From: bkropp@peat.Mines.Colorado.EDU (Bryan Kropp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: AN adventure for RIFTS
Keywords: Artifact
Date: 12 Aug 92 23:49:17 GMT
Organization: Colorado School of Mines

The following (relatively long text) is an adventure for the RIFTS rpg
that I wrote about a year ago.

Feel free to download it and print it or distribute copies to friends.

Please e-mail me and tell me what you think of it.
Enjoy...

==========================================================================
Artifact No. 1    A RIFTS adventure scenario by Bryan Kropp
==========================================================================


  The initial encounter for this adventure should take place in either a
small village in the wilderness or one at the outskirts of a town or the
burbs.  Nearly anywhere in North America will do, but the northern part
of the Old American Empire near Minnesota is preferable.  A village near
Tolkeen would work well.

A Resting Place and an Offer

  After a good deal of time spent in the woods dealing with the rigors of
the wild, the adventurers should be relieved to find a small village where
travelers are welcome and in which they can put their feet up and recover. 
Through casual conversation and business dealings (finding a place to stay
for the night), it will become evident that the inhabitants of this tiny
community are unusually open minded and cooperative.  Nearly everyone will
treat the player characters with respect and deal with them on even terms. 
In the savage and unfriendly world of Rifts, such a community should be
a welcome reprieve.
  At some point the party should notice a large sign posted on a tree that
reads, "Hale and hearty explorers wanted to recover valuable artifact. 
Compensation negotiable.  Contact Hans Ledderman."
  Asking around will reveal that Hans operates out of the back room of a
local general store, which is in fact, the only store in the area and
handles most transactions of goods and services (very little in the way
of high tech, if at all).  A plump, jovial storekeeper will greet the
characters and ask how he may be of service.  If asked about Hans, he will
disappear and return with Hans in a few minutes.  After inquiring about
the nature of their business, Hans will escort them to a room in the back
of the store behind the stockroom.
  This room is the comfortably furnished, yet modest office and living
quarters of Hans Ledderman.  There is a bookshelf by one wall packed with
several old volumes and a few new texts.  Gaudy artwork covers the walls
and there are a few (possibly Pre-Rifts) trinkets cluttering the office. 
Hans gestures to a few soft leather covered chairs in one corner of the
room and offers the group a cup of tea.
  There is a suit of Glitter Boy Power Armor on a raised platform near the
chairs.  If anyone admires or examines the armor closely, it will place
its hand gently on their shoulder.  Otherwise it will simply stand by and
observe and make no move to reveal that there is anyone in the suit.  If
it becomes an issue, Hans will explain that Jackson, the man in the armor,
is the protector of the small village.  He will assure the adventurers
that they are in no danger and that it is a common practice to have the
Glitter Boy stand by in meetings with strangers (people who might wish to
bring harm to the peaceful community).  Hans summoned Jackson when the
storekeeper informed him that he had visitors.  Hence the short delay
before Hans came out.  There is a padded secret entrance specifically made
so that the Glitter Boy can enter and take his place quickly and quietly.
  Once everyone is seated, Hans will explain that he has been looking for
someone to search for and find his old friend and fellow scholar,
Archibald Gerbaldi.  The last he heard from Archibald, the old man was
fleeing into the northern parts of Minnesota.  He was apparently being
pursued by Coalition troops because of possession of some consequential
Pre-Rifts artifact.  He believed that the Coalition would not follow him
far into Xiticix territory and chose his course based on that.  Hans
thinks that the artifact was something that his friend had been searching
for nearly all his life and must be of very great significance.
  Hans fears for his friend's health and will explain with great alacrity
that he is in need of someone to find his friend and his artifact, and
return them safely to the village.  There is genuine concern in his voice
and lamentation as he explains that neither he nor the Glitter Boy can
afford to leave the village unguarded at the present time to search for
his life long comrade.
  Hans will plead for their help and ask what they require in return for
such services.  Game Masters note that Hans is wealthier than he may
appear and can offer the characters a variety of valuables in return for
their aid.  This may be in the form of some of his own prized Pre-Rifts
artifacts or books if the characters would value them.  It could be
straight out cash or a battered robot.  (In the play test, the characters
were offered a slightly damaged     NG-M56 Multi-bot that was missing its
missiles and some of its armor.)  In short, offer something that your
characters will consider valuable (or need badly) enough to compensate for
the risks of the job.  However, do not offer something such as a fully
armed, brand new robot.  There is a limit to the wealth and equipment Hans
has available.  Remember that some characters will be compelled by
alignment or compassion to help this man.
  Once an agreement is reached, Hans will provide the characters with a
map of Minnesota showing the area Archibald was headed for and the path
he was following.  This is all he has to go on, but it is accurate based
on what Archibald told Hans.  (GMs may make up a map if they so desire. 
The outlined path need only head from southern Minnesota to northern
Xiticix territory.)  He will also advise them that the highest probability
of success lies with a small group of travelers without large robots or
vehicles since the path borders on or enters Xiticix territory (and
Xiticix are known to attack such vehicles, while leaving small groups
unmolested).
  Hans will wish the characters good luck and present them with a Pre-
Rifts compass in copper housing to aid in their journey.

The Journey North

  The amount of time it takes to journey north depends on the individual
Game Master and how far the group was from Minnesota when they encountered
the village.  You might wish to read up on the various territories in
between and Minnesota in particular, as well as the section in the back
of the Rifts book on Xiticix.  Possible random encounters could include
any of the various monsters from the rifts, quick role predators, or even
some of Archie's robots if you think they have ventured this far.
  If the characters are reasonably careful about following the map Hans
gave them, they will have no problem finding the path taken by Archibald. 
He was on a hover cycle but was not a very good woodsman.  Occasionally,
the players might encounter someone who met or saw Archibald and can give
clues.  Wilderness scouts will love the opportunity to strut their stuff
and track him.  If the characters stay on the path depicted on the map,
it gradually begins to look more heavily traveled as if ground vehicles
occasionally follow it.  As they near Xiticix lands, player characters
will encounter...

Coalition Wreckage

  The course of Archibald's travels leads out of the forest into a
clearing that seems to have been a once heavily forested area cleared out
by an abundance of laser and heavy weapons fire.  Near the center of the
clearing rests a heavily damaged Coalition Mark V APC.  Debris and bodies
of Coalition grunts lay strewn about along with the wreckage of the APC's
four SAMAS and two Sky Cycles.
  Nearly all of the APC's cargo of weapons were broken out and used, and
very few remaining weapons are undamaged.  None of the vehicle weapons
(including SAMAS and cycles) are functional having been heavily damaged. 
Missile payloads have been exhausted.  An hour or more of scrutinizing the
remains will yield one C-14 "Fire Breather" and three C-18 laser pistols. 
The pistols are fully charged (unused) and there are two E-Clips and 5
grenades for the C-14.
  The scene of battle is that of a last stand by the Coalition forces,
desperate and fighting to the death.  It is strange however, that there
is no sign of an enemy, no bodies or equipment.  It there ever was it has
been removed.  Stranger still is the fact that while the APC has been
pulverized by weapons fire, there are no laser scars or traces of
ammunition from other weapons.  A warrior might discern that the damage
to the APC appears to have been caused by projectile weapons, yet no
projectiles are to be found.  A techno-wizard might realize and explain
to the group that a TK-machinegun could do such damage and leave no trace
of weapon fire.
  Psychic object read might reveal dim scenes of an apocalyptic battle
between humans and a swarm of insect humanoids (Xiticix).  The APC is
beyond repair and the doors are blown open.
  Exploring the inside of the APC will reveal a few more bodies and show
that the inside is as badly damaged as the outside.  One of the bodies has
an officer's helm, and markings on the crippled armor reveal that the
wearer is a lieutenant and likely the commander of the squad.  Clutched
in the man's lifeless hand is a Pocket Digital Disc Audio Player and
Recorder.
  Replaying the disc in the recorder will provide the player characters
with some interesting information.  The early recordings detail the
pursuit of the man known as Archibald Gerbaldi and reveal that the
lieutenant was one Joseph Provinski, who had been assigned by his
commander to detach from his platoon and pursue the rogue scholar to
recover a hazardous artifact.  The final entries are somewhat more ominous
and delineate the unfortunate last stand of the young commander.
  "Just a few moments ago, one of my Sams finished off some kind of
monstrous insect thing that attacked us.  Computer I.D.s it as a Xiticix,
but I was pretty sure.  Wasn't much of a challenge for a Sam."
  "We must be near a bunch of those things.  Three more attacked about an
hour after we killed off the first one and a while later seven of them
came after us.  They hurt one of our Sams pretty bad.  Some of my men
wanna turn back, but I will not allow it.  We must be close to that old
man now.  How could he survive against these monstrosities anyway?  We
continue north."
  "Damn those bloody murderers.  Twenty of those damned Xiticix attacked
us this time, and killed several of my men, but they were no match for our
firepower.  We proceed more slowly now.  There has been no sign of the
rogue for some time.  I feel a chill in my veins and consider turning
back, but resolve to complete our mission. We'll kill all them damn things
if we hafta!"
  "More 'n more of them all the time.  There must be more'n fifty now. 
The men fight valiantly, but we've taken heavy damage and casualties. 
Damn things shot out our wheels, so we gotta make our stand now!  My
fault!  Must have gotten too close to their lair.  They're evil, evil! 
We gotta kill 'em!!!  Kill 'em all!!!  Nooooo! Get away!  YEAARRGH!!
(sounds of laser fire and explosions in the background)"
  The unfortunate lieutenant perished making his last entry.  But he
leaves behind some interesting information for the players.  Most obvious
is that when in Xiticix territory, killing one brings more (when a scout
or scouts fail to return after a period of time, others are sent out to
learn why).  This may not happen normally, but when close to a hive city
it is reasonable to assume that the Xiticix would become alarmed if one
of their number did not return.  The characters are close, possibly within
15 miles of a hive network.
  Somewhat less obvious, but no less significant, is the fact that the
number of Xiticix that came each time changed by a strange amount,
increasing with each encounter, but not in a simple pattern.  The pattern
by which their numbers increase is the natural exponential function (see
above), which is the number e (e is approximately 2.71828) raised to a
power.  The first scout was by himself and the equivalent of e^0 = 1.  The
groups that followed were e raised to the next power, that is: 1 through
4.  The numbers are, of course, rounded off to the nearest integer, as
fractional Xiticix are not a possibility.
  The last entry in the lieutenants journal is "more'n fifty" because he
was in the thick of battle and didn't have time to count.  Recognizing
this pattern should prove an interesting challenge to scholars,
scientists, and intellectual characters.  How it is found is up to
the GM.  You might let the players figure it out on their own, or you
could give clues to players if they make a percentile roll with the
advanced math skill.  Tell them they have the urge to pull out their hand-
held computers, hand them a scientific calculator with e displayed, and
let them have at it.
  Since this is a potentially difficult pattern to find, and not all
players or characters will recognize it, it is not of integral importance
to the adventure.  Players may have no clue that there is any pattern at
all, which is fine and represents the lack of education in the world of
Rifts.  Don't worry if they don't find the pattern.  All they need to know
is that killing one Xiticix brings more, and if you kill those, the next
group will be bigger.  Even if they have no clue that any pattern exists,
most characters will get the clue that it could be unwise to kill off
Xiticix without a large army to back you up.
  If they do find the pattern, several interesting questions arise.  Is
this valuable information?  Do all Xiticix hives follow this pattern? 
Could anti-Xiticix tactics be developed based on such information?  Does
this mean the Xiticix are into integral calculus and understand math in
a way similar to humans, or is it instinct?  Individual GMs may make this
as significant or insignificant as they want.  The pattern would apply
only to Xiticix close to their hives, not wandering scouts far from home.

______________________________________
   THE NATURAL EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION
     (values rounded to integers)

        e^0 ~ 1         e^3 ~  20
        e^1 ~ 3         e^4 ~  55
        e^2 ~ 7         e^5 ~ 148
______________________________________

Constance

  As the group emerges from the APC they will be attacked by a lone
Xiticix.  It has been out patrolling the area and noticed humans near
giant vehicles.  It does not know the vehicles are totally non-functional. 
There is no way to reason with it or communicate, so combat will ensue. 
One melee into the combat, the Xiticix will be struck by a pulse of laser
energy from the trees.  The blast came from a humanoid dressed in Bushman
composite armor who is just visible coming out of the woods.
  After the combat, the person in the armor will ask the characters, "Hey,
what're y'all doin in that old wreckage?"  Whatever the response, the next
statement will be, "Y'all best not hang round here till more of 'em come. 
Folla me."  (Yes, more will come and each time their numbers will increase
following the pattern in the previous table, one new group each hour.) 
The speakers head is covered and the voice muffled by the helmet, so it
is impossible to identify the person.  The person will answer questions
but not initiate conversation until reaching "home."
  "Home" is a cave less than a mile away to the east.  Once inside,
Constance removes her helmet to reveal that she is a young and attractive
(if somewhat dirty) human female.  She introduces herself as Constance
(no last name), a wilderness scout who has lived in the area for several
months.
  "Y'all must really think you're some, goin' through that Coalition wreck
like that.  I always stay plum clear 'a that place."
  She will carry on casual conversation and can tell you just about
anything you want to know about the area.  There are few inhabitants, save
scouts and Xiticix and an old man (Archibald).  She saw the battle between
the Xiticix and the Coalition, and is aware of the way there numbers
increase, although she knows of no pattern.  She also knows that the
Xiticix, like many insects, clean up their dead, explaining why no bodies
of the enemy were found earlier.
  If asked about Archibald, she will say that there is an old man living
about a mile and a half northwest of the Coalition wreckage.  She does not
know him well, but thinks that he is nice and "he's got brains."  She can
tell the characters how to get to him and will lead them if need be.
  Constance will also tell the characters that "Y'all have less bother
with them buggers if ya smell like 'em.  They ain't got very good eyes,
ya know.  Only problem is ya gotta kill one a 'em.  Mostly they'll leave
ya be, ceptin if ya go too far north."  She can show them how to remove
a Xiticix scent gland and apply it to themselves, or she can do it herself
if they ask her along.  She knows that the humanoid insects carry "some
kinda wierd pop guns, along with swords and spears."

Archibald and the No. 1 Artifact

  Archibald's hut is a short hike from Constance's cave, so it won't take
long to get there.  The players are likely to encounter one or two Xiticix
on the way.  The Xiticix are not likely to attack if the group is small
(four or less) unless provoked.
  The hut is a small, one man thatched structure with a chimney made from
part of the hover cycle Archibald rode up on.  No smoke comes from the
chimney though.  Constance will think this is odd if she is present. 
Inside lies a grey bearded man on a primitive bed.  There is an oil
lantern (not lit), a quill pen and ink, a portable tool kit, some protein
healing salve, a Pre-Rifts paperback smut novel, and an object that looks
something like a briefcase in the hut with him.
  A medical check will reveal that the man has no pulse, and apparently
died peacefully of natural causes only a few days ago.  He kept a small
journal on the blank pages of the novel.  The journal states only that he
came here hoping the presence of the Xiticix would dissuade the Coalition
from pursuing him, and felt that the insectoids would not bother a lone
man.  The last entry wills his most valuable possession to his comrade
Hans Ledderman.
  If anyone opens the briefcase, they will see a holographic laser display
(much like the one on the Wilk's PC-2020 Field Identifier without a
keyboard), a picture of an unidentified man, and a tattered piece of paper
that has been folded in half and then folded again.
  Immediately upon being opened, the holographic projector will display
a picture of an eagle flying proudly over the treetops interrupted by
occasional static (picture blinks and a zzt can be heard).  A powerful
masculine voice begins a recital.
  "When, in the Course of human Events,... We hold these Truths to be
self-evident, that all Men are created equal..."
  If you have a copy of the Declaration of Independence, you might wish
to read from it.  The folded piece of paper is a printed copy (in
American) of the Declaration, and the picture is of Benjamin Franklin,
though the player characters have no reason to know who he is.  The word
"Men" has been crossed out on the paper.
  At this point, the adventurers may return home and (if they live up to
their bargain) turn the projector over to Hans.  On the way back you may
have any random encounters you like.  The Coalition might become an
obstacle now.  They can, of course, make copies of the Declaration if they
desire.  It would also be a nice gesture to bury the old man.

Homecoming

  Hans will gladly welcome the characters home, but will be troubled over
his friends demise.  He will, of course, live up to his part of the
bargain, giving the characters whatever was promised.  He could be a
valuable ally in the future and the characters may wish to learn more
about his work.  Being a scholar, his wish is to educate people.  He will
be happy to teach the characters about the past to the extent of his
knowledge (GMs discretion: he may be able to tell them who the man in the
picture is), and plans to use the artifact (now that he knows what it is)
to further educate people everywhere and hopefully give them the spark to
defy oppression.
  In addition to normal experience point awards, give any character who
comes up with the idea of changing the word "Men" in the "all Men are
created equal," to "Beings" an extra 100 experience points for a clever,
open minded idea if this fits their personality and alignment.  150 if
they do it before seeing (or being able to read) that the word has been
crossed out on the sheet of paper.


__________________________________

NPC Descriptions
__________________________________


Hans Ledderman
  Rogue Scholar Extraordinaire

Alignment: Scrupulous
Hit Points: 31 S.D.C.: 26
Weight: 170 Height: 6 ft Age: 45
P.P.E.: 9
Attributes: I.Q. 20, M.E. 13, M.A. 19, P.S. 10, P.P. 14, P.E. 11, P.B. 7,
Spd. 10
Disposition: Overall a fairly nice, pleasant man, but tends to be a bit
  talkative and condescending at times (not intentional).
Experience Level: 5th
Magic Knowledge: Only lore
Psionic Powers: None
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand:  Martial Arts
Attacks per Melee: Three (3)
Bonuses: Combat: +2 to strike,
  +3 to parry and dodge, +3 to pull punch and roll with impact/punch,
  karate kick (1D8 damage), jump kick (critical), entangle.
    Other bonuses: I.Q. +6% skill  bonus (included in listed skills), M.A.
                                   55% chance to intimidate and evoke
                                   trust.
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Energy
  Pistol and Rifle, W.P. Sword, Blunt (finds ancient weapons intriguing)
Weapons: TX-5 pump pistol,
  ancient Japanese katana.
Body Armor: Urban Warrior
Skills of Note: Literacy 98%,
  American, Japanese, and Techno-can at 98%, Euro and Faerie Speak 81%,
  basic math 98%, computer operation and programming at 91% and 81% resp.,
  pilot auto 86%, art 86%, demon, devil, an faerie lore 76%, anthropology
  and archaeology 61%, biology and chemistry 71%, mechanical engineering
  56%, holistic medicine 61%, paramedic 81%, cryptography 61%, writing
  76%.  Enjoys swimming, climbing, body building, and playing the flute.
Description:                                           Hans is a tall and
  imposing man who tends to be rather tenacious about things he considers
  to be of importance.  Other than his sometimes patronizing attitude, he
  tends to treat people (and D-Bees) as equals.  His main interest is in
  educating the masses (like most scholars), and he values strong
  friendships and loyal comrades.  He has an interest in Japanese culture
  and martial arts, as well as Pre-Rifts cultures in general.  His
  collection of artifacts includes a couple technical manuals, comic
  books, jewelry, his katana, and a copy of George Orwell's 1984.  He
  leads the community and has it's resources at his disposal.
_________________________________________________________________________

Jackson Smith
  Glitter Boy

Alignment: Unprincipled
Hit Points: 12 S.D.C.: 36
Weight: 140 Height: 5 ft Age: 27
P.P.E.: 12
Attributes: I.Q. 12, M.E. 11, M.A. 10, P.S. 9, P.P. 15, P.E. 7, P.B. 11,
Spd. 19
Disposition: Loves combat because he thinks it makes him look like a hero.
  Tends to be a bit domineering but has highest respect for honor/loyalty.
Experience Level: 1st
Magic Knowledge: None
Psionic Powers: None
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand:  Expert
Attacks per Melee: Two by hand or
  four in Glitter Boy suit.
Bonuses: Combat: +2 to pull punch
  and roll with impact/punch.
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Energy
  Pistol and Rifle
Weapons: NG-33 laser pistol and
  NG-L5 laser rifle
Skills of Note: American 98%,
  Spanish and Euro 75%, elite robot combat (Glitter Boy), other skills
  listed under Glitter Boy O.C.C., and literacy 35% (see below).
Description:                                          Jackson's life was
  one of wandering from place to place and not fitting in anywhere until
  he came to this tiny community of people who accepted him for what he
  was and made him feel welcome.  Jackson is a mute, he cannot speak, but
  can hear perfectly and understand spoken language just as anyone else. 
  Hans taught him to read and write so he could communicate with others
  despite his handicap.  For this Jackson is eternally grateful to Hans
  and has become a close friend.  His respect for honor, love of the
  people, and Hans keep him from being too domineering with the people in
  the community, and he is quite willing to fight to the death for them.
_________________________________________________________________________

Constance
  Wilderness Scout

Alignment: Unprincipled
Hit Points: 21 S.D.C.: 15
Weight: 120 Height: 5 ft Age: 24
P.P.E.: 5
Attributes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 11, M.A. 9, P.S. 12, P.P. 7, P.E. 12, P.B. 20,
Spd. 12
Disposition: Constance will let no one tell her what to do.  She is
  helpful and friendly, but can be obstinate if challenged.
Experience Level: 3rd
Magic Knowledge: None
Psionic Powers: None
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand:  Basic
Attacks per Melee: Two (2)
Bonuses: Combat: +2 to pull punch
  and roll with impact/punch, +2 to parry and dodge, kick attack (1D6
  damage).
    Other bonuses: P.B. 50% chance
                   of charming or impressing.
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Energy
  Pistol and Rifle, W.P. Knife, and W.P. Archery
Weapons: Wilk's 457 laser pulse
  rifle, NG-57 ion blaster, bow
Skills of Note: American 98%,
  Spanish, Gobblely, Faerie Speak at 65%, wilderness survival 45%, track
  animals 35%, land navigation 48%, other skills listed under Wilderness
  Scout O.C.C.
Description:                                            Constance is a
  fiery, beautiful red head who is much more at home alone in the woods
  that in a city around people, but she enjoys small groups of visitors,
  as she gets lonely sometimes.  She is very good at what she does and
  proud to be able to help "city slickers" out of the messes they are
  perpetually getting into out here.  She is lonely and might react
  favorably to any kind looking men in the party.


--
____________________________________________

"Initiative comes to thems who wait."
                                     --Alex
__________bkropp@mines.colorado.edu_________