Trail of Cthulhu

A Submission for

Commoriom
General/structural comments: It would be good if, by the end, the protagonists have an idea of what KZ and his spawn might be, maybe where they came from. Do they also need a copy of the Book of Eibon !he offspring of KZ have two forms" adult and #uvenile. !he #uvenile is simply a fissile off$shoot of an adult. It%s about the si&e and appearance of a leech. 'nly the #uvenile can parasitise a human. !hey take about ($) weeks inside a human to reach adulthood. !here is a fro&en mastodon carcass in the upper chamber of the tower. *an e+uipment be defined in terms of opportunities for the use of ,reparedness Eg. -inches, ropes etc. .eview travel, supply levels and some physical challenges to make them properly player$facing and simple to use. But wait to see what /aws comes up with in 0ythos E1peditions. Ekkehardt Bauer" real archaeologist who did a lot of work for 2lfred .osenberg and #oined the 34D2, in 56(5. 7ohannes !8ufer 9 possible pseudonym. 2uthor of 56(: article on ;ril Vril. Die Kosmische Urkraft. "I have yet to translate the terrible and abominable legend telling how a certain doughty citizen of Commoriom returned to the city after its public evacuation, and found that it was peopled most execrably and numerously by the fissional spawn of Knygathin Zhaum, which possessed no vestige of anything human or even earthly " ! Clar" #shton $mith Before ice covered the land of <yperborea, the inhabitants built their capital city in a valley in the mountains. -ill its rediscovery release once more, the monstrous force that brought about its doom In a hostile, isolated environment, a scientific team faces deadly opposition from the mysterious inhabitants of the ice sheet and from a rival e1pedition. 4oon they will realise, however, that the real horror is beneath the very ice that they e1cavate. !he <yperborean *ycle stories of *lark 2shton 4mith are the inspiration for this adventure. It is recommended that the Keeper reads at least The Testament of Athammaus and Ubbo-Sathla before running it. !he Call of Cthulhu scenario Trail of Tsathoggua by the late Keith <erber tells the story of the e1pedition that discovered the site.

The Hook
In 56=>, an archaeological team from 0iskatonic ?niversity found evidence of an ancient settlement beneath the ice sheet in a remote valley in the mountains of -est @reenland. !he protagonists are members of a 56(5 e1pedition to e1cavate the site.

The Horrible Truth

!he archaeological site is the ruin of the lost <yperborean city of *ommoriom. Entombed within it are a descendent of !sathoggua and his amorphous, parasitic offspring.

The Spine
!he team members voyage to Godthb, where they can confront a Rival Expedition from @ermany. !hey then begin their arduous overland trek in Evighedsfjorden. !he protagonists see strange Eskimo watching them from afar. In addition, a confrontation with the rival team may have deadly conse+uences.

In The Valley of ommoriom! the protagonists can find the bodies of the last survivors of the @erman team, mysteriously burned to death. 3earby, there is a strange temple inscribed with a history of the early pre$human settlers. 'n the valley floor, a shadow under the ice indicates the location of the archaeological site. !here is strange singing in the valley and the protagonists see the elusive figures of blond Eskimo. Excavation leads to the discovery of an ancient tower entombed in ice, containing the remains of ancient astronomical e+uipment. ?nseasonal bli&&ards harry the team as they work and they may glimpse a strange creature in the storm. !he problems escalate with damage to the camp and people attacked, until the ,rotagonists neutralise the Eskimo clan that is causing these problems. Aurther digging uncovers a stairway with a frie&e describing a history of <yperborea and eventually leads to a ity "nder the #ce where the team uncovers a device that sends their minds back in time to the disturbing origins of life on earth and merges them with the primordial mind of ?bbo$ 4athla. 2s they e1plore and e1cavate, the city%s dormant, parasitic inhabitants begin to awaken and infest the intruders, leading to the $%a&ening of 'nygathin (haum.

2 tiny clan of latter$day <yperboreans Dor FBlond Eskimo%E lives near the coast to the west of the valley of *ommoriom. !heir ancestral myths warn that people disturbing the valley will awaken a giant fro&en in a city under the ice. !hey will do their utmost to protect the valley. !heir most effective tactic is calling a @noph$Keh to hamper the e1pedition. -ithin the city itself, is a colony of amorphous and parasitic entities descended from !sathoggua. Initially dormant, they will gradually awaken, and attempt to subdue and infest human hosts, gradually gaining control over their behaviour and using them to attempt to awaken their leader Knygathin Zhaum and the other spawn. -hen sufficient numbers are awake, they will launch a full$scale attack on the intruders. 2 fourth potential antagonist is the team member Dr *huck @ranger, whose alcoholism and mental health issues may cause him to become violent under the stresses of the e1pedition.

Running Commoriom with the Armitage Inquiry

!his scenario begins in late 7une of 56(5 9 a time when the 2rmitage In+uiry is in its formative stages. !hree years previously, 2rmitage, .ice and 0organ scored a victory against the Dunwich <orror and soon Dr 2lbert -ilmarth #oined them after his encounter with the F'uter 'nes% in the hills of ;ermont. 'n his deathbed in 56=6, ,rofessor *urtis 0athieson revealed the truth about his 56=> @reenland e1pedition to his colleague Dr Arancis 0organ and 0organ shared the story with ,rofessor 2rmitage. 4oon they were working with ,rofessor Ethelrod in England to organise a follow$ up e1pedition. )*ymbol: $rmitage #n+uiry, !his symbol defines sections that apply only to running the scenario as part of the 2rmitage In+uiry.

Victory Conditions
;ictory in this scenario means discovering the nature of the site and the horror within it and escaping alive, preferably with the site safely sealed.

Antagonist Reactions
!here are four factions of potential antagonists in this scenario. 2 private @erman e1pedition of 3a&i$allied archaeologists and occultists is investigating the site as the possible ruin of B?ltima !huleC. !hey see themselves as civilised men, and Dwith the e1ception of @obineauE will initially be inclined to be cordial. <owever, they see the site as property of their ancestors and themselves as it%s custodians. !hey will ruthlessly take control of the site or its artifacts if it seems necessary. /ikewise, they may use violence if threatened or obstructed.

Running Commoriom as a standalone

Gou can also run this scenario as a standalone adventure or mark a dramatic beginning to an ongoing campaign. Ethelrod has organised the e1pedition with the British 0useum, independently of 2rmitage and his colleagues.

)*ymbol: *tandalone, !his symbol defines sections that apply only to running the scenario as a standalone.

finding very well preserved specimens of si1$ foot$long, barrel$shaped organisms with starfish$shaped heads. Geology: !he Dane Knud .asmussen is currently on the si1th of his famous !hule e1peditions, this time to consolidate Denmark%s claim on Erik the .ed%s /and in East @reenland. In 56(:, 2lfred -egener led his fourth e1pedition to establish permanent bases in central @reenland for measuring weather and the thickness of the ice sheet. !he team has not made contact in almost a year. !his year, the Danish geologist /auge Koch is leading another e1pedition to 3ortheast @reenland.

Creating the Protagonists

2ppropriate roles for the e1pedition include archaeologists, geologists, anthropologists, biologists, e1plosives e1perts, drill engineers and radio engineers. 2ll team members should be healthy and fit, and preferably are competent cross$ country skiers 9 represented for game purposes as a minimum 'utdoorsman rating of 5 and 2thletics of (. !he e1pedition will also need a medic with 0edicine and Airst 2id ratings of at least =. !he e1pedition leader is 1enophobic and the Arench in particular need not apply. )*ymbol: $rmitage #n+uiry, !eam members are likely to be 2merican, perhaps connected to the ?niversity. <owever, Ethelrod may have brought British team members with him. )*ymbol: *tandalone, !he e1pedition is British and most of its members are too. <owever, Dr @ranger may not be the only 2merican to #oin the e1pedition.

Candidate Interviews (Directed Scenes

In order to introduce the ,rotagonists, role$play a short scene from each character%s interview for their place on the e1pedition. Do this in front of the whole group. !his paints a picture of each ,rotagonist and helps establish Drives and ,illars of 4anity that may be at stake later. !hese scenes should be short, punchy and relatively independent of the overall flow of the narrative. !hey should establish three things about each ,rotagonist" 2 general impression of their background, appearance and personality !heir Drive 9 their reason for #oining the e1pedition Insight into one or more of their ,illars of 4anity.

Prologue
!he ,rotagonists have each applied for a position on an e1citing e1pedition to @reenland. !he following clues are available about recent polar e1peditions" $rchaeology/$nthropology: In 56=>, ,rofessor *urtis 0athieson of 0iskatonic ?niversity led an e1pedition to investigate a massive wall, carved with mysterious markings, in a glacier in East @reenland. 2fter it collapsed into the sea, the team travelled to the mountains near the west coast to search for a settlement it apparently described. !hey had to return after a series of accidents, bear attacks and severe weather inflicted a heavy casualties. In 56(:, the 0iskatonic ?niversity%s disastrous ,abodie E1pedition left from Boston for 2ntarctica. In 7anuary 56(5, they flew over the 4outh ,ole, reported a massive mountain range in centre of continent. 2 storm inflicted severe casualties on the e1pedition. !hey reported

!hese things can be drawn out by the interviewer asking about the applicant%s +ualifications, reasons for wanting to #oin the e1pedition, their beliefs, what they would rely on to get through the 2rctic winter and so on. )*ymbol: $rmitage #n+uiry, If organised by 0iskatonic ?niversity, *hairman of the 2rchaeology Department, Doctor Ernest 0c!avish conducts the interview along with 2ssociate ,rofessor Arancis 0organ. )*ymbol: *tandalone, If the e1pedition is organised by Ethelrod in England, he conducts the interview himself, accompanied by his friend

Geology/-iology:

-ilfred /ipton, at Ethelrod%s office in the British 0useum.

Scenes
!riefing
*cene Type: Introduction .ead/0ut: ,reparations, !he 2tlantic ;oyage )*ymbol: $rmitage #n+uiry, !he briefing takes place in a seminar room at the 2rchaeology Department of 0iskatonic ?niversity. 2ssociate ,rofessor Arancis 0organ is a self$assured yet soft$ spoken field researcher in his early (:s, who e1presses regret at being unable to attend the e1pedition due to it being brought forward by a year. <e introduces e1pedition leader ,rofessor Ethelrod, a renowned linguist from *ambridge and veteran of the 0athieson E1pedition, who has voyaged across the 2tlantic to #oin them. $rchaeology: Dr 0organ has a good reputation as a scientist, adventurer and a man of integrity. D5$ ,oint spendE Gou have heard rumours from his colleagues that he has been involved in e1peditions and research of a rather unconventional and slightly controversial nature. )*ymbol: *tandalone, !he briefing takes place in a basement seminar room of the British 0useum. In this case, Dr @ranger has crossed the 2tlantic to #oin the team.

<e passes around a photograph of the stone block with the e1pedition ship alongside. It appears to be about (:: wide and approaching =:: feet high. It is dominated by a carving of a human figure with a curved blade, bending over some kind of slain animal. thulhu 2ythos or 0ccult will allow the viewer to recognise the figure as consistent with inhabitants of legendary <yperborea as described, for e1ample, in the Book of Eibon. ,ictographs found on the wall seemed to describe a large and ancient settlement in the -estern mountains. Ethelrod led a trip overland in search of the site of the settlement. !he team found itself attacked by a large polar bear that stalked them into the mountains, leaving several members of the team dead or in#ured. <owever, they found a site with evidence of former habitation, including remains of a religious site and tantalising evidence of a ma#or structure underneath the thick ice cap. <e produces a photograph of a vaguely circular shadow beneath a thick ice sheet. !he e1pedition ended rather abruptly after several team members were killed or in#ured by a combination of climbing accidents and attacks from the bear. !he site was of such significance that the team agreed not to publish full information until a second e1pedition could investigate it fully. !he ill health and death of ,rofessor *urtis 0athieson in 56=6, the 56(: ,abodie E1pedition to 2ntarctica, and the market crash of 56=6 delayed plans for a second trip. ,rofessor Ethelrod and the British 0useum worked closely with the 0iskatonic ?niversity to organise the current e1pedition. .egrettably, Dr 0organ cannot take part due to his commitment to the ongoing dig in @uatemala. !he team will depart on a research vessel, for @odthHb, in three weeks. 'nce resupplied, the ship will sail north to Evighedsf#orden, where it will disembark. o )*ymbol: $rmitage #n+uiry, !he e1pedition ship is the Darlena, the same 0iskatonic$owned geological

Professor Ethelrods Presentation

2 tall, distinguished$looking man in his >:s walks to the front of the room and stands in front of the blackboard. <e has a slight limp, but seems to be in good shape for his age. $nthropology/.anguages rating of 1 or higher: Ethelrod has a reputation as an intelligent and accomplished academic specialising in the development of Indo$European languages. <e is rumoured to have an aristocratic background. In a polished, upper class accent, Ethelrod introduces himself and, without wasting time on niceties, launches into the briefing. In 0ay 56=>, the 0athieson E1pedition of 0iskatonic ?niversity investigated a massive stone wall discovered in the <elheim @lacier on the east coast of @reenland.

research vessel used in the 56=> e1pedition. It will depart from Boston. o )*ymbol: *tandalone, !he e1pedition ship is the Beatrice, an 2rctic research vessel leased by the .oyal @eographical 4ociety. It will depart from 4outhampton. !he team should be prepared to overwinter in @reenland, facing temperatures as low as $):IA, and returning in spring when the site is accessible by sea once more. !he f#ord is likely to be inaccessible from the sea between 4eptember and 0ay. In case of emergency, with climbing e+uipment, @odthHb is reachable on foot in about five days. !he planned route is longer and gentler than the 56=> 0athieson E1pedition, allowing transportation of heavy drilling e+uipment. !hey will use dog sleds and a snow tractor. !eam members will be issued with rifles to protect themselves from bears and other dangerous animals. 2 prefabricated cabin with outhouses for dogs and storage will be provided. !hey will use the drilling rig, blasting e+uipment, ice melting machine, chainsaws and hand digging to e1cavate the site. <e adds that he is not one for flights of fancy, but he believes the site to be remains of a previously unknown civilisation

D5 ,oint spendE 4ome odd artifacts featuring strange figures wearing hoodless parkas with tall collars and women with large hairstyles were found on *ape Dorset on Baffin Island in 56=>. It was previously thought that the @reenlandic Dorset culture was limited to the north$west coast of the island. -iology/0utdoorsman: D5 ,o#nt spendE ,olar bears are mostly found in coastal regions in the north and east of @reenland 9 they are largely unknown in the mountains although females with cubs are sometimes found in coastal mountainous areas in the north.

Questions and Answers

Ethelrod will ask if there are any +uestions. <e may provide the following additional details and any others the Keeper deems appropriate. J 0athieson remained onboard ship, due to health problems. <e died of a heart condition in 56=6. J !he top of the structure was under an estimated 5>$=: feet of ice and e1tended to unknown depths. <e declines to speculate on the age of the structure. $ssess 3onesty: DIf Ethelrod is asked why the details of the 0athieson E1pedition were not published or why the second e1pedition was delayed for so longE -hen asked about the specifics of the first e1pedition Ethelrod seemed somewhat evasive. D5 ,oint 4pendE <e is deliberately hiding something. <e wraps up the briefing after three or four +uestions or if he doesn%t like the direction the +uestions are going.

Ethelrod introduces Dr *harles @ranger, a red$ haired, red$faced man of around (: as another veteran of the 0athieson E1pedition who will be accompanying them. <e then announces roles and asks team members to introduce themselves. )*ymbol: $rmitage #n+uiry, 0ral 3istory: D5$ ,oint spendE !here are rumours that Dr @ranger has a drink problem. $ssess 3onesty: <enry Ethelrod is reserved, aloof and doesn%t give much away. $rchaeology/$nthropology: !he 0athieson E1pedition made transcriptions of a number of carvings on a stone wall found at <elheim @lacier on the east coast of @reenland. 2cademics have subse+uently associated these with a @reenlandic colony of the e1tinct ,aleo$Eskimo Dorset *ulture.

Henr Ethelrod
2ny attempt to influence Ethelrod or get additional information from him re+uires British characters to have a *redit .ating of >K. 2mericans and continental Europeans Dapart from the ArenchE need LK. 2nyone else will need to make a 5$,oint spend in *redit .ating on each significant occasion. $bilities: 2thletics >, *redit .ating M, Airearms M, <ealth M, 4cuffling M, -eapons L 3it Threshold: ( $rmor: $5 vs all Dif wearing 2rctic gearE 4eapon: K5 D.(N revolverE, K5 D.(:$:L bolt action rifleE, $5 DknifeE

!ilfred "ipton
/ipton is a round$faced &oologist in his mid$thirties. <e is the son of Dr !homas /ipton, one of

Ethelrod%s closest friends. <e graduated from '1ford and recently completed a ,hD. <e is well$ built and athletic having bo1ed for Eton and been a member of the '1ford climbing team. /ike Ethelrod he is something of a snob and a bigot, although less e1treme and more affable. <e is a follower rather than a leader and is loyal to his friend. -hen Ethelrod dies he volunteers to return the body to the ship. <e%ll also take @ranger back if need be. <e will probably be happy to follow the new leadership of the e1pedition. $bilities: 2thletics N, *redit .ating L, Airearms (, <ealth >, 4cuffling M, -eapons = 3it Threshold: ) $rmor: $5 vs all Dif wearing 2rctic gearE 4eapon: K5 D.(:$:L bolt action rifleE

( ths of a "ost Ci)ilisation in the *orth

.ibrary "se: 2fter his travels between ((: B* and (=: B*, the @reek e1plorer ,ytheas makes the first known reference to the mysterious island of !hule Bsi1 daysQ sail north of Britain, and near the fro&en seaC. <e claimed that people keep bees in this place and in summer, nights are only two or three hours long. It%s not clear whether he is referring to Iceland, @reenland, 3orway or somewhere else altogether. !he 2ncient @reeks also tell of the <yperboreans who live beyond the north wind. !heir land was perfect, with the sun shining =) hours a day, and the people free from war, disease and old age and always happy. !he people were blond and very tall. D5 point spendE By the late 56th and early =:th *entury, the idea of !huleR<yperborea as a lost continent Dpossibly the same place as 2tlantisE had become popular in certain European occult circles, including !heosophists, and @erman vSlkisch DnationalistE groups. 0ccult/ thulhu 2ythos: 2ccording to legend an obscure and apparently ancient occult te1t called the Liber !onis or Book of Eibon was written by a sorcerer from <yperborea. o .ibrary use: !he Book of Eibon in /atin or English can be located in reference departments of the library of the 0iskatonic ?niversity or the British /ibrary.

#r Charles $Chuck% &ranger

@ranger is an archaeologist who studied with ,rofessor *urtis 0athieson. <e is a veteran of the 0athieson E1pedition and recently completed an archaeology doctorate at 0iskatonic ?niversity. In fact, @ranger still suffers from Fshell shock% from his e1periences on the 0athieson E1pedition. !his has only e1acerbated his drinking problem and now he is a full$blown alcoholic. $bilities: 2thletics M, <ealth ), 4cuffling L, Airearms = 3it Threshold: ( $rmor: $5 vs all Dif wearing 2rctic gearE 4eapon: $= DfistE, K5 D.(:$:L bolt action rifleE, K5 DEthelrod%s .(N revolverE OP

The +ook of Eibon

.anguage: EnglishR/atin *&im: ( hours 7ore: L: hours *&imming this will provide 5 dedicated pool point in 2nthropology, 2stronomy or 'ccult and 5 dedicated pool point for *thulhu 0ythos spends related to !sathoggua or <yperborea. It also gives the following clues" <yperborea was a continent once located in the far north. 4upposedly, it once had a temperate or warm climate, with forests inhabited by huge, hairy elephants, long$toothed cats and other animals now e1tinct. !he earliest inhabitants were hairy pre$humans called F;oormis% who had a simple writing system, and worshipped a god called

Pre"arations
*cene Type: 'ptional D!ransitionE .ead/#n: Briefing .ead/0ut: !he 2tlantic ;oyage !here are several potential areas of research the protagonists may choose to investigate. Each of these topics will take up to a week to research.

'esearching &reenland
.ibrary "se: !ime spent in a ma#or library will grant a dedicated pool point for investigative spends in any field as it relates to @reenland, for e1ample, 2nthropology, 2rchaeology, <istory, @eology, 'ccult or 'utdoorsman. 2 5/point spend will grant = dedicated pool points. 2 6/point spend will grant ( and so on.

Zhotha++ah who lived beneath an e1tinct volcano. !he ;oormis were originally slaves of Fsnake$people%, but they revolted and won their freedom. <umans arrived and drove the ;oormis into the mountains. !hey established *ommoriom, the first capital city, on the site of a ;oormis settlement. !he city was grand and beautiful place of granite and marble with many high towers. 2 prophet called Fthe -hite 4ybil% predicted the fall of *ommoriom and it was abandoned in the same year that Eibon was born, the city was abandoned, to a monster called FKyngathin Zhaum%. !he capital was moved to the city of ?&uldaroum. Eibon became the greatest sorcerer, drawing power from his servitude to Zhotha++ah. Due to oppression from the sect of Ghoundeh the elk$ goddess, Eibon was forced to live in a remote tower of black @neiss in a remote area called 0hu !hulan. Eventually the priests of Ghoundeh overran his tower and he fled through a magical door, and his book was passed on secretly in Europe and B2tlantisC. 2 section of the book called B!he ,apyrus of Dark -isdomC describes a history of life on earth that includes a succession of races and civilisations that have risen and fallen over aeons of time. !he eldest of these races, originated from outside the earth. Eibon calls them the ,olar 'nes, described as Bse1less semivegetable carnivores with cylindrical and pentalobular bodies TwithU starfish headsC that had a civilisation centred at the 4outh ,ole and were responsible for creating terrestrial life, as a by$product of their breeding e1periments with a protoplasmic entity called ?bbo$4athla. 2nyone who knows of the starfish$headed crinoid specimens reported by the ,abodie E1pedition must make a ($,oint 4tability test, 0ythos related.

Indo$European linguistics. <e graduated from '1ford, fought in the Boer -ar and has held posts at Durham, the British 0useum and *ambridge. D5 ,oint spend9 <e has a reputation for snobbery and 1enophobia and has ruffled more than a few feathers with his attitude. <e also has a reputation as a stalwart fellow with a steady nerve, good leadership skills and a good knowledge of military tactics.

The (athieson E-pedition of ./01

.ibrary "se: !he information on the 0athieson E1pedition report, the Dorset *ulture and the distribution of polar bears described in the -riefing can be uncovered in a good$si&ed academic library by substituting point spends in /ibrary ?se.

2utdoor Training
;arious independently sourced courses in outdoor skills may grant a ,rotagonist up to = dedicated pool points in 2thletics or 'utdoorsman, to be used in 2rctic and 4ubarctic environments.

The Atlantic Voyage

*cene Type: *ore, !ransition .ead/#n: Briefing, ,reparations .ead/0ut: @odthHb !his is an opportunity to roleplay various interactions between player characters as they get to know one another and their leader. !he voyage takes si1 days, giving the ,rotagonists plenty of time to get to know the other members of the team or to read in their cabins if they prefer. Each day an 2thletics test against Difficulty ( is re+uired avoid seasickness. !he effect is the same as being <urt and lasts for =) hours.

&etting to know !ilfred "ipton

/ipton seems amiable and loyal to Ethelrod. <e is more open than either Ethelrod or @ranger and has little to hide. $ssess 3onesty: -hen Ethelrod or @ranger%s behaviour are ever criticised, or the sub#ect of the 0athieson E1pedition is raised, you notice that /ipton changes the sub#ect or puts a positive spin on things. D5 point spendE <e seems to be aware that his friend%s behaviour causes offense to some, and is sometimes embarrassed by it. <e has concerns about the recruitment of @ranger and is aware that others may do too. <e is loyal to Ethelrod and seeks to save face on his behalf. <e

!here isn%t time to 7ore over this book before the e1pedition departs.

!ho is Henr Ethelrod,

.ibrary "seR 8latteryR ReassuranceR redit Rating: 4tudy of archaeological and linguistics #ournals, asking the right +uestions at the /inguistics Department at *ambridge or the British /ibrary or simply referring to "ho#s "ho reveals that the second son of /ord -indermere, ,rofessor <enry Ethelrod is a very well$regarded e1pert on

doesn%t appear to know much about the 0athieson E1pedition.

Surreptitiousl Ethelrods Cabin

Accessing

&etting to know Charles &ranger

2nyone spending a significant amount of time with @ranger will find him a friendly and competent scientist. Evidence ollection: D5 point spendE @ranger seems to have a slight tremble in his hands. 2edicine: !remors of the e1tremities can be a symptom of Delerium !remens, caused by alcohol withdrawal.

2edicine: D5 point spendE @ranger%s skin shows symptoms of long$term alcohol abuse. If asked about 0athieson E1pedition, @ranger repeats the official account and doesn%t add any more detail. $ssess 3onesty: @ranger is hiding something. D5 point spendE <e seems to be suppressing powerful emotions and hiding his reactions. 7sychoanalysis: @ranger may have a psychiatric disorder.

If protagonists try to search Ethelrod%s +uarters discretely, they are confronted with a locked door, re+uiring .oc&smith to open. !hey must also pass a 4tealth test of Difficulty ) to avoid being spotted by someone onboard. ?nless the witness can be persuaded, threatened or bribed into keeping +uiet Da 6 7oint *pend in Reassurance, #ntimidation or -argain : and later blackmail is a possibilityE, the conse+uences of getting caught are very serious 9 including e1pulsion from the e1pedition as an absolute minimum. Aor the details of the contents of Ethelrod%s cabin, see Ethelrod%s ,ersonal Effects on ,age VV.

The Crew
!he ship%s crew consists of the *aptain, Airst 0ate, *hief ,etty 'fficer and a crew of N sailors.
aptain ;ames 2ac$llen

2 tall, lean, dour man who looks older than his )> years. <e doesn%t say much, but commands the respect of his crew. $bilities: 2thletics ), <ealth >, 4cuffling L, -eapons = 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 Dboat hookRimprovisedE
8irst 2ate -ill 3e%lett

If asked about drinking or his mental health, @ranger denies there is a problem. <e has convinced Ethelrod that he has recovered and is so used to lying about his problem that 2ssess <onesty will not detect it.

&etting to 3now Ethelrod

Ethelrod is reserved and rather snobbish. 2nyone who spends a significant time with him +uickly recognises that he regards most people Dapart from upper$middle class Britons and a few othersE with disdain. <e generally avoids the company of the uneducated and 2mericans, who he tends to regard as vulgar. <e passionately despises the Arench. $ssess 3onesty: Ethelrod may be hiding something. D5 ,oint spendE Behind the stiff$upper lip, Ethelrod is apprehensive about the e1pedition and that there are certain things about the current of previous trip that he is concerned people don%t know. ReassuranceR8lattery" Ethelrod may also answer some +uestions about the the e1pedition. 4ee the -riefing for details.

2n e1perienced seaman who has worked closely with 0ac2llen for years, <ewlett is a somewhat portly man in his early ):s, with red hair. $bilities: 2thletics (, <ealth >, 4cuffling ), -eapons = 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 Dboat hookRimprovisedE
hief 7etty 0fficer $nders 7ihl

,ihl is a large, friendly man of Danish nationality. <e is (M, has a full beard and en#oys a drink. $bilities: 2thletics L, Airearms ), <ealth M, 4cuffling N, -eapons ( 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 Dboat hookRimprovisedE, K5 D/ee Enfield rifleE
*ailors

$bilities: 2thletics >, Airearms =, <ealth ), 4cuffling >, -eapons = 3it Threshold: (

4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 Dboat hookRimprovisedE, K5 D/ee Enfield rifleE

#odth$%
*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: !he 2tlantic ;oyage .ead/0ut: !he .ival E1pedition, Evighedsf#orden !he ship makes a scheduled stop for three days in @odthHb, the capital of @reenland, to refuel, collect supplies and coordinate with the sledding team. 'nce the ship is prepared, a local barge is to transport the sleds and sled dogs to Evighedsf#orden separately. It is late 7uly by the time the team arrive. !he climate is surprisingly mild. 0ost of the land and sea is free of ice apart from a few small icebergs Dcalled Fgrowlers%E. In spite of a near complete absence of trees, there is a fair amount of greenery and the rivers swell with melt water. @reenland at this time is a Danish colony with Danish currency and mostly Danish place names. @odthHb is the capital and has a population of around =:::, mostly Eskimo, but with a few people of 4candinavian descent. <ouses are mostly traditional Eskimo huts of stone and turf with a few 4candinavian$style structures of imported wood. !he main industries here are whaling and fishing and there is a blubber boiling plant #ust outside of town. !here is also a general store, a newspaper office, a small school, a seminary and a government building with a radio station. !o the east lies @odthHbsf#orden, the long, meandering f#ord with many inlets where the 0athieson E1pedition landed .anguages <=anish or #nuit9: 0ral 3istory/Reassurance: If the ,rotagonists go ashore and talk to the locals, they will hear of another foreign ship in port that arrived over a week earlier. o 0ral 3istory/ Reassurance/ 8lattery/ -argain: !he vessel dropped off a @erman research team in @odthHbsf#orden and left shortly afterwards. o -ureaucracy/.a%/$rchaeology: !he rival e1pedition would need to have permission from the @reenland government to conduct a dig.

Ethelrod will find out about the rival team one way or another 9 from a member of the crew if not from the ,rotagonists. <e is furious and curses the %@erman race%. Reassurance: D5 ,oint spendE <e suspects that the @erman authorities were tipped$off about the site by a veteran of the first e1pedition, 7ean .aymond @obineau, who #oined the 3a&i cause a few years ago. -ureaucracy: En+uiries at the government offices, reveal that no permission has been granted for any e1pedition other than Ethelrod%s to conduct any e1cavation. D5 ,oint spendE ,reliminary en+uiries along these lines were, however, made by a @erman archaeological team lead by a Doctor Ekkehardt Bauer, but not followed up. !he authorities are unaware of any archaeological $rchaeology: D5 ,oint spendE Ekkehardt Bauer is a young @erman archaeologist and pioneer of pollen analysis and specialist in settlement archaeology. D= ,oint spendE <e is also associated with @erman racial ideology, and with the 34D2, D3a&i partyE.

The Rival &'"edition

*cene Type: 2lternate, .oleplaying .ead/#n: @odthHb .ead/0ut: Evighedsf#orden !he following day, a small freighter flying the @erman flag 9 the "i$$er 9 arrives in port to resupply. Ethelrod will refuse to have anything to do with themW however, the protagonists may choose to approach them. 'nboard is a crew of seven sailors, a radio engineer and an archaeological research assistant. !hey are in regular radio contact with the @erman team, although reception is increasingly patchy. !he @ermans will boast about being the first to e1plore Bthe ruins of !huleC, about having a special right to the heritage of their ancestors. !he resulting humiliation is a 5$,oint 4tability test for the protagonists. #ntimidation: !he characters can avoid humiliation by giving as good as they get. D5 ,oint spendE !hey can recover 5 4tability point. Reassurance /8lattery: D5$,oint 4pendE !he @erman team become more amicable and recognise at least some of the group as kindred Deither in a racial or in a spiritual senseE and will invite them onboard the ship, offering them drinks and food.

2nyone who accepts will find themselves lectured about the Bnoble origins of the 2ryan raceC and how archaeological sites all over the world prove that their ancestors brought civilisation to the ancient world. 2nyone who vigorously disagrees finds the offer of hospitality prematurely withdrawn. Reassurance/8lattery: D5$,oint spendE !he @ermans reveal their route Dnorth$northeast from @odthHbsf#orden, a similar route to the 0athieson E1peditionE. $ssess 3onesty: Behind the bragging, there is a slight sense of uneasiness. D5$,oint spendE !he @erman crew seem to be worried about their team. o Reassurance: D= ,oint spendE !he @ermans admit that they are being lead to the site by 7ean .aymond @obineau, a 0athieson E1pedition veteranW however, several of them believe he is unstable. <is behaviour is strange and occasionally violent and he drops hints of unspeakable horrors up on the ice sheet. If invited aboard, a 4tealth test against Difficulty ) will allow a +uick and surreptitious search of the ship under some prete1t. 4tealing something more than pocket$si&ed, re+uires a *onceal or Ailch test against Difficulty >. *imple *earch: !he ship contains some supplies of food, fuel ammunition, radio e+uipment and so forth. !here is also a small library of books on relevant geographical, geological, anthropological, archaeological, historical, linguistic and occult sub#ects, almost all in @erman, including 4trabo%s %eogra&hica and <ermann -irth%s Der Aufgang $er 'enschheit D!he Emergence of 0ankindE. .anguages <German9: 2 protagonist s&imming the latter D= hoursE will learn about nationalist @erman beliefs in their decent from a 3ordic super race that originated in the 2rctic region and once ruled the known world. 7oring over it D5: hoursE grants 5 dedicated pool point in 2rchaeology, 2nthropology, 'ccult or /anguages. Evidence ollection: 2lso here is an enthusiastic letter of support from a senior member of the 34D2, D3ational 4ocialist @erman -orkersQ ,artyE named <einrich

<immler to Doctor Ekkehardt Bauer, leader of the e1pedition. <immler refers to the site sometimes as B?ltima !huleC and sometimes as B2tlantisC and refers to something he calls F!hor%s <ammer%, a weapon of their divine ancestors said to be capable of flattening mountains.

Captain Alfred #reher

2round (: years old, and fit, Dreher is in command of base$ship operations. Dreher is a keen @erman patriot and a true believer in the !hule myth.

&erald Huber
<uber is a round$faced Bavarian. <e is a little overweight, fairly +uiet and serious, and a little less nationalistic than his companion is. $bilities: 2thletics ), Airearms (, <ealth ), 4cuffling ( 3it Threshold: ( $lertness 2odifier: : *tealth 2odifier: : 4eapon: K5 D0auser @ewehr 6N rifleE, $5 DKnifeE, $= DfistsE

2ther Crew (embers

$bilities: 2thletics L, Airearms (, <ealth ), 4cuffling L, -eapons ( 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 Dknife or improvised weaponE, K5 D0auser @ewehr 6N rifleE, K5 D/uger 6mmE

&vighedsf(orden
*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: @odthHb, !he .ival E1pedition .ead/0ut: Evighedsf#orden @lacier 2bout 5:: miles north of @odthHb, is the port of 4ukkertoppen, where the ship harbours overnight. 2bout 5: miles from there is the f#ord of Evighedsf#orden, which flows through a deep and sheer$sided canyon in a remote and mountainous region. 4eals and even a whale of two are visible in the water and there are many varieties of seabirds. !here isn%t much sea ice apart from an occasional iceberg as reminder of what this place is like in the winter. @lacier$carved canyons with meltwater streams running through them meet the the main channel of the f#ord at muddy beaches. *aptain 0ac2llen or ,rofessor Ethelrod reminds the team that in the colder months, the glacier stretches all the way to the sea. !his, combined

with the build up of sea ice means that landing here by sea starts to become difficult from 'ctober until 0ay or 7une. 2 local barge is in the process of dropping off the sleds, dogs, mushers Ddog sled driversE and a team of ponies on the beach. !he plan is to then use it to ferry supplies, e+uipment and the e1pedition members onto the muddy shore. Evidence ollection: 2bout thirty feet from the water%s edge is a low mound. -iology: Arom a distance it appears to be the body of a whale. D5 ,oint 4pendE It%s clearly a dead narwhal.

!here is also a team of si1 ponies to help lift the e+uipment onto the ice sheet. !eam$members are on cross$country skis. !he diesel$powered snow tractor seats four, pulls the heaviest e+uipment on a series of four sledges Dthe drill, the diesel generator, the electric ice melter and a do&en barrels of dieselE and sets a steady pace. It has a motorised winch on the back. If none of the ,rotagonists has Driving D!ractorE, Ethelrod will drive it. 0utdoorsman is re+uired to avoid getting hopelessly lost. 3avigating under difficult circumstances 9 without a map, a compass or in poor visibility will re+uire 'utdoorsman spends in order to progress in the correct direction.
Travel on foot

Polar +ear
2 polar bear is behind the whale%s body with it%s head inside, eating it from the inside. 2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) will let the characters spot strange movement from the body at about (: feet DDifficulty > at L: feet, if they have not approachedE. !he bear will issue a vocal warning and will charge at the humans to protect it%s catch. !hey will have two round before it reaches those closest to it. Aailing to detect the bear means they will be only a few feet away from it when it emerges, provoking an attack. Being attacked by the bear is a ($point 4tability test.
7olar -ear

*ross$country skiing re+uires 2thletics ( and 'utdoorsman of 5. It costs ) 2thletics, Aleeing or <ealth per day in these conditions. -ithout skis the speed is halved.
Travel by dog/sled

!his re+uires Driving DDog 4ledE in addition to the costs above. Dog teams will use L 2thletics pool points Dor <ealth once these are depletedE each day, ( points are replenished at the end of the day if the dogs are rested and well$fed.
Temperature Table

!he bear can attack twice in a round 9 two claws or a claw and a bite. If it loses half it%s <ealth, it will flee. $bilities: 2thletics 5), <ealth 5:, 4cuffling 5L 3it Threshold: ) $lertness 2odifier: K= 4eapon: K5 DclawE, K: DbiteE $rmour: $)

!his table below shows typical temperatures found in @odthHb and the valley of *ommoriom. Day temperatures are about 5:IA higher. 3ight temperatures about 5:IA lower. 2reas closer to the edge of the ice$sheet are about 5:IA warmer than the *ommoriom temperature. 2onth 7anuary Aebruary 0arch 2pril 0ay 7une 7uly 2ugust 4eptember 'ctober 3ovember Godthb 56 56 5N =L () ): )) )) (N (: =L ommoriom Valley $== $== $=: $5: $= > 5: 6 ( $> $5=

A Cache
Ethelrod orders a cache of supplies to be left near the beach. 5: man$days of food, =: rounds of ammunition and a full kerosine stove. Tbegin sidebarU

The Trek to Commoriom

!he team has three sledges and a snow tractor. !he sledges are pulled by teams of ten dogs, driven by a musher and carrying up to one passenger. !he sledges carry supplies 9 mostly food, camp gear and lighter e1cavation e+uipment.

December

=5

$56

Effects of limate

4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 DknifeE, K5 DrifleE, $rmour: $5 vs any D2rctic clothingE

;a&ob *>rensen

Below =:IA e1posed characters without 2rctic clothing on act as if hurt. Below $=:IA, characters must make 2thletics tests DDifficulty (E to keep moving. Aor each further =:IA drop, the Difficulty increases by 5. Difficulty is increased by = if the character isn%t wearing protective clothing. *haracters who fail this test lose 5 <ealth every 5> minutes, or every > minutes in a bli&&ard. 2rctic clothing gives 5 point of 2rmor, but increases the Difficulty of 2thletics and Aleeing tests 9 and anything else re+uiring e1tensive mobility 9 by 5. 2 tent and small stove effectively raise the temperature by =:IA. 2 cabin and more powerful stove raise it by (:IA, (>IA with the stove on full power.
ommunications

4Xrensen is a highly e1perienced cross$country skier, mountaineer, outdoorsman and guide. 2s the name suggests, he is of Danish descent and speaks Inuit, Danish and some English. $bilities: 2thletics 6, Driving ), Airearms ), <ealth N, 'utdoorsman (, 4cuffling >, -eapons ) <it !hreshold" ) $lertness 2odifier: K5 4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 DknifeE, K5 DrifleE, $rmour: $5 vs any D2rctic clothingE
*led =ogs

$bilities: 2thletics 5=, <ealth >, 4cuffling L 3it Threshold: ) $lertness 2odifier: K( 4eapon: $5 DbiteE $rmour: $= vs any Dthick furE Tend sidebarU Tbegin sidebarU

Ethelrod and the crew of the ship agree to communicate by radio twice a day" once at M20 and once at N,0.

Sledding Teams
!here are three sleds with ten dogs per sled and three mushers Dor fewer if any ,rotagonists are able drive a dog$sledE.
"&ale+

E-pedition E4uipment
!his is a non$e1haustive list of e+uipment for the e1pedition that hasn%t already been mentioned" ,arts for cabin and outhouses, including an oil stove DkeroseneE, tents, arctic clothing, ice picks, a1es, L: !3! e1plosive charges with detonators, 5 rifle per team member, 5:: rounds ammunition per rifle, camp radio with antenna D5:: -, nominal range 5:: miles depending on weather, =::lbsE, chain saws DdieselE, electric ice melter Dabout 5:::lbsE, (::- diesel generator DN:lbsE, )= 1 >> gallon tank diesel D((: lbs eachE, 5: 1 >> gallon tank kerosene D((: lbs eachE, water pump Ddiesel, (::lbsE, Buckets, Aood for dogs and humans for 5= months Dmostly two grades of pemmican, plus a few lu1uriesE, two sets of standard climbing gear including (:: feet rope, = powerful incandescent lamps Dwith ): ft cables to attach to generatorE, 5: kerosene lamps, 5: electric torches. 0ost other items will re+uire ,reparedness tests with Difficulty determined by the keeper.
hainsa%

2 stocky Inuit with bad teeth who seems to show them off with his smile almost all the time. 2pproaching middle age, he is an e1pert hunter and outdoorsman. <e speaks Inuit and Danish. $bilities: 2thletics L, Driving ), Airearms N, <ealth L, 'utdoorsman >, 4cuffling (, -eapons M 3it Threshold: ( $lertness 2odifier: K= *tealth 2odifier: K= 4eapon: $= DfistsE, $5 DknifeE, K5 DrifleE, $rmour: $5 vs any D2rctic clothingE
Tiria+

!all for an Inuit and around (:, with a wispy moustache. <e speaks Inuit and Danish. <e is an e1pert at dog$handling and sled$maintenance. $bilities: 2thletics L, Driving >, Airearms =, <ealth L, 'utdoorsman (, 4cuffling ), -eapons > 3it Threshold: ( $lertness 2odifier: K5 *tealth 2odifier: K5

If someone should use this as a weapon at any stage, give it damage K5, but due to its general unwieldiness, users make -eapons tests at $5. Tend sidebarU

&vighedsf(orden #lacier
*cene Type: *ore, *hallenge .ead/#n: Evighedsf#orden .ead/0ut: !he *limb to the Ice *ap !he first stage of the overland trek is likely to last one day and is very challenging. !he loaded dog sleds must run uphill along the bottom of the canyon on gravel and mud, avoiding ice$falls from the glaciers overhead. !he canyon is about 5( miles long. ,rogress is slow due to the team of ponies accompanying them. Aor any ,rotagonists who are driving dog sleds this is a Driving test against Difficulty (. Aailure means that one of the dogs is in#ured or the sled is stuck, resulting in delays. Aor dogs this costs 5: 2thletics pool points.

The Clim% to the Ice Ca"

*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: Evighedsf#orden @lacier .ead/0ut: 2cross the Ice !his day begins with an even more difficult climb up a broken, icy slope onto 4ukkertoppen ice cap above. 4omehow, the team must lift the sleds, the tractor and their loads onto the ice sheet. !he e1pedition has a team of ponies, a hand$winch, human effort and perhaps the tractor itself to perform the lifting. Ethelrod publicly challenges the most +ualified ,rotagonist Dor one who he has found irritatingE to lead this process. 4tress that the ,rotagonist%s reputation is at stake here. !here are a number of possible methods and you may modify the mechanics below according to player ingenuity, however this process should be resolvable as two tests. 2 0echanical .epair test against Difficulty 5: Dpotentially cooperative or piggybackedE represents applied understanding of leverage, traction, balance and so forth. 4pends in ,hysics or 'utdoorsman reduce the difficulty by 5 per pool point spent. If this is successful, the ne1t test is a piggybacked 2thletics test against Difficulty 5= representing the collective effort of lifting the e1pedition supplies. If the 0echanical .epair test is unsuccessful, the Difficulty is 5). If the 2thletics test successful, the process goes smoothly and the leading ,rotagonist may refresh 5 4tability due to their boosted confidence. If it fails, and the die roll was a 5, one of the mushers falls into the canyon and is in#ured, causing delays and forcing him to return to the ship. If the roll was a =, a team of dogs falls into the canyon killing or in#uring several of the dogs and forcing one of the sleds to be left behind. If the roll was a (, one of the supply sleds tumbles into the canyon damaging several barrels of diesel. *raft DcarpentryE is re+uired to repair the sled. 'therwise, the team simply isn%t able to make progress and must camp for the night before trying again. !he entire process will take the best part of a day. Aollowing Ethelrod%s directions, the team can spend the last couple of hours of the day sledding in a south easterly direction across the ice$sheet, before camping for the night.

5ce 6all
2s they progress up the canyon, have everyone make a 4ense !rouble test at Difficulty ) to spot ice tumbling into the path of one of the sleds. 2nyone who succeeds with 4ense !rouble can call out a warning allowing the driver to take evasive action. 2voiding this re+uires a Driving test against Difficulty > D) if the driver passed 4ense !roubleEW otherwise, all on board Dand the dogsE take K5 damage and supplies on the sled may be damaged.

)owling
3ear the top of the canyon, the ,rotagonists must make 4ense !rouble tests against Difficulty ( to hear strange howling sounds. 2nyone with 0utdoorsman can reassure themselves and other characters that this is purely a natural phenomenon caused by the wind funnelling down the canyon, allowing any 4ense !rouble points spent to be refunded. 'therwise, this is a 5$,oint 4tability test. $ssess 3onesty: @ranger is showing signs of stress or agitation. If asked, he refuses to talk about it and denies that anything is wrong.

A Quarrel
2t the end of the day, the group needs to make a camp near the top of the canyon. !hat evening, a +uarrel can be heard in Ethelrod and @ranger%s tent. 2pproaching +uietly without interupting them is a 4tealth test against Difficulty (. Evidence ollection: Ethelrod is repremanding @ranger for bringing alcohol. <e forbids him from consuming alcohol and threatens to throw away his alcohol supply.

Evidence ollection" /arge, strange footprints can be seen in the snow, perhaps distorted by melting. 0utdoorsman/-iology: !he prints are those of a carnivore, perhaps a large bear. D5 ,oint spendE <owever, the e1tended claw in the middle of the foot isn%t found on bear prints, or indeed, any animal you are aware of. D= ,oint spendE !here is something very strange about the gait, as if some of the time it was moving on more than four legs. thulhu 2ythos: !his may be the legendary si1$legged beast of the 2rctic, called %no&h-keh. $nthropology: D5 point spendE *ertain Eskimo tribes have legends of a Fdemon bear% that stalks the 2rctic. !hey call it simply F!he <airy !hing%.

they will arrive at The 8irst German amp. During this trip the hunters may e1perience being spied on by a strange Eskimo Dsee 2cross the Ice, !he -atcherE.

Across the Ice

*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: !he *limb to the Ice *ap .ead/0ut: 'n the Edge !he e1pedition is now heading southeast over the fractured surface of the @reenland ice sheet. !wice a day, each member of the team must make a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) to prevent their vehicle from heading into a crevasse. If the first roll fails, a Driving test DDifficulty (E is re+uired to avoid falling in for K5 damage to all onboard and possible loss or damage to vehicles, cargo or dogs and subse+uent delays. !his stage will take two days. <owever, if the team passes a piggybacked Driving D!ractor or Dog 4led as applicableE test against Difficulty >, reduce this to one day.
$ =istress all

If the mushers see the prints, they become +uite e1cited. !iria+ refuses to continue. 0ral 3istory/Reassurance: D5 ,oint spendE !he mushers say there are stories of a bad Tuurngait DspiritE that kills men on the ice sheet by free&ing them and takes their souls. It%s called F<airy !hing%. D= ,oint spendE Arom a distance, it looks like a bear. But it%s huge and they say it has long claws like this. Ethelrod struggles to convince !iria+. 2 5/7oint Reassurance spend will suffice. In contrast ?kale+ Dand to a lesser e1tent 4XrensenE wants to hunt and kill the creature. Ethelrod absolutely refuses to support such a venture. Evidence ollection: 2s soon as Dr @ranger sees the print, he goes white and begins muttering to himself. D5 ,oint spendE !his allows a character to overhear him mutter about an Bice monsterC. $ssess 3onesty: @ranger is highly agitated. <e obviously knows something he%s not revealing. D5$ ,oint spendE Ethelrod also seems somewhat alarmed although he is far more in control of himself. 7sychoanalysis: @ranger may have a phobia or have had a traumatic e1perience in the past that has triggered e1treme an1iety.

If the team maintains the agreed schedule of twice$ daily radio communications, the following morning they receive some news. !he base ship has been approached by crewmembers of the @erman base ship re+uesting assistance. !he @erman e1pedition has been out of radio contact for three days. -hile this may simply be a technical problem, the @ermans are concerned and would like help in looking for their team. !his is honourable behaviour between international e1peditions. *aptain Dreher, of the @erman base$ship, is available to speak directly to the characters if they wish.
Granger gets *tranger

$ssess 3onesty: -hen the team camps overnight and when they make stops during the day @ranger%s behaviour seems to be increasingly odd. <e seems withdrawn and detached and mutters to himself. D5 point spendE <e actually appears to be conversing with the dogs and with people who are not there. 2edicine/7sychoanalysis: !his detachment from reality is a symptom of a full psychotic break. D5 point spendE !he tremors and other symptoms are evidence that he is suffering from Delerium Tremens caused by alcohol withdrawal.

Hunting the +east

If anyone ignores Ethelrod%s direct order and attempts to hunt the beast, a 5/7oint 0utdoorsman spend is re+uired per day to track it on a wandering route roughly east southeast. 2fter about three days,

The 4atcher

2s the #ourney progresses, the team gradually approaches a range of nunataks Dmountains emerging from the ice sheetE to the southeast. !here are a few smaller nunataks along the way. !owards the end of the last afternoon here, a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) will allow the protagonists to spot someone watching them from the top of a ridge ahead. <e is perhaps half a mile away. 2 ,reparedness test DDifficulty >E will give a ,rotagonist +uick access to binoculars. Evidence ollection: If viewed through binoculars, or telescopic sight, he appears to be an Eskimo, but dressed rather strangely in a high$collared parka with a sort of pointed hat instead of a hood. !he Eskimo +uickly disappears from view whether seen or not. $nthropology: <is features are unusual for an Eskimo, with a long face, large nose and elongated earlobes. D5$,oint spendE <is appearance is reminiscent of figures depicted in artifacts of the e1tinct Dorset *ulture. thulhu 2ythos: !he figure%s appearance is reminiscent of descriptions of the inhabitants of <yperborea.

that, he disappears from view and a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L is re+uired to avoid an ambush as he ferociously attacks with a hand$a1e. <e will fight to the death rather than be captured. 4een close$up, it is clear that the man is no ordinary Eskimo. <e is lean, with fair hair, and a long face with elongated nose and ears. <e appears to be in his mid to late twenties. <e will refuse to talk and will try to escape at the first opportunity. !he same clues above are available based on his appearance, plus the following" $nthropology: ;ilh#almur 4tefansson reported blond Eskimo in the ;ictoria Island area of *anada in 565: and there have been several such reports, including in @reenland, since the 5Mth *entury. #nterrogation: If restrained, in broken @reenlandic Inuit, he warns that this is forbidden land, protected by the ancestors. !hey must leave at once or they will die a horrible death. D= ,oint spendE <e gives a name and that he is a member of a small family that lives in a house several days to the west of here. $ssess 3onesty reveals no hint of deception. !he team won%t be able to travel much further today.

Reassurance/0ral 3istory: 2ccording to the mushers, there are many stories of blond people living in remote, high areas of -est @reenland. !hey are called the Lamah. !he Inuit of the region shun them for their foul religious practices. D5 ,oint spendE !hey worship a sleeping god of chaos called Kulu. D= point spendE 2ccording to some legends, the Lamah once ruled @reenland before the first Inuit came. 2scending the ridge is an 2thletics test against Difficulty (. 0utdoorsman: !his lets a character find the Eskimo%s tracks. D5$point spendE !he tracks appear to come from the east Dthe direction the e1pedition is headedE and return the same way. D=$,oint spendE !his lets a character follow the tracks for a significant distance along the ridge then down the east side. ,ursuit can be treated as a *hase using 2thletics versus 2thletics, with the Eskimo receiving head start of a free success at the start of the chase and a Difficulty reduced to ( representing his e1perience of the terrain. 2nyone winning this *hase will have an opportunity to take a single shot at the strange$ looking Eskimo if they have a rifle ready. 2fter

(aakuk7 +lond H perborean

Eskimo8

$bilities: 2thletics 5:, 4cuffling N, -eapons 55, <ealth 6 3it Threshold: ) $rmor" $5 vs all DhideE *tealth 2odifier: K= $lertness 2odifier: K= 4eapon" K: Dstone a1eE

*n the &dge
*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: 2cross the Ice .ead/0ut: !he Airst @erman *amp, Aollowed by the @ermans, !he ;alley of *ommoriom 2bout a day from their planned destination, the e1pedition is moving along the top of a steep ridge. Evidence ollection: Gou see something two or three miles from the bottom of the ridge 9 an irregularity in the landscape. -ith binoculars, you see what appears to be a series of mounds and a crooked pole flying a @erman flag. !he face of the ridge, which the ,rotagonists would need to descend to reach the camp, is a near$vertical

wall of icy rock over 5:: feet high. *limbing down is an 2thletics test DDifficulty LE. @etting back up the wall is a test against Difficulty N. In both cases, damage is at K(. If a safety rope is used the damage is reduced to $5 and the 2thetics test must be attempted again. <owever, if the roll is a natural 5 the safety rope doesn%t hold and the character falls. 2pproaching the mounds brings the protagonists to The 8irst German amp. 0utdoorsman/Geology: 2nother route is possible that avoids the steep climb. It would mean going back along the ridge then heading south. 'n foot, this would take about a day each way, on unloaded dog sleds about half that, and on loaded sleds or a snow tractor, about L hours. 0utdoorsman/Evidence ollection: !here are bolts in the cliff face where someone climbed up the face of the ridge. D5 ,oint spendE !his was within the last week or so and there were at least three in the climbing party. 2nyone remaining behind and passing a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L will spot a figure, similar to the previous one, watching them from a mountainside to the north. .eaching the spot will take about half an hour and a climb re+uiring an 2thletics test against Difficulty ). 0utdoorsman will locate his tracks, while a 5/7oint spend will allow them to be followed westward and higher up the mountain, but they can only be followed for about two miles before they are lost on the rocky surface. If none of the protagonists remain here, the mushers will report the figure when they return and can take the characters close to the spot where the figure stood. !he e1pedition will probably need to camp somewhere on the ridge or tonight. TBegin 4idebarU

investigate the 8irst German amp, Ethelrod will accompany them and his death will probably occur there. If they press on towards the valley, they are 8ollo%ed by the Germans, and @obineau kills Ethelrod then. If ,rotagonist actions prevent these deaths then Ethelrod is killed when Granger goes 2ad. If all else fails, have Ethelrod killed by the @noph$Keh. TEnd 4idebarU

The 6irst &erman Camp

*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eaction .ead/#n: 'n the Edge .ead/0ut: !he ;alley of *ommoriom !here are five tents, and smoke from a fire. 3o movement is visible from a distance. Discretely observing the camp for a while is a 4hadowing test against Difficulty (. 4ome signs of life are visible 9 men occasionally emerge to smoke, get some food, enter another tent or go to the toilet. If watched for as long as a day, some preparations begin Dthey are preparing to search for their teammates who climbed the ridge and are out of radio contactE. If the @ermans notice the observers, they will approach the ridge with rifles and demand an e1planation. Reassurance is necessary to calm them. !his might be another opportunity for @obineau to kill Ethelrod. 2pproaching the vicinity of the camp undetected is a 4tealth test against Difficulty >. If the ,rotagonists wait until the dusky conditions of night, it drops to ). Evidence *ollection" !he camp is in a state of disarray. 4everal of the tents appear to be damaged and heavy snow has been only partially cleared. !he remains of one completely destroyed tent lied nearby. !he @ermans are nervous and suspicious of the Ethelrod E1pedition%s appearance in the area. @obineau is rather unstable and paranoid and will be +uick to resort to violence. Ethelrod advises his team to ready themselves as they approach. If the ,rotagonists attempt a surprise attack, Ethelrod will order them to stop 9 he wants to talk to them. -hen they are about (: yards away, he calls out to the camp in @erman. !hree men appear from tents, pointing rifles. If the ,rotagonists open fire, the @ermans will shoot too. 'therwise, there is a standoff and a heated e1change between Ethelrod and the @ermans.

&thelrod+s Death
Ethelrod should die fairly early in the scenario for several reasons" firstly, it puts the protagonists into the driving seat and secondly, it potentially reveals several more aspects of the mystery. It also plays a dramatic role and adds to the feeling of isolation, confusion and insecurity. In order to minimise any sense of railroading, three different death scenes are described. !he one in which his death actually occurs depends on ,rotagonist actions. If they climb down the ridge to

.anguages <German9" Ethelrod accuses them of stealing his plans and trying to take credit for his and 0athieson%s discovery. <e blames someone called F@obineau%. <e tries to intimidate them and says that he and his men are going to come into the camp to look for evidence. 'ne of the @ermans threatens to shoot anyone who enters the camp. Ethelrod tells them they are outnumbered and that they must throw down their guns. #ntimidation: By demonstrating your superior numbers, you are able to convince the @ermans to back down. !he @ermans put down their guns. Ethelrod asks for a volunteer to help him look around while the rest of the team keeps the @ermans covered. Reassurance: Gou persuade the @ermans that your group is not a threat and both sides put down their guns. Ethelrod asks for one or two people to help him look around. Ethelrod marches to the doorway of one of the tents and #ust as he reaches for it, it suddenly opens and he gasps ByouYC. !here is a gunshot and he falls back, mortally wounded. 7ean .aymond @obineau stands in the doorway holding a smoking pistol. !he remaining @ermans immediately make a grab for their rifles. !he ,rotagonists have several options now, the most obvious being returning fire or negotiation. Reassurance" Gou are able to calm the situation from escalating immediately into further violence. D5 ,oint spendE Gou negotiate a truce with the @ermans while the unfortunate matter is sorted out. If convinced they are not a threat, the @ermans will attempt to persuade the newcomers to help them find their missing compatriots and to work together in the investigation of the valley. If attacked, the @ermans will defend themselves or flee. Escape without proper e+uipment in this environment means almost certain death. #ntimidation" D5 ,oint spendE 2 sufficient show of force convinces the @ermans to surrender. #nterrogation" If asked the right +uestions under interrogation the @ermans can give the following information. Each clue re+uires a 5 ,oint spend. 4ome e1pedition members are susceptible to the use of other abilities, in which case points can be spent from the pools of those abilities. If the ,rotagonists decide to get physical and use any kind of torture they may forego the

point spend, however each session involving torture re+uires a =$,oint 4tability test for the interrogator. o !he team is led by Dr Ekkehardt Bauer. !he purpose of their e1pedition is to locate a site in a high valley in this area and determine whether the remains are those of an ancestral 2ryan settlement. !heir ship, the "i$$er is anchored in @odthHbsf#orden. o !hey split up to search different areas in order to pinpoint the location of the site described by @obineau. !hey have seen strange blond Eskimo, heard mysterious howling sounds and were recently caught in a severe bli&&ard, during which on member of their team disappeared T320EU. o !here has been no radio contact with the rest of the team since late the previous afternoon. !hey were considering whether to attempt to find them. o !he e1pedition includes several members of the 34D2, D3a&i partyE, including one 44 officer and members of several esoteric societies. o 7ean .aymond @obineau brought the site to the attention of Bauer, and they got support for an unofficial e1pedition from several volkisch organisations and from the leader of the Schut(-Staffel paramilitary organisation of the 3a&i party, <einrich <immler. o 2ccording to @obineau, the site includes an e1posed temple building and a buried tower. <e warned of dire conse+uences for anyone who approached the site without his Foccult protection%. o 2ccording to @obineau, there may be descendents of the !hule$2ryans in the area, although seemingly degenerate. #nterrogation or 8lattery" If @obineau is +uestioned, each 5/7oint spend of either ability

will grant a piece of information from the clues above, those in his #ournal Dsee ,age 11E or the information below. <e was asked by Dr Bauer to remain behind. <e does not agree with this decision as he only has a slightly sprained ankle. o $ssess 3onesty: @obineau is confused and angry about Doctor Bauer%s decision and believes that the Doctor is worried that @obineau will claim his glory. D5 ,oint spendE <e is narcissistic, insecure and paranoid and might be susceptible to Alattery o #nterrogation or 8lattery: D= ,oint spendE !he temple is dedicated to Zhotha++uah the god of a race of ancient subhumans. 2n unspeakable monster lurks in the temple. 2 bi&arre man$eating bear$like beast haunts the ice plains. Reassurance! 8lattery or -argain: @obineau could be persuaded to act as a guide, however he will betray the ,rotagonists if he gets the chance. T*lues in the campU

3it Threshold: ( 4eapon: K5 D0auser @ewehr 6N rifleE, $5 Dknife or improvised weaponE, $= DfistsE
-rAnhilde

!BD
;ean Raymond Gobineau

@obineau is a (: year old mountaineer, dilettante, 44 member and veteran of the 0athieson e1pedition. <e is a great grandson of the Arench racial theorist 2rthur de @obineau, whose racial theories were one of the primary influences on 3a&i ideology. 7ean .aymond is highly racist himself, as well as being somewhat insecure. <e will refuse to have anything to do with non$white people at all and under stress could react violently to them. If somehow shown that his idealised theories of his origins were profoundly mistaken, he would go irrevocably insane. $bilities: 2thletics ) D5: if he recoversE, Airearms =, <ealth ( DN if he recoversE, 4cuffling L 3it Threshold: ) 4eapon: K5 D0auser @ewehr 6N rifleE, K5 D/uger ,:N 6mm ,arabellumE, $= DfistsE

,ollowed %y the #ermans

*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eaction .ead/#n: 'n the Edge .ead/0ut: !he ;alley of *ommoriom 2s they make camp, a successful 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) allows them to spot from a distance of =>: yards, a group of four figures with rifles approaching from behind. !here%s no chance of surprising them. !hey are wary and on edge. ,erhaps these English$ speaking foreigners have something to do with their missing companions. @obineau certainly seems convinced that they are. If not, perhaps they can help. If guns are fired in their direction Dand they are clearly outnumberedE, the @erman team will retreat. -hen they get within about (: feet of one another, @obineau and Ethelrod will simultaneously recognise each other. BGou...C says @obineau. BGou... traitor. Gou 7udasC says Ethelrod, lifting his rifle. But @obineau is +uicker with his pistol and Ethelrod falls. !he aftermath of this scene should play out similarly to The 8irst German amp.

The &erman Team

Ernest 2?ller <3urt9

2n amateur anthropologist in his late (:s. 0Sller is an upper$middle class 2ustrian, slightly overweight with a medium beard and brown hair.
;ohan -ec&er

4hort, athletic and fair. Becker is a trained archaeologist in his mid$(:s. <e is susceptible to bribery DBargainE. $bilities: 2thletics M, Airearms >, <ealth LD5E, 4cuffling >, -eapons ) 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon: K5 D0auser @ewehr 6N rifleE, $5 Dknife or improvised weaponE, $= DfistsE
"lbrecht *ch@fer

!all, fair, athletic, 4ch8fer is a successful industrialist, in his mid$(:s. <e is susceptible to Intimidation. <e is currently in#ured. <is abilities at full health are in parentheses. $bilities: 2thletics L DME, Airearms ) D>E, <ealth 5 DLE, 4cuffling ) D>E, -eapons ( D)E

#ranger goes -ad

*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eaction .ead/#n: !he ;alley of *ommoriom .ead/0ut: !he ;alley of *ommoriom ore lue: The route to ommoriom Valley -hen the team sets up camp for the night, Ethelrod invites the others to talk about the #ourney ahead, and in particular, techni+ues for avoiding crevasses. !he meeting takes place in a tent shared by up to three of the protagonists. @ranger opts to retire. Ethelrod%s suppressed disapproval of this is noted with a 5/7oint *pend in $ssess 3onesty. <e is drinking in his tent. If anyone goes to speak to him at this time, he will hurriedly hide his bottle of whisky. !he bottle or its lid can be spotted with Evidence ollection 5/7oint spend. 2nd signs of drunkenness will be detected with 2edicine or $ssess 3onesty or Evidence ollection. 2bout an hour and a half later, Ethelrod ad#ourns the meeting and the attendees make their way back to their own tents. /ipton lingers, talking to one of the ,rotagonists. 2nyone making a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty > briefly notices a silhouetted figure among the tents mutter something in the dimness DB<enryYCE and raise a gun. 'ne simple action is permitted" ducking, starting to run, drawing a weapon or shouting a warning. 'therwise, the first thing noticed is a very loud gunshot. !he Keeper should emphasis the confusion here. -ho is the shooter -ere they shooting at a threat 2re they a threat Is anyone hurt -here is everyone else 2 second 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) will identify the figure with the rifle as a threat. 2nd a 5/7oint *pend in Evidence ollection will identify him as @ranger. @ranger will pause for one round then, unless interrupted, begin taking pot shots at other members of the team. <e begins at *lose range. <owever, he can spend no points on Airearms due to the darkness, his drunkenness and general lack of ability. 2 ,reparedness test against Difficulty > will allow a ,rotagonist to happen to be carrying a gun. 'therwise, retrieving these from tents will take three rounds. Reassurance 5/7oint spend or successful ,sychological !riage calms @ranger down and he lowers the gun. 2 second 5/7oint spend or successful ,sychological !riage convinces him to relin+uish it.

If anyone moves towards him, @ranger will threaten them with the gun and shoot anyone who gets too close or who raises a gun towards him. 0eanwhile Ethelrod lies unmoving on the ground. In the darkness among the tents a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) is needed to even notice him. 2edicine <core! floating9: Ethelrod is mortally wounded, but he comes round briefly. <e will tell the protagonist to follow the route marked on the map in his personal pack. <e also warns them that the Bguardian of the temple must be placatedC but slips into unconsciousness before he can e1plain how. 2 third Reassurance 5/7oint *pend or ,sychological !riage will get @ranger talking. <e raves and mutters incoherently about Bblond EskimoC, Bthe man$eating beast of the iceC, Bthe city of evilC, Bthe formless guardian of the templeC and Ethelrod stealing his whisky. <e soon lapses into a state of muttering, incoherent catatonia, from which, as 7sychoanalysis indicates, he is unlikely to recover without lengthy therapy.

Ethelrods Personal Effects

Ethelrod left most of his personal possessions on one of the sleds. .eliant as they were on Ethelrod, the rest of the team do not know with certainty the route to their goal. !hey may find this material while looking for his maps. Ethelrod%s possessions include" ore lue: 2 detailed map of -est @reenland with handwritten markings showing both the route taken by the 0athieson E1pedition and the route planned for the current e1pedition Ethelro$#s )otes on the Liber !onis Dsee FEthelrod%s 4ecrets% sidebarE lue <7ipe9: A *reliminar+ nter&retation of the Tsath-,o Language Dsee FEthelrod%s 4ecrets% sidebarE *ictogra&hs in the Tem&le of the -oth-A..ua Dsee FEthelrod%s 4ecrets% sidebarE

TBegin 4idebarU

Ethelrods Secrets
EthelrodBs Cotes on the .iber #vonis

.anguage: English *&im: = hours 7ore: =: hours

!hese handwritten notes were written in the late 56=:s, based on the /atin version of the Book of Eibon. Ethelrod%s notes focus on language, the geography, history and culture of <yperborea, the pre$human Voormis and the worship of their god -hotha..uah. *&imming this provides the clues from the /iber Ivonis described on ,age VV plus 5 dedicated pool point to be used for 'ccult, 2nthropology or *thulhu 0ythos spends relating to <yperborea and !sathoggua. 7oring over it provides an additional = dedicated pool points.
$ 7reliminary #nterpretation of the Tsath/Do .anguage! by 3enry Ethelrod and urtis 2athieson

.anguage: !sath$Go to English *&im: ( hours 7ore: (: hours Ethelrod and 0athieson compiled this provisional dictionary and grammar of the Tsath-,o hieroglyphic language based on their work prior to the 56=> e1pedition and the glyphs they found in @reenland. 'nce *&immed, this book can be used as a reference, with sufficient time and point spends, te1ts written in !sath$Go can be translated with a reasonable level of accuracy. 7oring over it grants = dedicated pool points in /anguages D!sath$ GoE.
7ictographs in the Temple of (oth/$++ua

2ythos identifies the reference to a spawn of !sathoggua. !he temperature grew colder and people stopped following Zoth$2++ua and began to worship other gods, especially A$uk/u that came from the north and was associated with the dropping temperatures. thulhu 2ythos suggests that this might be Itha+ua. 2 civil war broke out between the followers of Zoth$2++ua and 2dukwu and the heretics were forced out of the city, and hunted down. 2 few survived in the mountains. 4trange people with no hair on their bodies, only on their heads, came from the north in boats made of skin Dthe ancestors of the <yperboreans, Ethelrod suggestsE. !hey began to trade, the builders of the city taught them writing, and the newcomers +uickly learned the ways of economics and government. !he land continued to get colder, and trade dwindled. !he coming of the cold was a curse from 2dukwu or his long$dead followers. !here is a prophecy that the bare$skinned people would take the city. Eventually it would lie abandoned and ravaged by the cold.

TEnd 4idebarU

The Valley of Commoriom

*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: 'n the Edge .ead/0ut: E1cavation, @ranger goes 0ad ore lue: The *hado% "nder the #ce

.anguage: English *&im: = hours !his contains Ethelrod%s translations of a set of !sath$Go hieroglyphs found on the walls of a temple in the valley of *ommoriom. <e describes the pictographs as being of a more primitive type than previously seen and postulates that it was created by a people he calls FVoormis# and that the <yperboreans adopted this language and refined it. $nthropology or $rchaeology reminds the reader that such notions don%t correspond with accepted human prehistory. 2 people called Voormis came to this fertile valley from far to the south and built a city dedicated to their god -oth-A..ua. thulhu 2ythos identifies this as !sathoggua. !he temple was consecrated by summoning one of Zoth$2++ua%s children to guard it. !he high priest was then ceremonially sealed alive in the burial chamber behind the altar. thulhu

Arri)ing at the Site

2s the team progresses along the ridge, they see two mountain peaks ahead, between which they are heading. Beyond that, according to Ethelrod%s map, lies the valley of *ommoriom. !he #ourney is uphill and hard going, re+uiring ) 2thletics, Aleeing or <ealth pool points for half a day. !he team reaches the top of a rise in the natural pass between the two peaks and has view of a mountainous plateau, a valley around a mile across, with an ice cap covering what was once a valley. 2bout = miles away, on the other side of the valley, a dark cube DThe Temple of (hotha++uahE s+uats on the lower slopes of the highest mountain. 2bout one mile away, on another slope of tundra is a small camp.

!he wind blows harshly through the high valley, whipping up particles of ice and snow into dancing phantoms. 2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ( allows ,rotagonists to hear a strange droning sound. !his is a natural effect caused by the wind blowing between the mountains and through the valley. 'nce this is established, allow any 4ense !rouble points spent to be reclaimed. Evidence ollection! 0utdoorsman or Geology < ore lue9: 2lso about a mile away, close to the middle of the ice$covered valley is a shadow that matches the one Ethelrod showed the group in the briefing Dsee The *hado% "nder the #ceE. Geology: !he ice could be up to a thousand feet thick. Evidence ollection: 2s you approach the cube$ shaped structure, you see a blackened, scattered pile of debris on the ice. In fact, this is the remains of the @erman e1pedition Dsee The End of the -auer ExpeditionE.

test against Difficulty ) is re+uired to understand the firing mechanism, with failure resulting in a wasted shot. @asoline, kerosene or diesel can be used as fuel. 2 5:$chambered cylinder in the no&&le contains the ignition cartridges. Its heavy DL> lbsE and cumbersome nature and high visibility make it dangerous to wear, decreasing the wearer%s <it !hreshold by 5 and increasing 2thletics and Aleeing Difficulties by 5. It%s also +uite fragile" treat as having = 2rmour and ( <ealth if damaged. =amage: K5 Dand see belowE *hots: 5: Range: 3ear Cotes: 'nce hit, a target will continue to burn, inflicting K: damage for 5DL rounds D2thletics test against Difficulty L to e1tinguishE. $5 to wearer%s <it !hreshold. 2 user can also douse an area before ignition, creating a fireball that inflicts similar damage to an e1ploding stick of dynamite Dsee Trail of Cthulhu rulebook pLME. TEnd 4idebarU

The &erman Camp

!he camp consists of two tents with two sledges parked nearby. !here is bedding for three men here. It appears to be deserted. 0utdoorsman: !he camp has not been used for days. *imple *earch: !he camp contains some supplies of food, kerosene, skis, ice picks, rifle ammunition, and so forth. Evidence ollection 5 point spend is re+uired to find each of the following in the camp" =: dynamite charges with detonators and fuse wire 5= flamethrower ignition cartridges !he 7ournal of Ekkehardt Bauer !he 2kraf#all 4aga

The 9ournal of Ekkehardt +auer

.anguage: @erman *&im: ) hours Doctor Ekkehardt Bauer was the leader of the @erman e1pedition. By the time the protagonists find him, he is dead. !his is his #ournal, beginning several months before the e1pedition started. It includes +uotations from <immler, <erman -irth, and the 0era Lin$a Book. It includes the following clues" !he purpose of the e1pedition is to find evidence that the ancestors of the @ermans had a civilisation in ancient @reenland. !his search is supported by certain nationalist groups, and organisations, including important members of the 34D2, D3a&i partyE. In 56=6, 7ean .aymond @obineau, veteran of the 0athieson E1pedition and grandson of 2rthur de @obineau the famous race theorist, had recently moved to Berlin and #oined the 34D2,. <e contacted @ustaf Kossinna, ,rofessor of @erman 2rchaeology at the ?niversity of Berlin with unpublished information about the 56=> e1pedition. Kossinna, himself a nationalist and race theorist, encouraged Bauer to organise an e1pedition.

TBegin 4idebarU )*ymbol: 7ulp,

!echselapparat 6lamethrower

!e-

-hile it%s unlikely to do much more than delay the horror they will face later, you could include an intact flamethrower at the camp. !his model is surplus from the @reat -ar and consists of a backpack with fuel cylinders and a no&&le connected by a hose. 2 0echanical .epair

/ike Ethelrod and 0athieson, @obineau called the site F*ommoriom% in reference to a city mentioned in the /ivre d%Eibon. Kossinna called it F?ltima !hule%. 'n invitation, @obineau #oined the e1pedition. It arrived in @odthHb in early 7uly and, following @obineau%s directions, landed in @odthHbsf#orden where the ship anchored in order to ma1imise radio reception. Bauer describes @obineau as obno1ious and mentally unstable. Bauer feels he is more of a hindrance to the mission than a help. Bauer and @obineau fight sporadically. 4trange$looking Eskimo were spotted watching from a distance. /ater one of them approached. <e was a bearded old man with fair comple1ion and elongated facial features. <e resembled a 4candinavian. Bauer felt certain that this was proof of the origin of the 2ryans on !huleR@reenland. !he man was not friendly. 4peaking in a strange dialect, he appeared to threaten or warn them and left. !he following day, while caught in a sudden bli&&ard, they were attacked by a huge, bear$like thing that was nevertheless definitely not a bear. !hey tried to shoot it without success. 'nce they regrouped, they found that three of them were dead and two missing. !hey decided to press on with only three men left in the e1pedition.

-irth associates this with the Karelian stor+ of Ilmatar, the spirit of the air who gives birth to ;8in8mSinen, the first man. There /as a cit+ in a high1 fertile !alle+ in Thule1 /ith mountains to the /est an$ forests to the south. The &eo&le of the cit+ /ere en!ious of the %o$-'an an$ took him &risoner. The+ cut off his hea$ an$ burie$ the bo$+1 but he arose1 an$ kille$ one of the &eo&le. The+ e2ecute$ him again an$ the same ha&&ene$. 'ost of the &eo&le fle$ the cit+. 0n the thir$ occasion1 he re!eale$ his $i!ine form an$ $e!oure$ man+ of the &eo&le until the last of them fle$. ,ears later1 one of the inhabitants of the cit+ returne$ an$ foun$ the cit+ &o&ulate$ /ith a race $escen$e$ from the go$s. Thus began the ci!ilisation of Thule an$ the Ar+an race. !his myth, argues -irth, is an account of the divine seed from which the supreme 3ordic$2ryan race appeared on !hule before they went on to rule the ancient /orl$. 3e also s&eculates e2tensi!el+ on the relationshi&s bet/een the &ictogra&hs an$ )or$ic runes. lue <.everaged9: If using Ethelrod%s !sath$Go dictionary, every si1 hours work and 5 point spends in $rchaeology, .anguages, ryptography, $nthropology or thulhu 2ythos, one of the following points is translated" 4oldiers from *ommoriom captured the outlaw Knygathin Zhaum and brought him back to the city. 2ccording to rumour, Knygathin Zhaum was the product of the union of the Shakli& 9 the Fgranddaughter% of the god -hotha..uah and a sub$human ;oormis. !he city e1ecutioner beheaded him three times and each time, witnesses later saw him alive, more monstrous than before. 'n the first and second occasion, Knygathin Zhaum killed and ate one of the inhabitants of the city. By the third reappearance, he had metamorphosed into a fully alien entity, and had devoured many of the citi&ens, forcing the final abandonment of the city. 2 former inhabitant of *ommoriom returned to the city one day and discovered it repopulated with the monstrous offspring of Knygathin Zhaum.

The Akraf:all Saga

.anguage: !sath$Go and @erman *&imming Time: !he @erman translation" = hoursW translating from !sath$Go takes longer Dsee belowE !his book is a speculative translation by <erman -irth of certain pictographs found etched onto a monolith in Ainland. -irth interprets the symbols according to his own linguistic theories and wishful thinking. 2nyone familiar with !sath$Go will recognise the glyphs. .anguages <German9 will reveal -irth%s interpretation" A go$$ess arose out of the earth an$ se$uce$ a human. She ga!e birth to the %o$-'an. The %o$'an became a bra!e /arrior an$ a lea$er.

!ranslating it or reading an accurate translation will grant 5 point of *thulhu 0ythos.

!he Keeper might consider using or adapting *lark 2shton 4mith%s story The Testament of Athammaus for the content of the main body of the story.

2 faint trail of fro&en moisture, mucus or slime, also coming from the cube$shaped structure

The End of the +auer E-pedition

Evidence ollection: !here are three charred bodies here in a blackened mass. !here are rifle cartridges scattered around. 2t least L shots were fired. hemistry: !he group was burned with fuel, probably kerosene !here is an odd tarry residue here that you don%t recognise as a normal by$product of chemical fires like this. It seems to be organic. o -iology: !his isn%t any known organic substance 8orensics: 2ll three men appear to have died from burns caused by an inflammable li+uid Evidence ollection: 3e1t to the first man is a dark stone statuette. It is a s+uat, grotes+ue, vaguely toad$like form with a fat body, half$closed eyes, large ears and a lolling tongue. 4eeing this is a 5$ point 4tability test, 0ythos related. 2nyone failing this test is disturbed by a haunting sense of recognition, as if of a childhood memory or a dream. !hat night, they are visited by an unpleasant dream of this corpulent entity leering at them in some dark, subterranean place. !hey will lose a second point of 4tability. thulhu 2ythos: 4imilar toad$like statues were used by e1tinct 2merican Indian tribes in *anada and 3ew England. !hey supposedly represent a being called Tsathoggua. !here are interesting parallels with an entity called Sa$og/ah associated with witchcraft in the 2uvergne region of Arance. 2ccording to the Book of Eibon, the worship of this god began on the lost continent of <yperborea, where he was known as -hotha..uah. !hree sets of footprints come from the direction of the cube$shaped structure. !hey were running.

4hat 3appened 3ereE

!he three surviving members of the e1pedition entered the temple and Das instructed by @obineauE recited the spell he brought with him D*ontact 4pawn of !sathogguaE. !hey entered and began to e1plore. 'ne of the men could not resist taking the idol of !sathoggua from the altar when they left. !hey fled, pursued by the spawn. !hey fired on it to no effect, but managed to set it on fire with their flamethrower. It attacked them, causing the flamethrower to rupture and burning the entire group, including the spawn, to death.

The Temple of .hothaqquah

!his mysterious, ancient, weathered cube s+uats on the mountainside like a tomb or a memorial to something incomprehensibly ancient. It is built of dark grey stone with sides fifty feet, narrow slits high in the walls and an open, s+uare doorway about nine feet wide. Evidence ollection or 0utdoorsman: !here is a faint, short path leading from the ice plain to the doorway. Geology: !he building is constructed of basalt. !he profound erosion of this hard stone appears to imply that it is unfeasibly ancient. $rchitecture: Each wall appears to be formed of a single natural block. !he building bears no relationship to any known architectural style. !he walls and floor are covered in thick frost. !here are footprints across the floor and in places the frost has been scraped from the walls. Theology: Evidence ollection 5 7oint spend: In other places, the frost has been melted from the walls as indicated by dark scorch marks. 7ust inside the door is a huge, three$legged basin of a corroded greenish material that forms a pool of green, several feet wide around it. hemistry or $rchaeology recognises it as e1tremely ancient bron&e covered in thick verdigris. !he bowl is si1 feet across and three deep. If e1amined, the inside of the bowl is untarnished, in near$perfect condition. Evidence ollection: !he feet are in the shapes of feline$like claws.

0utdoorsman or Evidence ollection:

!he floor is seen to be tiled in a strange pattern of large, irregular, five$sided flagstones. 7hysics or $rchitecture: !his pattern of tessellated pentagons is unfamiliar and implies a sophisticated understanding of obscure geometry. 4trange hieroglyphs Didentifiable as a primitive version of !sath$GoE can be seen covering the walls, in some still covered in frost and some already e1posed. !he glyphs relate a history of the original builders of the city as translated in Ethelrod%s *ictogra&hs in the Tem&le of -othA..ua. 'n the back wall is an empty two$tiered altar. Evidence ollection: 2 bare spot in the frost and wear on the stone indicates that an ob#ect rested on this altar for a long time time. 5/7oint spend recognises the outline of the statuette found at The End of the -auer Expedition.
The -urial hamber

some kind, the top of which is around fifteen feet beneath the surface, descends deep into the ice. Evidence ollection 5 7oint spend or $rchitecture: It is difficult to see through the distortion, but it has a resemblance to the top of a tower complete with railed balcony. If, at any stage, the ,rotagonists balk at e1cavating the structure 9 to ensure they can leave the site before the sea$route is closed off by ice for e1ample 9 you can use a 3ard =riverF

Setting up Camp
2t some stage, the protagonists will probably want to build their cabin. 2nyone with 0utdoorsman or $rchitecture will know to build it on solid ground rather than on ice. !here are several spots on the foothills at the edge of the valley to choose from. Building the cabin takes four days. If the ,rotagonists wish to do so, they can spend pool points from 2rchitecture or a relevant *raft and reduce construction time by half a day per point spent. -hile the team members are sleeping in tents and building the cabin, it might be a good time for their first e1perience of !he 4inging Dsee sidebarE. 'nce completed, the cabin has two rooms 9 a living space with a stove and simple kitchen and +uarters that sleep eight people in bunks. 'thers may need to sleep in the living space. Both rooms have one small window. !here is an outhouse for storage and another for the dogs.

Behind the altar, what may once have been a hidden doorway lies open with fragments of corroded bron&e chain on the floor nearby. hemistry indicates that the chain fragments have been in this position for only a few years. @reen stains on the door itself imply that the door was probably chained for millennia. !he windowless chamber beyond is almost fifty feet wide and about ten feet deep. 'pposite the door seated on a large, bron&e throne is the striking figure of a mummified baboon$like ape dressed in the remnants of a red and purple robe and a feathered headdress. !ufts of orange hair poke through holes in the robe. !his is a ($,oint 4tability test D0ythos relatedE. -iology: !he creature is of no known species of ape and possesses certain features, for e1ample the structure of the foot, which places it closer to human beings. !he throne is again of heavily corroded bron&e, but in better condition than the basin. !here is a long stone table at one end of the chamber, which is empty apart from a few fragments of ancient organic matter Dthe remains of flowers, fruit and other foodsE.

Attac/s %y )y"er%oreans
*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eaction .ead/#n: !he ;alley of *ommoriom .ead/0ut: !he <airy !hing in the Bli&&ard

the

!he tiny clan of Blond Eskimo has camped near the valley in order to drive the outsiders away and interfere with the dig. !his takes the form of sabotage and singing the ancestral song for summoning the @noph$keh from the ice$plains to wreak havoc in the valley. <aving tracked the outsiders to the valley, they build their snow shelter and male members of the clan take turns to be dropped off by sled, on a possibly suicidal mission to draw the gnoph$keh to their enemies% camp.

The Shadow under the 5ce

3ear the centre of the ice cap, there is a dark spot of roughly circular shape and about forty feet in diameter. Evidence ollection: 2 structure of

?nfortunately for them, while their song summons the creature, it offers no control or protection from it. If the caller is successful, they are as likely as not, to become victims themselves. Either toss a coin, a die or make a decision according to what is dramatically interesting in each instance. !his also means that all the men of the clan bar one are likely to be dead by the time the creature has been summoned about si1 times.

If ?lat is pursued he will mutter incomprehensible curses and wave his hands around in a bi&arre, intimidating fashion. 2s a last resort he will attempt to defend himself with spells or a knife. ?lat%s long, colourful parka is decorated with a+uatic designs. thulhu 2ythos 5/7oint spend: !he images of odd, octopoid beings dwelling in undersea towers on the shaman%s long parka seem to be a depiction of *thulhu and his race. $bilities: 2thletics L, 4cuffling >, -eapons >, <ealth L 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon" $5 DknifeE *tealth 2odifier: K= $lertness 2odifier: K= *pells: Dread 3ame of 2&athoth, *ontact @noph$ keh, *ontact *thulhu, *ontact 4pawn of *thulhu, *ontact Deep 'nes
The 8ather! #sma

The H perboreans
!hese natives are, to the best of their knowledge, the last of an ancient race that once had great cities here. 0ost of their civilised culture has been lost 9 they are now simple hunter$gatherers, living harsh lives in the more remote parts of @reenland. !heir ancient religion has been lost and they make their offerings and prayers to *thulhu, who they call FKulu#. ,hysically, they look very different from other Eskimo people, being blond, with long faces, elongated ear$lobes and substantial facial hair. !hey wear hoodless, wide$collared parkas with hats. !hey believe that the thing that comes from the ice in answer to their song is a F-hite Bear 4pirit% and wear amulets, mistakenly believing that they can offer protection from the @noph$Keh. $nthropology: !his primitive #ewellery is an amulet depicting a fierce, stylised polar bear and possibly intended to offer protection of some kind. -iology: !he pendant looks like polar bear bone and the necklace is decorated with bear teeth and claws. $nthropology: !hese men do not appear to be a members of any known Eskimo tribe, either in terms of their clothing or in terms of their fair hair, slender build, long faces, large noses or long ear lobes. 'ne man, who may be a shaman, has motifs on his clothing and ornamentation in an unfamiliar style and a+uatic theme. 5/7oint spend: ;ilh#almur 4tefansson reported blond Eskimo in northern *anada in 565:, and there have been such reports since the 5Mth *entury. thulhu 2ythos: !he images of odd, octopoid beings dwelling in undersea towers on the shaman%s long parka seem to be a depiction of *thulhu and his race.
The $nge&o&! "lat

2ged )L, this gri&&led patriarch is the head of the clan. <is hair is greying, but he is still fierce and strong. If unable to escape, Isma will defend himself ferociously with his spear. $bilities: 2thletics M, 4cuffling N, -eapons 6, <ealth L 3it Threshold: ) 4eapon" K: DspearE $rmor" $5 vs all DhideE *tealth 2odifier: K5 $lertness 2odifier: K5 *pells: *ontact @noph$keh
The *ons! .aatu& and 2aa&u&

!hese two men are the sons of the patriarch, aged =M and =N. !hey are fierce, agile and almost fearless. $bilities: 2thletics 5:, 4cuffling N, -eapons 55, <ealth 6 3it Threshold: ) 4eapon" K: Dstone a1es, spearsE $rmor" $5 vs all DhideE *tealth 2odifier: K= $lertness 2odifier: K= *pells: *ontact @noph$keh
The 3ostage 4ife! 'inguya&&ii

!his white$bearded man may be in his L:s. <e wears a long parka decorated with strange motifs and symbols and an odd, pointed hat.

$bilities: 2thletics >, Aleeing >, 4cuffling (, -eapons (, <ealth ( 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon" $= DfistsE, $5 DknifeE

$rmor" $5 vs all DhideE *tealth 2odifier: : $lertness 2odifier: K5 *pells: *ontact @noph$keh
The hild! .amah

identify hide shoes and the fact that the wearer was running. !here is a real potential here for ,rotagonists to be caught out in the open when the bli&&ard arrives Dsee belowE.
3o%ling

$bilities: 2thletics 5, Aleeing 5, 4cuffling 5, <ealth 5 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon" $( DfistsE *tealth 2odifier: K5 $lertness 2odifier: K5 2ll of the following antagonist reaction scenes run concurrently with e1ploration and e1cavation in the valley over a period of weeks or months until either the outsiders leave the area, there is only one male member of the clan alive or the clan is defeated. ?ntil then it will continue to be a thorn in the e1pedition%s side while the team is e1cavating the site. !he Keeper should run these events fle1ibly to steadily terrorise and demoralise the ,rotagonists. !he fre+uency and time of summoning attempts, their success or failure, whether the summoner escaped alive or not and the intensity and nature of the @noph$Keh%s attacks, should be determined by whatever works dramatically at the time. !he threat level should climb steadily, with more intense and bold attacks, more serious damage to assets and a growing certainty that there is something supernatural going on. 'ne attack every couple of weeks is probably about the right sort of pace.
*inging

If the summoning was successful, a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) will allow characters to hear strange and eerie howling sounds. !his is a 5$ ,oint 4tability test. -iology or 0utdoorsman: !his isn%t any known animal, a realisation which increases the 4tability test to =$,oint. !his is +uickly followed by a snow storm blowing suddenly over the mountains from the ice sheet. !he howling may be heard in the midst of the more severe bli&&ards, heard with a 4ense trouble test against Difficulty >.
$ -ody in the #ce

If the singer is killed during an attempted summoning, a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L alerts an Investigator to a brief cry in the distance, probably soon forgotten as a bli&&ard arises. Evidence ollection: If the area is searched, this ability reveals the body of the singer, unless covered by snow. 2 5 7oint spend is needed if heavy snow has fallen on the area. 2nother 5/7oint spend: *lose to the body is a figurine made out of ice, depicting a strange si1 legged, horned animal. 2nthropology" !his is a totem 9 possibly used for calling spirits. thulhu 2ythos: !his is depiction of the @noph$Keh 9 the legendary beast of the 2rctic wastes. 5/7oint spend: !his carving is a totem for calling the @noph$keh. 8orensics: !he manner of death is reveals the manner of death 9 goring, mauling crushing or hypothermia. If the body has been devoured, Aorensics indicates that a large carnivore is the culprit. 2 5/7oint spend reveals that this was not a polar bear, but something unknown and larger. -iology or 0utdoorsman: ?nless covered by snow, there may be prints nearby that can be identified as not originating from a polar bear. 2fter finding either anomaly above, thulhu 2ythos reminds the ,rotagonist of the legends of the @noph$Keh.

2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty N DDifficulty L under tents at nightE allows a character to hear a haunting, rhythmic chant or song carried on the wind. $rt 3istory or *inging: 2 5/7oint spend identifies it as traditional throat singing of some kind. 2 further Difficulty ) test DL at nightE is needed to locate the singer. 2nd a Difficulty > 4tealth test D) at nightE is necessary to approach undetected, otherwise the singer will flee into the mountains. 4imilarly, if the ,rotagonists delay before investigating the sound, the singer will have fled the possible approach of the @noph$Keh. 0utdoorsman will allow their tracks to be followed into the foothills. 2nd 5/7oint *pend will

*abotage

2nother strategy the Eskimo may use is sabotage. !his will occur at night. !he team awakes to discover that some of their e+uipment is sabotaged 9 the drill in need of 0echanical .epair, the Ice melter destroyed or, most dramatically, the diesel tanks set on fire. !he cabin itself may even be set on fire. 2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty > will allow the protagonists to hear the culprits 9 most likely the two younger Blond Eskimo 9 at work. If someone is on watch, success indicates that their approach has been noticed.

the @noph$Keh won%t take itself below half of its total <ealth in this way, but that still gives it up to M points to spend creating bli&&ards. Each time it reappears, the @noph$Keh will be at full <ealth. If ,rotagonists Despecially more than oneE are killed in this way, unless they have made significant errors, you have probably been too heavy$handed.
=irect $ssaults

Tracking Eskimo
0utdoorsman: 2 5/7oint spend will allow tracks to be followed southwest for about three miles Da little over an hourE from the valley edge to a cramped shelter in the snow Dsee The *no% *helterE. If this is attempted at night, this is a 6/ 7oint spend.

Initial attacks by the beast should be indirect. 2t this time it should not be seen directly or at least not distinctly. 2 terrifying shape may be glimpsed in a sudden snowstorm. 2nyone further than >: feet from the cabin is a potential target of direct assault. By the third appearance, the dog house might be attacked and some of the dogs killed, the rest frightened off. !he outside food store might be plundered. 2nyone outside the cabin could be attacked. 3on$player characters working at the dig might be targeted when a sudden bli&&ard isolates them the cabin. !he drill or other e1cavation e+uipment might be damaged. !he radio mast might be smashed. By the fifth appearance, the ,rotagonists themselves could be targeted or the cabin directly assaulted.

The )airy !li00ard

Thing

in

the

*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eaction .ead/#n: E1cavation !he @noph$Keh is motivated by hatred and hunger. It will attempt to kill any human it encounters, probably by free&ing them to death, and devouring the remains if it can. 'nce close to the camp, the creature will summon up a bli&&ard, and if it sees vulnerable targets 9 disorientated, few in number or in#ured 9 it will attack in the confusion and blindness of the snowstorm. If it loses over half of its <ealth, the @noph$keh will retreat back to the ice$sheet. If it is killed, the Eskimo%s song will simply summon a different @noph$Keh.
-liGGards

&noph;keh
Aor full details of the @noph$keh see the Trail of Cthulhu rulebook p5(). 2thletics 6, <ealth 5>, 4cuffling =5 3it Threshold: > $lertness 2odifier: K5 *tealth 2odifier: K= 4eapon: K( DhornE, K5 DclawE $rmour: $> vs any Dfurry hideE *tability .oss: K:

The Igloo
*cene Type: 2lternate .ead/#n: !he ;alley of *ommoriom .ead/0ut: !he <omestead !his is a small shelter carefully built up from bricks of packed snow and ice. <anging over the doorway is the skull of a bear. 2 stone spike has been driven through its nose, giving it an almost .hinoceros$ like appearance.

!he @noph$Keh can spend <ealth points to create a bli&&ard. Aor details, refer to Trail of Cthulhu ,5(). !he potential for these bli&&ards to inflict multiple casualties is high. .ather than throw everything into one huge storm in the first assault, build the intensity of these bli&&ards gradually. !he first bli&&ard should be frightening and unseasonal, called up with ( points of the @noph$Keh%s <ealth. 4ubse+uent bli&&ards should increase this spend by one each time, with the intensity and duration steadily increasing accordingly. 2s a rule$of$thumb,

0utdoorsman or $nthropology: !his small type of igloo is typically built as a temporary shelter for hunting trips, often on sea ice. $nthropology: !his may be a totem animal spirit, probably to protect the igloo. *imple *earch: Inside the igloo are a hearth, food for several days, bedding for one, and possible spare clothes or a stone spear, a1e or knife. 0utdoorsman: !racks of a dog sled can be found nearby. 2 5/7oint *pend is needed per day to track them to the homestead.

Eskimo and she is vulnerable to persuasion, especially when it comes to the welfare of her child. If the child is taken from her or threatened or she is assured security for both of them, a 6/7oint spend between Reassurance and #ntimidation will get her to talk, revealing the following clues" !he woman was not born in this tribe, but in the Kalaallit tribe. <er village was ti!$le.. 4i1 years ago, she was captured while gathering wild flowers and made to be the wife of /aatuk, the eldest son of this tribe. <er captors are the last of an ancient race, called the F/omaruit%. !hey claim to be descendants of a great civilisation that originally ruled @reenland. 2fter the glaciers overwhelmed the land, the civilisation collapsed and the people scattered. -hen other people arrived on the island, the /omaruit were hunted down by her people, because of their worship of a forbidden god called FKulu% and because they sometimes took her people as offerings for their god. !he last /omaruit woman died =) years ago. 4he was the mother of the two younger men. !he clan stole two women in a desperate attempt to stop the tribe from dying. !he /omaruit say their god came down from the sky with his children in ancient times before there were any people. !hey were overthrown by ancient enemies and driven beneath the ocean, which is where they sleep now. But one day in the future the stars will be in #ust the right places and they will return and free those who follow them. !he religion of Kulu is all over the world. 2ccording to the /omaruit, their ancestors once lived in a great city in the valley below, but a giant called nook came to the city and devoured many of the people there and the survivors fled. -hen the ice came, Inook was fro&en inside the city. !he creature of the ice is a mighty bear spirit called 3ook$<ek or Bthe <airy !hingC that the clan has been calling to protect the valley from outsiders.

The )omestead
*cene Type: 2lternate .ead/#n: !he 4now 4helter 2bout four days away by dog sled, the clan%s homestead is huddled in a narrow valley in the wild mountains near Evighedsf#orden. !he house is large structure of whalebone and hide construct, covered in ice and snow and out of sight of the valley. 2 trickle of hearth smoke often emerges from a hole in the roof. 3ear the fire is a makeshift altar and a grotes+ue idol. !he altar is a #agged, natural rock. In front of it, is a bowl of blood and the heart of a polar bear, sprinkled with tiny flowers. ,erched on the altar is a small, crude whalebone statue of a s+uatting creature with tentacles for a face. 4eeing this re+uires a 5$point 4tability test, 0ythos related. thulhu 2ythos identifies it as a depiction of *thulhu. 2ll of the surviving members of the clan will be here. 2pproaching without alerting anyone is a 4tealth test against Difficulty M. If alerted, they will flee a strong group or attack a weak one. If surprised, they will be in or around the shelter. If cornered, they will fight fiercely to the death. In any case, Kinguyakki will be here with her son F/amah%. 4he is visibly pregnant. <er first response is to beg Din InuitE for her and her child to be spared. $ssess 3onesty: 4he is genuinely afraid. If captured, Kinguyakkii will refuse to speak and will try to call the gnoph$keh to the cabin if she gets the chance. Reassurance or #ntimidation $ and .anguages <#nuit9: <er devotion to the clan and the Kulu religion is not as fanatical as the <yperborean

&'cavation
*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: !he ;alley of *ommoriom

.ead/0ut: !he *ity in the Ice ore lue: The structure descends deep into the ice/sheetF There is an accessible stair%ay that leads thereF

7oint *pend -enefits

In any given phase, a character operating the ice melter can spend a pool point of Electrical .epair and reduce the length of that phase by one day.

E-ca)ation (ethods
!here are several methods at the team%s disposal for e1cavating the site. E1act rates of e1cavation are not important.

E-plosi)es
E1plosive charges can be used to widen e1isting boreholes +uickly or, used with great care, to break up ice inside the tower itself. !he character using e1plosives must have the E1plosives general ability.
7oint *pend -enefits

#rilling
!he drill provided for the e1pedition is a standard cable tool rig, which can be operated by single engineer. It operates by repeatedly lifting and dropping a heavy boring tool at the end of a cable, pulverising everything beneath it. -ater is added to the hole and debris collected periodically with a scoop$like device attached to the cable. !his process creates a borehole 6 inches wide. Either the ice melter or e1plosive charges could be used to widen the shaft enough for a man to be lowered on a rope. !he drill is obviously of little or no use for e1cavating the interior of the tower. !he operatorDsE must have 0echanical .epair.
7oint *pend -enefits

In any given phase, a character overseeing the use of e1plosives can spend up to two pool points of E1plosives and reduce the length of that phase by one day per point spent.

E-ca)ation Phases
@uidelines for the timings of the various phases of e1cavation are provided the various e1cavation phases described below. !he Keeper should feel at liberty to modify these timings for dramatic effect.

Accessing the <pper Structure

By default, this phase takes = days. 2ethods "sable: Drilling, Ice 0elter, E1plosives !he top of the structure is about 5M% below the surface. Beneath that is the roof of the structure and a chamber 9 in fact the upper chamber of a tower. It is assumed that the team will create a shaft of pit to reach the tower then e1cavate the inside of it. !he Keeper may have to improvise somewhat if they take a very different approach. !he characters may decide to build a shaft ne1t to the tower and enter via one of the doors or windows on the balcony, or they may simply bore a hole directly through the roof. $rchaeology or $rchitecture: !he roof and floor are already partially collapsed. Geology" !he tower is black granite gneiss. 2 5/ 7oint spend establishes that it appears to be e1tremely ancient, perhaps tens or even hundreds of thousands of years old. $rchitecture" !he style doesn%t resemble that of any known architectural tradition.

In any given phase of the e1cavation, a character running the drill can spend up to two pool points of 0echanical .epair and reduce the length of that phase by one day per point.

(anual E-ca)ation
0anual e1cavation is slower, involves breaking the ice apart with ice picks and chainsaws then removing it with shovels and buckets.
7oint *pend -enefits

In any given phase, a character e1cavating manually can spend up to two pool points of 2thletics and reduce the length of that phase by one day per point.

5ce (elter
!he ice melter is an electrical device with long cable that heats up when connected to a power source. In combination with a water pump, it can clear significant amounts of ice with little assistance. ,ower for both the melter and the pump are supplied by the diesel generator. !he operatorDsE must have Electrical .epair.

E-ca)ating the Chamber

!his phase takes =) days.

2ethods "sable: 0anual E1cavation, Ice 0elter, E1plosives $rchaeology or Evidence ollection: !he remains of an unknown metallic device can be found in the upper chamber of the tower. 2echanical Repair Das an Investigative abilityE" !here are moving parts 9 wheels, cogs and globes. !his is a mechanical device, but it%s function is unclear. o $stronomy: !he device appears to be a moving model of the inner planets of the solar system Geology! $rchaeology or appropriate raft <as #nvestigative ability9: Gou can see that this device has been decorated with gold, emeralds and rubies.

$rchitecture: !he stairway is constructed in a possibly uni+ue way, with the spiral of the stairway growing narrow as one descends and the base of one level seemingly supported by the level beneath it. 'n the wall, there is a series of long panels, seemingly of ancient ivory, with images and !sath$ Go hieroglyphs. !hese tell a history of <yperborea, beginning with the time of construction and going deep into the past. -iology: *onfirms the material is ivory. <ow it got here from 2frica or 2sia is a mystery. 2 5/7oint spend notes that the ivory must have come from unusually large elephants. $nthropology! $rchaeology! ryptography! .anguages! or thulhu 2ythos: -ith the help of the !sath$Go dictionary, each panel is about a yard wide and can be translated in about an hour. !hree panels are probably e1cavated in a day. Aor every five panels translated, a 5/7oint spend is needed. !he content of the panels is as follows" 5. !here are several yards where the panelling is blank =. !he cult of Ghoundeh, the Elk @oddess, forbids the worship of the old god Zhotha++uah. 3ot daring to destroy them, the Zhotha++uah%s cube$shaped temples are barred and locked. (. King /o+uamethros is on the throne of *ommoriom, a high city of many spires and gardens. Zylac the 2rchimage, apprentice of <ormagor, is granted F!he 4eer%s !ower% in *ommoriom ). Zylac, uses sorcery to create a tower of black gneiss in 0hu !hulan >. !he cult of Ghoundeh becomes the royally appointed religion. 2 great temple is built in *ommoriom. L. !he wi&ard <ormagor of 2bormis dies at the hands of the 4phin1 of 2bormis. !he town is abandoned. M. !he great wi&ard Zon 0e&&amalech disappears mysteriously in 0hu !hulan. N. King 0ennamethros of *ommoriom gives Zon 0e&&amalech a tower in *ommoriom, now called F!he 4eer%s !ower% 6. Zon 0e&&amalech parts the northern sea and leads the army of King ,harogill of

$ccessing the *tair%ay

!his phase takes 5= days. 2ethods "sable: 0anual E1cavation, Ice 0elter, E1plosives $rchaeology or Evidence ollection: 2 strange and grotes+ue ob#ect is uncovered in the ice near the top of the stairwell. It looks like a grotes+ue idol fashioned of some dark, mottled material, vaguely toad$like in shape, very dense and about the si&e of a melon. 4eeing this re+uires a ($point 4tability test, 0ythos related. thulhu 2ythos: 4tatues of grotes+ue, toad$like forms are used in the worship of !sathoggua. Geology or hemistry: !he ob#ect is not made of any known material. In fact, the ob#ect isn%t a statue at all. It is a dormant organism 9 one of the 4pawn of Knygathin Zhaum. 'nce uncovered, the spawn will begin to thaw and awaken. 4ee The #dol Tha%s. $rchitecture or $rchaeology < ore clue9: !here is a stairway descending deeper into the ice.

Tunnelling the Stairwa

It takes 6 days to reach the ice$free section of the stairwell. 2ethods "sable: 0anual E1cavation, Ice 0elter, E1plosives 2 stairwell runs around the inner perimeter of the tower. 4olidly constructed from granite, most of it is still intact. !here are places where steps have eroded or broken and places where there are gaps.

0hu !hulan there to plunder the treasures of a thousand sunken galleys 5:. Zon 0e&&amalech has a tower of copper built in 0hu !hulan 55. !he -hite 4ybil of ,olarion, a strange woman from the realms of ice, foretells an undescribed and abominable doom for all mortal beings who dare to remain in *ommoriom 5=. Zueen /uthomne takes the throne of *ommoriom. 4he hold ecclesiastical courts. 4he builds a high tower in *ommoriom, which takes thirty years. 5(. 4econd city is built called ?&uldaroum 5). !he .eign of King <om+uat begins in *ommoriom 5>. Aounding of *ommoriom 5L. *ity called F/omar% settled by people from Zobna in the north 5M. Early humans build temples to Zhotha++uah the old god of <yperborea, in imitation of the sub$human ;oormis 5N. !he ;oormis are driven away. !hey congregate around 0t. ;oormithadreth 56. Descendents of tall, thin antehumans leave homelands in ?ltima !hule in the north and arrive in <yperborea. =:. *old causes the gradual decline of the ;oormis civilisation =5. ;oormis build a settlement at *ommoriom including a cube$shaped temple to Zhotha++uah ==. !he gods Itha+ua and 2phoom Zhah cause the continent to get steadily colder. 2 realm of glaciers gradually grows in the north. =(. Zhotha++uah destroys the colony of serpent$ men. !heir former slaves, the ;oormis, are free and begin to establish their own civilisation on <yperborea with Zhotha++uah as their primary deity. =). 4erpent$men survivors from sinking of the continent of ;alusia, found a colony in <yperborea, bringing ;oormis as slaves and food source 2fter the eighth panel, the team discovers a fissure in the ice that grows until it is wide enough to crawl through. It then grows further to a tunnel averaging

si1 feet wide, stretching don into the darkness. ,rogress can be much faster now. TsidebarU

!hat if the +ore a =ertical Shaft,

!he protagonists may decide to forego the stairway altogether and instead use the drill in combination with e1plosive charges to bore a vertical shaft down to the base of the glacier 9 either through the centre of the tower or elsewhere. .eaching the base of the ice sheet will take =: days of drilling and blasting, modifiable by up to > 0echanical .epair or E1plosives point spends as described in the E1cavation 0ethods sidebar on ,age VV. !his will produce a relatively smooth and vertical shaft with a diameter of ( feet on average. ,eople can be lowered or lifted one at a time by a companion on the surface using a belay device. !his is a series of three 2thletics tests against a Difficulty of > for the person on the surface. Aalling means damage of K), KN or K5= depending on height. If there is a safety rope, damage is reduced to $5, but there there is a 5 in L chance the safety rope will not hold. It will take around 5: minutes to be lowered to the bottom and =: minutes to be lifted back up. !he protagonists may be able to devise a faster or safer method using dog sleds, drilling e+uipment or the snow tractor. TEnd sidebarU

The Idol Thaws

*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eaction .ead/#n: E1cavation !his nominally takes )N hours or 5L hours if left in a warm place like a tent or cabin, however it should take as long as is dramatically interesting. 2s it thaws, especially if it has been brought back to the camp, the dogs begin to act in a disturbed way, barking all day and night. !he organism will scuttle across the ground on many limbs and attempt to escape, probably at night. It can escape through holes smaller than 5 inch diameter, although such a small orifice would take it two minutes to oo&e through. Escaping under the sides of tents won%t present much problem nor will getting through the interior door of the cabin. !he door and walls of the cabin are well protected

against the elements and it will take a couple of minutes to pass through the keyhole. !his creature will attempt to hide among the outhouses and e+uipment and ambush a lone human as they wander outside. If necessary it might enter the cabin and attack a lone sleeping host. !he spawn will attempt to enter unconscious or subdued host, smothering their sounds as it forces itself down their throat and takes up residence in their body. ?nless one of the ,rotagonists unwittingly sets himself up as an obvious target, the spawn should attack a non$player character" one of the mushers or @ermans Dif presentE. 2 successful 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L DN if the attack is at nightE will allow protagonists to hear a strange sound in the camp. 2 second 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L is needed to catch sight of a bi&arre black thing like a huge spider. If it%s passing through the cabin door they will automatically spot a stream of thick, black oo&e passing through the keyhole. 2ttacking it will cause it to attack the protagonist. Evidence ollection: !here are traces of a dark greyish slime on any victims% bodies and wherever the creature has passed. If a ,rotagonist is attacked, a 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty > DN at nightE will alert them to the imminent attack. <unting it down, while it hides in the camp has the same Difficulty. 2waking to the thing attack a companion sleeping in the same tent or room is a Difficulty ) test.

intelligence, 2thletics can still be used in this stateE until the parts gather together and the creature is intact once more. !hey cannot be killed in this way 9 the amount of damage they take only determines the amount of time it takes for their <ealth to get above : and able to act once more. Aire damage does not heal in this way, nor damage from magical or chemical attacks. !hey reproduce by fission. Infant spawn have a resemblance to slugs or leeches, however they can move +uite +uickly and often scuttle around on small pseudopods. Due to the hominid strain in its ancestry, the spawn has an affinity for human biology and a small specimen can live inside a human being, substituting human biological functions with its own as it grows. !his can occur in two ways" 5. 2n infant spawn can enter the bodily orifice of an unconscious person =. 2n adult spawn can attack a human, and Dby sacrificing a rating point of <ealthE produce an infant by fission and implant it in body !he person will remain alive, provided for by the spawn. <owever, as the creature grows it gradually takes control of the human%s mind. 2fter about =) hours, the spawn can begin to take control of behaviour. !he host%s previous Drive disappears and instead is substituted with the spawn%s goals" trapping the humans and awakening Knygathin Zhaum and the other spawn to feast upon them. ?nless the Investigator passes a 4tability test against Difficulty ), this change will be at a subconscious level. !o an observer, the host%s personality and mind seem to be intact, but $ssess 3onesty will detect a listless or Foff% +uality that may be mistaken for shock or other mental health issue. ontrol 3uman -ody: !he parasite can also attempt full control of the host body at a cost of 5 2thletics pool point per two minutes. .esisting this is a contest between the parasite%s 2thletics and the host%s 4tability. !he Difficulty for the host is =, plus 5 per day of infestation. 2 controlled host can move and speak, but seems emotionless and sometimes confused about normal behaviour and culture. $ssess 3onesty will notice something is amiss if the host is observed closely or interacted with. *uffocate: !he creature can use a tendril or limb to sei&e a victim around the neck or simply smother with its viscous body. 2pply the Drowning and

Spawn of 3n gathin >haum

2lso known as F,arasitic 4pawn of !sathoggua%, these entities bear a resemblance to their cousins, the formless spawn e1cept that they are slightly smaller, more viscous Dand thus slower and less agileE, and have the ability to parasitise human hosts. /ike their relatives, they are black, oo&ing, plastic entities capable of taking almost any shape and of s+uee&ing themselves under doors and through small holes. Due to their li+uid nature, normal physical wounds will flow closed. <owever, this process is not instantaneous. !hey may be temporarily incapacitated by physical attacks, but even if completely dismembered and the members scattered, the parts will reassemble 9 by flowing, rolling into balls, s+uee&ing through cracks or even breaking out of containers Dcontrolled by a unifying

4uffocation rules D!rail of *thulhu rulebook ,LNE. -hen being strangled, successful 4cuffling contest Dor -eapons if a suitable weapon is availableE will allow a victim to break free. Grab: !endrils or limb attacks can be used to prevent escape or to render a target unable to fight. 'nce grabbed, a 4cuffling contest Dor -eapons if a suitable weapon is availableE is re+uired to break the grip. #nvade 3ost: !he creature can force itself into a victim via a bodily orifice Dusually the mouthE if the target has been successfully suffocated or grabbed in the previous round or is unconscious. 2gainst a conscious victim, this is an 2thletics contest with the spawn rolling against a Difficulty 3umber of (. If the mouth is being used as an entrance, the victim will suffer the effects of 4uffocation Das in 4trangling aboveE, until the contest is over and for another ( rounds. #nvade 3ost <#nfant9: -hat about a swarm of infants $ttac& from 3ost: By spending ( e1tra 4cuffling points, the creature can launch an attack from within a host body 9 via tendrils e1tending from the mouth and nose for e1ample. 2t the end of the attack the thing can be outside or inside the original host as preferred.
*pa%n of 'nygathin (haum! #nfant

-hile in a fro&en, dormant state, although very hard, the spawn can be cut or physically damaged. <owever, once it thaws, it will regain the ability to physically reassemble itself. !reat it as having 2rmor of $> Dvs anyE in a dormant state.

The City in the Ice

*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: E1cavation .ead/0ut: !he Eye of ?bbo 4athla, !he !haw

#escent into the #epths

!he stairs descend about L::$M:: feet under the ice$sheet. $rchitecture: !he engineering here is unusual or uni+ue. !he diameter of the spiral remains regular as it descends, and each wall is at a slightly overhanging angle, supporting the course of stairs above. !he walls are overhanging slightly. It soon becomes very dark and artificial light is essential. @etting to the bottom will take at least around half an hour. !here are two places where the stairs have completely collapsed creating gaps. !o create a rudimentary bridge is an appropriate *raft test against Difficulty ). <aving the right tools and materials to do so is a ,reparedness test against difficulty >. 'therwise, the first gap is an 2thletics test against Difficulty (. !he second, wider gap is an 2thletics test against Difficulty >. Aailure means the character falls for KL damage. If a safety rope was used, the damage is reduced to $=.

$bilities: 2thletics =, <ealth 5, 4cuffling 5 3it Threshold: > *tealth 2odifier: K= DK5 in snow and ice, K) in shadows or darknessE $rmor: 3one in normal state, $) Dvs anyE when within a host. <eals physical damage De1cept fire, chemicals, e1plosivesE at 5 <ealth per round. *tability .oss: :
*pa%n of 'nygathin (haum! $dult

The Cit 5tself

!he prehistoric city is mostly covered by solid ice, but a number of areas have caverns and inter$ connecting ice tunnels. !he city is pitch black, but any artificial light causes large areas to glow blue as the light reflects and illuminates the ice from within. Evidence ollection: It%s surprisingly warm down here. 2 thermometer can confirm that it%s over =>IA. Events that occur during e1ploration of this area are detailed in the sidebar $ntagonist Reactions of the *pa%n.

$bilities: 2thletics 5:, <ealth L, 4cuffling 5) 3it Threshold: ) *tealth 2odifier: K5 DK: in snow and ice, K( in shadows or darknessE 4eapon: $5 DtendrilE, K: DlimbE, K5 DpseudopodE W can e1tend tendril attack at near rangeW limb can attack one to three targets simultaneously, adding one to the <it !hreshold for each additional target. $rmor: 3one in normal state, $) Dvs anyE when within a host. <eals physical damage De1cept fire, chemicals, e1plosivesE at ( <ealth per round. *tability .oss: K5

E-ca)ating in the cit

!here are several sites of interest for potential e1cavation here.

$rchaeology! Geology or Evidence ollection: !he given times for e1cavation can be halved with a 5/7oint spend. Explosives: -here these can be used they will half the given e1cavation times. 2 5/7oint spend in E1plosives will half the time again.

some =:: yards. !he right branch leads to The *+uare. !he street is wide and the forms of ancient homes, towers, sidestreets and so on can be glimpsed along it%s length offering a haunting vista of a primordial city imprisoned in ice. !he walls are wet and pitted with narrow fissures. !here are also walls of huge stone blocks, with what appear to be doorways and window spaces. ,rehistoric plants
Excavation: 56 hours

The +ase of the Tower

ore lue <8loating9: #f excavated! the Eye of "bbo/*athla %ill be found here <unless already found9F .ubble and ice lie in piles, having fallen from the tower walls and the tunnels above
Excavation: H hours

Evidence ollection: !here are bone fragments here. $rchaeology or 8orensics determines that the bone fragments are +uite ancient. -iology determines that they include what may be caribou, musk o1en and human remains. 8orensics 5 7oint spend notes that some of them are human remains and some appear to be corroded as if from some kind of powerful acid. Evidence ollection < ore! 8loating9: !here is a glass or crystal orb about the si&e of an orange and flattened at two ends D!he Eye of ?bbo 4athlaE.

E1cavation of the fissures reveals they are channels leading into the ice. !here are also fissures behind the walls, doorways and windows. Buried deep in the ice, eventually another hibernating spawn will be found. 0ore of these can be found with a few more hours of e1cavation.

The S4uare
ore lue <8loating9: The Eye of "bbo/*athla !his was once the central gathering place of the city. !he ceiling here is higher than in the passageways, arching up to around ): feet in the middle. It is about =>: feet across. 4hadows of tall buildings can be glimpsed, entombed in the blue ice walls. 'ne side is dominated by the facade of a particularly grand structure. -hen bright light shines on it, there is a suggestion of several towers e1tending upwards through the ice. !he facade is riddled with small holes and a trickle of water flows towards the ice$choked centre of the s+uare. 2 glacier of sorts dominates the centre of this huge ice cavern, occupying half the floor of the s+uare and e1tending from a wide avenue, which is completely blocked with ice. 2n unblocked *ide *treet also e1tends away from the 4+uare.
Excavation: 56 hours

The 5ce Corridor

Ice$walled tunnel follows ancient path over rock and cobble surface of prehistoric pathway, descending from base of tower in a series of stairways for about =:: yards before reaching a large doorway that lies open with the fragments of a stone door scattered around it. !he doorway leads to The .ibrary. !he passage continues for a similar length before reaching a second doorway. !his door is intact and open. ,assing through the doorway leads to The 3igh *treet where one can turn left or right. *losing the door for the first time is an 2thletics test against Difficulty 5> and re+uiring tools to use for leverage. Aor subse+uent attempts, it is Difficulty 5=.
Excavation

Beneath the glacier in the central area is a raised, stepped area. $rchaeology: 'n top of this are the remnants of a large block of fossilised hardwood. Evidence ollection: -ith a 5/7oint spend, the head of a huge bron&e a1e can be found. Evidence ollection <8loating! ore9: !he Eye of ?bbo 4athla

-alls *obbles 2ncient Doors

High Street
Arom the Ice *orridor this can be followed left and slightly uphill or right and slightly downhill. !he left branch terminates in a wall of ice and rock after

Excavation: 61 hours

!he grand facade is the front of the original ,alace of *ommoriom. Knygathin Zhaum and his Finner circle% are hibernating here. 0ore dormant spawn can be found after 5= hours. E1cavation accelerates the !hawing of the city Dsee ,. 11E and reveals channels in the ice. E1cavation, particularly the use of e1plosives here will rapidly accelerate the catastrophic awakening of Knygathin Zhaum and his spawn Dsee The -lac& =oom on p. 11E. Ideally this should not occur until after the Eye of ?bbo$ 4athla is found.

4kimming grants dedicated pool points in 2stronomy, @eology and 'ccult. *lues" !his material consists of fragments passed down through many generations from the library city of ,nakotus archived by !he @reat .ace. !his knowledge was gathered from across the entire universe, from the future and the past. 4ome of the material was inherited from the fallen civilisation of the ,olar 'nes at the 4outh ,ole. It was translated and interpreted by priests called the ,nakotic Brotherhood over hundreds of generations !his library is a #ust part of a larger collection distributed across ancient <yperborea.

Side Street
!his is essentially identical to the 3igh *treet, e1cept that it e1tends away from The *+uare and ends in a dead$end after about 5:: yards.

The "ibrar
2 large archway leads to a rubble$strewn room that includes rows of collapsed stone shelves. ,iles of dust and mould are fre+uent. Evidence ollection: !here are tablets of stone, pottery and bron&e among the broken shelves. !hese are covered in the !sath$Go script. thulhu 2ythos: 4tudy of these te1ts recognises them as ,nakotic 0anuscripts. 2 5/7oint spend is needed to recognise the Githian and Elder !hing scripts. 2 6/7oint spend suggests that much of the material here is previously unknown.

!his particular set includes the following spells" 4ummon ,olar 'ne D*ontact Elder !hingE, however poring over the fragments is re+uired to learn this $rchaeology or $rchitcture <8loating! ore lue9: If the Eye of ?bbo$4athla has not been located elsewhere, the remains of a partially blocked stairway is discovered. 2ccessing this is an 2thletics test against Difficulty M. !his leads to the .ibrary Vault.

"ibrar =ault
ore lue <8loating9: The Eye of "bbo/*athla 2nother historical frie&e is carved across the stone walls of this circular chamber. 2 pale stone about the si&e of a small orange D!he EyeE is mounted on a plinth in the middle of the room.

Commorian Pnakotic (anuscripts

!he library includes transcriptions and some original e1amples of manuscripts in the curvilinear Githian script and the dot$based cipher of the Elder !hings. !he entire collection here behaves like any collection of ,nakotic 0anuscripts as described in !rail of *thulhu ,age VV. .ecovering each point of *thulhu 0ythos worth of fragments to the surface takes at least a day. !ranslating, collating and interpreting this material is a pro#ect that would takes years. <owever, with the aid of the !sath$Go dictionary and a =$,oint spend in /ibrary ?se, it%s possible to collate and translate enough of the material for an overview. .anguage: !sath$Go Dwith passages in Elder 4cript and GithianE *&imming Time: 5> hours, minus > hours for each pool point spent in *ryptography, /anguages, 2rchaeology, 2nthropology or *thulhu 0ythos

The &ye of 1%%o2Sathla

*cene Type: *ore .ead/#n: !he *ity in the Ice !his is a cloudy, oblate sphere about the si&e of an orange, slightly flattened at the ends. 2lso known as F!he *rystal of Zon 0e&&amalech%, !he Eye of ?bbo$4athla is a device of unknown origin 9 perhaps a creation of the Elder things 9 that can send a viewer%s mind into the remote past by uniting it with the collective ancestral mind. Aor mysterious reasons the crystal is ever tied to the sorcerer and his scrying efforts to find the Elder Keys

thulhu 2ythos: 2ccording to the Book of Eibon, a powerful wi&ard of ancient <yperborea possessed a cloudy scrying stone in the shape of a slightly flattened orb. 2 5/7oint spend reveals that it was called F!he Eye of ?bbo$4athla% and possessed by Zon 0e&&amalech. <e was able to view the very beginnings of life itself. 2pparently, he disappeared, taking the stone with him. !here is something tantalising and mysteriously familiar about the crystal and the temptation to ga&e into it immediately is a 4tability test against Difficulty (. !he same test is needed to resist using the crystal again, within =) hours of its last use, with the Difficulty increasing by 5 each time it is used. *tability Test =ifficulty: = when used the first time, no test on subse+uent uses. *tability ost: ) plus additional losses depending on what was encountered 9 see below. ?se of the crystal involves ga&ing into its beguiling depths for several minutes. 2fter which, the user finds themselves sitting and staring at the same crystal on a table of dark wood, in an ivory$ panelled chamber. !he situation is at once foreign and very familiar. !hey know themselves as Zon 0e&&amalech, greatest sorcerer in <yperborea, in his high tower in 0hu !hulan. 2s Zon 0e&&amalech, the viewer knows the sorcerer ac+uired this ancient orb from a sub$ human temple and sought to use it to ga&e upon the wisdom of the Elder @ods who vanished before Earth life appeared. 2 stream of visions appear of years gone by. <is efforts to peer into the past reach a !hreshold however, beyond which he is afraid to look. !his trance will last for appro1imately half an hour. 'n awakening from this communion with the mind of Zon 0e&&amalech the viewer immediately loses 5 point of 4anity. 2fter this and subse+uent instances, they must make a 4tability test against Difficulty L to recall some of his understanding. If successful, they gain K5 to *thulhu 0ythos. ?p to = points of *thulhu 0ythos may be gained this way.
ommunion %ith "bbo/*athla

'n passing the test described above, Zon 0e&&amalech%s self$identity is swallowed up Dalong with the viewer%sE into a stream of numberless lives and deaths, aeons e1perienced in minutes, rushing back into the past along ancestral lines and close branches on the ancestral tree. In this case the trance will continue for around four hours. .egression through collective ancestral memory continues until ?bbo$4athla, the source of all life on earth is reached. 0ost of these e1periences will not subse+uently be recalled, but even if they are not, they are inherently destructive to the viewer%s sense of self, causing a loss of = 4anity points. 2 character who%s 4anity is reduced to &ero in this way suffers a total loss of self, sitting unresponsively in a catatonic$like state, then one day, when the opportunity appears, suddenly wandering off, probably never to be seen again. 2fter awakening from this deeper regression, a character will be unable to recall much detail. Get recollections may come. !he viewer must make a 4tability test against Difficulty > to recall something. If they succeed, roll on the table below to determine the memory, then have them make roll more 4tability tests until they fail.
Regression #nsights !ake two dLs and decide which is BtensC and which is BonesC. .oll below" %esult 55 9 5L <uman kingdom of <yperborea, battles

with ;oormis, rise and fall of various cults etc *tability test: ($point 4tability test
=5 9 =L ,re$human ;oormis kingdoms, including

their worship of Zhotha++ah etc *tability test: ($point 4tability test

(5 9 (( -hite ape$men are compelled by some

mysterious drive to raise a city in the #ungle. !heir ancestors evolve rapidly and spread out across world as early humans. *tability test: ($point 4tability test. =rives at sta&e: In the Blood 7illars of *anity at sta&e: Aamily, .eligion
()9 (L

!he first time the Eye is used, the player must attempt to pass a test with a Difficulty of L on behalf of Zon 0e&&amalech to see beyond the !hreshold. !he Difficulty decreased by 5 for each subse+uent use.

;oormis gain freedom from 4erpent ,eople, found <yperborean colony *tability test: ($point 4tability test genetically engineer simians into land hominids and a+uatic hominids to serve as

)5 9 )= 4erpent people in city called FGoth%

slaves *tability test: ($point 4tability test *anity lost: 5 point =rives at sta&e: 2nti+uarianism, !hirst for Knowledge 7illars of *anity at sta&e: Aamily, <uman Dignity and ;alue, .eligion
)( 9 )) 4erpent people civilisation wiped out by

L> 9 LL !he Elder Keys are viewed clearly. !he

rise of dinosaurs *tability test: ($point 4tability test *anity lost: 5 point
)> 9 )L 4hoggoth rebellion defeated in Elder thing

civilisation *tability test: )$point 4tability test *anity lost: 5 point

>5 9 >= 4erpent people kingdom of ;alusia

script consists of unintelligible clusters of dots, recognisable as Elder !hing script to anyone familiar with it or who makes a 5$ ,oint spend in *thulhu 0ythos. !he e1act contents of the tablets should be e1tremely difficult to access and are beyond the scope of this scenario. *tability test: ) point 4tability test Dor 2nagnorosisE *anity lost: = point Dor 2nagnorosisE =rives at sta&e: 2nti+uarianism, !hirst for Knowledge 7illars of *anity at sta&e: .eligion K5 *thulhu 0ythos is granted for every three memories recalled. <ypnosis could be used to recover memories. !hese e1periences are not mere visions 9 the Fviewer% fully e1periences the life of the creature witnessed. !his means that the e1periences are hard to dismiss 9 seeing is believing in this case. 4ome of these e1periences are capable of causing lost Drives or smashed ,illars of 4anity at the Keeper%s discretion.

*tability test: ($point 4tability test *anity lost: 5 point

>( 9 >) *ataclysm raises .Qlyeh, arrival of

*thulhu, war of *thulhu and the Elder !hings *tability test: L$point 4tability test *anity lost: = points =rives at sta&e: 2nti+uarianism, !hirst for Knowledge
>> 9 >L Elder thing e1periments create vertebrates

The Thaw
*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eaction .ead/#n: !he *ity ?nder the Ice .ead/0ut: *hildren of Knygathin Zhaum 2wakenY !hese antagonist reactions are designed to create a growing sense of unease. !hey should be detailed and timed according to drama, atmosphere and ,rotagonist actions. !he events of the different sections should overlap.
Tha%ing

*tability test: )$point 4tability test *anity lost: 5 point =rives at sta&e: 2nti+uarianism, !hirst for Knowledge 7illars of *anity at sta&e: Aamily, <uman Dignity and ;alue, .eligion
L5 9 L= ?bbo 4athla is witnessed as the foul source

of all earthly life *tability test: )$point 4tability test Dor 2nagnorosisE *anity lost: 5 point Dor 2nagnorosisE =rives at sta&e: 2nti+uarianism, !hirst for Knowledge 7illars of *anity at sta&e: Aamily, <uman Dignity and ;alue, .eligion
L( 9 L) ?bbo$4athla was a creation of the Elder !hings 9 a biological factory for breeding slaves. Earth$life is an accidental by$product.

2s soon as the protagonists enter *ommoriom, the spawn begin to thaw and awaken. *asually drop the following clues into your description to build atmosphere. !hese clues are picked up passively. Evidence ollection: It seems slightly warmer in the city than when the characters first entered. o 2 thermometer will confirm that the temperature is now #ust above free&ing -ater is dripping from the ceiling ,ools of water are collecting 4mall rivulets are running from that wall of ice

*tability test: ) point 4tability test Dor 2nagnorosisE *anity lost: = points Dor 2nagnorosisE =rives at sta&e: 2nti+uarianism, !hirst for Knowledge 7illars of *anity at sta&e: Aamily, <uman Dignity and ;alue, .eligion

!he surface of that wall seems more pitted than when we first saw it. I don%t remember those holes being there

tests may be enough to allow the character to reach the rest of the group, at which point the spawn will retreat. If they fail the 4ense !rouble test above, the spawn will attack with surprise. .uthless Keepers may want to consider a result of 5 or = on the 4ense !rouble test as automatic infestation, in order to keep the victim%s player in the dark about what has happened. Evidence from a successful attack will be similar to the *omeoneBs 2issingI section above. 2n infested character will have no memory of the attack, although when they awaken they may e1perience some odd symptoms" 2 Fspaced out%, apathetic feeling" treat as if *ha&en. /oss of Drive. 2bdominal pain 2 sluggish, bloated feeling

*omeoneBs 2issingI

'ne of the 3on$,layer *haracters Dif there are any leftE working or moving alone in the city ruins is noticed as missing. 2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty ) may allow characters to hear a cry for help. 2fter a search, the character is found unconscious, lying in a large pool of blood. 2edicine: !here is no obvious sign of in#ury. D5 point spendE <e appears to be in a coma. 8orensics: D5 point spendE !here is no sign of in#ury apart from bruising around the neck and face.
2ore Tha%ing

2gain this is something that one of the ,rotagonists should notice passively. !his can occur more than once. Evidence ollection: 2 black substance is oo&ing from holes in the 3igh *treet or The *+uare o -hen revisited, the oo&e is gone. o If a sample is taken the container is later found broken or overturned and the sample missing
*omething in the *hado%s

!hese symptoms may initially be confused with Fnervous shock%. !he victim themselves will rationalise and #ustify any unusual behaviour. !his is a good roleplaying opportunity for the player.
2utiny of the #nfested

-ith time, they will also begin to e1perience strange urges and black$outs. 4ee the *pa%n of 'nygathin (haum sidebar on ,age 11. 'nce fully under the control of the parasitic spawn, the infected character will seek to awaken Knygathin Zhaum and his spawn using the various e1cavation tools at The 7alace elsewhere. 3aturally this will accelerate the $%a&ening of 'nygathin (haum, although ideally this shouldn%t occur until the team has found !he Eye of ?bbo$ 4athla. 'ther possible sabotage attempts include" /uring as many people into the city as possible Blocking the escape route with e1plosives

-hen two or more characters are moving through the city, with a successful 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L, they catch a glimpse of something slithering or scuttling among the ice and rubble. By the time they reach the spot to investigate, there is nothing there.
$ 7rotagonist is $ttac&ed

If a ,rotagonist is so foolish as to be alone in the city they may be targeted by one of the spawn. !he Keeper may want to resolve this event privately, to avoid the possibility of the other players learning that one of their companions is infested with an parasitic monster. 2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L will allow the character to catch a glimpse of movement or a sound as the creature approaches or waits in ambush. If they succeed, the spawn will *hase them. !hree or four successful 2thletics or Aleeing

If the spawn is found out and cannot escape it will attack from within the host body with its $ttac& from 3ost ability. !he eyes will roll back and turn black, and sticky black tendrils will shoot from mouth and nose, striking anyone in range. 2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty > to avoid being surprised. Being attacked in this way is a M$,oint 4tability test.

The *pa%n and their J8atherB $%a&enI

!his eventuality is handled below in the scene hildren of 'nygathin (haum $%a&eI

is an 2thletics test against Difficulty ) D( with 0echanical .epair or 2rchitectureE. If the spawn fail the *hase contest, the protagonists have reached at least temporary safety Da vehicle, the cabin, a vertical shaft accessing the top of the ruins with the rope ladder pulled away etcE. <owever, as Knygathin Zhaum can probably get through most barriers, this freedom may be short lived. ?nless they can come up with a way to seal the entrance to the city e1tremely +uickly, they will probably need to get to the snow tractor to escape.

Children of 3nygathin .haum Awa/en4

*cene Type: 2ntagonist .eactionR*lima1 .ead/#n: !he !haw 2 4ense !rouble test against Difficulty L is re+uired to detect the approaching spawn. !he first wave consists of five spawn, with others not far behind. 4omething much larger can be heard Dor even glimpsedE crashing, slithering and hissing in the rear. !his is an N$,oint 4tability test. *haracters who don%t flee immediately will be attacked in two rounds. Aor those who flee, this is a *hase. If none of the protagonists passed their 4ense !rouble, the test Difficulty is >. !hose who passed get a head start and a Difficulty of (. !hose who failed but were alerted by others get a Difficulty of ). !reat the leading wave of pursuers as a single entity. 2 character who fails the chase contest will be immediately pounced on by one or two spawn and he must fight them. 2 second wave of si1 spawn is two rounds behind the first. Knygathin Zhaum and three spawn are moving at a steadier pace at the rear. !he ,rotagonists can%t afford to miss a step. !he Keeper may also consider allowing ,rotagonists to reduce the Difficulty with convincing Investigative spends, from 2rchitecture or @eology for e1ample. 4topping to take a shot at the pursuers will increase the Difficulty by 5. Depending on their previous actions, it may be possible to create obstacles for the pursuers such as pulling a door closed behind them, burning pools of fuel, shooting a bo1 of !3!, rolling fuel barrels, detonation of planted !3! charges etc. !he Keeper should assess such attempts on a case$by$case basis. )*ymbol: 7ulp, If a ,rotagonist has the flamethrower, they could use it to delay the spawn with suppressive fire. Don%t forget the two gaps in the stairs. !hese could be an obstacle or a boon depending on whether they need to be climbed or whether a bridge has been built. 4abotaging a bridge, once it has been crossed,

3n gathin >haum
!he entity that was known an age ago, by the name FKnygathin Zhaum% is a dark, mottled and mammoth$si&ed entity 9 a bloated trunk, with a one$eyed Fface% emerging from its midsection, and a second eye beneath that. !wo long tentacles with Ffingers% like knots of writhing snakes emerge from its Fshoulders% and a cup$like mouth protrudes at the top. !he lower limbs are a mass of slender proboscides covered in suckers. Knygathin Zhaum can attack with each of its two tentacles in a single round. /ike his spawn, he can assume the form of a viscous, black li+uid. 2nd most forms of physical in#ury will simply flow closed. $bilities: 2thletics 5=, <ealth ==, 4cuffling =N 3it Threshold: ( 4eapon: K> DtrampleEW K= DtentacleEW K= Dsucking proboscidesEW a successful tentacle attack may, instead of inflicting damage, pull the victim to the many mouths for automatic damage on each following round $rmour: $= Dthick, mottled membraneE <eals most physical damage De1cept fire, chemicals, e1plosivesE at ) <ealth per round *tability .oss: K=

&"ilogue
*cene Type: 2lternate .ead/#n: *hildren of Knygathin Zhaum 2wakenY If the ,rotagonists manage to escape from *ommoriom with the Eye of ?bbo$4athla, there is a strong possibility that it%s dire but compulsive insights will overwhelm them once they reach civilisation or during the voyage home. 4uch a ,urist style epilogue would bring the scenario to a very nice end. It might also suggest possibilities for future adventures.