Deadlands marshal guide pdf download

Tests: Distracted and Vulnerable conditions incurred during the duel remain until the end of the third round. Bystanders can Support an ally as usual. Otherwise, all the usual Combat Options are available—except Aiming since no weapons have been drawn yet. The Marksman Edge is perfectly legal, however. Instead, both characters simultaneously reveal the Hole Card of their choice usually the highest. Ignore the bonus damage if he shoots more than once, whether he hits or not.

The Grim Reaper loves a good duel and rewards the winner by making it a little less likely his opponent just Soaks the damage and fires back. For that reason, no one in a duel can Soak Wounds from anyone else in the duel.

You gotta stand there and take it. After the third round of the duel, treat the carnage and bloodshed as normal combat. Bystanders can join in, folks can Soak as they wish, and so on. A Critical Failure does exactly what you might think. Anyone caught in a stampede must Evade as an action on their turn or take 2d6 damage more from certain critters, as listed in their description. Add a bonus d6 if the unfortunate soul Critically Fails to Evade. It usually takes three successful Evasions to escape the tide of a typical herd, but shorter sprints to solid obstacles like rocks or buildings might also carry one away from danger.

Rounding up a stampede of cattle usually takes a few hours for the unlucky cowpokes responsible for them. They agree to duel at high noon, and both are given their Hole Cards. Zeke gets an Eight, Gabe gets a lowly Two! Gabe decides to Intimidate his rival with a steely gaze, and succeeds with a raise. He gets a Nine.

He decides to make Gabe Vulnerable. On the second round, Gabe goes first and tells Zeke his mother dresses him funny. He rolls Taunt and gets a raise. Since Zeke is already Distracted, Gabe has to make him Vulnerable this time. With his raise, he also decides to make Zeke discard one of his Hole Cards—which turns out to be the Seven.

The third round comes. Both men reveal their Hole Cards. Zeke goes for his gun and Gabe tries to interrupt. Gabe fires in self-defense at the still-Vulnerable outlaw and causes two Wounds. Zeke drops to a knee, Shaken. Zeke manages to hit and Gabe takes a Wound. The duel is now over, but the two gunslingers can keep gunning each other down in normal combat if they have the sand for it.

Setting Rules Sometimes the law moves too slow to suit people. At such times, vigilante posses often take care of matters with a dose of frontier justice. This means chasing the suspect down like an animal. And back a-hold of your senses, I calculate. You nearly punctured me with that coyote-sticker before I regained the upper hand with my trusty shovel. Seems you and I have ridden this trail before.

I guess the more things stay the same, the more they change. Most folks know me as the Prospector. So we can have a little powwow. They delve into the facts behind all those nasty things that go bump in the night. And they need people atrocious brew I poured into your gullet. That is, instead of you making good on those nasty things you threatened to do to me.

The to mention my corpse. And my kin. Travel from place to place and help all the intellectual power of a stunted saguaro. All them blackouts you had? Stretches of time simply vanished from your mind? Let me just set this here scattergun across my knees. See, that was the very last of my special elixir.

And that would be a damn shame. Agents are issued mnemomizers at Grade 2. These organizations know each other well. Before he was assassinated in April , President Lincoln decided the government needed tighter control of these strange affairs and issued Executive Order , creating the new Special Services Agency. Allan Pinkerton himself was retained to run it. Behind the scenes, this means investigating and dealing with supernatural evil. Their headquarters in the West is located in Denver, Colorado, but most Agents rarely travel there.

Individuals are instead assigned specific cases and track those down wherever they lead. During the war, the Texas Rangers were tasked with similar duties throughout the Confederate states and territories. They came into frequent conflict with the Agency until the leaders of both organizations, Allan Pinkerton and General William H. King, realized their common goal—to fight the strange rise of magic and monsters some called the Reckoning. They know magic is real and generally where it comes from, the Harrowed are possessed by demons, and that an ancient order called the Twilight Legion has been hunting such creatures for millennium.

New Agents begin at Grade 0 and test for promotion upon the completion of each assignment see the Promotion Table at right. By executive order, men, women, and persons of all backgrounds may be Agents.

The only real requirement is allegiance to the United States of America. Request Cost Funds for equipment, travel, bribes, etc. Most operatives like to keep their job private, however, so as to better infiltrate all levels of the communities they work in.

FAVORS Favors are requests an Agent can use to hire extra firepower, offer bounties, buy equipment, request information, or even ask for a cleanup crew after a messy operation.

The maximum number of Favors an Agent can spend on a single request any one of the categories listed on the Favors Table below is based on his Grade, as shown on the table. Of course the Agent must also be able to reach someone in authority who can grant the request. A total of 18 or higher grants him a commendation and a Favor. A total of 22 or higher also grants a Promotion.

With success, pockets of ghost rock vapor ignite in a mesmerizing sequence. Those who fail are incredibly susceptible to suggestion for the next 10 seconds or so. Treat this as a successful casting of the mind wipe power with a raise. Minor and Major Malfunctions work as usual, but a Catastrophic Malfunction means everyone affected must make a Vigor roll.

Those who fail find their eyeballs scorched from their sockets and are permanently blinded! Your Agent is already Grade 2.

The Agent knows the basics of the Reckoning, who the four Servitors are or were , what Harrowed and hucksters are, and that some critters are invulnerable until you find their specific weakness. Use of this Edge requires clothing appropriate for the role. A disguise kit see page 27 removes 2 points of penalties. Backlash: A Critical Failure on a Faith roll causes the blessed a level of Fatigue and all currently active powers are terminated. Major sins rob him of all arcane powers for a week.

A few chosen souls are nobler. They live the ideals of their faith and are beacons of hope for others. Some are priests or actual clergy while others are simply chosen for the nobility of their struggle or their soul. The information on what constitutes a sin to Christians—the most common religion on the frontier—is a good guide for what rules apply to other denominations.

Major Theft, turning away from those in dire need, failing to take communion for a Catholic. Mortal Adultery, killing other than in self-defense, blasphemy denial of faith. Yes, there are divine beings of good in Deadlands, they just have to work through humanity rather than clash with evil themselves. He gets a free reroll on Faith rolls.

These men and women have found salvation of one sort or another in the blessed, and devoted their lives to his cause. Flock gives your padre five followers who serve at his side in whatever capacity you choose.

They have the stats of Townsfolk see page , though like any other Allies they may Advance see Savage Worlds. They come with nothing but the clothes on their back and a few dollars, but can be armed and outfitted however the blessed sees fit. The Edge may not be taken more than once until the blessed is Legendary. At that point he may take it as many times as he likes as well as the Followers Edge, if he so chooses. Becoming a chi master takes even longer, and requires a teacher known as a sifu.

The mentor teaches the student how to channel mystical energy into her body and use it to enhance her martial prowess. Backlash: A Critical Failure on a Focus roll causes the chi master a level of Fatigue and all currently active powers are terminated. Internal Focus: Chi masters focus power from the Hunting Grounds through their bodies.

Detrimental powers such as lower Trait or sloth can affect others but the Range is Touch. Unwilling targets must be contacted via a Touch attack — then the power may be cast on them as a Multi-Action. Neither Range reduction grants the Limitation bonus for Self or Touch.

A sifu might be the head of a renowned martial arts school or a wandering wise man most mistake for a saddletramp. The key for these rare few is embracing a deep spiritual philosophy, finding harmony with nature and the world, and most importantly, the ability to channel power from the Hunting Grounds without an intermediary such as a demon or nature spirit.

Would-be chi masters must take the Martial Artist Edge see Savage Worlds to reflect the physical aspect of their training. The role of a chi master is to bring peace and harmony to the world. Sometimes that might require a quiet word or a shining example.

Other times, the only way to settle a situation might be sudden and relentless violence. Heroic chi masters back up their companions, fight for human rights and dignity, and never shirk their duty when confronting the horrors of the Reckoning. Evil chi masters seek to bring order to chaos by gathering like-minded martial artists and eliminating anyone who stands in the way of whatever it is they desire.

Intricate forms, rapid strikes, and special breathing techniques can all focus the chi and funnel arcane energy. Choose one of the options below the first time you take this Edge, and another each additional time you take it. The benefits of the style remain in place until she changes to a different one. Opponents subtract 2 from attack rolls to hit her, but her Pace is reduced by 2 she may still run.

This is particularly effective when combined with the Counterattack Edge. The hero shakes her limbs like a primate, contorting and twisting in odd ways that throw off surrounding foes. She may also make an Athletics Test against all adjacent foes as a single action.

Each one resists separately. This form emphasizes light grappling techniques followed by throws or strikes. Once per round, when a foe fails a Fighting attack against the martial artist, she may make a grapple attempt as a free action see Grappling in Savage Worlds.

Wing Chun focuses on fast blocks and flexibility against attacks, like bamboo before a storm. A hero with this Edge gains an additional style from Superior Kung Fu and may assume two styles at once using either or both options as she sees fit. She may change one or both as a free action at the start of her turn.

This creature—the manitou—not only brings Edge: Harrowed or Damned the dead man or woman back to unlife, but Requirements: Wild Card, Novice, slowly grants him or her powers as well. See begin the game Harrowed or a Legendary Dominion on page Whatever puts a fellow down the first time leaves an indelible mark.

Most Harrowed do their best to cover up these ugly scars. But some wounds are easier to hide than others. A Harrowed who was strangled might wear high-collared shirts. A fellow who had some ornery critter use his guts for garters likely has a harder time of it. Anyone who gets up close and personal with a Harrowed picks up the smell of decay with a Notice roll.

Animals can always tell. It can take occasional control in the meantime, but it takes a great amount of energy when the host resists. Occasionally the demon talks the Harrowed into giving it control in exchange for a burst 60 of infernal power.

In return, the Harrowed must roll on the Dominion Table on page 87 immediately or draw a Dominion Card if you have them— shuffle after each draw. Some results on the Dominion Table allow the manitou to do some pretty bad things. They might do this right away, or they might bide their time till an opportune moment presents itself. It might act like the Harrowed, sneak away to commit some diabolical deed, or prod lowly mortals into killing each other.

Supernatural diseases and effects are fair game, though. The Reckoners have a funny sense of humor sometimes. The hero can try to resist, but she must make a Spirit roll every hour or keel over on the spot. The manitou maintains some awareness of its surroundings, so a Harrowed is just as likely to wake up as other folks if trouble rears its head.

The resurrection power can restore a Harrowed to life. If this occurs, the demon is slain and he loses all his Harrowed abilities. Of course the manitou does everything in its power to prevent such a thing! The deader must physically stitch herself up somehow needle and thread, baling wire, etc.

If the brain is mush, the manitou and the Harrowed are truly dead. The very existence of these walking corpses is an affront to the spirits of nature. No beneficial magic from Indian shamans— including healing—affects them, though detrimental or damage-causing powers work just fine.

When one of these Common folk are inherently wary of the critters dies, a Harrowed closer than the Harrowed. Taking all On the plus side, being Harrowed counts that evil inside is no small thing. It should come as no surprise that living dead If more than one Harrowed is within are fairly resilient. If a Harrowed can gain a coup power related to breathing.

The Marshal has the details on penalties. If Incapacitated, roll Vigor as normal. Any Harrowed who wants to persist in its undead state is forced to hide that status from most people. Odds are they shoot first, hang second, dismember third, burn fourth—and forget to ask questions! When Advancing, the deader can choose a new Harrowed Edge instead of a regular Edge.

In this case the Marshal is within her rights to make you wait until your hombre figures out the truth before you take your first Harrowed Edge. This costs a Benny and takes an action. The Harrowed can extend or retract the claws as a free action. This is a free action, but he must remain in that state until his next turn.

The deader is Distracted as long as he remains in ghost form, but may remain so as long as he wishes. This takes an action but may only be used once per turn. The attack uses the Athletics skill and Cone Template, and causes 3d6 to those unfortunate enough to be caught in the template.

Hellfire may be evaded. Manitous have a knack for controlling creepy-crawlies, and some pass this along to their hosts. A character with this icky ability can control swarms of biting or stinging insects. To summon the swarm, she uses an action and spends a As above, but the deader rolls every hour. If successful, he may heal one of his own Wounds or a level of Fatigue, as he chooses.

Inflicting multiple Wounds has no additional effect. Supernatural Attribute immediately improves any one attribute by two die types e. This Edge may be taken up to five times, once for each attribute. This increases the limit for that Trait and any linked skills a like amount. As an action, the Harrowed must touch her target and make an opposed Spirit roll. With a raise, both Strength and Vigor are reduced a die type.

Some run for the hills when they see it. Others might just give a little whimper. But everyone is affected by it, even the most stalwart soul. Backlash: A Critical Failure on a Spellcasting roll causes the huckster a level of Fatigue and all currently active powers are terminated. They might also gain additional Power Points or a bonus to their Spellcasting rolls from such castings. See Dealing with the Devil for the details.

For reasons unknown, it began to fade from the world some time toward the end of the Dark Ages. Soon magic became the subject of myth and legend. Not all was forgotten. Around , a fellow named Edmund Hoyle wandered Europe, putting some of the pieces back together. He knew what he learned would get him burned at the stake for being a witch were he to write it down, so he came 64 up with a cover story for his journal of the arcane. Hoyle eventually refined his mental duels by visualizing them as hands of poker.

A proper reading of the complex bridge diagrams, numeric codes written into card play examples, and sample scores that litter the book can uncover secrets beyond imagining. Other terms were borrowed and often mistranslated from the Indians, who have a different view of the supernatural. Otherwise, he risks being the guest of honor at a necktie party.

This contest between hucksters and manitous is entirely cerebral, but most hucksters visualize the process as some sort of game. Ante Up: Spend a Benny.

Choose a Power: Tell the Marshal which power your huckster is trying to cast and total up the number of Power Points it requires, including all Power Modifiers. Gamble: Make a Gambling roll, then draw five cards plus one extra card for a success or two with a raise no cheating on this roll, amigo, the manitou is watching. Failure simply means you get no additional cards. A Critical Failure means you get no additional cards, and after the spell is resolved, the Marshal rolls on the Backfire Table!

No Man's Land The would-be warlock must first learn to communicate with the manitous. This is easier said than done, especially since the huckster is trying to do more than scream at the spirits to leave him alone like most well-balanced folks would do in the same circumstances. Power Points to his Spellcasting roll or his personal total. Make a Poker Hand: Put together the best poker hand from the cards you drew and consult the Dealing with the Devil Table.

Jokers are Wild Cards that can be used as any other card, and you get your ante Benny back! Dealing with the Devil is a free action but can only be attempted once per turn. While the game may seem to take minutes or even hours in the Hunting Grounds, only a few seconds pass in the real world.

There are two main reasons a desperate huckster might want to Deal with the Devil. Second, with good hand, he can add any leftover a You can only use the Power Points granted by the hand—not your own pool—when Dealing with the Devil.

Cast the Spell: Now make a Spellcasting roll at —2 for each Rank the power is above your current Rank, if any, and —1 for each Power Point you came up short in the last step. If the hand gave you more Power Points than you needed, you may add them to the Spellcasting roll to increase its total, or use them to recharge your regular Power Points for later—your call, but decide before rolling.

Critical Failure means the power fails and the Marshal rolls on the Backfire Table! Failure after adding any leftover Power Points, if possible means the spell fails. The ante is lost unless a Joker was used. Effects are another matter. Attack powers take the form of thrown cards glowing with energy. A viewer with detect arcana or similar abilities active when the huckster casts a hex can see the arcane energy too. Wise hucksters keep a deck of real of dime novels appropriately called The cards in hand to conceal the truth.

This nifty Adventures of Doc Holliday. Huckster may retroactively add any available modifiers to the power Additional Recipients, More Armor, etc. All have some telltale mark—pale skin, jet-black hair, long fingernails, sallow complexion, and so on, and all have green eyes.

Once complete, any hexslinger can use that weapon to cast any of the following powers assuming they have them on or with the hex gun without incurring a Multi-Action penalty: ammo whammy, deflection, boost Shooting, and protection. Activation causes the runes on the weapon to glow subtly, throw sparks, or some similar effect. Now for the meat of the Edge. Whateleys are a slippery bunch, so if this Incapacitates the caster he completes his turn before keeling over for a dirt nap.

Your hero draws an extra card anytime he Deals with the Devil see page No Man's Land guns. The weapon can be any firearm—a pistol is common, but nothing stops a hero from making a hex gun out of a derringer or even a Gatling if she wants! After you form a five-card poker hand when Dealing with the Devil, you can discard up to three cards and redraw! This twisted family of inbred witches and warlocks is known by arcane types as being powerful—and extremely crazy.

Malfunction: When a mad scientist rolls a Critical Failure on a Weird Science roll, the Marshal rolls on the Malfunction Table page 89 to see what happens. For most, however, pure invention is its own reward. Most scientists believe ghost rock is a form of bauxite, and the strange wailing it produces when burned are just pockets of trapped oxygen or other impurities that act as a catalyst for its combustion.

But there are some who claim ghost rock was placed on the Earth by the Devil himself to cause greed, strife, and war among humans. Whatever the truth, ghost rock burns five times hotter than coal, and if used in place of coke during steel manufacturing, it produces a metal both lighter and stronger than steel, and with a higher melting point.

Ghost steel has made many incredible engineering advances possible, including horseless carriages and flying machines, thanks to its reduced weight and boilers capable of withstanding higher temperatures than would otherwise be possible.

Both the North and South used ghost rock-powered weapons to great effect during the bloody Civil War. The ruined husks, scorch marks, and crushed bones of the dead can still be seen from California to Gettysburg. Most citizens accept their inventions as science rather than dark sorcery, but are all too aware of its generally unstable and volatile nature.

No Man's Land Mad scientists take great pride in their The Alchemy Edge is a bit of a cheat, inventions, giving them outlandish names allowing a character to create up to three to differentiate their creations from others, potions or elixirs, investing a single Power whether they ultimately wish to sell Point in each.

Drinking one potion is an action. You should do the same for your powers. Success removes one level of Fatigue, and a raise removes two. Your mad scientist apprenticed Artificer Edge see Savage Worlds. He can only contract the fever once, and must live or die by the rules set forth under Ghost Rock Fever, page Most inventors call that superstitious poppycock, but a true genius not only accepts it, she embraces it!

Anytime you have to use the Madness Table or infernal device Malfunction Table, you can spend a Benny to have the Marshal roll again, then choose the result you prefer. Most are spiritual leaders and healers for their people, though some are war leaders as well.

Some shamans are feared, but all are respected. All must set an example for their people and live a life that pleases the spirits that grant their powers. Backlash: A Critical Failure on a Faith roll causes the shaman a level of Fatigue and all currently active powers are terminated.

Old Ways: The shamans represented here are based on the Sioux and Plains Indians as described in the world of Deadlands. GMs are encouraged to research other Native American cultures and tailor Edges to particular customs and beliefs. Nature spirits are generally ambivalent about human affairs, but they do seem somewhat rattled and upset about the power their evil counterparts have gained in the last couple of decades.

Perhaps this is why they seem more willing to help those who call upon them, though they still require proper sacrifice and ritual for their attention. A river spirit protects the river, buffalo spirits guide the herd, and so on. Meat and clothing come from the animals they represent. Tools come from rocks and trees.

Water and conveyances from rivers and streams. Breath from the air. The spirits have no affection for massproduced items that have no connection to nature or a human soul.

Much like hucksters channel Europeans. This is no gamble, however. Many embrace rapid travel, guns, and all sorts of mass-produced items from clothing to medicines. It might be a stick figure that represents a favored animal, an icon of nature, or a rattle that helps draw the attention of the distant nature spirits.

A shaman with a fetish gets one free reroll when she makes a Faith roll. Should a fetish be lost or destroyed, the shaman may create a replacement with a one-hour ritual. This opens the conduits to the spirit realm and allows them to activate powers later without beginning the appeal anew.

If a shaman is silenced somehow, he subtracts 2 from his Faith rolls. The shaman may cast that power as an action without incurring a Multi-Action penalty, allowing her to invoke protection, for example, then make an attack, pray for another blessing, or perform some other action. The new units were modeled after the Texas Rangers, who had proved so effective at policing the frontier during the war. US Marshals would handle law in the states, and Territorial Rangers would bring law and order to the territories.

An additional Company H is their A company officially consists of men and women led by a captain or major. Suitable recruits are hard to find and the job is dangerous, however, so most companies struggle to keep more than 50 butts in saddles. Rangers are issued Chapter 13 of that book on attaining the rank of Lieutenant. Those Rangers who show more sand than the rest—which is saying something—are promoted to sergeants.

They operate in the same way, but are the first to be given command when a posse of other Rangers or hired guns are called for. Next in command are two to three Lieutenants, stationed at the most populous or troublesome spots in the territory.

They hand out assignments to all the other Rangers in their district and help keep lines of communication open between them.

They know magic is real and generally where it comes from, the Harrowed are possessed by demons, and that an ancient order called the Twilight Legion has been hunting such creatures for millennia.

Ranger Lieutenants have a bit more detailed information see Chapter 13, below. Chapter 13 goes into detail on the many weird and unexplainable events Rangers have encountered since the Reckoning began in In , the Rangers admitted women into their ranks.

In , the government replaced some personnel and merged the Rangers with other territorial law enforcement outfits to officially create the Territorial Rangers. Ranger needs a little help now and then. The maximum number of Favors a Ranger can spend on a single request any one of the categories listed on the Favors Table on page 53 is based on his rank, as shown on the table below.

Of course the Ranger must also be able to reach someone in authority who can grant the request. Territories book. Your Ranger is a Lieutenant. If the Ranger fails his Fear check or is Shaken or Stunned, the allies do not get the benefit. If a group makes the check at the same time, the Ranger goes first. Arcane runes on the barrel of a hex gun trigger various powers on the bullets inside, giving them extra punch and other surprises for those foolish enough to tangle with him!

While the power is active, the hexslinger can choose any one of the effects below to apply to each shot fired from his weapon or two simultaneous effects with a raise! If fired indoors, roll a d6: On a 2—6, the bullet ignites flammable materials it strikes. A pistol that does 2d6 does 2d8 with this deadly round. The blessed must have an actual holy symbol to invoke the miracle.

No holy symbol, no holy symbol. Comprende, amigo? Others inflict sickness upon their enemies. Failure means the victim suffers a level of Fatigue immediately and at sunset each day thereafter further castings of curse have no additional effect.

Once the accursed becomes Incapacitated, he makes a Vigor roll each day to avoid death. Holy symbol has no effect on Tests or other nondamaging attacks. Vampires: Bloodsuckers those in the Savage Worlds core book and the nosferatu in this one have a built-in Weakness to holy symbols. A character with this miracle may use either as she chooses—the power using Power Points and requiring an arcane skill roll or the less powerful rules outlined in the Weakness which has no raise effect.

It does not prevent creatures from entering the area, only their attacks against those within it. Numb also nullifies any temporary Injury Table results for its Duration. A character made Lame by a hit to the leg, for example, can move normally while numbed.

The power has no effect on permanent Injuries. If the shyster used conjured coins to buy something, he might be in trouble if the merchant figures out who swindled him. Such locales are the result of long-term affiliation with a religion or belief. They usually coincide with a structure of significant ceremonial significance, such as a cathedral, but might also arise from the scene of some great sacrifice, triumph, or tragedy.

The process takes four straight hours of meditation and rituals appropriate to his religion or beliefs. Failure simply means the time is wasted. Wilderness walk asks the earth spirits to move the shaman in and out of the Hunting Grounds as he travels, shortening arduous treks and concealing his path.

Shamans use this power to communicate with their allies across vast distances and spy on their foes! Success means an area roughly 30 yards square is anathema to the forces of darkness. This can lead to Incapacitation but not death. With a raise, the Duration set or loaded for firearms , though it still must fit under the weight limit. A deck of cards has all 54 cards in it, a firearm is completely loaded, and so on. With a raise on the arcane skill roll, every five miles count as one.

The fact is supernatural evil has been around a whole lot longer. Those in the know say certain prophets of old got a peek at the Reckoners and they wound up in the Bible. It seems the entities lead a tortured existence in the spirit world—what the There have always been monsters in the Indians call the Hunting Grounds.

Sometimes they have big claws the Earth with negative magical energy. Other times they might earth would be a barren, tortured wasteland. The Horsemen give power to monsters Some of these critters came about on their human and otherwise so they can terrify own. Vampires clawed their way from the the living tarnation out of everybody else. If monsters power drove werewolves in search of meat, become commonplace humanity would ghosts lingered on the spot they perished.

Their worker bees are lesser demons. Manitous were once humans with evil souls. They passed on to the Hunting Grounds and became servants to all kinds of bad things, including the Reckoners. A few of them wield formidable power. Most of them have almost none. These are given malignant chores like gathering fear energy—almost like worker bees gathering nectar. But bees are good.

These insidious minor demons take that fear energy back to the Horsemen, who drink their fill and bank most of the rest. Once people get scared they tend to do bad things, which causes more violence and fear. Eventually all that bad juju seeps into the landscape. At lower Fear Levels, people might just be a little jumpier and more wary when they have to walk home alone at night. At higher levels, shadows get a little darker, trees and boulders might look like they have screaming faces, and every little noise in the darkness sounds like something coming to gobble you up.

The big creepy finale to that escalation is a Deadland. This is where those trees and boulders actually scream. Hell, they might get up and try to eat you! The only way to reduce a Fear Level is for heroes to eliminate the creatures that dwell there, protect the populace, and most importantly—inspire them. And that kind of mojo is the best resistance against fear and hatred. Their four Servitors served as champions. Grimme was an awful perversion of faith summoned up by Famine, and as such knew exactly what he was doing—until his destruction.

Stone and Raven are also in the know, and go about their business with devilish glee. At this point Hellstromme has no clue he serves any greater power, except for the towering might of his own intellect. All four Servitors have now been killed, defeated, or at least thwarted see The Servitors on page Unfortunately, the Reckoners have learned a new trick. These servitors play the long game.

All that does is garner a whole lot of unwanted attention. Over time, paying out a steady bounty of fear energy. Coot figured out most of the truth about Harrowed folks, and he learned a whole lot So evil is cyclical. When the Fear Level gets about the Reckoning and the Reckoners as to 5, the servitor goes to ground, hibernates, well. And he decided to go to war with them. But just when folks feel like He found an ancient recipe and brewed up things are getting back to normal again, start a special elixir to put evil, spirit-controlled to feel a little confidence as the Fear Level Harrowed back in control of their minds.

He took his army of Harrowed into they prefer to base it on dark legends or the Hunting Grounds, lost control of them, personal terrors of the local populace. Or they , addled and terrified. Legion to help. A few abominations the Reckoners created or empowered transcend the general rule. He confessed. The rules in this chapter are primarily for you to use to torment and terrify your friends in the posse. Most of them build on the Setting Rules starting on page You get the rest, Marshal.

Additionally, we discuss how heroes can actually fight the Reckoners and attempt to take back the Weird West from the horrors running roughshod over it. The wreckage of conflict is strewn about, broken war machines and pale corpses. On and around a former battlefield in the Weird West, the Fear Level is automatically one level higher than the surrounding region, to a maximum of 5.

Effects are tailored to their background, so a shaman who prays to insect spirits might cast bolts of locusts, lower Trait with a swarm of biting spiders, and so on. Unless otherwise noted, assume any locations within a geographic area share the general Fear Level.

Supernatural, evil creatures are immune to this penalty. Multiple heroes may Support the storytelling. With success the local Fear Level is reduced by 1. Conviction: When a hero with the TaleTeller Edge successfully lowers the local Fear Level, she and anyone who Supports her automatically gain Conviction.

The people are friendly, the sky is blue, and even the little ones can safely walk the streets at night. The sky is still blue, but if you must go out at night, best bring a buddy. Fear Level 2: No one goes near the creepy old shack on top of the hill. The land looks about the same, but the shadows are just a little bit longer. This is the prevailing Fear Level in most places these days. Fear Level 3: Things are starting to get a little weird. The winds of the High Plains might whisper your name…and not in a friendly way.

Most flowers die, but weeds have no problem thriving. Fear Level 6 Deadland : This is as bad as it gets, Marshal—a full-blown nightmare landscape. Monsters run rampant, rocks look like skulls—and just might be! Anyone out at night is dead meat.

If the Reckoners have their way, the whole planet is destined to one day become such a place. The unknown is the only thing that can cause true apprehension at the table. Describe the whispering of the wind through the grass, and the way the clouds cast malformed shadows on the earth.

Create a little tension. Draw out the suspense long enough and your players might just have their heroes run for the hills.

All the next day, the posse is stalked by a strange figure on the horizon. Here we delve into other, lesserknown aspects of the strange superfuel. The powder is pure evil even on its own, and is essentially radioactive on both a physical and spiritual level!

Anyone who comes in close proximity of the stuff for more than a few seconds must make a Spirit roll each round or gain Fatigue. If this Incapacitates the unfortunate soul, he spontaneously combusts. Lead-lined containers and suits prevent this effect. The damage is a Heavy Weapon and extremely flammable. Anyone in the blast radius burns for 2d6 damage per round on anything but a 1 see Fire in Savage Worlds.

Ghostfire flames are extremely difficult to extinguish. Water flash-boils when it hits them. Such methods require an Athletics roll by the victim or an ally as fits the situation. If successful, the attempt has a 1 in 6 chance of extinguishing the flame 2 in 6 with a raise. The weakest of the manitous are forged into ghost rock by the Reckoners, then returned to Earth. Most of these spirits were pretty bad men and women in life.

They were promised a little fun in the hereafter by the mischievous manitous that encouraged their evil deeds. Only those who those damned souls screaming in pain and work with it several hours a day or more— frustration. At some Made from ghost rock purified by means point, they either gain a tolerance to it and of a secret refinement process known only are effectively immune, or their brain boils to Dr.

Darius Hellstromme and his closest and they become demented in some terrible advisors and then blended with gunpowder, way. Those with an Arcane Background that uses Power Points recover 10 points. She gains 1 point of Dominion. At some point, the demon takes control and causes trouble for the hero or his companions. The hero must make a Spirit roll or lose 1 Dominion point. The demon goes full psycho and murders someone. Success means the victim is Fatigued for the game session, and a raise means he gets a second wind and suffers no ill effects.

A victim who scores a raise on the Vigor roll for three consecutive game sessions gains tolerance and is immune. Marshal's Setting Rules Roll on this table whenever a Harrowed lets the devil out or draw a Dominion Card if you have them. Those abominations are a dime-adozen for the manitous that reanimate them. Harrowed, however, are a different story.

Bringing a Harrowed to unlife requires a much more powerful type of manitou, and it has to bind itself forever with its host. If the Harrowed dies, his soul goes to whichever side of the veil he deserves. But the manitou is destroyed. The reward for the demon is that it gets to walk about on earth and enjoy its finer pleasures—at least compared to what awaits back in Hell. They tend to get in trouble and offer many opportunities to claim their corrupted souls.

Few things are more satisfying to a demented demon than putting a grimy tarnish on the shine of a once-great reputation. Arcane Backgrounds: Those who channel positive energy or commune with good or neutral spirits for their power, such as blessed, voodooists, shamans, and the like, access their powers normally.

In game terms, control is handled through Those who channel negative energy or deal the Dominion system outlined on page 60 with malignant spirits, such as hucksters, Some effects happen right away. Be as insidious as you charge of the host. It is a vile, tainted, demon, after all. This costs the Marshal a Benny each time, however. Her Spellcasting die permanently drops one type. Damage-causing spells affect her or her allies, protection aids her foes, information-gathering incantations lie, and so on.

She suffers 2d6 damage plus the number of Power Points she needed to successfully activate the power. The condition lasts one week. Should the thing get control of a Harrowed huckster, for example, it gets to use her powers.

The manitou can see and hear everything the Harrowed does, even when its host has the steering wheel. This makes it privy to anything the Harrowed knows. A clever group might try to get information about the Reckoning or other occult matters out of a manitou. Even major manitous are pretty far removed from the Reckoners.

The condition is permanent. Temporary Madness: Roll on the Madness Table below. If he already has the Major version, roll again.

He might forget to boil his coffee, wear pants, or cinch his saddle. He gains the Clueless Hindrance. He gains the Delusional Minor Hindrance. Maybe he smothers his food in vinegar or eats lots of bran to keep his digestive system clear.

The condition is basically harmless and amusing though occasionally annoying. He now has the Minor Quirk Hindrance.

Each time he gets this result increases his mania. He gains a Phobia Minor Hindrance the first time this comes up. It increases to a Major Phobia if it comes up again. If it comes up a third time he gains a new Minor Phobia.

He occasionally hears voices talking back, as well, and feels compelled to listen. This gives him the Impulsive Hindrance.

And sometimes those voices might be real! The inventor gains the Jealous Hindrance Minor in addition to his general paranoia. Work with the player to explain how his character is affected by this new madness. She gains Conviction, and may instantly remove any one madness condition obtained previously, if she has any.

After all, some folks say monsters are real! Here we give you two ways to simulate this state of affairs, Marshal. These nasty little spirits infest all the telegraph lines in the Weird West. This takes a day or two at least, barring some overwhelming act of bravery, heroism, or charity. Whenever your posse sends or receives a telegraph and you want to mess with them, roll a d20 on the table below and see what happens.

They might ask for the location of a contact in Dodge but get a reply back from Lost Angels. They reply to the message with crude taunts and cryptic responses. Feel free to do just about anything you want to vex the heroes as much as possible.

Think like a lowdown, mischievous gremlin, Marshal! When folks see something undeniably strange, they tend to run from it. Obvious displays of magic, deathly looking folks who smell of rot, voodoo rituals, weird critters, and all such odd occurrences fit the bill.

He gains the Bad Luck Hindrance. Something is looking for him, and it wants him dead. Or worse. The Marshal gets to whip up some nasty beastie to come looking for the poor bastard. Four Debt: The authorities have something on the hero that could make him swing if it were revealed to the public. He has a Habit Major for alcohol, or a drug like opium or peyote. They even haunt him in his dreams, giving him the Night Terrors Hindrance. Roll a d6. He has the Ugly Hindrance Minor. He gains the Yellow Hindrance.

Queen Bollixed: This gunfighter has a bad case of gremlins. These buggers infect every device the hero touches, including guns and other non-Weird Science mechanical devices. Anytime the hero rolls a Critical Failure when using a mechanical device, it suffers a Malfunction and is unusable until someone spends 2d6 hours working on it and makes a successful Repair roll. True infernal devices already prone to mishap always suffer a Catastrophic Malfunction.

Ace Forsaken: Long ago, this lone rider did something awful to survive an encounter with the supernatural. No beneficial magic works on him. Malignant mojo works just fine.

Black Joker Harrowed: This gunhand met his maker sometime in the recent past. Difference between him and most folks, though, is that he got up again. At the first appearance of supernatural evil in any scene, the hero gains a point of Conviction. Marshal's Setting Rules This is the table for those power-hungry dudes who bit off more than they can chew.

In some cases, you may want to keep it a secret until the time is right to reveal it to the player. If a result gives the buckaroo a Hindrance he already has, increase a Minor version to the Major version. If he already has the Major version, draw again. Use them as you see fit to create the best and most fun game for your group.

You can also skim the tables for ideas, picking and choosing what appeals to you at the time. The Encounter Tables help with that enormously, giving you a good idea of the threats and environment explorers are likely to encounter in any given region.

To use them, draw a card from the Action Deck for each element of the adventure: Objective, Obstacle, and Complication. Both the suit and the value play a role in determining the exact outcome. We recommend determining all the elements of the scenario with the Adventure Generator first, then figuring out how they fit together. At first, your results might not seem to make a lot of sense. Remember me. Error: No match for email address or password. Password forgotten?

Click here. Advanced Search. Deadlands Classic: Player's Guide. From Pinnacle Entertainment. ZIP File. Average Rating 50 ratings. You'll also need the Deadlands Marshal's Handbook to play. Customers Who Bought this Title also Purchased. Reviews Please log in to add or reply to comments. Love this game so much. After not having played Deadlands in almost 20 years, my friends and I are back in the saddle, thanks to the digital availability of this book.

Tim C. What's that you say? You don't like westerns? Well listen up sonny, this ain't your grandpappy's western! Like crawling into a big old hole with a sword and slaying monsters? Wait 'till ya try it with a Winchester. Want to cast spells? Dwight G. Outstanding book what else needs to be said. This in combo with the Marshall's handbook gives ya everything you need to fight the critters of the Weird West.

Bryan L. I have played deadlands for while now and have quite enjoyed it. Victor D. I found this book just in time for a new campaign. Now this is all we play. The system is a little hard to get used to but it shure is fun. See All Ratings and Reviews. Browse Categories. Wolfenoot Sale. Rule System. Apocalypse World Engine. BRP Basic Roleplaying. Modiphius 2d Savage Worlds. Product Type. Core Rulebooks. Non-Core Books. Other Tabletop Games. Gift Certificates. Publisher Resources.

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