Keeping pace with all the trials and tribulations of life can be tough! I didn’t have any prepped blog post so I figured that I’d mix it up and share this Weird Frontiers mini-adventure that I’ve been sitting on for close to a year. Enjoy! I’ll probably pretty this thing up and release it as a digital pamphlet adventure at some point.

Blood Drive

A Level 2 Weird Frontiers RPG Adventure

By Stefan Surratt

Judge's Information

This micro-adventure pits the PCs against a small clan of nearly feral vampires that emerge from a tar pit. Different tar pits exist near La Brea, Santa Barbarba, and McKittrick in California, but the Seven Days of Night may have created new ones in other regions so the judge may place this adventure wherever they choose.

Starting the Adventure

The PCs may become involved in whatever way that the judge deems best, but possibilities include being contracted to protect a herd of cattle being driven for sale, seeking out the scourge that plagues this region, or simple dumb luck. If a "quest giver" is needed, use local rancher Ronald Callahan. When taking cattle out to range, several have been lost and one was found drained of blood. One ranch hand lost several cattle and ranch hands in recent days. Cattle have been found drained of blood. One of his ranch hands, Danny Ryerson, disappeared recently, last seen in the approximate direction of the nearest tar pit. If contracting the PCs, he promises $100 to anyone who can bring an end to these problems. His right-hand man, Mark Mears, will lead any related cattle drive.

Event 1 - Cattle Drive: If accompanying a cattle drive, PCs are primarily expected to protect cattle, but assistance in keeping the herd in check is much appreciated, especially if one has a relevant background. Have each PC make a DC 10 Personality check (keeping in mind that not all PCs may be skilled with cattle). For each failure, one member of the herd has gone missing and the associated PC must make a Luck check. On a success, they retrieve the livestock before hungry coyotes appear.

Coyote (1d3+1): Init +2; Atk bite +3 melee (1d3+1); AC 12; HD 1d6; MV 40'; Act 1d20; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +1; WtL.

Event 2 - Camp: The other cowboys eagerly ask the PCs to tell stories of their past adventures. Most of their own stories involve alcohol and women, though the judge can also use this as an opportunity to seed future adventures.

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Event 3- The First Attack: Just before dawn, one of the cowboys screams out his last breath. When found, his heart has been torn free from his chest. A trail of blood leads off towards a tar pit a few miles away. If a PC has a spyglass, they may even be able to see dark figures moving away. Mark Mears is willing to assist, but only does so if the PCs ask for help. The rest of the cowboys head on, hoping that Mark and the PCs will catch up later.

Mark Mears: Init +2; Atk Bowie knife +1 melee (1d6) or lever-action rifle +2 ranged (1d12); AC 11; HD 2d8; hp 9; MV 30'; Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will+1; Path WtL; Henry rifle, 15 bullets, Bowie knife, dirty bandana, strip of beef jerky, $17 cash.

Area A - Tar Pits: A small cave abuts the eastern shore of the tar pits. Quick PCs may even see the vampires dive into the tar and duck into the cave just before the sun dawns. If PCs merely dynamite the cave mouth shut, trap the vampires for 2d6 months, but the scourge reappears with a ravenous hunger. If Callahan pays the PCs for a "job well done", then he sends them a letter challenging their word and honor.

Area B - The Cave: To enter the cave, the PCs must travel through chest-deep tar. PCs must attempt a DC 12 Strength check, with failure resulting in the PC losing a single item in the tar below or having their primary weapon temporarily ruined (judge's discretion).

Area C - Vampire Den: After a short while, the path inclines upward, revealing a small cavern. Tar covered vampires regurgitate blood through heart valves and into the mouth of a desiccated figure that rises from a rotten coffin. The desiccated figure (the “head vampire”) is dressed in the moldering remains of a conquistador’s armor. In this weakened state, their master is helpless except for his gaze (DC 16 Will save or charmed). If fully revived, he gains the stats of a Vampire King (WF RPG, p. 772) He can only be slain via decapitation or incineration, but his vampire “children” also die if he does. In his rotten coffin, is a +1 golden dagger (1d6 dmg) once used in Aztec blood sacrifices. It provides the wielder one Vampiric Power and one Vampiric Weakness (WF RPG, p. 771-772).

Vampire Thrall (# of PCs plus 2): Init +0; Atk bite +0 melee (1d3 plus blood drain); AC 10; HD 1d12; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP un-dead traits, vampire traits, blood drain, regeneration 1/round; SV Fort +2, Ref +2 , Will -2; PoD +1 .

At a certain point last year, I just wanted to keep writing vampire adventures. What have your monster obsessions been?

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