TEXT: Roll 2D6 and Meet a Stranger
  
  2
  Günter Buckler,  
  Back-Alley Merchant
  Though there are many places to purchase supplies when visiting the city, 
  some explorers prefer to operate in the shadows and avoid the prying eyes 
  of many who spend far, far too much of their time gossiping and sharing secrets 
  that are best left unsaid. For those characters who wish to exist outside of society’s 
  watchful gaze, Günter Buckler offers access to weapons, adventuring gear, and other 
  items of commerce that may prove beneficial when exploring some dungeon or other.
  Buckler has no shop, and no inventory, but that doesn’t stop him from operating a 
  successful venture that keeps him fed and semi-safely housed in a ramshackle hut in 
  one of the city’s numerous alleyways. Those first meeting Buckler are surprised by 
  the man’s bizarre visage; a magical accident several years ago horribly disfigured and 
  transformed the man into the grotesque monster that he is today. If pressed, Buckler 
  will admit that he was once a man. He declines to speak of the incident that forever 
  changed him and, if pressed, will storm off as Buckler “refuses to deal with the rude-
  ness” of the player characters.
  When an order is placed, Buckler arranges a time and place for the delivery of the 
  requested goods. Simple, common adventuring gear will require the man 2d6 hours to 
  acquire, while weapons and armor of any sort will take 6d6 hours to seek out. There are 
  rumors that Buckler murders to find the wares that he sells. That said, none have been 
  foolish enough to ask the man for information on his manner of procuring the items 
  that he happily sells for one-half the usual price.
  At times, Buckler finds that he has more business than he can handle on his own. Per-
  haps he approaches the player characters one evening, offering to pay them each a few 
  silver if they will find an item or two for him. “I care not how you acquire the object,” 
  the man tells them, refusing to discuss the dirty deeds that may be necessary to collect 
  the goods that he is seeking. If the player characters deliver the requested items in the 
  time alloted, Buckler thanks them for their service and asks that they seek him out if 
  they are ever in need of more work.
  Buckler is wanted by the city authorities and is a known criminal.
  For as strange as he 
  looks, Günter rarely 
  attracts attention 
  because he sticks to the 
  shadows of the alleyways 
  and prefers to come out 
  only after the sun has 
  set. In the rare times 
  when called during 
  the daylight hours, he 
  refuses to step out into 
  the more-traveled streets 
  of the city. 
   
  As to the thing on his 
  back, it is best not to ask. 
  HP 9 Morale 8
  Heavy leather robes -d2
  Clawed fingers d3
  Special: 1d4 Hired Goons 
  (See p. 24.)
  Captured 20s
  Dead 2s
   
   
  We all know that he is 
  a murderer, right? 
  After all, where 
  did you think 
  he found his 
  wares?
  2D6 RESULT
  Reaction +3
  The reaction stat is used when meeting a character; see the official rules for the reaction table.
  
  3
  Snick Sneck,  
  Once-Human and Now Not
  After several dozen encounters with death – each instance of which was reversed by 
  the cruel machinations of Roland Repnik (see 2d6 result 6) – the thing now known 
  as Snick Sneck is no longer recognizable to those who knew him before his undeath. 
  More mechanical construct than living being, Snick Sneck is considered an abomina-
  tion and monster by the city officials and is forced to exist in the dark underworld. He 
  stays as far from the eyes of the common people as possible.
  Though it is illegal to employ the unthinkable abominations that scurry in the shadows 
  of the city, there are those who appreciate Snick Sneck’s brutal, murderous approach 
  to battle and happily pay the man to serve as a guard, assassin, or enforcer if only for 
  a limited time. 
  Snick Sneck has made a home for himself in the city’s sewers, erecting a makeshift 
  hiding place from refuse and scraps of discarded lumber. Though he has no need for 
  sleep, Sneck will sometimes hole up in his home and cry himself into a dazed stupor 
  for days at a time. Unfortunately for the man that still exists somewhere within the 
  monstrous shell that is now Snick Sneck, he can remember the time before the trans-
  formation and misses the companionship that was available before he was turned into 
  the monster that he is today.
  Though it is unlikely that the player characters would ever hire Snick Sneck – sure-
  ly, they are smart enough to avoid upsetting those who follow the orders of the 
  arch-priestess, yes? – they may find themselves in battle with the thing if they stumble 
  across whatever illegal activity he is involved in at the time.
  The monster is lonely and any act of kindness will shock and frighten him. It has been 
  so long since anyone has treated Snick Sneck as anything more than an instrument 
  of destruction that it is possible that he no longer knows how to respond to acts of 
  friendship. There’s only one way to find out . . .
  Captured 75s
  Dead, Organic Bits 1s
  HP 11 Morale 7
  Unnatural carapace -2d3
  Snicking Claw d8
  Dead, Mechanical Parts 25s
  His mind is so warped and abused that Snick Sneck cannot decide if 
  he is still human . . . or if he is now a terrible monster.
  Special: Inhuman Appearance (When first en-
  countered, succeed at a Presence Test DR10 or 
  curl up into a ball and cry for 2d3 rounds), doesn’t 
  eat or sleep, fast strike (attacks twice each round.)
  2D6 RESULT
  Reaction –
  
  4
  Dinko and Bruno,  
  Disciples of Skullheart
  Captured 20s
  Dead 1s
  2D6 RESULT
  HP 10 Morale 6
  Unholy Robes -d2
  Unholy Blade d6
  Special: Twins (Beneath their masks and heavy robes, Ninko 
  and Bruno are identical twins who are connected by unholy 
  power; the two share a hit point pool and are treated as a sin-
  gle entity at all times.) 2d3 Hired Goons (See p. 24.)
  Their unholy gear crumbles to dust if the two are 
  killed, leaving behind only their gaunt, pale, diseased 
  bodies and the staff. Killing one kills them both.
  Unholy Staff 50s • If killed, the staff (and their bodies) remains 
  behind. It is a profane object of unimaginable power . . . that the 
  player characters will never unlock.
  Reaction –
  These two – each clothed in heavy robes and hiding behind bizarre masks 
  – wander the streets of the city proclaiming their undying love for the dead 
  god known as Skullheart. Those who know the many, varied histories of the 
  world and its near-infinite parallel timelines say that Skullheart – in other times 
  – caused the destruction of the world. It is said that it was only his death in this partic-
  ular universe that has allowed the world to survive . . . so far.
  Dinko and Bruno, fortunately, have no true power (yet!) and are merely crazed zealots 
  who have made more enemies than they have allies. The two have swayed a few dozen 
  citizens to the cause. Dinko and Bruno have built enough of a following that their 
  meals and homes are paid for by the converted. Their goal is to amass a thousand fol-
  lowers, at which point they hope to have saved enough silver to construct a temple in 
  Skullheart’s name and dedicated to the dead god.
  What motivates these two? They found a copy of The Teachings of Zebakan Blax several 
  years ago, a guide to reviving the dead god and bringing his evil back to life. Every 
  action they take is one outlined in the book, and the two will not rest until Skullheart 
  has returned, or they are both dead.
  To date, their efforts have been laughed at by the city officials who believe that Dinko 
  and Bruno are nothing more than charlatans out to rob the stupid. Imagine the sur-
  prise on the faces of those same officials if the two are able to build that temple, which 
  will no doubt be instrumental to gaining even more followers.
  Will the player characters join the cause, or will they foresee the oncoming disaster?
  
  5
  Bernhard Kristoffersen,  
  Brutal Huntsman
  2D6 RESULT
  HP 15 Morale 8
  Arcanomechanical Suit* -d4+1
  Crossbow d8, Dagger d4
  Special: Violent Personality 
  (Bernhard is excessively 
  violent and gains +2 to 
  damage when angered.)
  Arcanomechanical Suit 65s
  Corpse, minus suit 5s
  * The suit is valuable to those who 
  tinker, craft, and make strange 
  contraptions. The city officials will 
  also pay; maybe they can 
  learn something by studying 
  the suit.
  Reaction -3
  One of those poor souls “saved” by the evil work of Roland Repnik (see 2d6 result 
  6), Bernhard is forever encased in the arcanomechanical suit that holds his shattered 
  organic bits in place. If you were to undo the straps, unfasten the bolts, and try to look 
  beneath the leather and metal shell that surrounds the man, you would soon find that 
  all that remains of a once-great huntsman is the torso and most of the head; everything 
  else is engineered and powered by infernal sorcery.
  Before his rebirth, when he was still a complete man, Bernhard was a huntsman, one of 
  the city guards. As a guard, he patrolled the forest and roads near the city and inflicted 
  pain on those criminals who dared to question the authority of the city’s officials. Ber-
  nhard led a squad of six men, and was respected by those in power. He was feared by 
  those who rely on theft and murder to survive within the city’s walls.
  Though he was a cruel man, Bernhard was a believer in the law and would do anything 
  within his power to inflict his own brand of justice – often torture followed by execu-
  tion – on anyone who broke the city’s laws. A number of rumors regarding Repnik’s 
  questionable laboratory found their way to the huntsman’s ear and when investigating 
  the stories, Bernhard was shocked to find that the rumors were true. The respected 
  priest truly was a madman experimenting on the city’s people.
  Bernhard made the mistake of thinking that none were above the city’s laws and moved 
  to arrest the priest. Unsurprisingly, Repnik was ready for the huntsman and Bernhard 
  was slaughtered by his own men; the priest’s power so great that even the city guard 
  were willing to obey him over their trusted friend and commander.
  Rather than toss what was left of Bernhard after the slaughter, Repnik used the remains 
  in an experiment that proved most successful. Bernhard’s mind was erased and he 
  was ensorcelled, bound by magic to follow Repnik’s every command. The priest’s only 
  command? Go out into the city and inflict pain on any who break the city’s laws.
  What remains of Bernhard is now a soulless monster who wanders aimlessly through 
  the city, immune from the actions of the guard (who are under orders to “not see” the 
  creature) so long as he continues killing any who he witnesses committing a crime.
  
  6
  Roland Repnik,  
  Priest and Inventor
  HP 10 Morale 10
  Layers of Blubber -d2
  Fists d2
  Special: Persuasive Speech* (If he speaks, 
  all within hearing range must succeed 
  a Presence D14 Test or fall under his 
  influence.) 2d4 Hired Goons (See p. 24.)
  *Those who fall under the spell of 
  Repnik’s calm, hypnotizing speech 
  will consider the man a friend, 
  so long as he does not ask 
  them to take action that 
  will inflict self-harm or 
  wound their friends. 
  The effect wears 
  off after 4d6 
  rounds.
  2D6 RESULT
  No reward
  Reaction -1
  Few people show their wickedness as plainly on their corporeal form as 
  Roland Repnik, the evil priest and cruel inventor who has made the city 
  his personal plaything. By taking advantage of his immense wealth and his po-
  sition as a respected priest, Repnik has been able to indulge his dark desires and 
  has a stranglehold on the city authorities than cannot be broken. Blackmail, torture, 
  and bribes (fueled by donations to the cathedral) keep the man in a position of power.
  Repnik preaches once each week at the city’s largest cathedral. He promises his follow-
  ers that evil has invaded the streets and alleys, and that it is only their donations to the 
  cause that keeps the demonic forces of hell from overwhelming the city and murder-
  ing everyone who lives within the walls. Hundreds of worshipers pack the cathedral 
  every day, though many know not exactly which god they are praying to, their trust in 
  Repnik so complete that they merely repeat his chants. These evil chants are even now 
  summoning the End of Days and ushering in the darkness that will soon consume the 
  world and bring an end to all life.
  As if Repnik’s deception in luring others to donate silver to fund his evil ways wasn’t 
  bad enough, he uses a not-insignificant portion of the ill-gotten coin to finance his ex-
  periments in body manipulation. Fusing metal, wood, leather, and inhuman matter to 
  his captured subjects through sorcery, Repnik takes those who are already broken and 
  shatters them completely, transforming them into foul beasts with almost no humanity 
  or soul remaining once the evil inventor has completed his work. Many of these ex-
  periments are discarded once the work is done, the dead being collected and eaten by 
  the city cannibals, while those who survive do their best to accept their new state and 
  continue on with what little life they still have within them.
  Unlike many of those strangers that the player characters may encounter on the streets, 
  taking action against Repnik is a suicidal course of action that is most likely to end with 
  their deaths or, at the very least, forcing them to flee the city. Repnik has so much power 
  and influence that if he fingers someone as a murderer, thief, or ne’er-do-well or any 
  sort, the city automatically issues a bounty for the capture of that unlucky miscreant.
  Still, there comes a time when evil must be confronted, regardless of the consequences.
  
  7
  Doktor Marcussen,  
  The Unexpected Healer
  HP 10 Morale 7
  Bandaged torso -d2
  Bite d2
  Special: Acidic spittle. Test 
  Agility DR12 or be splattered 
  with the spittle. Lose the next 
  turn to wiping it off or suffer 
  1 point of damage.
  No reward
  2D6 RESULT
  Reaction –
  Marcussen hung his shingle years ago, marking himself as a healer-for-hire and wel-
  coming the injured and ill into his home at any time of day. Marcussen will accept 
  anyone at any hour, though what he charges for his services will depend entirely on his 
  initial reaction* to the patient. 
  Using secretive magical healing powers and potions, Marcussen will heal 1d3+1 hit 
  points (once he is paid) or remove almost any illness after 5d12 minutes of care. Paying 
  him more than he asks will decrease the time needed for healing by 1 minute for every 
  silver handed over above his stated fee (to a minimum of five minutes).
  The doktor is fully encased in a suit of leather bandages and his faces – the man has 
  two heads, though it doesn’t seem to bother his patients – are hidden behind simi-
  lar scraps of leather and cloth. Neither face does more than blink at the patients; all 
  talking comes from the bizarre mask that the man holds in his hands. When treating a 
  patient, Marcussen sets the mask close by and even separated from the body, the mask 
  continues to handle the entirety of the conversation.
  When not encountered at his home and place of business, Marcussen is usually at one 
  of the city’s many taverns. The man has a gambling problem and is often in debt to 
  many of the loan sharks, gangsters, and swindlers who operate card and dice games 
  throughout the city. So far, it has only been his skills that has kept him from swinging 
  from a noose; Marcussen often repays his gambling debts with his healing.
  The player characters may meet Marcussen either at his home – if they are wounded 
  and in need of immediate healing – or at a tavern. The gamemaster is encouraged to 
  play up the man’s need for bribes; the more silver he is given/promised, the friendlier 
  he becomes.
  * Make a reaction roll using the official rules. Bribing the man with 
  silver before he even asks for payment will adjust the result (+1 to the 
  reaction roll for every 3s offered).
  Reaction Result: Kill! 50s, Angered 30s, Indifferent 15s,  
  Almost Friendly 8s, Helpful 2s
  
  8
  Ivana Novomedska,  
  Seller of Scrolls
  HP 8 Morale 10
  Wicker Armor -d2
  Fists d2
  Special: Mimic Scrolls. (Once every 
  other round, Ivana may duplicate and 
  use the power of any one random 
  scroll carried by one of the PCs.)
  2D6 RESULT
  Scrolls  All depends 
  on who you can sell 
  them to. She has 2d3 
  scrolls at any time. 
  No reward
  If you are in need of 
  of 
  scrolls, seek out 
  Ivana’s small hut 
  on the outskirts 
  of the city. She 
  always has 
  them for 
  sale.
  Though she may seem a little strange, there is no better 
  source of scrolls in the city than this elderly woman who 
  makes a living hunting out and purchasing arcane doc-
  uments from others. If you have scrolls to sell, she will pay 
  4d8+1 silver (adjusted upward, as the GM feels is appropriate) 
  and if you wish to purchase scrolls, she always has several in 
  her shop. If you encounter her outside of her shop, she’ll have 
  fewer scrolls on her person (see the facing page).
  Ivana is far more intelligent than many you will meet in the 
  city, possessing an understanding and awareness of the great-
  er cosmos that is almost unmatched anywhere in the known 
  world. In addition to buying and selling scrolls, Ivana also 
  sells information; it is the gamemaster’s call as to what exact 
  knowledge she possesses . . . as well as what she charges to 
  divulge that treasured knowledge with others.
  Ivana should be used as a source of 
  arcane power and information and 
  not as a punching bag.
  Reaction +1
  
  9
  Razil Notario,  
  Wretched Survivor
  HP 6 Morale 6
  Profane Armor -d3
  Staff d4, Fists d2
  Profane Armor* 40s
  Staff 5s
  Stale Bread 1s
  Captured 20s
  *Captured when 
  wearing the Pro-
  fane Armor  
  This suit of leather 
  armor is decorat-
  ed with evil, blas-
  phemous symbols. 
  Wearing the armor in 
  the city is illegal; anyone 
  caught wearing this suit 
  may be put to death by the 
  authorities.
  Special: Desperate (A PC 
  attacked by Notario must 
  re-roll any Defense test that 
  succeeds; use the second roll.)
  2D6 RESULT
  Reaction –
  Once, long ago, before the discovery, Razil Notario was like many others in the city. He 
  wished for nothing more than a safe and healthy life for himself and his family, and he 
  worked hard to put food on the table and keep the roof over his family’s heads. He was 
  successful at these simple goals . . . for a time.
  Notario made his living as a ratcatcher and sewer worker, employed by the city officials 
  to keep the sewers clear and free of vermin of all types. Though he was never properly 
  trained as a warrior, the man spent enough of his hours engaged in battle with the 
  things that frequent the sewers beneath the city that he could hold his own in a fight. 
  And no matter the stresses and dangers of the day, every night he was enveloped in the 
  warmth and love of his family in their home. Life was perfect for the man.
  Everything changed the day that Notario found the armor. It was a day like any other, a 
  day in the sewers, when he found the body of a man encased in a strange suit of armor 
  unlike any he had seen before. Most of the body was missing, consumed by the many 
  vermin, insects, and beasts that roam the sewers, and Notario thought that for as odd 
  as the suit looked, it might be useful in his work. Stripping the armor from the corpse, 
  he took it home to clean it up and try it on. That was a mistake.
  After scrubbing the flesh and blood from the suit and cleaning it, and when fastening 
  the last of the buckles and straps into place, Notario was consumed by a feeling of de-
  spair and terror unlike any he had encountered before. Something about the suit filled 
  him with dread, but before he could remove the strange armor he blacked out. When 
  the man came to, he was standing in his home with a knife in his hand and his family 
  dead at the hands of the suit. At his hands. Whatever evil possessed him was there to 
  stay, sealing him within the suit and controlling his even desire.
  Over time, Notario learned to control the suit’s power over him, stealing precious mo-
  ments of clarity from an otherwise clouded life. For a few hours every day, Notario is 
  in command of his body and tries to remove the suit, sometimes going so far as trying 
  to hack off his own limbs. For the rest of the time, though, the suit controls him and 
  orders him to murder others. He dwells in the sewers now, a wanted criminal who no 
  longer wishes to live.
  
  10 Tapio Eskola,  
  Reconstructed Warrior
  2D6 RESULT
  HP 16 Morale –
  Reconstructed Body -d8
  Hammer d8, Fists d4
  Special: Trample (If there is more than 
  10’ between Tapio and an opponent, 
  the warrior charges which is at DR10 
  and d12 damage)
  Reconstructed 
  Body* 65s
  Captured 10s
  Reaction -2
  His life as he exists today started eleven months ago, when the violence of 
  war shattered his body and left him bleeding on the battlefield with no hope 
  of surviving through the cold night. At least, if he had been lucky, Tapio would 
  have been dead before the dawn.
  Men in the employ of Roland Repnik (see 2d6 result 6) scoured the battlefield, search-
  ing for both equipment that they could resell and corpses that Repnik could use in his 
  infernal workshop. When they came across the lifeless, still form of Tapio, the scaven-
  gers thought they had struck gold; though the legs were nowhere to be seen, the man’s 
  overly-muscled torso and arms were in perfect condition. Repnik would be certain to 
  pay a handsome bonus for such a fine specimen.  When Tapio coughed, the servants of 
  evil dropped everything and rushed the dying man to their employer.
  Repnik constructed Tapio a new body, forever binding the man’s remaining organic 
  bits to an infernal-fired suit that sucked arcane power direct from the hells themselves. 
  Weeks were spent cutting, stitching, hammering, and experimenting with Tapio’s body 
  and the suit. Throughout it all, the warrior was kept alive through healing potions and 
  scrolls, despite how many times he begged Repnik to end his life and free him from the 
  constant agony of the procedure.
  Although the dark priest usually dumped his experiments on the streets once he was 
  finished entertaining himself, something about Tapio made the soulless priest wish 
  to own Tapio as a bodyguard and slave. Unfortunately for Repnik, Tapio’s anger and 
  desire for freedom proved too strong for the priest’s magic; ultimately, the warrior 
  escaped from Repnik’s foul laboratory and returned to society where he was shunned 
  by most. It was only Repnik’s cruelty that allowed Tapio to remain “free,” the priest has 
  issued orders to his followers and the city to leave the warrior alone.
  Now, Tapio works as a guard and enforcer, selling his skills and warhammer to those 
  who will pay his fee. Tapio knows that Repnik is watching him, and it is only a matter 
  of time until the warrior grows comfortable enough in his new body to seek out the 
  priest and exact vengeance for the way in which that evil man mistreated Tapio and 
  prevented the warrior from ascending to the heavens. 
  
  11
  Millan Cales,  
  The Faceless Sorcerer
  2D6 RESULT
  HP 11 Morale 9
  Mystic Armor* -d3
  Magick Bolts** d4
  Special: 
  Sorcerer (In 
  addition to 
  his mystic 
  armor and 
  magick 
  bolts, 
  Millan also 
  has 1d3+1 
  scrolls and 
  may use 
  Powers 4 
  times every 
  day)
  * This is a magical aura that 
  is always active and cannot be 
  removed.
  ** These appear as blue darts 
  of energy that spring from his 
  outstretched hands.
  Reaction –
  Wearing tattered robes and a blood-stained cloak, Millan Cales looks like your 
  run-of-the-mill wizard and is surprisingly difficult to describe in any detail. The 
  man has a near-featureless, bland face that is indescribable because of the magic 
  spell that obscures and distorts his true face. The spell is endless and cannot be 
  dispelled, meaning that none – even Cales at this point – know what the man re-
  ally looks like. A powerful asset for someone who is willing to commit crimes as 
  heinous and terrible as murder if it gets them one step closer to their goals. (And 
  yes, Cales is willing to kill to get what he wants.)
  Cales lives beneath one of the many guard towers that ring the city center, using 
  the space that was hollowed out to house supplies for the guardsmen as his home. 
  He rightfully purchased the one-room cellar space a few years ago and is quick 
  with his official deed whenever anyone tries to call him squatter. The tower is still 
  in use, with 1d3+1 guards atop the battlements most days and nights.
  Though Cales spends many of his nights stalking the city in search of victims – 
  the man must consume the blood of an innocent once every few days to sustain 
  his magical powers – he isn’t seen as a criminal and murderer because he hides his 
  actions so very well. At times, Cales lures an unsuspecting stranger to his home, 
  pointing out that city guards are well within hearing and that there is no risk of 
  joining him for a drink and a pleasant evening of conversation. Of course, those 
  same strangers do not leave the man’s home alive.
  In addition to his unquenchable thirst for blood, Cales also requires a steady sup-
  ply of bat wings, insect heads, ground bone, and other material components that 
  he uses in his magical study. Rather than hunt out the supplies himself, Cales will 
  sometimes approach adventurers at a tavern or inn and make them an offer of 
  silver in exchange for whichever item or two he needs at the time. For this reason, 
  some within the city see the man as a benefactor and source of revenue. Perhaps 
  the player characters will be fortunate enough to make the man’s acquaintance?
  Still Warm Corpse 100s • Though he is not wanted by the au-
  thorities, there are many practitioners of the magical arts who 
  would gladly pay for his corpse so that they could study it.
  
  12 Ivan Ravelo,  
  Alien Scavenger
  2D6 RESULT
  Reaction +4
  HP 8 Morale 6
  No armor
  Pointy stick d3
  Special:  Insectoid Mount 
  (the odd creature is bound 
  by psychic power and will 
  obey every command and 
  give its life to protect Rav-
  elo. It is HP 20, Morale –, 
  Carapace -d8, and Skew-
  ering Limbs d6.) 
  Beneath the wide-brimmed hat and behind the bizarre series of tubes that 
  mask his face, Ivan Ravelo is a stranger unlike any other on this world. A 
  citizen of the city for several decades now, Ravelo was born under a different 
  star on a world somewhere beyond the universe. Though he is unwilling to speak 
  of his past, and does all that he can to keep his true self hidden from others, Ravelo is 
  a known and respected member of the community who spends his days seeking out 
  scraps, garbage, and junk that may be recycled and used again.
  Ravelo’s mask is a mystic artifact that is all that remains of the possessions he carried 
  through the interstellar portal many decades ago. The mask is connected to an object 
  that keeps him alive; the alien cannot breathe the air of this world and the artifact con-
  stantly reworks the oxygen around him and transforms it into a thick, heavy substance 
  that sustains his life. If someone else were to try and breathe this arcane mixture, they 
  would likely die; it is a poisonous cloud that inflicts 4d4 damage if it is inhaled.
  The alien owns a hovel a few miles outside of the city that has, as he has collected 
  junk, become something of a scrapyard and shop. Ravelo goes into the city almost 
  every day of the week to find what he can to take back to his home where he repairs 
  objects, constructs new items, and makes what living he can scrape together from the 
  accumulated trash of others.
  If the player characters need something, or need an item repaired, they can visit Rav-
  elo’s scrapyard and pay the alien for his services . . . or trade, which Ravelo is always 
  hoping for since he enjoys bartering with others. He charges roughly 2s per hour for 
  his work and most simple tasks require d3 hours to complete. The gamemaster will 
  determine the time required for more complicated repair and construction projects.
  Ravelo is friendly and generous, almost always ready to help someone in need. So long 
  as he is treated with equal kindness and openness, he will do his best to help anyone 
  regardless of their appearance, affiliation, or past. Ravelo’s only constant companion is 
  his insectoid mount, Xxallbach, a long-lived creature from another realm that Ravelo 
  has kept alive over the years with his tinkering skills. Xxallbach is more machine than 
  insect and is connected to Ravelo by a psychic bond that cannot be broken.
  No reward
  
  page twenty-four
  page twenty-five
  , 1 ,  
  Stefan Tataru. HP 7     Morale 5  • Tattered Cloak -d2 • Knife d4 
  Special: Cowardly. At the start of each round, compare the number of char-
  acters on Stefan’s side to the number of opponents. If Stefan’s side has fewer 
  combatants, there is a 1 in 4 chance that the man tries to runs away from 
  the fight this round. (And every round after until he is dead or escapes, 
  there is a 1 in 4 chance that he stops running and returns to the fight. When 
  running, he does not attack.)
  A young lad of only thirteen, Stefan once had dreams of living his life as a 
  strong, respected knight and champion of the people. Those foolish dreams were 
  shattered by life on the street and now he only wishes to earn enough silver to 
  survive. Perhaps he will find bravery . . . if he lives. 
  , 2 ,  
  Magdaléna Boháčová. HP 8     Morale 5  • No Armor • Sharpened nails d3 
  Special: Cruel Heart. Magdaléna is particularly bloodthirsty and destruc-
  tive, not one to shy away from a fight. Any attacks she makes after her 
  opponent has been wounded, Magdaléna’s vicious assault turns even more 
  violent as the sight of blood empowers her. Increase damage to d4+1.
  Though she may look gentle and lady-like, dressed in a fine gown as she is and 
  with her hair kept neat and face hidden behind a sheer veil, Magdaléna is far 
  more a cold-blooded killer than she is a social butterfly. She will fight to the 
  death if her employer does not call her off.    
  roll 1d8
  and then ignore the 
  die roll and select the 
  goon you want to use.
  To generate a random crowd, roll 1d3 
  times on pp. 2 to 23, 1d4 times on this 
  particular table, and another 1d4 times on 
  pp. 28 to 31. If you roll a duplicate result on 
  any table, there are two of that particular 
  character in the crowd. Which one is the 
  doppelganger?
  
  page twenty-six
  page twenty-seven
  , 3 ,  
  Sis Ermengol. HP 9     Morale 8  • Scale Armor -d4 • Sword d6 
  Special: Overwhelming Greed. Sis is so desperate for silver that she has no 
  true allegiance to anyone. If she is offered coins – even during a fight – there 
  is a 2 in 4 chance that she will accept the proffered silver. It takes a percep-
  tive character to detect this weakness; a successful DR16 Presence test does 
  the job. 
  Sis is rather plain looking, if a little on the heavy side. She is unafraid of con-
  frontation and has years of experience as a fighter. Her reputation as a turn-
  coat and silver-seeker precedes her; she is having tougher times finding work.
  , 7 ,  
  Berez Akam. HP 10     Morale 8  • Leather Armor -d2 • Spiked Club d6 
  Special: Hungry for Flesh. During a brutal winter, Berez was forced to strip 
  the flesh from a dead friend and consume it in order to survive. He found 
  he has a taste for long pig, and there is a 1 in 6 chance that when anyone is 
  killed in battle that he will turn from the fight and start harvesting the meat 
  from the felled combatant.
  Berez is a dirty, disgusting man who rarely bathes. He has no friends, and 
  those who are forced to work with him will abandon him if things go wrong 
  during a fight.
  , 5 ,  
  Arnold Jespersen. HP 11     Morale 6  • Chainmail Armor -d4 • Sword d6 
  Special: Calculating Leader. Any characters with Jespersen benefit from his 
  leadership skills. The man’s ability to direct combatants makes them more 
  effective; increase the damage of all characters working with him by +1. 
  Jespersen started out when he was very young, working with the older gangs in 
  the city and spending most of his formative years murdering and stealing. He is 
  known and respected throughout the city’s criminal underworld and is wanted 
  by city officials. Unlike other hired goons and thugs, there’s a reward for cap-
  turing (15s) or killing (5s) the man.
  , 6 ,  
  Samuel Paasio. HP 8     Morale 6  • No Armor • Sword d6 
  Special: Spell-Touched. Several years ago, Paasio was the servant of a vile 
  wizard who mistreated the man. The wizard would cast spell after spell on 
  Paasio, using him for all manner of cruel magical experiments. There is a 1 
  in 10 chance that any scroll that comes within 5’ of the man will be forever 
  erased (check once for each scroll in any battle). The magic is absorbed into 
  Paasio who heals 1 point whenever this happens. 
  Paasio is aware of his spell-touched power and has learned to turn it to his 
  advantage. He rushes any casters and engages them in hand-to-hand combat.  
  , 4 ,  
  Lodosis Abarca. HP 12     Morale 6  • Padded Armor -d2 • Flail d8 
  Special: Intimidating.  Abarca is a tall, thick man. Those who face him in 
  combat must make a successful DR12 Presence test or suffer a -2 penalty on 
  all attack rolls during the fight.
  He may be big and tough, but he is slow and dumb. Abarca is easily tricked 
  and can be manipulated by many who recognize his lack of intelligence. 
  , 8 ,  
  Adam Slavik. HP 10     Morale 5  • Burlap Sack -d2-1 (yes, you read that 
  right, it’s -d2-1) • Left arm of a zombie d3 
  Special: Toxic Aura. Adam gives off an evil aura that animals can automat-
  ically sense if they get within 10’ of the man. All others must make a suc-
  cessful DR14 Presence test to detect this disturbing aura. Each round that 
  someone stands within 10’ of Adam, there is a 1 in 4 chance that the aura 
  inflicts 1 point of damage and sickens the victim for 2d3 hours. 
  Adam was once an adventurer, a hero who raided the tombs and dungeons of 
  the land in search of treasures. He opened the wrong chest, though, and was 
  forever cursed. As soon as his companions figured out that sickness and pain 
  followed Adam, he was banished from the party. He never works with others.
  
  Not everyone you meet in the city is special. Roll 
  2d6 when you are looking for an encounter with 
  someone who might be more mundane (and far less 
  interesting) than the strangers who are described 
  earlier in this unusual booklet. 
  , 2 ,  
  Niene Meier. She’s quite old, very 
  wrinkled, and spends her early 
  mornings baking meat pies that 
  she sells on the city streets shortly 
  after the sun rises. A single pie 
  costs 1s and there are no choic-
  es; whatever pies she made that 
  morning are the pies that she 
  sells. There’s a 1 in 4 chance every 
  day that the pies are stuffed with 
  rat meat. Anyone eating a rat pie 
  must make a successful DR12 
  Toughness test or lose 1 hit point 
  as the foul meat tears at their guts 
  and sickens them for 2d4 hours. 
  , 3 ,
  Artijs Veiss. He walks with a 
  limp, wears a stovepipe hat, and 
  makes a living as an information 
  broker. Veiss will listen to anyone 
  and then decide whether or not 
  the knowledge that they share is 
  worth paying for. He pays 1d4s to 
  roughly half of those who bring 
  him information (rarely paying 
  what the information is actu-
  ally worth). Pay Veiss 5s and he 
  will share a rumor with you (see 
  Rumors, at right). If you choose 
  to sell the man information, make 
  a successful DR12 Presence test to 
  earn a payout of 1d4s. If the test 
  scores a Crit, Veiss pays 2d4s for 
  the information.
  roll 2d6
  harmless wanderers
  1. The smoke on the horizon is from the 
  campfires of a goblin tribe that is pass-
  ing near the city. The city officials are 
  paying a 2s bounty on goblin ears (left 
  ear) for so long as the smoke is visible.
  2. The Tousled Cat is one of several 
  taverns in the city where you can find 
  cheap beer. Unfortunately, it is also one 
  of several taverns in the city where the 
  beer may be befouled and cause you to 
  fall ill.
  3. A body was fished out of the central 
  well yesterday. Whatever you do, boil 
  any water before you drink or bathe in 
  it; you can never tell what diseases may 
  be lurking in that tainted well.
  4. Ivana the Scrollseller is paying 15s 
  for any scrolls. The murderers and thugs 
  in the city are keeping watch for easy 
  marks to kill and rob for their scrolls. 
  Watch yourselves.
  5. Ratmen have infiltrated the city and 
  are scurrying about the sewers as we 
  speak. The city guard is paying 15s for 
  every ratman corpse that is brought to 
  them before dawn tomorrow. What are 
  you waiting for? Get out there and earn 
  some silver, fools!
  6. Don’t eat the butterflies that flit 
  about the Sacred Park of Priede. They 
  have been cursed by the Sun itself and 
  any who swallow even a single one 
  of those protected butterflies will die 
  before the sun sets another day.
  rumors
   
         roll 1d6
  29
  28
  Are the rumors true or false? How would I know? You’re the GM, you decide.
  As with the other strangers detailed within this slim 
  booklet, those characters that follow are yours to use as 
  you see fit. Change the names. Change the descriptions. 
  Change anything that you wish! Surely, your own 
  imagination is far more twisted than mine, yes?
  
  , 4 ,
  Velkan Gusa. Taller than many, 
  towering a full head over most in 
  the crowd, Gusa has a difficult time 
  blending in no matter where he is. 
  Gusa is a scrap merchant, specializing 
  in cast-off goods. He pulls a small cart 
  loaded with junk and there’s a 1 in 
  8 chance that he’ll have what you’re 
  looking for at prices competitive with 
  other merchants in the city. Gusa is 
  an enemy of Günter Buckler and is try-
  ing to have the merchant killed. Gusa 
  will pay 25s to anyone who murders 
  Buckler before sunset. 
  , 5 ,
  Jasmina Antonova. Late every 
  night, Jasmina seeks out the drunks 
  in the city and picks their pockets. 
  Every morning, she peddles the 
  stolen goods, discretely unloading 
  everything to make enough silver to 
  survive another day. What does she 
  have to sell? Roll 1d6: 1. A random 
  scroll (23s), a small sack of tasty bugs 
  (2s), a torch (1s), and a 10’ length of 
  chain (5s). 2. A turnip (1s), lantern oil 
  (2s), a fine wooden carving of a demon 
  (10s), and a human hand (3s). 3. Six 
  nails (1s), a half-bottle of cheap wine 
  (3s), a small holy book with missing 
  pages (5s), and a dagger (6s). 4. A 
  single hoop earring (2s), a stale biscuit 
  (1s), and a raggedy blanket (2s). 5. A 
  lantern (4s), a random scroll (30s), and 
  a necklace of human teeth (3s). 6. A 
  small sack of salt (1s), a rambling and 
  incoherent treatise on the city sewers 
  (1s), and a rusted sword that will break 
  if it is used in battle (3s).  
  , 6 ,
  Daran Cewher. Once, he was a 
  warrior and champion, noble and 
  proud. That is, until the day that he 
  was beaten by the evil spirits and his 
  sanity forever torn from his soul. 
  When encountered, make a successful 
  DR14 Presence test or be overcome by 
  the madness aura that envelopes him. 
  On a failed test, you gibber and drool 
  for 3d6 minutes before returning to 
  your senses.
  , 7 ,
  Thegan Ledger. Using an infernal 
  machine that was found in the deep-
  est level of an unspoken dungeon, 
  Ledger speaks his nightmares into 
  one end of the machine and the other 
  spits out copy after copy of parchment 
  pamphlets that allow him to spread 
  his nightmares across the city. Anyone 
  reading one of these works must make 
  a successful DR10 Presence test or be 
  overcome by an unnatural fear for 2d3 
  hours. (During which time, the afflicted 
  soul suffers a -2 penalty on all tests.)
  , 8 ,
  Grgur Pap. A skilled marionettist 
  who carves his foul puppets from 
  sewage-soaked tree limbs that he 
  fishes out of the city sewers. Pap puts 
  on shows once each day and often 
  attracts an audience of 5d6, many of 
  whom toss coins as payment for the 
  entertainment. Watching one of his 
  gruesome, violent puppet shows can be 
  quite unsettling. Those who sit through 
  an entire showing find they have no 
  appetite for 1d4+1 hours. 
  30
  31
  , 9 ,
  Sigurd Schmidt. Although few 
  would ever guess by looking at 
  him – Sigurd dresses in a fine suit 
  and presents himself as a gentle-
  man – this cannibal . . . well, I feel 
  as if that one word tells the story. 
  Each time that he is encountered, 
  there is a 1 in 8 chance that Sigurd is 
  unable to resist his urge and becomes 
  fixated on a random player charac-
  ter. There’s just something about the 
  character that looks so very appe-
  tizing that Sigurd follows the PC, 
  waiting for the perfect time to strike  
  . . . and feast.
  , 10 ,
  Andreas Michaliou. His pawn 
  shop burned down a few weeks ago, 
  leaving Andreas homeless and un-
  sure of what to do next with his life. 
  Everything he had was wrapped 
  up in his business, and the fire that 
  consumed the building and the 
  many goods within took not only 
  his belongings and home, but also 
  his sense of motivation. Andreas 
  now wanders the city streets, beg-
  ging for scraps of food and trying 
  to shake off the general malaise 
  that has settled into his very bones. 
  When encountered on the street, 
  Andreas asks the player characters 
  for any food or silver that they can 
  spare. If they show him any kindness 
  at all, there’s a 1 in 4 chance it snaps 
  him out of his funk and reminds him 
  that there are good people in this 
  world. He will not forget the PCs’ 
  generous act.
  , 11 ,
  Bakos Gabor. His eyes bandaged 
  with strips of heavy burlap, Gabor 
  is surprisingly confident in his walk 
  for one who is unable to see. The 
  man carries a satchel of flowers and 
  offers them to anyone he encoun-
  ters, asking for only a single silver 
  in exchange for the flower that is 
  – to be entirely honest – remark-
  ably fresh and beautiful. If a player 
  character purchases one of Gabor’s 
  flowers, that character gains a +1 
  bonus to all tests for 2d4 hours after 
  which point the flower crumbles and 
  turns to dust. If the man is followed, 
  the player characters will eventually 
  catch Gabor in the act of picking 
  dying flowers from the skull of a 
  decrepit old woman who sleeps in 
  an alley behind a butcher’s market. 
  Somehow, the woman’s “hair” is 
  nothing but flowers of numerous 
  colors. Gabor’s touch brings life to 
  the flowers that he picks, revitaliz-
  ing them in seconds.
  , 12 ,
  Jasna Kristo. In her crumbling, col-
  lapsing cottage on the city’s edge, 
  Jasna spends her nights crafting 
  rag dolls from scraps of fabric that 
  she finds in the city’s trash heaps. 
  She then gives the dolls to children 
  during the day. Those who sleep 
  with one of Jasna’s rag dolls must 
  make a successful DR12 Presence test 
  each morning when they wake. On a 
  failed test, the night was sleepless and 
  the character suffers a -2 penalty on 
  all tests until sunset.
  
  32
  1d8 places in the city
  , 1 ,  
  Harbold’s Raceway. This large, open air arena sits as far from the center of 
  the city as possible. Nestled up against the shore, the wooden and stone walls 
  of the Raceway are in a state of disrepair, crumbling and collapsing. Decades 
  ago, the complex was a training post and barracks for the city watch, but 
  now it is under the control of Reginald Harbold who runs races daily. If the 
  PCs visit the Raceway, it will either be to bet on the races or seek employment; 
  many wealthy citizens spend time here drinking and gambling. Perhaps one of 
  the player characters is a skilled jockey out to earn a few silver riding in one of 
  the races? The arena will allow almost anything to participate in the races, as 
  demonstrated by Uudo Kuusk’s current mount (see facing page).
  , 2 ,  
  The Twisted Tower of Vikor Snrubsake. This tall, thin structure stretches 
  twelve stories into the sky and is constructed of stone, timber, and held to-
  gether with arcane mortar and enchanted ropes. The tower is far too tall to 
  stand naturally, and those wizards and mages who visit the place report a 
  sense of unease as the sorcery that holds the tower together fills the air with a 
  constant aura of dread. Any PCs who possess magic powers staying in the tower 
  will have a 1 in 3 chance of being so distracted by the place that they simply 
  cannot sleep when within the tower’s walls.
  , 3 ,  
  Yesterday’s Lost Wares. If there is a single owner of this odd shop, none in 
  the city know their name. Attended by wooden golems, each only a few feet 
  tall, shoppers at Yesterday’s Lost Wares are followed closely the instant they 
  entire the two-story pawn shop. Everything in Yesterday’s Lost Wares is used, 
  sometimes stolen, and the nameless golems are quite pushy when it comes to 
  making deals.  Most items are available for sale in the shop, often at extremely 
  low prices, and the golems are as likely to buy the PCs’ gear as they are to sell 
  them something. Anything purchased at Yesterday’s Lost Wares has a 1 in 6 
  chance of breaking every time that it is used.
  When walking the streets of the city, you never know what will 
  be around the next corner or down the nearest alley.
  You never know what you’ll find on the track 
  at Harbold’s Raceway. One of the stranger 
  mounts, pictured, is Uudo Kuusk’s six-legged 
  biomechanical undead creature built by 
  Roland Repnik (see 2d6 result 6). 
  Though it may look bizarre, 
  the thing is faster 
  than you 
  think.
  Uudo Kuusk is one of the 
  track’s celebrities, with 
  dozens of wins under his 
  belt. He’s a favorite with 
  Raceway regulars and not 
  to be underestimated.
  
  34
  35
  , 4 ,  
  The Clinic of Diko Maras. Once a laundry, this medical clinic in the docks 
  district is the property of Doctor Diko Maras, a man who is as unsuited to 
  the life of a healer as anyone in the history of medicine. Maras is a fraud, with 
  no professional experience in the field of medicine. The plague mask that he 
  wears was found several years ago and while wearing it, those in the city as-
  sumed he was a doctor. Sensing an opportunity, Maras borrowed coin to buy 
  the clinic and now spends his days “treating” those foolish enough to visit the 
  trickster. Anyone who asks Maras for aid will be charged 2d3 silver and has a 
  50/50  chance of actually getting sicker after the visit. Those doctors and healers 
  who have met the man try to warn others that he is a charlatan, but Maras’ low 
  cost medical treatment keeps the man in business.
  , 5 ,  
  The Statue of the Defeated Dragon. Near the main gates of the city stands 
  this life-size and realistic dragon statue that, in bad light, can easily frighten 
  those who mistake it for a real dragon. Created by the artist Szilveszter sev-
  eral decades ago, the statue was commissioned by a past official who thought 
  that the people needed some art in their lives. Many considered it a waste of 
  city funds and they cornered and murdered both the artist and the official 
  responsible for the statue’s creation. These days, the statue is used as a meeting 
  point for thieves: “Bring the goods to the shadow of the dragon at dawn.”
  , 6 ,  
  Gordana Suleska Book Bindery. Catering to the wealthier citizens of the 
  city, the Lady Suleska runs this sweatshop with her son, Borko Suleska. The 
  single-story old home on the outskirts of the city sits atop a deep cellar where 
  Suleska’s hirelings – mostly children – toil away printing and binding books. 
  The shop possesses a mechanical press, no doubt stolen from another di-
  mension, and Suleska keeps it running almost constantly. A PC wizard or 
  scholar in search of a blank journal may be directed to Suleska’s Book Bindery, 
  where the party will find all sorts of books, from hand-crafted masterpieces to 
  mass-produced chap books and cheaply-made political tracts. Since many in 
  the city are incapable of reading, the majority of the books on offer are packed 
  with illustrations and very little text.
  , 7 ,  
  Nechrubel’s Observatory. This large sailing ship has been moored in the city 
  harbor for several years now, docked for so long that the network of gang-
  planks and netting crossing from ship to shore makes the ship effectively a 
  permanent addition to the pier. The ship’s owner, Marco Gerstner, has been 
  reluctant to return to sea since his last voyage (he lost his leg in an encounter 
  with a serpent). These days, instead of transporting cargo and passengers, 
  the man uses the ship as a makeshift school where he teaches the ways of 
  sailors. The party may come into contact with Gerstner in one of the taverns 
  of the docks district. Still calling himself Captain Marco Gerstner, his frequent 
  visits to the taverns are as much about drinking as they are seeking “students” 
  for his failing school. Gerstner is running low on coin and it is only a matter of 
  time before he cannot pay his dock fees and is forced to return to the open water.
  , 8 ,  
  Nina Korsch’s Bread Cart. Korsch can be seen most days pulling her small, 
  two-wheeled cart down the city’s busier streets, looking to sell her hard bread 
  and biscuits to anyone with an appetite for bland, near-tasteless food. Many 
  in the city who have tried her breads are unsure of how the woman can stay in 
  business – her baked goods truly are nasty – but they soon shake their heads 
  in wonder and return to their personal business as the woman continues her 
  daily trek through the city. For those in the know, it isn’t Korsch’s bread that 
  they are looking for each day. The woman is a dealer in illicit drugs, selling 
  mood-altering mushrooms and spices to those who are addicted to her wares. 
  Some on the city watch are well aware of her true activity; she pays them hand-
  somely for their silence and, at times, protection from potential competitors.
  One of Doktor Marcussen’s 
  competitors (see 2d6 result 
  7), Doctor Diko Maras is a 
  hypochondriac who takes 
  every precaution against 
  catching whatever illness 
  is most on his mind that 
  day. The man never 
  leaves the safety of his 
  rented room in anything 
  less than the a full mask, 
  heavy cloves, and an even 
  heavier coat. The doctor 
  is as likely to burn his 
  clothing as he is to clean it. 
  He is a fraud.
  
  Strange Citizens of the City is an independent production by Philip Reed and is not 
  affiliated with Ockult Örtmästare Games or Stockholm Kartell. It is published under 
  the MÖRK BORG Third Party License.
  MÖRK BORG is copyright Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell.
  Strange Citizens of the City is copyright © 2020 by Philip Reed. 
   The wonderful artwork used in this book is © Barandash Karandashich,  
  under license from Shutterstock.com
  Within the pages of this slim, 
  blasphemous pamphlet you 
  will find 2d6 strangers who 
  reside in the city.  
  Whether they are friends or 
  foes remains to be seen.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/MÖRK BORG/Mork Borg - Strange Citizens Spreads.pdf