Credits

Writing: Alex Guillotte, Ian Christiansen,

Rules Development: Alex Guillotte, Ian Christiansen

Design & Layout: Alex Guillotte

Editing: Alex Guillotte, Ian Christiansen

Art Director & Illustrations: Alex Guillotte

Copyright 2021 • Alex Guillotte

Call of Cthulhu is a Trademark of Chaosium Inc.
and is used with their permission via the OBS Community Content program.
For more information please visit Chaosium’s website:
www.Chaosium.com
The Miskatonic Repository Logo is used under license.

2
What is Grindhouse?
The term grindhouse is most often used to describe low-budget horror, splatter and
exploitation films for adults. These were popularized in the 1970s, but their roots can be
traced back to the 1920s, and on up through the mid 1980s.
The intention with these scenarios is to combine the violent brutality of grindhouse films with
the mind-rending cosmic horrors of the Lovecraftian mythos in the most cinematic way possible.

Inspirational Movies
Here are some great (and not so great) movies to inspire Keepers and players alike. Note
that while not all of these are strictly grindhouse movies, they do epitomize the aesthetic of
the genre and are well worth watching.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Near Dark (1987)

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) Invasion of the Blood Farmers (1972)
Race with the Devil (1975) Zombi 2 (1979)
Death Proof (2007) Planet Terror (2007)
Trilogy of Terror (1975) Friday the 13th (1980)
Dawn of the Dead (1978) C.H.U.D. (1984)
The Wicker Man (1973) Switchblade Sisters (1975)
The Car (1977) I Drink Your Blood (1970)
House of 1000 Corpses (2003) I Eat Your Skin (1971)
Last House on the Left (1972) Halloween (1978)
Evil Dead (1981) The Corpse Grinders (1971)
Humanoids from the Deep (1980) The Devil’s Rain (1975)
Scanners (1981) Psychomania (1973)
It’s Alive (1974) Werewolves on Wheels (1971)

Read This First!

The purpose of these books is to provide Keepers with interesting one-shots that can be
completed in a single session. Each scenario starts with a unique location that can, with
little or no modification, be inserted seamlessly into an existing campaign. These scenarios
are modular, with a number of options and variants available so that Keepers can customize
them to suit their needs. It’s even possible to scavenge these scenarios for parts that can be
added to the Keeper’s own settings, making their utility nearly limitless. Think of them as
skeleton keys to countless doors.
There are seven sections in each scenario: Prelude, Objectives, Secrets, Cast, Signs,
Threats, and Changes, with the occasional bit of extra information included, like unique
items or special rules. Some have multiple options, and since the Keeper isn’t limited to
using only one option, there are many variations possible. Sections can be used as written or
modified based on the situation, the style of the Keeper, or to adjust the scenario’s lethality.

3
 Prelude. This section provides an overall description of the setting including a physical
location, mood, and the overall tone of the scenario. Parts of this section are left deliberately
vague so that it can be inserted into a preexisting campaign more seamlessly. This section may
also include notes regarding some of the other sections, a brief history, and/or suggestions for
adapting it to different settings.
Objectives. This section describes why the characters are at the specific location and
why they might become involved in the plot. Their reason can be as simple as happenstance,
or the characters may have gone there specifically to investigate that location.
If a scenario is being inserted into an ongoing campaign, the Keeper could decide that
the location has something that the investigators need such as an object or information, and
they should modify the scenario accordingly.
Secrets. This section describes what’s really going on. These could include the nefarious
plans of an antagonist, the dark motivations of a malevolent entity, or the effects of some
impersonal force that drives the plot of the scenario. Of course there may be multiple secrets
since there may be more than one force at work behind the scenes.
Then there are the secrets that have nothing to do with the main plot, but may be included
as possible hooks for future scenarios or to give an NPC more character depth.
Cast. This section describes NPCs that are less significant or even benign in nature.
They may be included to add flavor or interest in the location, impart information to the
investigators, or simply provide an opportunity for roleplay. These characters are often
neutral, though the actions of the investigators can change that if they treat them poorly or
make any hostile moves against them.
Signs. This section includes options for objects or clues that the investigators might find
at this location. These things could be significant, minor, or simply a curiosity. Signs can help
flesh out a location by making it feel more lived in, impart information to the investigators,
foreshadow future events, provide the characters with a useful artifact, or even provide a
cache of resources if the Keeper is feeling particularly generous.
Threats. These include enemies, traps, natural hazards, mythos horrors, and so on. While
these may be extremely dangerous, the scenarios are flexible enough to allow the Keeper to
adjust the lethality. For example, if the scenario says that there are six zombies, but this seems
like too much for the investigators to handle, the Keeper can describe them as extremely
decayed and reduce their hit points accordingly. On the other hand, if a trap seems too easy to
find, the Keeper can increase the difficulty of the Spot Hidden check to notice it.
Whenever possible, stat blocks are provided for non player characters, monsters, and
spells, but occasionally the scenario will reference one of the core game books like the Keeper
Rulebook, Malleus Monstrorum, or The Grand Grimoire of Cthulhu Mythos Magic. In these
latter cases, the specific book and page number are provided.
Changes. When the time comes to shake things up, this section comes into play. These
include all manner of changing conditions including plans coming to fruition, timed events,
plot twists, weather events, and even physical changes in the location itself. For example,
a cultist might unleash a monstrous guardian, or a dilapidated structure might become
destabilized by the investigators’ actions, causing a crumbling wall to collapse. Changes
could also include outside events, such as two groups choosing that moment to start fighting
over that location, caring little for anyone caught in the middle.

4
 V WARNING V
The Grindhouse series is intended for mature audiences. It embraces the gritty
and often brutal style that was popular in the grindhouse, exploitation, and slasher
films of the 70s and 80s.
The Keeper and players should be aware that these scenarios may contains
situations, scenes, and imagery that some might find intense, particularly if they
have experienced any real life trauma. For this reason, we have provided this trigger
warning, allowing the Keeper to omit certain elements as they see fit. Any potential
triggers are listed on the first page of that scenario.
That being said, no one can predict every possible trigger, and there’s no substitute
for good old fashioned communication between everyone involved in the game. Before
beginning any scenario, the Keeper should sit down and talk with their players,
making the nature and content of this material very clear. Encourage the players to
ask questions, voice concerns, and vote on whether or not the scenario is right for the
group. It may even be a good idea to have a secret vote for the sake of personal privacy.
If everyone agrees to play, it’s suggested that the Keeper give players some way to
end a scene that they find too intense. This can be done using a token or safe word
of some kind, but however it’s done, there should be no explanation required. The
Keeper should simply end the scene and have the group take a break so that they
can resolve the situation.
Possible resolutions could include taking the scene in a different direction,
replaying things differently, or simply ‘fading to black’ with a narrative description
filling the gap. The Keeper should avoid punishing the player when this happens. So
there should be no significant damage or Sanity loss when play resumes.
In an extreme case where someone cannot continue a scenario, the session
should end immediately. At that point, the group can discuss options. The Keeper
may be able to rework the scenario, but it’s also possible that the player may have to
bow out of the game for the remainder of the story, or the scenario may have to be
set aside altogether.
Keepers should note that under NO circumstances should a rape scene of any
kind be included in a scenario. Period. It doesn’t matter whether it makes sense for
the story or not. Don’t do it. This is one of those cases where a deus ex machina
solution is absolutely acceptable.
Remember that role playing games are ultimately about having fun. If anything
in this scenario would detract from that fun, it should be changed or eliminated as
the Keeper sees fit. Whenever possible, alternatives may be suggested in the book,
but of course it’s not possible to take all people and situations into account.

5
The
Dark Brood

Body Horror
Inbreeding
Violence Against Children
The Dark Brood
This scenario takes place in July of 1977 at a sleepaway summer camp. The counselors
are short-handed due to transportation issues, but by the third day, everything seems
to be going smoothly apart from the normal bouts of homesickness and poison ivy.
Unfortunately, everything takes a downward turn on the fourth day when the kids begin
complaining of nausea and cramps. The counselors decide to give the kids something
to settle their stomachs and send them to bed early, convinced that everything will be
better in the morning. They couldn’t be more wrong.

Prelude
It’s the summer of 1977. Somewhere in the Appalachian mountains, more than twenty
miles from civilization is Camp Echo Lake. This summer camp was a big deal in the 50s,
but after some financial difficulties it went out of business in 1961. A couple years ago it
was purchased by Leo Moore, a land developer and local philanthropist who used to spend
summers at Camp Echo Lake, and just couldn’t stand the thought of the place falling into
ruin. According to the newspapers, Leo spent a small fortune to have it renovated, and this
year is its grand reopening.
You and the other counselors have experience working at other summer camps, and you
were each offered a very generous salary, so it was difficult to refuse. When you met with
Mr. Moore (who insisted that you call him Leo), stressed that there were three goals: fun,
fun, and more fun. He also added that these first forty campers (twenty boys and twenty
girls between the ages of 10 and 14) were critical to the camp’s success, since they were all
children of very wealthy and influential people who could make or break this endeavor. “But
no pressure!” He added with a hearty laugh.
Unfortunately, there was a hitch right out of the gate when a number of the counselors
were going to be delayed by a week due to some transportation problems. Still you managed
to pick up the kids from town using the brand new school bus (courtesy of Leo), and get them
settled into their cabins.
All in all, the first few days could have been far worse. The kids seemed to be having fun,
and with the exception of a little homesickness and a couple cases of poison ivy, everything
seemed to be going smoothly. That all changed on the fourth day after breakfast when the
kids started complaining about upset stomachs and nausea, but with no sign of vomiting
or fever. You’ve seen this sort of thing before, and so you decided to give them some Pepto
Bismol and get them to bed early. If the situation didn’t improve, you could always send
someone into town tomorrow to get a doctor to come take a look.
Sometime after midnight you awake with a start. You’re covered in sweat and your heart
is pounding, and you can’t shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. You quickly
realize that you’re not the only one, and that the other counselors are also awake. The camp
is eerily quiet. There’s not even the sound of crickets, frogs, or insects now that you think
about it. Someone should really go and check on the children.

7
 Camp Echo Lake. The camp is on the small side with a capacity of only 40 children
between the ages of ten and fourteen. Normally there would be eight counselors (four men
and four women), but a number of them were delayed, which means that the camp is a little
short handed at the moment.
The kitchen has enough food to cover the four weeks that the kids will be at camp, but
if they do find that they need something, there’s a small town with a general store about an
hour away where additional supplies can be obtained.
The camp is connected to the power grid via power lines that follow the twenty mile
dirt road into town. The water comes from a deep well on site that’s sufficient to supply the
showers, flush toilets, kitchen and laundry facilities.
There are seven main buildings with a handful of outbuildings. Most have recently been
renovated, and they include: The Mess Hall, four bunk houses (A, B, C, and D), the Water
House, and Echo Lodge. The outbuildings include a boathouse near the dock, a sports shed
(near the archery range), a tool shed (containing basic carpentry, plumbing, and electrical
repair tools), the power shack, and the old barn. These last three are off limits to campers.
Mess Hall – Near the center of Camp Echo Lake is the large dining/activity building and
kitchen, referred to collectively as the Mess Hall. The main room is largely open with four
huge oak tables and a dozen wooden chairs around each. Directly across from the entrance
is a massive stone fireplace with a neatly stacked cord of firewood in an iron rack on the
right. To either side of the fireplace are doors to the kitchen. The left door has a sign that
simply says IN while the right sign reads OUT.
Kitchen – The kitchen is the most modern part of the facility, with restaurant quality
futures, stainless steel appliances, a walk-in refrigerator and freezer, plus all of the pots and
utensils necessary to prepare a meal for fifty people.
Bunkhouses – These cabins (A, B, C, and D) are all pretty much the same, with a door
at either end and five beds along each wall for a total of ten per bunkhouse. Each bed has
two footlockers that fit comfortably beneath the bed and a small nightstand with drawers.
There is a window above each bed with simple brown curtains that match the blankets. The
pillows and sheets are hotel quality, so they are very durable and easy to wash.
Cabins A and B are for the boys, while C and D are for the girls. They are separated by
the Water House that sits directly between.
Water House – Conveniently located near the Bunkhouses, the Water House contains the
camp’s toilets, showers, and modest laundry facilities. The building is divided in two, with
the northern half for the girls and the southern half for the boys. Just inside the main door of
each side are the flush toilets that connect to a modern septic system that was added when
the camp was refurbished last year. To the east are the communal showers, while to the west
are the laundry rooms. The facility is stocked with plenty of soap, toilet paper, and various
cleaners in the laundry rooms closets.
Echo Lodge – This building contains the camp’s business office and the counselors’ dormitory.
It has four shared bedrooms, a common living area, and two private bathrooms. This is the only
two-story building with the bedrooms upstairs and everything else on the first floor.
Boat House – Near the dock is a small three-walled building that contains five canoes
with oars, and ten orange life jackets.

8
 The Archery Range – On the western side of the camp near the beach is the archery
range. There are five targets and a shed with a stout padlock that contains ten bows and ten
quivers with five arrows each. The shed also holds other sports equipment including kick
balls, soccer gear, field hockey gear, badminton sets, and lawn darts.
The Old Barn – Near the southeast edge of camp stands a classic red barn that was built
in the 40s when the original camp was established. Leo decided that it wouldn’t be cost
effective to refurbish it, and so now it’s simply used to store the camp’s lawnmower, and a
few grounds keeping tools like shovels, axes, and rakes.
Parked next to the barn is the big yellow school bus used to shuttle kids in from town, and the
camp’s jeep. Lined up against the barn are three five gallon cans of gasoline for emergencies.

Objectives
The original objective was for the camp counselors to make sure that the campers had safe
and wholesome summer fun, but when the story opens, it seems as if that’s not going to
happen. The characters sole purpose now is to find out what has happened to the children
and if possible, get them to safety. Naturally they’ll want to get themselves to safety as well,
but what sort of camp counselors would they be if they abandoned the children in favor of
saving their own skins.
Ultimately however it may simply become a struggle for survival as they try to leave this
terrible place and alert the authorities. Of course that’s much easier said than done.

Secrets
The History. Long before the first humans arrived in North America, a fragment of Shub-
Niggurath fell from the stars. Petroglyphs in nearby caves that predate the last ice age tell
the story of how the unnamed others had managed to contain the dark entity beneath a
‘great seal’ of white stone.
When the first humans settled these mountains, they sensed the darkness of this place
and named the lake Ahligia; the place of nightmares. Medicine men set totems around the
area to warn others to stay away, and so it remained shunned for many centuries.
When European settlers began to arrive however, they went into the mountains to harvest
stone to build their towns, and in doing so, damaged the seal. While the evil within was not
able to escape, it found that it could reach out through dreams and whispers, and so it was
that a devout Mennonite farmer named Enoch Klassen was ultimately drawn to the area
through religious visions. The entity appeared to Enoch as a tall woman in sanguine robes,
calling herself the Dark Mother, an angel sent to tell Enoch that God had chosen him to
prepare the way for the Second Coming. Enoch fell to his knees in that moment and vowed
to turn his will, and the will of his bloodline, over to her.
Enoch and his family settled near the seal and began performing profane rituals under the
angel’s guidance. Enoch’s descendants continued to make offerings to the Dark Mother for
many generations, even as civilization slowly encroached on their isolated mountain home.
Eventually the land was purchased, and the lake was renamed Echo Lake. When the summer
camp was proposed, the Klassen family did what they could to prevent its construction, but in
the end, money spoke louder than words, and Camp Echo Lake was founded.

9
 The Second Coming. This past spring, the entity became strong enough to appear in
the flesh, once again taking the form of the Dark Mother. She revealed that the Second
Coming was nigh and that they would use the “sinners’ own children” to open the way. She
had the Klassens bring all of the containers they had and present them before her. They
fell back in awe as the Dark Mother opened her robes, revealing her true form. Dozens of
swollen black breasts began to flow with streams of milk, filling every bucket, pot, and pail.
She told them to give the milk to the children of the unclean so that they might come to the
Lord and know his glory.
Benjamin Klassen, the current patriarch of the family, went to town and purchased several
ten gallon milk cans and made arrangements to donate it to the summer camp, claiming that
it was ordinary cow’s milk. Benjamin arrived at the camp a day before the campers were
supposed to arrive, and the counselors gratefully accepted the donation, adding the milk
canisters to the kitchen’s refrigerator.
The Dark Young. The purpose of the milk is to create Dark Young to serve Shub-
Niggurath. On the fourth day, the counselors served the Klassen’s milk to the children
for breakfast, though none of the counselors drank it. Once the milk was introduced
into their bodies, the ‘purification’ process began. It was subtle at first, manifesting as
upset stomachs, but eventually most of the children were experiencing nausea. The only
exception was Melissa (see Cast) who’s lactose intolerance saved her, for the time being,
from a terrible fate.
After nightfall, the children awoke in a trance-like state, covered in black sweat. Ben
Klassen whispered the chant that the Dark Mother had taught him, calling the children to
the barn. Hannah guided them up into the lofts where they curled up in corners, against
beams, and inside old crates. Over the next half hour, the black sweat formed a crust
on their skin like a sack that slowly filled with the dark ichor, encasing each child in a
loathsome black pupa, held in place by countless inky strands.
When the scenario begins, the characters have four hours before a swarm of juvenile
Dark Young burst forth from the barn devouring everything in sight. They won’t reach their
full size and strength for a few days, and so the Dark Mother will soon come to collect them.

Cast
Melissa Johnson. Melissa is 11 years old with long brown hair, brown eyes, and
average build for her age. When the characters find her, she’s still dressed in her pajamas,
but she has jeans and a t-shirt in her footlocker. Melissa’s lactose intolerance ended up
saving her since she was the only child who didn’t drink the milk the previous morning.
She is scared, but lucid and freely provides the characters with the following information:

• Around midnight, the other kids in her cabin woke up and left without a word.
• They had something dark smeared on their skin that made them look creepy, and so
she was afraid to talk to them. She climbed under her bed and put footlockers on
either side of her, and so she didn’t see where they went.

If pushed (with a successful Charm, Intimidate, or Persuasion check), she provides the
following additional information:

10
 • Their eyes looked white and cloudy.
• They smelled sour, like spoiled milk.
• She thinks that they walked east when they left, based on the sound of the footsteps.

If asked about small details or anything else odd that she might have seen, she remembers
the following information:

• When she first woke up, she turned her flashlight on one of them, and they flinched
away from the light. She didn’t think it was strange because most people don’t like a
flashlight shining in their eyes at night.

Signs
Photographs. In the counselor’s dormitory, there are pictures of the camp that date from
the 1950s. Several of the pictures show someone who is presumably a counselor exploring
a cave, and some of them show strange petroglyphs. In the frame behind the photo is a map
to the Dark Mother’s cave east of camp.
Melissa. When the characters investigate the cabins, they’ll hear a noise in one of the
girl’s cabins (no skill check necessary). Beneath one of the beds they’ll find Melissa (see
Cast). She won’t reveal herself unless the counselors call out or they track her with a Listen
check and pull out the footlocker.
Spoiled Milk. If the characters go into the kitchen, they find the dirty dishes from the
previous morning, and they’ll notice that all of the glasses and bowls that had the milk are
covered with black mold-like fuzz that has even spread to the counter.
The kitchen is closed and dark, but if they turn on the light, they can make a Spot Hidden
check to notice that the light causes the ‘mold’ to turn to gray ash and blow away.
The Smell of the Barn. If the characters go anywhere near the old barn, there seems
to be nothing out of the ordinary except for a sour smell, like spoiled milk, but this could
be due to rats and other critters using it for nesting. If Melissa is with them, she’ll become
terrified and mention that the other kids smelled bad like that when they left. If she told the
characters about the sour smell earlier (and the players don’t make the connection), they can
make an Idea roll to put two and two together.

Threats
The Klassen Family. Earlier that night, the Dark Mother told the Klassens that they should
sneak into the camp and disable all of the vehicles, and then wait in the woods until everyone
was asleep. There are twelve family members in all, and each of them is an absolutely fanatical
servant of the Dark Mother. In order to maintain their purity, the angel forbid them from
marrying outsiders, and so they have become increasingly inbred. If that wasn’t disturbing
enough, all of the females have had their tongues cut out, and so are unable to speak.
The Klassen family’s stats have been kept simple, allowing the Keeper to customize them
as needed. If they want to flesh out any of them beforehand, it might be best to choose a few
to be tougher, while allowing the others to be killed with a single blow. This will make it easy
the Keeper to scale the lethality of the scenario to suit their personal style.

11
 Ben (age 67) – Father and patriarch of the family. He is second only to the Dark Mother in
influence over the Klassens.
[Relevant Stats: HP 12, Dodge 30, Fighting (Axe) 45, Fighting (Brawl) 35, Listen 45, Spot Hidden 50]

Hannah (60) – Mother and matriarch of the family.

[Relevant Stats: HP 9, Dodge 20, Fighting (Carving Knife) 35, Fighting (Brawl) 25, Listen 35, Spot Hidden 40]
Caleb (44) – Eldest son of Ben and Hannah. Brother and wife to Emma.
[Relevant Stats: HP 12, Dodge 45, Fighting (Axe) 55, Fighting (Brawl) 50, Listen 35, Spot Hidden 20]
Emmet (41) – Brother and husband to Sarah. Blinded from drinking homemade grain alcohol.
His hearing is extraordinary.
[Relevant Stats: HP 10, Dodge 35, Fighting (Bowie Knife) 35, Fighting (Brawl) 25, Listen 65]

Ezekiel (40) – Brother and husband to Emma.

[Relevant Stats: HP 14, Dodge 20, Fighting (Brawl) 45, Listen 25, Spot Hidden 20]
Sarah (38) – Sister and wife to Emmet and Aaron.
[Relevant Stats: HP 9, Dodge 40, Fighting (Club) 35, Fighting (Brawl) 25, Listen 25, Spot Hidden 30]
Aaron (37) – Brother and husband to Sarah.
[Relevant Stats: HP 11, Dodge 30, Fighting (Brawl) 45, Listen 50, Spot Hidden 30]

Emma (35) – Sister and wife to Ezekiel and Caleb.

[Relevant Stats: HP 8, Dodge 45, Fighting (Shovel) 30, Fighting (Brawl) 25, Listen 35, Spot Hidden 30]
Jeb (30) – Brother and husband to Rachel.
[Relevant Stats: HP 13, Dodge 25, Fighting (Axe) 35, Fighting (Brawl) 55, Listen 25, Spot Hidden 40]
Rachel (28) – Sister and wife to Jeb.
[Relevant Stats: HP 9, Dodge 35, Fighting (Carving Knife) 45, Fighting (Brawl) 25, Listen 45, Spot Hidden 40]
Abigail (17) – Daughter and wife to Emmet.
[Relevant Stats: HP 8, Dodge 25, Fighting (Brawl) 25, Listen 25, Spot Hidden 40, Throw 50]

Miriam (10) – Daughter to Jeb.

[Relevant Stats: HP 6, Dodge 40, Fighting (Pocket Knife) 35, Fighting (Brawl) 15, Listen 25, Spot Hidden 30]

All of the Klassen family remains in the barn to guard the Dark Young pupae except for
Ben, Caleb, and Jeb who wait in the woods nearby to prevent anyone from escaping. Of
course the Klassen didn’t anticipate the counselors waking up, and as soon as they hear
stirring in the camp, they lock the barn doors and turn their oil lamps down. They quickly
put a burlap sack over Miriam’s head and make it appear as if she’s tied to one of the upright
beams. They pretend that she’s one of the campers, and threaten to “gut her real good” if the
counselors “try anythin’ stupid.”
The Klassen family will do whatever it takes to protect the Dark Young, even if it means
killing one of their own, or sacrificing themselves. They are religious zealots and will fight
to the death, believing that God will reward them in Heaven. The Dark Mother speaks
directly into their heads, moving them like pawns on a chessboard to ensure the safety of
the Dark Young. The characters may notice this when one of them appears to be listening to
something, and then creepily responds with a loving “Yes mother.” Of course the counselors
are more likely to just assume that the Klassen’s are just batshit crazy.

12
 The Dark Spawn. These Dark Young are juvenile, meaning that they are not at their full
strength. The Dark Mother can control them with a glance, and so once they’re ‘hatched’
they can be quite dangerous. Of course she won’t put her children in obvious harm, so if the
characters seem to have the upper hand, she have her young flee to the cave east of camp,
leaving the Klassens to die.
The Dark Mother. One of the more human-seeming avatars of Shub-Niggurath, the Dark
Mother has been gathering her power for centuries, and she is now ready to produce a brood
of Dark Young. While she’d prefer to retain the Klassens as servants, they are expendable.

Dark Spawn attempt an opposed STR roll each round to try

Juvenile Dark Young and break free; should the Drak Spawn suffer 5+
damage, the grabbed victim can make a Luck roll
STR 50
to determine if the creature breaks its hold.
CON 40
Fighting: 50% (25/10), damage 1D4+1
SIZ 40
Grab (mnvr): 60% (30/12), held, damage 1D4+1
DEX 75 per round after first
INT 40 Dodge: 40% (20/8)
POW 35
Armor: none; minimum damage from bullets;
HP: 8 full damage from fire and chemical based attacks.
Damage Bonus: 0 Sanity Loss: 1/1D6 Sanity points to encounter a
Build: 0 Juvenile Dark Young.
Move: 7 Vulnerability to Light: The Dark Spawn are very
Magic Points: 7 sensitive to light, and especially sunlight. Shining
a flashlight at one will cause it to pause for 1D3
ATTACKS
rounds, but after that it’s hunger will get the
Attacks per round: 2 (whip, bite, grab)
better of it. It attacks with a Penalty Die as long
May attack up to 2 separate targets per round, as the light is shining on it, and it’s first attack
using its tentacles to whip, mouths to bite, or a will attempt to knock the light from their victim’s
combination of both to grab an opponent. hand. They won’t enter a well lit area, but they’re
Grab: May use its tentacles and small mouths smart enough to cut the power which will take
to grab and latch onto a target, pulling it to its them 3D4 minutes to figure out.
larger central mouth to be consumed on the They will seek a dark place to hide before the
following round. Being eaten in this manner sun comes up, but if touched by sunlight, it bursts
inflicts 1D4+1 damage per round. The victim can into flames and explodes 30 seconds later.

The Dark Mother’s lair is a cave system about a half mile east of the camp. If one were to
come upon the cave, they’d find a hag dressed in filthy, ragged clothes, looking like a witch
from some grimm fairytale. Should the characters head east out of camp in search of the
children, they’re likely to smell wood smoke which leads them right to her.
They find her sitting near the entrance, hunched over an open fire cooking a squirrel. A
Spot Hidden check allows the characters to notice discarded children’s clothes and shoes near
the entrance to the cave. If they notice any of this, they realize that it’s not a squirrel over the
fire, but a young child’s arm.
Inside the cave are petroglyphs that tell the history of the great seal (see Secrets). Near
the back of the cave, a Hard Spot Hidden check reveals the bones of countless children,
dating back decades at least.

13
 The Dark Mother
Avatar of Shub-Niggurath
STR 100 (150)
CON 100
SIZ 70 (150)
DEX 100
POW 350
HP: 17 (25)
Damage Bonus: +1D6 (+3D6)
Build: 2 (4)
Move: 10
Magic Points: 70
( ) = Monstrous form.
ATTACKS
Attacks per round: 1 (human form) or 2
(monstrous form)
Prefers to use commanded humans to act
as fodder against attackers, with such folk
happy to throw themselves in front of danger to
protect her. If necessary, she uses spells or may
strike out unarmed or use weapons. In extreme
situations, she may throw off human guise to
reveal a monstrous form capable of delivering two
attacks per round, throwing out arms composed
of vegetable and animal matter to strike, tear, or
grab.
Grab: Root-like tendrils wrap around and
grab a target, who can, on the following round,
be crushed (1D6 damage per round) or bitten
and their blood sucked out (1D6+4 damage per
round). The victim may attempt to break free
with an Extreme STR or Hard DEX roll.
Fighting: (human) 90% (45/19), damage 1D4
+ 1D6
Fighting: (monstrous) 90% (45/19), damage
1D6 + 1D6
Grab (mnvr): 90% (45/19), damage 1D6 or
bite 1D6+4 (see above).
Dodge: 70% (35/14)
Armor: 0 (3 monstrous); If reduced to zero
hit points, in human form, the monstrous form
bursts forth (at full hit points) and proceeds to
attack anything nearby, fighting for six rounds
before dissolving into the ground and retreating
to her cave to summon her children.
14
In monster form she takes minimal damage
from normal weapons and half damage from fire.
The Dark Mother reforms after 2D100 days,
seeking out more followers to do her bidding.
Spells: Augury, Awaken the Beast, Bind Soul,
Cloud Memory, Command Animal, Command
Plants, Control Elements, Dampen Light, Enthrall
Victim, Fury, Healing (variant), Human Shrub,
The Red Sign, Return of the Beloved, Summon/
Bind Dark Young
Sanity Loss: Zero Sanity points to encounter
the Dark Mother’s human form; 1D4/2D4 to see
her unmasked and in her monstrous aspect.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Thought Form: The appearance of this avatar
is taken directly from the minds of those
who encounter it, thus it may appear male or
female according to the viewer’s mind’s eye
visualization of ultimate attraction. Thus, if
seen by a number of people simultaneously,
each person may see a slightly different form or
version of the avatar. Whenever it wishes, the
avatar may unveil its human guise and appear
as a monstrous humanoid composed of roots,
flesh, dead matter, and so on.
Command: When directly spoken to, humans
fall under the command of the Dark Mother, with
people willing to obey direction up to and including
self-destruction. The effect may be negated with
an Hard POW roll, or else certain spells may limit
or ward against such mind control. The power can
work at a distance, although beyond 100 yards/
meters the POW roll to resist decreases to Regular
difficulty, and beyond one mile (1.6 km) the power
has no effect.
Wild Abandon: Humans within sight or sound
of The Dark Mother for any length of time may
be overcome and driven to acts of wild abandon,
effectively freeing them of cultural, moral and legal
restraints. Such high spirits may at first be minor,
but the continued presence of her increases the
breakdown of “society” and humans are reduced
to bestial behavior, killing one another in a frenzy
of violence. Thus, the longer the Dark Mother
stays to orchestrate, the worse the situation
becomes. In the main, a Hard POW negates this
effect, although those at the periphery may have
their roll decreased to Regular difficulty.
 If the characters don’t head east, then they’ll likely encounter the Dark Mother in camp
when she comes for her children in a few hours in the guise of Aunt Bee (see below).

Changes
The Keeper should keep track of the time passing in the game since certain changes are
time specific. The following chart is intended to provide a basic guideline, though the Keeper
should feel free to change things up if it makes the story more cinematic.

10:30 PM
The Klassen family arrives at camp and sabotage the vehicles. The Keeper can optionally give
the characters an Extreme Listen check to see if they recall hearing any noises during the night.
11:30 PM
The campers awake and are lured by Ben Klassen into the barn. They climb into the loft and
become cocooned. Melissa hides under her bed between two footlockers.
12:15 AM
The Counselors awake after a nightmare with the unshakable feeling that something is
wrong. The forest is unnaturally quiet.
12:30-4:00 AM
When the characters discover the situation in the barn (see Threats), and that the children
are there, Hannah Klassen will call The Dark Mother. She shows up about 15 minutes later in
the guise of Cybille Blakely.
4:10 AM
The Dark Spawn hatch from their pupae and begin feeding. They seek out the Dark Mother,
but if she’s dead, they retreat to the cave system east of camp.
5:45 AM
Sunrise. The Dark Spawn abhor light and especially daylight, and so if any are still around,
they flee to the nearest dark place, or if none can be found, they burrow into the ground.

The Dark Mother Arrives. The characters hear movement in the woods, and a woman’s
voice calling out “Hello? Is anyone there?” A middle-aged woman with a lantern steps out
of the trees dressed in jeans, a flannel shirt and a jean jacket... maybe. The Dark Mother
is using her Thought Form ability to lull the characters into a false sense of security. If
possible, the Keeper should describe some aspect of her appearance differently each time
to simulate the feeling of characters all seeing her a bit differently.
For example, at one point the Keeper might say: “She takes off her denim jacket and lays
it over her arm,” and a few minutes later say: “She puts on her leather coat.”
She tells the characters: “I’m Cybille Blakely, but you can just call her Aunt Bee. I live a
few miles east of here, not far off the road.”
When questioned, she tells the counselors she heard some really strange noises in the
woods, like some wounded animal and went to put the poor creature out of its misery.
She’ll ask them what’s wrong and if they tell her about the people in the barn, she’ll say
something like “It must be those Klassen folks. They ain’t the brightest bulbs in the pack, but
I never thought they’d do anything so terrible. You want me to try and talk sense to ‘em?”

15
 In short, Cybille generally behaves like a concerned human being, but as the conversation
goes on however, the characters may notice an oddness in her manner. The Keeper can have
the characters make Psychology rolls to notice that she seems eager to learn more about
the condition of the children, or she may let something slip about the milk. An Extreme Spot
Hidden check could allow someone to notice something unnatural moving beneath her shirt.
If Melissa is present, the Dark Mother takes great interest in her. She’ll act very maternal
and comforting, even going over to her to offer a motherly hug. Melissa is uneasy, but accepts
the hug so as not to be rude. At that point, the Dark Mother begins singing a lullaby (casting
the Dampen Light spell) and the area instantly goes dark and the characters hear a scream
from Melisa as Cybille takes her. Of course the characters may attempt to stop her, but they’ll
have a Penalty Die on any related rolls.
Sensing her children, the Dark Mother takes Melissa to the barn where she uses her
Command ability to force Melissa to drink her milk... unless the characters stop her.
Saving the Children. It’s very difficult, but not impossible to save all of the children, but
some may be possible. Each child currently has a Dark Spawn gestating in their stomach.
These larvae are maggot-like grubs about seven inches long and two inches in diameter.
Most of the damage to the host takes place within the last half hour, so if the characters can
extract any of the children from their cocoons before 3:30 AM, the child will vomit up the
larvae and fall mercifully unconscious. These rescued children will remain asleep for twelve
hours and awake with no memories of what happened.
Between 3:30 AM and 4:00 Am the larvae will grow and begin to devour the child from
the inside out, so if they are extracted during that time, they will already be dead.
The Brood. During the final ten minutes, the Dark Spawn expand, ripping apart their
host and bursting through their pupae. They emerge ravenously hungry and begin devouring
any living thing they can find, including small wildlife, the counselors, and even the Klassen
family. Initially they are quite vulnerable, which means that the characters have a chance to
kill them, even if it’s a small one.
Sunrise. The Dark Spawn hate the sun, and so around 5:00 AM, they flee to their
mother’s cave east of camp. If the Dark Mother is destroyed and the counselors pursue,
they’ll have a few hours to kill the Dark Spawn before they grow into fully developed Dark
Young (see Keepers Rulebook p.287). These are nearly impossible for the characters to
kill, and will cause great suffering and death throughout the region until their mother
reforms in 2D100 days.

16
Jackknife

Gore
Extreme Violence
Adult Language
Jackknife
Making the long haul across the New Mexico desert with a load of lumber, Jackknife
Samson decides to pick up some desperate-looking hitchhikers, but he gets more
trouble than he bargained for when they find themselves being hunted by a cult of
psychotic snake worshipers for hell.

Prelude
You’re an independent trucker out of Nevada who goes by CB handle Jackknife. You make
these kind of long hauls every few weeks or so, and it’s always something different. On this
particular run, you’re hauling a flatbed of lumber from Colorado to Texas.
You pull your rig into Dirty Pete’s Roadhouse, the last gas and coffee for a couple hundred
miles. You give Pete a nod as he starts toping off the diesel while you step inside to grab your
usual Mega Gulp™, black, no sugar, with a double shot of espresso.
Still gnawing on a piece of ancient beef jerky, you step out to see Pete waiting with three
young punks. He tells you that these kids were on their way home when their car “shit the
bed.” Now he knows that you usually don’t do passengers, but Pete vouches for them and he
never vouches for anybody. In the end, you just can’t bring yourself to leave them at this shitty
truck stop, so you load them into the cab, toss Pete a roll of cash, and roll out.
After almost an hour on the road, you spot headlights coming up fast from behind. You don’t
see any rollers, so probably not the cops or an ambulance. You expect ‘em to blow past you,
but when they pull up alongside, you can see the passenger leering up at you with dark eyes...
and a fucking machete in his hand!

Objectives
Survive and Escape. The main goal for the characters is obviously to survive and
escape from the cult. At first, they have no idea why these psychos are after them, but
three things soon become apparent: 1. there’s a shitload of them, 2. they’re some kind of
religious fanatics, and 3. they’re willing to die for whatever the hell it is they worship.
Rescue the Girl. Once the characters become aware that Barbara is in the back of the
truck, they will ideally want to protect her from the cultists. If they don’t seem particularly
sympathetic, the Keeper can insinuate that she might know why these snake-worshiping
psychopaths are trying to kill them.

Secrets
They’re Coming to Get You Barbara. A teenage girl named Barbara Miller has climbed
onto the trailer and is hiding in a gap in the lumber. Yesterday, a group of fanatic snake
worshipers kidnapped her and her boyfriend Tom, intending to sacrifice them to the snake
god Yig. She was forced to watch as Tom was tortured, but it seemed clear that the fate that
awaited her was far worse. Earlier today they saw their chance and managed to escape,
fleeing across the desert.

25
 Unfortunately, before they could get too far, some of the cultists caught up with them on
motorcycles, and her boyfriend Tom died so that Barbara could escape.
The cult leader Tylarrish had planned to use her as a blood sacrifice to establish his new
church, but their escape is a serious setback. Besides the fact that the little bitch might get some
authorities to listen to her, she also escaped with their sacred book: De Vermis Mysteriis. They
might be able to find another location and another sacrifice, but that book is irreplaceable.
Tylarrish’s followers have strict instructions to retrieve the book at all costs. If they can
get the girl or any of the others alive, that’s preferable, but not essential. Ultimately it’s better
for them to die than to let them escape and potentially put the cult at risk.

Cast
Barbara. This poor teenage girl has been severely traumatized over the past couple days,
and her sanity is hanging by a thread. When the characters find her, she’s semi-lucid at best,
and remains that way for most of the scenario. The characters may be able to reach her with
successful Charm, Persuade, or Psychoanalysis rolls (Keeper’s discretion). Otherwise, she’ll
probably just mumble incoherently (see Signs).
Highway Patrolman. Patrolman Walter M. Greene is fit with an average build. He has
close-cut dark hair, and immaculately trimmed sideburns, and an infectious smile.
Greene is a good cop and was raised to always do the right thing. He speaks with a slow
Texas drawl, but is much brighter than he sounds. He won’t correct those who take him for
just another “dumb hick.”

HP: 12
Damage Bonus: +1D4
Build: 1
Move: 9
ATTACKS
Attacks per round: 1
Fighting (Brawl): 55% (27/11), damage 1D3 +
1D4 or by weapon
Firearm (Pistol): 60% (30/12), damage 1D8 + 1D4
Patrolman Walter M. Greene Dodge: 45%
A Good Cop
Armor: none
STR 65
Skills: Charm 65%, Intimidate 50%, Jump 45%,
CON 65 Psychology 60%, Spot Hidden 65%, Throw 40%.
SIZ 60 SPECIAL ITEMS
DEX 75 .357 Magnum: range 15, uses per round 1 (3),
INT 55 bullets 6 (plus 3 reloads), malfunction 100
POW 45 Baton: use Fighting (Brawl), damage 1D6 + 1D4.

Sheriff ’s Deputies. The Keeper can decide how many to include based on the
situation, but they’ll all have more or less the same abilities. They’re intended to be more
of a demonstration to the characters, so that they can see how dangerous the dustbillies
can really be. If the Keeper feels that they want to have replacement characters on hand

26
(since this scenario can be quite lethal) it might be a good idea to have one Sheriff’s Deputy
character sheet ready for that purpose.

Signs
Barbara. If the characters question Barbara, the Keeper should have them make
whatever check seems appropriate to see if they manage to get any intelligible information
out of her. The information below can be disseminated at the Keeper’s discretion.
• The cult wants to sacrifice her to some snake god.
• She stole their evil bible because Tom thought it was important. It’s in her bag that she
hid in the lumber pile.
• Her boyfriend Tom was killed when they escaped.
• The cult leader has a giant snake that he can call to him.
• The cult leader is a warlock who can do real black magic.
De Vermis Mysteriis. If any of the characters know Latin and try to read the book. After a
few minutes of reading they hear whispering as if it’s inside their head and have to make a Sanity
check (1/1D6). If they fail, they have sudden visions of a vast city of serpent people and a titanic
snake god. The vision may also reveal the following information at the Keeper’s discretion:
• The cult leader is at least part snake person.
• The cult leader’s face is not his own, and has in fact had many faces over the years.
• The name of the serpent god is Yig.

Threats
Tylarissh. Tylarissh was born in 1936 to the unholy union of Al’issya Ss’rissi A’na (a Serpent
Person priestess) and a Pentecostal preacher by the name of Reverend Holgate. Until recently

Tylarissh Ritual Knife: 40% (20/8), damage 1D4+2

Desperate Serpent-person Hybrid Cult Leader Dodge: 35%
STR 45 Armor: 1; hardened skin
CON 65
Skills: Charm 65%, Cthulhu Mythos 40%,
SIZ 55
Intimidate 65%, Fast Talk 55%, Occult 35%,
DEX 50
Psychology 60%, Spot Hidden 65%,
INT 70
Survival 35%, Throw 40%.
POW 65
HP: 12 Spells: Consume Likeness, Contact Yig,
Damage Bonus: 0 Create Zombie, Summon/Bind Bahyakee,
Build: 0 Summon/Bind Hydra of the Wastes,Summon/
Move: 8 Bind Star Vampire, Mind Transfer, Voorish
Magic Points: 13 Sign, Wither Limb, Wrack.

ATTACKS Sanity Loss: 0/1 if they notice his scaly skin.

Attacks per round: 1
Tylarissh has been using his magic since Barbara
escaped, and it has drained him. At this point he
can only fight back with his knife if attacked.
Fighting (Brawl): 40% (20/8), damage 1D3
SPECIAL ITEMS
Enchanted Whistle - This is a small bone whistle
that instantly summons a Bahyakee.
*Appearance changes if he changes his likeness.
**See entry below

27
he had been wearing the likeness of Mordechai Osteen, a cult leader in Abattoir, Texas, but was
forced to change it when the authorities got involved, consuming the likeness of some drifter.
Tylarissh shares the Serpent People’s attitude about humans, considering them to be
lesser servants at best. He’s a zealot who will do anything to fulfill his plans for the ultimate
glory of Yig, and the extermination of the Earth’s mammalian infestation.
Dustbilly Survivors. The dustbillies are fanatical inbred mutant rednecks, but ultimately
they’re just men who can be killed like anyone else. Where they differ from other men is that
their deformities make them a little stronger and faster than average. On the down side,
they’re also extremely dimwitted and prone to violence. Tylarissh has been able to exploit
their weaknesses and has managed to galvanize them into a formidable cult.

Dustbilly Survivors The Dustbillies had most of their cult wiped

Mutant Inbred Zealots out recently in Texas, but those that remain
STR 80 are fanatical and fearless. They may have any
combo of knives, modified clubs, or handguns
CON 50
on their person.
SIZ 45
Fighting (Brawl): 50% (25/10), damage 1D3 + 1D4.
DEX 75
Knife: 45% (22/9), damage 1D4 + 2 + 1D4
INT 30
Spiked Club: 50% (25/10), damage 1D8 + 1 + 1D4
APP 40
.38 Revolver: 30% (15/6), damage 1D10
POW 45
Dodge: 45%
HP: 9
Armor: none
Damage Bonus: 1D4
Skills: Climb 35%, Drive Auto 45%, Jump 45%,
Build: 1
Spot Hidden 35%, Survival 40%, Throw 35%.
Move: 9
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Magic Points: 13
Knock-Out Blows: If trying to capture someone
ATTACKS alive, use the Knock-Out Blows rule (see Keeper
Attacks per round: 1 (unarmed, weapon, pistol) Rulebook, p.125).

These particular dustbillies are the survivors of Abattoir that fled with Tylarissh when
they left the area to set up a new temple in New Mexico.
Teihiihan. Teihiihan appear to be dark-skinned, muscular children with long, matted
black hair. Their faces have an unnatural, distorted appearance due to the additional muscles
and bone that give them their incredible bite strength. While they rarely wear clothes, their
original sex is impossible to determine since their genitalia disappears during the horrific
conversion process. They have sharpened, predator-like teeth and jagged yellow claws that
they use to grasp and rend the flesh of their prey.
The Teihiihan are the result of horrific experiments on human children by Al’issya Ss’rissi
A’na, the half-serpent priestess of Yig, and mother of Tylarissh.

28
 Teihiihan jaws. The Teihiihan then continues to tear with it’s
Cruel Cannibal Children sharpened teeth, doing 2D4 damage automatically
STR 110 each round. An opposed STR roll is required to
dislodge them, breaking the grip and ending the
CON 65
continuous damage.
SIZ 35
Dodge: 40% (20/8)
INT 30
Armor: none
POW 50
Skills: Jump 75%, Listen 70%, English 15%,
DEX 65 Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 90%, Survival 40%,
HP: 10 Track 65%
Damage Bonus: 1D4 Sanity Loss: 0/1D6 to see a Teihiihan.
Build: 1 Camouflage: The Teihiihan’s skin can change its
Move: 9 color and texture to match a background almost
exactly. Of course it cannot change their basic
ATTACKS
shape and size, but under the right conditions,
Attacks per round: 2 (grab/ bite) or 1 (weapon) they can become virtually invisible. While hidden
Fighting (Brawl): 40% (20/8), damage 2D4 or in this manner, they must remain still. When they
as per weapon + db. move or attack, the camouflage disappears and
Bite: 45% (22/9), damage 1D6 + 1D4 they return to their normal appearance. Only a
Critical success (01) on a Spot Hidden check will
Grip and Worry (mnvr): If the Teihiihan’s bite
allow a character to see a Teihiihan when it is
attack succeeds, the victim remains locked in their
hiding in this way.

Bahyakee. These are hybrid winged things that no sound eye can ever wholly grasp. They’re
not altogether crows, nor moles, nor buzzards, nor ants, nor vampire bats, nor decomposed
human beings; but their form suggests all of those things... and worse. They flop limply along,
half with their webbed feet and half with their membranous wings. They stink of something
like gunpowder and rotten eggs.
Bahyakee are interstellar predators that are able to travel the vacuum of space faster than
the speed of light, but in atmosphere the fly up to 70 kph. When they arrive at their destination,
they are usually extremely hungry and best avoided.
They have human level intelligence, and will obey whatever commands Tylarissh gives
them. Despite their ungainly appearance, they are strong, fast, and agile, making them
extremely dangerous. While they are definitely tough, once through their hide they die just
like people, though they rot away much quicker in our atmosphere.

29
 Bahyakee in the roof to get at her. It will slam itself into the
Horrific Steeds from the Stars vehicle repeatedly, and once it has done 2 Build
STR 90 points of damage it can get into the cab.

CON 50 Claws/Slam: 55% (27/11), damage 1D6 + 1D6

SIZ 90 Bite and Hold: 55% (27/11), damage 1D6 +

3D10 STR per round.
DEX 70
Grab (mnvr): 60% (30/12), held, damage 1D4+1
INT 50
per round after first
POW 50
Dodge: 35% (17/7)
HP: 14
Armor: 2; fur and hide.
Damage Bonus: 1D6
Sanity Loss: 1/1D6
Build: 2
Move: 5/16 flying SPECIAL ABILITIES
Bite and Hold: This Fighting Maneuver (see
ATTACKS Keeper’s Rulebook, p.105) bites the character and
Attacks per round: 2 begins immediately draining their blood (3D10
The Bahyakee will attempt to grab Barbara (or STR/round) on success. Death occurs when the
another victim, if she’s dead) and fly off with her. If victim’s STR reaches zero. It requires a successful
she’s inside the truck it will attempt to tear a hole opposed STR roll to escape.

Hydra of the Wastes. This titanic serpent is like nothing else on Earth. It has a
scaled body the length of a couple school buses, with two rattle-snake tails, and three
long necks that end in terrifyingly misshapen snake heads. Just below each heads are
clusters of long scarecrow thin arms that flail about at the air like some blasphemous
sea anemone, snatching at anything that comes near them.
The mouths open wide revealing venomous fangs that unfold as they let out a bone-
chilling hiss that seem to echo longer than possible. As the truck’s headlights fully illuminate
this abomination, all three heads turn to face it.

Hydra of the Wastes fused together. A wide squat abdomen with dozens
Twisted Serpentine Monstrosity of vestigial arms comprises its middle, while two
rattle-snake like tails flail about behind it. Raging at
STR 360
the pain of its existence, it can either crush enemies
CON 240 beneath its great weight, bite them, or attempt to
SIZ 345 swallow them whole.
DEX 60 Crush: 30% (15/6), damage 8D6
INT 65 Bite: 30% (15/6), damage 1D6 + venom
POW 55 Swallow: 35% (17/7), damage 1D10 per round
HP: 59 from constriction and digestive acids.
Damage Bonus: 7D6 Dodge: 30% (15/6)
Build: 8 Armor: 4; scaly skin.
Move: 6 Sanity Loss: 3/3D4+2
ATTACKS SPECIAL ABILITIES
Attacks per round: 2 Venom: When a victim is bitten, they suffer an
This is a forty-foot snake-like abomination looks additional 2D10 damage from the caustic venom,
like three massive serpents have somehow been or half with an Extreme Constitution check.

30
Changes
The threats in this scenario come in several waves, and so the Keeper should keep track
of the time as it progresses. Additionally, there will be shifting goals that depend on what’s
happening at the time.
This is a chase and combat heavy scenario, and so it’s important for the Keeper to allow
the characters a chance to breathe in between waves. This can really help to ratchet up
the tension as they stare off into the darkness, wondering if it’s over or if the psychos are
coming back. Barbara can help with this by ranting about the cult, giant snakes, and saying
things like “they’ll never stop” and “he’s worse than anybody”. The Keeper should give the
characters just enough information to make them afraid, but withhold enough to maintain
their sense of dread.
A number of cinematic locations have been provided (see below) that Keepers can use
when they want to give the characters a chance to rest, or provide false hope that can then be
snatched away. These can also provide great opportunities to interact with NPCs, increase the
level of paranoia, or even provide necessary resources of the Keeper is feeling generous.
First Attack. Around 30-45 minutes after Jackknife leaves the last truck stop, the
cultists attack with a car and several motorcycles. The car contains three dustbillies, while
each motorcycle has two. They’re armed with all manner of weapons from meat hooks to
machetes, though these are primarily used to terrorize their victims since they have strict
orders to take them alive if possible.
The Dustbilly’s first goal is to disable the CB antenna so that their victims can’t call for
help. To that end, the car will distract Jack and his passengers, waving a machete at them
and banging against the side of the truck, while one of the motorcycles pulls up alongside to
smash off the antenna with a hatchet.
The car will run into them a few times, though they stand little chance of causing any
serious damage to the big rig. Meanwhile, the dustbillies on the backs of the motorcycles will
try to climb onto the trailer. At this point they don’t know that Barbara is hiding amongst the
lumber, but at some point she’ll freak out and scream which the characters will hear in the
cab of the truck.
Pickup Trucks. Some time later, two pickup trucks full of dustbillies attack. One will try
to get close enough for dustbillies to climb onto the trailer while the other speeds ahead,
brake-checking the rig. This latter pickup has a tarp in the bed concealing three Teihiihan
that the characters may notice with a Hard Spot Hidden check as it passes. Once in front of
the rig, the Teihiihan throw off the tarp and attempt to leap onto the rig.
Bahyakee. Tylarissh joins the chase in a third truck, hanging back a bit from the rest. He
summons the terrifying Bahyakee to attack, directing them to grab the escaped girl and find
the book: De Vermis Mysteriis. While the creature hounds the characters, the truck speeds
past them and quickly out of sight (see Final Confrontation).
Final Confrontation. In a last desperate attempt to keep the truck and her passengers
from escaping, Tylarissh summons his Hydra of the Wastes, a gigantic mutant serpent,
to block the road and kill them all. If the characters try to swerve around it, the creature
moves to force a collision. A Hard Spot Hidden check allows the characters to see Tylarissh

31
standing off to the side of the road, apparently in deep concentration. If the driver decides to
run him down, only a normal Drive check is required since Tylarissh isn’t paying attention.
Considering the circumstances, it’s safe to assume that he’s killed instantly beneath the
wheels of the big rig with a terrible wet crunch.
After a collision, if there are any survivors, Tylarissh waits three rounds for the remaining
cultists to arrive before engaging, unless of course the characters attack him first. If the
characters drive off the road to avoid the monster, an Extreme Drive roll is required to avoid
rolling the truck. Even if they manage to succeed, the truck suffers damage to the steering,
giving them a Penalty Die on all future Drive rolls.
If the Tylarissh is killed the Hydra of the Wastes goes on a rampage, attacking everything
in sight, including any nearby dustbillies.
Sunrise. If the Keeper wants to have a dramatic ending, they can have the characters
reach safety right around sunrise, but it’s not critical to the story. The fact that the truck is
badly damaged, and likely covered with blood, will almost certainly draw the attention of law
enforcement asking some very awkward questions.
A sadistic Keeper may want to provide ambiguous clues that suggest local authorities
may be in on it. For example they might recognize a snake tattoo on the Sheriff’s arm. It
shouldn’t be anything conclusive, but enough to make them wonder as the scene fades to
black and the credits roll.
Optional Locations. These locations are intended to be seeded into the scenario to offer
the characters an apparent moment of refuge and give them a chance to discuss what’s
happening. Of course these places may or may not turn out to have secrets and dangers of
their own at the Keeper’s discretion.
Rest Area – This paved area off the highway is intended to provide a location for drivers
to rest, eat lunch on ancient picnic tables, and (if it’s not out of order) use the toilet. These
lots are usually divided with one area for regular cars, and another area for 18-Wheelers
where truckers can grab a quick nap. The characters can make a Luck roll to see if the rest
area has a toilet, and another to see if it’s working.

Secrets
There is a 10% chance that a dustbilly motorcycle will show up while they’re at the rest area.
He won’t attack, but will speed off to get the others. The characters have about thirty minutes
until he returns with two more motorcycles and a truck.

Truck Stop – You’d think this place was abandoned if not for the lights and the flickering
neon OPEN sign in the window. It looks like it was an old Esso gas station at one time, but
the antique fuel pumps are rusted and labeled with a large painted NO GAS sign.
The inside is coldly illuminated by fluorescent lights, and the shelves are stocked with
junk food, probably dating back to the 1950s. The loud hum of the drink refrigerators
suggests that it’s been some time since they’ve had any maintenance. Behind the glass
doors the shelves are sparse with bottles of Coca-Cola, Orange Fanta, cartons of milk, and
a few cases of Schlitz beer.

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 Behind the counter is a middle-aged man with sun-dried skin and cracked lips. He’s
wearing a not-so-white apron with a stained t-shirt beneath. His voice sounds as if he’s
spent all day gargling sand as he says: “We got no toilet paper in the crapper.” He points to
the shabby wooden door to the left of the counter.

Secrets
The mean old bastard behind the counter is Sam, and he doesn’t give a shit about anybody
but himself. About a half hour before the characters arrived, he received a visit from Tylarissh
who threatened to drag his asshole out through his mouth if he didn’t do what he told him.
In this case, he told old Sam to key the mic on the CB below the counter four times if a big rig
with the name “Jackknife” on the side showed up at his little shithole. In fact, Sam has already
done this and the dustbillies will be arriving in about fifteen minutes.

Phone Booth – In the middle of nowhere stands a lone phone booth. It works fine, though
the characters will have to make a Luck roll to see if they have change for it. The phone book
is missing, but they can easily reach the operator.

Secrets
While a character is on the phone, presumably calling desperately for help, a dustbilly truck
appears in the distance. Give the characters three Spot Hidden checks. If they succeed on the
first one, they’ll spot it while it’s still three minutes away. If they succeed on the second, they’ll
have a two minute warning, and only one on the third check. If they fail all of them, the person
with the highest Luck will spot it ten seconds before it plows into the phone booth, killing the
person inside. If the person inside has warning (either noticing the truck or having a friend call
out) they can make a Dodge check to avoid their fate.

Random Events. These events are intended to be dropped into the scenario to shake
things up a bit. They can be used to take the heat off the characters, or they can be used as
a demonstration of the threats they’re facing. Like the locations, these are optional features
that can be used to add excitement and make the story more cinematic.
New Mexico State Police – When Patrolman Greene (see Cast) arrives, it doesn’t take him
long to suss out the good guys from the bad guys. Green will first call dispatch to let them
know what’s happening, but the dustbillies will quickly divert their attention to him exclusively,
seeing Greene as a greater threat. He’ll quickly assess the situation and do whatever he can to
help, even if it means simply drawing the dustbillies away.
The Keeper can either play this out as part of the chase, or they can simply narrate what
happens if they want to move things along. Either way, there’s little chance that Green will
survive for long, though he’ll probably take some of the dustbillies with him.

Optional
If any of the player characters have died, Patrolman Greene could make a fine replacement.
Another option would be for the Keeper to make his fate ambiguous, allowing him show up
later at a critical moment to provide assistance.

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 Sheriff’s Deputies – At some point, some Sheriff’s Deputies might show up. This could
be accidental, or maybe Patrolman Green’s call for backup made it through. Either way, they
aren’t prepared for the level of ferocity awaiting them at the hands of the dustbillies. The
deputies should arrive later in the chase, and if they become a problem, Tylarissh might
choose this moment to unleash the Bahyakee (see Threats).

Optional
It’s possible that one of the Sheriff’s Deputies is an ally (or even a member) of the snake
cult. If this is the case, they may appear to help, but they’ll do whatever they can to get the
girl and the book. The Keeper might give the characters a Spot Hidden check to notice a
snake tattoo on the deputy’s arm that’s very similar to those on the dustbillies, or they may
see a subtle wink between the deputy and a dustbilly. If the Keeper chooses to go this route,
it can certainly ratchet up the paranoia for the players, making them realize that this cult
may be more widespread.

Chase Rules
Since most of the action takes place in a truck on the highway being terrorized by insane
cultists, the Keeper should thoroughly familiarize themselves with the Chase Rules in the
Keepers Rulebook (p.132) before starting the scenario. In addition to the basic rules, a few
optional rules have been added to enhance the experience of the chase. These include special
rules for the truck, vehicle stats.
Vehicle MOV Build Armor Passengers
18-Wheeler 14 12 4 *
Motorcycle 16 2 0 1
Dustbilly Car 15 5 2 4
Pickup Truck 15 6 2 **
*The truck can comfortably hold three or four on the bench seat, and two or three in the sleeper.
**The pickup can hold three on the bench seat, and as many as six in the back.

Special Features
18-Wheeler – The driver can make a Drive check to swerve left and right, preventing anyone
from passing without a collision. The results of this maneuver are based on their level of
success or failure. An Extreme means they knock one pursuer of their choice off the road. A
Hard success means they block the way for two rounds, and a Regular success means that they
block the dustbillies for one round. Failure means the driver loses a bit of control, and has to
take one round getting the truck stable again. If they make a critical failure, it means they have
to make another Hard Drive check to avoid jackknifing the rig. The resulting crash will likely roll
the truck over, causing serious injury to the occupants. A generous Keeper can give the driver
one last chance to pull the truck out of the jackknife with an Extreme Drive roll.
The trailer is loaded with several tons of lumber which can provide cover and can even
be used as weapons. The drawback to all that lumber is that it limits the truck’s speed and
maneuverability. Another potential downside is that wood is extremely flammable.
The trailer itself is basically a big steel plate with redundant wheels, and so only damage
done to the truck itself should count against the vehicle’s Build rating.

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 Motorcycle – If they get a Hard success on their Drive roll, the rider gains an extra
Movement Action or a Bonus Die to their Dodge roll. On an Extreme success, they gain 3
extra Movement Actions or they manage to hide in a vehicle’s blind spot (rider’s choice).
The motorcycle can easily cut across rough terrain with no penalties to movement.
Dustbilly Car – If they make a Hard Drive roll, the driver gets one extra Movement Action
or Dodge an attack. On an Extreme success the driver can coax 2 extra Movement Actions out
of the car or one Driving Stunt.
Pick-up Truck – If they make a Hard Drive roll, the driver can gain 1 extra Movement Action
or give passengers a Bonus Die to attack another vehicle. On an Extreme success, the driver
gains 2 extra Movement Actions next round. The truck can cut across difficult terrain at half
speed. At the Keeper’s discretion, one of the pickups can be rigged with nitrous oxide, giving
them the ability to move 8 additional locations per use, per round. This boost can only be
used two times before it runs out.

Pushing Chase Rolls

If a driver pushes a Drive roll, the vehicle is likely to go off the road, crash, or suffer a critical
mechanical failure depending on the specific circumstances. Remember that in grindhouse
movies, cars ALWAYS explode when they crash... except when it’s the protagonists who get a
5 to 10 second delay before the blast.

Car-To-Car Combat
Tires – Attackers have a Penalty Die to target tires. Destroying a tire reduces vehicle Build by 1.
[Stats: Armor 3; only damaged by impaling weapons, hit points 2]
Driver Damage – If the driver of a moving vehicle takes a major wound, they must
immediately make a Hard Drive roll to maintain control of the vehicle.
Leaping Between Vehicles – Jumping from one moving vehicle to another requires a Dexterity
check. A success means landing hard on the other vehicle, suffering 1D4 points of damage. A
Hard success means suffering only 1 point of damage, and an Extreme success means taking
no damage from landing on the other vehicle.
A failure means hitting the ground, and suffering 1D4 points of damage per 10 mph. For
example, if the car was traveling 60 mph, they would suffer 6D4 points of damage. A critical
failure means falling under the wheels of the other vehicle and suffering 5D10 points of damage.

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The Grindhouse
grindhouse [grahynd-hous] n. – A grindhouse or action house is an
American slang term for a theatre that mainly shows low-budget horror,
splatter and exploitation films for adults.

These aren’t your typical Call of Cthulhu scenarios where some classy, well-dressed
investigator sips tea and pours over leather books in some wood paneled library.

These are burning dumpsters of pure horror where a fleeing private investigator
limps through some filthy back alley on a busted ankle while a howling pack of
mutants try to beat them to death with the limbs of their dead friends.

In other words, these are not for the faint of heart, and are intended for mature
audiences only. Player discretion is advised.