Players —avert your eyes unless the Marshal told you to crack open this chapter and study up. “Mystery is crucial tothe Weird West's appeal and No Man's Land is where we hide all the secrets. Looks like our Marshal is finally awake. 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. The more things stay the same, the more they change. What's ‘at? Oh, I'll tell you all about the atrocious brew I poured into your gullet Suffice to say its the only reason you and me are sitting here having a polite conversation. Thatis, instead of you making good on those nasty things you threatened to do to me. Not to mention my corpse. And my kin. Well, of course you don’t remember none of it. I declare, for a former lawman you've got all the intellectual power of a stunted saguaro. All them blackouts you had? Stretches of time simply vanished from your mind? You never got suspicious none of them times you woke Lup, hands greasy with someone else's blood? Way I figure it, you couldn't face the truth. Ws a hard truth, Ill grant you that. But now you have to come to terms with the reality of the situation. You have to face what you've become, Marshal. What's inside your worm-eaten mind. But here's a silver linin’ for ya: You got the power to help folks. Listen up —my name's Coot Jenkins. Most folks know me as the Prospector. And I've come here specifically to see you. So we can have alittle powwow. Comprende? And quit, workin’ at them ropes. I tied ‘em tight. ‘There's a group of folks spread all over the world called the Twilight Legion. They delve into the facts behind all those nasty things that go bump in the night. Because it's all rel They're looking for folks to help root out evil wherever it lurks. And they need people to tell tales of their deeds, so we can spur a Tittle hope in that huge, pooling darkness, You think you're up to the task, Marshal? Well, of course I'm recruiting you. The Legion's got me rounding up all sorts of folks to do the job. Hucksters, gunslingers, scouts, shamans, martial artists, mad scientists, the works, Travel from place to place and help people in need is the basic job description. Didn't you used to do that before you met up with that gunslinger, Killer Cade? I told you all this because you're going to work for the Twilight Legion now...or I'm gonna have to put you down,PEN USS PALAU aye Okay then. We'll just sit here a spell until 1 see you stop trying to work free of them ropes. You ain’t fooling me none. Let me just set this here scattergun across my knees. See, that was the very last of my special clixir, And I don’t recruit Harrowed no more if they can’t handle their own affairs. So just ‘see what you can do about getting back in the driver’s seat, Marshal, Or else I'd have to blow yer head off. And ‘that would be a damn shame. Lah = Edge: Agent = Requirements: Novice, Smarts d8+, Fighting d6+, Occult d6+, Research d6+, Shooting de Starting Equipment: Gatling, pistol, badge (+1 Persuasion to lawful types), monthly pay. Agents are issued mnem- omizers at Grade 2. Note: If you're playing an Agent, read the Territorial Rangers’ info too (page 73). These organizations know each other well. THE AGENCY ‘The United States government employed the Pinkerton Detective Agency to explore the strange supernatural phenomena that occurred after the Battle of Gettysburg, Before he was assassinated in April 1863, President Lincoln decided the government needed tighter control of these strange affairs and issued Executive Order 347, creating the new Special Services Agency. Allan Pinkerton himself was retained to run it, Since then, the Agency has become the Union's elite secret investigations arm with jurisdiction in all 37 states. Officially, they're responsible for rooting out sedition, corruption, and other activities that might lead to another devastating civil war, and many in the Agency do just that. Behind the scenes, of course, much of this involves investigating and dealing with supernatural evil, which seems on the rise after something called “the Reckoning.” ORGANIZATION Agents operate in the shadows, and thus ‘operate independently. Their headquarters in the West is located in Denver, Colorado, but most Agents never go there. Individuals are instead assigned specific cases and track those down wherever they go. The higher an Agent’s grade, the more dangerous the mission. 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. After several particularly bloody and devastating incidents, King and Pinkerton put in place the “Twilight Protocol,” a truce between their operatives and ‘a reminder that there were Digger threats to the world than even the long Civil War. That truce paved the way for the two groups’ relationship after the war, and continues with the newly integrated Territorial Rangers as well as the original Texas Rangers themselves. That doesn’t mean they always like each other, of course THE TWILIGHT LEGION All Agents know of the Twilight Legion, but must still be invited as individuals.RANK & ADVANCEMENT New Agents are given a Gatling pistol upon. completion of their training course (free of charge) and credentials showing their employment as an official Agent. Most ‘operatives like to keep their job private, however, so as to better infiltrate all levels of the communities they work in. Agents are ranked as Grade 0 through 5. Grade 6 is reserved for the “Big Boss,” Allan Pinkerton himself. New Agents begin at Grade 0 and test for promotion upon the completion of each assignment (see the Promotion Table at right). Pay is $40 per month at Grade 0, wired to most any legitimate bank in the country, and advances along with the Agent as he's promoted. 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 FAVORS Favors are requests an Agent can use to hire extra firepower, offer bounties, buy equipment, request information, or even ask fora cleanup crew after a messy operation. Every Agent starts play with one Favor, and gains another cach time he gains a commendation or promotion (see the Promotion & Favors Table at right), 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 equal to his Grade, as shown on the table below. Of course the Agent must also be able to reach someone in authority who can grant the request. AGENCY RANK Grade Max Value of Favor ° 1 FAVORS Request Funds for equipment, travel, bribes, ete, Agents are encouraged to return for sell equipment after use to recover fas much of the government's money 8 possible. Basic information about a creature previously encountered by. the Agency. Hire five Gunmen (page 147) Clean/cover up a small operation ‘with Tess than dozen witnesses Clean/cover up a large operation with more than a dozen witnesses, Strongrarm the Fpitaplt or other paper into printing a particular version of astory Request specific information about a sensitive topic such as the Reckoning ‘or the corruption ofa Federal official Quietly remove a county of local official Quietly remove a state offical > PROMOTION & FAVORS <> When an Agent, Ranger, or soldier completes an important mission or defeats a significant threat (Marshal's, call), he gets to roll a d20—adding or subtracting the modifiers listed below. A total of 18 or higher grants him a commendation and a Favor. A total of 22 or higher also grants a Promotion. Once he attains Grade 3 (or Captain if Ranger or Officer, or Ordnance Sergeant if Soldier), he only gains Promotion on. a natural 20 Mission Modifiers Routine mission Difficult mission Very difficult mission Suicidal mission ‘Committed an act of conspicuous bravery witnessed by others of. reputable backgrounds CETDEADLANDS: THE WEIRD WEST THE MNEMOMIZER When an Agent reaches Security Grade 2, he's issued an infernal device called—by those who can pronounce it~ a mnemomizer. ‘This palm-sized silver globe opens when the user presses certain panels in the correct sequence (to prevent others from using it oF it going off in an Agent's pocket) and makes ‘a Science roll With success, pockets of ghost rock vapor ignite in a mesmerizing sequence. Everyone in the front half of a Large Blast Template centered on the Agent, who isn’t consciously closing their eyes, must make a Smarts roll. Those who fail are incredibly susceptible to suggestion for the next ten seconds or so. Treat this as a successful casting of the mind wipe power with a raise. Unfortunately, the devices aren't perfect and are subject to Infernal Device Malfunction as usual (see 33). 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! “ARE YOU SURE YOU SAW WHAT YOU THIAK You SAW, MAAN?” Apaat Harada Smit GRADE 2 REQUIREMENTS: Seasoned, Agent Use this Edge if you're making a Seasoned character, either because the Marshal started. the campaign at a higher level or you took the Veteran o' the Weird West Edge. Your Agent is already Grade 2, He's been given his mnemomizer, may upgrade his Gatling pistol to a Gatling rifle or shotgun if he chooses, and has three Favors. 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, MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES RENUIREKENT:Seasoned, Agent, Performance d8+ This Edge helps Agents infiltrate their foes, given some supplies and the ability to study the enemy. The Agent adds +2 to his Performance rolls when trying to impersonate a general “type” of roughly similar build. There’s a ~2 penalty for impersonating someone the target has heard of, a ~4 for someone the target has seen before, or ~6 for a specific individual or someone the target is familiar with. Use of this Edge requires clothing appropriate for the role, A disguise kit (see page 27) removes 2 points of penalties.Edge: Arcane Background (Blessed) Requirements: Novice, Spirit d6+, Faith das Arcane Skill: Faith (Spirit) Starting Powers: 3 (oly symbol, plus two of player's choice) Power Points: 15 Available Powers: Arcane protection, banish, barrier, beast friend, blind, boost/ lower Trait, confusion, deflection, detect arcana (not conceal), dispel, divination, elemental manipulation, empathy, envi- ronmental protection, hurvoc, healing, holy symbol, light (not darkness), protection, relief, resurrection, sanctify, slotl/speed, smite, speak language, stun, warrior’s gift Miracles: Blessed may take Edges that require Arcane Background (Miracles) Backlash: A Critical Failure on a Faith roll causes the blessed a level of Fatigue and all currently active powers are ter- minated. Sinnin’: Blessed who violate their core beliefs (see Sin on page 56) are for- saken by whatever forces of good grant them their powers, Minor sins give the character ~2 to his Faith rolls for a week Major sins rob him of all arcane powers for a week. Mortal sins cause the char- acter to be forsaken until the penitent hero completes some great quest or task of atonement to regain his lost powers (Marshal's call). PLAYING A BLESSED Blessed are people who have been granted supernatural abilities by mysterious and distant powers of good. Some are priests or actual clergy while others are simply chosen. for the nobility of their struggle or their soul, Though most are enlightened and good by nature they don’t have to be—sometimes the light chooses even troubled souls to carry out its will Most folks on the frontier pay lip service to God—or Allah, or the Spirits, or whoever drives the wagon in their particular hallelujah hayride—but they don’t really stop sinning, unless they're about to meet him face to face. A few chosen souls are nobler. They live the ideals of their faith and are beacons of hope for others. These are collectively called. the “blessed.” Not all blessed are preachers or nuns. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways, and sometimes the most ornery cusses seem to inherit the divine wind, so to speak, while the local padre can’ teven lighta candle without a match. Sometimes blessings are bestowed because the soul beneath the surface is pure, other times because a particular person just happens to fit the Almighty’ divine— though. often obscure— plan, CETDEADLANDS: THE WEIRD WEST SIN The blessed make their lives an example to others and abstain from sinful ways. 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. SINNIN’ TABLE Example Taking the Lord’s name in vain, getting drunk, lying, refusing aid to those in need, envying another's possessions. Severity Minor ‘Theft, turning away from those in dire need, failing to take communion (for a Catholic) Adultery, killing other than in self-defense, blasphemy (denial of faith). TRAPPINGS Blessed powers are always subtle if not outright imperceptible — usually so much so that only the effects are visible. The blessed are chosen by the divine beings of “goodness” as their champions. Yes, there are divine beings of good in Deadlands, they just have to work through humanity rather than clash with evil themselves. We don’t make the cosmic rules, amigo, we just tell you about ‘em. BLESSED EDGES TRUE BELIEVER REQUIREMENTS: Novice, Spirit d10+, Arcane Back ground (Blessed), Faith d6+ This holy roller seems to have the ear of his deity, He gets a free reroll on Faith rolls, FLOCK REQUIREMENTS: Veteran, Arcane Background (Blessed), Persuasion d8+ The greatest prophets and preachers are attended by followers. 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 (sce page 151), though they Advance like any other Alllies (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 Members of the Flock who perish are slowly replaced over time (usually by giving, revival”) 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'd like (as well as the Followers Edge, ifhe 0 chooses),CHULA aGy Edge: Arcane Background (Chi Master) Requirements: Novice, Agility d6+, Spirit d6+, Martial Artist, Focus d+ Arcane Skill: Focus (Spirit) Starting Powers: 3 (deflection, plus two of player's choice) Power Points: 15 Available Powers: Arcane protection, boost Trait, burrow, darksight, deflection, detect arcana (not conceal), empathy, enoi- ronmental protection, farsight, healing, intangitilty, numb, protection, relief, speed (not sloth), smite (hands and feet count as weapons for this power), val! roalker, ‘warrior's gift. Gifted: Chi masters may take Edges that require Arcane Background (Gifted). 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. Beneficial powers have a Range of Self (instead of the listed Range) and cannot be cast on others. Det- rimental 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-Ac- tion. Neither Range reduction grants the Limitation bonus for Self or Touch. THE CUP OVERFLOWS Learning martial arts requires years of training. 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. A sifu might be the head of a renowned martial arts school or a wandering wise man most mistake for a saddletramp. Most of the sifu’s students “graduate” as competent martial artists; only a few learn to master their chi, 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. PLAYING A CHI MASTER Would-be chi masters must take the Martial Artist Edge (see Savage Worlds) to reflect the physical aspect of their training, The Arcane Background (Chi Master) Edge covers the mystical side of things. ‘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. Even here most chi masters prefer to use nonlethal attacks so that the defeated may learn a Tesson—"the dead do not learn,” one sifu has said ‘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_climinating anyone who stands in the way of whatever itis they desire. UVESPEN USS PALAU aye TRAPPINGS ‘Chi masters’ powers are generally perceived as being part of the fighter’s martial arts style rather than “magic,” but those who iknow better always realize arcane energy is involved. Intricate forms, rapid strikes, and special breathing techniques can all focus the chi and funnel arcane energy. CHI MASTER EDGES ‘Though it’s not a requirement, chi masters should strongly consider the Chi Edge from Savage Worlds to augment their abilities as well. SUPERIOR KUNG FU RSWUIREMENTS: Novice, Spirit d6+, Arcane Back- ground (Chi Master), Fighting d8+ Through years of concentrated study under his wizened teacher, your hero has mastered several styles or stances that make up her particular practice of kung fu Choose one of the options below the first time you take this Edge, and another each additional time you take it Asa free action at the start of her turn, she can assume any one of the styles she’s taken, below. The benefits of the style remain in place until she changes to a different one, = DRUNKEN STYLE: The fighter weaves around like she's out of her tree on fire- water, making her moves hard to follow or predict due to her staggering gait. Opponents subtract 2 from attack rolls to hit her, but her Pace is reduced by 2 (she may still run), EAGLE CLAW: The warrior holds her hands like claws, then strikes quickly and viciously at the enemy like a pecking raptor. This gives her unarmed Fighting attacks AP 4, and it’s considered a Heavy Weapon! This ability is critical for those chi masters who find themselves pitted against heavily armored foes, like Dr. Hellstromme’s metal automatons! "MANTIS: A mantis student holds her hands like hooks, moving from _mesmerizing calm to startling strikes in a terrifying instant. ‘Once per round, anyone who fails a Fighting attack against the martial artist is Distracted or Vulnerable (martial artist's choice). This is particularly effective when combined with the Counterattack Edge. MONKEY: The hero shakes her limbs like a primate, contorting and twisting in odd ‘ways that throw off surrounding foes The martial artist gains +2 Parry, rapidly slapping and blocking away his foes’ strikes. She may also make an Athletics Test against all adjacent foes as a single action. Each one resists separately. ‘SHUAI CHAO: 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 asa free action (see Grappling in Savage Worlds). ‘TAN TUL The chi master focuses her attack into a powerful snap kick— increasing, her unarmed combat damage for one Fighting attack per round by one die type Ifthe attack causes the foe to be Shaken or Wounded, he's also knocked back 144” with success, or 1d4+2” with a raise. With fa successful Athletics roll, she can also rise from being prone without costing her the usual 2” of movement. WING CHUN: Wing Chun focuses on fast blocks and flexibility against attacks, like bamboo before a storm. This gives the ‘warrior +1 Parry and subtracts two from any melee damage she takes while using, this style CELESTIAL KUNG FU REQUIREMENTS: Veteran, Spirit d8+, Superior Kung Fu, Fighting d10* More options become available to a martial artist as she masters the mystical and physical aspects of her art. 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,PEN USS PALAU aye oe UB SEG Edge: Arcane Background (Huckster) Requirements: Novice, Gambling d6+, Spelicasting d+ Arcane Skill: Spelicasting (Smarts) Starting Powers: 3 Power Points: 1 Available Powers: Ammo whammy, arcane protection, barrier, beast friend, blind, bolt, boostflower Trait, burst, con- fusion, damage field, deflection, detect/ conceal arcana, disguise, dispel, divination, clemental manipulation, empathy, entangle, environmental protection, farsight, fear, havoc, illusion, intangitility, invisibility, light/darkness, numb, object reading, protec tion, puppet, slotiyspeed, slumber, sound / silence, speak language, stun, summon ally, telekinesis, teleport, trinkets, wall walker. ‘Magic: Hucksters may take Edges that require Arcane Background (Magic). Backlash: A Critical Failure on a Spell- casting roll causes the huckster a level of Fatigue and all currently active powers are terminated. Deal With the Devil: Hucksters may not Short nor spend Bennies for Power Points (see Savage Worlds), but can Deal with the Devil for the ability to cast powers — even ones they don’t have and. are above their Rank! They might also gain additional Power Points or a bonus to their Spellcasting rolls from such cast- ings. See Dealing with the Devil for the details, HOYLE’S HUCKSTERS Back in the old days—the really old days, when folks still believed the earth was flat—magic was a lot more common than it is today. 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 1740, 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 up with a cover story for his journal of the arcane. You and I cal it Hoyle's Book of Games. ‘The key to Hoyle’s power was communicating with certain mischievous spirits—he called them “Jokers” to confuse the uninitiated — and besting them in mental duels. He would wager some of his soul against a Joker's power, and if he won, he could force the Joker to carry out some task, Hoyle eventually refined his mental duels by visualizing them as hands of poker. Poker was relatively new at the time, and quickly became Hoyle’s game of choice whenever he cast his hexes, The 1769 edition of Hoyle’s Book of Games contains these secrets in their purest form. ‘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. Later editions of this arcane tome exist, though they're not as complete; unknowing editors often ruined the arcane formulae in the process of reorganizing and republishing the manuscript. But those who knew the secrets of Hoyle’s Book of Games were rarely able to muster much in the way of power. Jokers seemed rare as hen’s teeth, especially those strong enough to accomplish powerful magic. Then, in 1863, the world was suddenly flooded with spirits, including Jokers, and it was much easier to make use of Hoyle's formulae. These wizards of the Weird West call themselves “hucksters” after the snakeoil salesmen who so successfully pull the wool over the public's eyes. Other terms were borrowed from the Indians, who have a different view of the supernatural. Jokers became “manitous,” and the supernatural plane they call home became the “Hunting Grounds.” Witches and warlocks are still considered evil by most folks, and a dabbler in the so- called “dark arts” had best keep his hobbies private. Otherwise, he risks being the guest of honor at a necktie party. What's more, there are more thana few stories of sorcerous types being hunted by the Agency, the Territorial Rangers, and even overzealous preachers with a few mystical powers of their own.PLAYING A HUCKSTER Ifa Huckster wants to play it safe, he can cast hexes as usual and use up his precious Power Points in the normal way. If he's ina gambling mood, though, he can risk everything for more power. 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) ‘Assuming, he’s successful, the huckster tempts the manitou into a game of wits. This contest between hucksters and manitous is entirely cerebral, but most hucksters visualize the process as some sort of game. The vast majority “play” poker, though a few play cribbage, rummy, or mahjong, DEALING WITH THE DEVI ting 0 opel normally) a Hi chevse © engage Bs mE apeiecty. The is nore Getsectag than the huckoter's usual game, but has much greater Pears oe Dealing with the Devil is a free action but can only bbe 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. First, he can cast any spell in his Available Powers list, even those he doesn’t normally know, and including those above his current Rank! Second, with a good hand, he can add any leftover Power Points to his Spellcasting roll or his personal total. Here’s how to do it: 1. Ante Up: Spend a Benny, That's the cost the manitou requires to play, partner! 2. 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 any and all modifiers. 3. Gamble: Make a Gambling roll, then draw five cards plus one extra card for a success and 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! (See page 88). 4, 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! You can only use the Power Points granted by the hand—not your own pool—when Dealing with the Devil. If you didn’t get enough Power Points, subtract however many points you came up short from the Spelleasting roll in the next step — the game ain’t over yet! UVESDEADLANDS: THE WEIRD WEST 5. Cast the Spell: Now make a Spelicasting roll at -2 for each Rank the power is above your current Rank, if any, and one for each Power Point you came up short in the last step. Ifthe hand gave you more Power Points than you needed, you may add them to the Spelicasting 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! (See page 88). Failure (after adding any leftover Power Points, if possible) means the spell fails, The ante is lost no matter what. 6, Resolve the Hex: If the power was successful, resolve its effects as usual TRAPPINGS Casting a hex causes a hand of mystical playing cards to materialize in the huckster’s, hand. That's pretty obvious to anyone paying, attention. Wise hucksters keep a deck of real cards in hand to conceal the truth. This nifty Dit of legerdemain is why most hucksters are gamblers with a card-shuffling habit, and it fools most folks who don’t know exactly what they're looking for. <> DEALING WITH THE DEVIL => ‘Ace High Pair Jacks or Better ‘Two Pair ‘Three of a Kind Straight Flush ‘One Ace ‘Two cards of the same value A pair of Jacks or better ‘Two sets of two cards ‘Three cards ofthe same value Five sequential cards Five eards of the same suit ‘Three cards of one value, Fall House ‘wo of another FourofaKind Four cards of the same value Five cards ofthe same value FiveofaKind (requires use ofa Joker) Five sequential cards eek of the same suit Effects are another matter. Attack powers take the form of thrown cards glowing with energy. Other powers, such as boost Trait, don’t have obvious effects, and something like havoc certainly does, though detect arcana or similar abilities active when a spell is cast reveals the caster as well. HUCKSTER EDGES ‘HEXSLINGING REQUIREMENTS: Seasoned, Arcane Background (Huckster), Shooting 48+ John Henry “Doc” Holliday was a huckster who learned the secrets of “rune magic,” a process the ancient Vikings used to enchant their weapons in days long past. He carved the runes on his favorite six-gun and “hexslinging” was born, Taking a cue from Hoyle, Doc passed those techniques on to his friends in a series of dime novels appropriately called The Adventures of Doc Holliday. Hexslingers who learn Holliday’s secrets gain the antmo whammy power (see 75) and can create their own rune-engraved “hex 2 Power Points 3 Power Points 4 Power Points, 5 Power Points 6 Power Points 8 Power Points 10 Power Points 10 Power Points, Duration, effect, or damage is doubled 15 Power Points, Duration, effec, or damage is doubled 15 Power Points, Duration. Effect, or damage is doubled, Huckster may retroactively add any available Modifiers to the power (Additional Recipients, More Armor, etc). [As Five of a Kind and the -Huckster gains Convietionguns.” This takes four hours per weapon, most of which is spent inscribing the barrel with various runes, 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! (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. These spells have a Range of Self when cast in this way and can’t use the Additional Recipients modifier if they have it. Activation, causes the runes on the weapon to glow subtly, throw sparks, or some similar effect. HIGH ROLLER REQUIREMENTS: Seasoned, Spirit d8+, Arcane Background (Huckster), Spellcasting d6+ Go high or go home. Your hero draws an extra card anytime he Deals with the Devil (see page 65). IMPROVED HIGH ROLLER AIQUIREMENTS: Veteran, High Roller ‘Your inveterate gambler draws two extra cards (total) when Dealing with the Devil. OLD HAND REIUREMENIS: Heroic, Arcane Background (Huckster), Spellcasting 410+ With knowledge comes power, and this huckster knows when to say when. After you form a five card poker hand when Dealing with the Devil, you can discard up to three cards and redraw! ‘WHATELEY BLOOD REQUIREMENTS: Novice, Arcane Background (Huckster) Somewhere in your family tree is a crooked branch known as the Whateleys. This twisted family of inbred witches and warlocks is known by arcane types as being powerful—and extremely crazy. Hucksters with Whateley spirit running through their veins have earned “blood magic.” Many of the Whateleys are deformed, although your hero doesn’t have to be (take the appropriate Hindrance if he is). All have some telltale mark—pale skin, jet black hair, long fingernails, sallow complexion, and so oon, and all have green eyes, Whatever mark you choose, there’s something about their tainted blood that puts folks off. That unsettled feeling reduces Persuasion rolls by 1, though many overcome it with other Edges taken separately (Attractive, Charismatic, ete.) ‘Now for the meat of the Edge. A huckster with Whateley Blood can voluntarily suffer a Fatigue level for 5 Power Points, or a Wound for 10, This is done exactly as you'd think — by cutting, carving, or otherwise maiming themselves (as a free action, which makes it pretty messy!). Whateleys are a slippery bunch, so if this Incapacitates the caster he completes his turn before keeling over for adirtnap, UVESPEN USS PALAU aye oa MAD SCIENTISTS Edge: Arcane Background (Mad Scien- tist) Requirements: Novice, Smarts d8+, Science d6+, Weird Science d4+ Arcane Skill: Weird Science (Smarts) Starting Powers: 1 Power Points: 20 Available Powers: Arcane protection, barrier, beast friend, blast, blind, bolt, bost/ lower Trait, burrow, burst, confusion, damage field, darksight, deflection, detect/ conceal arcana, disguise, dispel, drain Power Points, elemental manipulation, empathy, ‘entangle, environmental protection, farsight, fear, fly, havoc, healing, illusion, intangitil- ity, imoisitility, light/darkness, mind wipe, numb, protection, puppet, reli, shrink (not growth), slothyspeed, slumber, smite, sound/ silence, speak language, stun, telekinesis, teleport, wall walker, warrior’s gift, zombie. Weird Science: Mad scientists may take Edges that require Arcane Background (Weird Science) ‘Malfunction: When a mad scien- tist rolls a Critical Failure on a Weird Science roll, the Marshal rolls on the Malfunction Table (page 89) to see what happens. Beware! Most anything can occur, from breakdowns to explo- sions to insanity! They are called mad scien- ¢ tists, after all! PLAYING A MAD SCIENTIST Pioneers on the bleeding edge of the New Science create and manufacture new inventions every day. Some wish to sell their designs to Hellstromme Industries, ‘Smith & Robards, or even the United States Army. For most, however, pure invention is its ‘own reward, The New Science wouldn't be possible without the discovery of ghost rock. Whether smelted into ghost steel to reinforce their boilers, or powdered and used as a reagent in chemicals and elixirs, ghost rock is the foundation of the Weird West's technology. 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, asa 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. It bums, they say, with Hell's own heat, and is composed of souls of the damned, which are heard screaming in infernal agony as it’s consumed. They further say that ‘most of the inventions that result from its study aren't born of the human mind, but whispered into the imaginations of inventors by demons from the netherworld, 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 TSR Tan stots and witha higher melting pont (Ghost eel has| made’ man fee copiceing evita poate BF horscless carriages and flying machines, Bethania to its veduced wel eal boilers capable of withstanding Elgar eraparstares, ask fer iisa prose 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 RB bones of the dead can still EQ} be seen from California to Gettysburg, TRAPPINGS Mad. scientists’ arcane powers take the form of inventions, gizmos, and sometimes elixirs and potions Most citizens accept their inventions as science rather than dark sorcery, but are all too aware of its generally unstable and. volatile nature.Mad scientists take great pride in their inventions, giving them outlandish names to differentiate their creations from others, whether they ultimately wish to sell their designs or market them for future manufacture “once they work out the kinks.” An inventor's weapon is never just a flamethrower, for example, it's “Dr. Jergen’s Amazing Incendiary Device” or “Professor Plum’s Pernicious Purifier.” The more outlandish, it seems, the more press one tends to get—perhaps even an invitation to join the prestigious “Collegium,” a loose society of New Science inventors. You should do the same for your powers. Rather than a heal power, give it the Self Limitation and call it an “Electrifying Elixir for All Common Ailments & Maladies!” MAD SCIENTIST EDGES ALCHEMY REQUIREMENTS: Seasoned, Arcane Background (Mad Scientist), Weird Science d8# Weird scientists can already make potions, clixirs, tinctures and the like depending on the Trappings of their powers. They can use them on others, but can’t “give” them to others unless they craft the item with the Attificer Edge (see Savage Worlds) The Alchemy Edge is a bit of a cheat, allowing a character to create up to three Point in each. Creating the potions takes 30 minutes and $5 worth of various reagents each, and always includes at least a pinch of ghost rock, No Weird Science roll is made— Creation is automatically successful, and [Fed creates any mix of the potions listed below. These can be given away freely and last for 24 hours. The scientist doesn’t get the Power Points back until they’re used, discarded, or expire. = = Drinking one potion is an action. ' Snake Oil: The recipient makes a natural healing roll. Success heals one Wound and a raise heals two. * Focusing Elixir: Add +1 to the total of any one Trait (alchemist’s choice when created), This lasts for 3 rounds. = Peptonic: The recipient makes a Vigor roll. Success removes one level of Fatigue, and a raise removes two. TRON BOUND REQUIREMENTS: Novice, Arcane Background (Mad Scientist) Everyone has to learn their trade somewhere. Your mad scientist apprenticed to a master craftsman, worked in aDEADLANDS: THE WEIRD WEST Hellstromme Industries factory, Smith & Robards workshop, or even one of the ‘secret facilities belonging to the government. ‘The alumni of these difficult and ground- ‘breaking trials in the New Science are said to bbe “Iron Bound.” Your hero managed to leave his former ‘employment with some of the equipment he worked on, and still has a few friends who can cut him a special deal when he's in a pinch. The mad scientist starts with up to $2,000 in infernal devices (see page 33) or Wvehicles, and reduces the listed price of any future devices purchased through that source by 25%. He might be able to get discounts through other outlets in a pinch by reciting ‘some of his bona fides and sharing experiences with other inventors (Marshal's call) ORE EATER REQUIREMENTS: Novice, Arcane Background (Mad Scientist), Weird Science dé+ Though your mad scientist probably doesn’t want anyone to know it, he’s developed a taste for ghost rock! Eating it raw isn’t really possible—it is rock, after all, bbutit’s easy to powder or crush and sprinkle it into his favorite whiskey or spread it like salt over his vittles! This is obviously a dangerous practice, but does greatly increase the Weird Scientist's connection to the Hunting Grounds. He gains five Power Points when this Edge is taken (in addition to any gained from the Power Points Edge). The downside is that anytime he must roll on the Malfunction Table and rolls a 13, he gets ghost rock fever instead of the Gremlin, result! He can only contract the fever once, and must live or die by the rules set forth under Ghost Rock Fever, page 8. TRUE GENIUS EQUREMENS: Novice, Smarts d8+, Arcane Back- ground (Mad Scientist) Some say the New Science is inspired by supernatural entities. Most inventors cal that superstitious poppycock, but a true genius not only accepts it, she embraces it! Afterall, it doesn’t matter where the idea comes from, it’s what you do with the technology that matters! Right? ‘Anytime you have to use the Malfunction Table, you can spend a Benny to have the Marshal roll again, then choose the result you prefer. You may spend as many Bennies as you like tll you're out or as satisfied with the result as you're gonna get!SHAMANS Edge: Arcane Background (Shaman) Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8+, Faith dae Arcane Skill: Fath Spirit) Starting Powers: 2 Power Points: 15 Available Powers: Arcane protection, banish, beast friend, blind, boost/lower Trait, burrow, confusion, curse darksight, defection, detectfconceal arcana, disguise, dispel, diination, drain Power Point, ele- mental manipulation, empathy, entangle, environmental protection, farsight, fear, growth (not shrink), havoc, healing, holy symivl, intangiility, numb, protection, reli, resurrection, sanctify, shape change, slotiyspei,shumiber, smite, speak language, summon ally, teleport, wall walker, warrior's gift, wilderness walk Miracles: Shamans may take Edges that require Arcane Background (Miracles). Backlash: A Critical Failure on a Faith roll causes the shaman a level of Fatigue and all currently active powers are ter- minated. (Old Ways: If a shaman uses any sort of mass-produced item or otherwise violates the principles of the Old Ways in any way (GM's call), he takes a level of Fatigue. If the item used ghost rock, including ghost steel, powdered ghost rock, of as fuel, the Fatigue lasts 24 hours PLAYING A SHAMAN “Indians,” as Westerners call Native Americans, have known about the spirits for thousands of years. The most knowledgeable of all are “medicine” men or women, or collectively, “shamans.” In the modern era, the spirits rarely answered the shamans’ calls. After the Reckoning began in 1863, they suddenly seemed a lot more talkative—and willing, to lend their supernatural abilities to “the People.” With their aid, several tribes were able to carve out and hold territories for themselves, resisting the inevitable encroachment of Europeans. Nature spirits are generally ambivalent about human affairs, but they do seem somewhat rattled and upset about the power their evil counterparts, the manitous, 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. This is the shaman‘s responsibility, to contact the spirit world on behalf of his chief and tribe and ask for guidance and aid. 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. Shaman characters who don’t uphold these beliefs find the spirits rarely listen to their pleas, and a shaman ignored by the spirits isn’t a shaman for long. THE OLD WAYS Nature spirits watch over and nurture their particular charge. A river spirit protects the river, buffalo spirits guide the herd, and so on. Their sacrifice, and that of the physical flora and fauna they provide for humanity's needs are sacred to them, Meat and clothing. comes from the animals they represent. Tools come from rocks and trees. Water and. conveyance from rivers and streams, Breath from the air. These aren’t just resources to the nature spirits, they are wonders—given freely to the humans through the great and terrible sacrifice of their creation’s death or destruction, The spirits have no connection to—and in fact despise— items that have no connection to nature or a human soul. This is why they dislike mass-produced items. They are repulsed by machines that destroy or pollute the earth in wide swaths for unknown recipients. They are appalled by steam-powered trains and wagons, large mines operated by scores of men who sell the carth’s riches for products made by others, and most ofall, the cancer that runs through the earth’s very veins — ghost rock, This is why shamans follow the “Old. Ways.” They respect and pay homage _ UVESPEN USS PALAU aye to the gifts and sacrifices the spirits grant humanity. Much like hucksters channel ‘magical energy through manitous, shamans channel it through nature spirits. This is no gamble, however, itis a process of bargaining and submission on the shaman’s part to convince powerful beings to dispense some of their magical life essence In Deadlands, anyone who takes Arcane Background (Shaman) must be a follower of the Old Ways. If they veer from this commitment, the spirits are less likely to grant them favors. Straying from the path has the following effects: = Ifa shaman uses any sort of mass- produced item or otherwise violates the principles of the Old Ways in any way (GM's call), he takes a level of Fatigue. ® If the item used ghost rock, including ghost steel, powdered ghost rock, or as fuel, the Fatigue lasts 24 hours. Multiple occurrences within the effect’s period don’t cause additional Fatigue, but do reset the time penalized. TRAPPINGS Shamans constantly perform various rituals while they rest or pray. This opens the conduits to the spirit realm and allows them to activate powers later without beginning, the appeal anew. Chanting is a large part of a shaman's powers, but no arcane energy is visible. If shaman is silenced somehow, he subtracts 2 from his Faith rolls Wh a* SHAMAN EDGES FETISH REQUIREMENTS: Novice, Arcane Background (Shaman), Faith d8+ Fetishes are devices that help a shaman focus when he must contact the spirit world. 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, SPIRITS’ FAVOR REQUIREMENTS: Seasoned, Arcane Background (Shaman), Faith d8+ The shaman has gained the favor of a particular spirit and the singular power it grants her. Choose one of the shaman’s powers each time this Edge is taken, 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 shaman may only claim this benefit ‘once per turn, even ifshe takes Spirit's Favor more than once.