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A Murder of Supplication

An Epic Ussuran Adventure

Introduction

more rigid then some GMs and players might prefer

although we have tried to make it less so and will attempt to

give hints to things within the adventure to help keep things

in line. Most published adventures will ÐrailroadÑ a group of

heroes, but hopefully after reading the adventure in full and

with the proper use of Soft Points, you will find enough

material to make an adventure for your heroes in which they

will not feel completely railroaded.

Ultimately, your heroes could simply decide to Ðget out of

townÑ and ditch the quest and head off onto other

adventures. If you are using this adventure to supplement

and expand your personal campaign: To put it simply, let

them. Should there be consequences, sure, but that doesnÓt

mean that they will affect them. Who knows maybe some

months later they will read in the Freiburg gazette about a

group of heroes helping liberate Molhyna from a despot

ruler.

On the other hand, if this is adventure is a Ðone shotÑ or a

Ðconvention runÑ for you, then obviously a little more

demand on following plotlines and railroading is expected,

and yes even appreciated at most conventions, believe it or

not. No one likes a game that goes nowhere at

a convention or game-day.

The most important tool you as the

GM will have is this

adventure is

Koshchei the

Immortal. Should a

group go too far off

the beaten

pathÈor even

not far enough

along the

path!È the

Immortal

can send a

messenger,

or if angry

or agitated

enough

A Murder of Supplication begins in the late summer of 1669

some four months following Jyrgal TimurbekÓs declaration of

independence for Kosara from Ussura. In A Murder of

Supplication your heroes will learn about the tyrannical rule

of the the Knias of Molhyna, Vladimir Goroduk Drakov

vÓPietrov, and of the plight of his lands and people; and if all

goes well perhaps your heroes can make a benevolent

difference in this torn and tragic and bloody land.

A Story In Three Parts

A Murder of Supplication is at its heart a tale told in three

parts that are meant to run in one smooth order. The first part

(Hard-Points 1-6) sends the heroes in to the domain of

Molhyna where the soon realise that their rather unusual

roles as couriers is even more then they thought. The second

part (Hard-Points 7-10) brings the heroes into a greater

understanding of the conflicts of Molhyna and leads them

into the heart of darkness. Then the final part (Hard Points

11-16) gives the heroes the opportunity to bring down a

tyrannical ruler and bring about good and honest

change to the lands of Molhyna.

The adventure is composed of sixteen

Hard Points and fifty Soft Points. In

general each Hard Point should be

run in the order presented but if you

can and need to skip any of them you

should feel free to do so, just be sure to cover

or move any important information or events

that might be in that Hard Point to where you

need it to be. The Soft Points on the other

hand are completely optional encounters that

you can use to lengthen and toughen the

adventure or perhaps use to give depth and

breadth to Molhyna and Ussura.

Off the Beaten Path

As they are wont to do, players can often stray from an

adventureÓs set path. A Murder of Supplication is somewhat

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arrive suddenly on scene himself to chastise the heroes for

their wandering. As a master of fate-magic (in addition to

fire-magic and animal-shapeshifting-magic) he could very

well twist a strand of fate and redirect a small group of

people back in line. In his mind people are dying in

Molhyna, his people. Immortal he may be, heÓs not without a

heart that feels grief. But at the same time, he knows he can

only manipulate things so muchÈthe heroes have to

discover some of what they will face on their own.

Alternatively, if you wish to bring about a more face-to-face

encounter with the evil that they will hopefully help

Molhyna free itself from a group of Oprechnina (ÐThe

Blackness of HellÑ) performing some act of terror can easily

bring the heroes back to focus, especially if said act were to a

group of innocents. The Oprechnina are the Stelets of the

Knias of Molhyna, his personal guard and army. You can

read more about them in the Ussura nation book or Knights

& Musketeers sourcebook.

Also never underestimate the timely message or appearance

of a member of an order or society that one of the heroes

belongs to get them back on track. What the players bring to

the table in the form of their characters can often be the most

important element used to motivate someone.

Ultimately the absolute most important thing to remember is

that fun should be had by all (Including yourself!) and that

you should feel encouraged to use what you want in this

adventure and throw out what you do not want so long as

you and your players all have a great time.

ascent of his son Vladimir (who turned 30 on the same day

his father died) to the throne of Molhyna things changed

greatlyÈand for the better, for most anyway. The

Oprechnina however was dispersed in spirit and name by the

new Knias. Simply put, he had no need for the Oprechnina

for they were useless to the way he was going to rule.

However the Knias did keep the aged Kalenikov as Captain

of the Guard.

Then in the early part of 1667 something terrible happened.

A gunpowder explosion killed VladimirÓs infant daughter.

Kalenikov soon discovered evidence of assassins. Seemingly

overnight Vladimir reinitiated the Oprechnina and made

Kalenikov both his Chamberlain and the head of the army.

Terror had returned to Molhyna with a vengeance, even to

the point that Vladimir ordered the death of his own wife.

Of course there were no assassins, this had all been a ploy

on KalenikovÓs part to kill the Knias and his family, only the

timing had been off and he managed only to kill the

daughter. However, Kalenikov soon realised that maybe he

could turn this to his advantage. Since then he has managed

to take complete control of Molhyna behind the faade of

Vladimir being the ÐTerror of MolhynaÑ. He even managed

to get the Knias to order the death of his own wife, but has

secretly hidden her away of possible use in the future.

Now, as 1669 slowly begins to give way to 1670; Koshchei,

once Knias of Molhyna himself some 1100 years before,

seeks to send a band of heroes into the heart of hell in hopes

that they might reclaim his errant ÐsonÑ and beloved

Molhyna from whatever evil that has hold of it as well as

deflect another force from an even greater evilÈ

Here is a list of subjects and notes and some page references

for your ease.

Wolf: You can read more about this enigmatic power in

Ussura. Ultimately he will have little to do with this

adventure besides being a motivation for Koshchei to act

to even though Koshchei himself does not know that it is

Wolf that is behind this inquisitiveness. Wolf is seeking

things that would advance his goals and he has turned his

gaze upon Lake Vigil (p38) which lies in the heart of

Molhyna.

Molhyna: The realm of Vladimir Goroduk Drakov

vÓPietrov is described on pages 37-40 of Ussura.

Knias: Be sure to read pages 77-78 and 119 of Ussura

for information on the Knias.

Background For The Gamemaster

To run this adventure more smoothly it cannot be stressed

enough that one should read and have a good understanding

of Ussura. Especially the sections and personalities relating

to Molhyna and in some small part Rurik and city of

Pavtlow. The long and short of it is this.

An evil man by the name of Parigorii Nizhne Kalenikov once

served the current KniasÓ (Vladimir Goroduk Drakov

vÓPietrov) father (Drako Goroduk Stanimirov vÓPietrov) as

an officer in the Oprechnina, the Knias DrakoÓs personal

army and tool of terror. Knias Drako was a man of

unspeakable evil and cruelty, devising tortures that even

Legion was impressed with. Tortures that Kalenikov and the

Oprechnina were all too happy to go along with.

However, with the death of Knias Drako in 1663 and the

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Power Behind the Scene: Knias Vladimir is not in

control of his own mind, much less his nation. The true

power in Molhyna is Parigorii Nizhne Kalenikov. The

former officer of VladimirÓs father has turned the current

Knias into a terrified shell of a man while he rules with

absolute tyranny with the aid of the Oprechnina, which is

loyal only unto him. Read pages 78-79 and 119 of

Ussura for information on Kalenikov.

Koshchei: Someone, some power is starting to focus

upon Lake Vigil. This attention has not gone unnoticed

by Koshchei, and seeing that he knows what exactly is in

there and knows what power and destruction lies under

the calm waters of the lake, he in no way wishes it to be

bothered. Who exactly is the force behind this curiosity

he is not sure of but what he does know is that the

current state of things in Molhyna is such that such

inquisitiveness might very well go unseen and unknown

until it was too late. For Koshchei this is a chance to kill

two birds with one stone: head off this unknown force

and free Molhyna from the plight in which it is currently

enwrapped. Read pages 75-77 and 117-118 of Ussura as

well as pages 88-89 of the GamemasterÓs Guide for

information on the Immortal.

The Lake: Ozero Bodrustvovany (Lake Vigil) is fully

described on page 38 of Ussura.

collection of daring-doers. Dependent upon how youÓre

game is constructed, your heroes may or may not need an

entrance into Ussura, much less the Court of the Gaius. If

your group is not in Ussura, feel free to use the Soft Points

listed directly below to aid you in getting the heroes to

Pavtlow. If you do not need help in getting the heroes to

Pavtlow, please feel free to ignore or use the listed Soft

Points in whatever manner you see fit and simply go onto to

Hard Point One. As always it is recommended that you read

the entirety of the adventure so that you are familiar with the

material.

The Crunchy Bits

This document uses a simple convention to try and make it

easier to use no matter which system you are using. Asides

and comments are presented in Grey text boxes. Rules and

NPCs for the original 7th Sea© Roll and Keep system are in

a pale Blue text box. While rules and NPCs for the

Swashbuckling Adventures© line and the d20© rules

system are in a pale Green text box. Of course this only

works if you are reading this document in colour!

New Advantage - Bogaytr ( 8pts Ussuran only )

This advantage only costs 4 points if you have already purchased

sorcery. This is similar to Gentry found in ÒMontaigneÓ.

Where is Matushka during this?

The bogatyr are the landless wandering nobility of Ussura, seeking

their fortune among the cities and open land of the nation. Many

bogatyr are sell-swords using the training they received to advance

in military rank or to become a captain of the guard for one town or

another. Others become merchants, using their contacts within the

court to trade among the provinces. A few travel outside Ma-

tushkaÓs domain, seeking fortune and fame (Ussura p27 for more

details)

That Matushka is a great and impressive and even terrible

power in Thah there is no doubt. However, she does have

her limitations and she is not without her own weaknesses.

Not to put to fine a point on it she has been over burdened

by the war with Montaigne now and sits in reverie while at

the same time trying to watch over the events to the south,

namely the rising of Cabora. For the time being, Ussura has

been left to watch over itself while she recuperates and sees

how events to the south are going to continue to play out. To

his mind this is yet another reason for Koshchei to try and

act at this time.

You receive 5,000G as starting money, but you have no monthly

income unless you create it through investments. Bogatyr receive

one Free Raise when using the Mooch Knack. Get one martial skill

or the Merchant or the Courtier Skill for free.

Getting Your Heroes Involved

Soft Point 1: Invitations & Orders

Because these adventures happen in the most remote part of

Thah it may be something of a challenge to get your

collection of heroes involved in a plot so far from hearth and

homeÈespecially if there are no Ussuran heroes in your

In some cases and for some heroic groups a simple

messenger will be enough. A summons to the Court of the

Gaius can go a long ways, after all. Ussura might be

considered backwards by most of the rest of Thah, but one

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hardly ignores such an exotic summons. For others more

social prodding might be in order. Nearly every Guild,

Society (secret or otherwise) or Club is curious of Ussura or

wants access to her lands, ruins, courts and markets and thus

can be a great influence upon heroes who belong to their

orders. Lord and Ladies, such as the Princes of Vodacce, a

few of the Eisenfrst (Heilgrund for one) would be

interested in the mysteries and potential of Ussura in general.

The Church might be interested in seeing how fertile the

ground might be for missionary work, after all, the current

faith of Ussura is lacking greatly in the eyes of the Vaticine

and even the Objectionist.

Beastmen of the Wolf 7th Sea - Henchman

Brawn 5, Finesse 3, Resolve 2, Wits 1, Panache 2

Attack Roll: Claw/Bite 6k3

Damage: 6k2

Advantages: Cold Climate Conditioning, Howl, Keen Smell, Keen

Hearing, Large, Night Trained, Silence, Toughness, Unnerving

Countenance (Hideous)

Knacks: Ambush 2, Attack (Natural) 3, Climbing 1, Footwork 3,

Grapple 1, Land on Target 2, Long Distance Running 2, Sprinting

3, Stealth 1, Survival 2, Throat Strike 2, Tracking 2

Beastmen of the Wolf

Ussuran Infected Werewolf Hybrid Form / Warrior 2: CR 3;

HD 4d8 +4; hp 22; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 16 (+3 Dex, +4 natural);

Base Atk +3; Grapple +5; Atk claw +5 melee (d4+2); Full Atk 2

claws +5 melee (d4+2) and bite +0 melee (d6+1) melee; SQ alter-

nate form, wolf empathy, damage reduction 5/silver, low-light vi-

sion, scent; AL CE; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +2; Str 15, Dex 16,

Con 15, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 9; Skills: climb +4, hide +5, move

silently +6, survival +5; Feats: cold climate conditioning, iron will,

run, track

Soft Point 2: Immortal String Pulling

Lastly, there are plots and threads most magical to entice a

set of heroes upon a course of action. As a Gamemaster you

have a great tool upon which to call, and one that is most

eager to be called upon in this case. Koshchei the Immortal.

Most often Koshchei is more then willing to allow matters to

plod along at their own pace and concerns, but things have

changed and forces have come to light that Koshchei no

longer believes he can sit idly by. Thus, as a master of fate

and destinies not unlike those practised by the veiled witches

of VodacceÏhe is a master of no less then three sorceries

(Ussura p117-8)Ïhe might very well decide to pull a few

threads in the hopes of bringing to Molhyna the very heroes

that are needed to aid his young kinsman, the KniasÈand

most importantly perhaps the very world itself.

Any plying of the threads of fate by Koshchei could and

should occur along with mortal and mundane summons,

such as letters of invitation to the Gaius' Court from no less

then the Gaius' wife herself, if such impression might be

needed. A hint of a promise of favours and fortunes might

bring others in line. A damaged shipÓs hull needing repairs

might bring a seaworthy group to an Ussuran port, and thus

into the manipulations of the Immortal.

One important thing to note however is that Koshchei

himself would never signal that it was he that encouraged the

heroesÓ arrival to Ussura. In this case, Koshchei knows that

his role being kept secret in this matter is of the utmost

importance. At least not until he thinks it is necessary to

make an appearance so as to impress upon the importance of

the task at hand.

Soft Point 3: Yellow Eyes¿

Creatures set upon the heroes, while they are travelling in

Rurik; a mix of man and wolf. Anyone familiar with the

ways of Pyeryem might believe that they were ÒsimplyÓ

UssuranÓs gifted by Matushka with the arts of the skin-

changerÈbut thereÓs something different about these men-

beastsÈor beast-men. They are far more animal then man in

attitude and spirit and their eyes are a poisonous yellow

coloration, the colour of pusÈdisease, infection. What are

these beastsÈand why do they hunt after the heroes all of a

sudden.

Hard Point 1: The Green-Door Inn

This adventure properly starts with the heroes meeting

someone named Margreave at a place known as the Inn of

the Green Door. Whether they are delivering a package or

simply stopping there for a meal, or whether they are long

time customers is dependant upon your campaign and what

works best for you as the Gamemaster.

Margreave is an elderly woman who moves slowly about on

her walking stick. She is a friend of Koshchei the immortal,

and has been so nearly all her life, though only a few people

know this. He once helped her escaped a bad arranged

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Margreave 7th Sea - Henchman

Brawn 0, Finesse 0, Resolve 2, Wits 3, Panache 1

Advantages: Age & Wisdom (Old), Animal Affinity, Home Neigh-

borhood, Patron (Koshchei), Sensitive Bones, Small, Ussuran

Servant: Etiquette 2, Fashion 1, Menial Tasks 3, Unobtrusive 3,

Accounting 1, Gossip 3, Haggling 3

Spy: Shadowing 1, Stealth 1, Lip Reading 2, Sincerity 3

Symmons 7th Sea - Henchman

Brawn 1, Finesse 4, Resolve 2, Wits 4, Panache 3

Reputation: 18

Advantages: Able Drinker, Avalon (R/W), Debater, Friend at Court,

Montaigne (R/W), Small, Than (R/W), Teodoran (R/W), Ussuran

(R/W), Vesten (R/W),

Knacks: Attack (DF) 2, Attack (Knife) 1, Balance 3, Balancing 2,

Break Fall 2, Conceal 2, Contortion 2, Dancing 2, Etiquette 3,

Fashion 1, Footwork 3, Gaming 3, Gossip 4, Juggling 4, Leaping 3,

Lip Reading 1, Mooch 4, Oratory 4, Parry (Knife) 1, Rolling 3,

Scheming 2, Sincerity 2, Socializing 4, Stealth 2, Street Navigation

2, Stunt 2, Throw (Improvised Weapons) 4, Throw (Knife) 4. Shad-

owing 3

Margreave, Elderly Innkeeper

Ussuran Spy 1/ Commoner 2 - Small feat

marriage and has, over the last several decades done small

favour for him.

She asks them their names, even if they are regulars, and

tells them that there was a small package dropped off for

them earlier in the day. She gives them the package and then

moves on her own merry, is slow way. The package contains

a small purse of rubles and a letter addressed to each hero.

Each letter is the same, inviting the hero and a significant

other or guest to attend the eveningÓs festivities at the Court

of the Gaius at his palace. There is a small note in the money

purse explaining that there should be enough there purchase

proper (if a bit frugal) attire the heroes for the eveningÓs

revelry.

If asked who delivered the package, Margreave will only

remember that it was a young man whom she did not

recognised. She believes that he wore a blue jacket with red

trim, which might make him one of the Pavtlow Couriers.

The Couriers are a number of young men and woman who

run packages and notes and letters for anyone willing to pay

a few coins for the service. Started by a young displaced

nobleman some years before, the Couriers have gained a

reputation for prompt, reliable and careful service.

Checking with the service the heroes will discover that a

well-dressed older man dropped off the package to be

delivered. The man was Ussuran and had the look and

mannerisms of a servant of the Boyar. The man did not leave

a name or a return location if the package were somehow

undeliverable.

Symmons, Jester of the GaiusÓ Court

Ussuran Than Bard 6 - Small feat / Reputation 4

ÒProtection MoneyÓ Collector 7th Sea - Henchman

Brawn 1, Finesse 2, Reflexes 2, Wits 4, Panache 3

Reputation: -10

Advantages: Patron, Than (R/W), Ussuran (R/W)

Knacks: Ambush 1, Architecture 1, Attack (Dirty Fighting) 3, At-

tack (Firearms) 3, Bribery 1, Cheating 3, Conceal 2, Forgery 1,

Gambling 2, Lockpicking 3, Mathematics 1, Pickpocket 2, Pres-

tidigitation 1, Quack 2, Scrounging 2, Shadowing 3, Shadowing 3,

Socializing 3, Stealth 3, Street Navigation 3, Underworld Lore 2

ÒProtection MoneyÓ Collector, Local Thug

Ussuran Rogue 5

If you so choose you can jump to the heroesÓ arrival at the

Court later that evening or use any or all of the Soft Points

listed below.

Soft Point 4: Shopping for Attire

Armed with invitation and coin the heroes should feel

obliged to find themselves suitable clothing for a nightÓs

attendance at the Court of the Gaius. Such a hook can be

taken to various extremes with as little or as much

roleplaying as you can your group can come up with.

The heroes can meet a nobleman of your own design or

perhaps meet one listed next, who they will run into again

later that evening. This meeting can be deadly serious;

meeting Aleksi would be along these lines, though one

would wonderÏreally wonderÏwhat Aleksi, Knais of Rurik

would be doing there! Alternatively you could have a

downright fun encounter; meeting the GaiusÓ jester,

The Courier service runs without the MerchantÓs Guild sanction,

as the owner resents having to bend knee and open purse to a

bunch of strangers who have nothing to do with his business. This

situation is beginning to heat up as the Guild seeks to bring the

independent service into its fold. As the heroes are there a group

of merchant backed thugs come in to put on a little heat.

7th Sea - Murder of Supplication.pdf

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