TEXT: IN THE 
  GUTTER
  
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  places, and things are trademarks and copyright © 2005-2015 Wyrd Miniatures, LLC. The Malifaux game system is patent pending, serial no. 12/821,427
  IN THE 
  GUTTER
  
  The Through the Breach roleplaying game is continuing to 
  grow and expand the world of Malifaux with new rules 
  and adventures.
  Our expansion books, such as Into the Steam, highlight 
  large new areas of the world to explore while also 
  providing a host of new mechanics for players.
  The Penny Dreadful line is intended to focus on a 
  specific area or story in the world, providing Fatemasters 
  with the tools to take their players quickly into the action.
  The core Penny Dreadful line, which is released in print 
  and PDF, has full, multi-session adventures for a party 
  of Fated. They are made to either be the campaign or a 
  part of the campaign for the group.
  Penny Dreadful One Shots, on the other hand, are single 
  session adventures for a party that are only released as 
  PDFs. They often include pregenerated characters 
  they are designed to work with, allowing Fatemasters to 
  choose whether to insert them into an ongoing campaign 
  or to run a quick and dirty session of Through the Breach.
  What is a Penny Dreadful One Shot?
  credits
  WRITING & DESIGN
  Mason Crawford
  EDITING
  Aaron Darland
  CREATIVE DIRECTION
  Nathan Caroland
  TTB LOGO ARTIST
  Patrick Guinane
  ART
  Hardy Fowler & Jorge Gomez 
  LAYOUT
  Aaron Darland
  GRAPHIC DESIGN
  Jorge Gomez
  Thank you to everyone at Origins 2015 who
  helped playtest this adventure!
  
  introduction .....................................................................................................................4
  Within These Pages .....................................................................................................................................................5
  adventure ................................................................................................................................6
  Prologue .......................................................................................................................................................................7
  Scene I .........................................................................................................................................................................8
  Scene II ......................................................................................................................................................................11
  Scene III ....................................................................................................................................................................17
  FM Characters ..........................................................................................................20
  Theodore Yelp ..........................................................................................................................................................21
  Thug ...........................................................................................................................................................................21
  Barnabus ....................................................................................................................................................................22
  Guild Sharpshooter ...................................................................................................................................................23
  Fated Characters ..................................................................................................24
  Holger Stenberg .........................................................................................................................................................25
  Hector Abels ..............................................................................................................................................................26
  Maureen Flynn ...........................................................................................................................................................27
  Zan Zhao ....................................................................................................................................................................28
  Nestor Brooks ............................................................................................................................................................29
  Sonoma Icho ..............................................................................................................................................................30
  contents
  
  Introduction
  Introduction
  The monsters that move in the shadows of Malifaux 
  often wear hideous faces; the demonic Nephilim, 
  rotting undead, and twisted Gremlins are all threats 
  which even a child can recognize, if not by name, 
  then at least as something dangerous. There is 
  no doubt that such creatures wish you harm, and 
  though their strength might be formidable, once 
  they step out from the shadows, it is clear that they 
  are the enemy. 
  There are other creatures, however, who prefer 
  the light of day to the darkness of the shadows. 
  These subtle fiends wear the skins of their prey, 
  masquerading as humans as they hunt on the 
  outcasts of society. The greater powers of Malifaux 
  are too involved in their own intrigues and schemes 
  to pay attention to those at the bottom, and if any 
  salvation is to be had, it must be earned through 
  hard toil and great care. 
  In The Gutter is a one-shot adventure that focuses on 
  these forgotten members of society and their struggle 
  to defeat the evil that is preying upon them. Over the 
  course of the adventure, the Fated will travel into the 
  dreaded Quarantine Zone and perhaps even to the 
  Northern Hills to strike down an even greater threat.
  We've included six pregenerated characters who 
  are designed to fit the premise of this adventure; all 
  of them are in a bad place and are desperate for 
  just enough cash to get them back on their feet. If 
  you wish to have the players use characters of their 
  own creation to play through In The Gutter, just 
  make certain that the Fated are either living in the 
  slums and in need of scrip, or that they have some 
  other reason to become involved in the adventure's 
  opening events. One option might be to have April 
  Cassidy (mentioned on page 10) contact the Fated 
  and ask them to help locate her missing husband.
  
  Introduction
  Player Name
  DestiNy stePs FulFileD
  exP.
  GuilD scriP
  miGht
  DeFeNce
  iNtellect
  WillPoWer
  Grace
  Walk
  charm
  charGe
  sPeeD
  WouNDs
  cuNNiNG
  heiGht
  resilieNce
  teNacity
  skill
  phisical
  phisical
  mental
  mental
  av
  ratiNG
  asPect
  FateD Name
  curreNt Pursuit
  statioN
  Name
  sPecial
  av
  DamaGe
  raNGe
  tN
  caPacity
  reloaD
  Name
  sPecial
  av
  DamaGe
  raNGe
  tN
  caPacity
  reloaD
  Name
  sPecial
  av
  DamaGe
  raNGe
  tN
  caPacity
  reloaD
  ASPECTS
  ASPECTS
  ATTACKS
  ATTACKS
  DERIVED ASPECTS
  DERIVED ASPECTS
  SKILLS
  SKILLS
  Within These Pages
  Here's a list of what you'll find in this adventure!
  chapter 1: 
  INTRODUCTION
  This is the section you're reading now!
  chapter 2: 
  ADVENTURE
  The adventure is divided into three Scenes. The first 
  Scene centers around the appearance of Theodore 
  Yelp, a shady Union boss who needs workers to 
  help him clear out a collapsed building.
  The second Scene brings the Fated to the Quarantine 
  Zone, where they will likely become suspicious of 
  Yelp and his motives. The longer they spend on 
  their task, the more of Yelp's allies arrive to help 
  him settle up with the Fated. 
  The third Scene gives the Fated the chance to 
  travel to the Northern Hills and strike back against 
  a terrible threat, proving that even those who have 
  fallen to the very bottom can still become heroes. 
  chapter 3: 
  FM CHARACTERS
  This section contains the stat blocks for the various 
  adversaries the Fated might encounter over the 
  course of the adventure. 
  chapter 4: 
  FATED CHARACTERS
  We've provided six pregenerated characters to be 
  used with this adventure, and you can find their stat 
  blocks and backgrounds here. 
  Call Out Boxes
  There are many call out boxes like this one 
  scattered throughout the adventure.
  These boxes have two main functions. Boxes 
  like this one highlight rules or special notes 
  for the Fatemaster.
  Boxes like the box on the right are used 
  to show dialogue or description. They are 
  intended to be read by the Fatemaster aloud 
  to the players. Be careful, though; some are 
  only intended to be read if the Fated take 
  certain actions or are successful at certain 
  challenges. 
  "Yeah, I was there." The drifter sighs, his 
  shoulders slumping at the admission. "It 
  only lasted a moment, and I still don't know 
  how I lived through it. There was only the 
  one Ortega, but she was so fast with that 
  gun of hers..." He shakes his head. "Two 
  of the bandits were dead before they even 
  realized she had drawn on them."
  His gaze becomes distant as the memory 
  comes back to him. "It was a ballet of death."
  
  Adventure
  Adventure
  The following adventure is a quick way to get Fated 
  involved in some of the trials of life in Malifaux 
  City. It is designed to play with a newer group and 
  provides many text boxes for the Fatemaster to read 
  to keep the story moving forward.
  It is a quick and direct adventure, easy to throw 
  new players into or to use as a quick session in an 
  ongoing campaign. 
  Fatemasters planning on running this adventure 
  should take some time to read it ahead of time, or at 
  least read the summary to the right.
  Once settled, if you are using the pregenerated 
  characters, give the players a chance to pick a Fated 
  that they are excited to play. Each character has their 
  own quirks and charms, but all of them will bring 
  something exciting and unique to the adventure.
  Fatemaster Summary
  Theodore Yelp presents himself as a Union boss 
  looking for recruits to go into the dangerous 
  Quarantine Zone. In actuality, he is a Neverborn 
  masquerading as a human, and he's only interested 
  in the recruits for their bodies. He intends for the 
  recruits to become the hosts for young Neverborn, 
  allowing them to walk undetected among humans. 
  Things are unlikely to go as planned. In the midst 
  of their "work," the Fated will see Mr. Yelp talking 
  to all manner of folk. The Fated will be forced into a 
  confrontation with Yelp and his thugs, and they may 
  have to face his companion Barnabus or some Guild 
  Sharpshooters as well. 
  The Fated may then decide to head into the 
  Northern Hills to confront the Neverborn directly, 
  but hopefully they realize the danger and sabotage 
  the mine instead of trying to fight an entire army.
  
  Adventure
  Prologue
  The Fated are in a bad spot, but there are rumors of 
  a Union boss who is offering some decent pay for a 
  day of hard work.
  If the Fated are financially secure and unlikely to 
  be interested in this hook, you could instead have 
  them contacted by April Cassidy, whose husband 
  mysteriously disappeared after leaving to work with 
  Yelp (see page 10).
  Read the following text to the players:
  The Southern Slums are a haven for 
  the lost and forgotten of Malifaux City, 
  those people who have fallen upon hard 
  times and aren't likely to get back up 
  anytime soon. The wretched people who 
  call the slums their home – people such as 
  yourselves – primarily live in whatever decaying 
  buildings they can lay claim to and keep. It's not 
  an easy life, and the mortality rate is high, but it's 
  still a step above living in the Quarantine Zone 
  with the monsters and undead that lurk beyond 
  the Guild's high walls.
  There's not much hope in the Southern Slums, 
  but sometimes, the faintest candle shines 
  brightest in the darkest shadows. There have 
  been rumors of a Miners and Steamfitters Union 
  boss who has been making the rounds through 
  the slums, offering honest pay for an honest 
  day's work. There aren't many opportunities to 
  make scrip when you're at the bottom, but this 
  man might just might be your ticket out of the 
  slums for good.
  
  Adventure
  Scene 1 – The Job Offer
  Read the following text to the players:
  The crowd breaks apart amidst grumblings about 
  “nothing being worth going into the Quarantine 
  Zone” and “can't spend the money if you're dead.” 
  While these sorts of grumblings may be ominous, 
  it's clear that the people making them are still giving 
  the offer a bit of consideration. 
  Ideally, the Fated will be desperate enough to take 
  Yelp up on the offer and venture into the Quarantine 
  Zone.
  When the Fated step forward to accept, read or 
  paraphrase the following text:
  The arrival of the Union boss draws a crowd of would-be workers from the slums, all of them in 
  torn or worn clothing that has been patched up one too many times. The crowd's mood seems to 
  be somewhere between eager and wary as the Union boss raises his arms and bids everyone to be 
  quiet. He's dressed in a business suit that looks a bit too tight for him, complete with suspenders 
  and a vest. Two men in long dusters flank him, neither of them making any effort to hide the pistols 
  on their gunbelts.
  “Some of you know me,” the Union boss shouts, his voice carrying across the crowd. “For those of you 
  who don't, my name is Yelp, Theodore Yelp. I'm with the Union, and the Union needs good workers.  
  And you folks sure look like you could use a paying job.”
  A man in a checkered cap speaks up. “Yeah? What's the work?”
  Yelp turns to face the man, but when he speaks, he addresses the entire crowd. “We've got a building 
  in the Quarantine Zone that needs some clearing out and fixing up.” When murmurs begin to pass 
  through the crowd, he raises his voice to drown them out. “Yes, the Quarantine Zone is a dangerous 
  place, but we're offering a good rate to make up for it. One scrip per able-bodied man or woman for 
  a day of honest work.”
  A woman in a dirty gray dress steps forward, her brow creased in a scowl. “I've heard your offer before, 
  Mr. Yelp! My husband done took you up on it, and he never returned. That was two weeks ago, and 
  you're still back every few days looking for more workers.”
  Yelp gives her a sympathetic look. “As I said, my dear lady, it's dangerous work. We're not pretending 
  otherwise.” His smile returns as he looks back to the crowd. “But it is paying work. Now, who wants 
  to prove their worth to the Union and earn some scrip while doing so?”
  Yelp looks you up and down, his lips parting 
  in an approving grin. “Oh, yes, you should do 
  just fine.” He takes a moment to wait for any 
  further volunteers, then flips open a notebook 
  and scribbles a few words on the first open page.
  
  Adventure
  At this point, the Fated can attempt TN 10 Notice 
  Challenges to catch a glimpse of the notebook. On 
  a success, they notice that it has a number of names 
  written down, each with a line struck through it. 
  Some of the names are further noted with small stars.
  These are the names of the people that Yelp has 
  hired, and the ones with stars are those who were 
  judged suitable for becoming Neverborn hosts. The 
  crossed off names likely won't mean much to the 
  Fated, but it should still put them on edge.
  After the Fated have made their Notice Challenges 
  and either caught a glimpse of the notebook or not, 
  continue with the following text:
  Yelp is actually recording their names for the sake 
  of the Neverborn who will hopefully be inhabiting 
  their bodies at the end of the day. This way, the 
  Neverborn will have just enough general knowledge 
  to pass as the Fated once they've been replaced. 
  This also serves as a good way for the Fated to 
  introduce themselves to each other.
  Once everyone is finished, read the following text:
  “Now,” he says, looking up at you eagerly. “Let's 
  get your names and a bit about yourself. It's for 
  the payroll.”
  Yelp flips his notebook closed and tucks it 
  into his shirt pocket. “Good, good. I always 
  appreciate efficiency when I see it.” He motions 
  down the street. “I'll give you a few moments to 
  change into any work clothes you might have. 
  Meet me down the street when you're ready, but 
  don't be tardy for your first day on the job.”
  
  Adventure
  The Fated have a few moments to talk amongst 
  themselves or otherwise prepare. If any of them 
  linger for more than a few moments, read the 
  following text:
  The woman's name is April Cassidy. If the Fated 
  pursue her, they can attempt a TN 8 Social 
  Challenge (Barter, Bewitch, Convince, Deceive, 
  Intimidate, Leadership, or Teach) to get her to spill 
  a bit more information. She believes that Yelp is 
  a Resurrectionist and that he's collecting bodies to 
  turn into zombie minions. That's not actually what's 
  happening, but it's close enough that it should serve 
  as a warning for the Fated (as well as a bit of a Red 
  Herring to throw them off).
  If they ask after April's husband, she reveals that 
  his name is Mitch, but she doesn't have any hopes 
  of seeing him alive again. If they offer to find him, 
  she'll be grateful, but she can't offer them anything 
  in way of a reward. Mitch Cassidy doesn't appear 
  in this adventure – he was eaten weeks ago, and his 
  bones were dumped into the sewers where they were 
  gnawed clean by rats – but there's nothing wrong 
  with letting the Fated think otherwise.
  If the Fated ask Yelp about Mitch Cassidy, he claims 
  that Mitch died on the job and was given a proper 
  burial. A TN 11 Scrutiny Challenge reveals that he's 
  only telling half the truth (i.e., that Mitch is dead). 
  Yelp has no sooner left you behind than the 
  woman in the dirty gray dress approaches you.
  “You can't trust that man,” she whispers, her 
  tone insistent. “Nobody ever comes back from 
  his jobs. He says they get killed in accidents 
  or get shipped north to work in some mining 
  town for the Union, but ain't none of them ever 
  seen again.” She casts a glance back at Yelp, 
  only to find him glaring right at her. Her eyes 
  widen and she quickly retreats into a nearby 
  crumbling building.
  
  Adventure
  Scene 2 – The 
  Quarantine Zone
  Yelp leads the Fated eastward to the Quarantine 
  Zone, which is separated from the rest of the city by 
  a fifteen-foot-tall wall of stone and wood.
  Travel into (and out of) the Quarantine Zone is 
  restricted by the Guild, but Yelp and his men have 
  created a passage through the wall that the Guild has 
  yet to learn about. 
  Read the following text to the players:
  If the Fated raise any protest or ask any questions, 
  one of Yelp's bodyguards will speak up. Read the 
  following text, making any adjustments as necessary.
  Once the Fated head through the wall, read the 
  following text:
  Yelp and the two men in dusters – neither of 
  whom offer their name – lead you eastward to 
  the border of the Quarantine Zone.
  The wall separating the forbidden area from 
  the rest of the city is fifteen feet tall and built of 
  strong stone and reinforced lumber, but rather 
  than lead you to the Guild-patrolled gates, he 
  motions you down a side street and into a half-
  collapsed building that looks to be on the verge 
  of becoming a fully collapsed building.
  “We'll pass through here,” Yelp says, leading 
  the way to the back wall. He pushes aside a 
  table that has been propped up against the wall, 
  revealing a passage leading through to the other 
  side. “The Guild doesn't need to know all of the 
  Union's secrets, neh?”
  He chuckles and winks in your direction before 
  climbing through the hole and motioning for 
  you to follow.
  It's one of the men in dusters who replies. “No 
  time for that now,” he growls, his voice raspy. 
  “Just get going and Mr. Yelp will answer your 
  questions when we get to the site.” He fingers 
  the hilt of his pistol in a way that doesn't make 
  you feel very comfortable.
  The other side of the wall proves to be a narrow 
  alleyway, and you've barely made it through 
  before Mr. Yelp is in motion, waving his hand 
  for you to follow him as he winds his way 
  through the narrow streets. The buildings here 
  are somehow in worse repair than those in the 
  slums, and sometimes you glimpse dead faces 
  staring down at you from the broken windows or 
  shapes slinking through the shadows. Even the 
  air feels different here, as if the city were holding 
  its breath in anticipation for some great event...
  or merely inhaling in preparation for a scream.
  Yelp eventually stops in front of a two story 
  building that seems mostly intact. There's a 
  green canvas duffel bag out front, and he nods 
  his head toward it as he sticks his thumbs behind 
  his suspenders. “Here we are, gentlemen and 
  ladies. The job is simple enough: just clear out 
  the building of the debris inside and haul it out 
  front there. There are some tools in that bag if 
  you need them.”
  
  Adventure
  The Fated can make TN 11 Scrutiny Challenges 
  at this point. On a success, they get the distinct 
  impression that Mr. Yelp doesn't actually care about 
  this building at all and that this is instead some sort 
  of test of their abilities. If the Fated think to ask, 
  they can attempt TN 10 Engineering Challenges to 
  realize that the building is stable and that the rubble 
  is from another building; Yelp has each group of 
  recruits alternate between moving rubble in and out 
  of the building to test their physical fitness.
  If any of the Fated decide not to participate in the 
  Ongoing Challenge, they'll draw the annoyance of 
  Yelp. Read the following text to the player:
  If the Fated still refuse to work, for whatever reason, 
  Yelp will glare at them and return to his thugs. He 
  doesn't force the issue further; he'll just make certain 
  that the lazy character gets eaten once it's time to 
  separate the hosts from the food. Use an Ongoing 
  Challenge for clearing out the building.
  Clearing the Collapsed Building
  •Skills: Athletics, Labor, Leadership
  •TN: 11
  •Duration: 1 hour
  •Success Requirement: 8
  •Failure Requirement: 4
  On a success, the building is cleared away and 
  rendered serviceable. After each Duration, have 
  the Fated experience one of the two listed Clearing 
  Events, starting with Clearing Event #1.
  On a catastrophic failure, someone bumps a support 
  beam and the second floor collapses down upon the 
  Fated, dealing 2 damage to everyone in the building.
  Clearing Event #1: Barnabas
  Read the following text to the players:
  The man goes by the name of Barnabas. He's brought 
  a half-dozen young Neverborn with him in the back 
  of his cart; if the Fated are deemed suitable hosts, 
  these are the creatures that Mr. Yelp will be placing 
  inside their bodies. Curious Fated can attempt 
  TN 10 Stealth Challenges to get close enough to 
  overhear their conversation, which is essentially just 
  Barnabas asking how the “recruits” are doing, and 
  Yelp answering as appropriate, depending upon the 
  Fated's progress thus far. On a failure, Yelp yells at 
  the character to stop sneaking around and get back 
  to work.
  If questioned, Mr. Yelp will claim that Barnabas 
  is also a member of the Union (a TN 11 Scrutiny 
  Challenge will reveal this as a lie). A TN 9 Notice 
  Challenge will reveal that Barnabas has six fingers 
  on each hand.
  If the Fated attempt to peek at the contents of the 
  covered wagon, they'll have to succeed on a TN 10 
  Stealth Challenge as noted above. On a success, see 
  “The Wagon” below. On a failure, they get yelled at 
  by Yelp to get back to work. 
  You've only been watching the others work for 
  a few minutes when Yelp starts shouting at you. 
  “Hey! You there!” He stomps towards you, 
  looking annoyed. “I hired you to work, not to 
  stand around lollygagging. If you don't work, 
  you don't get paid.”
  As you're hauling some rotten support beams 
  out into the street, you notice a long-haired man 
  approaching in a splintered wagon. It's being 
  pulled by a tired and worn mule, and the back 
  is covered with a stained tarp. The driver is clad 
  in a worn vest, but he wears no shirt beneath 
  it, which only seems to draw attention to his 
  muscled arms.
  As he pulls to a stop and climbs down from 
  the wagon, Mr. Yelp approaches him in the 
  manner of a familiar acquaintance. They speak 
  in hushed voices, but the man doesn't seem to 
  be in any hurry to take his leave.
  
  Adventure
  Clearing Event #2: Guild Sharpshooters
  Read the following text to the players:
  These sharpshooters are not Neverborn, but are 
  instead on special assignment on the order of their 
  commander, who claimed it was a special request 
  from the Governor Secretary. They've learned not to 
  ask too many questions of the Governor's Secretary, 
  especially when it comes to assignments like these. 
  They have been placed entirely under Mr. Yelp's 
  command to do with as he pleases.
  The sharpshooters are Mr. Yelp's surgical knives; 
  their precision allows Yelp to put his victims down 
  without killing them, thus preventing him and his 
  thugs from ruining an otherwise strong body with an 
  accidental head shot.  
  If Zan Zhou (or another Guild agent) is present, 
  she'll recognize the two men as Guild sharpshooters: 
  elite riflemen whose presence alongside Yelp is 
  very unusual. The Guild and the Union are often 
  at odds, but these men seem to be treating Yelp as 
  their superior.
  A Good Job
  Depending upon how quickly the Fated complete 
  the Ongoing Challenge, the actions of Mr. Yelp and 
  his associates will change.
  1 hour: Mr. Yelp is surprised that the Fated finished 
  so quickly and makes a few disturbing comments 
  about their physical condition. He panics a bit and 
  asks the Fated to get their tools packed away while 
  he readies their payment, then gives the order for 
  his two associates to shoot them in the back; any 
  Fated that follow his orders and return the tools will 
  be surprised and unable to act in the first round of 
  Dramatic Time.
  2 hours: Barnabas is present. The Fated have 
  finished a bit faster than Mr. Yelp had planned, but 
  since Barnabas is there, he's still confident in their 
  chances of winning the fight. He'll ambush them as 
  noted above, and Barnabas will leap into the fight 
  as well.
  3-4 hours: The sharpshooters are present. This 
  is about how long it takes most of Yelp's victims to 
  finish the job, and Mr. Yelp is ready for them. He'll 
  ambush them as noted above, but the presence of 
  the sharpshooters will make this a tough fight.
  5+ hours: At the five hour mark, Mr. Yelp will 
  call off the project and send Barnabas away with the 
  Young Neverborn. He's decided that the Fated are 
  too weak to make suitable hosts and intends to just 
  devour them (the sharpshooters will be dismissed 
  before the feasting begins to maintain his cover). It's 
  not worth risking the safety of the young Neverborn 
  in such an engagement, so Yelp will send Barnabas 
  away before ambushing the Fated.
  Failure: If the Fated suffer a critical Failure, Yelp 
  will decide that they're hopeless and will send 
  Barnabas away and order an ambush attack as listed 
  above. The Fated in the building will take 2 damage 
  from their critical failure as noted above. They will 
  also have to succeed at TN 8 Toughness Challenges 
  at the start of their first turn; on a failure, they are 
  pinned beneath rubble and are considered to be 
  Slow on the first round of combat.
  You chase a half-dozen dog-sized rats out of the 
  building, only to find that two more figures have 
  joined up with Mr. Yelp, his two lackeys, and 
  the vest-wearing man. The new arrivals are each 
  wearing long dusters and carrying what appear to 
  be high-powered rifles. Mr. Yelp is speaking with 
  them, and though you're too far away to make 
  out just what he's saying, you notice both men 
  glance in your direction at the same time...a sure 
  sign that the conversation is somehow about you.
  
  Adventure
  Keep One Alive for 
  Questioning!
  It's unlikely that the Fated will kill everyone outright 
  during the fight. Any characters who fall unconscious 
  can be revived with TN 10 Doctor Challenges. Yelp 
  and his crew are unlikely to give out any information 
  willingly, but they can be persuaded to do so with 
  Intimidate Challenges, the TN of which varies 
  depending upon the character in question. 
  If the Fated take to extreme measures (such as 
  torture) to get Yelp or his men to talk, feel free to 
  give them a + on the Intimidate Challenge... and 
  then inform them that they are terrible people.
  Yelp (TN 13)
  Yelp is the most difficult to question, as he knows 
  that even if the humans don't kill him, he's essentially 
  dooming many other Neverborn to death by talking. 
  If they manage to scare him, he'll admit to working 
  with the Neverborn (but not to being one himself). 
  He claims that they were gathering bodies for young 
  Neverborn to inhabit, and that he had no intention 
  of actually paying the Fated for their work.
  Barnabas (TN 12)
  Like Yelp, Barnabas is a Neverborn, and he's in 
  no hurry to admit that to the Fated, but he will 
  come clean if they mention his Black Blood (which 
  may have burned one or more Fated during the 
  battle). If successfully pressured, he'll reveal that 
  they're gathering bodies for Neverborn to inhabit, 
  and that the creatures on the back of the wagon 
  (if they've been discovered) are a specific breed of 
  young Neverborn. 
  If the Fated press the matter, he'll reveal that the 
  young Neverborn came from “the Breeding Halls,” 
  but won't go into any further detail on what that 
  means or where it is. He knows that most of the new 
  Neverborn hosts get sent “up north, to some mining 
  town,” and that they're working on “something big...
  something bigger than any of you can imagine,” but 
  he doesn't know much else. The other Neverborn 
  don't like Barnabas very much; he used to be human 
  and became a Neverborn through his exposure to 
  their Black Blood, and they hold that against him.
  Sharpshooters (TN 11)
  The Guild Sharpshooters really don't know much 
  about what's going on; they were ordered by their 
  commander (Sergeant Howard Philips) to report to 
  Yelp, and have been assisting him with his murdering 
  for about a month now. They've avoided asking any 
  questions, aren't interested in any theories the Fated 
  might have, and aren't particularly keen on dying in 
  the name of whatever Yelp's goal might have been. 
  They don't know that he or Barnabas are Neverborn 
  – they were always sent away before any bodies were 
  inhabited or eaten – and will be surprised to learn 
  that they are.
  Thugs (TN 9)
  Yelp's thugs are probably the best source of 
  information as to what he was doing. They're aware 
  that he wasn't strictly human and watched him eat 
  a few people and turn others into new Neverborn, 
  but he was paying well, so they just pretended not to 
  notice. They'll tell the Fated that Yelp was putting 
  the little “monsters” into the bodies of the dying, 
  who just got right back up again. He would give 
  the returned people rail tickets and send them up 
  north, but they're not sure what's going on up there 
  and didn't feel like risking their lives by asking. 
  If the Fated talk about heading north to investigate, 
  the thugs will offer their services at a discounted rate 
  (about half a scrip per day). The Fated can attempt 
  to press them into service for free with a TN 10 
  Barter Challenge; on a success, they'll come along 
  to “fix what they done wrong.” A failure will still 
  get them to agree to come along, but they'll duck 
  out as the Fated are boarding the train, no doubt to 
  appear as goons for some future antagonist. Their 
  names are Dean Statler and Jerry Waldorf.
  
  Adventure
  People are Dead
  The Fated might decide to go through the pockets 
  of the dead or unconscious, especially since they're 
  rather poor and probably aren't being paid now that 
  their employer has been shot.
  Yelp
  Yelp has his suit, which may interest Fated looking 
  for a change of clothes, and anyone undressing 
  him will notice that the skin beneath his shirt is 
  transparent; there's something akin to purple fungus 
  in his ribcage where his organs should be. He has 
  his notebook, his Mauser 9 pistol, 20 bullets, and 
  a worn envelope in his back pocket. The envelope 
  contains two sets of train tickets; one set is for a train 
  that leaves Malifaux City for the northern boom 
  town of Ridley, and the other is for “Route 24,” 
  which departs from Ridley. There's also a folded 
  note bearing the following text:
  “Take the 7:20 train north to Ridley, then board the 
  8:00 connector to Contract Town #17.”
  If the Fated decide to pick Yelp's pocket before the 
  fight, a TN 10 Pick Pocket Challenge will lift the 
  tickets and note without Yelp noticing. He keeps his 
  Mauser pistol concealed beneath his vest.
  Barnabas
  Like Yelp, Barnabas doesn't have any scrip on him, 
  but he also lacks a weapon or anything of particular 
  interest on his person.
  Sharpshooters
  The sharpshooters each have a Guard Rifle and 30 
  bullets, as well as Dusters. Per orders, they left their 
  wallets and identification at home, which gives their 
  commander plausible deniability if their involvement 
  in the Neverborn plot is brought to light.
  Thugs
  The thugs each have Refurbished Infantry Swords 
  and Collier Army Pistols with 20 bullets. They also 
  have 1.5 scrip on their persons – their pay for the 
  day – and both are wearing Dusters.
  The Wagon
  If Barnabas showed up with the covered wagon, the 
  Fated might choose to inspect its contents. If they do 
  so, read the following text:
  The young Neverborn are too weak to be serious 
  threats, though any Fated foolish enough to fall 
  asleep in the vicinity of such a creature is just asking 
  to have it crawl inside them and take control of their 
  body. The creatures are small and helpless, and can't 
  fight back if the Fated attempt to destroy them.
  The mule stands calm throughout any combat that 
  might happen around it; it's old and just can't be 
  bothered to care at this point. If the Fated attempt 
  to bring it back to the slums, they'll have to pass 
  a TN 9 Husbandry Challenge to get it to squeeze 
  through the hole in the wall and will have to keep an 
  eye on it once they're back. If they leave the mule 
  alone for more than a few hours, one of their hungry 
  neighbors will kill it and make some mule stew with 
  the remains.
  You peek beneath the stained sheet covering the 
  back of the wagon – the dark splotches almost 
  look like bloodstains now that you're closer – 
  only to find a half dozen slitted eyes peering 
  back at you. Each pair belongs to a twisted 
  creature that resembles something between a cat 
  and a lump of purple cottage cheese, but with 
  faces that almost look human. They make faint 
  mewling sounds as they slowly crawl towards you 
  on their underdeveloped limbs and tentacles.
  
  Adventure
  They Were Planning 
  Something...
  There should be a number of clues pointing the 
  Fated north towards Contract Town #17. If Yelp 
  or his crew are questioned, they should provide 
  some hints that there's something strange going on 
  up north, and the note and train tickets in Yelp's 
  pockets will give them a specific place to investigate.
  Of course, there is always a chance that the Fated 
  miss all the clues or don't wish to follow up on this 
  lead. In this case, their adventure ends here, and they 
  can return to the slums relatively empty-handed.
  If that's the case, that's okay! Don't proceed to 
  Scene 3; just allow the Fated to gain experience and 
  progress as normal for a session's Epilogue.
  
  Adventure
  Scene 3 – Contract 
  Town #17
  Yelp had planned to give the train tickets to the 
  young Neverborn after they had possessed the 
  bodies of the Fated. With the tickets, they were 
  to travel north to Contract Town #17, where they 
  would join their brothers and sisters in attempting to 
  unearth a magical obelisk buried in the town's mine. 
  If the Fated decide to use the train tickets to travel to 
  Contract Town #17, read the following text:
  There are essentially only two locations of note in 
  #17; the Union Hall and the Mine. The Fated have 
  to pass by the Union Hall to reach the mine, and it 
  holds the key to sealing the mine and stopping the 
  Neverborn threat.
  The Union Hall
  Read the following text to the players as they enter 
  the building:
  The Fated will need a light source to see anything 
  within the building. If they scrounge around in the 
  tents or attempt to wander inside and search around, 
  have them make TN 9 Notice Challenges to find a 
  lantern and some oil. When they have light, read the 
  following text, adjusting as appropriate if they found 
  another source of light:
  The train ride from Malifaux City to Ridley goes 
  by quickly, and it's night before you arrive at 
  the large boomtown. There's only a short wait 
  until the smaller train and its single passenger 
  car arrives to take you the rest of the way to 
  Contract Town #17. Other than yourselves and 
  the grizzled old engineer, there's nobody else on 
  the train.
  When the train finally pulls into Contract Town 
  #17, it's immediately clear that something weird 
  is going on. The small town consists of little 
  more than the Union Hall and a few dozen tents 
  splayed out around it, but everything is bathed 
  by an unnatural green light that emanates from 
  the mine entrance in the large hill overlooking 
  the town.
  You're barely off the train before it lurches into 
  motion once again. The engineer leans out the 
  window and points towards the hill. “Just head 
  on up to the mine,” he cackles, his voice barely 
  audible over the clack-clack of the accelerating 
  engine. “Once we get that thing out of the 
  ground, those damned humans are out of the 
  picture for good!” He laughs again as the engine 
  picks up steam, carrying it and the old man off 
  into the night.
  The Union Hall is a long, single-story building 
  built from adobe. The door is wooden, and 
  when you creak it it open, you're assaulted by 
  the stench of rotting meat. In the green light that 
  spills out from the mine, you can make out a 
  severed hand laying just inside the door.
  The light of the lantern reveals a slaughterhouse 
  inside the Union Hall. Dozens of bodies are 
  strewn all across the wide room, and blood is 
  splashed liberally across the walls, floor, and 
  even ceiling. Most of the bodies appear to 
  have been torn into pieces. Something even 
  seems to have been feeding on the dead, as a 
  few of the closest bones bear the unmistakeable 
  indentation of teeth marks. The stench of blood 
  and rot is almost overpowering.
  
  Adventure
  Have the Fated that enter the Union Hall make 
  TN 9 Centering Challenges; those who fail end up 
  vomiting from the stench (which certainly doesn't 
  help things). If the Fated investigate the bones, a TN 
  10 Doctor Challenge will reveal that the bite marks 
  on the bone are of human origin.
  Should the Fated choose to investigate the Union Hall 
  further, they can attempt TN 9 Notice Challenges to 
  find the foreman's bloodstained log book. Blood has 
  smeared the last few pages and caused them to stick 
  together, but a TN 9 Literacy Challenge will allow 
  a Fated to decipher them, which mention frequent 
  complaints of headaches and strange dreams from 
  the workers. The last page mentions that “some sort 
  of devil” seems to have gotten into McConnely, who 
  keeps talking about “the buried obelisk” and how 
  he must “free it from its prison.” The talk makes 
  the foreman uncomfortable, and he admits to being 
  tempted to use the last of the explosives to “bring 
  down the whole damned cave.”
  A locked door near the western wall contains these 
  explosives (and is conveniently labeled with a large 
  “EXPLOSIVES: NO OPEN FLAMES NEAR 
  THIS DOOR”). The door is locked, and the Fated 
  will have to pass a TN 10 Lockpicking Challenge 
  to to open it or a TN 10 Labor Challenge to break 
  it down. There are eight crates of dynamite and a 
  few spools of safety fuses in the closet; more than 
  enough to collapse the mine (see The Mine below).
  The Mine
  Twenty feet inside the mine's entrance is a 
  mechanized elevator that leads down into the mine 
  proper. The elevator is encased in mesh grating, and 
  green light shines up from the depths of the shaft.
  Read the following text to the players:
  If the Fated get curious and decide to ride the elevator 
  down to the lower level of the mine, the Neverborn 
  working down there will instantly recognize them as 
  human and attack. Read the following text:
  The elevator has a lever within it to control what 
  direction it goes, as well as a panel at the top to 
  call it up remotely from the bottom level.
  The gears of the elevator grind loudly as it slowly 
  lowers you down into the bowels of the mine, 
  with only a wall of mesh iron to separate you 
  from the stone walls of the elevator shaft.. The 
  green light persists despite not having any clear 
  source that you can make out; in fact, it seems to 
  grow more intense the further you descend into 
  the mine.
  After a minute, the stone wall in front of you 
  finally opens to reveal a large underground 
  cavern. The walls gleam with throbbing, 
  fleshy tumors that pulse obscenely like living 
  creatures, and dozens upon dozens of people 
  – humans and twisted monsters alike – are 
  working tirelessly to exhume a colossal obelisk 
  from the stone at the cavern's center. The 
  monolith is carved from black stone, and its 
  surface seems to swirl like oil as you gaze upon 
  it. Glowing green runes are inscribed onto 
  its sides, and though you cannot identify the 
  language or their meaning, a shiver of dread 
  passes up your spine as you look upon them.
  The elevator continues its descent to the bottom 
  of the cavern floor, but as you draw closer, a 
  twisted creature resembling a tentacled bat 
  glances up at you and sniffs the air like a dog. 
  “HUMANS!” it shouts out in a shrill voice. 
  “HUMANS ARE HERE!”
  The alarm draws the attention of the workers 
  and they shriek in outrage, the more monstrous 
  dropping their tools as they charge towards 
  the lowering elevator while the human-looking 
  workers heft their tools or begin chanting words 
  of magical power.
  
  Adventure
  The Fated have about one round before the elevator 
  reaches the bottom; if it does, the monsters will tear 
  open the mesh door and swarm over them, tearing 
  the Fated to shreds. A group of Neverborn will then 
  use the lever in the elevator to head up to the top of 
  the mine.If there are any Fated waiting in the mine 
  when they arrive, the Neverborn will burst out in a 
  wave of shrieks and claws and devour them. 
  There's still time to reverse the elevator's ascent with 
  the control lever, in which case the Fated will be safe 
  only so long as someone remains in the elevator to 
  keep the Neverborn below from using the control 
  panel at the bottom of the shaft to call it back down.
  Thwarting the Neverborn
  If the Fated wish to sabotage the elevator, they 
  can render it unusable with a TN 10 Engineering 
  Challenge, which will leave the Neverborn trapped 
  below. It's only a temporary fix, but it's enough to 
  allow the Fated to retrieve the explosives from the 
  Union Hall and blow up the mine (or, at the very 
  least, enough time to get a good head start on fleeing 
  down the tracks if the Fated just decide to run away).
  If the Fated wish to find a more permanent solution, 
  they can use the Explosives in the Union Hall to 
  collapse the mine down upon the Neverborn below. 
  Doing so requires a TN 10 Explosives Challenge to 
  properly set the explosives and allow them enough 
  time to escape; a failure still results in a detonation, 
  but also deals 3/5/8 damage to the character setting 
  them off (and anyone else in the mine's entrance).
  The Fated could also choose to use the elevator to 
  send the explosives down to the bottom of the mine 
  before detonating them, which will give the character 
  setting up the Explosives a + to their flip.
  The Hollywood Ending
  If the Fated blow up the mine, read the following text:
  The Obelisk
  It's possible that the Fated chose not to destroy 
  the mine; perhaps they attempted to fight off the 
  Neverborn in the mine or fled without investigating 
  the Union Hall. They may have even chosen to 
  remain in Malifaux City rather than investigate the 
  strange happenings up at Contract Town #17.
  In this case, the Fatemaster is encouraged to make 
  the Obelisk play an important part in the events of 
  her campaign; it's clearly an important object, and 
  the Neverborn are going to great lengths to excavate 
  it for some nefarious purpose...
  A thundering explosion shatters the silence of 
  the night as a colossal fireball erupts from the 
  entrance of the mine. For a moment, it's as bright 
  as high noon, and your ears ring from sheer 
  proximity to the blast. The ground trembles as 
  a deep rumbling emanates up from somewhere 
  far below you, and as you watch, the town's hill 
  collapses in on itself in a great cloud of red-
  brown dust.
  When the cloud finally begins to settle, there's a 
  massive sinkhole where the hill had once stood, 
  a crater of broken stone and upturned dirt from 
  which nothing could have escaped. There's no 
  sign of the green light that had once spilled out 
  from the mine, and without it, the night seems 
  very dark... and very silent.
  
  FM Characters
  Fatemaster Characters
  The following four pages contain the stat blocks for 
  the Fatemaster characters that are likely to come up 
  during the adventure. They have been created with 
  an eye toward ease of use by the Fatemaster.
  These stat blocks should provide Fatemasters with 
  everything they need to run the adventure and 
  provide a challenge to the Fated.
  Depending on the situation, Fatemasters more 
  familiar with Through the Breach may want to adjust 
  some Acting Values ahead of time to create more or 
  less of a challenge for their players. 
  Theodore Yelp
  Mr. Yelp is not a good man, but that's largely 
  because he's not a man at all. Mr. Yelp is actually a 
  Neverborn wearing the skin of a man.
  Despite his monsterous true nature, Mr. Yelp is 
  more of a recruiter than a fighter. He's quick to get 
  out of combat and let others be in the thick of things, 
  and he's happy to use anyone he can to keep himself 
  safe from harm.
  Mr. Yelp has been around for some time and is 
  fairly skilled at what he needs to do. His biggest 
  shortcoming is that his condescension towards 
  humans means that he can easily underestimate 
  them... as he is about to do with the Fated.
  
  Fatemaster Characters
  Thug
  The Thugs presented below are simple mercenaries 
  able to fight in close combat or at range. 
  These Thugs will default to fighting at range with their 
  guns rather than close quarters fighting, but are adept 
  with their swords, should the need arise. At least one 
  will try to remain near Yelp as a bodyguard (and to 
  provide fodder should he need a human shield).
  Theodore Yelp
  Might
  1
  Grace
  2
  Speed
  0
  Resilience
  3
  Charm
  1
  Intellect
  2
  Cunning
  0
  Tenacity
  4
  Enforcer (7), Living, Mimic
  Defense
  3 (10)
  Walk
  4
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  2 (9)
  Willpower
  6 (13)
  Charge
  4
  Wounds
  9
  Skills: Deceive 2, Evade 1, Intimidate 3, Leadership 3, 
  Notice 2, Pistol 3, Scrutiny 3, Teach 1, Toughness 3, Track 1
  Df (M) Human Shield: After an attack succeeds 
  against this character, target friendly Minion within 2 
  yards and Line of Sight is placed into physical contact 
  with this character. The Minion suffers the effects of 
  the Action instead, including any Triggers.
  Slick as Oil: Disengaging strikes made against Yelp 
  suffer a -.
  (1)  Mauser 9 (Pistol) 
  AV: 5 (12)  =====Rg: z10  ===== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 1/2/3 damage. 
  R Critical Strike: When damaging, deal 1 
  additional damage for each R in the final duel 
  total.
  Thug
  Might
  1
  Grace
  2
  Speed
  0
  Resilience
  0
  Charm
  -1
  Intellect
  -1
  Cunning
  -1
  Tenacity
  3
  Minion (5), Living, Mercenary
  Defense
  4 (9)
  Walk
  4
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  2 (7)
  Willpower
  5 (10)
  Charge
  4
  Wounds
  5
  Skills: Athletics 1, Evade 2, Melee 3, 
  Notice 2, Pistol 2, Toughness 1, Stealth 1
  Protected (R): This character ignores the first 
  Critical Effect generated with the noted Suit during 
  Dramatic Time.
  (1)  US&E Collier Army (Pistol) 
  AV: 4 (9)  ======Rg: z12  ===== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 1/3/4 damage. 
  M "I'll Cover You!": After succeeding, another 
  friendly character within 2 yards may immediately 
  take a Walk Action.
  (1)  Refurbished Infantry Sword (Melee) 
  AV: 4 (9)  ======Rg: y1  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 1/2/3 damage.
  
  Fatemaster Characters
  Barnabus
  Barnabus was shipped to Malifaux as a convict 
  laborer in the first few months of Malifaux's 
  resettlement. His chain gang was sent south 
  into the Badlands, where their Guild guards found 
  themselves harried and harassed by the Nephilim. 
  A man named Nelson eventually staged a revolt 
  and led most of the convicts further into the 
  wasteland, raving about how he was going to create 
  a town where they could live as free men. 
  Barnabas thought that Nelson was an idealistic fool 
  and chose to go the other direction, back towards 
  civilization. 
  He chose poorly. 
  The Nephilim captured Barnabas and tortured 
  him for information, only to realize that he didn't 
  know any more than they did. Rather than simply 
  eat him, the Nephilim shaman gradually exposed 
  Barnabas to their Black Blood, transforming him 
  into an indoctrinated Nephilim agent. 
  Barnabus
  Might
  2
  Grace
  2
  Speed
  2
  Resilience
  2
  Charm
  -3
  Intellect
  -1
  Cunning
  1
  Tenacity
  2
  Minion (6), Living, Nephilim
  Defense
  4 (10)
  Walk
  5
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  4 (10)
  Willpower
  4 (10)
  Charge
  6
  Wounds
  6
  Skills: Husbandry 1, Evade 2, Navigation 2, Notice 2, 
  Pugilism 2, Toughness 1, Track 2, Wilderness 2
  Black Blood: All characters without Black Blood 
  within 1 yard suffer 1 damage when this character 
  suffers damage.
  (1)  Bare Knuckles (Pugilism) 
  AV: 4 (10)  =====Rg: y1  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 2/3/3 damage.
  
  Fatemaster Characters
  Guild Sharpshooter
  The Guild like their guns, and they have some of 
  the best trained marksmen Breachside. The Guild 
  Sharpshooters are used to great effect, both for 
  eliminating potential threats and as an overt show of 
  force. There are few rabble rousers willing to make 
  trouble with the iconic sharpshooters nearby.
  Guild Sharpshooter
  Might
  1
  Grace
  3
  Speed
  0
  Resilience
  0
  Charm
  -1
  Intellect
  0
  Cunning
  1
  Tenacity
  2
  Minion (6), Living, Guardsman
  Defense
  4 (10)
  Walk
  4
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  3 (9)
  Willpower
  5 (11)
  Charge
  4
  Wounds
  5
  Skills: Acrobatics 1, Athletics 1, Centering 3, 
  Evade 2, Long Arms 3, Melee 3, Notice 3, 
  Teach 2, Toughness 1, Track 3, Stealth 2
  Protected (R): This character ignores the first 
  Critical Effect generated with the noted Suit during 
  Dramatic Time.
  (1)  Guard Rifle (Long Arms) 
  AV: 6 (12)  =====Rg: z14  ===== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 1/2/4 damage. When this Attack 
  Action gains the benefit of the Focused Condition, 
  it gains +R to the final duel total. 
  R Critical Strike: When damaging, deal 1 
  additional damage for each R in the final duel 
  total.
  
  Fated Characters
  Fated Characters
  The following six characters have been specially 
  designed to work well with the events that unfold in 
  this adventure. Each of them has fallen upon hard 
  times and is in need of a lucky break, which sets 
  them up with an immediate interest in the Union 
  boss's proposal. 
  If you wish to continue playing these characters past 
  this first adventure, it shouldn't be too difficult to 
  convert them into full Fated, and we've provided 
  each Fated with their destiny to make this process a 
  bit easier. Just transfer them to full character sheets 
  and you should be good to go!
  Four of the characters (Holger, Hector, Maureen, 
  and Zan) have special Triggers that aren't listed in 
  the Fated Almanac. These Triggers are from the 
  optional Skill Triggers section of Into the Steam, but 
  if you don't have access to that book, don't worry! 
  We've given the characters all the information they 
  need to use the Triggers listed in their stat blocks. 
  The Cast at a Glance
  Holger Stenberg: Holger is a Drudge, a 
  tough worker with a pneumatic arm. 
  Hector Abels: Hector is a Wastrel, a clever 
  gambler with an assortment of useful skills.
  Maureen Flynn: Maureen is a Performer 
  who was raised by Gremlins, but that has not 
  hurt her social skills in the slightest.
  Zan Zhou: Zan portrays herself as a timid 
  woman, but she's actually a deadly Gunfighter.
  Nestor Brooks: Nestor is a Tinker, a 
  spellcaster focused on Enchantment magic.
  Sonoma Icho: Sonoma is a Graverobber, 
  a spellcaster focused on Necromancy magic.
  
  Fated Characters
  Holger Stenberg
  Holger grew up in the small fishing village of 
  Hundested, in Denmark. His parents were 
  bookbinders, and he grew up learning the family 
  trade despite having little interest in such work. 
  When he was old enough, he left home and traveled 
  south to Germany, where he took jobs on the 
  railroad, laying track through the ominous forests 
  and across the lowlands. It was hard work, but he 
  enjoyed being able to look back to see everything 
  that he and his team had accomplished. 
  When the Breach reopened, Holger traveled to 
  Malifaux in the hopes of earning some good money 
  in the Guild’s employment. It was said that they were 
  paying very well for skilled laborers, and Holger 
  had enough experience with railroads to earn him a 
  position in the Foundry, a subset of the Miners and 
  Steamfitters Union that handles the steady expansion 
  of Malifaux’s railway network.
  Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned for 
  Holger. Instead of having him lay rail, his rail boss 
  thought that he might have some skill at explosives 
  and made him an apprentice to their demolitionist. 
  The working conditions were less than safe, and 
  after three weeks of frequent brushes with death, 
  Holger was caught in an explosion that knocked him 
  unconscious and ended up costing him his arm. 
  The Foundry replaced it with a mechanical version, 
  but the Union expected him to pay them back for 
  the replacement. He tried, he really did, but between 
  not being used to the pneumatic limb and some 
  lingering mental trauma from the explosion, his 
  work suffered and the Union finally let him go…but 
  didn’t excuse his debt. 
  Holger’s been living in the slums for a little over 
  two months, scraping together whatever scrip he 
  can through odd jobs in order to pay off his debt. 
  He knows that he’s going to need to find some 
  Soulstone Dust before too long in order to keep his 
  limb working, because without it, he’s going to end 
  up with a heavy piece of dead weight welded to his 
  shoulder and only one working arm…and that isn’t 
  going to make it any easier to find paying work. 
  In short, Holger is desperate and in need of a lucky 
  break. Malifaux hasn’t been kind to him, but he 
  refuses to allow his worries to show on the outside; 
  his pride is one of the few things he still has left. 
  Gear: Pneumatic Limb, Volyer Revolver, 35 bullets, 
  Duster (Protected R). 
  Destiny: "After what is dead has died, your eyes 
  will be open unto the Abyss, for the gloom will deny 
  that it knows you. The shards you pass through leave 
  a bloody trail, and he will call the Bastille into the 
  break."
  Twist Deck: Ram (1, 5, 9, 13), Masks (4, 8, 12), 
  Crows (3, 7, 11), Tomes (2, 6, 10).
  Holger Stenberg
  Might
  1
  Grace
  -2
  Speed
  -1
  Resilience
  3
  Charm
  -1
  Intellect
  -1
  Cunning
  1
  Tenacity
  2
  Fated, Living, Drudge
  Defense
  3
  Walk
  4
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  1
  Willpower
  4
  Charge
  4
  Wounds
  9
  Skills: Athletics 1, Barter 1, Explosives 2, Carouse 1, 
  Evade 1, Gambling 1, Labor 2, Navigation 1, Notice 2, 
  Pistol 1, Printing 1, Pugilism 3, Scrutiny 1, Toughness 3
  Hard Day's Night (Drudge): When Holger fails a 
  Training Duel (such as Athletics, Labor, or Notice), 
  he may draw a card from his Twist Deck.
  Armor +1: When Holger suffers damage, reduce the 
  damage by 1 (to a minimum of 1 damage).
  Plain Spoken: Holger doesn't try to muddy his 
  conversation with flowering language. He gains + to 
  Social Duels made during Dramatic Time.
  (1)  Pneumatic Fist (Pugilism) 
  AV: 4  ========Rg: y1  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 2/3/4 damage. 
  R Beat Down: When damaging, you deal +1 
  damage if the target does not have Armor.
  (1)  Volyer Revolver (Pistol) 
  AV: -1  ========Rg: z10  ===== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 2/3/4 damage. Capacity 7, Reload 4. 
  
  Fated Characters
  Hector Abels
  Up until a few weeks ago, Hector was employed 
  by Geissel Metalworks, a manufacturing company 
  based in the city’s Industrial Zone. Geissel produces 
  the constructs that the Guild uses to keep the peace 
  in Malifaux, and while Hector wasn’t anything 
  approaching a prodigy, his parents had been 
  engineers, and his entire life had been spent around 
  machines of one sort or another. 
  Of course, few of his coworkers knew about his 
  nighttime activities. He worked hard in his overalls 
  during the day, but after his shift was over, he 
  changed into his best clothes and made his way 
  down into the Little Kingdom. While some might 
  have been attracted to the exotic beauties of the 
  district or its foreign culture, Hector was there for 
  one reason alone: the gambling. 
  He hadn’t heard of mahjong before coming to 
  Malifaux, but the people of the Three Kingdoms 
  played it like some people played poker, with 
  serious faces and money on the table. Quite a lot 
  of money, in fact. At first, Hector was just curious, 
  but he quickly discovered that he had a knack for it 
  and started winning. He was making more money 
  gambling each night than he was slaving away for 
  Geissel during the day, and it seemed like he might 
  be able to pull himself up into a life of true wealth 
  and privilege. 
  Then Hector’s luck turned. He started losing and 
  losing big, and in his panic he bet more and more in 
  an attempt to recoup his losses. Eventually he took 
  out a loan with some shady people…and promptly 
  lost all of it on a sure thing. Hector tried to avoid the 
  loan sharks asking about their money, but when he 
  saw the masked man waiting outside his home on his 
  way back from work, he knew that he had run out of 
  time and that the people he had borrowed money 
  from – the Ten Thunders – were looking to close 
  out his account. 
  It’s been a week since that day. Hector has been 
  hiding in the slums ever since, trying to scrape 
  up whatever scrip he can to pay back the Ten 
  Thunders, or at the very least, enough to convince 
  them that he’s more useful alive than dead. He’s 
  certain that he’s lost his job by now, but he’s 
  managed to convince himself that he can talk his 
  way back into Geissel…provided that he manages to 
  come up with enough scrip to keep the loan sharks 
  from cutting out his tongue. 
  Gear: Lockpicking Toolkit (+ to Lockpicking), 
  B&D Pocket Revolver, 20 bullets, Brass Knuckles.
  Destiny: "Once you rise from the ashes, she will 
  sicken to the blessed touch, and you will pan the 
  gutter's glitter. All of the screams will lead you home, 
  and you will drive the chariot of winter."
  Twist Deck: Tomes (1, 5, 9, 13), Rams (4, 8, 12), 
  Masks (3, 7, 11), Crows (2, 6, 10).
  Hector Abels
  Might
  -1
  Grace
  3
  Speed
  0
  Resilience
  -1
  Charm
  1
  Intellect
  0
  Cunning
  2
  Tenacity
  -1
  Fated, Living, Wastrel
  Defense
  3
  Walk
  6
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  0
  Willpower
  2
  Charge
  -
  Wounds
  4
  Skills: Artefacting 2, Bewitch 3, Engineering 1, 
  Evade 1, Gambling 2, Labor 1, Lockpicking 2, Pick 
  Pocket 3, Pistol 2, Pugilism 1, Stealth 1
  .
  Educated (Wastrel): When Hector fails an Expertise 
  Duel (such as Gambling, Lockpicking, or Pick Pocket), 
  he may draw a card from his Twist Deck.
  Better Part of Valor: When the going gets tough, 
  Hector tends to go the other way! His Charge has been 
  reduced to "-" but his Walk has increased by +2.
  (1)  Brass Knuckles (Pugilism) 
  AV: 0  ========Rg: y1  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 0/1/2 damage. You gain + to this 
  damage flip while wearing Brass Knuckles.
  (1)  B&D Pocket Revolver (Pistol) 
  AV: 5  ========Rg: z6  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 2/3/3 damage. Capacity 4, Reload 2. 
  (1)  Pick Pocket  
  AV: 3  
  C Pat Down: After succeeding, you learn whether 
  the target has any hidden weapons.
  
  Fated Characters
  Maureen Flynn
  People in the city always claim that there wasn’t 
  any way to get between Earth and Malifaux for a 
  hundred years, but Maureen knows better. She 
  was the youngest of seven children back home in 
  Ireland, but one day when she was swimming in the 
  lake, she dived down further than ever before, only 
  to surface in some place that wasn’t Ireland at all. In 
  fact, it looked like a swamp. 
  She wandered a little bit, the tears coming as 
  she tried to find her way home, but everything 
  had changed. Fat alligators eyed her from pools 
  of muddy water, mosquitoes the size of her fists 
  buzzed overhead, and it was so warm and humid. 
  Eventually, she came across a small village of strange 
  green-skinned creatures that could only have been 
  the “wee folk” that her mother had mentioned in 
  Maureen’s bedtime stories. The green creatures 
  were just as surprised to see Maureen as she was 
  to see them, but one of the green-skinned women 
  eventually adopted Maureen into her “family.” 
  It wasn’t until the Breach reopened a decade later 
  that Maureen finally saw another human. Instead of 
  welcoming her, though, they fired upon her, thinking 
  she was a shapeshifter; Gremlins weren’t too keen 
  on clothing or bathing, and Maureen hadn’t seen any 
  reason why they were wrong. She fled to the arms of 
  her adopted mother, and the old Gremlin woman 
  arranged for her “brothers” to get some “proper 
  fixins” to make Maureen look proper enough to visit 
  her own kind. 
  The dress they came back with needed a bit of 
  cleaning to get the blood out, but it fit Maureen 
  like a glove, and when she next ventured out into 
  the world beyond the Bayou, she drew stares and 
  whistles rather than bullets. Unfortunately, she didn’t 
  have any of the strange money that the “city folk” 
  used to buy things, so she was forced to find a place 
  to camp out in one of the slums. 
  People keep talking about someplace called the 
  “Star Theater” and how all sorts of pretty women get 
  up on stage each night and sing and dance around, 
  and apparently they get plenty of scrip for doing it. 
  Maureen figures that she’s pretty good with a banjo 
  (whether playing it or using it to smack gators in the 
  head), so all she needs is enough scrip to get a few 
  more dresses and maybe a bath before she marches 
  up the steps and announces her intent to join them. 
  Gear: Fancy Dress (+ to Bewitch), Sturdy Banjo, 
  Jug of Moonshine.
  Destiny: "When you are a stranger to yourself, an 
  open door will let him into the red chapel, for your 
  secrets are not yours alone. The empty mind will 
  know the lie from the judgment, and you will be 
  unmade."
  Twist Deck: Masks (1, 5, 9, 13), Rams (4, 8, 12), 
  Crows (3, 7, 11), Tomes (2, 6, 10).
  Maureen Flynn
  Might
  2
  Grace
  -2
  Speed
  0
  Resilience
  1
  Charm
  1
  Intellect
  -2
  Cunning
  2
  Tenacity
  0
  Fated, Living, Performer
  Defense
  4
  Walk
  4
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  3
  Willpower
  2
  Charge
  4
  Wounds
  6
  Skills: Bewitch 2, Carouse 1, Deceive 1, Evade 
  2, Homesteading 2, Melee 2, Music 3, Notice 3, 
  Toughness 1, Wilderness 2.
  .
  Flare for the Dramatic (Performer): When 
  Maureen fails a Social Duel (such as Bewitch or 
  Deceive), she may draw a card from her Twist Deck.
  Shove Aside: Maureen grew up alongside Gremlins 
  and knows how to barrel past them. She can move 
  through Height 1 characters without being impeded.
  (1)  Banjo Bash (Melee) 
  AV: 4  ========Rg: y1  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 1/3/4 damage. If this weapon 
  deals Severe damage, the target suffers a Weak 
  Critical Effect. 
  (1)  Banjo Music 
  AV: 4 
  R Marching Tune: After succeeding, every friendly 
  character in p8 may discard a Twist Card to gain 
  the Fast Condition.
  
  Fated Characters
  Zan Zhou
  Zan Zhou is just one of the many immigrants from 
  the Three Kingdoms who have taken refuge in 
  Malifaux following the troubles in their homeland. 
  While most of these refugees settle down in the 
  Little Kingdom district, Zan has chosen a different 
  slum for her home, where she keeps a low profile 
  and just tries to get by from day to day as best she 
  can. She doesn’t cause any trouble, and when she 
  speaks, it’s with her eyes downcast and her voice 
  barely more than a whisper. Zan Zhou just isn’t that 
  remarkable of a woman, and most people don’t give 
  her a second thought. 
  That is, of course, nothing more than a lie. 
  The real Zan Zhou grew up in Arizona, and her 
  natural accent has far more of a southern twang to it 
  than anything that might have come out of the Three 
  Kingdoms. She’s never even been there, though 
  her parents told her plenty of stories while she was 
  growing up... right up until the Guild kicked down 
  their front door and shot them both dead. 
  From what she was told afterwards in the Guild 
  orphanage, her parents had been unsanctioned 
  mages, and that made them dangerous, not just to 
  Zan, but to the entire world. Zan’s not entirely sure 
  that she believes that line – she had learned a little 
  bit about magic back when her life had been happy, 
  and it had seemed harmless enough – but it’s not 
  like disbelieving the lie changes what happened. 
  The Guild took her in and raised her, taught her 
  how to fire a gun, and gave her a job as soon as they 
  felt she was ready. She’ll never forget her parents, 
  but in a way, the Guild has become a parent, too. A 
  harsh and demanding parent, but that’s just molded 
  her into the woman she is today.
  Zan’s currently working undercover to investigate 
  some disappearances that have been happening 
  in this area. The Guild’s not sure what’s causing 
  them, but it’s raised enough of a concern for Zan 
  to get involved. In theory, she’s capable of calling 
  in backup from the Guild, but Zan’s determined 
  to solve the case without involving the Guild any 
  further; there were hints that this mission was given 
  to her to test her mettle, and she suspects that there’s 
  a promotion in it for her if she does well. 
  Gear: Two Collier Single Action Army Revolvers, 
  30 bullets, Ram-shaped Guild Pin.
  Destiny: "When the gears turn upon the story best 
  forgotten, your journey will never begin, as your 
  steed takes you into the jousts of war. Watch them 
  as they fall one by one to the ground, and the mage's 
  knee bends before your river."
  Twist Deck: Masks (1, 5, 9, 13), Rams (4, 8, 12), 
  Crows (3, 7, 11), Tomes (2, 6, 10).
  Zan Zhou
  Might
  -1
  Grace
  2
  Speed
  1
  Resilience
  -1
  Charm
  -2
  Intellect
  1
  Cunning
  0
  Tenacity
  2
  Fated, Living, Gunfighter
  Defense
  4
  Walk
  5
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  2
  Willpower
  4
  Charge
  5
  Wounds
  4
  Skills: Athletics 1, Counter-Spelling 1, Deceive 
  2, Evade 2, Martial Arts 3, Notice 1, Pistol 3, 
  Prestidigitation 1, Scrutiny 2, Stealth 2, Track 1.
  .
  Finger on the Trigger (Gunfighter): When Zan 
  fails a Ranged Combat duel during Dramatic Time, she 
  may draw a card from her Twist Deck.
  Paired Weapon (Pistols): Zan can wield two Pistol 
  weapons at the same timeto gain a + to her attack flip. 
  She only makes one attack flip using both weapons, but 
  both weapons still fire a bullet.
  (1)  Quan Fa (Martial Arts) 
  AV: 4  ========Rg: y1  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 1/3/4 damage. If this attack 
  deals Severe damage, the target suffers a Weak 
  Critical Effect.
  (1)  Collier Single Action Army Revolver (Pistol) 
  AV: 5  ========Rg: z12 ===== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 2/3/4 damage. Capacity 6, Reload 2.  
  M Ricochet: After damaging, another character 
  within 3 yards of the target suffers 1/2/4 damage. 
  This damage flip may not be cheated.
  
  Fated Characters
  Nestor Brooks
  Up until a month ago, Nestor Brooks was a 
  Steamfitter, one of the licensed spellcasters that kept 
  the Union’s constructs and pneumatic technology 
  maintained and functioning. His medical training – 
  technically just what bits he picked up from watching 
  his father tend to his village’s cows and pigs -  meant 
  that he was just qualified enough to assist with 
  the grisly task of amputating damaged limbs and 
  attaching prosthetics. It wasn’t pleasant work, but he 
  was good at it, and Nestor took pride in seeing those 
  he helped return to work after only a few days of rest 
  and adjustment. 
  He probably should have kept his mouth shut 
  when the orders came down from the top to start 
  implanting the devices into the limbs of his patients. 
  According to what he had overheard, far too many 
  people were skimping out on their debts to the 
  Union after receiving prosthetics, and to ensure that 
  they paid off their debts, the higher-ups had worked 
  out a solution: small explosive devices, implanted 
  into each prosthetic. If someone ran off or missed 
  a payment, all it took was the press of a button and 
  kaboom – no more prosthetic to worry about. 
  Needless to say, Nestor thought that the entire 
  practice was barbaric, and he made it a point of 
  speaking his mind at the meetings. Maybe he 
  was a bit too vocal, or maybe it was his refusal to 
  follow the policy, but regardless, he soon found 
  his Union membership revoked…along with his 
  Union-sponsored housing and bank account. Now 
  homeless, Nestor was dejected and hopeless, and 
  soon he found himself squatting in one of the 
  abandoned buildings of the slums. 
  He’s talked to a few of the former Union boys 
  that have come through the slums since, and none 
  of them have heard anything about the policy at 
  all. Could it be that someone was passing down 
  orders on their own and claiming that it came from 
  the top? If that’s the case, then maybe the Union 
  isn’t the villain that he thought it was; there’s just a 
  villain hiding within the Union and using it for their 
  own gains. 
  Well, Nestor knows a thing or two about cutting 
  away an infection to save the patient. The only 
  problem is, he’s in need of a shave and a bath, and 
  he needs to find a way to get to Hollow Point Station 
  to talk to the Union leaders…and all that takes 
  money he doesn't have. 
  Gear: Crumpled Notes (Grimoire), Collier Navy 
  Revolver, Expired Union Membership Card.
  Destiny: "When the accounting passes you by, the 
  cauldron-spawn will crawl to your birth, but your 
  misfortune will not be your own. Hence, the dried 
  lands are watered with the blood of sinners, and the 
  crime that you hide will destroy you."
  Twist Deck: Tomes (1, 5, 9, 13), Masks (4, 8, 12), 
  Crows (3, 7, 11), Rams (2, 6, 10).
  Nestor Brooks
  Might
  -2
  Grace
  1
  Speed
  2
  Resilience
  -1
  Charm
  -1
  Intellect
  1
  Cunning
  2
  Tenacity
  -1
  Fated, Living, Tinker
  Defense
  4
  Walk
  5
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  3
  Willpower
  3
  Charge
  6
  Wounds
  4
  Skills: Artefacting 3, Centering 1, Deceive 1, 
  Doctor 2, Engineering 1, Enchanting 3R, Explosives 1, 
  Homesteading 1, Husbandry 1, Labor 1, Notice 1, 
  Pistol 1, Sorcery 2.
  .
  Gear Head (Tinker): When Nestor fails a Magical 
  Duel (such as Enchanting or Sorcery), he may draw a 
  card from his Twist Deck.
  Specialized Skill: Nestor adds +R to his Enchanting.
  Thalarian Doctrine (Magical Theory): Nestor's 
  Sorcery, Necromancy, and Prestidigitation Skills may 
  not be higher than 3. He gains a + when casting a 
  Spell on a target with a different Magical Theory.
  Grimoire: Magia (Elemental Strike, Heal), Immuto 
  (Alter Range, Electric, Increased Damage).
  (1)  Collier Navy Revolver (Pistol) 
  AV: 2  ========Rg: z12  ===== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 2/3/4 damage. Capacity 6, Reload 2. 
  
  Fated Characters
  Sonoma Icho
  Sonoma is a member of the Miwok tribe of the 
  Sierra Nevada, though she never experienced the 
  tribal life that her mother and grandmother talked 
  about all her life. To her, they were just stories; say 
  what you want about the spirits and the ancestral 
  home of her people, she preferred running water 
  and comfortable clothing.  
  When the Spanish lord for whom her family 
  worked decided to come to Malifaux, he brought 
  Sonoma with him, reasoning that it wouldn’t hurt 
  to have a servant who was easy on the eyes. She was 
  tasked with raising his two children as he and his 
  wife integrated themselves into polite society, and 
  outwardly she accepted this duty without complaint. 
  Inwardly, however, something was…off. Sonoma 
  kept hearing voices whispering to her, sometimes 
  only a word here and there, but gradually more and 
  more as the days progressed. 
  Eventually, Sonoma realized that she was hearing the 
  spirits that her mother and grandmother had spent 
  all those years talking about. The spirits demanded 
  that she spill blood to avenge the loss of her tribe’s 
  lands, and she obliged by murdering both of her 
  charges, then ambushing their mother when she 
  returned home. Unfortunately, she had not intended 
  for the lord of the home to return quite as quickly as 
  he did, and she was forced to flee as he screamed in 
  outrage and fired his pistol at her.  
  Since that day, Sonoma has fully embraced her 
  heritage. The spirits led her into the slums, where 
  she found a twisted staff of gnarled wood. When she 
  grasped it, the entirety of the spirit world was laid 
  bare before her, allowing Sonoma her first true taste 
  of magical power. She's now operating under the 
  belief that she is the chosen of these “spirits,” though 
  they wisely council her to keep her magical power a 
  secret until she has gathered more spirits to her side. 
  Then she can return to Earth and reclaim the lands 
  of her people from the Spanish, the Americans, the 
  Guild…from anyone that has no right to them.  
  Unfortunately, train tickets back to Earth are 
  expensive and she’s broke (being the queen of the 
  spirit world doesn’t pay very well), so Sonoma will 
  have to lower herself to menial labor to get some 
  scrip. Once she can afford a ticket back to Earth, 
  she'll lay claim to her rightful place as ruler of the 
  Sierra Nevada (and, eventually, the entire world). 
  Gear: Carved Wooden Staff (Grimoire).
  Destiny: "When your death rattles at the door, 
  an empty grave will fill with melody, for the silence 
  brings inspiration at the door. Then, in the middle 
  of none, there was one, and a whisper will sunder 
  the walls."
  Twist Deck: Masks (1, 5, 9, 13), Crows (4, 8, 12), 
  Tomes (3, 7, 11), Rams (2, 6, 10).
  Sonoma Icho
  Might
  1
  Grace
  0
  Speed
  1
  Resilience
  -1
  Charm
  2
  Intellect
  -1
  Cunning
  -1
  Tenacity
  1
  Fated, Living, Tinker
  Defense
  5
  Walk
  5
  Height
  2
  Initiative
  3
  Willpower
  3
  Charge
  5
  Wounds
  4
  Skills: Evade 3, Intimidation 2, Labor 2, Melee 3, 
  Necromancy 3, Notice 2, Sorcery 2, Stitching 1.
  .
  Black Soul (Graverobber): When Sonoma fails a 
  Magical Duel (such as Necromancy), she may draw a 
  card from her Twist Deck.
  Undermine Confidence: Sonoma has crazy eyes, 
  and as a result, she gains a + on all Intimidation duels 
  she makes during Narrative Time.
  The Whisper (Magical Theory): Sonoma gains 
  a + to all Necromancy Duels or to any Spell with an 
  Undead target. However, her madness causes her to 
  suffer a - on all Intellect duels.
  Grimoire: Magia (Mind Control, Elemental Weapon), 
  Immuto (Focus Object [Staff, -2], Poison, Pulse).
  (1)  Carved Staff (Melee) 
  AV: 4  ========Rg: y2  ====== Resist: Df 
  Target suffers 2/3/4 damage. If this weapon 
  deals Severe damage, the target suffers a Weak 
  Critical Effect. 
  
  In the Gutter takes players into the Quarantine 
  Zone as they try to scrape together enough 
  money to pull themselves out of poverty.
  Of course, nothing is quite what it seems. 
  There’s more than just criminals and undead 
  lurking beyond the barricade walls...
  In the Gutter is a one shot adventure for 
  the Through the Breach roleplaying game. It 
  requires the Fated Almanac to play.
  WYRD-GAMES.NET
  © 2005-2015 Wyrd Miniatures, LLC
  wolves
  in sheep’s  
  clothing
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Through the Breach/Through the Breach - Penny Dreadful - One Shot - In the Gutter.pdf