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| hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter [2026/03/22 06:55] – [5 | Triggers, Clues & Consequences] admin | hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter [2026/09/02 08:45] (current) – [SCENE 6b — AS A PRISONER IN THE REALM OF THE HUNTER] admin |
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| === 102 Pen and Paper Adventure | Beta Age | Hunting an Unknown Hunter === | === 102 Pen and Paper Adventure | Beta Age | Hunting an Unknown Hunter === |
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| ====== SCENE 6b — AS A PRISONER IN THE REALM OF THE HUNTER ====== | ====== SCENE 6b — AS A PRISONER IN THE REALM OF THE HUNTER ====== |
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| | {{:102_pnp_holdingroom_jw.jpeg?400|}} |
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| {{:102_pnp_jw_property.png?direct&400|}} | |
| ===== 1 | Scene Overview ===== | ===== 1 | Scene Overview ===== |
| * **Location:** Inside the fenced property of J.W., lower slopes of the [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountains]] | |
| * **Type:** Capture · Containment · Psychological Pressure · Power Imbalance | * **Location:** A partially sunken holding room inside J.W.'s fenced compound, lower slopes of the [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountains]] |
| | * **Type:** Captivity · Escape · Psychological Pressure |
| * **Era:** [[beta_age|Beta Age]] | * **Era:** [[beta_age|Beta Age]] |
| * **Tone:** Controlled wilderness · ritualized dominance · procedural cruelty · loss of agency | * **Tone:** Confinement · uncertainty · mounting pressure · a narrow opportunity |
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| **Atmosphere & Sensory Cues:** Persistent mist · humid tropical air · muffled forest sounds · ordered paths amid wild growth · wood, iron, and animal musk · distant animal movement · the constant awareness of being observed | **Atmosphere & Sensory Cues:** Warm, humid air · damp timber · old animal musk · muffled footsteps overhead · iron scraping against wood · distant machinery · voices falling silent whenever an armed Hand approaches |
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| ---- | ---- |
| ===== 2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions ===== | ===== 2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions ===== |
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| ==== Initial Read-Aloud A (For PCs captured OUTSIDE the compound) ==== | ==== Initial Read-Aloud A — PCs Captured Outside the Compound ==== |
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| The wooden gate groans as it opens. Not fast. Not wide. Just enough. Rough hands guide you forward. There is no shouting. No urgency. Just pressure — steady, practiced, inevitable. | The wooden gate opens just far enough to admit your captors. Armed Hands push you through the entrance with Windstrike Rifles trained on your backs. Your weapons, packs and tools are gone. Rope bites into your wrists. |
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| You pass through the wall. | Beyond the palisade, drifting mist breaks the compound into fragments. Timber stacks rise beside tracks churned by heavy wagon wheels. Windowless huts line the southern wall. Pale workers stop and watch as you pass, but none of them approaches. An armed Hand orders them back to work, and their eyes immediately fall. |
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| On the other side, the forest feels almost unchanged. The same mist clings between the trees. The same damp air presses against skin and fabric. The same smells of wet leaves, wood, and slow rot linger in the air. | Farther inside stands a massive log house set on a heavy stone basement. It has no windows—only narrow viewing slots glowing with warm light. A broad chimney exhales grey smoke into the humid air, while thick salvaged pipes cross the outer walls. |
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| You are pushed onto a narrow paved trail, stones set carefully into the soil. It winds deeper into the property, flanked by tall trees whose lower branches have been trimmed away. You pass stacked timber, drying racks heavy with hides, tools hung neatly beneath crude wooden shelters. Everything is where it belongs. | Near the house, one of the Hands lifts a heavy wooden hatch reinforced with iron bands. Short steps descend to a low door beneath the ground. You are forced down, one after another. |
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| Somewhere nearby, a [[veyra|Veyra]] snorts softly. | The room beyond was built to contain something. Damp wooden planks line the walls. Deep scratches scar the timber near several iron rings, and heavy chains hang from them. A narrow viewing slit cuts through the reinforced door. |
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| Ahead, a low, windowless wooden hut stands beside the path. Two pale figures linger near it, watching you in silence. Their skin, their hunched posture, and the way their reflective eyes catch the dim light instantly send a chill down your spine. They bear a striking, undeniable resemblance to the Nameless Man – the man whose death brought you here. And then you see the Main House. | The Hands secure your restraints to the wall rings and leave. Outside, your confiscated equipment lands inside a wooden chest with a series of heavy thuds. |
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| A massive log structure rises from the mist, three stories high, its walls darkened by weather and smoke. A wide stone chimney climbs along one side, exhaling a thin ribbon of gray into the fog. Warm light flickers behind shuttered windows. | The door closes. The bolt slides into place. |
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| Near the house, set directly into the ground, is a heavy wooden hatch reinforced with iron bands. | Then the outer hatch falls shut, and the remaining daylight disappears. |
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| One of your captors steps forward and pulls it open. | {{ :initial_readaloud_scene_6b_new.mp3 |}} |
| A staircase descends into darkness. | |
| You are pushed down, boots scraping against wood, hands firm on your shoulders. The hatch closes above you with a solid, final sound. | |
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| When the light returns, it is dim. | ---- |
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| You find yourselves in a low wooden room, the walls lined with thick planks scarred by age and claw marks. The air smells of animals — sweat, fur, fear — old and familiar, like a place meant to hold what does not belong outside. A narrow slit in the door lets in a thin blade of light. Along one wall, iron rings are bolted into the timber. Heavy chains hang slack from them. | ==== Initial Read-Aloud B — PCs Captured During Scene 6a ==== |
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| Footsteps retreat. No voices linger. You are alone. For now. | The struggle ends beneath the weight of numbers. Armed Hands tear away your weapons, packs and tools before binding your wrists behind your backs. |
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| {{ :read_aloud_hauh_asaprisonerintherealmofthehunter_3.mp3 |}} | You are dragged through the warm mist. Timber stacks and machinery pass in broken silhouettes as the Hands lead you toward a heavy hatch set into the ground near the main house. |
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| | Short steps descend beneath it. At the bottom waits a reinforced wooden door. |
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| ==== Initial Read-Aloud B (For PCs captured during Scene 6a) ==== | The holding room beyond smells of damp timber, old fur and fear. Deep scratches scar its plank walls. Iron rings have been bolted into the wood, with heavy chains hanging from them. A narrow viewing slit admits a thin blade of light. |
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| There is no prolonged struggle. You are overwhelmed, disarmed, and dragged out of the main house into the freezing mist. The pale figures holding you are silent, their grip like iron. | The Hands secure you to the wall rings. Your equipment is thrown into a chest somewhere outside. |
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| Near the house, set directly into the ground, is a heavy wooden hatch reinforced with iron bands. One of your captors pulls it open. | The door closes. An iron bolt scrapes into place. |
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| A staircase descends into darkness. You are pushed down, boots scraping against wood, hands firm on your shoulders. The hatch closes above you with a solid, final sound. | Footsteps retreat above you. Whether the compound has fallen quiet or remains on alert, you cannot yet tell. |
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| When the light returns, it is dim. | {{ :initial_readaloud_scene_6b_new_altern.mp3 |}} |
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| You find yourselves in a low wooden room, the walls lined with thick planks scarred by age and claw marks. The air smells of animals — sweat, fur, fear — old and familiar, like a place meant to hold what does not belong outside. A narrow slit in the heavy reinforced door lets in a thin blade of light. Along one wall, iron rings are bolted into the timber. Heavy chains hang slack from them. | |
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| Footsteps retreat. No voices linger. You are alone. For now. | |
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| {{ :read_aloud_hauh_asaprisonerintherealm_2.mp3 |}} | |
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| ---- | ---- |
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| | **Trigger / Timing** | **Read-Aloud / Narrative Insert** | | | **Trigger / Timing** | **Read-Aloud / Narrative Insert** | |
| | **PCs leave the holding room unescorted** | The door opens. No alarm. No shout. Just a quiet hinge and the humid air waiting outside. Beyond the threshold, the property reveals itself in fragments. The massive main house looms in the mist. Ordered paths cut through trimmed undergrowth, stacked timber, and work shelters. The wall itself looms close — three meters of timber and iron, high enough to block sight, not sound. No one is watching you in this moment. But this place is not empty. Every path, every structure, every shadow belongs to someone who expects things to be exactly where they left them. You have a very brief window before your empty cell is discovered. | | | **The PCs leave the holding room silently** | The reinforced door opens without a shout or alarm. Warm, humid air enters from the narrow stairwell. Beyond the outer hatch, drifting mist conceals the paths between timber stacks, huts and work buildings. The main house rises above them, its viewing slots glowing faintly through the fog. For the moment, no one is looking toward the open holding room. That moment will not last. | |
| | **The guards bring the PCs into J.W.’s presence** | The door closes behind you with a heavy, final sound. Warmth presses in immediately, dominated by the crackle of an open fireplace set into the far wall. Firelight crawls across rough wooden beams. A tall man stands with his back to you, hands clasped behind him, staring into the fire. When he turns, the firelight does not reveal his face — it breaks against it. A rough mask covers his features: heavy leather and metal brackets, tightly buckled. Exposed skin along his neck shows horrific, tight burn scars. In his hands, he gently oils and sharpens a heavy hunting knife with slow, rhythmic precision. He does not stop his work as he looks at you, one by one. Not angry. Not curious. Measuring. He sets the pristine knife on the table, picking up a pen and a small notebook. He extends a single sheet of paper toward you. The handwriting is unmistakable — the same geometric script from the notes. Only one sentence is written on it: //Why did you come here?// | | | **The Hands bring the PCs before J.W.** | The Hands force you into a room warmed by an open fireplace. A simple mattress lies on the floor near the hearth. Thick salvaged pipes cross beneath the ceiling before descending behind a massive wooden desk. Maps, ledgers, Hale & Hook notebooks and bundles of correspondence cover its surface. Beside the desk, a pointer moves slowly behind the scratched glass of a brass pressure dial. J.W. sits behind the desk, his repaired leather mask illuminated by the fire. He finishes the line he is writing before placing his pen neatly beside the page. Only then does he look at you. //"Interesting,"// he says. | |
| | **PCs look through any narrow viewing slot facing the yard (Phase IIc - only if PC haven't watched the assembly in Scene 6a)** | Through the narrow viewing slot, you look down into the central yard. The mist hangs heavy under a large, weathered canvas canopy, but the space is packed. Nearly thirty people stand in the freezing rain. On the edges, the heavy-set guards watch with uneasy silence. In the center stands a large group of pale, hunched figures, uniform and completely still. On a raised wooden platform stands a broad-shouldered, tall guard. Where his left eye should normally be, the skin has been crudely sewn together. Kneeling before him is one of the pale figures, stripped to the waist, shivering violently in the cold. The one-eyed guard holds a heavy, dark leather whip. When he speaks, his booming voice carries a brutal, heavily accented French: "Un pour l'acte." (One for the deed). The whip cracks. The kneeling figure gasps, but the pale crowd immediately chants in a hollow, unified voice: "Un." The guard raises the whip again. "Un pour la menace." (One for the threat). Crack. The crowd answers: "Deux." > "Et deux pour l'égoïsme!" (And two for selfishness). The whip cracks. "Trois." It rises one last time. The final crack echoes through the yard. "Quatre." The kneeling figure does not gasp. He simply slumps forward into the mud, falling unconscious before he even hits the ground. The unified chanting stops instantly, leaving only the sound of the freezing rain. Another guard steps onto the platform, casually hoisting a wooden bucket, and violently sloshes freezing water over the raw, bleeding gashes on the man's back. Pink runoff pools in the dirt as two guards step forward to drag his limp body away into the mist. | | |
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| ---- | ---- |
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| | **Scene Type** | **Player Intents** | **DM Function / Story Link** | | | **Scene Type** | **Player Intents** | **DM Function / Story Link** | |
| | **Captivity · Confrontation · Power Imbalance** | Escape confinement · understand their situation · survive interrogation · find a way to turn the tables and capture J.W. | Shifts the PCs from active pursuit to enforced stillness. Establishes J.W. as the dominant force. Tests the PCs' ability to negotiate or escape when stripped of their gear and advantages. | | | **Captivity & Breakout** | Assess the holding room · escape restraints · recover confiscated equipment · leave the room before the Hands return | Provides a compact recovery path after capture. Once the PCs leave the holding room, return to [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]] instead of repeating the compound's locations and infiltration options. If the PCs remain imprisoned, a brief audience with J.W. creates one final opportunity to reverse the situation. | |
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| ===== 4 | Key (N)PCs ===== | ===== 4 | Key (N)PCs ===== |
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| | **Name / Role** | **Motivation / Function** | **Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play** | **Link** | | | **Name / Role** | **Motivation / Function** | **Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play** | **Wiki Link** | |
| | **J.W. — “The Hunter”** | Territorial authority · judge · orchestrator | Calm, controlled, and absolute. He views the PCs as data points rather than enemies. If he learns they were sent to capture him alive, he finds it coldly amusing. | [[Jareth Wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]] | | | **J.W. — “The Hunter”** | Assess the threat · protect his operation · retain control | Calm, analytical and unnervingly patient. He does not gloat or deliver a lengthy monologue. He studies what the PCs say, asks concise questions and behaves as though their imprisonment has already settled the outcome. | [[jareth_wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]] | |
| | **Valen Vanlith** | Cult Mouthpiece · Enforcer | A broad-shouldered, tall guard. Where his left eye should normally be, the skin has been crudely sewn together. He acts as the terrifying voice of J.W.'s will and handles the ritualized public punishments during the assembly. | [[Valen Vanlith|Valen Vanlith]] | | | **J.W.'s Armed Hands** | Guarding · restraint · escort · pursuit | Armed Exohuman fugitives carrying Windstrike Rifles and hunting knives. They confiscate equipment, guard prisoners and respond to escape attempts. They are distinct from the pale workers and perform all security duties in this scene. | [[the_humans|Exohumans]] | |
| | **Mustafa "Mu" Metzger** | Errand Runner · Observer · Escort | Present but silent. He avoids eye contact with the PCs once inside the property. | [[Mustafa Metzger|Mustafa Metzger]] | | | **Pale Workers / Blues** | Coerced labor · witnesses | The Blues may watch prisoners being moved through the compound, but they do not guard cells, restrain prisoners or escort anyone to J.W. Preserve any previously established Blues Disposition. Otherwise, their disposition begins as **Uncertain**. | [[the_blues|The Blues]] | |
| | **Hunter’s Trappers & Hands** | Containment & enforcement | Pale, hunched Blues. They communicate through gestures. Inside the property, they defer instantly to J.W.’s authority. | [[the_blues|The Blues]] | | |
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| ===== 5 | Triggers, Clues & Consequences ===== | ===== 5 | Triggers, Clues & Consequences ===== |
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| === Phase I — Containment & Observation === | === Entry Conditions & Carried State === |
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| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** | | //Before beginning the scene, record the circumstances under which the PCs were captured. These circumstances determine what happens if they escape.// |
| | **PCs listen for guards or activity outside** | Silence answers deliberately. | __Mechanic:__ A successful WIS (Perception) probe (DC 11). __Success:__ Confirms this absence is intentional, not careless — the PCs are left alone by design to let the psychological weight settle. | | |
| | **PCs examine the holding room carefully** | The room tells a quiet story. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation) probe (DC 12). __Success:__ PCs notice deep claw marks and long white hairs (strongly reminiscent of the Nameless Man). A subsequent WIS (Survival) or DEX (Investigation) probe (DC 13) uncovers a thin, bent shard of steel wedged between the floorboards. | | |
| | **PCs attempt to free themselves from restraints** | The room tests intent. | __Mechanic:__ __Forceful attempt:__ STR (Athletics) probe (DC 16). On success, restraints are broken but noise is created. __Quiet attempt:__ DEX (Sleight of Hand) probe (DC 14). Using the hidden steel shard grants advantage. Success frees them cleanly. | | |
| | **PCs successfully free themselves silently** | Control shifts subtly. | __Consequence:__ This unlocks the Staged Read-Aloud: "PCs leave the holding room unescorted" and transitions to Phase IIb. | | |
| | **PCs make noise, fail, or choose to wait** | Procedure accelerates. | __Consequence:__ After approximately 30 minutes, 2–4 Blues return to escort the PCs directly to J.W., initiating Phase IVa. | | |
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| --- | * **Captured Outside:** No general search is underway unless the events leading to capture already caused one. |
| | * **Captured During an Active Search:** The Active Search continues while the PCs are imprisoned. |
| | * **Captured During the Full Alarm:** The pneumatic Full Alarm remains active. Imprisonment does not reset it. |
| | * **Confiscated Equipment:** Unless the preceding scene established another location, the PCs' weapons, packs and tools are stored in a locked chest in the small guard alcove immediately outside the holding room. |
| | * **Carried States:** Preserve the Wagon State, Blues Disposition, injuries, missing equipment and any evidence already collected. |
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| === Phase IIa — Escorted to Judgment === | //__Blues Disposition:__ If the PCs already interacted with the Blues before being captured, retain the established disposition. Otherwise, begin with Uncertain. The Blues do not guard the holding room or routinely visit the prisoners. If the PCs deliberately attempt to communicate with workers while being moved through the compound, use the interaction described below.// |
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| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** | | * **Uncertain:** The Blues avoid involvement but do not report the PCs without a reason. |
| | **PCs observe the guards during escort** | Differences become undeniable. | __Mechanic:__ A successful WIS (Perception) probe (DC 13). __Success:__ Allows PCs to study their captors (pale skin, dilated pupils). Each guard carries a [[windstrike_rifle|Windstrike Rifle]] and a [[guarding_troopers_stun_gun|Stun Gun]]. | | * **Sympathetic:** The PCs previously treated the workers respectfully or established that they oppose J.W. Sympathetic Blues may later overlook suspicious movement or misdirect a Hand. |
| | **PCs resist, provoke, or try to escape during escort** | Control tightens. | __Consequence:__ Guards respond immediately with force. Stun guns are used. The PCs are dragged the rest of the way, beginning the audience with J.W. with impaired health/exhaustion. | | * **Alienated:** The PCs threatened, attacked or treated the workers as enemies. Alienated Blues offer no assistance and avoid the PCs. |
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| --- | //Blues Disposition determines how the workers regard the PCs. It does not turn them into guards, nor does it determine whether they may later resist J.W.'s Hands for their own reasons.// |
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| === Phase IIIa — Audience with J.W. (Judgment) === | === Phase I — The Holding Room === |
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| //Before resolving any mechanics in this phase, read the Staged Read-Aloud “The guards bring the PCs into J.W.’s presence.”// | //__Captivity Rounds:__ One Captivity Round represents one meaningful group action: examining the room, listening outside, working on restraints, manipulating the door or preparing an ambush. Set the Escort Timer to **3**. Reduce it by 1 after each Captivity Round. If the Full Alarm is already active, begin at **2** instead. Brief questions and discussion do not consume a round. When the timer reaches zero, resolve the arrival of the Hands.// |
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| //**DM RULE: The "Two Questions" Limit.** J.W. is classifying the PCs, not indulging them. The PCs may ask exactly TWO questions. He will only answer questions related to the three topics below. If they ask a third question, or if they ask about anything outside these three topics, he immediately delivers the "Prey" response and issues his verdict.// | | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** | |
| | ^ ASSESSING THE HOLDING ROOM ^^^ |
| | | **PCs assess their restraints** | Their wrists are bound behind their backs. A shared chain connects the bindings to iron rings fixed into the wall. | __Consequence:__ The PCs cannot move freely until they release either their individual bindings or the shared chain. PCs who secretly escaped or loosened their restraints before capture may retain that advantage at the DM's discretion. | |
| | | **PCs listen outside** | What they hear depends on the compound's current escalation state. | __Mechanic:__ A WIS (Perception) probe (DC 11). __Undetected:__ The PCs hear isolated footsteps and routine work outside. __Active Search:__ Armed Hands exchange reports and move rapidly between compound locations. __Full Alarm:__ The pneumatic howl and shouted orders make quiet movement outside nearly impossible. No Blues are stationed as guards. | |
| | | **PCs examine the room** | The plank walls bear deep scratches. Long pale hairs remain caught around one iron ring. Near the floor, one board has begun to split away from its nails. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation) or WIS (Perception) probe (DC 12). __Success:__ The PCs conclude that pale prisoners were once confined here. They also find a thin, bent shard of steel wedged beneath the damaged board. The shard can serve as an improvised lock pick or cutting tool. | |
| | | **PCs look through the viewing slit** | The slit reveals part of the stairwell and a small guard alcove beyond the door. An iron-bound equipment chest stands against the opposite wall. | __Consequence:__ The PCs locate their confiscated gear. If a Hand is currently outside, only part of the guard's silhouette is visible through the slit. | |
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| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** | | ^ ESCAPING THE RESTRAINTS ^^^ |
| | **Topic 1: PCs demand to know why he sent killers to their HQ in New Kourou** | J.W. shakes his head slightly, as if dismissing a child's petty grievance. | __Consequence:__ He writes a cold, pragmatic note and turns the ledger: //"Do not take it personally. You were only meant to be collateral damage. It wasn't about you, only about what you might have heard."// This establishes the terrifying scale of his operations—destroying an OfSO facility was just housekeeping. | | | **PCs attempt to free themselves quietly** | The rope can be worked loose, cut or manipulated against the edge of the wall ring. | __Mechanic:__ A DEX (Sleight of Hand) or suitable Tinkering probe (DC 14). Using the hidden steel shard grants Advantage. __Success:__ One PC frees their hands without raising suspicion and can assist the others. __Failure:__ The bindings remain in place and the Escort Timer advances normally. | |
| | **Topic 2: PCs mention the Nameless Man / ask why he wanted him dead** | For a fleeting second, the coldness breaks. J.W. lowers his pen and looks genuinely sad. | __Consequence:__ He writes slowly, almost respectfully: //"14 had already died months earlier due to dementia. What you found was just a body out of control. A threat to our community of fate."// He views the assassination not as murder, but as a tragic necessity to protect their people. | | | **A freed PC releases the others** | With both hands available, the remaining knots and chain fastenings are much easier to reach. | __Mechanic:__ With the steel shard, suitable tools or an appropriate background, no additional probe is required. Without any useful implement, make a DEX (Sleight of Hand) probe (DC 11). | |
| | **Topic 3: PCs ask about the pale people / the Blues / his followers** | J.W. studies the PCs' faces, judging their ignorance, before carefully drafting his response. | __Consequence:__ He writes a single, heavy truth: //"Where there is light, there is always shadow. We were your shadow on the Last Frontier."// This is the ultimate, undeniable confirmation of the Blues' origin from the ship's forgotten maintenance strata. | | | **PCs force their restraints** | Rope tightens, chain links scrape against the rings and the wall timbers begin to strain. | __Mechanic:__ A STR (Athletics) probe (DC 16). __Success:__ The restraint or wall ring breaks. __Failure:__ The PC remains restrained. Whether successful or not, the noise brings the Escort Timer immediately to zero. If the PCs escape the arriving Hands, an **Active Search** begins. | |
| | **Any other question, threatening him, or asking a 3rd question** | J.W. stops writing entirely. He looks at them with absolute, chilling finality. | __Consequence:__ He quickly scribbles one last line and pushes the ledger forward: //"Prey does not get all answers from its predator."// He immediately moves to deliver his verdict. | | |
| | **PCs receive J.W.’s verdict** | Judgment is delivered without a single word. | __Consequence:__ J.W. closes his notebook with a sharp snap. He looks at his guards, gives a single, dismissive nod. __The execution begins instantly.__ The guards raise their rifles and draw hunting knives to kill the PCs right there in the room. This triggers a desperate, do-or-die Combat/Escape Phase. The PCs must use their bound state, the environment, or pure adrenaline to break the hold (a high DC Group STR/DEX probe). __Success:__ They break the line of fire and dive through a window (Proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d]]) or grab J.W. as a shield (Proceed to [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c]]). __Failure:__ The PCs are killed. Campaign ends in failure. | | |
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| --- | ^ OPENING THE HOLDING ROOM ^^^ |
| | | **PCs inspect the reinforced door** | A heavy iron bolt secures it from the stairwell side. Through the viewing slit, the PCs can see part of the bolt and its simple guide brackets. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation/Tinkering) probe (DC 12) identifies how the bolt might be lifted using the steel shard, a length of chain or another improvised hook. | |
| | | **PCs manipulate the exterior bolt** | The improvised tool must pass through the viewing slit and lift the iron bolt without dropping it against the door. | __Mechanic:__ A DEX (Sleight of Hand) or INT (Tinkering) probe (DC 14). __Success:__ The bolt lifts quietly and the door can be opened. __Failure:__ The tool slips and metal strikes timber. Bring the Escort Timer to zero. | |
| | | **PCs force the door** | The reinforced planks flex against the bolt while the hinges groan beneath the impact. | __Mechanic:__ A group STR (Athletics) probe (DC 17). __Success:__ The door bursts open. __Failure:__ It remains closed. Either result alerts nearby Hands and begins an **Active Search**. | |
| | | **PCs call for a guard or create a deception** | A Hand approaches the viewing slit but initially keeps the door closed. | __Mechanic:__ A CHA (Deception/Performance) probe (DC 14). A credible medical emergency, internal conflict or concealed freed restraint may grant Advantage. __Success:__ The Hand opens the door cautiously, giving the PCs one opportunity to overpower or evade him. __Failure:__ The Hand recognizes the deception and summons another guard. Bring the Escort Timer to zero. | |
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| === Phase IVa (Optional Breakout) — Unescorted Movement on the Property === | ^ EQUIPMENT & THE RETURNING HANDS ^^^ |
| | | **PCs reach the equipment chest** | The iron-bound chest contains their confiscated weapons, packs, tools and collected evidence unless the preceding scene established otherwise. | __Mechanic:__ A key taken from a Hand opens it automatically. Otherwise, a DEX (Sleight of Hand/Thieves' Tools) or INT (Tinkering) probe (DC 13) opens the lock. Forcing the chest requires STR (Athletics) (DC 15) and creates enough noise to begin an Active Search. | |
| | | **The Escort Timer reaches zero** | Two armed Hands open the outer hatch and descend the steps. One carries a Windstrike Rifle while the other prepares to unlock the holding-room door. | __Consequence:__ PCs who have freed themselves may hide their progress, prepare an ambush, attempt another deception or attack when the door opens. Silently overcoming both Hands allows a quiet escape. A shouted warning, gunshot or prolonged struggle begins an **Active Search**. | |
| | | **The PCs remain restrained or surrender** | The Hands unlock the shared chain and prepare to march the PCs to the main house while keeping their wrists bound. | __Consequence:__ Proceed to **Phase III — Conditional Audience with J.W.** | |
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| {{ :hauh_map_property_jw.jpg?direct&200|}} | ---- |
| {{ :jw_compound_huts_blues.png?direct&200|}} | |
| {{ :jw_compound_fur_production.png?direct&200|}} | |
| {{ : jw_compound_burning_pit.png?direct&200|}} | |
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| //The mist within the compound is thick, obscuring line of sight. | === Phase II — Leaving the Holding Room === |
| // | |
| //**The One Location Rule:** If the PCs break out of their cell, they have a very narrow window before the empty cell is discovered. They only have enough time to investigate ONE location on the property (The Huts, The Tannery, The Fire Pits, or slipping into the Main House) before the alarm sounds and a compound-wide manhunt begins.// | |
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| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** | | //Once the PCs leave the holding room, stop using Scene 6b. Do not repeat the compound locations or infiltration tables here. Transfer the relevant states to Scene 6a and continue from the indicated phase.// |
| | **PCs explore the southern perimeter** | Containment becomes visible. | The mist clears to reveal twelve identical, windowless log structures lined up along the inside of the wall. __Mechanic:__ A WIS (Perception) or INT (Investigation) probe (DC 12). __Success:__ Peeking through a crack in the wood, the PCs witness the unsettling culture of the Blues. There are no beds. A Blue sleeps on a weathered bedroll on the floor. Beneath the bedroll, the ground is reinforced with scavenged starship metal. A self-made EchoHorn hums loudly, filling the hut with the exact same deafening machine white-noise the PCs will later find in J.W.'s room. It is a cult-like, deeply conditioned collective __Rule Trigger:__ As they finish looking, the compound alarm sounds. They must flee the property immediately ([[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d]]). | | |
| | **PCs explore the eastern perimeter** | They find a large, windowless storage building. The air inside is thick with the smell of tanning chemicals, blood, and wet fur. | An INT (Investigation) probe (DC 13). __Success:__ Workbenches are covered in half-finished winter coats, heavy leather boots, and bone-handled tools. The PCs realize this isn't just a community; it's a hidden sweatshop. J.W.'s workers are kept isolated, working relentlessly to produce the goods that make J.W. rich. __Rule Trigger:__ After the PC had briefly looked around the room, the compound alarm sounds...They must flee ([[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d]]). | | |
| | **PCs explore the western perimeter** | Waste and consequence surface. | The air turns bitter and charred. The ground opens into a wide area blackened by fire, dominated by large, deep pits filled with white ash. __Mechanic:__ A WIS (Medicine/Survival) probe (DC 13). __Success:__ Sifting through the ash, the PCs notice melted synthetic fabrics, zipper teeth, and distinct, charred human remains mixed in with the animal bones. This is the final disposal site for J.W.'s targets, ensuring no bodies are ever found __Rule Trigger:__ The alarm sounds. They must run for the wall ([[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d]]). | | |
| | **PCs slip into the Main House** | High-risk infiltration. | __Consequence:__ They enter the stealth mechanics of the main house (See Phase IIc below). Because of the One Location Rule, after exploring exactly ONE room (like the Office to find the Ledger), the guards outside discover the empty holding cell. The compound alarm blares, triggering the house's deafening pneumatic shriek in response. The house goes on lockdown, forcing them to flee immediately ([[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d]]). | | |
| |
| --- | | **Escape Situation** | **Compound State** | **Transition** | |
| | | **The PCs were captured outside and escape silently** | No general search has begun, and the empty holding room has not yet been discovered. | Proceed to [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]], beginning with **Phase II — Exploring the Compound**. The PCs receive one Compound Round while the compound remains **Undetected**. After that round, the empty cell is discovered and an **Active Search** begins. | |
| | | **The PCs escape silently while an Active Search is already underway** | Their escape is not immediately noticed, but the search for intruders or accomplices never ended. | Proceed to Scene 6a, **Phase IIb — Escalation: Discovery, Search & Full Alarm**. Retain the **Active Search** state. | |
| | | **The PCs escape noisily or fight the returning Hands** | A warning, gunshot or prolonged struggle mobilizes the compound. | Proceed to Scene 6a, **Phase IIb**, with an **Active Search** underway. | |
| | | **The Full Alarm was already active** | The compound-wide alarm does not reset during imprisonment. | If the PCs escape without J.W., proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d — Escape Empty-Handed]]. If they secure J.W. during the breakout, proceed to [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c — Escape With the Hunter]]. | |
| | | **The PCs leave their equipment behind** | Their weapons, tools and collected evidence remain in the guard-alcove chest. | Carry the missing-equipment state into the following scene. The PCs may attempt to recover replacements using the locations and equipment described in Scene 6a. | |
| | | **The PCs recovered their equipment** | The group has regained whatever was stored in the chest. | Carry the recovered equipment, remaining injuries, Wagon State, Blues Disposition and collected evidence into the following scene. | |
| |
| === Phase IVb (Optional Breakout) — Infiltrating the Main House === | ---- |
| |
| //The main house is a massive log structure with no windows, only narrow viewing slots. Flickering torches illuminate the upper hallways. Strangely, a network of salvaged metal pipes — clearly stripped from ship-grade plumbing — runs along the ceilings and walls. The PCs must navigate the creaking architecture flawlessly. They also hear the heavy, synchronized shuffling of dozens of boots in the mud outside, followed by an eerie, absolute silence — as if a crowd has just been called to attention.// | === Phase III — Conditional Audience with J.W. === |
| |
| //__Note:__ The assembly in the yard only take place if the PCs did not already trigger an alarm and disrupt it during Scene 6a.// | //Use this phase only if the PCs wait, surrender or fail to escape before the Hands return. Keep the audience brief. It is a final pressure point, not a second investigation of the main house.// |
| |
| {{ :jw_mainhouse_basement.png?direct&200|}} | | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Consequence / Mechanic** | |
| {{ :jw_mainhouse-masterbedroom_.png?direct&200|}} | | **The Hands escort the PCs to the main house** | Two armed Hands march the restrained PCs through the mist. Pale workers withdraw from the path but do not participate in the escort. The Hands take the PCs through the front entrance and up the wooden staircase to J.W.'s Second-Floor Room. | __Consequence:__ Read **“The Hands bring the PCs before J.W.”** The PCs remain without their confiscated equipment unless they secretly recovered an item before the escort. | |
| {{ :jw_mainhouse_office.png?direct&200|}} | | **PCs attempt to address nearby Blues during the escort** | Pale workers pause beside the paths or watch from the doorways of their huts. The armed Hands immediately order the prisoners to remain silent and continue moving. | __Mechanic:__ The PCs may make one brief appeal using CHA (Persuasion), WIS (Insight) or a suitable cultural/language probe (DC 14). Mentioning the Nameless Man or clearly identifying J.W. as their common enemy grants Advantage. __Success:__ Set Blues Disposition to Sympathetic. The workers do not intervene immediately, but may assist later according to Scene 6a or Scene 6c. __Failure:__ The workers withdraw and disposition remains **Uncertain**. A threatening appeal changes it to **Alienated**. | |
| {{ :jw_house_hallway_groundfloor.png?direct&200|}} | | **PCs attempt to escape during the march** | The Hands immediately try to drive the prisoners to the ground and call for assistance. | __Mechanic:__ A group STR (Athletics), DEX (Acrobatics) or appropriate coordinated-action probe (DC 16). PCs who secretly freed their restraints gain Advantage. __Success:__ The PCs break away; proceed to Scene 6a with an **Active Search** underway. __Failure:__ The Hands subdue them, inflicting appropriate blunt-force damage or exhaustion, and continue the escort. | |
| | | **J.W. questions the PCs** | J.W. asks why they entered his territory and what they know about his operation. He listens more carefully than he speaks. | __Consequence:__ Allow a brief exchange and no more than two substantial questions from the PCs. J.W. may acknowledge the attack on the OfSO, the Nameless Man, the illegal pelt trade or the Blues, but he does not expose his entire network. Useful revelations should agree with the established case resolution and linked character articles. | |
| | **Trigger / Cue (PC Action)** | **Immediate Reaction / What Happens** | **Consequences / Mechanics** | | | **PCs negotiate or attempt to mislead J.W.** | J.W. studies their answer for inconsistencies, occasionally writing a short note on the paper before him. | __Mechanic:__ A CHA (Deception/Persuasion) or WIS (Insight) probe (DC 15). __Success:__ The PCs create hesitation, reposition one escort or gain Advantage on their next breakout action. J.W. does not simply release them. __Failure:__ He recognizes the attempt and ends the audience. | |
| | **PCs enter via the front door** | The heavy wooden door is closed but unlocked. | __Consequence:__ The PCs step into the first-floor hallway. Three closed doors lead to the Kitchen, the Office, and the Dining Room. A wooden staircase leads up and down. Above them, a strange network of salvaged metal pipes runs along the ceiling, disappearing into the walls. They also hear an indefinable murmuring from outside, as if some people were gathering there.| | | **PCs concealed that they escaped their restraints** | J.W. and the Hands continue treating them as securely bound. | __Consequence:__ The PCs gain one opening action with Advantage. They may attack an escort, break for the hallway or attempt to seize J.W. | |
| | **PCs navigate the hallways and staircases** | The untreated timber shifts underfoot. The staircase has at least two loudly creaking steps. | __Mechanic:__ A group DEX (Stealth) probe (DC 14). __Success:__ The PCs move like ghosts. __Failure:__ The noise triggers the Failure Loop (see below). | | | **PCs attempt to seize J.W. during the audience** | J.W. moves behind the desk while the Hands reach for their weapons. | __Mechanic:__ Resolve a coordinated STR, DEX or suitable Tinkerer action against DC 16. Secretly freed restraints or a successfully created distraction grants Advantage. __Success:__ The PCs secure J.W. long enough to begin an extraction; proceed to [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c — Escape With the Hunter]] with an **Active Search** underway. __Failure:__ The Hands overwhelm the attempt and J.W. immediately ends the audience. | |
| | **PCs search the First Floor (Office)** | Behind one door is an office with a huge desk and a couch. A stack of Hale & Hook notebooks lays openly on the desk. A rusted metal pipe runs down the wall beside it, featuring a heavy wheel valve. Beneath the desk sits a flush iron ventilation grate with no hinges. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation) probe (DC 13). __Success:__ Inside the desk drawer, the PCs find a heavy [[jw_fur_trade_ledger|Ledger]] written entirely in the Blues' clipped French dialect, meticulously detailing his highly lucrative, legitimate fur business. Beneath the desk, PCs realize the grate is held shut by a pneumatic vacuum lock. Turning the wheel valve releases a loud hiss of equalizing air pressure, allowing the grate to be lifted easily. Inside the sub-floor compartment sits a treasure box meticulously carved from animal bones. It contains 14 single-sheet [[jw_blue_contracts|Contracts]] written in French, each signed with a bloody fingerprint — the binding agreements of every Blue who lives (or used to live) on the property. Beneath the contracts lies a [[scribble_of_the_two_blues|Weathered Scribble]] with burned edges and dark stains. It depicts two Blues in the ship's maintenance strata: a younger Nameless Man resting his hands protectively on the shoulders of a young boy. The booming voice from outside can be heard here as well, muffled by the thick logs. You can occasionally make out sharp, heavily accented French phrases cutting through the rain: 'Violation de nos règles...' and '...ingratitude! | | | **PCs break away without J.W.** | The Hands shout a warning as the PCs reach the hallway or staircase. | __Consequence:__ If the Full Alarm is not active, proceed to Scene 6a with an **Active Search** underway. If the Full Alarm is already active, proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d — Escape Empty-Handed]]. | |
| | **PCs search the Second Floor (Master Bedroom)** | The room has a fireplace, a dry bathtub, and a wash bucket on a trivet, but conspicuously lacks a bed. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation) probe (DC 13). __Success:__ PCs find a weathered bedroll on a section of floor reinforced with ship-grade metal. Next to it is a self-made EchoHorn. Playing the unlabeled shellac record emits deafening white noise and heavy machine hums—the sound of the ship's maintenance strata. A wooden box holds a Serenica Neuro-Stabilizer blister (4 of 20 left; anxiety medication) and a NeuroCalm Nano-Vial (painkiller). | | | **The audience ends without an escape** | J.W. closes his notebook and gives the Hands a short, dismissive instruction. The prisoners are to be removed and executed away from his private room. | __Consequence:__ Allow the PCs one final coordinated breakout attempt during the transfer. Resolve it as a group STR (Athletics), DEX (Acrobatics) or suitable improvised-action probe (DC 16). __Success:__ They break away and continue under an Active Search. __Failure:__ The Hands carry out J.W.'s order. Unless another established ally or contingency intervenes, the mission and campaign end in failure. | |
| | **PCs search the Second Floor (Dressing Room)** | A room with two wardrobes filled with fur-coated clothing. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation) probe (DC 12). __Success:__ They find a large wooden frame holding a patched-together overall made from [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]] space suits. Painted on the left chest are tally marks: four straight lines crossed out with a slash, and two more straight lines next to it. (A total of 7). The booming voice from outside can be heard here as well, muffled by the thick logs. You can occasionally make out sharp, heavily accented French phrases cutting through the rain: 'Violation de nos règles...' and '...ingratitude!| | |
| | **PCs search the Basement** | The basement hallway features four closed doors, leading to a Staff Lounge and Large Storage. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation) probe (DC 12). __Success:__ The storage shelves hold processed meat and glasses, alongside hundreds of tins filled with traditional "Blue" survival rations: "Life" (a thick, heavily salted green paste made from stolen algae blocks) and "Luck" (hardened, irregular blocks of synthetic nutrient-scraps salvaged from the ship's disposal chutes just before the composting cycle). Tins bear handwritten tags like //"Life - June 2626"// and //"Luck - April 2627"//. They also find a large stash of unused Hale & Hook notebooks. Further inspection reveals 20 heavy Spring Jaw Traps and 3 Snare Trap Sets, all branded with the initials "J.W." Against the far wall is a locked metal grid (DC 14 Sleight of Hand / Thieves Tools to bypass). Behind it is a well-maintained weapon cache: 10 [[windstrike_rifle|Windstrike Rifles]], 10 Hunting Knives, and 5 folding crossbows. | | |
| | **PCs fail any Stealth check, make loud noise, or initiate combat** | __The Failure Loop:__ The Butler Bot will notice the PCs and investigate the area where it heard the suspicious noise | __Consequence:__ If the PCs cannot hide in time (probe required), the Butler Bot reaches for the nearest pneumatic wall-valve and pulls it. A deafening, sustained pneumatic shriek tears through the house. The assembly outside breaks, and J.W.'s hands swarm the house. The PCs must flee for their lives (Proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d]]) or be overwhelmed, stripped of their gear, and dragged before J.W. (Proceed to Phase IIIa — Audience with J.W.). | | |
| | **PCs look through any narrow viewing slot facing the yard from the first/second floor** (the assembly only takes place if the PC has not yet had any contact with the event in Scene 6a) | The muffled voices outside become clear. The yard is packed with people. | __Mechanic:__ No roll required; this is a pure narrative reward. __Consequence:__ This unlocks the Staged Read-Aloud: //"Through the narrow viewing slot, you look down into the central yard..."// (The Assembly). By watching this, the PCs witness the brutal, fear-driven hierarchy of the compound and exactly how J.W. enforces absolute obedience. | | |
| |
| ---- | ---- |
| ===== 6 | DM Notes ===== | ===== 6 | DM Notes ===== |
| |
| * **The Irony of the Mandate (Main Path):** Remind the players of the excruciating irony here. In Phase III, they are sitting three feet away from the exact man they need to capture alive, but they are tied to chairs, stripped of their weapons, and entirely at his mercy. | * **Keep the Scene Narrow:** Scene 6b concerns confinement, escape and the consequences of capture. Once the PCs leave the holding room, return to Scene 6a instead of describing the compound again. |
| * **J.W. is classifying, not interrogating (Main Path):** J.W. does not seek confession, remorse, or justification. He is determining whether the PCs are noise, data, or risk. Let long pauses, the deliberate scratch of his pen, and his absolute silence do more work than dialogue ever could. | * **Hands Guard; Blues Work:** Armed Hands capture, restrain, escort and pursue the PCs. The Blues may witness these events, but they are coerced workers rather than guards. Do not use them as a combat swarm. |
| * **The Sudden Execution (Main Path):** J.W. is a creature of brutal efficiency. He will not monologue, and he will not march them to a fire pit if he can have them killed instantly in his office. Make this moment fast and terrifying. The PCs have exactly one chance to react the second he closes the notebook. | * **Preserve the Escalation State:** Imprisonment does not erase what happened previously. An Active Search continues, and a Full Alarm remains active. |
| * **The One Location Rule (Optional Breakout Path):** If the PCs manage to escape their cell (Phase IVa/IVb), this rule is crucial for tension. The PCs should feel like they got away with it — right up until they realize they only had a three-minute head start. When their empty cell is discovered, make the acoustic siren or the pneumatic shriek deafening. | * **Noise Does Not Trigger the Pneumatic Alarm:** A forced door, gunshot, shouted warning or discovered empty cell begins an Active Search. The pneumatic Full Alarm remains governed by the pressure system established in Scene 6a. |
| | * **Equipment Matters:** Record what the PCs recover before leaving. Missing weapons and tools should complicate the following scene without making escape impossible. |
| | * **Failure Should Create Pressure Before Finality:** Give the PCs several clear opportunities: escape the restraints, manipulate the door, ambush the returning Hands, break away during the escort or act during the audience. Only the final failed transfer should threaten an irreversible campaign failure. |
| | * **Blues Assistance Remains Limited:** A Sympathetic Blue may provide one discreet advantage, but cannot simply open the cell, return every weapon or escort the PCs safely through the compound. Open defiance would endanger the worker and attract the Hands. Carry the resulting Blues Disposition into Scene 6a or the following escape scene. |
| |
| ==== DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene ==== | ==== DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene ==== |
| |
| {{ :dm_briefing_hauh_asprisonerintherealmofthehunter_3.mp3 |}} | {{ :dm_briefing_scene_6b_as_a_prisoner_in_the_realm_1_.mp3 |}} |
| ---- | ---- |
| |
| ===== Related Pages and Further Information ===== | ===== Related Pages and Further Information ===== |
| |
| * ↑↑ **Start:** [[hunting_an_unknown_hunter|Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] | * ↑↑ **Start:** [[hunting_an_unknown_hunter|Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] |
| * ★ **Overview:** [[All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter|All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] | * ★ **Overview:** [[all_scenes_of_hunting_an_unknown_hunter|All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] |
| * ☞ **Resolution:** [[hauh_case_resolution|Case Resolution and discoverable Backstory]] | * ☞ **Resolution:** [[hauh_case_resolution|Case Resolution and Discoverable Backstory]] |
| * ← **Previous Scene:** [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]] | * ← **Possible Previous Scenes:** |
| * → **Next Scene:** The outcome of the captivity determines the next step: | * [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]] if the PCs were captured during infiltration or confrontation |
| * **If PCs break out and run for the wall:** Proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d — Escape Empty-Handed]]. | * Any preceding scene in which the PCs were captured and transported to J.W.'s compound |
| * **If PCs manage to take J.W. hostage during the audience:** Proceed to [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c — Escape With The Hunter]]. | * → **The outcome determines the next scene:** |
| | * **If the PCs escape before the Full Alarm:** Return to [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]] with the appropriate escalation state. |
| | * **If the PCs escape with J.W.:** Proceed to [[hauh_escape_with_the_hunter|Scene 6c — Escape With the Hunter]]. |
| | * **If the PCs escape without J.W. during the Full Alarm:** Proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d — Escape Empty-Handed]]. |
| | * **If every final breakout attempt fails:** The mission and campaign may end in failure unless an established contingency intervenes. |
