks, 
  some of which seem to move and writhe with life.  
  A low buzzing drone can be heard from some of 
  them.
  This area is similar to area 25, except that while the 
  PCs are present (1-2 rounds after they’ve entered), 
  three of the enormous ootheca will erupt open as 
  the nymph swarms inside hatch.  The glistening, all-
  white swarms spill out like a ﬂood from their sacks, 
  and move to devour the nearest food source - the 
  player characters.
  Cockroach Swarm Nymphs (3):  HP 15 (see 
  below).
  Cockroach Swarm Nymphs [BNB]:  CR 2; Fine 
  Vermin (Swarm); HD 6d8-12; HP 15; Mas -; Init +4; 
  Spd 10 ft.; Defense 22, touch 22, ﬂatfooted 18 (+8 
  size, +4 Dex); BAB +4; Grap -; Atk (2d6, swarm); 
  Full Atk (2d6, swarm); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 
  0 ft.; SQ darkvision 60 ft., distraction, immune to 
  weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits; AL 
  none; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 
  1, Dex 18, Con 5, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2.
  Skills:  Hide +12, Listen +4, Spot +4.
  Feats:  None.
  Advancement:  None.
  27. FIREBUG (EL 8)
  A great shufﬂing noise echoes through this 
  enormous cavern.  As you enter you see a large 
  number of gigantic cockroaches scuttling about 
  the ﬂoor and walls, their collective black shells 
  gleaming with an oily shine.  In the center of the 
  mass is one that stands out from the rest due to 
  its large size and bright orangish-red shell.  As 
  
  29
  you enter the mass of giant cockroaches begin to 
  skitter towards you.
  All of the cockroaches in this chamber immediately 
  attack the intruders on sight.  The reddish mutant 
  cockroach in fact possesses the Pyrokinetic Pulse 
  Generation mutation, which it will use at the ﬁrst 
  opportunity at the closest PC.  Since it hasn’t yet 
  learned how to use the mutation properly, when 
  targeting a PC it may accidentally injure another 
  cockroaches that happens to get in the way (which 
  could inadvertently help the PCs out).
  The mutated huge monstrous cockroach’s pulse 
  generation does 5d6 points of heat damage (Reﬂex 
  save DC 15 for half) in a 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-long 
  line.  It can use this ability ﬁve times per day.
  Medium Monstrous Cockroaches (6):  HP 13.
  Mutated Huge Monstrous Cockroach (1):  HP 65 
  (see below).
  Mutated [BNB] Huge Monstrous Cockroach:  
  CR 5; Huge Mutant Vermin; HD 10d8+20; HP 65; 
  Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 40 ft; Defense 17, touch 12, 
  ﬂatfooted 15 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural); BAB +7; 
  Grap +20; Atk +10 melee (2d6+7, bite); Full Atk +10 
  melee (2d6+7, bite); FS 15 ft by 15 ft; Reach 10 ft; 
  SQ malleable, scent, darkvision 60 ft, vermin traits, 
  resistance to massive damage; AL none; SV Fort +9, 
  Ref +5, Will +3; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 21, Dex 15, Con 
  14, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 0.
  Mutations and Defects:  Pyrokinetic Pulse 
  Generation, Bizarre Pigmentation (red shell).
  Skills:  Climb +8, Hide +1, Move Silently +9, Spot 
  +11.
  Feats:  None.
  28. EMERGENCY GENERATORS (EL 3)
  Up ahead you see a niche off an old sewer 
  tunnel, in which stand two huge rusted machines.  
  Even now the tunnel reverberates with the loud 
  humming from these ﬂoor-to-ceiling devices, 
  and an acrid, oily smell reaches your nostrils.  
  Though they rumble and shake, both machines 
  seem to be covered in a blanket of living 
  cockroaches.
  These two emergency generators provided power for 
  this part of the city in emergency situations.  With 
  their burgeoning mutant intelligence (thanks to 
  the meddling of the wild men), the cockroaches of 
  Bugtown have managed to get them up and running, 
  providing sporadic power to the city streets above 
  (see areas 2, 4, and 9).
  The cockroaches aren’t sure what the power can 
  do for them, but their rudimentary intelligence has 
  driven them to try and ﬁgure out the old technology 
  anyway.  So far the bugs have only barely managed 
  to get the power up and running (accidentally killing 
  quite a few of their own who inadvertently use power 
  lines and wiring to get around throughout Bugtown), 
  but in time there’s no telling what they might use 
  their newfound electrical knowledge for...
  If the PCs attack the bugs here or otherwise 
  threaten the generators, the bugs will coalesce into 
  a swarm and attack.  In addition, creatures the PCs 
  may be hiding from (if they ran away from previous 
  encounters) will be attracted to any sound of combat 
  here.
  Cockroach Swarm (1):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  29. DEEP POOL (EL 1)
  The waters of this underground “lake” 
  glow with an eerie greenish light.  Enormous 
  cockroaches skitter along the shores of the lake, 
  as do swarms of smaller critters that seem to 
  stretch into the darkness in all directions and out 
  of sight.
  This large underground lake was created by sewer 
  ﬂooding over the years, and has long been a feature 
  of the main cave.  Recently Kroo’s wild men began 
  dumping radioactive slag into the lake through 
  the hole at area 16, which leads directly into this 
  cave.  Polluting the water, the radiation has caused 
  the cockroach population to mutate, resulting in the 
  current problems in Bugtown.
  The glow here is bright enough to illuminate 
  most of the cave.  In addition, the water counts as a 
  Moderately radiated area; anyone swimming in or 
  drinking the waters will be affected.
  None of the cockroaches attack the PCs, but 
  instead begin to slowly move from the lake towards 
  area 30.
  GM’s Note:  A narrow shaft in the ceiling of this 
  cave leads up to area 16, on the surface of Bugtown.
  Treasure:  Bits of twisted metal and other glowing 
  junk can be seen through the crystal clear water, 
  lying at the bottom of the pool.  PCs daring enough 
  to swim down to this sifting pile will ﬁnd all sorts of 
  wierdly-deformed radioactive debris.  This includes 
  slag from the Crater, as well as other radioactive stuff 
  the wild men have scavenged from all over the city to 
  dump here.  Items include a fused mass of electronics 
  (a home computer found in the area of the Crater), 
  a 200 lb. chunk of knobby warped metal (origins 
  unknown), and a cracked plutonium clip (7 charges 
  left).  Even if removed from the water all of these 
  items will continue to radiate as Mildly radioactive 
  
  30
  materials.
  Development:  Any PC making a Knowledge 
  [Earth & Life Sciences] check at DC 15 will 
  recognize that the presence of the radiated elements 
  in the pool is probably behind the gigantism, 
  mutation, and proliferation of the cockroach 
  population in the city.  A clean-up operation will be 
  necessary to nip the problem in the bud; otherwise 
  the PCs will have to wipe out every last cockroach in 
  Bugtown and the sewers to eradicate the menace to 
  the Amarillo Traders.
  30. VAULT DOOR (EL 0 OR 3)
  The sight before you is stunning:  An enormous 
  circular portal of brushed steel blocks the 
  passage here, rising from ﬂoor to ceiling, its 
  metallic surface dimly mirroring the light 
  sources you’ve brought along.  The door is 
  featureless, and partly shrouded in cobwebs, but 
  is nonetheless a grand reminder of the technical 
  achievements of the Ancients.
  This large chamber overlooks the lake at area 29, 
  and light from the eerily-glowing green waters 
  reﬂects off of the metal surface of the door.  A carpet 
  of tiny cockroaches covers the ﬂoor, but it is hardly 
  noticeable in the presence of the enormous portal - 
  the door to the Amarillo vault.
  The door appears to be impossible to open, 
  weighing several tons and having no apparent hinges 
  to blast (or otherwise sabotage).  The door, like 
  many vault doors, is time-operated, and will only 
  open after a set period - or with the insertion of the 
  proper access card.  Unfortunately, the access panel 
  (sitting nearby) requires a red stage VC access card 
  - something the PCs aren’t likely to possess!
  GM’s Note:  The vault access card the PCs found 
  at area 19 does not work here.  While the door may 
  be impossible to open with the tools the PCs have on 
  hand, there is another way into the vault - a nearby 
  passage.  See area 31 for details.
  Development:  If the PCs did not encounter it 
  at area 16, the mutated large monstrous cockroach 
  noted under that location’s description will be 
  encountered here instead.
  31. ROCK CLEFT (EL 1)
  A narrow passage of rough stone leads off 
  into darkness.  The cleft looks like a natural rift 
  formed after a subterranean earthquake, but the 
  walls, ﬂoor, and ceiling appear to be covered 
  in a shiny black layer that seems to pulse and 
  ripple.  It doesn’t take long for you to realize 
  that this “layer” is comprised of millions of tiny 
  cockroaches...
  The party’s guess is accurate; this stony passage was 
  created during an earthquake decades ago, which 
  split the sewer wall open and created a natural tunnel 
  that connects directly to the vault beyond.  What this 
  means for the characters, luckily, is that this presents 
  an easy way to enter the Amarillo vault without 
  having to open the actual vault door!
  GM’s Note:  Though the characters have a way 
  into the vault, the passage’s walls, ﬂoor, and ceiling 
  are covered in millions of cockroaches.  These 
  creatures will not attack the party, however (they are 
  normal bugs), but the sight is so formidable - and 
  disgusting - that each PC must make a Will save (DC 
  13) to pass through the cleft to areas 32-35 beyond.  
  Those PCs that fail may attempt to make another save 
  1 hour later.
  If the PCs use a ﬂamethrower, Astro’s super bug 
  spray, or some other area-effect weapon, it will be 
  enough to safely clear this passage.
  32. BROADCAST STATION (EL 1)
  The rocky tunnel leads into a small chamber 
  ﬁlled with rusted machinery; every surface is 
  covered in dust and cobwebs.  On one wall is a 
  detailed pre-Fall map of the city of Amarillo; on 
  another wall is a full-sized map of the United 
  States, with major cities indicated with light 
  bulbs - all of which are dark.
  One of the machines stands out from the others.  
  A large tape reel continues to rotate slowly above 
  its control panel.  On the console sits a pair of 
  earphones, a rusted microphone, and a blinking 
  green button that provides the only light in the 
  chamber.
  This chamber is the vault’s broadcast station, sending 
  looped radio messages recorded before the Fall into 
  the surrounding city.  The station was designed to 
  broadcast a radio beacon leading potential search and 
  rescue teams to the vault’s location.  A rather naive 
  notion, since it assumed there would be organized 
  survivors of the Fall, and that these would have 
  benevolent intentions...
  The machinery is still working, as evidenced by 
  the blinking button and spinning reel.  The rest of the 
  room is empty.
  GM’s Note:  If any of the PCs tampers with 
  the machines she will be zapped for 2d6 points of 
  electricity damage (Reﬂex save DC 15 for half).  
  This will also cause the broadcast transmitter to stop 
  working permanently, putting an end to the looped 
  radio message.
  Treasure:  The map of Amarillo would be worth 
  500 cp to a merchant, scav, or other interested party.  
  Note that if the PCs make it known they have this 
  map; the Amarillo Trading Company will be willing 
  to pay 750 cp for it (just to keep such detailed plans 
  of the city out of the hands of outsiders)!
  
  31
  33. SECURITY ARMORY (EL 0)
  A large metal door blocks entrance to the room 
  beyond.
  To get into this room the PCs will need to use a 
  bronze stage IIIM access card on the door, or else 
  batter it down.  Fortunately it is already somewhat 
  damaged.
  Inside the PCs ﬁnd a small armory, intended for 
  use by vault personnel leaving the vault for the ﬁrst 
  time.  The weapons selection is limited, but may still 
  be quite valuable.
  Treasure:  The weapons here include two Ruger 
  Service-Sixes, two Colt 635s, and a maser riﬂe.  
  Shelves also hold ammo for these weapons, in the 
  form of 24 rounds of .38S ammunition, four boxes of 
  9mm ammunition (128), and four power clips (40).  
  Finally, a single NBC suit hangs in a locker against 
  one wall.
  Steel Door:  3 in. Thick; Hardness 10; HP 90 
  (down to 36); Break DC 35; Disable Device DC 30.
  34. OUTER CHAMBERS (EL 9)
  This must have been a subterranean garage 
  of some sorts, perhaps built to house vehicles 
  intended for the occupants of the lost vault.  Your 
  assumption proves correct as your lights reveal a 
  large armored vehicle in the center of the place, 
  resembling something out of the ancient past.
  Your lights also reveal a more pressing matter:  
  the cavern literally crawls with thousands of 
  cockroaches, from regular-sized insects to ones 
  that are man-sized or larger.  The sight is an 
  obscene orgy of oily black shells glistening and 
  antennae waving, a sea of living, chattering 
  things.
  At the center of the mass of cockroaches is a 
  staggeringly large specimen of the breed, with 
  certain physical differences that clearly mark it 
  as a mutant.
  Lying just beyond the huge vault door, these 
  connected chambers were indeed a garage area used 
  to house vehicles and heavy machinery intended to 
  help rebuild after the nuclear war.  It is also where the 
  bulk of the cockroach infestation resides, and taking 
  out the gargantuan monstrous cockroach here will 
  deal the hive a major blow.
  Though the majority of insects here are merely 
  normal cockroaches (and do not participate in any 
  combat taking place here), several masses of them 
  will coalesce into swarms intent on defending 
  the mighty monstrous cockroach in the middle of 
  the cave.  Likewise, a number of other monstrous 
  cockroaches linger about the room, and will move to 
  attack the PCs as soon as they enter.
  The gargantuan monstrous cockroach is slow to 
  act and will lumber after its fellows.  If it gets stuck 
  out of reach of the PCs it will use its Shriek ability 
  to blast its fellow cockroaches out of the way (doing 
  2d4 points of damage to them and causing them to 
  skitter to the side).  Its Stench will only come into 
  play if the PCs get within 10 ft. of it.
  Cockroach Swarms (2):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  Medium Monstrous Cockroaches (2):  HP 13.
  Large Monstrous Cockroach (1):  HP 26.
  Mutated Gargantuan Monstrous Cockroach (1):  
  HP 173 (see below).
  Mutated [BNB] Gargantuan Monstrous 
  Cockroach:  CR 8; Gargantuan Mutant Vermin; 
  HD 24d8+48; HP 120; Mas 14; Init +0; Spd 40 ft; 
  Defense 18, touch 12, ﬂatfooted 16 (-4 size, +2 Dex, 
  +10 natural); BAB +18; Grap +37; Atk +21 melee 
  (2d8+10, bite); Full Atk +21 melee (2d8+10, bite); 
  FS 20 ft by 20 ft; Reach 15 ft; SQ malleable, scent, 
  darkvision 60 ft, vermin traits, resistance to massive 
  damage; AL none; SV Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +8; 
  AP 0; Rep +0; Str 25, Dex 15, Con 14, Int -, Wis 10, 
  Cha 2.
  Mutations and Defects:  Shriek x2, Stench, 
  Adrenaline Deﬁciency, Sensitivity (energy weapons) 
  x2.
  Skills:  Climb +10, Hide -3, Move Silently +9, 
  Spot +11.
  Feats:  None.
  
  32
  Treasure:  The large vehicle in the garage is a 
  Landmaster (see Appendix 1: New Artifacts).  Inside 
  the PCs ﬁnd tools that the designers of the vault 
  intended for its occupants when they were ﬁnally able 
  to leave.  These tools include four sungoggles, four 
  sets of cooleralls (see Appendix 1: New Artifacts), 
  two solar backpacks (see Appendix 1: New Artifacts), 
  a moisture extractor (see Appendix 1: New Artifacts), 
  a fully-stocked survival kit, a box of 50 pieces of 
  HEVE candy, and 50 power bars.
  Development:  A Search check (DC 20) uncovers 
  a hidden panel in one wall of the garage near the 
  vault door, which when opened reveals two buttons, 
  each with an arrow indicating “up” or “down”.  A 
  Repair check (DC 15) will ﬁx the panel, allowing it 
  to be used.
  If the panel is ﬁxed and the “up” bottom pressed 
  the ﬂoor of the chamber (the north most 15 ft. by 15 
  ft.) will slowly rise, revealing that the garage ﬂoor 
  is actually a gigantic lift.  It will lift the contents of 
  the garage (including the Landmaster and any other 
  vehicles/characters/creatures in the area described) 
  towards the surface, at which point the ceiling 
  literally “opens” up - thanks to two large 10-foot-
  thick hydraulic silo doors, cleverly camouﬂaged to 
  look like a warehouse ﬂoor when closed - allowing 
  the elevator to reach street level.  The elevator opens 
  into the interior of the warehouse at area 17.  It is 
  capable of lifting several dozen tons.
  The “down” button will cause the elevator to 
  recede and the silo doors to close, once again hiding 
  the vehicle entrance to the vault.
  35. ELEVATOR DOWN (EL 0)
  Here a huge square hole leads to a deep, dark 
  shaft that vanishes into a lightless abyss below.  
  As you peer down a few diminutive cockroaches 
  crawl out of the pit, but other than these 
  insigniﬁcant insects the depths refuse to give up 
  their secrets.
  What you’ve seen so far must only be the top 
  level of the vault - this must be the sole way 
  deeper, a plummeting elevator shaft leading 
  perhaps a dozen stories down into undiscovered 
  mazes of passages and chambers.
  The elevator that leads to the lower levels of the 
  Amarillo vault collapsed long ago, so there is no 
  easy way for the PCs to descend any deeper.  With 
  time and preparation a new elevator could be devised 
  (possibly powered by human labor?), or the PCs 
  could engage in a serious spelunking venture, if they 
  were truly intent to explore the deepest parts of the 
  vault.
  For now, however, the PCs have done what they’ve 
  come here to do:  clear the insect threat to Amarillo 
  and ﬁnd the vault that lay long forgotten beneath the 
  city’s streets.
  CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE
  The party’s job ends when the cockroaches of 
  Bugtown are neutralized - this will likely entail 
  killing the majority of the bugs, as well as clearing 
  both egg chambers (areas 25 and 26).  If they also 
  accepted Cornelius’ offer to ﬁnd the Amarillo vault, 
  then they’ll also get a reward if they explore areas 
  30-35.  If all went successfully the PCs not only get 
  paid a reasonable sum, but gain a favorable reputation 
  with the Amarillo Trading Company.  While this may 
  not seem like much to the PCs, the Company may 
  turn to them for future jobs, guaranteeing the party 
  work if they ever need it.
  In addition, the vault itself still needs to be 
  explored.  The PCs have only scratched the surface.  
  In the coming months the Company will need able 
  men to plumb the vault’s depths and see what, if 
  anything, lives down there - and, more importantly, 
  what can be scavenged.  The PCs could easily get the 
  job if they want it, but further details of the Amarillo 
  vault are left up to you - or for a future sequel?
  It’s also possible that in the end the PCs make an 
  enemy of the Company rather than a friend.  While 
  they may have gone along with Cornelius’ deal in the 
  beginning, the new artifacts found on the top level of 
  the vault (the garages) may lead the PCs to reconsider 
  their contract - possibly skipping town with their 
  loot before anyone’s the wiser.  If this happens, the 
  Company will eventually realize what happened 
  and will act appropriately.  Though they aren’t as 
  powerful as the Clean and Cartel, a bounty is a 
  bounty and sooner or later bounty hunters will begin 
  tracking down the PCs wherever they go (a task made 
  easy if they start selling off ancient-era artifacts in the 
  settlements along the trade routes).
  SIDE EVENTS
  The main story of Bad News In Bugtown revolves 
  around the bugs, the wild men, and the secret vault 
  beneath the walled-off section of the ruins.  However, 
  the PCs may require several days (if not weeks) to 
  accomplish their task of tracking down the source of 
  the problem and neutralizing it.
  During their stay in Amarillo the PCs will probably 
  make numerous forays into “Bugtown”, returning to 
  the Fort to re-supply and recuperate after particularly 
  hard-fought battles.  In addition to giving the PCs a 
  chance to heal (and level) up, this also gives you a 
  chance to break up the course of the adventure with 
  “side events”.
  The side events described in this section are “mini-
  episodes” that divert the PCs from the main story.  
  They should be played in order, but other than Kroo’s 
  Attack (see below), the timing is up to you.
  
  33
  WILD MAN RAID
  A few nights after the PCs arrive, possibly when 
  they return to the compound for the ﬁrst time after 
  investigating Bugtown, a group of wild men are 
  sent by their leader, Kroo, to inﬁltrate the Amarillo 
  Trading Post compound and cause as much havoc 
  as they can; he also has an alternate reason for the 
  attack, as mentioned later.
  The PCs may be present when this “raid” occurs.  
  Depending on how the PCs role-play, they can be 
  all together in the Merchant Bunkhouse assigned to 
  them, or they could be split up (if, for example, they 
  took Virgil up on his offer to guard the CrystalTime 
  water supply).
  PLAYING THE RAID (EL 5)
  Sometime after midnight a group of wild men and 
  wild men sneaks (wild men who are more adept 
  than usual at stealth) approach the compound under 
  the cover of darkness.  Having probed the defenses 
  before, they know to stay away from the southwest 
  part of the fort (where Whiskey usually resides; his 
  barking would give them away), and instead begin 
  scaling the northern wall near area J.  The group 
  splits up from here, with eight wild men heading 
  towards area F, and small groups of two wild men 
  sneaks apeice skulking off towards the warehouses 
  (area K) and the company store (area H).
  Two sneaks stay behind, in the dark space between 
  area J and the northern wall, waiting for the alarm 
  to be raised.  When it is, they will sneak past the 
  distracted sentries and enter the Storage Bunker and 
  sabotage its contents (see below).
  Sooner or later the alarm is raised, either by the 
  PCs (if they’re up and about at that hour) or by 
  sentries on duty that night.  Unless the PCs bump 
  into them, the ﬁrst wild men to be spotted comprise 
  the group sneaking across the yard at area F.  The 
  merchant guards of the Cartel are the ﬁrst to open 
  ﬁre on the creatures, startling everyone in town and 
  drawing the Cartel and CrystalTime sentries into the 
  battle.
  Soon after the ﬁghting starts the sneaks headed 
  towards the warehouses (area K) make it there and 
  slip inside.  They immediately start banging the scrap 
  metal stored there, pushing over the neatly-arranged 
  heaps, etc., creating a tremendous commotion that 
  will hopefully distract from their fellows being 
  attacked at area F.  It works; guards from various 
  areas begin to move towards area K to investigate 
  the sound.
  Finally, the last group of sneaks starts throwing 
  rocks and bango fruit through the windows of the 
  Company Store (area H); the sound of breaking glass 
  causes a lot of confusion in the Fort defenders, who 
  split up again to track down the noises.  The guards at 
  area J (including Kurt) move from their positions to 
  investigate this particular sound, leaving the Storage 
  Bunker undefended.
  Having successfuly created a diversion, the wild 
  men sneaks waiting outside area J now slip inside 
  the Storage Bunker, and begin pooping, urinating, 
  and hurling bango fruit all over the food supplies.
  GM’s Note:  During the raid the wild men should 
  come off as comical and only slightly problematic, 
  more of a nuisance than anything.  They hurl rocks 
  and bango fruit in equal measure at anyone they 
  stumble across, pelting them with the stinking fruit 
  and only mildly injuring them with the stones.  When 
  ﬁred upon or charged in melee they screech and ﬂee, 
  making it an annoying game of cat-and-mouse.
  At some point, if the sneaks manage to get into 
  area J and accomplish their sabotage (namely, 
  planting bango fruit odor throughout the garrison’s 
  food supply), the whole raiding party begins to 
  retreat.  They head towards the nearest wall and, one 
  by one, scamper over it and into the night.  They do 
  not return, but for the rest of the night the whole city 
  echoes with dozens of wild man hoots...
  Wild Men (8):  HP 5.
  Wild Man Sneaks (6):  HP 9 (see below).
  Wild Man Sneak (Wild Man Fast Hero 2):  CR 
  2; Small Humanoid; HD 2d8; HP 9; Mas 10; Init 
  +4; Spd 35 ft, climb 20 ft.; Defense 19, touch 19, 
  ﬂatfooted 15 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +4 class); BAB +1; 
  Grap -1; Atk +4 melee (1d6+2, club), or +6 ranged 
  (1d4+2, thrown rock); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ 
  duck, spider climb; AL Kroo; SV Fort +0, Ref +10, 
  Will +1; AP 1; Rep +0; Str 14, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 
  10, Wis 13, Cha 6.
  Skills:  Balance +8, Hide +10, Listen +3, Move 
  Silently +10, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot +3, Tumble 
  +8.
  Feats:  Alertness, Duck, Stealthy.
  Talents (Fast Hero):  Increased Speed.
  Possessions:  Club, 1d3 rocks.
  Alternately the PCs may not be here when this 
  encounter occurs; in such a case the PCs merely hear 
  about the raid (either on returning to the Fort or, 
  if they don’t come back for a while, from in the of 
  rumors from a Scrounging Party encounter out in the 
  ruins).
  THE NEXT DAY
  The next day Cornelius and his men survey the 
  damage the wild men caused, which proves to be 
  surprisingly minimal.  Except, that is, for the Fort’s 
  food stockpiles, which have been deliberately soiled.  
  Cornelius is distressed, because the shortage could 
  spell disaster for the scrap operation if the workers 
  start to leave from hunger.
  While the Company may be in dire straits, the 
  
  34
  PCs can use this as an opportunity to either make 
  more money or get in good with Cornelius and the 
  Company.  Cornelius needs men to go hunting and 
  bring in food to replenish the ruined stocks, and PCs 
  volunteering will quickly earn his good graces (or, if 
  they’re so inclined, might strike a deal for more pay).
  If for some reason the PCs need to leave Amarillo 
  for a larger settlement (for example, to buy better 
  weapons and armor), you can also use this as a 
  chance to justify “abandoning their contract”.  Instead 
  of just leaving the Company to its ills, Cornelius 
  might approve a trip to the nearest large settlement 
  (like Tucumcari), giving the PCs extra money to 
  buy a large shipment of food to replace the ruined 
  stockpiles.  Of course the PCs will be expected 
  to escort the shipment back to Amarillo, possibly 
  leading to side encounters with desert raiders...
  THE COLONEL’S HUNT
  This event should take place relatively early in the 
  adventure, but only after the PCs have encountered 
  a few wild men.  A good time to set it would be right 
  after the Wild Man Raid event (see above).
  Partly in response to the audacious wild man raid 
  on the Fort, and partly due to their own boredom, 
  Colonel Mason decides now would be the perfect 
  time to get the men together and go on a wild man 
  hunt.
  The PCs learn of Colonel Mason’s intention either 
  while they’re at the Fort, from scroungers in the 
  ruins, or simply by bumping into Colonel Mason’s 
  expedition while it’s out and about hunting down 
  wild men.  If they’re at the Fort they’ll be there to 
  see Colonel Mason and his men gearing up and 
  getting ready to leave just days after the Wild Man 
  Raid event; if they’ve made a name for themselves so 
  far, he will offer them a place in his expedition for a 
  goodly sum of 200 cp (plus any bounties they get for 
  heads taken to Zack at the Company Store).  His only 
  condition - they do their part and don’t slow him or 
  his men down.
  If the PCs decide to go along, the Colonel leads 
  the PCs and a group of ﬁve Cartel soldiers (see 
  below for their statistics) on an expedition into the 
  ruins.  Roll for random encounters as normal.  It 
  could take several days before the PCs ﬁnally come 
  across a sign of the wild men, but that’s unlikely.  The 
  ﬁrst time the group comes across wild man spoor, 
  the spirits of Colonel Mason and his men pick up 
  noticeably.  Later that same day a few wild men are 
  spotted, and shots ring out as the Cartel men snipe 
  at the scurrying, ﬂeeting things.  None are brought 
  down.  The Colonel commands the party to press on.
  Throughout the day more spoor is found, and signs 
  of secret wild man camps are located in a crumbling 
  section of the downtown ruins - but all are ominously 
  deserted.  The Colonel, however, is not dismayed; the 
  Cartel men thoroughly enjoy the “sport”, and pursue 
  their prey with great enthusiasm and patience.
  THE HUNTING BEGINS
  Eventually the expedition begins to ﬁnd its quarry, 
  and the hunting commences.  Roll or choose a sample 
  encounter from the table below each time the party 
  crosses paths with the native wild men (which will be 
  1-2 times a day).
  Roll
  Encounter
  1-2
  The expedition catches a solitary wild man 
  among the ruins.  Surprised, it will shriek and try 
  to run; unless the PCs win initiative and hit it, it 
  will probably get away quickly.  EL 1/2.
  3
  The expedition catches a lone wild man among 
  the ruins of an old building.  The wild man 
  shrieks noisily when it sees the PCs, and attacks 
  with club, thrown rocks (and bare hands if it has 
  to).  It will only ﬂee if it somehow manages to 
  bring one of the PCs down.  EL 1/2.
  4
  The expedition comes upon a gathering of 
  seven wild men in a rubble-strewn intersection, 
  who scatter when the party arrives.  As with 
  encounter 1-2, the PCs will need to win initiative 
  or else their quarry will get away.  EL 3.
  5
  As the expedition moves down a downtown 
  street, they are greeted by echoing screeches 
  from way overhead.  Several stories up in a 
  nearby highrise a group of ﬁve wild men jeers 
  at the party, throwing rocks, javelins, and rotten 
  bango fruit down on their heads.  Because they 
  are in partial cover (+2 cover bonus to Defense, 
  +1 to Reﬂex saves), and also at great range (100 
  ft. away), they will be difﬁcult to hit.  Once the 
  wild men exhaust their missile weapons (after 
  1d3 rounds), they ﬂee into the dark interior of 
  the building.  Pursuing them inside gets the 
  party nowhere, as they will have mysteriously 
  vanished.  EL 3.
  6
  As the party moves down a street they come 
  under attack by rocks, javelins, and bango fruit 
  thrown from the holes in a nearby shop wall, 
  and from the broken glass fronts of a dilapidated 
  pre-Fall store.  The party is caught in a crossﬁre 
  as some six wild men attack them from ambush.  
  The wild men will continue to ﬁght until three of 
  their number are killed, at which point they ﬂee, 
  with each man running in a separate direction 
  without any coherent “escape plan” in mind.  EL 
  3.
  Though he and his men bag a few wild men early on, 
  after a while the Colonel grows tired of the pathetic 
  numbers they’ve come across.  He orders his men to 
  
  35
  set camp, before revealing a plan he’s been working 
  on.  The Colonel plans to wrangle up some wall 
  crawlers, the large lizards that live in the city and 
  also happen to feed exclusively on wild men.  He 
  believes (rightly so, as it turns out) that if they can 
  capture some wall crawlers, they can use the lizards 
  to root out a larger concentration of wild men.
  To this end the Colonel gives the PCs some rope 
  and tells them to “scout around” for some suitable 
  wall crawlers and capture at least one.  He and the 
  rest of the expedition remain at camp until the party 
  returns.
  At this point the PCs are on their own, at least for a 
  day or two.  Finding some wall crawlers shouldn’t be 
  too hard (see the random encounters in the Into The 
  City section), but if the PCs aren’t lucky enough to 
  stumble into a wall crawler pack early on, they may 
  have encounters with wild men, bango fruit, or pit 
  traps before they eventually get what they’ve been 
  sent out for.
  If and when the PCs encounter a pack of wall 
  crawlers they merely need to subdue one of the 
  animals and tie it securely with rope and take it back 
  to the Colonel’s camp.  Doing so will require them 
  to knock one of the creatures down to 0 or less hit 
  points, or else grapple with it until they can tie it 
  securely!
  THE BIG BAG (EL 7)
  If the PCs succeed in getting a wall crawler, the 
  Colonel is overjoyed and complements the PCs on 
  their ability to get things done (if the PCs continue 
  to maintain good relations with Mason, this could 
  lead to the Colonel giving them a good reference for 
  future jobs with the Cartel).  But the hunt isn’t over, 
  he says; in fact, the best part has yet to come.
  The next day, with the wall crawler at the end of 
  the rope, the Colonel leads the expedition deeper 
  into the city.  After a few hours of scouting out 
  intersections and old ruined buildings, the wall 
  crawler leads them into an area littered with wild man 
  spoor and abandoned campsites.  The men are eager 
  for a ﬁght, and the PCs can sense the wild men are 
  near.
  At long last the wall crawler leads the party down 
  a street lined with rubble, where high rises collapsed 
  during the Fall.  As they approach, tell-tale hoots and 
  shrieks echo in the air, as more than a dozen wild 
  men emerge to ﬁght off the intruders!
  GM’s Note:  This will be the crowning moment 
  of the Colonel’s hunting expedition, an all-out ﬁght 
  against no less than 14 wild men (two large brutes 
  and 12 regular wild men) in the open.  The Cartel 
  men open ﬁre immediately, and the wild men move 
  to defend themselves just as quickly.  Gunsmoke and 
  ﬂying rocks ﬁll the air.  The Colonel lets the wall 
  crawler loose on his ﬁrst available action, which will 
  leap into the fray in an attempt to take at least one 
  wild man before running off with its carcass.  The 
  Colonel then joins the battle as well, shouting words 
  of encouragement to the whole hunting party.
  Cartel Soldiers (3):  HP 11 (see below).
  Colonel Mason:  HP 35 (see area F3).
  Wild Men (12):  HP 5.
  Wild Man Brutes (2):  HP 13 (see below).
  Cartel Soldier (Strong Hero 2):  CR 2; Medium-
  size humanoid; HD 2d8+2; HP 11; Mas 13; Init +2; 
  Spd 30 ft; Defense 16, touch 14, ﬂatfooted 14 (+0 
  size, +2 Dex, +2 class, +2 equipment); BAB +2; Grap 
  +4; Atk +4 melee (1d6+4, riﬂe butt), or +4 ranged 
  (2d8, M4 carbine); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ 
  medical incompatability; AL Cartel; SV Fort +3, Ref 
  +2, Will +1; AP 1; Rep +0; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, 
  Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Occupation:  Military (DW) (Survival).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Tactics]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Interior Moisture 
  Reservoir, Immune-System Abnormality.
  Skills:  Climb +4, Jump +4, Knowledge (Current 
  Events) +1, Knowledge (Tactics) +2, Survival +3.
  Feats:  Armor Proﬁciency (light), Combat 
  Martial Arts, Personal Firearms Proﬁciency, Post-
  Apocalyptic Technology, Primitive Technology, 
  Simple Weapons Proﬁciency.
  Talents (Strong Hero):  Melee Smash.
  Possessions:  M4 carbine, one box of 5.56mm 
  ammunition (30), leather armor, combat knife.
  Wild Man Brute (Wild Man Strong Hero 2):  CR 
  2; Small Humanoid; HD 2d8+4; HP 13; Mas 14; Init 
  +7; Spd 30 ft, climb 20 ft.; Defense 16, touch 16, 
  ﬂatfooted 13 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +2 class); BAB +2; 
  Grap +0; Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, club), or +6 ranged 
  (1d6+2, javelin); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ duck, 
  spider climb; AL Kroo; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +1; 
  AP 1; Rep +0; Str 15, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, 
  Cha 6.
  Skills:  Climb +4, Hide +4, Jump +3, Move 
  Silently +4.
  Feats:  Duck, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus 
  (club).
  Talents (Strong Hero):  Melee Smash.
  Possessions:  Club (or Winchester 94; see Treasure 
  below), javelin.
  Treasure:  One of the wild man brutes swings a 
  broken Winchester 94 in battle as a makeshift “club”; 
  a Repair check at DC 15, and an expenditure of 55 cp 
  in spare parts, will ﬁx it.  Unfortunately the wild man 
  has no ammo for the powerful gun.
  Development:  At some point in the battle the 
  Colonel will be rushed by some of the wild men, 
  
  36
  who try to take him out in a ﬁt of rage.  One of the 
  wild men manages to get close enough to tear the 
  Colonel’s dogtags off of his neck, before running off 
  into the ruins.  The Colonel is outraged and tries to 
  pursue, but is too distracted to follow and remains for 
  the rest of the ﬁght.
  After the battle the Cartel men start taking heads 
  and readying to return to the Fort.  The Colonel is 
  surprisingly quiet - and brooding.  If the PCs ask 
  diplomatically, he informs them (rather angrily) that 
  one of the “wretched wild men” stole the dogtags 
  right from around his neck.  If they ask what the 
  big deal is, he claims the ‘tags actually predate the 
  Fall (he claims they were worn by an ancestor of 
  his who fought during the Final War).  As far as he’s 
  concerned, the whole expedition has been ruined!
  BUGS!  BUGS!  BUGS!
  A few days after the Wild Man Raid the bango fruit 
  odor will permeate the compound.  As a result, the 
  Infestation Level of all buildings in the Fort increases 
  by one step.  The bug problem seems to be getting 
  worse.  And it’s not only the Company workers who 
  are facing the increase in the infestation; if the PCs 
  are recuperating at the Fort they’ll notice the increase 
  as well, as bugs begin to pop up in their food, beds, 
  and miscellaneous belongings.
  If the PCs haven’t already learned of it, the tinker 
  Astro will openly mention the super bug spray he is 
  working on if they visit his workshop.  He has even 
  more reason now to get the work done, and Cornelius 
  is really breathing down his neck about it.  He tells 
  the PCs about the chemical supplies he needs to 
  ﬁnish the job, and furthermore informs them that any 
  projects they may have him working on now (such as 
  repairing items they’ve found during the adventure) 
  must be put on the back-burner until the spray can be 
  ﬁnished!
  If the PCs help Astro he’ll be able to ﬁnish up the 
  bug spray.  He’ll still give it to the PCs (to “test out”), 
  but now that it works he’ll begin making more spray 
  to help combat the rising infestation.
  POWER DOWN !
  This encounter will only take place after the PCs have 
  visited Bugtown and fought at least a few monstrous 
  cockroaches and bug swarms.  Ideally it should occur 
  before the PCs manage to gain access to the sewers 
  beneath Bugtown.
  One evening, as the PCs share a drink or meal with 
  one or more of the NPCs in town (for example, if 
  invited to dinner with Sweetie and Jinx), there is a 
  subtle ﬂuctuation in the power, and moments later the 
  power goes out.  There is a ruckus around town, as it 
  seems the power has gone out all over the Fort.
  Cornelius and Kurt are seen having a heated 
  discussion, before the two ﬁnally approach the party 
  with a proposition.  Cornelius explains that someone 
  will have to go out to the power shed and see what’s 
  the matter.  He reminds the PCs that since there are 
  refrigerated foodstuffs in the Storage Bunker, the 
  loss of power could lead to spoilage and necessitate 
  another hunting foray for food (or, if the PCs had to 
  travel to another settlement to replace the food lost 
  in the Wild Man Raid, another long trip for more 
  supplies).
  Cornelius informs the PCs that the power shed is a 
  small building some eight blocks away in the ruins.  
  He explains that the Company decided to build a 
  separate area for the Fort’s generators to keep the 
  risk of ﬁre at a minimum.  Cornelius tells the PCs 
  the power shed is manned by several employees and 
  guards, so there shouldn’t be any trouble there.  He 
  just needs someone to trace the power line (a single 
  conduit) from the Fort to the power shed and report 
  on any problem.
  Time is wasting, so the PCs have a good chance 
  to negotiate price.  Cornelius is willing to offer the 
  party a reasonable 100 cp for the “quick job”, but a 
  Diplomacy check (DC 20) will get him to double his 
  offer to 200 cp!
  GOING OUT AT NIGHT
  When the PCs head out it is pitch black, the moon 
  partially obscured by the bony remnants of old 
  skyscrapers about town.  As a result, the party will 
  need to bring light sources.
  The power lines run from the north edge of the Fort 
  compound and off into the dark ruins.  The PCs can 
  easily follow the power lines, which are kept aloft 
  by telephone poles scavenged from the ruins and 
  situated every 100 feet or so.
  As the PCs walk, and the lights of the Fort fade, 
  they spot no trouble with the power lines.  However, 
  a few moments later they hear the sounds of gunﬁre 
  - coming from the direction of the power shed!
  If the PCs rush to the scene they ﬁnd the power 
  shed and its small walled compound just a few 
  minutes away.  Lights mounted on the walls ﬂicker 
  weakly as the PCs arrive, and as they arrive they hear 
  screaming and more gunﬁre.  A battle is taking place!
  PLAYING THE BATTLE (EL 7)
  A battle map is provided nearby to help run the 
  course of the combat.  When the PCs show up they 
  arrive just in time as a large group of monstrous 
  cockroaches has begun to swarm over the power 
  shed, cutting the power connection right outside the 
  walls.  The guards, taken totally by surprise by the 
  appearance of such enormous creatures, panicked 
  and retreated into the shed to make a desperate stand.  
  The monstrous cockroaches (two large specimens) 
  and several cockroach swarms have already broken 
  through the front gate, and are now trying to get 
  
  37
  inside the shed itself to consume the occupants.
  When the PCs enter the ﬁght the defenders (“A” 
  for ATC Guards, “L” for the Laborer) will be 
  desperately fending off the attacking monstrous 
  cockroaches (“C”).  The swarms (“S”) are situated 
  all over the yard (see map), and will move to attack 
  the PCs as soon as they are spotted.  The large 
  cockroaches continue to attack the defenders through 
  the open doorway, but since only one can get in at a 
  time the terriﬁed guards may just last long enough for 
  the PCs to save them.
  The bugs continue to ﬁght until they are all killed.
  Cockroach Swarms (3):  HP 21 (see Appendix 2: 
  New Creatures).
  Large Monstrous Cockroaches (2):  HP 26.
  ATC Guards (2):  HP 6 (see below).
  ATC Laborer (1):  HP 6 (see below).
  Development:  If the PCs save the guards 
  their reputation will increase with the Company’s 
  employees.  How this affects the course of the 
  adventure is up to you.
  ATC Guard (Mutant Strong Hero 1):  CR 1; 
  Medium-size humanoid; HD 1d8+1; HP 6; Mas 13; 
  Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 15, touch 13, ﬂatfooted 
  13 (+0 size, +2 Dex, +1 class, +2 equipment); BAB 
  +1; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d6+4, riﬂe butt), or 
  +3 ranged (2d8, black powder riﬂe); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; 
  Reach 5 ft; SQ medical incompatibility, phobia; AL 
  Amarillo Trading Company; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will 
  +1; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 
  12, Cha 10.
  Occupation:  Caravan Guard (Drive, Spot).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Current Events]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Accumulated Resistance, 
  Phobia (bugs).
  Skills:  Drive +4, Knowledge (Current Events) +2, 
  Listen +2, Spot +3.
  Feats:  Armor Proﬁciency (light), Personal 
  Firearms Proﬁciency, Post-Apocalyptic Technology, 
  Primitive Technology, Simple Weapons Proﬁciency.
  Talents (Strong Hero):  Melee Smash.
  Possessions:  Black powder riﬂe, 12 rounds of lead 
  shot, leather armor, light rod, canteen.
  
  38
  ATC Laborer (Mutant Strong Hero 1):  CR 1; 
  Medium-size humanoid; HD 1d8+1; HP 6; Mas 13; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 12, touch 12, ﬂatfooted 
  11 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +1 class); BAB +1; Grap +3; 
  Atk +3 melee (1d6+2, combat knife), or +2 ranged 
  (by weapon); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ medical 
  incompatibility, phobia; AL Amarillo Trading 
  Company; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +2; AP 0; Rep 
  +0; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10.
  Occupation:  Wanderer (Climb, Navigate).
  Background:  Visionary Reinventor (Knowledge 
  [Current Events]).
  Mutations and Defects:  Accumulated Resistance, 
  Phobia (bugs).
  Skills:  Climb +5, Knowledge (Current Events) +2, 
  Navigate +3, Repair +1, Search +3, Survival +4.
  Feats:  Guide, Post-Apocalyptic Technology, 
  Primitive Technology, Simple Weapons Proﬁciency, 
  Vulture.
  Talents (Strong Hero):  Extreme Effort.
  Possessions:  Oily and dirty clothes, tattered 
  gloves, sandals or boots, combat knife, light rod, 
  canteen.
  KROO’S ATTACK
  This event should only happen once a) the PCs have 
  located the elevator leading underground to the 
  old vault level, and b) they have been outﬁtted by 
  Cornelius with extra equipment to help them survive 
  the cockroaches lying between them and the vault 
  itself.
  Once the PCs head back to Bugtown to descend 
  into the vault, Kroo, who has been watching the PCs’ 
  progress for the entire adventure, decides to strike.  
  So far the efforts of his wild men have been largely 
  unsuccessful; the “outsiders” (i.e. the Amarillo 
  Trading Company) aren’t really any worse off than 
  they were before, and he fears the party’s meddling 
  in Bugtown will lead them to ﬁgure out what he’s up 
  to - and put an end to their last hope of driving the 
  humans out (with the cockroaches).
  Ultimately Kroo identiﬁes the PCs as the source of 
  the wild men’s problems, and gathers his best men to 
  ambush the party as they head for Bugtown one last 
  time (ostensibly to head underground and ﬁnd the 
  vault once and for all).
  Wild man scouts hiding in the skyscrapers near 
  the Fort observe the PCs the moment they leave the 
  compound, and through a series of animal calls and 
  more traditional screeches alert Kroo and his small 
  band that the characters are underway.  Stealthily 
  shadowing the PCs until they are well out of sight/
  hearing of the Fort’s defenders, Kroo leads his men in 
  a last-ditch assault on the party.
  PLAYING THE BATTLE (EL 9)
  A battle map is not provided for this combat; instead, 
  simply arrange 10-15 “boulders” on the battleﬁeld 
  to simulate large rocks and concrete rubble (each 
  large enough to completely block line or sight).  This 
  desperate encounter should take place in an area of 
  Kroo’s choosing, in this case a rock-strewn ﬁeld in 
  the ruins, somewhere on the way to Bugtown.  The 
  large rocks will give Kroo and his fellow wild men 
  cover (see map) until they can reach the PCs, giving 
  them time to close despite the efforts of the PCs to 
  pick them off with ranged weapons as they come.
  Once Kroo and his men are upon the PCs, they 
  attack with savage abandon, not letting up until either 
  they, or the PCs, are dead.  Kroo in particular should 
  be a tough opponent, as he has Sneak Attack and 
  Rage, and can make use of his Pack Tactics [B&L] 
  feat to get a total of +4 to attack ﬂanked targets.  If 
  any of the PCs also happens to have a Visionary 
  Reinventor or Resurrector background, Kroo gets a 
  +2 bonus to damage against them thanks to his Sworn 
  Enemy [B&L] feat.
  GM’s Note:  Kroo wears the dogtags stolen from 
  Colonel Mason (see The Colonel’s Hunt) in a display 
  of his “power” over the humans.  As long as Kroo 
  wears these tags his wild man brutes will ﬁght as if in 
  a rage (as the Barbarian ability of the same name).  
  If the PCs manage to kill Kroo or snatch these tags 
  off of Kroo’s neck (which can be accomplished with 
  a simple melee touch attack against him), the rage 
  will end and his men will be fatigued (losing all 
  bonuses from the rage as normal).
  Wild Man Brutes (3):  HP 13 (currently 17 while 
  raging; see The Colonel’s Hunt).
  Kroo:  HP 50 (64 when raging; see below)
  Kroo (Wild Man Fast Hero 3/Skulk 2/Barbarian 
  2):  CR 7; Small Humanoid; HD 3d8+6 plus 2d8+4 
  plus 2d12+4; HP 50; Mas 14; Init +3; Spd 35 ft, 
  climb 20 ft.; Defense 25, touch 20, ﬂatfooted 22 (+1 
  size, +3 Dex, +6 class, +5 equipment); BAB +5; Grap 
  +3; Atk +8 melee (1d10+3, maul), or +9 ranged (by 
  weapon); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ duck, spider 
  climb; AL Wild Men; SV Fort +5, Ref +14, Will +1; 
  AP 3; Rep +1; Str 15, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 
  10, Cha 6.
  Skills:  Balance +5, Climb +4, Escape Artist +5, 
  Hide +11, Jump +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +11, 
  Sleight of Hand +9, Spot +4, Survival +3, Tumble +9.
  Feats:  Archaic Weapons Proﬁciency, Duck, Pack 
  Tactics [B&L], Stealthy, Sworn Enemy (Rising 
  Powers) [B&L].
  Talents (Fast Hero):  Increased Speed, Improved 
  Increased Speed.
  Talents (Skulk):  Sweep, Sneak Attack +1d6.
  Talents (Barbarian):  Rage 1/day, Junk Armor.
  Possessions:  Junk armor (metal), maul, Colonel 
  Mason’s dogtags.
  
  39
  Treasure:  If the PCs manage to retrieve Colonel 
  Mason’s dogtags and return them to him, he will be 
  delighted and offer them each a rank in the Cartel (as 
  “corporals”).  The PCs can now purchase items from 
  the Cartel at normal price (cancelling out any price 
  hikes they might otherwise levy against outsiders), 
  and are entitled to the basic luxuries shared by all 
  Cartel soldiers (free food, water, and lodging).
  If a PC is already a member of the Cartel, Colonel 
  Mason will instead put in papers with the nearest 
  command (at Tucumcari) vaguely alluding to 
  that character’s “bravery” assisting the “Amarillo 
  garrison” - a commendation that will get that PC a 
  promotion to the next highest rank when she next 
  visits a Cartel outpost.
  KROOÌS END (SIDEBAR)
  What happens once the PCs defeat Kroo?  The 
  primitive wild man leader will ﬁght to the death to 
  prevent the PCs from ruining his plans.  Once he’s 
  gone, the wild men won’t know what to do.  Its 
  true Kroo’s efforts to mutate the cockroaches got 
  a lot of wild men killed, and the survivors won’t 
  be too quick to continue ferrying radioactive slag 
  back and forth for a plan that didn’t really work.  
  Though the damage has been done, with Kroo’s 
  death the cockroach mutations will level off where 
  they are - i.e. there won’t be any Colossal monstrous 
  cockroaches emerging from Bugtown any time soon.
  In time the wild men revert to their old ways, 
  cautiously hiding and watching the traders of the 
  Amarillo Trading Company, Clean, Cartel, and 
  CrystalTime come and go.  Soon the ambushes, 
  roadblocks, and scurrilous attacks die off.  The wild 
  men again become like shy ghosts, and reports of 
  them become less frequent as the months pass by.  
  Eventually the outsiders take control of the city, and 
  the wild men disappear altogether.
  APPENDIX 1: NEW ARTIFACTS
  Several new artifacts are introduced in Bad News In 
  Bugtown.  All relevant game information for these 
  items are shown below.
  COOLERALLS
  An advanced form of coverall designed with 
  scientiﬁc practicality over any sense of style, 
  cooleralls resemble neck-to-toe body coveralls 
  made from a highly-reﬂective silvered material.  A 
  character wearing cooleralls manages to maintain 
  her normal body temperature even in extreme heat 
  or cold (as might be encountered in a desert, either 
  during the day or at night).  As a result, a character in 
  cooleralls does not need to make Fortitude checks to 
  avoid taking damage from hot or cold environments.
  Weight:  5 lb; Cost 200 cp; Craft DC 20.
  LANDMASTER
  The Landmaster was a special heavy-duty vehicle 
  speciﬁcally designed to serve survivors of a potential 
  apocalypse.  Engineered both as a means of transport 
  as well as long-term survival, the Landmaster was 
  intended to give “vault dwellers” a way of navigating 
  the radiated environment while protecting its 
  occupants against whatever dangers the post-Fall 
  world might throw against them.
  The Landmaster resembles a 35-foot armored car 
  made of lightweight aluminum, powered by a 390 
  cubic inch truck engine.  It travels on 12 wheels 
  arranged in four triangular sets that enable it to 
  drive through sand or other unsure surfaces.  Since 
  the vehicle’s weight is supported on the bottom two 
  wheels, if one wheel gets stuck in a hole, trench, or 
  even mud, another wheel rotates down pushing it 
  free.
  The Landmaster has a ﬂexible middle section that 
  allows the vehicle to “bend” as it climbs, enabling it 
  to climb up to 60-degree inclines.  Its aluminum hull 
  and dual-propeller drive also make it amphibious (in 
  calm waters).
  For defense the Landmaster mounts two driver-
  controlled 7.62mm machineguns and a forward-ﬁring 
  Hydra rocket pod.  For environmental protection 
  it has a standard overpressure system (keeping 
  radioactive particles, gas particles, and biological 
  microorganisms out through a pressurized “seal”).  It 
  also has a closed-circuit TV system (allowing those 
  inside to scan the exterior of the vehicle to see if 
  it’s safe to come out) and radar, as well as a crew 
  compartment outﬁtted with two bunkbeds, a shower, 
  and even a toilet.
  Landmasters are believed to have been included in 
  the inventory of only a handful of important vaults 
  located across the country.  Due to the resources 
  cached in each of these vaults, they were supposed 
  to become centralized “bases” for the rebuilding of 
  America.  Most of these vaults didn’t survive the war, 
  however.
  MOISTURE EXTRACTOR
  Created by scientists shortly before the Fall, these 
  devices were designed to be life-saving tools.  
  Intended to be used by survivors emerging from the 
  vaults into the barren world of the future, a moisture 
  extractor, when activated, draws moisture from the 
  surrounding air and makes it potable.
  A moisture extractor sits upright and draws air 
  in through several suction valves; a complicated 
  Name
  Crew
  Pass
  Cover Cargo
  Init
  Man
  Spd
  Def
  Hard
  HP
  Size
  Space
  Cost
  Craft
  Landmaster
  3
  7
  Full
  425 lb.
  -4
  -4
  60 (6)
  6
  10
  58
  G
  10 x 35
  -
  30
  
  40
  mechanism turns the air into water, which is collected 
  underneath (in a cup, canteen, pot, etc.).  For every 
  hour a moisture extractor operates it drains a charge 
  from its power source, but also creates one liter of 
  drinkable water.  Requires a power backpack.
  Weight:  40 lb; Cost 30,000 cp; Craft DC 32.
  SOLAR BACKPACK
  These advanced devices were created during the 
  latter day of the Ancients so that survivors of the 
  apocalypse (assuming there would be any) might 
  use them to overcome the challenges of their new, 
  radiated environment.  The backpacks were intended 
  to power whatever life-saving devices were carried 
  by the survivor (such as a Geiger counter), and were 
  also designed so that they could be easily recharged.
  A solar-charged power backpack holds 50 charges, 
  and can be used to power anything that normally 
  requires a power backpack to operate.  However, 
  whenever the backpack’s cells are exposed to sunlight 
  they recharge at a rate of one charge per hour.
  Weight:  8 lb; Cost 12,000 cp; Craft DC 32.
  SUPER BUG SPRAY
  A recent invention, this weapon combines insect 
  poison with a ﬂamethrower design.  The super bug 
  spray resembles a ﬂamethrower, but instead of 
  using napalm jelly it propels liquid poison through a 
  vaporizer to cover a large area.
  A super bug spray can be used as a weapon and 
  operates similar to a ﬂamethrower.  A super bug spray 
  shoots a 5-foot-wide, 30-foot-long line of chemicals 
  that inﬂict 2d12 points of damage to insectoids and 
  insectoid swarms in its path.  Insectoid creatures 
  caught in the line can make a Reﬂex save (DC 15) to 
  take half damage.  Creatures with cover get a bonus 
  on their Reﬂex save as normal.
  A super bug spray can shoot 10 times before the 
  fuel supply is depleted.  Reﬁlling or replacing a super 
  bug spray fuel pack costs 50 cp.
  APPENDIX 2: NEW CREATURES
  The swarm and the giant stag beetle, two creature 
  types described in the SRD, have been adapted for 
  Bad News In Bugtown.  They are reprinted here 
  simply for ease of reference (the swarm has been 
  slightly modiﬁed to portray a cockroach swarm).  
  Two new templates, Mutated and Nymph, are unique 
  to Darwin’s World.
  GIANT STAG BEETLE
  These creatures are serious pests that greedily devour 
  cultivated crops.  A single beetle can strip an entire 
  farm in short order.  An adult giant stag beetle is 
  about 10 feet long.
  SPECIES TRAITS
  Giant stag beetles have the following species traits:
  Trample (Ex):  Reﬂex half DC 19.  The save DC 
  is Strength-based.
  Giant Stag Beetle:  CR 4; Large Vermin; HD 
  7d8+21; HP 52; Mas -; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; Defense 
  19, touch 9, ﬂatfooted 19 (-1 size, +10 natural); BAB 
  +5; Grap +15; Atk +10 melee (4d6+9, bite); Full Atk 
  +10 melee (4d6+9, bite); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 5 
  ft.; SQ darkvision 60 ft., trample, vermin traits; AL 
  none; SV Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 
  23, Dex 10, Con 17, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 9.
  Skills:  None.
  Feats:  None.
  Advancement:  8-10 HD (Large), 11-21 HD 
  (Huge).
  MUTATED (TEMPLATE)
  The mutated template is a device that allows the GM 
  to create monsters and NPCs with mutations not 
  normally associated with a creature of its base type.  
  In this way the GM can make existing monsters more 
  challenging, or create variants with different abilities 
  that the players won’t be able to easily predict.  
  Examples might include underlings with gigantism, 
  probing waddlers with telepathy, or a mutagon with 
  dermal spike growths.
  “Mutated” is a template that enhances an existing 
  monster with additional mutations.
  TEMPLATE TRAITS
  “Mutated” is a template that can be added to any non-
  human organic living creature (hereafter referred to 
  as the base creature).  A mutant creature has all the 
  base creature’s characteristics except as noted here.
  Type:  The creature’s type changes remains the 
  same but gains the mutant descriptor (if it didn’t have 
  it already).
  Special Abilities:  The creature gains from one 
  to three existing mutations normally only available 
  to characters in Darwin’s World.  For each mutation 
  taken, the creature must also have one defect.
  Feats:  A creature may advance its mutations or 
  remove its defects with feats as normal.
  Challenge Rating:  Base creature’s CR +1.
  Level Adjustment:  +1.
  Weapon
  Damage
  Critical
  Type
  Range
  ROF
  Magazine
  Size
  Wgt
  Cost
  Craft DC
  Super Bug Spray
  2d12
  -
  Acid
  -
  1
  10 int.
  Large
  50 lb.
  400 cp
  25
  
  41
  NYMPH (TEMPLATE)
  Nymphs represent immature insects that have not yet 
  fully developed.  Many types of insect pass through 
  several nymph stages, shedding shells and skin as it 
  grows larger and larger.  Most nymphs resemble their 
  base creature, but are smaller, have thinner shells, 
  and are sometimes colorless (leading some to mistake 
  them for albino versions of their normal breed).
  “Nymph” is a template that indicates an 
  undeveloped insect.  Eventually the base creature will 
  reach maturity and lose the nymph template.
  TEMPLATE TRAITS
  “Nymph” is a template that can be added to any 
  insect vermin (hereafter referred to as the base 
  creature).  A mutant creature has all the base 
  creature’s characteristics except as noted here.
  Size:  The creature’s size decreases by one step, 
  affecting Defense, attack rolls, Grapple checks, and 
  Hide checks.  Fighting space and reach are also 
  altered as a result.  See Table:Creature Sizes of d20 
  Modern for modiﬁers based on size.
  Speed:  If the base creature has a ﬂy speed, it loses 
  it.
  Skills:  Because its shell is all white, a nymph 
  suffers a -8 species penalty to Hide checks.
  Natural Armor:  Since it is only partially 
  developed, a nymph’s natural armor bonus (if any) is 
  halved (round down).
  Abilities:  -3 Str, -3 Con, -1 Dex (to a minimum of 
  1).
  Challenge Rating:  Base creature’s CR -1.
  SWARM, COCKROACH
  Swarms are dense masses of Fine, Diminutive, 
  or Tiny creatures that would not be particularly 
  dangerous in small groups, but can be terrible foes 
  when gathered in sufﬁcient numbers.  For game 
  purposes a swarm is deﬁned as a single creature 
  with a space of 10 feet—gigantic hordes are actually 
  composed of dozens of swarms in close proximity.  A 
  swarm has a single pool of Hit Dice and hit points, a 
  single initiative modiﬁer, a single speed, and a single 
  Armor Class.  It makes saving throws as a single 
  creature.
  In Darwin’s World many different creatures can 
  mass as swarms; the cockroach swarm is described 
  here.
  A swarm of cockroaches consists of 1,500 
  nonﬂying creatures.  Swarms of creatures include 
  many more creatures than could normally ﬁt in a 
  10-foot square based on their normal space, because 
  creatures in a swarm are packed tightly together and 
  generally crawl over each other and their prey when 
  moving or attacking.  Larger swarms are represented 
  by multiples of single swarms.  A large swarm is 
  completely shapeable, though it usually remains 
  contiguous.
  The cockroach swarm is based on the locust 
  swarm, as described in the SRD.
  SPECIES TRAITS
  Swarms have the following species traits:
  Distraction (Ex):  Any living creature that begins 
  its turn with a locust swarm in its space must succeed 
  on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 
  round.  The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Skills:  A cockroach swarm has a +4 racial bonus 
  on Listen and Spot checks.
  Swarm Attack:  In order to attack, a single swarm 
  moves into opponents’ spaces, which provokes an 
  attack of opportunity.  It can occupy the same space 
  as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its 
  prey, but remains a creature with a 10-foot space.  A 
  swarm deals 2d6 points of damage to any creature 
  whose space it occupies at the end of its move.  
  Swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they 
  can provoke attacks of opportunity.
  Unlike other creatures with a 10-foot space, 
  a swarm is shapeable.  It can occupy any four 
  contiguous squares, and it can squeeze through any 
  space large enough to contain one of its component 
  creatures.
  Vulnerabilities:  Swarms are extremely difﬁcult 
  to ﬁght with physical attacks.  However, they have 
  a few special vulnerabilities, as follows:  A lit torch 
  swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points 
  of ﬁre damage per hit.  An attack that does energy 
  damage (e.g. ﬂaming) deals its full energy damage 
  with each hit, even if the weapon’s normal damage 
  can’t affect the swarm.
  A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, 
  dealing 1d4 points of ﬁre damage to all creatures in 
  squares adjacent to where it breaks.
  Cockroach Swarm:  CR 3; Diminutive Vermin 
  (Swarm); HD 6d8-6; HP 21; Mas -; Init +4; Spd 10 
  ft., ﬂy 30 ft. (poor); Defense 18, touch 18, ﬂatfooted 
  14 (+4 size, +4 Dex); BAB +4; Grap -; Atk (2d6, 
  swarm); Full Atk (2d6, swarm); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; 
  Reach 0 ft.; SQ darkvision 60 ft., distraction, immune 
  to weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits; AL 
  none; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 
  1, Dex 19, Con 8, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2.
  Skills:  Listen +4, Spot +4.
  Feats:  None.
  Advancement:  None.
  
  42
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  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Rules Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; 
  Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original 
  material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson
  Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, 
  Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, based 
  on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, 
  Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
  Bad News In BugTown Copyright 2007, RPGObjects; Author Dominic 
  Covey
  OPEN GAMING CONTENT
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/Darwins World/SW - Darwin's World - Adv - Bad News in Bugtown.pdf