Spencer’s Crossing

by Chaos Steve Todd

customers and in an effort to get When night falls the posse can
Spencer’s Crossing the posse to stop and look at his station themselves wherever they
wares (and listen to his problem), want. If the jackalope wasn’t
It’s getting on towards late after- he’ll offer them a drink on the killed in the first scene, give the
noon when the posse crosses over house. Approaching the store the posse another chance while they
a small rise and sees a wooden posse will see that all of the win- are waiting for the bears to show
bridge spanning a lazy, but good- dows are boarded up and a few up. As the night wears on Mr.
sized river. On the far side sits a other spots on the building have Spencer becomes more and more
rambling, single story building been repaired as well. On a suc- unsettled. His hands shake so
and a small barn. A sign declares cessful Notice roll heroes will note much he can hardly hold onto the
this to be “Spencer’s Crossing: that under the hasty repairs looks bottle of whiskey he’s nursing.
Dry Goods and Wet Ones Too!” to be deep scrapes or claw marks. About midnight (of course) the
A man comes around the side of bears attack—one for each posse
the building carrying a board and
The Offer member. It won’t take long for
a hammer. He sees you, drops the the posse to realize these ain’t no
board and hurries out to the trail Mr. Spencer hails from back east bears. For one, bears don’t howl.
to intercept you when you cross and runs his store just like the fin- The Gabriel Hounds are after Mr.
the bridge. est ones in the big cities. His store Spencer, but they have no qualms
is amazingly clean and his shelves about killing any who try to stop
As the posses’ horses clomp
are well stocked with goods. He them.
across the bridge, the sound star-
tles a small creature and it dashes thinks the jacklaope is a “cute little
out from under the bridge. It’s critter.” He doesn’t know about Spencer’s Confession
a rabbit…with antlers. It makes the superstition. After pouring
a zig-zigging dash across the the drinks for the posse, he’ll tell
ground until it finally disappears them his problem. He has recently After the Hounds are killed,
from sight. On a successful Com- been plagued with bears com- Spencer’s conscience gets the
mon Knowledge roll the posse ing around at night trying to get better of him and he tells his story.
will know that superstition has it inside at the food larders. He’d Spencer’s real name is Nathan
that jackalopes are omens of bad like the posse to bed down at the Baltimore. Back east he was once
luck. Those with raises have heard store tonight and when the bears a rich and powerful businessman.
that a jackalope’s foot will bring come around looking for some But after some business deals with
the owner good luck. True to the easy food, he wants help shooting the wrong people went sour, he
superstition, the posse has walked them. He’s tried scaring them off, lost everything and barely escaped
into a whole lot of bad luck. They but that hasn’t worked. And truth with his life. But its how he be-
may not use any bennies until be told, the bears scare him more came rich that’s at the heart and
they kill the little critter or until it than a little. “You don’t see many soul of the matter—or just the
loses interest in the party. of them back east.” He says. He’ll soul actually. You see, when he
give each hero $10 or $20 in store was a young man, he sold his soul
The man turns out to be Albert
credit for the night’s work. to the devil. Sure, the man’s name
Spencer, proprietor of Spencer’s was Stone, but Nathan knew who
Crossing. His fancy tinhorn clothes
he really was…and made the deal
are covered in dust and sweat. Night of the Grizzlies anyway. He got his wish and was,
He’s very excited to have some for a time, rich and powerful. He is
 Con’t from Page 1
Albert Spencer Weakness (Silver): Gabriel convinced those beasts were sent
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts hounds take normal damage from by Stone to hurry his death along.
d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4 silver weapons. Now after the fight Nathan has
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, been inspired by the posse’s he-
Jackalope roic stand against the beasts. He
Knowledge: Business d10, Riding
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts says “You’re the type of men the
d4, Shooting d4
d10(A), Spirit d4, Strength d4, west needs right now. I saw you
Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry:5;
Vigor d6 take on those nightmarish hounds
Toughness: 4
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d8, and not a one of you backed
Gear: double barrel shotgun
Stealth d10, Taunt d10 down. I’ve decided to stay here
(12/24/48, 1-3d6, 2 shots, +2
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: and run my store, just like before.
shooting)
3 If the devil wants me, he’ll find me
Gabriel Hound Special Abilities: waiting for him like a man.”
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts Antlers: 2d4.
d8, Spirit d12, Strength d8, Vigor Bad Luck: A party stalked by What Now?
d10 a jackalope suffers from horrible
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, luck. They cannot spend Fate It’s up to you, the GM, what
Intimidation d10, Notice d10, Chips until the thing loses interest happens next. Maybe Stone did
Stealth d8, Tracking d12 (usually after a death) or is killed. send the hounds or maybe some-
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: Sixth Sense: Jackalopes sense thing else is heading this way and
7 danger, making them very difficult the hounds are just the heralds
Special Abilities: to hit. Direct attacks against them for what’s to come. Or were the
Bite: 2d8. (but not area effect attacks!) suffer hounds just the bad luck drawn to
Curse: Gabriel hounds are sum- –4 to the attack roll. Spencer by the jackalope? What-
moned and sent after a specific Size –2: Jackalopes are very ever happens next, it’s sure to
target. When the victim sees the small, and suffer a –2 to their keep your posse hoppin’.
hound, he automatically suffers Toughness.
from the Bad Luck Hindrance until Small: Attackers must subtract
the hound’s master is destroyed. 2 from attack rolls against these
creatures.
More
Destroying the hound has no ef-
fect on the curse. Coup: The jackalope’s coup is
good luck. A Harrowed who ab-
To Come!
Fear: A Gabriel hound forces any Think you’ve got what it
who see it to make a Guts roll. sorbs its essence draws an extra
Fate Chip each session. This coup takes to write a really cool
Howl: As an action Gabriel One-Sheet Adventure?
hounds may make an Intimida- can only be claimed once.
Send it in to the Savage
tion check against anyone within World’s Explorer’s Soci-
earshot. ety and we’ll review it!
Immunity: Gabriel hounds take The other explorers will
half damage from normal weap- love having some quick
ons. and dirty adventures to
Improved Frenzy: The horrors take to the Cons with
may make two Fighting attacks them and it also shows
each round at no penalty. how fun and easy the
Weakness (Holy Water): A Savage Worlds RPG is!
pint of Holy Water does 2d6 dam-
More information and
age to a Gabriel hound.
guidelines for writing
your One-Sheet are avail-
able on the website!

www.savageworldsexplorerssociety.com